Rise of Legends – Concept Art
Those of you with their finger on the (altogether too weak) pulse of Steampunk computer/video-games will already of heard of Big Huge Game’s fantastical real time strategy game, Rise of Legends. It features a singleplayer campain with battles between three races – the Aztec inspired ‘Coutl’, with their jaguars and jade, the ‘Alin’ – who seem inspired by Arabian Nights with sand and fire dominating, and finally and of most interest to us, the ‘Vinci’ – a collection of city states interested in mechanical devices, lighter than air travel, and steam as a power source. Quite Steampunk!
I played the demo, and unfortunately I couldn’t bring myself to really get into it – I am an RTS novice and I generally don’t play them, and I found it a little overwhelming. I’m sure however, that it’s a fine game for those who prefer to order the machinations of armies at their control!
But despite that, there is still the glorious artwork to feast my eyes apon. So I present a veritable three course meal of wonderful, scene setting concept art for the Vinci! Official Vinci concept art. Another concept art gallery. Conceptart.org’s forum post with more art! Which brings me to an interesting event that is being held in the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. There will be more concept art (of the wonderful Vinci, no doubt) in their display from the 14th of September, to the 8th of October, 2006.
September 16th, 2006 at 8:34 pm
it does look pretty, but i’d much rather someone (hello Blizzard) were developing a MMORPG…
World of Steamcraft, anyone ?
September 17th, 2006 at 10:01 am
Why not look into Multiverse or Realmcrafter and make your own?
Seriously though, though it saddens me I don’t think that there’s a market big enough for someone like Blizzard to do a big Steampunk game – as it is, they’ve cornered the fantasy market, and will be doing the same (probably) for the traditionally less popular sci-fi market with World of Starcraft, I’m sure.
I think Steampunk needs to become a lot more popular before a commitment as huge as a MMORPG is seriously considered – especially with ’sure fire winners’ like Star Wars Galaxies and Warhammer Online (and even D&D Online) not doing as well as they’d hoped. I’d more than settle for a Morrowind/Oblivion style game or mod set in a Steampunk world.
)
(Sorry – but I know games
September 17th, 2006 at 10:49 am
Nice find on the concept art gallery! I think i will be adding that.
September 18th, 2006 at 4:18 am
I am currently addicted to this game! It’s taking valuable time away from my music creation. LOL…
Seriously though, I just started it today, and I couldn’t pull myself away for longer than 5 minutes! It has a pretty neat storyline so far too. And Ohhhh how Steampunk everything is!
February 23rd, 2007 at 5:20 pm
Yeah, Vinci was a great steampunk concept, te very thing I needed to get into this game. Too bad that the rest of it is crap.
May 28th, 2007 at 1:47 am
good game, and hopefully will get steampunk out more to people, but the whole magic and freaky aztec gods thing really takes away from it. the game should have been made with just the vinci, in an all out civil war. yeah…that’s the stuff…I’m someone who really wants to get steampunk out more to the general public and more well known. unfortunately, i have a bad feeling when that time comes people will mostly have forgotten the victorian concept of it and disney will have already made a shitty movie completely destroying its true image. lol, disney always does
May 28th, 2007 at 1:49 am
one more thing: the game really just shows steampunk military stuff. sure, it’s awesome, but really it would be cooler to see their REAL world, like back at home, and how the whole steampunk world has affected their everyday lives
September 18th, 2007 at 9:33 pm
Yae~ I love to play the game with the ‘Vinci’.
It’s an awesome steampunk concept.
Unfortunately, I hate the other characters those are ‘Alin’ and ‘Cuotl’.
… ^L^