Emperor: Battle for Dune (Windows)

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Description

Emperor: Battle for Dune represents the seamless combination of cutting-edge 3D graphics and perfected real-time strategy gameplay. In your conquest for the Imperial Throne in the gripping universe of Dune, choose from three unique sides and five powerful subgroups to plot a perilous course through up to five treacherous game worlds. In both single-player and multiplayer modes, lead your forces in both large-scale planetary strategies and cunning ground-level tactics.

Westwood claims the game contains a more realistic AI, in that when you start out, the computer knows nothing about land it cannot see, which is a nice change.

Screenshots

Promo Images

Trailer

Alternate Titles

• "Emperor: Schlacht um Dune" -- German title
• "Empereur : La bataille pour Dune" -- French title
• "Dune 3" -- Informal name

Part of the Following Groups

• Dune II series
• Dune series
• Live action cut-scenes

User Reviews

A fairly decent strategy game, an innovative approach of Frank Herbert's work.	KaiserChicken (12)
A masterpiece on unwanted ground.	MAT (164943)
interesting asymmetric factions, but single player is flawed	MiG_ (34)
Yet another C&C	El-ad Amir (124)

Critic Reviews

Gameplay (Benelux)	Apr 30, 2001	88 out of 100	88
PC Action	May 04, 2001	83 out of 100	83
WomenGamers.com	Sep 13, 2001	8.3 out of 10	83
FiringSquad	Jul 13, 2001	82 out of 100	82
GameSpot (Belgium/Netherlands)	Jun 20, 2001	80 out of 100	80
Gamer's Pulse	Jun 27, 2001	80 out of 100	80
PC Games (Germany)	May, 2001	79 out of 100	79
Fragland.net	Sep 18, 2002	78 out of 100	78
Gamekult	Jun 20, 2001	6 out of 10	60
Meristation	Jul 27, 2001	5 out of 10	50

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Trivia

Editor

The game had no editor, but because of the rising demand from the fans, Westwood patched the game, and released a map editor. They also released six map packs as an example to well built maps. After the editor was out, Westwood lost interest in the game and moved it's support to one of their fans known as Gabblehopper.

Music

Beside Frank Klepacki (Westwood's house composer at the time), Westwood Studio brought another two music composers for Emperor: battle for Dune. This way, each of them composed music tracks for different houses, so that way they accomplished that each of the house, Atreides, Ordos, and the Harkonnen possess similar yet unique music style that marks a certain house.

Ordos

We finally learn the name of the icy home planet of the Ordos: Draconis IV.

Plot (Dune 2000 spoiler!)

This game is a sequel to Dune 2000, but when finished with Ordos. In the last scene of Ordos House in Dune 2000, Lady Elara uses her Gob Jabbar to kill the Emperor, and that piece of animation is even used as intro for this game. By this, Westwood breaks the tradition of making add-ons and sequels as if the good guys have won in the predecessor.

Pre-order code

Those that pre-ordered Emperor: Battle for Dune, received special code that unlocks three units for multiplayer mode. However, Westwood Studios's plan was to make them available for all the others as well, but not so soon.

Support

As of 2003, the game support has moved from Westwood to fed2k. Their website was www.fed2k.com

Information also contributed by Henry Aloni and Jornand de Buisonjé

Related Web Sites

• Emperor: Battle for Dune on Wikipedia (Information about Emperor: Battle for Dune on Wikipedia.)
• FED2K (Covers all the games based on the Dune universe)