Alexei Nikolaevich, Tsarevich de Rusia

Synopsis

Tired thin results of the Harkonnen, the Emperor Shaddam IV decides to send the Maison of the player, the Atréides, on Arrakis to extract the spice, a priceless energy source because it allows the intersidereal voyage, but the planet is not as deserted as he seems there since groups of Fremen occupy it already. Paul Atréides, the character controlled by the player, will have to include/understand this planet like its people in order to discharge his task near the Emperor.

But behind this vulgar request seems to be woven a plot…

Thus, Paul Atréides, wire of the Duke Leto Atréides and Lady Jessica, is controlled with a principal aim to drive out the Harkonnen Dune. However, it is also necessary to manage the spice extraction, the military countryside and later the ecology using the tribes Fremen S.

Gameplay

Units and objects

The Maison Atreides does not have of military units or spice extraction usable, therefore very early, Paul Atréides must meet the chiefs closest Fremen to incite them to work for him. The Harkonnen being very cruel, the rebellion very quickly will be organized.

At the beginning, the Fremen only will propose their assistance for the spice harvest but as soon as the capacities of Paul develop, certain tribes will agree to help the Atréides militarily. After the meeting with Liet Kynes, planetologist fremen, certain tribes will be able to be put at the ecology. It is possible to change the occupation of each troop but their competences increasing, it is more useful to specialize them.

A tribe offers a single occupation, it acts prospectors who can probe the ground to determine the quantity of spice of it. A tribe of North cannot work in same the sietch as a tribe of the South because they do not have the same practices. Moral of the tribes the, depend one on the regularity of the contacts with Paul, can also make them work more quickly.

The ornithoptère (Orni) is the most usual means of transport for Paul until the discovery of the worms of sands by the Fremen. With Fremens, a ornithoptère makes it possible to avoid the attacks of the worms of the sands attracted by the vibrations emitted by the spice extraction; in particular by the reaping-machines with spice. The ornithoptère is means of transport faster than the worm but this last is more discrete.

The weapons at disposal of the Fremen are, with the wire of the play, the knives Krys (tooth of worm), the laser guns, the " modules étranges" and atomic weapons. They can be bought, be in the sietchs or in the enemy fortresses.

Economic management

Arrakis is divided into zones which correspond to sietchs , the hidden cities fremen. The southern zones of the Désert provide the richest the spice reserves but each sietch discovered must be prospected by a tribe fremen specialized. After, one or more tribes can start to extract spice.

The spice (and not the Solari ) are the currency of the play and are used for two things: to pay the emperor Shaddam IV and to buy equipment in the villages of smugglers. Duncan Idaho is the character in responsibility of help the player with the spice extraction.

Military management

The Fremen assigned as soldiers are the only able ones to conquer the enemy fortresses. They can also espionner the troops Harkonnen. However, only the troops more the agueries can achieve such a perilous mission.

Gurney Halleck is able to form the troops to make them more effective. The presence of Paul makes it possible to increase moral men but if the battle is lost it is the same for him.

Ecology

As soon as Paul meets Liet Kynes and drinks the Brandy, Arrakis can be terraformée. Thus, one can achieve the Fremen dream to see sands of Dune covered by the vegetation. It is then possible to indicate tribes under its orders to cultivate bulbs, to assemble traps to wind or to plant plants; however water necessary to the culture of plants deteriorates the spice pockets. The spice not being renewable, it is necessary for you to take care to initiate ecology in sietchs useless from the point of view of the spice extraction. The vegetation always progresses towards north and thus will obstruct the troops Harkonnen while going up moral Fremen.

Capacities of Paul

At the beginning of the play, Paul sees himself entrusting the mission of meeting the chiefs of tribes Fremen. With the wire of the play, he learns telepathy (gradually of a small extent to whole planet) and to use the worms of sands like means of transport. Its charisma also makes it possible to rejoin the tribes Fremen under the Atréides standard. Its level of charisma is indicated by the color more or less blue of its eyes ( Yeux of Ibad ), visible in the mirror of the Palate.

Characters

The scenario freely follows the history of the novel Dune of Frank Herbert and of the film Dune of David Lynch. Paul Atréides thus resembles Kyle MacLachlan. Only certain characters are absent. Nevertheless, compared to film, Harrah is present and plays a big role.

Media

Available on Amiga, DOS then on Mega-CD, it was one of the first plays on Disquette S with being converted into format CD. For this occasion, supplements were added like extracts of the film Dune of David Lynch, comments, the translation of the texts of the play in several language of which Fremen and new scenes kinematics of displacement in ornithoptère. The play was regarded as one of most complete with its republication.

Music

The music created by Exxos (the old name of Cryo Interactive) is available on the album Dune: Spice Operated published at Virgin under the reference CDVE 911 (exhausted today). The type-setters are Stephan Picq and Philippe Ulrich.

Anecdotes

According to the book of Daniel Ichbiah Saga of the video games , the development of Dune rather chaotic and in the beginning was designed to have a fidelity much more important with the history of the book of Frank Herbert. Some concern (time of developments, too significant number of diskette) led the play to have a history taking of freedoms with the original one, and a rather single gameplay in its kind.

In the last part of the play, it is necessary to organize the capture of Arrakeen. While arriving in the battle at back of worm, if a massive attack is ordered, then that one turns over to the palate a few days later, the palate becomes a Sietch, and one can play indefinitely.

Continuation

Dune II , another version of this play was created but by Westwood Studios, which later will sign the series Command & Conquer and the video game Blade Runner . The Concept of play semi-ventures mid- Stratégie is not used but is replaced by the Gameplay of a Strategy game in real-time not based on the management of buildings, a concept quite as revolutionary for the time. Dune II was developed the Dune of Cryo parallel to, the two teams being unaware of the existence of the other project. That of Westwood leaving a few months later, Virgin decided to re-elect it in Dune II .

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