Star Wars: Empire at War

Star Wars: Empire at War, abbreviated to simply EaW, is the latest real-time strategy (RTS) game to take place in the Star Wars universe. Promising to end the mediocrity of past Star Wars RTS games (namely Force Commander and Galactic Battlegrounds), Empire at War started from the ground up. The game is being developed by Petroglyph, comprised of many former members of Westwood Studios (known for the Command and Conquer series). This company has developed a completely new engine known only as Alamo. It uses several higher-end shader effects such as soft shadows, specular lighting, and particle effects for dust clouds and explosions.

Gameplay
The game features a brand new style of play to make things a bit more realistic--instead of building workers, gathering resources, and recruiting individual units, players will be granted resources based on how many and which planets the player controls. Controlled worlds will increase the players' cashflow and many will have special abilities to help increase the players' military might (ie: production boosts, increased funds, and attack power increases). Infantry units are "recruited" in groups, while larger-scale units are made individually.

Battles are carried out both on a planet's surface and in orbit. Bombing runs can be executed by space-borne units. Likewise, ground-based installations (like the ion cannon and hypervelocity gun) can fire upon units in orbit. Unlike in Galactic Battlegrounds, shields will form an actual physical barrier that must be penetrated.

Taking place in the time between Episode III and Episode VI, Empire at War features only three factions, though only two are playable. Playable and bot only factions are the Rebel Alliance the Galactic Empire and the Black Sun, repectively. Among the Empire's advantages are their sheer power and numerical superiority, though it will be difficult for them to move about the galaxy without being noticed. The Rebels, on the other hand, won't have the resources to fund massive armies and will instead have to rely on spies and guerilla style hit-and-fade tactics. Like many RTS games, Empire at War will feature a "Rock-Paper-Scissors" unit usage style&mdash;for every unit there is a counter-unit. Brett Tosti, the LucasArts producer, has stated that this encourages players to create diverse armies and fleets with units that counter other units, as opposed to being able to building a bunch of "super units".



Players will be allowed to call on reinforcements during battle, including heroes like Darth Vader and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Players can also construct planet-borne ion cannons, factories, and space stations. Over forty locales are featured including Yavin IV, Tatooine, Dagobah, and others from the movies and expanded universe. Each world has its own unique advantages and resources. Vehicles from both trilogies will also be featured, further connecting them. Players that side with the Empire will be able to use the Death Star to further subjugate the galaxy by having the ability to completely obliterate a world.

Confirmed planets

 * Abregado-Rae
 * Aeten II
 * Alderaan
 * Alzoc III
 * Anaxes
 * Atzerri
 * Bespin
 * Bestine
 * Bonadan
 * Bothawui
 * Byss
 * Carida
 * Corellia
 * Corulag
 * Coruscant
 * Dac (Mon Calamari)
 * Dagobah
 * Dantooine
 * Endor
 * Eriadu
 * Fondor
 * Fresia
 * Geonosis
 * Hoth
 * Ilum
 * Jabiim
 * Kashyyyk
 * Kessel
 * Korriban
 * Kuat
 * Manaan
 * Naboo
 * Nal Hutta
 * Polus
 * Ryloth
 * Shola
 * Sullust
 * Taris
 * Tatooine
 * Thyferra
 * Vergesso Asteroids
 * Wayland
 * Yavin 4

Confirmed creatures and species

 * Bantha
 * Bothans
 * Desert Sketto
 * Ewoks
 * Geonosians
 * Gungans
 * Human
 * Hutts
 * Jawas
 * Mon Calamari
 * Rancor
 * Sarlacc
 * Sullustans
 * Tauntaun
 * Tusken Raiders
 * Twi'leks
 * Wampa
 * Womp Rat
 * Wookiees

Imperial

 * Darth Vader
 * Emperor Palpatine
 * Boba Fett
 * Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin
 * Captain Firmus Piett
 * Colonel Maximilian Veers
 * Mara Jade
 * Probe droid
 * Stormtroopers
 * Fleet Commander

Rebel

 * Plex soldier
 * Captain Raymus Antilles
 * Commander Ackbar
 * Han Solo
 * Chewbacca
 * Kyle Katarn
 * Mon Mothma
 * Obi-Wan Kenobi
 * R2-D2
 * C-3PO
 * Special Forces (Rebel Soldiers)
 * Rebel Infiltrators
 * Smuggler

Imperial

 * Imperial Star Destroyer
 * Immobilizer 418 cruiser
 * Victory-class Star Destroyer
 * Acclamator II-class assault ship
 * Tartan patrol cruiser
 * Broadside-class cruiser
 * Y-85 Titan-class dropship
 * Sentinel-class landing craft
 * T-4a Lambda-class shuttle
 * Slave I
 * Jade Shadow
 * TIE Bomber
 * TIE Advanced
 * TIE fighter
 * All Terrain Armored Transport
 * Self-Propelled Medium Artillery
 * All Terrain Anti-Aircraft
 * TIE Mauler
 * 2-M repulsortank
 * All Terrain Scout Transport
 * 74-Z speeder bike
 * IPV I Imperial Patrol Vessel
 * TIE Scout

Rebel

 * Home One
 * Liberty
 * Assault Frigate Mk. II
 * EF76 Nebulon-B escort frigate
 * DP-20 Corellian Gunship
 * CR90 Corellian Corvette
 * Marauder Corvette
 * GR-75 Medium Transport
 * Millennium Falcon
 * Moldy Crow
 * BTL Y-wing starfighter/bomber
 * T-65 X-wing starfighter
 * Z-95 Headhunter
 * RZ-1 A-wing interceptor
 * T-47 Airspeeder
 * Mobile Proton Torpedo Launcher
 * T4-B Heavy Tank
 * T2-B Repulsor Tank
 * Alliance Space Station

Other

 * Alpha-3 Nimbus-class V-wing starfighter
 * All Terrain Attack Pod
 * Infantry Support Platform
 * Desert skiff

Imperial

 * Death Star
 * Hypervelocity Gun

Rebel

 * Ion cannons

Both

 * Laser turrets (anti-air, infantry, and vehicle)

Imperial

 * Imperial Light Vehicle Factory
 * Imperial Officer Academy
 * Imperial Advanced Factory
 * Imperial Barracks
 * Imperial Command Center
 * Imperial Heavy Vehicle Factory

Rebel

 * Alliance Barracks
 * Alliance Command Center
 * Alliance Officer Academy
 * Alliance Heavy Vehicle Factory
 * Alliance Light Vehicle Factory

Other

 * Bacta Healing Station
 * Abandoned Heavy Factory
 * Abandoned Sensor Array
 * Cantina
 * Hutt Palace
 * Mercenary Outfitter
 * Mining Facility
 * Orbital Long Range Scanner
 * Power Generator
 * Repair Station
 * Sensor Node
 * Turbolaser Turret