Gameplay Thread - Timeless War

The Gameplay will have strong similarities to Command & Conquer or Starcraft. You start with a Command Center, which can take orders to build structures. The differences are clear if we go into the details:

The Commander is the character which you can select before the game starts and what makes Timeless War different from other RTS games. An optimal controlled one can indeed decide about victory or defeat within the first minutes of a game even though this units survival is not essential. Depending on your style at least, because in game modes where you are able to build a base you can decide to abandom your structures and switch to guerilla tactics with your Commander instead. A Commander which actively influences a battle, raises much faster in their level and enables you to upgrade your abilities. Additionally you can change into Third-Person-View and back any time, by just hitting one button. The former mode allows you to control your character directly via WASD keys and dodging attacks more efficiently. Should your commander fall in battle, it is not a big deal as long as you still have a Command Center and enough resources to revive it. The last function of your Commander is to represent the current player level.

The resource system is made of 2 components. The primary and secondary resources. Primary resources are ores which comes from various mining sites and is placed in depots or on an open field. From there it can be harvested like in most other RTS games by a Harvester. Another primary resource that shouldnt be missing is energy, produced in power plants. The secondary resources on the other hand depend on your current faction: the Asen are harvesting Sudamis - pumpkin like fruits that contain alot of minerals -, the Pandora Forces are letting metallic crystals grow through Nanites and the C.F.A. are harassing their enemies with meteors whichs leftovers can be harvested after their impact like regular ore.

In team based matches you have the option to waive production facilities and increase your capacity for gathering resources instead. The income can than be transfered to your team mate who then uses it to build up his/her offense and defense. Through that system players can compensate their weaknesses by fitting in a role they can handle best. Also transfering units and structures is possible. All this functions are making teamplay with mixed factions more attractive.

The factions differ very strongly from each other in all their aspects. Here is a list of the major Differences:

- The Asens units are based on Hit-n-Run-Style. They dish out tons of damage, are very fast and overall as a faction they have good cloaking systems. Their structures on the other hand are stationary, but quite thick armored. For electronical disruption they can manipulate hostile targeting system or disrupt radars. Additionally they are quite skilled in placing sneak attacks in their enemies back. Their downside are their prices while you have to combine unit types to max out their full potential.

- The Pandora Forces on the other hand are the complete opposite. They are lacking of speed and attack damage, but their units are highly resillient because of their force fields and reinforced armor plates. They are very good for sieging your opponents or holding important spots. But their most important feature is their ability to transform like the Transformers do. Even their structures posess this ability which allows them to float over the terrain and even build up a base on water. In the matter of electronic warfare they are specialized in creating stasis fields and using drones to sabotage the enemy.

- The Chrono-Force-Alliance is focussed on unconditional offense. They build their structures not in their Command Center, but letting them drop from space. They can only choose a location within a certain radius of the Command Center. However they are only able to put buildings like power plants and tech-structures through this method. Thats the point where Colossus' come into play: Colossus are giant mechs on four legs. They are tough nuts to break and once they are one the field, they will be sent to the enemies base by the player. During their march, they can be upgraded with pruction facilities or even weapon platforms in the late game. Since neither the C.F.A.'s fire power nor their armor is special in any way, they have mostly have to rely on numbers. Together with the Colossus' the push themselves into their opponents base. On top of that the CFA has the greatest air force, from small Spectre-Hunters up to planetary battleships. Their electronic warfare arsenal is based on micro wave launchers and alien technologie that manipulates time.

The Game modes are a major part of the multiplayer in Timeless War. From Skirmish (basically what the paragraphes above describe) to Arena fights is everything present. Even battles in space and on sea, on planets or in one of the gigantic capital cities of the three factions is everything present. The biggest challenge will be the Co-op mode. This mode will vary from map to map, while teamplay of human players against the AI has priority.