Space Hulk: Deathwing

Burgo

Shiminay wrote: »

I don't know if many of you realise, but Games Workshop is in a really precarious position and it's fiction and licensed stuff are probably the only things keeping it alive. 3D printing is about to destroy its core business when it becomes cheap and accurate enough to replace the monumentally expensive casting process they use to make their models.

The death of THQ was the best thing that happened to GW, they had an exclusive license and now they've been able to open that up, so we have had Vermintide, Mordheim, Death Wing and Battlefleet Armada as well as Eternal Crusade (which isn't looking great tbh). The problem with all these additional licences is that they keep moving away from the lore in small ways and the lore is the glue that ties it all together.

Well Games Workshop seem to have hit the massive self destruct button with the latest iteration of fantasy. Who would have thought blowing your world up would piss off all your fans? I know a few people who were still playing up until very recently have just quit in a rage over it.

Lemming wrote: »

If you're wondering where to start with the books, and if you can get them (some will be in anthology format now):

Warhammer Fantasy: Felix & Gotrek. There's a long list of novels and I recommend reading them in order. I've not read all of them, but the William King novels are great at any rate.

Warhammer 40k:

• Deathwing: this is the short story from the Space Hulk: Deathwing expansion boxed set reprinted along with collection of unrelated stories in paperback format. Can now be had in eBook format from black library.
• Space Marine by Ian Watson. Warning: bits of it could be considered a bit .... homo-erotic :pac:
• The Inquisitor series by Ian Watson. Characters from the above-mentioned Space Marine also cross into the Inquisitor novels.
• Gaunts Ghosts by Dan Abbnett.

I've not read the Heresy novels although heard they're good, and I've not listed any of the space wolf novels because it'll be a personal preference thing. I like the wolves, you may not. The above list is annoying in that some of the Ian Watson novels can be found on the BlackLibrary site, but not others; even from the same series.

I've listed most of the above (with the exception of Gaunts Ghosts) 40k novels because they're what could be considered classic Rogue-Trader era stories, when the universe portrayed in the lore was somewhat less clinical and a great deal more gothic.

I've read a few of the horus heresy books, they can be hit or miss. Depends on the author, overall Dan Abnett is a solid choice. To add to your list I'd add the Eisenhorn trilogy.

Nody

Lemming wrote: »

Inquisitor series by Ian Watson. Characters from the above-mentioned Space Marine also cross into the Inquisitor novels.

This one is not really canon though as it was the first 40k novel series and has things such as Squats etc. in it (think Space Dwarfs with a touch of hobbits).

Gaunts Ghosts[/URL] by Dan Abbnett.

Great series for the Imperial Army (i.e. think Soviet WW2 style zerg army style where generals will kill part of their forces for not dying enough (i.e. being heroic enough)).

I'd add the Eisenhorn series for a more canon Inquisitor style series (also a game made on that book series which is suppose to be relatively close to the books in story but suck as a game).

As for GW; they have been losing business for ages and 3D printing has nothing to do with it but simply poor business decisions. For example they changed the stores to only have 1 person in them to save money and then wonder why sales dropped (because the guy can't get new guys into the game, run painting workshops etc. you dummies) or stopped web shops from being allowed to sell outside their country or break up packs (because everyone wants to spend $25 to get another plasma pistol) in the hope people would use GWs website instead (which is poor). I could go on but suffice to say GWs hit on rules etc. was more lucky accident than brains and moving it further towards beer and pretzels did not work out (who would have thought people did not want to spend €400+ to buy a army only to have your opponent do a dance around the table while pretending to ride and you automatically losing the game; yes there were such rules inclusions by GW not ****ting you).

Venom

Lemming wrote: »

If you're wondering where to start with the books, and if you can get them (some will be in anthology format now):

Warhammer Fantasy: Felix & Gotrek. There's a long list of novels and I recommend reading them in order. I've not read all of them, but the William King novels are great at any rate.

Warhammer 40k:

• Deathwing: this is the short story from the Space Hulk: Deathwing expansion boxed set reprinted along with collection of unrelated stories in paperback format. Can now be had in eBook format from black library.
• Space Marine by Ian Watson. Warning: bits of it could be considered a bit .... homo-erotic :pac:
• The Inquisitor series by Ian Watson. Characters from the above-mentioned Space Marine also cross into the Inquisitor novels.
• Gaunts Ghosts by Dan Abbnett.

I've not read the Heresy novels although heard they're good, and I've not listed any of the space wolf novels because it'll be a personal preference thing. I like the wolves, you may not. The above list is annoying in that some of the Ian Watson novels can be found on the BlackLibrary site, but not others; even from the same series.

I've listed most of the above (with the exception of Gaunts Ghosts) 40k novels because they're what could be considered classic Rogue-Trader era stories, when the universe portrayed in the lore was somewhat less clinical and a great deal more gothic.

The Night Lord's series by Aaron Dembski Bowden is another must read series. To be fair, everything the guy has written has been pretty awesome and well worth a look.

The Heresy novels start off great but turn into random battle encounter XYZ, which don't really move the story on and are pretty forgettable with the exception of the few books written by the top BL guys.

Lemming

Nody wrote: »

This one is not really canon though as it was the first 40k novel series and has things such as Squats etc. in it (think Space Dwarfs with a touch of hobbits).

Heretic.

Squats and the Slaan (remember them?! ... ) were airbrushed out of the canon by the likes of Gav Thorpe and that other tosser with his UltraSmurfz-r-bestest fetish (admittedly, said tosser came along after all of the aforementioned airbrushing. Still a tosser whose name escapes me because I don't care what his name is; 'Tosser' will do.

The squats were - like the Ratlings (remember them?), Ogryns, and Catachan - tolerated genetic mutations, because they were extremely useful on account of their affinity for all matters technical. But that chided with the desire to turn everything into cookie-cutter "This is the astra militarium, this is the adeptus astartest, adeptus mechanicus, etc." in the mistaken belief that they would sell more by dumbing it all down. The bland sh1t that was 3rd edition 40k or "Epic 40,000" (3rd ed. Epic) was not a coincidence in keeping with the above.

The original Rogue-Trader lore (and indeed still knocking around during 2nd edition) was a rich (and at times exceedingly dark) tapestry reflecting a galaxy in a state of near constant war where human life is cheaper than sh1t, and not all worlds are either equal nor even technologically comparable, with many human worlds having yet to move beyond the stone age or having regressed back into the stone-age on account of some cataclysm either man-made (such as Genestealer cults that the Ordo Xenos has not managed to call in the Exterminatus on) or natural in design.

Anyway, sorry for the rant but we're wayyyyyyyy off-topic for a computer game

Maguined

Lemming wrote: »

Anyway, sorry for the rant but we're wayyyyyyyy off-topic for a computer game

You just want your Adeptus Astartes jetbikes and Genestealer limousines back in the game. :pac:

Nody

Maguined wrote: »

You just want your Adeptus Astartes jetbikes and Genestealer limousines back in the game. :pac:

Well Forge World has the jetbikes already :P

As for limousines you can craft that with the new Genstealer Cult codex (they have a troop transport you can use as replacement for it :P ).

Burgo

Nody wrote: »

Well Forge World has the jetbikes already :P

As for limousines you can craft that with the new Genstealer Cult codex (they have a troop transport you can use as replacement for it :P ).

Here you go http://wargameexclusive.com/shop/imperial-inquisition/genetic-cult-coven-limo-on-antigravs-28mm/

Lemming

Maguined wrote: »

You just want your Adeptus Astartes jetbikes and Genestealer limousines back in the game. :pac:

Y'know, I'd completely forgotten about those jetbikes. Thanks for the reminder ... :pac:



On a serious note though; if any of you know someone who has either one or both of the Realms of Chaos books, or indeed even Rogue-Trader (the original 40k rulebook) or the 2nd edition codexes I recommend begging them for a looksie. There is some absolutely great stuff in them, and the artwork is second to none; very brooding courtesy of John Blanche.

Edit: and bringing myself back on topic (ish), the older source material - before they really rolled out the Tyranids as a playable race - gave a lot of time over to Genestealer cults, which also played nicely into the lore around Space Hulk, the Inquisition (notably the Ordo Xenos) and that most feared of Imperial weapons; the Exterminatus. The genestealers would hide in hulks, waiting for the curious to dock & explore/salvage, or for the hulks to crash/pass close enough to inhabited planets. Case in point: the story that is the origin of why the Dark Angels 1st company is a) called the Death wing and b) has bone-coloured armour rather than dark green (which it originally was).

Maguined

My brother owned the original Space Hulk and Deathwing and Genestealer expansions. That story about the Deathwing painting their armour white was one of my favourite pieces of fiction as a kid, it really filled those crappy first edition lumps of plastic with love during a game after reading such a great story.

ShadowHearth

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6hSES1tlt0

So new trailer? I feel a bit mixed about it.

Atmosphere is nailed, but just shooting mechanics look a bit off and I cant put my finger on it. Its maybe just too much flashing? Hit detection is not "punchy", Physics of bodies? I dont know.

Like good example would be Killing floor 2. In that game when you hit something, you feel that you hit it with a damn gun, not a Nerf cannon.

VinLieger

Fell down a 40k wiki hole yesterday, got no work done

Kiith

I've been in that hole for a few days now. Installing Space Marine and Dawn of War at the moment, to try and dig myself out (or go even deeper :P)

Might give Battlefleet Gothic: Armada a go as well, as it looks pretty cool.

dreamers75

So that hammer.........

Spear

dreamers75 wrote: »

So that hammer.........

It's a Thunder Hammer:

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Thunder_hammer

close combat weapons are still common in the 40k universe due to their ability to focus a lot of energy on something.

Lemming

Pre-ordered. Couldn't resist any more

VinLieger

Lemming wrote: »

Pre-ordered. Couldn't resist any more

Is there any benefit to pre-ordering apart from the discount?

Kiith

dreamers75 wrote: »

So that hammer....is ****ing awesome!

Fixed that for you

Wossack

any word on a release date? November some stage I believe?

degrassinoel

dont think they know themselves, just "november"

Lemming

VinLieger wrote: »

Is there any benefit to pre-ordering apart from the discount?

Not really; other than getting a 15% discount and getting access to that artefact hammer thingymabob.

VinLieger

Lemming wrote: »

Not really; other than getting a 15% discount and getting access to that artefact hammer thingymabob.

Think ill just wait for reviews and quick looks while crouched in a corner for the next month murmuring "please be good" over and over again

Venom

VinLieger wrote: »

Think ill just wait for reviews and quick looks while crouched in a corner for the next month murmuring "please be good" over and over again

Hope is the first step on the road to disappointment.

TerrorFirmer

Wossack wrote: »

any word on a release date? November some stage I believe?

24th November apparently.

Pre-ordered. Couldn't resist any more

Ditto. Looks absurdly good. I really liked Vermintide and although I didn't play it a huge amount I got decent value for money out of it....but 40K has always been where my heart is!

Spear

Release date is now December 9th.

Pre-orders get beta access on November 20th though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhRqPwyHXKg

Shougeki

Any idea how long the single player campaign is? I'm not a big fan of Co-Op games [as people are all idiots]

degrassinoel

I'd say it'll follow the same line as Vermintide, the "campaign" not being tied together with fmv, instead being spread across dozen or so maps ala Left4Dead, you imagine the narrative between maps.

I do hope it's not that, but i'm pretty sure it will be.

Shougeki

Francois Detemmerman, a developer at Streum On told GameWatcher, “Depending on the player, it will last for 10 to 15 hours. Each of the nine levels takes a bit over an hour to complete, so an hour and fifteen for each one. The end levels are particularly hard, so the whole game should last a long time.”

From March, but hey:
http://www.onlysp.com/space-hulk-deathwings-single-player-campaign-to-last-10-15-hours/

Kiith

An hour for a level? That's pretty massive. I'm assuming the multiplayer levels aren't that long?

Kiith

Not sure how long this will stay up, but here is some leaked gameplay footage. I wasn't sure about posting it, as it leaked footage which breached the NDS, but the devs posted on reddit about it so it's grand.

Gbear

The performance is a bit worrying and for a while it looked like there wasn't any bad guys but that bit towards the end started looking fairly tasty.

I thought it was just going to be Terminators and Librarians. I guess apothicaries makes sense but it's great to see the full gamut.

Was that a Tyranid Warrior at the end? Or just a Broodlord?