To add some context, this was made for the PICO-8 fantasy console, which (by design) is very limited, so it's immensely impressive to see something like this working on it. Honestly, even just the 3D logo from the intro is impressive, and the rest of the game even moreso.
It was composed by very ingenious composer Stephane Picq and while digging you the original files I figured he did a remaster with the original music advisor, art director and producer for the album: Philippe Ulrich
Hah. This takes me back. Classic doesn't quite cover it.
I will say it's nice not having to click and Move on the sidebar manually each time you want to move a unit.
I do seem to remember each unit made a sound when you click them like "reporting" and when you move them "acknowledged"? Which again was incredibly repetitious but also quite characterful!
Yup. Building turrets as fast as possible to the enemy base while harvesting a lot of spice and continuously repairing the turrets you build around was an awesome way to win fast.
You take an existing game/IP and recreate it with lower fidelity, usually due to the platform of choice.
It's common to take a 3D game and then work within the limitations of removing one dimension.
Since PICO is severely limited, that's the novelty and challenge to rebuild an existing game inside it. Super fun.
To add some context, this was made for the PICO-8 fantasy console, which (by design) is very limited, so it's immensely impressive to see something like this working on it. Honestly, even just the 3D logo from the intro is impressive, and the rest of the game even moreso.
https://www.lexaloffle.com/pico-8.php
Incredible feat to ... fit this all in such a small display. Immediately wanted to play it on a very old CRT.
The Dune2 soundtrack is forever engraved in my brain. I found a GPLv2 program to play the original files:
https://github.com/adplug/adplay-unix/
The music is in the .adl files and the normal/peaceful music are all on subsong 6 (e.g. adplay -s 6)
It was composed by very ingenious composer Stephane Picq and while digging you the original files I figured he did a remaster with the original music advisor, art director and producer for the album: Philippe Ulrich
https://stphanepicq.bandcamp.com/album/dune-spice-opera-2024...
it seems many people were super-touched by this soundtrack, and is indeed a masterpiece on its own. adding much to the atmosphere of the game.
this Sign of the Worm track most definitely still easily gives chills, and Im amazed it was not extensively remixed through the years.
https://stphanepicq.bandcamp.com/track/sign-of-the-worm-2024...
I'm also amazed they didnt take it for any of the movies, as this is super cinematic-like composition, and very distinctive. https://stphanepicq.bandcamp.com/track/spice-op-ra-2024-rema...
Wasn't it Frank Klepacki that composed the music for Dune 2.
Stephane Picq worked with Cryo interactive for the first Dune game.
Hah. This takes me back. Classic doesn't quite cover it.
I will say it's nice not having to click and Move on the sidebar manually each time you want to move a unit.
I do seem to remember each unit made a sound when you click them like "reporting" and when you move them "acknowledged"? Which again was incredibly repetitious but also quite characterful!
"Frigate has arrived" is permanently burned into my brain.
I've never met anyone in real life that has the same nostalgia for this game as I do, it's nice to see that HN has my back.
I didn't remember you can actually build a structure without putting it on concrete slabs.
Anyways, It's a marvellous work of love.
I think it was possible, but it degraded much more quickly, requiring more frequent repairs.
It starts with half health, if I remember correctly
Yup. Building turrets as fast as possible to the enemy base while harvesting a lot of spice and continuously repairing the turrets you build around was an awesome way to win fast.
It also building a refinery over part of a windtrap. :/
what is a demake?
You take an existing game/IP and recreate it with lower fidelity, usually due to the platform of choice. It's common to take a 3D game and then work within the limitations of removing one dimension. Since PICO is severely limited, that's the novelty and challenge to rebuild an existing game inside it. Super fun.
A remake, in video games, is usually a rewrite on a more powerful platform. You get better resolution, better music and event better gameplay.
A demake is a rewrite on a less powerful platform.