Difference between revisions of "Dune II: Battle for Arrakis"

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'''''{{PAGENAME}}''''', known as '''''Dune: The Battle for Arrakis''''' in the US, is a strategy game developed by [[Westwood Studios]] and published by [[Virgin Interactive Entertainment]] for the [[Sega Mega Drive]]. The game was also translated to German as '''''Dune II: Kampf um den Wüstenplaneten'''''. It was one of the first, if not first, [[Sega Mega Drive]] game to feature fully localized, spoken German language audio.
 
'''''{{PAGENAME}}''''', known as '''''Dune: The Battle for Arrakis''''' in the US, is a strategy game developed by [[Westwood Studios]] and published by [[Virgin Interactive Entertainment]] for the [[Sega Mega Drive]]. The game was also translated to German as '''''Dune II: Kampf um den Wüstenplaneten'''''. It was one of the first, if not first, [[Sega Mega Drive]] game to feature fully localized, spoken German language audio.
  
−
''Battle for Arrakis'' is a complete overhaul of ''Dune II: The Building of a Dynasty'', a IBM PC/Amiga game released a year earlier. The Mega Drive version features streamlined controls, gameplay tweaks, new levels and an entirely new set of graphics. ''Dune II'' is considered a milestone in the real-time strategy genre, though was bettered by ''[[Command & Conquer]]'' a few years down the line.
+
''Battle for Arrakis'' is a complete overhaul of ''Dune II: The Building of a Dynasty'', a game released for the [[IBM PC]] and [[Amiga]] a year earlier. The Mega Drive version features streamlined controls, gameplay tweaks, new levels, and new graphics. ''Dune II'' is considered a milestone in the real-time strategy genre.
  
−
Three houses are available for play, each having it's own set of missions and (later on) special equipment/weaponry.
+
==Story==
 +
{{ScreenThumb|Dune II, Houses.png|width=200|Houses}}
 +
The story of ''Dune II'' is slightly different than the official canon of the ''Dune'' universe. None of the characters from the book are mentioned and a new House called "Ordos," created by Westwood Studios, is available for play.
  
−
==Story==
+
The Emperor of the Galaxy, Frederick IV of House Corrino, is desperate for the harvesting of a powerful life-prolonging substance called the "Spice" to pay off all of his debt incurred on internecine wars with family members. To achieve this, he declares an open challenge to all powerful Houses in the galaxy and announces that the victorious House will take control of Arrakis, also known as "Dune," the only planet in the universe where the Spice can be mined. He states that there will be no rules of engagement.
−
The story of ''Dune II'' is slightly different than the official canon of the ''Dune'' universe. None of the characters from the book are mentioned and a new house called "Ordos", created by Westwood Studios, is avaiable for play.
 
  
−
The Emperor of the Galaxy declares an open challenge to all powerful houses in the galaxy and announces that the victorious house will take control of the Arrakis, also known as "Dune", the only planet in the universe that a powerful life-prolonging substance called "Spice" can be mined. He states that there will be no rules of engagement.
+
The player is a military commander from a House of their choice. In the first few missions, the objectives are to successfully establish a base on an unoccupied territory of Arrakis, to harvest spice, and to defeat intruders. Later, when the three Houses divide Arrakis among them, the player has to assault and capture enemy territories. When the player dominates Arrakis on the world map, the two other enemy factions ally against their common enemy. The final showdown is the battle between the player's House against three enemy sides, among them Frederick's forces, the Sardaukar (an unplayable elite force whose heavy infantry are particularly powerful).
  
 
===House Atreides===
 
===House Atreides===
−
Hailing from the beautiful planet of the Caladan, the people of House Atreides are known for their hardworking, peace-loving and dedicated nature. House Atreides believes an alliance with the local inhabitants of Dune, the Fremen, is the only way to establish rule over the Dune. The Noble House of Atreides is known for its tendecy to negotiate with their opponents first, a tactic that will most likely fail in Dune.
+
Hailing from the beautiful planet of the Caladan, the people of House Atreides are known for their hardworking, peace-loving and dedicated nature. House Atreides believes an alliance with the local inhabitants of Dune, the Fremen, is the only way to establish rule over the Dune. The Noble House of Atreides is known for its tendency to negotiate with their opponents first, a tactic that will most likely fail in Dune.
  
−
In game, House Atreides focuses on technological superiority. While they cannot produce Heavy Troopers, they will be able to deploy Ornithophers, giving them some amount of air power. Their special weapon is the Sonic Tank and their ultimate special weapons are the Fremen.
+
In game, House Atreides focuses on technological superiority. While they cannot produce Heavy Troopers, they are able to deploy Ornithopters, giving them some amount of air power. Their special weapon is the Sonic Tank and their ultimate special weapons are the Fremen.
  
 
===House Ordos===
 
===House Ordos===
−
A house created solely for this game, House Ordos is actually not really a noble house at all. It is a loosely allied group of merchants whose armies consist of mercenaries. They do not produce any weapons, instead purchase what they need and send them into combat. This insidious house believes that profits are everything and will stop at nothing until the profitable Spice-mining business is completely under their control.
+
A House created solely for this game, House Ordos is not actually a noble House at all. It is a loosely allied group of merchants whose armies consist of mercenaries. They do not produce any weapons, instead purchasing what they need to send into combat. This insidious House believes that profits are everything and will stop at nothing until the profitable Spice-mining business is completely under their control.
  
−
House Ordos cannot produce Quads, Trikes and Rocket Launchers. Their special unit is the Deviator and their ultimate weapon is the Saboteur. They can also produce Ornithopters but they develop them much later compared to the Atreides.
+
House Ordos cannot produce Quads, Trikes, and Rocket Launchers. Their special unit is the Deviator and their ultimate weapon is the Saboteur. They can also produce Ornithopters, but they develop them much later compared to the Atreides.
  
 
===House Harkonnen===
 
===House Harkonnen===
−
The most vile and violent house in the universe, House Harkonnen believes power is everything. Their desire is to take control of the Dune and take revenge from their hated enemy, House Atreides, drives them forward in their conquest of Dune. In House Harkonnen, power is never given; it is taken. If a soldier kills his commander and takes command, he is respected and feared by all.
+
The most vile and violent House in the universe, House Harkonnen believes that power is everything. Their desire is to take control of the Dune and take revenge from their hated enemy, House Atreides, drives them forward in their conquest of Dune. In House Harkonnen, power is never given; it is taken. If a soldier kills his commander and takes command, he is respected and feared by all.
  
 
House Harkonnen specializes in heavy weaponary. They do not produce Trikes and light infantry. Their special weapon is the Devastator and their ultimate weapon is the Death Hand missile.
 
House Harkonnen specializes in heavy weaponary. They do not produce Trikes and light infantry. Their special weapon is the Devastator and their ultimate weapon is the Death Hand missile.
  
 
==Gameplay==
 
==Gameplay==
−
In its original home computer form, ''Dune II'' was entirely mouse driven, however as this Mega Drive version does not support any mouse peripherals, all controls are mapped to the control pad. The d-pad moves your cursor, with movement sped up by holding {{C}}, {{A}} both selects units and gives orders, while {{B}} cancels. The objective is usually to destroy all enemy units and structures on the map, while preventing the same from happening to your forces.
+
The player takes the role of the commander of one of the three interplanetary Houses, the Atreides, the Harkonnen, or the Ordos, with the objective of wresting control of Arrakis from the other two Houses. The objective of most missions is usually to destroy all enemy units and structures on the map. The basic strategy in the game is to harvest spice from the treacherous sand dunes using a harvester vehicle, convert the spice into credits via a refinery, and build military units with these acquired credits in order to fend off and destroy the enemy. The game map initially starts with a fog of war covering all area which is not covered by the player's units range of view. As the units explore the map, the darkness is removed. Unlike later games such as ''[[Warcraft II]]'', the fog of war is lifted forever with initial exploration; it does not become dark once more when units leave the area.
 +
 
 +
In addition to enemy incursions, there are other dangers such as the marauding, gigantic sandworm, capable of swallowing vehicles and infantry whole but blocked by rocky terrain. Buildings may only be built in rocky zones and connected to another existing building. Due to the harsh weather conditions of the planet, structures deteriorate over time. Structures decay less when built on concrete slabs, saving repair costs. Building structures or units requires spice, which can be harvested at various points on the map. Spice fields are indicated by orange coloration on the sand, darker orange indicating high concentration. Some spice may be concealed as bumps on the terrain (a "spice bloom") that become spice fields when they are shot at, or when a unit runs over them (the unit is destroyed in the ensuing "spice blow"). Spice can be spent fixing structures or gained by selling them. Many buildings also require power to function, so the player must build and defend Windtraps to generate power. Unpowered buildings produce much more slowly.
  
−
The construction yard can produce new buildings, while barracks and vehicle factories can produce infantry and vehicles, respectively. Building structures or units requires spice, which can be harvested at various points on the map. You can also spend spice fixing structures, or gain more by selling them. Many buildings also require power to function (quickly), so the player must build and defend power plants.
+
The Construction Yard can produce new buildings, while the Barracks and Vehicle Factories can produce infantry and vehicles respectively. Completing higher missions unlocks improved technology and higher-order weaponry unique to each House. For example, House Harkonnen may construct their Devastator tanks with heavy armor and ordnance but cannot build the similarly impressive Atreides Sonic Tank or the Ordos Deviator tanks. The player can gain access to other Houses' special units by capturing an enemy Vehicle Factory. The final prize for the commander is the building of the House Palace from where superweapons may be unleashed on opponents in the final closing chapters of the game. The House Harkonnen superweapon is a long-range powerful but inaccurate finger of missiles called the Death Hand, whereas House Atreides may call upon the local Fremen infantry warriors, over which the player has no control, to engage enemy targets. House Ordos may unleash a fast-moving Saboteur whose main purpose is the destruction of buildings.
  
−
Unlike later ''Command & Conquer'' games, each building can only construct one thing at a time, and each has a dedicated menu accessed by pressing {{A}} twice. There are also strict limits to the number of units allowed in the play area.
+
In its original home computer form, ''Dune II'' was entirely mouse-driven; however, the Mega Drive version only supports the control pad. The game includes a tutorial to familiarize the player with the controls and the basic mechanics. The D-Pad moves a cursor, which is used to select units and structures or pan the view (when moved near the edges of the screen). Holding {{C}} increases the movement speed of the cursor. The player can select units or give orders to selected units with {{A}} or cancel a selection with {{B}}. Units automatically fire on enemy units within range but can be commanded to move to specific locations or target specific units.
 +
 
 +
The production screen can be seen by moving the cursor over a building and pressing {{A}} again on a selected building. This screen shows a menu where the player can choose a unit or structure that can be produced. Unlike later ''[[Command & Conquer]]'' games, each building can only construct one thing at a time. Each unit has a cost (in credits), an armament (showing the damage done to other units), and shielding (showing the damage that the unit can withstand). Credits are spent as units are produced (rather than taken upfront when the unit begins production). Units and structures take time to produce; their progress is shown on the side of the screen when their production structure is selected. When a building is finished constructing, a placement grid appears over the player's cursor, allowing the player to place the building in any valid location. Production can be halted from the production screen by selecting "Stop." The player can also repair buildings to restore any damage taken by enemy attacks, lack of power, or weather erosion by selecting "Fix" (which pauses production).
 +
 
 +
Each House has a separate campaign consisting of nine missions each. The game uses a password system for continuing. Passwords are entered from the options screen, which can be accessed from the main menu or invoked at any time during gameplay with {{Start}}.
 +
 
 +
===Structures===
 +
{{InfoTable|imagewidths=50|
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Construction Yard
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Dune II, Buildings.png | 2 | crop_width=64 | crop_height=64 | crop_x=0 | crop_y=0}}
 +
| info1name=Shield
 +
| info1=800
 +
| desc=The main base structure, which constructs all other buildings. Every mission starts with a Construction Yard, and the player can use a Mobile Construction Vehicle (MCV) to establish another at a different location (making it the only building that does not need to be connected to another building to construct).
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Concrete
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Dune II, Buildings.png | 2 | crop_width=64 | crop_height=64 | crop_x=64 | crop_y=0}}
 +
| info1name=Shield
 +
| info1=40
 +
| info2name=Cost
 +
| info2=15
 +
| info3name=Requires
 +
| info3=Construction Yard
 +
| desc=A concrete slab, produced in a 2x2 square, on which buildings can be constructed to prevent wear. Buildings that are not built on concrete start with some damage and take more damage over time from the elements. Concrete can also be used to build roads so that units can move around more quickly. Concrete slabs cannot be repaired if damaged but can be replaced.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Windtrap
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Dune II, Buildings.png | 2 | crop_width=64 | crop_height=64 | crop_x=128 | crop_y=0}}
 +
| info1name=Shield
 +
| info1=400
 +
| info2name=Power
 +
| info2=100
 +
| info3name=Cost
 +
| info3=300
 +
| info4name=Requires
 +
| info4=Construction Yard
 +
| desc=Provides power to other buildings. It is necessary to build at least one Windtrap before any other structures can be built. If a structure become unpowered (because a Windtrap is destroyed), it produces much more slowly. Windtraps show a flashing lightning bolt icon when the grid power is low and more power capacity should be added.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Refinery
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Dune II, Buildings.png | 2 | crop_width=96 | crop_height=64 | crop_x=192 | crop_y=0}}
 +
| info1name=Shield
 +
| info1=900
 +
| info2name=Power
 +
| info2=-30
 +
| info3name=Cost
 +
| info3=400
 +
| info4name=Requires
 +
| info4=Windtrap
 +
| desc=Harvesters transport Spice to a Refinery, where it is processed and converted into credits that can be spent on units and structures. Each Refinery comes with a Harvester, which automatically starts harvesting Spice once produced. The Refinery can hold 1,000 units of Spice. The player must construct Spice Silos to store more.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Spice Silo
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Dune II, Buildings.png | 2 | crop_width=64 | crop_height=64 | crop_x=128 | crop_y=64}}
 +
| info1name=Shield
 +
| info1=300
 +
| info2name=Power
 +
| info2=-5
 +
| info3name=Cost
 +
| info3=150
 +
| info4name=Requires
 +
| info4=Refinery
 +
| desc=Adds another 1,000 units of Spice storage capacity to the base.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Outpost
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Dune II, Buildings.png | 2 | crop_width=64 | crop_height=64 | crop_x=0 | crop_y=64}}
 +
| info1name=Shield
 +
| info1=1,000
 +
| info2name=Power
 +
| info2=-30
 +
| info3name=Cost
 +
| info3=400
 +
| info4name=Requires
 +
| info4=Windtrap
 +
| desc=A radar station that provides a minimap that shows the terrain for the current mission (with both friendly and hostile units and structures marked in different colors). The Outpost is also a prerequisite for creating the buildings that produce combat units.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Barracks
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Dune II, Buildings.png | 2 | crop_width=64 | crop_height=64 | crop_x=64 | crop_y=64}}
 +
| info1name=Shield
 +
| info1=600
 +
| info2name=Power
 +
| info2=-10
 +
| info3name=Cost
 +
| info3=300
 +
| info4name=Requires
 +
| info4=Outpost
 +
| desc=Produces light infantry units. It can be upgraded for 150 credits to produce heavy infantry units.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Vehicle Factory
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Dune II, Buildings.png | 2 | crop_width=96 | crop_height=64 | crop_x=192 | crop_y=64}}
 +
| info1name=Shield
 +
| info1=800
 +
| info2name=Power
 +
| info2=-20
 +
| info3name=Cost
 +
| info3=400
 +
| info4name=Requires
 +
| info4=Refinery
 +
| desc=Produces support vehicles such as Harvesters and MCVs, light combat vehicles such as Trikes and Quads, and heavy combat vehicles such as Rocket Launchers, Tanks, and House-specific tanks (the Sonic Tank, the Deviator, and the Devastator).
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Hi-Tech
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Dune II, Buildings.png | 2 | crop_width=64 | crop_height=64 | crop_x=0 | crop_y=128}}
 +
| info1name=Shield
 +
| info1=1,000
 +
| info2name=Power
 +
| info2=-35
 +
| info3name=Cost
 +
| info3=500
 +
| info4name=Requires
 +
| info4=Vehicle Factory, Outpost
 +
| desc=Produces aerial support units, Carryalls and Ornithopters. These units are not directly controlled by the player; once produced, they appear above the facility and fly independently.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Wall
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Dune II, Buildings.png | 2 | crop_width=32 | crop_height=32 | crop_x=96 | crop_y=192}}
 +
| info1name=Shield
 +
| info1=140
 +
| info2name=Cost
 +
| info2=50
 +
| info3name=Requires
 +
| info3=Outpost
 +
| desc=A defensive barrier that protects buildings. Adjacent walls are automatically connected into a single long wall.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Turret
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Dune II, Buildings.png | 2 | crop_width=32 | crop_height=32 | crop_x=64 | crop_y=128}}
 +
| info1name=Shield
 +
| info1=250
 +
| info2name=Power
 +
| info2=-10
 +
| info3name=Cost
 +
| info3=125
 +
| info4name=Requires
 +
| info4=Outpost
 +
| desc=An autonomous turret that automatically fires at incoming enemy units.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Rocket Turret
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Dune II, Buildings.png | 2 | crop_width=32 | crop_height=32 | crop_x=64 | crop_y=160}}
 +
| info1name=Shield
 +
| info1=500
 +
| info2name=Power
 +
| info2=-20
 +
| info3name=Cost
 +
| info3=250
 +
| info4name=Requires
 +
| info4=Outpost
 +
| desc=A long-range, high-damage turret that fires rockets. Effective against both land and air units.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Repair Facility
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Dune II, Buildings.png | 2 | crop_width=96 | crop_height=64 | crop_x=192 | crop_y=128}}
 +
| info1name=Shield
 +
| info1=1,800
 +
| info2name=Power
 +
| info2=-20
 +
| info3name=Cost
 +
| info3=700
 +
| info4name=Requires
 +
| info4=Vehicle Factory, Outpost
 +
| desc=Repairs damaged vehicles. Repairing costs time and credits (depending on the extent of the damage). Only one unit can be repaired at a time.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Starport
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Dune II, Buildings.png | 2 | crop_width=96 | crop_height=96 | crop_x=288 | crop_y=0}}
 +
| info1name=Shield
 +
| info1=1,000
 +
| info2name=Power
 +
| info2=-50
 +
| info3name=Cost
 +
| info3=500
 +
| info4name=Requires
 +
| info4=Refinery
 +
| desc=Allows the player to buy units (for a premium) that are delivered from orbit immediately rather than produced conventionally.
 +
}}
 +
{{InfoRow
 +
| title=Palace
 +
| sprite={{sprite | Dune II, Buildings.png | 2 | crop_width=96 | crop_height=96 | crop_x=288 | crop_y=96}}
 +
| info1name=Shield
 +
| info1=2,000
 +
| info2name=Power
 +
| info2=-80
 +
| info3name=Cost
 +
| info3=999
 +
| info4name=Requires
 +
| info4=Starport
 +
| desc=Allows use of the House superweapons (the Fremen, the Saboteur, and the Death Hand).
 +
}}
 +
}}
  
 
===Units===
 
===Units===
−
{{InfoTable|imagewidths=100|
+
{{InfoTable|imagewidths=50|
 
{{InfoRow
 
{{InfoRow
−
| title=Mobile Contruction Vehicle (MCV)
+
| title=Mobile Construction Vehicle (MCV)
 
| sprite=
 
| sprite=
−
| desc=A staple of the Westwood's strategy series, the MCV is the player's most important unit. An MCV can be transformed to a Construction Yard by clicking on top of it, allowing the player to produce other buildings. Not armed at all, the MCV must be protected at all times.
+
| info1name=Shield
 +
| info1=150
 +
| info2name=Cost
 +
| info2=900
 +
| info3name=Produced from
 +
| info3=Vehicle Factory
 +
| desc=An MCV can be transformed to a Construction Yard, allowing the player to produce other buildings. The MCV is unarmed and must be protected at all times. All missions start the player with a Construction Yard, but MCVs are needed to produce additional Construction Yards.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{InfoRow
 
{{InfoRow
 
| title=Harvester
 
| title=Harvester
 
| sprite=
 
| sprite=
−
| desc=Given free with every Spice refinery or produced from Heavy Weapons Factory, the Harvester will collect Spice and transfer them to the refinery for credits. Slow and unarmed.
+
| info1name=Shield
 +
| info1=150
 +
| info2name=Cost
 +
| info2=300
 +
| info3name=Produced from
 +
| info3=Vehicle Factory
 +
| desc=Given free with every Spice refinery or produced from Vehicle Factory, the Harvester collects Spice and transfers it to the refinery for credits. Slow and unarmed.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{InfoRow
 
{{InfoRow
−
| title=Light Infantry
+
| title=Soldier / Infantry
 
| sprite=
 
| sprite=
−
| desc=These lightly-armed and armored troops have little effect in the battlefield as they can be easily destroyed with either heavy weapons or simply running over them with a heavy vehicle. They can, however, be used for capturing enemy buildings. Simply move troops toward the structure when buildings' health is red. Soldiers will be lost during the attempt.
+
| info1name=Shield
 +
| info1=20 / 50
 +
| info2name=Arms
 +
| info2=4
 +
| info3name=Cost
 +
| info3=60 / 100
 +
| info4name=Produced from
 +
| info4=Barracks
 +
| desc=Used by House Atreides and Ordos. These lightly-armed and armored troops have little effect in the battlefield, as they can be easily destroyed with either heavy weapons or simply running over them with a heavy vehicle. They can, however, be used for capturing enemy buildings. Simply move troops toward the structure when building's health is red. This costs the soldiers.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{InfoRow
 
{{InfoRow
−
| title=Heavy Infantry
+
| title=Trooper / Troopers
 
| sprite=
 
| sprite=
−
| desc=While slower, these power armor-wearing troops carry gatling guns and rocket launchers. They are slightly more useful in combat and can capture buildings as well. Cannot be produced by Atreides.
+
| info1name=Shield
 +
| info1=45 / 110
 +
| info2name=Arms
 +
| info2=8
 +
| info3name=Cost
 +
| info3=100 / 200
 +
| info4name=Produced from
 +
| info4=Barracks
 +
| desc=Used by House Ordos and Harkonnen. While slower, these power armor-wearing troops carry Gatling guns and rocket launchers. They are slightly more useful in combat and can capture buildings as well.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{InfoRow
 
{{InfoRow
 
| title=Trike
 
| title=Trike
 
| sprite=
 
| sprite=
−
| desc=A three-wheeled recon vehicle. Light armor and firepower means that it will be useful for reconnaissance but little else.
+
| info1name=Shield
 +
| info1=130
 +
| info2name=Arms
 +
| info2=10
 +
| info3name=Cost
 +
| info3=150
 +
| info4name=Produced from
 +
| info4=Vehicle Factory
 +
| desc=A three-wheeled recon vehicle. Its light armor and firepower make it useful for reconnaissance but little else.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{InfoRow
 
{{InfoRow
 
| title=Raider Trike
 
| title=Raider Trike
 
| sprite=
 
| sprite=
−
| desc=Produced only by Ordos, the Raider Trike is the fastest ground vehicle on Dune. It is even less useful in combat, however.
+
| info1name=Shield
 +
| info1=80
 +
| info2name=Arms
 +
| info2=8
 +
| info3name=Cost
 +
| info3=150
 +
| info4name=Produced from
 +
| info4=Vehicle Factory
 +
| desc=Used only by House Ordos. The Raider Trike is the fastest ground vehicle on Dune, but it is ineffective in combat.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{InfoRow
 
{{InfoRow
 
| title=Quad
 
| title=Quad
 
| sprite=
 
| sprite=
−
| desc=A four-wheeled vehicle for both combat and recon, the Quad will be a potent force until tanks enter the battlefield.
+
| info1name=Shield
 +
| info1=130
 +
| info2name=Arms
 +
| info2=10
 +
| info3name=Cost
 +
| info3=200
 +
| info4name=Produced from
 +
| info4=Vehicle Factory
 +
| desc=A four-wheeled vehicle for both combat and recon, the Quad is a potent force until tanks enter the battlefield.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{InfoRow
 
{{InfoRow
 
| title=Combat Tank
 
| title=Combat Tank
 
| sprite=
 
| sprite=
 +
| info1name=Shield
 +
| info1=200
 +
| info2name=Arms
 +
| info2=38
 +
| info3name=Cost
 +
| info3=300
 +
| info4name=Produced from
 +
| info4=Vehicle Factory
 
| desc=A fast and well-armed tank for both attack and defence.
 
| desc=A fast and well-armed tank for both attack and defence.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{InfoRow
 
{{InfoRow
−
| title=Siege Tank
+
| title=Rocket Launcher
 
| sprite=
 
| sprite=
−
| desc=A powerful yet slow tank with heavy armor and firepower.
+
| info1name=Shield
 +
| info1=130
 +
| info2name=Arms
 +
| info2=112
 +
| info3name=Cost
 +
| info3=450
 +
| info4name=Produced from
 +
| info4=Vehicle Factory
 +
| desc=A long-range launcher with large rockets. Very useful for reducing enemy building to rubble, but it has a very slow firing rate and cannot engage enemies in short range. Slow movement speed and low armor means it requires escorts.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{InfoRow
 
{{InfoRow
−
| title=Rocket Launcher
+
| title=Siege Tank
 
| sprite=
 
| sprite=
−
| desc=A long range launcher with large rockets. Very useful for reducing enemy building to rubble, but cannot engage enemies in short range. Slow speed and low armor means it will need escorts. Very slow firing rate.
+
| info1name=Shield
 +
| info1=300
 +
| info2name=Arms
 +
| info2=45
 +
| info3name=Cost
 +
| info3=600
 +
| info4name=Produced from
 +
| info4=Vehicle Factory
 +
| desc=A powerful yet slow tank with heavy armor and firepower.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{InfoRow
 
{{InfoRow
−
| title=Carryall
+
| title=Sonic Tank
 
| sprite=
 
| sprite=
−
| desc=A utility aircraft, Carryall can automatically transport and bring back harvesters. They can also take damaged units to a repair facility (but they will not bring them back). Can be brought down with rocket turrets. They are autonomous and cannot be directly controlled.
+
| info1name=Shield
 +
| info1=110
 +
| info2name=Arms
 +
| info2=90
 +
| info3name=Cost
 +
| info3=600
 +
| info4name=Produced from
 +
| info4=Vehicle Factory
 +
| desc=Used only by House Atreides. Sonic Tanks fire ultrasonic sound waves that are lethal to soldiers and buildings. They are moderately effective against vehicles. Very long range. Possibly based on "Weirding Module" technology from the David Lynch film adaptation.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{InfoRow
 
{{InfoRow
−
| title=Ornitophter
+
| title=Deviator
 
| sprite=
 
| sprite=
−
| desc=An aircraft that flies with wing flapping motion. Armed with guided missiles, it can engage enemy units from the air but attack frequency is low. They are autonomous and cannot be directly controlled.
+
| info1name=Shield
 +
| info1=120
 +
| info2name=Cost
 +
| info2=750
 +
| info3name=Produced from
 +
| info3=Vehicle Factory
 +
| desc=Used only by House Ordos. A specialized rocket launcher whose warheads are filled with a brainwashing gas that temporarily turns enemy units to Ordos control.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{InfoRow
 
{{InfoRow
−
| title=Sonic Tank
+
| title=Devastator
 
| sprite=
 
| sprite=
−
| desc=Possibly based on "Weirding Module" technology from the David Lynch's film adaptation, Sonic tanks fire ultrasonic sound waves that are lethal to soldiers and buildings. They are moderately effective against vehicles. Very long range.
+
| info1name=Shield
 +
| info1=400
 +
| info2name=Arms
 +
| info2=60
 +
| info3name=Cost
 +
| info3=800
 +
| info4name=Produced from
 +
| info4=Vehicle Factory
 +
| desc=Used only by House Harkonnen. The most powerful ground vehicle in the game, the Devastator is a heavily armed and armored tank powered by an unstable nuclear reactor. It has no turret, however, and must turn towards the enemy, limiting its initiative. The Devastator can be ordered to self-destruct, which damages nearby enemies.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{InfoRow
 
{{InfoRow
−
| title=Deviator
+
| title=Carryall
 
| sprite=
 
| sprite=
−
| desc=A specialized Rocket Launcher, warheads of the Deviator's missiles are filled with a brainwashing gas that will temporarily turn enemy units into Ordos control. Effect does not last too long however.
+
| info1name=Shield
 +
| info1=100
 +
| info2name=Cost
 +
| info2=800
 +
| info3name=Produced from
 +
| info3=Hi-Tech
 +
| desc=A utility aircraft, the Carryall automatically transports and bring back harvesters. They can also take damaged units to a repair facility (but they do not bring them back). It can be brought down with rocket turrets. It is autonomous and cannot be directly controlled.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{InfoRow
 
{{InfoRow
−
| title=Devastator
+
| title=Ornithopter
 
| sprite=
 
| sprite=
−
| desc=Most powerful ground vehicle in the game, Devastator is a heavily armed and armored tank powered by an unstable nuclear reactor. It has no turret however and must turn towards the enemy, limiting its initative. Devastator can be ordered to self-destruct and cause damage to nearby enemies.
+
| info1name=Shield
 +
| info1=3
 +
| info2name=Arms
 +
| info2=75
 +
| info3name=Cost
 +
| info3=600
 +
| info4name=Produced from
 +
| info4=Hi-Tech
 +
| desc=Used only by House Atreides and Ordos. An aircraft that flies with a wing-flapping motion. Armed with guided missiles, it can engage enemy units from the air, but its attack frequency is low. It is autonomous and cannot be directly controlled.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{InfoRow
 
{{InfoRow
 
| title=Fremen
 
| title=Fremen
 
| sprite=
 
| sprite=
−
| desc=Native inhabitants of the Dune, Fremen can be called from the Atreides Palace. While they cannot be controlled, these heavily armed troopers can wreak havoc among the enemy. Turrets cannot target them.
+
| info1name=Shield
 +
| info1=110
 +
| info2name=Arms
 +
| info2=90
 +
| info3name=Produced from
 +
| info3=Palace
 +
| desc=Used only by House Atreides. Native inhabitants of the Dune, Fremen can be called from the Atreides Palace. While they cannot be controlled, these heavily armed troopers wreak havoc among the enemy. Turrets cannot target them.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{InfoRow
 
{{InfoRow
 
| title=Saboteur
 
| title=Saboteur
 
| sprite=
 
| sprite=
−
| desc=A unit with questionable usefulness, the Saboteur can destroy an enemy building if it can reach it. While it cannot be seen in the battlefield, it can be seen in the map and all units seem to target it.
+
| info1name=Shield
 +
| info1=40
 +
| info2name=Arms
 +
| info2=150
 +
| info3name=Produced from
 +
| info3=Palace
 +
| desc=Used only by House Ordos. A unit with questionable usefulness, the Saboteur can destroy an enemy building if it can reach it. While it cannot be seen in the battlefield, it can be seen in the map, and all units seem to target it.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{InfoRow
 
{{InfoRow
 
| title=Death Hand
 
| title=Death Hand
 
| sprite=
 
| sprite=
−
| desc=A product of Harkonnen's illegal atomic weapon stockpile, Death Hand is a powerful yet inaccurate cruise missile. It is recommendended to fire it to the middle of the enemy base for the maximum chance of a hit.
+
| info1name=Shield
 +
| info1=70
 +
| info2name=Arms
 +
| info2=150
 +
| info3name=Produced from
 +
| info3=Palace
 +
| desc=Used only by House Harkonnen. A product of Harkonnen's illegal atomic weapon stockpile, Death Hand is a powerful yet inaccurate cruise missile. It is recommended to fire it to the middle of the enemy base for the maximum chance of a hit.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{InfoRow
 
{{InfoRow
 
| title=Sand Worm
 
| title=Sand Worm
 
| sprite=
 
| sprite=
−
| desc=An uncontrollable unit for all sides, Sand Worm will attack any unit that remains on the sand. If its health reduced to half, it will disappear momentarily. Atreides units, probably because of their alliance with Fremen, do not automatically attack them, so manual targeting will be necessary.
+
| desc=An uncontrollable unit for all sides, Sand Worms attack any unit that remains on the sand. If its health reduced to half, it disappears momentarily. Atreides units, probably because of their alliance with Fremen, do not automatically attack them, so manual targeting is necessary.
 +
}}
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
==History==
 +
===Legacy===
 +
While not the first real-time strategy game, ''Dune II'' was one of the most influential games in the genre, particularly in the ''[[Command & Conquer]]'' series, also developed by [[Westwood Studios]]. Its specific combination of a fog of war, mouse-based military micromanagement, and an economic model of resource-gathering and base-building established a template for subsequent real-time strategy games, including the ''Warcraft'' and ''StarCraft'' series from [[Blizzard Entertainment]] and the ''Age of Empires'' series from [[Microsoft]].
 +
 
 +
In 1998, ''Dune II'' was remade for [[Windows PC]]s as ''Dune 2000'', which was ported to the [[PlayStation]]. In 2001, Westwood released a sequel, ''Emperor: Battle for Dune'', exclusively for PCs.
 +
 
 +
==Production credits==
 +
{{multicol|
 +
{{creditstable|
 +
*'''Executive Producer:''' Christopher D. Yates
 +
*'''Producers:''' Aaron E. Powell, David Pokorny
 +
*'''Product Coordinators:''' Robb Alvey, Ken Love
 +
*'''Designed by:''' Aaron E. Powell, Joe Bostic
 +
*'''Programmers:''' Leroy Wing, Denzil E. Long, Jr., Rob Povey
 +
*'''Writer:''' Rick Gush
 +
*'''Artists:''' Matthew Hansel, Sandy Dobbs
 +
*'''Music & Sound:''' Paul S. Mudra, Frank Klepacki, Dwight K. Okahara
 +
*'''Voices:''' Frank Klepacki, House Voices; Glenn Sperry, Units
 +
*'''Manual:''' Eydie Laramore
 +
*'''Manual Layout:''' Penina Finger
 +
*'''Quality Assurance:''' Glenn Sperry, Mike McCaa, Adam Ryan, Kenny Dunne, Paul Schoener, William Baca, Jesse Clemit, Jeff Fillhaber, Scott Fleming, Bill Foster, Mike Lightner, Tim Fritz, Ronnie Balducci, Jared Brinkley, Mitch Feldman, Chris McFarland, Scott Manning, David Fries, Chris Rausch, Nick Camerota, Bijan Shaheer
 +
*'''Package Design & Fulfillment:''' Lauren Rifkin, Lisa Marcinko
 +
*'''Special Thanks to:''' Brett W. Sperry and Lyle J. Hall II
 +
:''Dune'' is a trademark of Dino De Laurents Corporation and licensed by MCA/Universal Merchandising, Inc. ©1984 Dino De Laurents Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
 +
:©1993 Westwood Studios, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
 +
:Virgin is a registered trademark of Virgin Enterprises, LTD.
 +
:Thank you for playing ''Dune: The Battle for Arrakis''
 +
| source=US manual
 +
| pdf=Dune2 MD US Manual.pdf
 +
| pdfpage=34
 +
| console=MD
 
}}
 
}}
 
}}
 
}}
Line 223: Line 583:
  
 
{{DuneIIOmni}}
 
{{DuneIIOmni}}
 +
{{Dune}}

Revision as of 02:26, 20 June 2023

n/a

  • NTSC-U
  • PAL
  • PAL (DE)

Dune MD title.png

DuneII MD EU TitleScreen.png

DuneII MD DE TitleScreen.png

Dune II: Battle for Arrakis
System(s): Sega Mega Drive
Publisher: Virgin Interactive Entertainment
Developer:
Sound driver: GEMS
Genre: Simulation

















Number of players: 1
Official in-game languages:
  • English
  • Deutsch
    • Release Date RRP Code
    Sega Mega Drive
    US     		$62.9962.99[1] T-70246
    Videogame Rating Council: MA-13
    Sega Mega Drive
    EU     		T-70246-50
    Sega Mega Drive
    DE     		T-70246-18
    Sega Mega Drive
    UK     		£44.9944.99[3][4] T-70246-50
    Sega Mega Drive
    AU

    Dune II: Battle for Arrakis, known as Dune: The Battle for Arrakis in the US, is a strategy game developed by Westwood Studios and published by Virgin Interactive Entertainment for the Sega Mega Drive. The game was also translated to German as Dune II: Kampf um den Wüstenplaneten. It was one of the first, if not first, Sega Mega Drive game to feature fully localized, spoken German language audio.

    Battle for Arrakis is a complete overhaul of Dune II: The Building of a Dynasty, a game released for the IBM PC and Amiga a year earlier. The Mega Drive version features streamlined controls, gameplay tweaks, new levels, and new graphics. Dune II is considered a milestone in the real-time strategy genre.

    Story

    Dune II, Houses.png

    Houses

    The story of Dune II is slightly different than the official canon of the Dune universe. None of the characters from the book are mentioned and a new House called "Ordos," created by Westwood Studios, is available for play.

    The Emperor of the Galaxy, Frederick IV of House Corrino, is desperate for the harvesting of a powerful life-prolonging substance called the "Spice" to pay off all of his debt incurred on internecine wars with family members. To achieve this, he declares an open challenge to all powerful Houses in the galaxy and announces that the victorious House will take control of Arrakis, also known as "Dune," the only planet in the universe where the Spice can be mined. He states that there will be no rules of engagement.

    The player is a military commander from a House of their choice. In the first few missions, the objectives are to successfully establish a base on an unoccupied territory of Arrakis, to harvest spice, and to defeat intruders. Later, when the three Houses divide Arrakis among them, the player has to assault and capture enemy territories. When the player dominates Arrakis on the world map, the two other enemy factions ally against their common enemy. The final showdown is the battle between the player's House against three enemy sides, among them Frederick's forces, the Sardaukar (an unplayable elite force whose heavy infantry are particularly powerful).

    House Atreides

    Hailing from the beautiful planet of the Caladan, the people of House Atreides are known for their hardworking, peace-loving and dedicated nature. House Atreides believes an alliance with the local inhabitants of Dune, the Fremen, is the only way to establish rule over the Dune. The Noble House of Atreides is known for its tendency to negotiate with their opponents first, a tactic that will most likely fail in Dune.

    In game, House Atreides focuses on technological superiority. While they cannot produce Heavy Troopers, they are able to deploy Ornithopters, giving them some amount of air power. Their special weapon is the Sonic Tank and their ultimate special weapons are the Fremen.

    House Ordos

    A House created solely for this game, House Ordos is not actually a noble House at all. It is a loosely allied group of merchants whose armies consist of mercenaries. They do not produce any weapons, instead purchasing what they need to send into combat. This insidious House believes that profits are everything and will stop at nothing until the profitable Spice-mining business is completely under their control.

    House Ordos cannot produce Quads, Trikes, and Rocket Launchers. Their special unit is the Deviator and their ultimate weapon is the Saboteur. They can also produce Ornithopters, but they develop them much later compared to the Atreides.

    House Harkonnen

    The most vile and violent House in the universe, House Harkonnen believes that power is everything. Their desire is to take control of the Dune and take revenge from their hated enemy, House Atreides, drives them forward in their conquest of Dune. In House Harkonnen, power is never given; it is taken. If a soldier kills his commander and takes command, he is respected and feared by all.

    House Harkonnen specializes in heavy weaponary. They do not produce Trikes and light infantry. Their special weapon is the Devastator and their ultimate weapon is the Death Hand missile.

    Gameplay

    The player takes the role of the commander of one of the three interplanetary Houses, the Atreides, the Harkonnen, or the Ordos, with the objective of wresting control of Arrakis from the other two Houses. The objective of most missions is usually to destroy all enemy units and structures on the map. The basic strategy in the game is to harvest spice from the treacherous sand dunes using a harvester vehicle, convert the spice into credits via a refinery, and build military units with these acquired credits in order to fend off and destroy the enemy. The game map initially starts with a fog of war covering all area which is not covered by the player's units range of view. As the units explore the map, the darkness is removed. Unlike later games such as Warcraft II, the fog of war is lifted forever with initial exploration; it does not become dark once more when units leave the area.

    In addition to enemy incursions, there are other dangers such as the marauding, gigantic sandworm, capable of swallowing vehicles and infantry whole but blocked by rocky terrain. Buildings may only be built in rocky zones and connected to another existing building. Due to the harsh weather conditions of the planet, structures deteriorate over time. Structures decay less when built on concrete slabs, saving repair costs. Building structures or units requires spice, which can be harvested at various points on the map. Spice fields are indicated by orange coloration on the sand, darker orange indicating high concentration. Some spice may be concealed as bumps on the terrain (a "spice bloom") that become spice fields when they are shot at, or when a unit runs over them (the unit is destroyed in the ensuing "spice blow"). Spice can be spent fixing structures or gained by selling them. Many buildings also require power to function, so the player must build and defend Windtraps to generate power. Unpowered buildings produce much more slowly.

    The Construction Yard can produce new buildings, while the Barracks and Vehicle Factories can produce infantry and vehicles respectively. Completing higher missions unlocks improved technology and higher-order weaponry unique to each House. For example, House Harkonnen may construct their Devastator tanks with heavy armor and ordnance but cannot build the similarly impressive Atreides Sonic Tank or the Ordos Deviator tanks. The player can gain access to other Houses' special units by capturing an enemy Vehicle Factory. The final prize for the commander is the building of the House Palace from where superweapons may be unleashed on opponents in the final closing chapters of the game. The House Harkonnen superweapon is a long-range powerful but inaccurate finger of missiles called the Death Hand, whereas House Atreides may call upon the local Fremen infantry warriors, over which the player has no control, to engage enemy targets. House Ordos may unleash a fast-moving Saboteur whose main purpose is the destruction of buildings.

    In its original home computer form, Dune II was entirely mouse-driven; however, the Mega Drive version only supports the control pad. The game includes a tutorial to familiarize the player with the controls and the basic mechanics. The D-Pad moves a cursor, which is used to select units and structures or pan the view (when moved near the edges of the screen). Holding C increases the movement speed of the cursor. The player can select units or give orders to selected units with A or cancel a selection with B. Units automatically fire on enemy units within range but can be commanded to move to specific locations or target specific units.

    The production screen can be seen by moving the cursor over a building and pressing A again on a selected building. This screen shows a menu where the player can choose a unit or structure that can be produced. Unlike later Command & Conquer games, each building can only construct one thing at a time. Each unit has a cost (in credits), an armament (showing the damage done to other units), and shielding (showing the damage that the unit can withstand). Credits are spent as units are produced (rather than taken upfront when the unit begins production). Units and structures take time to produce; their progress is shown on the side of the screen when their production structure is selected. When a building is finished constructing, a placement grid appears over the player's cursor, allowing the player to place the building in any valid location. Production can be halted from the production screen by selecting "Stop." The player can also repair buildings to restore any damage taken by enemy attacks, lack of power, or weather erosion by selecting "Fix" (which pauses production).

    Each House has a separate campaign consisting of nine missions each. The game uses a password system for continuing. Passwords are entered from the options screen, which can be accessed from the main menu or invoked at any time during gameplay with  START .

    Structures

    Dune II, Buildings.png
    		 Construction Yard
    Shield:
    800
    The main base structure, which constructs all other buildings. Every mission starts with a Construction Yard, and the player can use a Mobile Construction Vehicle (MCV) to establish another at a different location (making it the only building that does not need to be connected to another building to construct).
    Dune II, Buildings.png
    		 Concrete
    Shield:
    40
    Cost:
    15
    Requires:
    Construction Yard
    A concrete slab, produced in a 2x2 square, on which buildings can be constructed to prevent wear. Buildings that are not built on concrete start with some damage and take more damage over time from the elements. Concrete can also be used to build roads so that units can move around more quickly. Concrete slabs cannot be repaired if damaged but can be replaced.
    Dune II, Buildings.png
    		 Windtrap
    Shield:
    400
    Power:
    100
    Cost:
    300
    Requires:
    Construction Yard
    Provides power to other buildings. It is necessary to build at least one Windtrap before any other structures can be built. If a structure become unpowered (because a Windtrap is destroyed), it produces much more slowly. Windtraps show a flashing lightning bolt icon when the grid power is low and more power capacity should be added.
    Dune II, Buildings.png
    		 Refinery
    Shield:
    900
    Power:
    -30
    Cost:
    400
    Requires:
    Windtrap
    Harvesters transport Spice to a Refinery, where it is processed and converted into credits that can be spent on units and structures. Each Refinery comes with a Harvester, which automatically starts harvesting Spice once produced. The Refinery can hold 1,000 units of Spice. The player must construct Spice Silos to store more.
    Dune II, Buildings.png
    		 Spice Silo
    Shield:
    300
    Power:
    -5
    Cost:
    150
    Requires:
    Refinery
    Adds another 1,000 units of Spice storage capacity to the base.
    Dune II, Buildings.png
    		 Outpost
    Shield:
    1,000
    Power:
    -30
    Cost:
    400
    Requires:
    Windtrap
    A radar station that provides a minimap that shows the terrain for the current mission (with both friendly and hostile units and structures marked in different colors). The Outpost is also a prerequisite for creating the buildings that produce combat units.
    Dune II, Buildings.png
    		 Barracks
    Shield:
    600
    Power:
    -10
    Cost:
    300
    Requires:
    Outpost
    Produces light infantry units. It can be upgraded for 150 credits to produce heavy infantry units.
    Dune II, Buildings.png
    		 Vehicle Factory
    Shield:
    800
    Power:
    -20
    Cost:
    400
    Requires:
    Refinery
    Produces support vehicles such as Harvesters and MCVs, light combat vehicles such as Trikes and Quads, and heavy combat vehicles such as Rocket Launchers, Tanks, and House-specific tanks (the Sonic Tank, the Deviator, and the Devastator).
    Dune II, Buildings.png
    		 Hi-Tech
    Shield:
    1,000
    Power:
    -35
    Cost:
    500
    Requires:
    Vehicle Factory, Outpost
    Produces aerial support units, Carryalls and Ornithopters. These units are not directly controlled by the player; once produced, they appear above the facility and fly independently.
    Dune II, Buildings.png
    		 Wall
    Shield:
    140
    Cost:
    50
    Requires:
    Outpost
    A defensive barrier that protects buildings. Adjacent walls are automatically connected into a single long wall.
    Dune II, Buildings.png
    		 Turret
    Shield:
    250
    Power:
    -10
    Cost:
    125
    Requires:
    Outpost
    An autonomous turret that automatically fires at incoming enemy units.
    Dune II, Buildings.png
    		 Rocket Turret
    Shield:
    500
    Power:
    -20
    Cost:
    250
    Requires:
    Outpost
    A long-range, high-damage turret that fires rockets. Effective against both land and air units.
    Dune II, Buildings.png
    		 Repair Facility
    Shield:
    1,800
    Power:
    -20
    Cost:
    700
    Requires:
    Vehicle Factory, Outpost
    Repairs damaged vehicles. Repairing costs time and credits (depending on the extent of the damage). Only one unit can be repaired at a time.
    Dune II, Buildings.png
    		 Starport
    Shield:
    1,000
    Power:
    -50
    Cost:
    500
    Requires:
    Refinery
    Allows the player to buy units (for a premium) that are delivered from orbit immediately rather than produced conventionally.
    Dune II, Buildings.png
    		 Palace
    Shield:
    2,000
    Power:
    -80
    Cost:
    999
    Requires:
    Starport
    Allows use of the House superweapons (the Fremen, the Saboteur, and the Death Hand).

    Units

    Mobile Construction Vehicle (MCV)
    Shield:
    150
    Cost:
    900
    Produced from:
    Vehicle Factory
    An MCV can be transformed to a Construction Yard, allowing the player to produce other buildings. The MCV is unarmed and must be protected at all times. All missions start the player with a Construction Yard, but MCVs are needed to produce additional Construction Yards.
    Harvester
    Shield:
    150
    Cost:
    300
    Produced from:
    Vehicle Factory
    Given free with every Spice refinery or produced from Vehicle Factory, the Harvester collects Spice and transfers it to the refinery for credits. Slow and unarmed.
    Soldier / Infantry
    Shield:
    20 / 50
    Arms:
    4
    Cost:
    60 / 100
    Produced from:
    Barracks
    Used by House Atreides and Ordos. These lightly-armed and armored troops have little effect in the battlefield, as they can be easily destroyed with either heavy weapons or simply running over them with a heavy vehicle. They can, however, be used for capturing enemy buildings. Simply move troops toward the structure when building's health is red. This costs the soldiers.
    Trooper / Troopers
    Shield:
    45 / 110
    Arms:
    8
    Cost:
    100 / 200
    Produced from:
    Barracks
    Used by House Ordos and Harkonnen. While slower, these power armor-wearing troops carry Gatling guns and rocket launchers. They are slightly more useful in combat and can capture buildings as well.
    Trike
    Shield:
    130
    Arms:
    10
    Cost:
    150
    Produced from:
    Vehicle Factory
    A three-wheeled recon vehicle. Its light armor and firepower make it useful for reconnaissance but little else.
    Raider Trike
    Shield:
    80
    Arms:
    8
    Cost:
    150
    Produced from:
    Vehicle Factory
    Used only by House Ordos. The Raider Trike is the fastest ground vehicle on Dune, but it is ineffective in combat.
    Quad
    Shield:
    130
    Arms:
    10
    Cost:
    200
    Produced from:
    Vehicle Factory
    A four-wheeled vehicle for both combat and recon, the Quad is a potent force until tanks enter the battlefield.
    Combat Tank
    Shield:
    200
    Arms:
    38
    Cost:
    300
    Produced from:
    Vehicle Factory
    A fast and well-armed tank for both attack and defence.
    Rocket Launcher
    Shield:
    130
    Arms:
    112
    Cost:
    450
    Produced from:
    Vehicle Factory
    A long-range launcher with large rockets. Very useful for reducing enemy building to rubble, but it has a very slow firing rate and cannot engage enemies in short range. Slow movement speed and low armor means it requires escorts.
    Siege Tank
    Shield:
    300
    Arms:
    45
    Cost:
    600
    Produced from:
    Vehicle Factory
    A powerful yet slow tank with heavy armor and firepower.
    Sonic Tank
    Shield:
    110
    Arms:
    90
    Cost:
    600
    Produced from:
    Vehicle Factory
    Used only by House Atreides. Sonic Tanks fire ultrasonic sound waves that are lethal to soldiers and buildings. They are moderately effective against vehicles. Very long range. Possibly based on "Weirding Module" technology from the David Lynch film adaptation.
    Deviator
    Shield:
    120
    Cost:
    750
    Produced from:
    Vehicle Factory
    Used only by House Ordos. A specialized rocket launcher whose warheads are filled with a brainwashing gas that temporarily turns enemy units to Ordos control.
    Devastator
    Shield:
    400
    Arms:
    60
    Cost:
    800
    Produced from:
    Vehicle Factory
    Used only by House Harkonnen. The most powerful ground vehicle in the game, the Devastator is a heavily armed and armored tank powered by an unstable nuclear reactor. It has no turret, however, and must turn towards the enemy, limiting its initiative. The Devastator can be ordered to self-destruct, which damages nearby enemies.
    Carryall
    Shield:
    100
    Cost:
    800
    Produced from:
    Hi-Tech
    A utility aircraft, the Carryall automatically transports and bring back harvesters. They can also take damaged units to a repair facility (but they do not bring them back). It can be brought down with rocket turrets. It is autonomous and cannot be directly controlled.
    Ornithopter
    Shield:
    3
    Arms:
    75
    Cost:
    600
    Produced from:
    Hi-Tech
    Used only by House Atreides and Ordos. An aircraft that flies with a wing-flapping motion. Armed with guided missiles, it can engage enemy units from the air, but its attack frequency is low. It is autonomous and cannot be directly controlled.
    Fremen
    Shield:
    110
    Arms:
    90
    Produced from:
    Palace
    Used only by House Atreides. Native inhabitants of the Dune, Fremen can be called from the Atreides Palace. While they cannot be controlled, these heavily armed troopers wreak havoc among the enemy. Turrets cannot target them.
    Saboteur
    Shield:
    40
    Arms:
    150
    Produced from:
    Palace
    Used only by House Ordos. A unit with questionable usefulness, the Saboteur can destroy an enemy building if it can reach it. While it cannot be seen in the battlefield, it can be seen in the map, and all units seem to target it.
    Death Hand
    Shield:
    70
    Arms:
    150
    Produced from:
    Palace
    Used only by House Harkonnen. A product of Harkonnen's illegal atomic weapon stockpile, Death Hand is a powerful yet inaccurate cruise missile. It is recommended to fire it to the middle of the enemy base for the maximum chance of a hit.
    Sand Worm
    An uncontrollable unit for all sides, Sand Worms attack any unit that remains on the sand. If its health reduced to half, it disappears momentarily. Atreides units, probably because of their alliance with Fremen, do not automatically attack them, so manual targeting is necessary.

    History

    Legacy

    While not the first real-time strategy game, Dune II was one of the most influential games in the genre, particularly in the Command & Conquer series, also developed by Westwood Studios. Its specific combination of a fog of war, mouse-based military micromanagement, and an economic model of resource-gathering and base-building established a template for subsequent real-time strategy games, including the Warcraft and StarCraft series from Blizzard Entertainment and the Age of Empires series from Microsoft.

    In 1998, Dune II was remade for Windows PCs as Dune 2000, which was ported to the PlayStation. In 2001, Westwood released a sequel, Emperor: Battle for Dune, exclusively for PCs.

    Production credits

    • Executive Producer: Christopher D. Yates
    • Producers: Aaron E. Powell, David Pokorny
    • Product Coordinators: Robb Alvey, Ken Love
    • Designed by: Aaron E. Powell, Joe Bostic
    • Programmers: Leroy Wing, Denzil E. Long, Jr., Rob Povey
    • Writer: Rick Gush
    • Artists: Matthew Hansel, Sandy Dobbs
    • Music & Sound: Paul S. Mudra, Frank Klepacki, Dwight K. Okahara
    • Voices: Frank Klepacki, House Voices; Glenn Sperry, Units
    • Manual: Eydie Laramore
    • Manual Layout: Penina Finger
    • Quality Assurance: Glenn Sperry, Mike McCaa, Adam Ryan, Kenny Dunne, Paul Schoener, William Baca, Jesse Clemit, Jeff Fillhaber, Scott Fleming, Bill Foster, Mike Lightner, Tim Fritz, Ronnie Balducci, Jared Brinkley, Mitch Feldman, Chris McFarland, Scott Manning, David Fries, Chris Rausch, Nick Camerota, Bijan Shaheer
    • Package Design & Fulfillment: Lauren Rifkin, Lisa Marcinko
    • Special Thanks to: Brett W. Sperry and Lyle J. Hall II
    Dune is a trademark of Dino De Laurents Corporation and licensed by MCA/Universal Merchandising, Inc. ©1984 Dino De Laurents Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
    ©1993 Westwood Studios, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    Virgin is a registered trademark of Virgin Enterprises, LTD.
    Thank you for playing Dune: The Battle for Arrakis
    Source:
    US manual
    Dune2 MD US Manual.pdf
    [5]

    Magazine articles

    Main article: Dune II: Battle for Arrakis/Magazine articles.

    Promotional material

    Logo-pdf.svg
    Print advert in GamePro (US) #60: "July 1994" (1994-xx-xx)
    also published in:
    Logo-pdf.svg
    Logo-pdf.svg
    Print advert in Mega (UK) #20: "May 1994" (1994-04-21)
    Logo-pdf.svg

    Physical scans

    Sega Retro Average 
    Publication Score Source
    {{{{{icon}}}|L}} Division by zero.
    Based on
    0 review
    Sega Retro Average 
    Publication Version Score
    1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
    98
    		[9]
    Aktueller Software Markt (DE)
    92
    		[10]
    Console Mania (IT)
    91
    		[11]
    Consoles + (FR)
    91
    		[12]
    Cool Gamer (RU)
    90
    		[13]
    Computer & Video Games (UK)
    88
    		[14]
    Digitiser (UK)
    86
    		[15]
    Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U
    80
    		[16]
    Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1 (RU)
    90
    		[17]
    Game Players (US) NTSC-U
    87
    		[1]
    GamePro (US) NTSC-U
    85
    		[18]
    Gamers (DE)
    80
    		[19]
    GamesMaster (UK)
    92
    		[20]
    Games World: The Magazine (UK) PAL
    86
    		[21]
    Game Informer (US) NTSC-U
    83
    		[22]
    Hyper (AU)
    89
    		[23]
    Joypad (FR) PAL
    85
    		[24]
    Joypad (HU)
    95
    		[25]
    MAN!AC (DE) PAL
    80
    		[26]
    Mega (UK) PAL
    80
    		[27]
    Mega Action (UK) PAL
    83
    		[28]
    Mega Force (FR)
    92
    		[29]
    Mega Fun (DE) PAL
    83
    		[30]
    Mega Machines (UK) PAL
    92
    		[31]
    Mega Play (US) NTSC-U
    93
    		[32]
    MegaTech (UK) PAL
    91
    		[33]
    Mean Machines Sega (UK) PAL
    93
    		[3]
    Player One (FR)
    95
    		[34]
    Play Time (DE)
    85
    		[35]
    Power Up! (UK)
    86
    		[36]
    Power Unlimited (NL)
    77
    		[37]
    Sega Magazine (UK) PAL
    93
    		[38]
    Sega Power (UK) PAL
    90
    		[4]
    Sega Pro (UK) PAL
    90
    		[39]
    Sega Zone (UK) PAL
    90
    		[40]
    Sega Mega Drive Review (RU)
    82
    		[41]
    Sonic the Comic (UK) PAL
    91
    		[42]
    Todo Sega (ES)
    92
    		[43]
    Tricks 16 bit (RU)
    86
    		[44]
    Video Games (DE) PAL
    83
    		[45]
    Video Games (DE) PAL
    84
    		[46]
    Sega Mega Drive
    		 88
    Based on
    41 reviews

    Dune II: Battle for Arrakis

    Mega Drive, US
    Dune2 MD US Box.jpg
    Cover
    DuneII MD US Cart.jpg
    Cart
    Dune2 MD US Manual.pdf
    Manual
    DuneII MD US pcb.jpg
    PCB
    Mega Drive, EU
    Dune2 MD EU Box.jpg
    Cover
    Dune II MD EU Cart.jpg
    Cart
    Dune2 MD EU Manual.pdf
    Manual
    DuneII MD EU pcb.jpg
    PCB
    Mega Drive, DE
    Dune2 MD DE Box.jpg
    Cover
    DuneII MD DE Cart.jpg
    Cart
    Dune II MD DE Manual.jpg
    Manual
    Mega Drive, AU

    Mega Drive, AU (Silver)
    DuneII MD AU silver cover.jpg
    Cover
    DuneII MD AU Cart Silver.jpg
    Cart

    Technical information

    Main article: Dune II: Battle for Arrakis/Technical information.

    References

    1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Game Players, "Vol. 7 No. 3 March 1994" (US; 1994-0x-xx), page 52
    2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Mega, "June 1994" (UK; 1994-05-19), page 81
    3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Mean Machines Sega, "January 1994" (UK; 1993-11-30), page 128
    4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Sega Power, "January 1994" (UK; 1993-12-02), page 56
    5. ↑ File:Dune2 MD US Manual.pdf, page 34
    6. ↑ EGM², "July 1994" (US; 1994-07-19), page 61
    7. ↑ EGM², "August 1994" (US; 1994-0x-xx), page 53
    8. ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "September 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 79
    9. ↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 64
    10. ↑ Aktueller Software Markt, "Januar 1995" (DE; 1994-12-05), page 30
    11. ↑ Console Mania, "Gennaio 1994" (IT; 199x-xx-xx), page 52
    12. ↑ Consoles +, "Mai 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 106
    13. ↑ Cool Gamer, "9" (RU; 2002-10-13), page 69
    14. ↑ Computer & Video Games, "January 1994" (UK; 1993-12-15), page 84
    15. ↑ Digitiser (UK) (1994-06-07)
    16. ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "January 1994" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 44
    17. ↑ Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1, "" (RU; 1999-xx-xx), page 94
    18. ↑ GamePro, "December 1993" (US; 1993-xx-xx), page 83
    19. ↑ Gamers, "Mai/Juni 1994" (DE; 1994-05-06), page 22
    20. ↑ GamesMaster (UK) "Series 3, episode 8" (1993-10-28, 24:00) (+7:53)
    21. ↑ Games World: The Magazine, "July 1994" (UK; 1994-05-26), page 16
    22. ↑ Game Informer, "May/June 1994" (US; 1994-0x-xx), page 10
    23. ↑ Hyper, "March 1994" (AU; 1994-xx-xx), page 47
    24. ↑ Joypad, "Mai 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 128
    25. ↑ Joypad, "3/1994" (HU; 1994-xx-xx), page 16
    26. ↑ MAN!AC, "04/94" (DE; 1994-03-09), page 48
    27. ↑ Mega, "January 1994" (UK; 1993-12-16), page 52
    28. ↑ Mega Action, "January 1994" (UK; 1993-12-30), page 16
    29. ↑ Mega Force, "Mai 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 62
    30. ↑ Mega Fun, "05/94" (DE; 1994-04-20), page 100
    31. ↑ Mega Machines, "January 1994" (UK; 1993-12-09), page 72
    32. ↑ Mega Play, "February 1994" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 46
    33. ↑ MegaTech, "January 1994" (UK; 1993-12-21), page 68
    34. ↑ Player One, "Mai 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 78
    35. ↑ Play Time, "6/94" (DE; 1994-05-04), page 128
    36. ↑ Power Up!, "Saturday, June 11, 1994" (UK; 1994-06-11), page 1
    37. ↑ Power Unlimited, "Jaargang 2, Nummer 5, Mei 1994" (NL; 1994-04-27), page 32
    38. ↑ Sega Magazine, "January 1994" (UK; 1993-12-10), page 120
    39. ↑ Sega Pro, "February 1994" (UK; 1993-12-30), page 32
    40. ↑ Sega Zone, "January 1994" (UK; 1993-12-23), page 62
    41. ↑ Sega Mega Drive Review, "1" (RU; 1995-04-03), page 46
    42. ↑ Sonic the Comic, "June 24th 1994" (UK; 1994-06-11), page 10
    43. ↑ Todo Sega, "Febrero 1994" (ES; 1994-0x-xx), page 38
    44. ↑ Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 12
    45. ↑ Video Games, "3/94" (DE; 1994-02-23), page 88
    46. ↑ Video Games, "6/94" (DE; 1994-05-25), page 97


    Dune II: Battle for Arrakis

    Dune MD title.png

    Main page | Comparisons | Maps | Passwords | Hidden content | Magazine articles | Video coverage | Reception | Region coding | Technical information | Bootlegs


    Sega Mega Drive
    Prototypes: 1994-01-11



    Dune games for Sega systems
    Sega Mega-CD
    		 Dune (1993)
    Sega Mega Drive
    		 Dune II: Battle for Arrakis (1994)
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