Dune II: The Building of A Remaster

[AlphaAmiga]

This is awesome, Dune 2 was definitely in my top 5 most played and loved Amiga games on my A1200, having an improved AGA version would be great (wish their was scope for a skirmish mode, but I guess it's well outside the bounds of this project).

Looking forward to seeing this come to fruition.

[hooverphonique]

Originally Posted by BlitterObject

If you play the new versions in NTSC, you will get "The Building of A Dynasty". If you play in PAL, you get "Battle for Arrakis".

Does this mean 256 vertical pixel gfx in PAL mode? One of the things that annoys me about the Westwood version is the small playfield.

[Predseda]

Originally Posted by hooverphonique

Does this mean 256 vertical pixel gfx in PAL mode? One of the things that annoys me about the Westwood version is the small playfield.

I remember I used to switch my PAL Amiga to NTSC back in the day to make Dune II running faster

[BlitterObject]

@hooverphonique: Yeah, the deciding factor is if the game can run fast enough to support it (especially on A500), but that is the plan.

[khph_re]

Originally Posted by BlitterObject

@hooverphonique: Yeah, the deciding factor is if the game can run fast enough to support it (especially on A500), but that is the plan.

Nice to have the option, many of us have OCS/ECS
machines with fast ram and/or or faster processors.

[roondar]

This is great project. Dune II is one of my all-time favourite Amiga games. I still remember buying the game while on holiday in England and reading the manual over and over and over. By the time I got home, I could answer the security questions without needing the manual any more

Played it to death on the Amiga. First on the A500, which got quite slow eventually and later on my A1200 where it performed quite well.

Hope the projects goes smoothly

[Howardphilips]

That's good news for the Amiga, thank you Mr. @BlitterObject.
Yet, I heard Dune's copyright holders are about as sensitive on their IP as Disney or Nintendo. Are you settled on that front?

[BlitterObject]

The focus of the project is the process in which I develop a remaster, not the remaster itself. Essentially, I'm writing a book. There would not be a copyright problem there.

[Estrayk]

That's good news !! awesome!

[FOL]

Originally Posted by alexh

I think you mean Dune 2000? Or maybe Emperor: Battle for Dune?

("Dune: The battle for Arrakis" is the NA Genesis name for Dune II)

Of Course your right, where did Dune - Battle for Arrakis come from, lol.


Ment Emperor - Battle for Dune. I installed it recently, as it had been patched to run on newer systems and higher res.

[Solo Kazuki]

Originally Posted by BlitterObject

@Solo Kazuki: Yep, very easy to install on a hard drive. And yep, I plan to add features and fixes to a new game mode. The original campaign mode will stay (bugs and all) as well of course. I'm not sure yet about extra audio channels (unlikely, because the OCS version will use the same data) but the plan is to mix sfx with music.

This is not problem, but it depends in what exact configuration You would target. OCS hardware can be equipped with better CPUs so mixing should be option for stronger configs.
About MIDI what alexh mentioned, it could be also option.
Maybe none, none+CAMD and mixing options (for better configurations) could be included regarding audio?
And about video, do You consider RTG support? What about scaling or bigger objects for RTG? Or at least bigger resolution to visible bigger piece of map?
Also do You consider balance and rearrange of some game rules? E.g. Atreides "special weapon" (with Palace) is... well, weak at best. Maybe Fremen units should be controllable and could "ride" worms so them not attack Atreides/Fremen units (so attacks Harkonnen/Ordos/Sardaukar units)?

Edit: And troopers for Atreides available. Also Ordos could have normal rocket launchers and Harkonnens could have Ornithopters.

[kriz]

SO epic !!! One of my most played games EVER ... Love it so much, and a update from one of the original devs...

What a dream !! But do consider 030 minimum and 16mbfast, is very few just using stock only these days ...

Hell i have used 060 since 97 myself lol

[Reynolds]

I'd love to see two things, one is bigger gameplay-area (with RTG 640x480 mode if possible) and multiple selection of units to give commands at the same time.
But anything will happen I'd welcome for sure

[d4rk3lf]

Originally Posted by Reynolds

and multiple selection of units to give commands at the same time.

Ahh.. fully agreed.
That would be amazing.

[Calabazam]

Fremens where not that weak.
And i don't like the idea of Atreides lauching big missiles with their palace. They are no Harkonnens.

[khph_re]

Originally Posted by Reynolds

multiple selection of units to give commands at the same time.

If there was only one change, that's the one I would want.

[xavlahaye]

Originally Posted by Solo Kazuki

@BlitterObject
E.g. selecting multiple units?

+1 on multiple unit selection

Originally Posted by Solo Kazuki

How music and sfx would be played? I mean some mixing routine (at least for AGA) to more channels is planned?

This or hopefully a MIDI option will be included like on OpenDune as well!
There's something about the synths in the amiga version though

[klx300r]

Originally Posted by kriz

SO epic !!! One of my most played games EVER ... Love it so much, and a update from one of the original devs...

What a dream !! But do consider 030 minimum and 16mbfast, is very few just using stock only these days ...

Hell i have used 060 since 97 myself lol

+1

[klx300r]

Originally Posted by Reynolds

I'd love to see two things, one is bigger gameplay-area (with RTG 640x480 mode if possible) and multiple selection of units to give commands at the same time.
But anything will happen I'd welcome for sure

+1

[Korodny]

Originally Posted by BlitterObject

The focus of the project is the process in which I develop a remaster, not the remaster itself.

The Patreon page originally featured another tier ("Sardaukar"), which was - IIRC - the most expensive one at 5 Euros per month and also the only one that gave access to the remastered game. That does sound a lot like the remaster being the focus, tbh.

This has been removed now - I guess you got enough warnings from people about selling pirated Dune content The patreon page no longer mentions distributing the remaster at all - but that brings up the question how/if it will be distributed? I'm pretty sure this would influence most peoples decision about wether to support you, but I understand that you can't discuss that in public.