Dragonshard: First Look: Dragonshard Company: Atari When you think of Dungeons & Dragons, the genre of RTS probably doesn't spring into your head. This is something that Atari is hoping to change with its recent announcement of Dragonshard. "When you think fantasy in the videogame business you think Dungeons & Dragons. And, when we're done with Dragonshard players will associate real-time strategy with that same brand," said Ed Del Castillo, president and founder, Liquid Entertainment. "Ed Del Castillo and the team at Liquid Entertainment have a long history with the real-time strategy genre stretching all the way back to the original Command & Conquer. When Atari needed a strong development studio that could bring together the depth of a Dungeons & Dragons world with the intensity of a real-time strategy game -- they were the natural first choice," said John Hight, executive producer, Atari. Based in the newly-formed campaign setting, Eberron, Dragonshard tells the tale of a war-torn world where fantasy and technology meet. The underworld of Eberron is ruled by monsters and demons while the surface is home to the civilizations of man, dwarves, gnomes and halflings. Surrounding Eberron is the Ring of Siberys, a belt of crystal shards otherwise known as "dragonshards", that provide the world with a tremendous source of magical energy. These shards, when they fall to earth, are the cornerstone of all magic on Eberron. In Dragonshard, players will take the role of one of three forces vying for control of a massive dragonshard known as the Heart of Siberys. This artifact, which has come to rest in an area known as the Xen'drik, and ancient land surrounded by mystery and monsters, has the power to change the fate of Eberron itself. Each faction will have its own role in the game's overall story. The Order of the Silver Flame is looking to free the power within the shard in order to further its own self-righteous cause. Formed by an alliance between humans and dwarves from the land of Khorvaire, the Flametouched have gathered warriors from various cultures and traditions with the purpose of fighting for the light. Guided by the visons of a seer, the Flametouched seek to destroy the Heart of Siberys. The strength of the Silver Flame lies in its versatility of units. These forces should also be very familiar to players and will include priests, rogues, wizards and knights. Other units unique to the Silver Flame are Artificers, who make up the Order's workforce and serve as siege engineers, and Sentinel Marshals, paragons of virtue who ride horses into battle, boosting allied morale. Another faction, the Umbragen, have been expelled from their ancient homes and seek the shard's power to wield as an instrument of revenge. Decendents of an ancient elvish race, the Umbragen fled to the underworld after the age of giants. Life in the underworld, which is rife with beholders and other monsters, forced the Umbragen to use their magic to defend themselves. Soon, these powers corrupted their race and turned them into a race more evil and twisted than those they fought. Under the leadership of Satros, the Umbragen seek to claim the Heart of Siberys in order to reclaim the lost power of their ancestors and reshape the destiny of Eberron. Umbragen units will be drawn from the ranks of the dead and will be able to wield umbral energy. All Umbragen will have the ability to merge with shadows in order to avoid mortal injuries. This power will allow the Umbragen to gain additional health at the cost of mana points. Once they hit zero points, Umbragen will become shades and gain new abilities. The Umbragen will also have access to unique units such as the Shadowblades, the warrior class within the Umbragen ranks, and Darkslingers, cunning assassins with the ability to unleash bolts of dark energy from the shadows upon unsuspecting foes. A third playable race is also planned, although details as to what this race is remain shrouded in mystery. In addition, two non-playable factions will also appear in the game. The Illithids, who are the ancient enemies of the Umbragen, seek to claim the Heart's power for their own. This race will prove as a threat to all three races over the course of the story. All three factions will also have to contend with the guardians and traps left behind by the ancient elves that once roamed Xen'drik. Dragonshard is set for release next Spring. -Starscream, GameVortex Communications AKA Ricky Tucker Related Links: Atari: Official Site Liquid Games: Official Site Eberron: WotC Official Site