Civilization IV Dev Forms Strategy Focused Indie Studio

[StewShearerOld]

Civilization IV Dev Forms Strategy Focused Indie Studio

Civilization IV lead designer Soren Johnson has teamed up with Civilization V's Dorian Newcomb to form Mohawk Games.

No one would probably blame you if, at a glance, you didn't notice anything all too special about Mohawk Games. Independent developers, after all, are practically popping out of the woodwork these days. That said, upon closer examination you'd find a fledgling studio with a pedigree that should easily earn it the attention of strategy fans everywhere. Before leaving to form Mohawk, the studio's Soren Johnson and Dorian Newcomb both worked at Firaxis where Johnson served as the lead designer for Civilization IV and Newcomb was the lead artist for Civilization V.

With their new studio Johnson and Newcomb simply hope to make "core PC strategy games" that take the strategy genre and take it in different directions outside of the uniformity of current trends. "I love RTS games, but they've essentially become one game," explained Soren. "They have different themes, and might play out differently, but at their core, there are a lot more similarities than differences. I wanted to make a competitive multiplayer RTS that was significantly different than anything out there. I wanted it to be original."

That in mind, Mohawk's first game, a Mars-based RTS, aims to flip the balance of action and economy, forcing players to pay less attention to fighting and focus more on resource management. "If you think of the typical RTS being 75 percent military and 25 percent economy, our game is more like 25 percent military and 75 percent economy," said Johnson. Despite the arguable ambition behind full-fledged RTS of this nature, Johnson and Newcomb hope to keep Mohawk's staff down to about four or five people in size. Their efforts, in turn, are being funded by the publisher Stardock. Whether or not that will be enough to create the quality experience Johnson and Newcomb are shooting for, is something only time will tell. That said, you can bet we'll be eager to see what Mohawk comes up with.

Source: <a href=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/203803/New_studio_from_Civilization_IV_lead_designer_caters_to_PC_strategy_fans.php>Gamasutra


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[Teoes]

Incoming Kickstarter in 5..4..3..?

One to keep an eye on, for obvious reasons. Although I like my strategy to be turn-based as opposed to real-time, so I can be slow and dumb about it.

 

[Latinidiot]

Oh sweet, let's see what they make!

 

[RicoADF]

I'll be watching this space, always love RTS and we need more variety in them

 

[thiosk]

In for the mars rts. Thats exactly the kind of mix i like. I see action as something I get to do with my economy, not the goal of the economy.

 

[RandV80]

Sounds interesting. Starcraft makes for a good e-sport but as a strategy game I'd like to see more depth and a lot more variety. There used to be a lot of different RTS' out there, and that's the problem when there's one 'best game' that most people play.

 

[The Artificially Prolonged]

Interesting. Though I do tend to prefer turn based strategies to real time, but hey if the mind behind Civ IV is involved I'll keep an open mind on it.

 

[Yoshi4102]

Damn, I was hoping they'd be making a turn-based game. I suck at RTS so I doubt I'll be playing what they come out with. I won't complain though because the more strategy developers the better!

 

[Shamanic Rhythm]

"If you think of the typical RTS being 75 percent military and 25 percent economy, our game is more like 25 percent military and 75 percent economy,"

So it's Anno then.

Not that that's a bad thing, especially if they can make the combat more interesting.

Kind of. If you read his interview in full he talks a little more about the way he wants resources to fluctuate based on the in-game market, rather than Anno's static resource progression.

But yeah, if they can give a similar experience but with more exciting combat than Anno's, I'm interested.

 

[Yellowfish]

A real-time strategy game that's 25% fighting and 75% economy? Count me in, we certainly don't have enough of those! The only ones I remember are the Settlers and Stronhold series, and I haven't heard about any of those for a while. Then again, I only played the last Settlers game and the very first Stronghold, so who knows, maybe the former dissapointed the series' fans and the latter had a bunch of awful sequels. If they make the economy part deep and complex enough it may be able to breathe new life into the stagnant bog that is the genre. Won't necessarily attract the core RTC market that much, but that might be for the best, because all the core RTS players are busy playing Starcraft and won't necessarily be interested in a game that does not adhere to the classic formula or isn't Starcraft. I really hope it turns out fares well.

 

[AldUK]

More RTS is always good. I'll be keeping an eye on this company for sure. I just hope their idea of 'something different' actually is different and not just a game that already exists with a shinier coat.

 

[Strazdas]

"If you think of the typical RTS being 75 percent military and 25 percent economy, our game is more like 25 percent military and 75 percent economy," said Johnson.

And you have just wont me over. I will be following you now.

 

[Pink Gregory]

Wait.

Designer of Civ IV and artist of Civ V?

Hello, dolly.

Though I'm more interested to see what idea that's markedly not Civilization they'll be working on.

 

[DSK-]

"I'm Mr T and I'm a Night Elf mohawk..."

No? Just me then.

OP: No complaints, monitoring the situation.

 

[Kahani]

So people who have previously made turn based, primarily single-player games want to make a multiplayer RTS? Good for them if they can make a decent game, but that's hardly the sort of pedigree that earns my attention.