Our friend Cliff Harris has launched an awesome sale over on Show Me The Games. Aptly titled Show Me The Sales, you'll find Tidalis, AI War, and over a dozen other excellent indie games for a fraction of their standard price tag.
The cool thing about the sale, other than the nice discounts, is that 100% of all sales go directly to the developers. SMTG doesn't take a dime.
The sale only last 14 days, so if you're interested in supporting indie developers to the fullest and picking up some awesome titles (Frozen Synapse, Gratuitous Space Battles, VVVVVV, and many more), best take advantage of the offers soon.
A quick note that our massive co-op space strategy title AI War is 75% off as Steam's Daily Deal. That means today only the base game runs just $5 instead of $20, expansions run just $2.50/$1.00 instead of $10/$4 each, and the Alien Bundle (which contains all of the aforementioned) goes for a paltry $7.50 instead of the standard $30 tag. A great deal, and as good a time as any to jump into the fight.
Arcen Games' addicting puzzle game Tidalis is on sale for 85% off as Steam's Daily Deal for today, and today only. That means until 10 AM PDT tomorrow--Wednesday, August 24--anyone can grab a copy (or copies) of Tidalis for just $1.50/€1.20/£1.05.
For those new to the game, Tidalis is a block-based puzzler with casual appeal, hardcore depth, and an addictive mechanic that utilities "streams" to clear blocks. Simple to learn, and difficult to master as it takes a bit of brainpower to set up combos of multiple chains, and the many brainteaser-style puzzles include some real challenges.
Tidalis also brings co-op and competitive multiplayer modes (both online and offline); action-oriented modes and timer-less brainteasers. On top of that, there's a lengthy, casual-friendly adventure mode; twenty unique game modes providing innumerable twists to the basic gameplay; dozens of special blocks and items; and over fifty minutes of beautiful music to go with the painterly art. All that for just a tiny fraction of the typical price!
It's the biggest individual discount the game has received to date, and of course extends to both PC and Mac versions--in fact players get both through SteamPlay. If there's any hesitance still hanging around, check out the Steam demo available for anyone to play. Or try Tidalis Lite, a free browser-based version of the game that runs on the Unity Web Player.
About Arcen Games
Arcen Games entered the PC indie scene in 2009 with their cult classic AI War: Fleet Command, which was named the 40th best-reviewed PC game of the year by MetaCritic. Their second year was a busy one, seeing the release of The Zenith Remnant, the first full expansion for AI War; Tidalis, an innovative block-based puzzle with casual appeal and hardcore depth; and Children of Neinzul, a micro-expansion for AI War with all profits benefiting the Child's Play charity, of which Arcen is a platinum sponsor.
AI War's third and largest expansion Light of the Spire marked Arcen's first release of 2011, and now the company has shifted its focus and excitement to the development of A Valley Without Wind. Originally a one-man shop, Arcen Games has grown to have half a dozen part-time or fulltime contributors to its various titles. For all the latest news, media coverage, and some of our other musings, follow us on our developer and individual game pages on Facebook or on Twitter: @ArcenGames.
It seems like just yesterday that AI War 1.0 made it's public debut, but it's actually been two years. And what a busy two years! In that time we've released three new expansions, changed the game to the Unity 3D engine, added Mac OSX support, created our puzzle game Tidalis, and released version 5.0 of the base game free to anyone who bought 1.0 of the game or higher.
In celebration, of the two-year anniversary of AI War's public debut, we're running a big sale on the entire Arcen Store from today through May 24th. All of the individual titles are 50% off, and the bundle (see below) is 30% off its regular reduced price.
Two years later and AI War is more popular than ever, with more expansions planned, and with us still making the games we always wanted to make. We couldn't be more grateful for the support of our players!
Alien Bundle: The AI Isn't Your Only Adversary...
Right from the start, the universe of AI War has always included a few alien craft. However, it wasn't until each of the first three expansions were released that the three alien races from AI War were fully explored: from the ancient, venerable Zenith; to the short-lived, vicious Neinzul; to the massive Spire.
These first expansions represent something of a watershed for AI War, because these are the only expansions that will be focused on individual alien races. Future expansions to the game will focus on other aspects of the AI War universe, as well as pulling in a few ships here and there from all three of the races.
That makes these three something of a matched set; and for the first time ever, we're bundling them all together with the base game at more than a 30% discount off their combined total price (and during the two-year anniversary sale, there's another 30% off applied on top of that regular 30% discount).
When you purchase the AI War Alien Bundle, you're not only getting a great game and three huge expansions, you're also supporting an important cause. Arcen Games is a platinum sponsor of the Child's Play charity, pledging 100% of the profits from sale of Children of Neinzul (excepting any taxes and distributor fees) to helping sick kids in need. That works out to 9% of the purchase price of the AI War Alien Bundle.
Hot on the heels of the Steam Indie Puzzle Pack sale, which has now closed, we have another deal for you: anything you want from the Arcen Games Store for 60% off! Now through December 1st, to give stragglers time to get in their orders. Now's your chance to pick up some excellent deals!
The day that puzzle fans have been waiting for has finally arrived! After three months in public beta, the official version of Tidalis has finally launched! The game is now out on Steam, Impulse, Direct2Drive, GamersGate, myGameIQ (who just had their own launch this week, too, by the way), MacGameStore.com, and our own site store. In celebration of this event, Tidalis is 10% off of its normal price of $9.99 for this first week. We've also got a new launch trailer to share:
Not Familiar With Tidalis Yet?
Tidalis is a block-based puzzle game with casual appeal, hardcore depth, and an addictive new "streams" mechanic. The basic rules of the game are this: blocks fall down into the board and have a color and an arrow direction. If a stack of blocks exceeds the height of the board, you lose. In order to clear blocks, you must right-click and drag paths through the arrows to set up chain reactions of like-colored blocks.
If this sounds simple, that's because it is -- you'll be lining up lengthy chains within minutes. But you'll be surprised how much brainpower it takes to set up combos of multiple chains, and the many brainteaser-style puzzles include some real stumpers. Tidalis has co-op and competitive multiplayer modes (both online and offline); action-oriented modes and timer-less brainteasers; a lengthy, casual-friendly adventure mode; twenty unique game modes providing innumerable twists to the basic gameplay; dozens of special blocks and items; and over fifty minutes of beautiful music to go with the painterly art.
In short, several games' worth of content are built on top of this core mechanic, which you'll quickly find to be as iconic as it is novel.
For Those Who Prefer Bullet Points:
* Puzzle game with casual appeal, hardcore depth, and an addictive new mechanic.
* Two-player co-op and competitive play (both local and networked).
* A wide selection of both action-oriented or brainteaser-like levels.
* Casual-friendly adventure mode, hardcore-focused custom games and vs modes.
* 20+ game styles, and dozens of items and special blocks.
* Rich, painterly art style and beautiful music.
* Players can create and share whole new themes, levels, and adventures.
* Options for colorblind players, players averse to lots of light and motion, and older computers.
For Those Who Prefer Really Long And Over-Detailed Lists:
* Supported Platforms: Mac OSX "Panther" 10.39 or higher, Windows 2000 or later
* Game Styles: Normal, Zen, Sun & Moon, Line Clear, Graviton, Frenzy, Featherweight, Trampoline, Light-Up, Item Survival, Water, Wind, Jumping Bean, Limited Streams, Eater Defense, Solitaire, Speed-Up, Block Swap, Shuffle, Bumpers
* Block Sets: Smooth, Faces, Pixel, AI War, Organic, Shapes
* Music/Art Themes: Cavern, Fishing Village, Fishing Village Night, Forest, Forest Night, Night Marsh, Night Marsh Variance, Open Plains, Open Plains Cloudy, Rainy Mud Flats, Tidal Wreckage, Volcano, Windy Mountaintop, Jeweled Palace, River, Snowy Lowlands, Temple, Foothills, Hidden Theme 1, Hidden Theme 2, Hidden Theme 3
* General Special Blocks: Glass, Stone, Tinder, Fire, Ice, Bubble, Charred, Eater, Direction Locked, Color Reactive, Metal Grille, Turnip, Magnet (Repulsor), Magnet (Attractor), Quad Repeater, Flipper (180), Flipper (45), Crystalizer, Color Blocker, Emission Statue, Pit Monster, Sick, Cured, Living Stone, Inverter, Energizer
* Puzzle-only (or special mode) Special Blocks: Plastic, Metal, Wall (Passable), Wall (Solid), Water Fish, Water Balloon, Sponge, Apple, Golden Apple, Empty Block
* Easy, game-integrated game updates
* Mouse or keyboard controls, with keyboard control customization
* Multiple adventure savegames
* In-game tutorials
* Combinations of game modes in custom games
* Fun adventure mode story: Intro Cutscene, 45 Main Story Cutscenes, 6 Hidden Cutscenes, Ending Cutscene
* General Items: Place Color Block, Place Special Block, Can 'O Beans, Extend, Constrain, Crystal, Quake Hammer, Lightning, Question Mark, Huge Boulder, Rainbow, Flood, Icer, Turnipalooza, Color Popper, Fence, Hourglass, Running Shoes, Feather, Barbells, U-Turn, Wind Burst, Scrambler, Insta-Streams, Molasses-Streams
* Puzzle-only (or special mode) Items: Safety Pin
* VS Modes: Garbage, Endurance, or Freeform
* Co-Op-Only Modes: Sun or Moon, Block Vaporizer, Item Buddies
* Limited Vs AI
* 64 Achievements
* Adventure collectibles and brainteaser titles
* Level Editor, Adventure Editor, and Theme Editor
* Per-player handicaps, co-op items
* Local high scoreboards (daily and overall)
* Network play for up to two computers, with up to two players on each computer (so 2-4 players in all).
* Alternatively, local 2-player multiplayer on a single computer.
* Server listings and filtering.
* Ability to sumbmit high scores and achievements to twitter.
We Would Like To Thank...
... our staff for their incredible dedication and the long hours it took to make this game a reality. Everyone on the team was working long hours and into the wee hours of the morning on their parts of the game, which is something Arcen would never demand of staff -- but the enthusiasm of everyone on the team for this project was so great that people were doing this of their own accord. June was admittedly pretty intense, but we pulled through and the game is better than we could have ever expected. On that note, we would also like to thank...
... the family and friends of our staff for their support and help as well. Many of them acted as alpha and beta testers, contributed design ideas, contributed levels or art or even more significant chunks of content. Thanks for your understanding and aid during this long project! And on that note, we'd especially like to thank...
... the fans who supported Tidalis during the beta, both with their patronage and with their ideas, comments, suggestions, and bug reports. The game wouldn't have been the same without you folks, and your encouragement helped us to make the game ever better. And next to last, a big thanks to...
... the existing AI War fanbase, for their understanding during this last month when AI War hasn't gotten the attention that we normally would give it. There are big things coming up soon for AI War (the 4.0 version as well as the for-charity micro expansion), but June and July have definitely been an unusual dry spell for the game. Thankfully there has still been a lot of discussion and involvement of the community on the forums, and this next official release for AI War is going to be extra polished thanks to all the time folks have had to work with the beta versions of that. Lastly, we'd like to thank...
...all of our amazing distribution partners! It's always a challenge to be an indie company, but our partners in a very real way are the ones that make it possible for us to be in business. They provide us with a level of visibility and a level of access to potential fanbases that we never would have access to without them:
Upcoming Tidalis DLC!
We are planning some free DLC goodies in the coming months, so keep an eye out! The game is already jam-packed with features and content, as you can see above, but we still have a lot of good ideas that we would like to explore post-release. Tidalis won't be in "perpetual development" in the same fashion that AI War is -- we just don't have the staff to maintain that -- but we plan on dropping in some goodies for Tidalis from time to time on a running basis. If there are a lot of custom levels, adventures, and such submitted by fans on the official forums, we might also do a community DLC release that we push out to all customers of the game. So there's still a chance to see your levels (and your name or nickname) become part of the official Tidalis package! Thanks for reading, and we hope you enjoy Tidalis as much as we enjoyed making it!
Today through July 4th, there's an incredible discount on AI War: Fleet Command and AI War: The Zenith Remnant via the Steam "Perils of Summer" sale! We're experimenting a bit by trying out a discount rate of 66%, which is unusually large for us. We recently did something similar with Direct2Drive, and now we're trying it with Steam, but this deal definitely won't last, so make sure and tell your friends and family if you think they might be interested (or if you haven't yet taken the plunge, you might want to get to evaluating the demo while this deal lasts).
So what's going on with AI War, anyway? AI War is still very much a living and growing game, with a big version 4.0 + Mac OSX support upcoming in a few months, and our upcoming for-charity micro-expansion, AI War: Children of Neinzul. Those are both currently scheduled for release in August, but in the meantime we've also got a current beta version chock full of updates that will become the next official free DLC release within a few weeks (around the same time that preorders for AI War:CoN begin).
So, while it's safe to bet there will probably be other sales in the future, after this summer they probably won't go this deep again until 2011 at the earliest. Just fair warning!
The fourth week of Direct2Drive’s spring sale continues, and this week there's an incredible discount on an AI War bundle! The promotion only runs for another 5 days, so be sure to check it out! This bundle is about the lowest price you're likely to see AI War for some time to come.
If you or someone you know is looking for a great deal on AI War and its expansion... here's your chance! Today is the start of a Weekend Impulse Buys promotion at Stardock's Impulse on the AI War / Zenith Remnant Pack. The promotion runs through April 25th.
If you or someone you know hasn't yet taken the plunge into AI War or its first expansion, now's a great time to pick it up! Today is the start of a week-long sale at Steam on both AI War: Fleet Command and AI War: The Zenith Remnant.
If you're already an AI War player, and have been away for a while, be sure to check out the latest official version, 3.060 (currently on Steam and all other partner platforms). The amount of updates in that if you haven't played since 3.0 (the first version to support The Zenith Remnant) is pretty tremendous. And if you haven't played since 2.0 (the first version released on Steam and Direct2Drive)... well, you're in for a real treat.
Remember: all of the patches are always free for all customers of AI War (whether you buy any current or future expansions or not), and between our various updates there is a ton of player-requested free DLC content in them. Now's the perfect time to grab up some friends and launch into a new campaign -- or go it solo, if that's your style. AI War is an ever-evolving game, and you'll need all your wits to best this AI!
Indie developers Arcen Games, Cryptic Comet, and Positech Games have joined forces to bring strategy fans the ultimate bundle: Gratuitous Space Battles + The Tribe Expansion, Solium Infernum, and AI War + The Zenith Remnant Expansion. This weekend only, the three companies are offering this special package for a mere $49.99 (for the math impaired, it would normally be $90).
"It’s a jungle out there for a lone indie dev: tired, hungry, low on ammunition and surrounded on all sides by AAA monsters and flesh eating zombies, and that’s why I want Cliff and Chris on my side," says Vic Davis, founder of Cryptic Comet. "I think all three of us share the desire to prove that the little guys can really create some unique games. It’s our business... and business is good."
"If we were larger companies, and profit-focused, I think we’d view each other as the enemy," says Chris Park, founder of Arcen Games. "But as tiny indies, that’s just not productive -- time has already shown that there are plenty of fans to go around. We're here to make innovative games, not corner markets. There’s a lot more for us to gain by working together instead of by being antagonistic."
"I can't think of three games that go together better, or which appeal to a more distinct group of gamers, than these three,” says Cliff Harris, founder of Positech Games. “The reason for this bundle is clear. We are like the Judean People’s Front from Monty Python. We need to unite against the common enemy, and that enemy is obscurity, not each other."
Each game in the bundle is a fan favorite, having carved out a unique niche in the strategy genre. Inspired by Milton’s Paradise Lost, Solium Infernum is a turn-based strategy game that pits you against other players as you use diplomacy, deceit and force to claim the Infernal Thrones of Hell. Gratuitous Space Battles turns real time strategy on its head, making the deployment phase of battle into the game itself. AI War is built around a completely unique AI concept, with gameplay best described as grand strategic 4X tower defense RTS (say that five times fast).
Suffice it to say that none of these concepts would have seen the light of day at larger companies, but each expands the genre in novel ways that will likely influence more mainstream strategy titles to come. But most of all, if you’re into strategy these games are fun (and they scratch that special itch in the brains of grognards). The Indie Strategy Bundle is designed to help strategy fans support the originals, while giving themselves a treat if they haven’t yet played these genre-bending gems!
This bundle will be available from March 4th until March 9th, 2010 at IndieStrategyGames.com
Arcen Games is pleased to announce the release of The Zenith Remnant, the first expansion to their hit RTS/4X hybrid, AI War! You can download a trial version or purchase a license key on the details page for the expansion. Thanks to all of our fans who have helped to make this game possible with their feedback, suggestions, and preorders over the last months!
The Zenith Remnant includes a massive amount of new content that brings the galaxy to life in exciting ways. Capturables, special AI ships, and ancient alien artifacts litter the cosmos, making your choices as a player more varied than ever. Do you risk total war with the AI by capturing and rebuilding a massive golem? Do you procure defensive superweapons from Zenith traders?
Maybe you’d like to finally be able to build the powerful Core ships that the AI has long used -- or the all-new experimental ships with strange and powerful abilities. Befriend the dangerous alien Dyson Sphere by helping it against the AI forces, or sneak around it to avoid incurring its wrath (that thing is moody). If you see a Devourer Golem, don’t forget to run -- preferably as it pummels your enemies. Any path you take, there are consequences; AI War is known for being heavily strategic even amongst strategy games, and The Zenith Remnant takes it to new heights.
Key Features
* 122 new ships, including:
* 14 new ship classes with a variety of abilities.
* 7 massive capturable "Golem" ships.
* Dozens of other new capturables, including “experimental” ships.
* 12 new AI Types.
* 4 Zenith alien minor factions (NPCs).
* Over 40 minutes of new in-game music tracks.
* Several new map styles.
* Several new AI behaviors and many related special AI weapons.
Availability And Pricing
The Zenith Remnant has a retail price of $9.99 USD (or equivalent currency), and is digitally available in English in all territories. The expansion will, starting today, be available through all of our online partners including Impulse, Steam, Direct2Drive, and GamersGate.
50% Off Sale On AI War
In celebration of the release of the expansion, we and most all of our partners are selling the base game of AI War: Fleet Command at a 50% discount until the 18th or 19th (the end date varies depending on the vendor). If you already have the game, now's the perfect time to get a friend into it so that you can enjoy some co-op together!
In celebration of the Thanksgiving holiday here in the US, we're having our first multi-product discount sale on our site! Enter code BLLR0018P to get a 25% discount on all games bought directly from Arcen through 11/30/2009. This means that you can pick up AI War: Fleet Command for $14.99 USD, and/or preorder AI War: The Zenith Remnant for $7.49 USD! If you live outside the US, never fear, the discount is equivalent in every currency. Note: If you want to buy both together, simply click the purchase link on the first page, then go to the second page and click the purchase link, and both will be in your shopping cart together.
The Zenith Remnant is the first expansion pack to Arcen's hit space-based "grand strategic 4X tower defense RTS" game, and is currently in beta. The full version of the expansion is expected to be released in the second week of January, but players who who preorder and want early access are free to download the beta from our forums at any time. Players who want to first try a demo of the expansion beta can also download that from the forums. The Zenith Remnant will include around 115 new ships, at least four new map styles, a new neutral AI faction (the Zenith aliens), and lots and lots of gameplay-expanding new mechanics and content.
You can also preorder the expansion at Stardock's Impulse, although people who preorder via Impulse will not have access to the beta until next week -- our fault on that, not Stardock's. Mea culpa! Preorders are also planned with many of our other distribution partners, but those will mostly not kick off until closer to official release on those platforms (so, early January, most likely). We are aiming to have a simultaneous official release of the expansion on all outlets that currently carry AI War.
In the coming month, also keep your eyes out for more information, including screenshots and/or concept art, about Arcen's next two titles. The first is an untitled casual puzzle game with a fresh and fun new mechanic, and the second is a tower defense game called A Valley Without Wind (yes, the tower defense genre is super crowded, but we have our own take on the whole affair that we think you'll find quite different from the glut of others out there -- more info on that within the next month, but it's very exciting!). For those who have been eagerly awaiting our puzzle/adventure/zombie survival game Alden Ridge, please note that that title is now slated for 2011. It's still coming, and we're still excited about it, but that one needs more time in the cooker to really do it justice.
Stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks!
Get AI War on your platform of choice! Direct2Drive (UK link) and Stardock's Impulse have joined Steam in our 25% off promotion, available for a limited time. The Steam and Direct2Drive sales end on the 27th, and the Impulse sale ends on the 26th.
This weekend (the 27th through the 30th), you can get AI War: Fleet Command for 30% off the regular price at the GamersGate store. AI War is already an incredible value, but this is a great chance to get it at an even lower price ($13.95 instead of the usual $19.99). Don't forget to rate us up if you buy the game through GamersGate and like it!
This weekend, you can get AI War: Fleet Command for 25% off the regular price at Stardock's Impulse store. AI War is already an incredible value, but this is a great chance to get it at an even lower price ($14.99 instead of the usual $19.99).
This weekend only, you can get AI War: Fleet Command for 25% off the regular price at Stardock's Impulse store. AI War is already an incredible value, but this is a great chance to get it at an even lower price ($14.99 instead of the usual $19.99).
Our friend Cliff Harris has launched an awesome sale over on Show Me The Games. Aptly titled Show Me The Sales, you'll find Tidalis, AI War, and over a dozen other excellent indie games for a fraction of their standard price tag.
