Dungeon Siege
Encyclopedia
Dungeon Siege is a computer role-playing game developed
by Gas Powered Games
and published
by Microsoft Game Studios
. Chris Taylor
(from Total Annihilation
) showed Dungeon Siege years in production for the first time at E3 2000. The game was released in 2002
and later bundled with the X800
line of video cards in 2005.
In November 2003, Gas Powered Games and Mad Doc Software developed an official standalone expansion pack
for the game called Dungeon Siege: Legends of Aranna
that includes the original game.
in the continent of Aranna, next to the Plain of Tears. Originally a trading post on the outskirts of the Empire of Stars, Ehb later achieved temporary status as a military protectorate
and province
when the 10th Legion migrated westward. In the wake of the War of Legions, and the ensuing collapse of the Empire of Stars, Ehb became an independent
kingdom in its own right. Stability was achieved thanks to the protection provided by its fortifications and the 10th Legion — one of the most highly trained armies
of Aranna.
Ehb presents a rich variety of terrain
s and peoples
for players to interact with. Valley
s, icy mountain
s, swamp
s, desert
s, deep forest
s, cliff
s and volcano
es adorn its layout. Its main inhabitants are Human
s and Dwarves who live in harmony and acknowledge the same ruler. Players will also encounter the primitive Krug, the secretive Goblin
technologists, the loathsome undead
and the mysterious, though largely autonomous, Droog.
The farmer turned hero has to journey through the Kingdom in hopes of reaching the Castle Ehb in order to stop the Seck, a race of mysterious, spiteful humanoid monsters, who awakened from their imprisonment beneath the Castle. The hero has to face armies of wild creatures, Krugs, a colony of spiders, horde of undead, Goblins and their futuristic technology, Droogs, and even an ancient dragon, Scorch. The player's final objective is to enter the Seck lair under the Castle and defeat Gom, their leader.
to save the kingdom of Ehb, located in the world of Aranna, from the forces of evil, following the main character from the humble beginnings as a farmer
to the ultimate destiny as a powerful hero
or heroine. As the game progresses, the main character may be joined by other adventurers, whom the player also controls. The background is based in a fantasy medieval
world with geographic
variety in open and closed environments (dungeon
s). The graphics are mildly detailed with environment changes.
The gameplay
is a mixture of pause-and-go tactical management and point-and-click action. The mechanic is highly similar to that of later Ultima games (so much so that fans have recreated certain Ultima titles using the Dungeon Siege engine), and to a lesser degree, early action role-playing game
s like Diablo
and Nox. The Dungeon Siege quest is highly linear and involves constant hack and slash
battle, similar in some ways to platform
and beat 'em up
games.
The game uses a display engine that makes the entire experience seamless, with no load screens. The interface is completely scripted with a programming language called 'scrit' and the development of its expertise is called 'scrit-foo.' This scripting system allowed for many "siegelet" add-ons, which modified game play.
The party system is automated but efficient with basic formations, resources, and action-response. In addition to being able to recruit non-player character
s (NPCs) that function much like the player's own character, it is possible to buy mule
s to help carry more items as a member of the group. Players can recruit and disband party members, but must retain at least one party member at all times.
Dungeon Siege supports multiplayer cooperative gaming over LAN
s and the Internet
(direct TCP/IP
connection, and previously ZoneMatch, which was shut down in June, 2006).
. Soule also scored Dungeon Siege II
.
expansion.
or siegelets. There are many mods created by players available for download on the internet, with features ranging from new graphics to completely new character development systems.
, was released in 2005. In March 2006, Take-Two Interactive
acquired all publishing rights to Dungeon Siege, ending the four-year partnership between Microsoft and Gas Powered Games. An expansion pack followed, named Dungeon Siege II: Broken World
. In October 2006, Dungeon Siege: Throne of Agony
was released for the Sony
PlayStation Portable
, considered to be the spin-off in the series storyline, most specific in world of the second game.
A movie based on the game, In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale
, was released January 11, 2008. It was directed by Uwe Boll
. The sequel, In the Name of the King 2
, lost the Dungeon Siege name after poor reception of the first film.
In June 2008, Chris Taylor announced to Eurogamer that Dungeon Siege III
was 'in the works' and would focus on a single player character rather than a group. Two years later in June 2010 the game was announced in development at Obsidian Entertainment
, with Taylor and Gas Powered Games overseeing production.
Video game developer
A video game developer is a software developer that creates video games. A developer may specialize in a certain video game console, such as Nintendo's Wii, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3, or may develop for a variety of systems, including personal computers.Most developers also...
by Gas Powered Games
Gas Powered Games
Gas Powered Games is a video game developer located in Redmond, Washington. The development studio was started in May 1998 by Chris Taylor, creator of Total Annihilation, and several other ex-Cavedog Entertainment employees....
and published
Video game publisher
A video game publisher is a company that publishes video games that they have either developed internally or have had developed by a video game developer....
by Microsoft Game Studios
Microsoft Game Studios
Microsoft Studios is the video game production wing for Microsoft, responsible for the development and publishing of games for the Xbox, Xbox 360, Games for Windows and Windows Phone platforms. They were established in 2002 as Microsoft Game Studios to coincide with the release of the Xbox, before...
. Chris Taylor
Chris Taylor (game designer)
Chris Taylor is a computer game designer and entrepreneur most famous for developing Total Annihilation and the Dungeon Siege series and for founding Gas Powered Games...
(from Total Annihilation
Total Annihilation
Total Annihilation is a real-time strategy video game created by Cavedog Entertainment, a sub-division of Humongous Entertainment, and released on September 30, 1997 by GT Interactive for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS. It was the first RTS game to feature 3D units and terrain...
) showed Dungeon Siege years in production for the first time at E3 2000. The game was released in 2002
2002 in video gaming
The year 2002 in video gaming saw the release of many games to sixth-generation video game consoles, predominately, the Nintendo GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox.-Events:...
and later bundled with the X800
Radeon R420
The Radeon R420 core from ATI Technologies was the company's basis for its 3rd-generation DirectX 9.0/OpenGL 2.0-capable graphics cards. Used first on the Radeon X800, R420 was produced on a 0.13 micrometer low-K process and used GDDR-3 memory...
line of video cards in 2005.
In November 2003, Gas Powered Games and Mad Doc Software developed an official standalone expansion pack
Expansion pack
An expansion pack, expansion set, or supplement is an addition to an existing role-playing game, tabletop game or video game. These add-ons usually add new game areas, weapons, objects, and/or an extended storyline to a complete and already released game...
for the game called Dungeon Siege: Legends of Aranna
Dungeon Siege: Legends of Aranna
Dungeon Siege: Legends of Aranna is a computer role-playing game developed by Gas Powered Games and published by Microsoft Game Studios.Released in April 2002 by Gas Powered Games and Mad Doc Software, it is as an official standalone expansion pack for the game Dungeon Siege...
that includes the original game.
Setting
Aranna is the continent upon which the games of the Dungeon Siege series take place. The Kingdom of Ehb is at the western edge of the continent. Dungeon Siege and its expansion pack Dungeon Siege: Legends of Aranna take place in and around the Kingdom of Ehb. According to the game's back-story, The Kingdom of Ehb is a border kingdomMonarchy
A monarchy is a form of government in which the office of head of state is usually held until death or abdication and is often hereditary and includes a royal house. In some cases, the monarch is elected...
in the continent of Aranna, next to the Plain of Tears. Originally a trading post on the outskirts of the Empire of Stars, Ehb later achieved temporary status as a military protectorate
Protectorate
In history, the term protectorate has two different meanings. In its earliest inception, which has been adopted by modern international law, it is an autonomous territory that is protected diplomatically or militarily against third parties by a stronger state or entity...
and province
Province
A province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.-Etymology:The English word "province" is attested since about 1330 and derives from the 13th-century Old French "province," which itself comes from the Latin word "provincia," which referred to...
when the 10th Legion migrated westward. In the wake of the War of Legions, and the ensuing collapse of the Empire of Stars, Ehb became an independent
Independence
Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
kingdom in its own right. Stability was achieved thanks to the protection provided by its fortifications and the 10th Legion — one of the most highly trained armies
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
of Aranna.
Ehb presents a rich variety of terrain
Terrain
Terrain, or land relief, is the vertical and horizontal dimension of land surface. When relief is described underwater, the term bathymetry is used...
s and peoples
Person
A person is a human being, or an entity that has certain capacities or attributes strongly associated with being human , for example in a particular moral or legal context...
for players to interact with. Valley
Valley
In geology, a valley or dale is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. A very deep river valley may be called a canyon or gorge.The terms U-shaped and V-shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys...
s, icy mountain
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
s, swamp
Swamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
s, desert
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
s, deep forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
s, cliff
Cliff
In geography and geology, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure. Cliffs are formed as erosion landforms due to the processes of erosion and weathering that produce them. Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, escarpments and along rivers. Cliffs are usually...
s and volcano
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
es adorn its layout. Its main inhabitants are Human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
s and Dwarves who live in harmony and acknowledge the same ruler. Players will also encounter the primitive Krug, the secretive Goblin
Goblin
A goblin is a legendary evil or mischievous illiterate creature, a grotesquely evil or evil-like phantom.They are attributed with various abilities, temperaments and appearances depending on the story and country of origin. In some cases, goblins have been classified as constantly annoying little...
technologists, the loathsome undead
Undead
Undead is a collective name for fictional, mythological, or legendary beings that are deceased and yet behave as if alive. Undead may be incorporeal, such as ghosts, or corporeal, such as vampires and zombies...
and the mysterious, though largely autonomous, Droog.
Plot
In the Kingdom of Ehb, a humble farmer's life is turned upside down when a small band of savage creatures, the Krug, as they are known, attack the farming community. They must be stopped and the player's character is tasked with seeking help from the neighboring town of Stonebridge. Along the way, the player may meet others willing to help them in their quest. The player soon discovers, however, that their story does not end upon reaching Stonebridge. It is revealed that all the Kingdom of Ehb is suffering because of evil creatures.The farmer turned hero has to journey through the Kingdom in hopes of reaching the Castle Ehb in order to stop the Seck, a race of mysterious, spiteful humanoid monsters, who awakened from their imprisonment beneath the Castle. The hero has to face armies of wild creatures, Krugs, a colony of spiders, horde of undead, Goblins and their futuristic technology, Droogs, and even an ancient dragon, Scorch. The player's final objective is to enter the Seck lair under the Castle and defeat Gom, their leader.
Multiplayer
There is a co-op multiplayer campaign which both takes place in and is titled "Utraean Peninsula". It re-uses the single campaign's monsters, with few name changes for boss creatures, and a new enemy type for the final dungeon. It also features a quest-line in which the players have to journey through several towns, helping its inhabitants, and locate several magical stones, called the Townstones. The Utraean Peninsula contains a secret "Chicken level". The multiplayer campaign culminates with the players placing the Townstones in their slots and opening the dungeon, where the Maljin race of monsters has to be defeated.Gameplay
The player participates in a questQuest
In mythology and literature, a quest, a journey towards a goal, serves as a plot device and as a symbol. Quests appear in the folklore of every nation and also figure prominently in non-national cultures. In literature, the objects of quests require great exertion on the part of the hero, and...
to save the kingdom of Ehb, located in the world of Aranna, from the forces of evil, following the main character from the humble beginnings as a farmer
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
to the ultimate destiny as a powerful hero
Hero
A hero , in Greek mythology and folklore, was originally a demigod, their cult being one of the most distinctive features of ancient Greek religion...
or heroine. As the game progresses, the main character may be joined by other adventurers, whom the player also controls. The background is based in a fantasy medieval
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
world with geographic
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
variety in open and closed environments (dungeon
Dungeon
A dungeon is a room or cell in which prisoners are held, especially underground. Dungeons are generally associated with medieval castles, though their association with torture probably belongs more to the Renaissance period...
s). The graphics are mildly detailed with environment changes.
The gameplay
Gameplay
Gameplay is the specific way in which players interact with a game, and in particular with video games. Gameplay is the pattern defined through the game rules, connection between player and the game, challenges and overcoming them, plot and player's connection with it...
is a mixture of pause-and-go tactical management and point-and-click action. The mechanic is highly similar to that of later Ultima games (so much so that fans have recreated certain Ultima titles using the Dungeon Siege engine), and to a lesser degree, early action role-playing game
Action role-playing game
Action role-playing games form a loosely defined sub-genre of role-playing video games that incorporate elements of action or action-adventure games, emphasizing real-time action where the player has direct control over characters, instead of turn-based or menu-based combat...
s like Diablo
Diablo (video game)
Diablo is a dark fantasy-themed action role-playing game developed by Blizzard North and released by Blizzard Entertainment on December 31, 1996....
and Nox. The Dungeon Siege quest is highly linear and involves constant hack and slash
Hack and slash
Hack and slash or hack and slay, abbreviated H&S or HnS, refers to a type of gameplay that emphasizes combat. "Hack and slash" was originally used to describe an aspect of pen-and-paper role-playing games , carrying over from there to MUDs, MMORPGs, and video games in general...
battle, similar in some ways to platform
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
and beat 'em up
Beat 'em up
Beat 'em up is a video game genre featuring melee combat between the protagonist and a large number of underpowered antagonists. These games typically take place in urban settings and feature crime-fighting and revenge-based plots, though some games may employ historical or fantasy themes...
games.
The game uses a display engine that makes the entire experience seamless, with no load screens. The interface is completely scripted with a programming language called 'scrit' and the development of its expertise is called 'scrit-foo.' This scripting system allowed for many "siegelet" add-ons, which modified game play.
The party system is automated but efficient with basic formations, resources, and action-response. In addition to being able to recruit non-player character
Non-player character
A non-player character , sometimes known as a non-person character or non-playable character, in a game is any fictional character not controlled by a player. In electronic games, this usually means a character controlled by the computer through artificial intelligence...
s (NPCs) that function much like the player's own character, it is possible to buy mule
Mule
A mule is the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse. Horses and donkeys are different species, with different numbers of chromosomes. Of the two F1 hybrids between these two species, a mule is easier to obtain than a hinny...
s to help carry more items as a member of the group. Players can recruit and disband party members, but must retain at least one party member at all times.
Dungeon Siege supports multiplayer cooperative gaming over LAN
Local area network
A local area network is a computer network that interconnects computers in a limited area such as a home, school, computer laboratory, or office building...
s and the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
(direct TCP/IP
Internet protocol suite
The Internet protocol suite is the set of communications protocols used for the Internet and other similar networks. It is commonly known as TCP/IP from its most important protocols: Transmission Control Protocol and Internet Protocol , which were the first networking protocols defined in this...
connection, and previously ZoneMatch, which was shut down in June, 2006).
Music
Dungeon Siege features an orchestral soundtrack by award-winning composer Jeremy SouleJeremy Soule
Jeremy Soule is an American composer of soundtracks for film, television and video games. He has won multiple awards and has been described as the "John Williams of video game music" and "a model of success" for Western composers. He has composed soundtracks for over 60 games and over a dozen...
. Soule also scored Dungeon Siege II
Dungeon Siege II
Dungeon Siege II is a computer role-playing game and is the sequel to 2002's popular Dungeon Siege. It was developed by Gas Powered Games and released on August 16, 2005, one year delayed from original projections. The story is a continuation of the Dungeon Siege storyline...
.
Bonus pack
Gas Powered Games released a promotional mod labeled as "bonus pack" for Dungeon Siege. Later, another one was released for Dungeon Siege: Legends of ArannaDungeon Siege: Legends of Aranna
Dungeon Siege: Legends of Aranna is a computer role-playing game developed by Gas Powered Games and published by Microsoft Game Studios.Released in April 2002 by Gas Powered Games and Mad Doc Software, it is as an official standalone expansion pack for the game Dungeon Siege...
expansion.
- Yesterhaven: A multiplayer short story that can only be played online. It does not require a pre-existing character, nor any previous experience with Dungeon Siege. This bonus pack can be downloaded from Gas Powered Games and requires the original Dungeon Siege. The monsters in Yesterhaven are relatively weak, posing a challenge only to beginning characters. The story revolves around a single town that undergoes three "plagues" during the early years of Ehb, featuring new variations of monsters found in original game. The players have to stop three plagues: unnatural winter, undead infestation, and extremely hot weather. In order to do so, three enemies must be defeated: the Snow Queen, the lich archmage, and finally, the Fire King.
Mods
The game engine allows content creation and modification through a released toolkit. New content and modifications are called modsMod (computer gaming)
Mod or modification is a term generally applied to personal computer games , especially first-person shooters, role-playing games and real-time strategy games. Mods are made by the general public or a developer, and can be entirely new games in themselves, but mods are not standalone software and...
or siegelets. There are many mods created by players available for download on the internet, with features ranging from new graphics to completely new character development systems.
Legacy
A sequel, Dungeon Siege IIDungeon Siege II
Dungeon Siege II is a computer role-playing game and is the sequel to 2002's popular Dungeon Siege. It was developed by Gas Powered Games and released on August 16, 2005, one year delayed from original projections. The story is a continuation of the Dungeon Siege storyline...
, was released in 2005. In March 2006, Take-Two Interactive
Take-Two Interactive
Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is a major American publisher, developer, and distributor of video games and video game peripherals. Take-Two wholly owns 2K Games and Rockstar Games. The company's headquarters are in New York City, with international headquarters in Windsor, United Kingdom...
acquired all publishing rights to Dungeon Siege, ending the four-year partnership between Microsoft and Gas Powered Games. An expansion pack followed, named Dungeon Siege II: Broken World
Dungeon Siege II: Broken World
Dungeon Siege II: Broken World is the expansion pack for the computer role-playing game Dungeon Siege II and continues the unfinished plot of the previous game. It was developed by Gas Powered Games and published by 2K Games on August 22 2006.-Story:...
. In October 2006, Dungeon Siege: Throne of Agony
Dungeon Siege: Throne of Agony
Dungeon Siege: Throne of Agony is a real time computer role-playing game for PlayStation Portable developed by SuperVillain Studios, published by 2K Games and was released in October 2006.-Plot:...
was released for the Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
, considered to be the spin-off in the series storyline, most specific in world of the second game.
A movie based on the game, In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale
In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale
In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale is a 2006 fantasy action film directed by Uwe Boll, inspired by the Dungeon Siege video game series. It was produced by Brightlight Pictures and distributed by Freestyle Releasing and Vivendi Entertainment in the United States and Canada. 20th Century...
, was released January 11, 2008. It was directed by Uwe Boll
Uwe Boll
Uwe Boll is a German director, producer and screenwriter, whose work includes several films adapted from video games. He finances his own films through his Boll KG production company. He is often cited as the worst director of all time.-Early life:...
. The sequel, In the Name of the King 2
In the Name of the King 2
In the Name of the King 2 also known as In the Name of the King: Two Worlds , is an upcoming fantasy-action film sequel to In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale...
, lost the Dungeon Siege name after poor reception of the first film.
In June 2008, Chris Taylor announced to Eurogamer that Dungeon Siege III
Dungeon Siege III
Dungeon Siege III is an action role-playing game developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. Chris Taylor, the original creator of Dungeon Siege, served as an advisor during the development of the game...
was 'in the works' and would focus on a single player character rather than a group. Two years later in June 2010 the game was announced in development at Obsidian Entertainment
Obsidian Entertainment
Obsidian Entertainment is an American video game developer founded in 2003 after the disestablishment of Interplay Productions' Black Isle Studios, for PC and console systems...
, with Taylor and Gas Powered Games overseeing production.