Star Wars: Rebellion
Encyclopedia
Star Wars: Rebellion is a real-time strategy
game released in 1998 by LucasArts
and set in the fictional Expanded Universe
of Star Wars
.
in the wider sense of the term, it belongs more to the genre of 4X games resembling Master of Orion
. There are elements of turn-based games as well, as the events of each 'day' of game time are processed at the end of that day. The player commands the manufacturing of facilities, troops and starships, resources, fleet deployment, and mission assignments of units and characters (60 in all: 6 major, 54 minor, 30 per side) around the (up to) 200 available systems.
The player assumes the role of a military administrator and takes control over either the Galactic Empire or Rebel Alliance. The game interface consists of a map of the Star Wars galaxy
and an advisor droid (this position is taken by C-3PO
for the Rebellion and IMP-22 for the Imperials). The map consists of sectors of 10 systems each (the number of sectors is customisable to be either 10, 15 or 20), all known from the Star Wars universe. Some of them belong to 'unknown' regions and need to be explored while known systems can be either under control of one of the two main factions or neutral at the start of the game.
The player has to take care of his or her faction, which involves colonization, diplomacy, creation of buildings and units, supervising of mines, refineries, and stockpiled resources, building and commanding fleets in a tactical mode, conversion of systems to one's own side through various means, recruitment of characters, and dispatching characters or units to systems or fleets, and finally the assigning of missions to characters and special forces.
Major characters will always be available at the beginning of the game, while most minor ones must be recruited. Only major characters can embark on recruitment missions. The major characters for the Alliance are Mon Mothma, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Princess Leia, who is referred to as Leia Organa. The Empire's major characters are Darth Vader and the Emperor.
Minor characters will sometimes randomly be generated Force
sensitive and can be trained by certain Jedi characters (Luke Skywalker
or Darth Vader
) to augment their abilities (Luke must be a Jedi Knight). Characters can also enhance their abilities by conducting missions. Characters with higher Force ratings are better at diplomacy, espionage and combat, and can therefore conduct missions with a higher chance of success.
Some characters can be given military ranks by the player to put them in specific roles.
As research progresses, new units and facilities become available for construction. Research can be sped up significantly by ordering characters with the corresponding ability to conduct design missions. Characters can have the ability to research facilities, starships or troop designs.
of the enemy (Coruscant
or the mobile Rebel base) and capture the two leaders of the opposing side: The Alliance must capture Darth Vader
and Emperor Palpatine
while the Empire must capture Luke Skywalker
and Mon Mothma. Before starting a new game, the player may select the alternative objective set which only requires the destruction or capture of the opponent's HQ.
The limited interface and lack of orders to give your troops mean that the issue of the battle is often decided by numerical advantage. This has not stopped development of strategies, but these often only work against the AI.
. The Galactic Empire
is ready to strike back against the Rebel base of Yavin IV, while the Rebel Alliance
is readying to move to another system.
Apart from the given time of the beginning, the game stops being story driven, and the scenario expands freely. Although events of the later movies might occur (like the capture of Han Solo
by bounty hunters and the construction of a second Death Star), or are even scripted to happen, (like the Jedi
training of Luke Skywalker
), the player can change or avert some events of the canonical timeline, including such things as not migrating to Hoth
after Yavin, creating more than one Death Star, having Luke become a Jedi Master before he even meets Vader or the Emperor, or even lead the Empire into victory.
For gameplay purposes, many elements of the game are randomized at the beginning. For this reason, troop, fleet, and resource locations, as well as the allegiance of most planets, do not reflect canon information.
An attempt to solve this problem was made when a player named Revolution released his Rebellion Editor (or RebEd). This program allows one to easily edit many aspects of the game, going from ship power to ingame interface.
These modifications could be saved as 'cards' which could then be loaded by any other person who had the Editor. Thanks to this, a solid community has been growing, which offers over a thousand cards to download freely.
The last RebEd version to ever be released was 0.26. There has been speculation and suggestion about Revolution having written a 0.27 version; since this version was never found, this is believed to be conjecture. The source code for the editor was never released.
Before RebEd, there was SWR:E which could only change very limited stats.
, espionage
, and fleet movements within the Star Wars universe. Critics argued that the game failed to provide an interactive experience because it placed too much emphasis on space battles, with ground battles resolved automatically. LucasArts' 2006 game Star Wars: Empire at War
was seen as a successor to Rebellion, but it also failed to provide the desired ground battle experience.
Real-time strategy
Real-time strategy is a sub-genre of strategy video game which does not progress incrementally in turns. Brett Sperry is credited with coining the term to market Dune II....
game released in 1998 by LucasArts
LucasArts
LucasArts Entertainment Company, LLC is an American video game developer and publisher. The company was once famous for its innovative line of graphic adventure games, the critical and commercial success of which peaked in the mid 1990s...
and set in the fictional Expanded Universe
Star Wars Expanded Universe
The Star Wars Expanded Universe encompasses all of the officially licensed, fictional background of the Star Wars universe, outside of the six feature films produced by George Lucas. The expanded universe includes books, comic books, video games, spin-off films like Star Wars: The Clone Wars,...
of Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
.
Overview
Although an RTSReal-time strategy
Real-time strategy is a sub-genre of strategy video game which does not progress incrementally in turns. Brett Sperry is credited with coining the term to market Dune II....
in the wider sense of the term, it belongs more to the genre of 4X games resembling Master of Orion
Master of Orion
Master of Orion is a turn-based, 4X science fiction computer strategy game released in 1993 by MicroProse on the MS-DOS and Mac OS operating systems. The purpose of the game is to lead one of ten races to dominate the galaxy through a combination of diplomacy and conquest while developing...
. There are elements of turn-based games as well, as the events of each 'day' of game time are processed at the end of that day. The player commands the manufacturing of facilities, troops and starships, resources, fleet deployment, and mission assignments of units and characters (60 in all: 6 major, 54 minor, 30 per side) around the (up to) 200 available systems.
The player assumes the role of a military administrator and takes control over either the Galactic Empire or Rebel Alliance. The game interface consists of a map of the Star Wars galaxy
Star Wars Galaxy
Star Wars Galaxy may mean:* Star Wars Galaxies, a Star Wars themed MMORPG platform for Microsoft Windows* Star Wars galaxy, the fictional galaxy where the setting of the Star Wars saga occurs...
and an advisor droid (this position is taken by C-3PO
C-3PO
C-3PO is a robot character from the Star Wars universe who appears in both the original Star Wars films and the prequel trilogy. He is also a major character in the television show Droids, and appears frequently in the series' "Expanded Universe" of novels, comic books, and video games...
for the Rebellion and IMP-22 for the Imperials). The map consists of sectors of 10 systems each (the number of sectors is customisable to be either 10, 15 or 20), all known from the Star Wars universe. Some of them belong to 'unknown' regions and need to be explored while known systems can be either under control of one of the two main factions or neutral at the start of the game.
The player has to take care of his or her faction, which involves colonization, diplomacy, creation of buildings and units, supervising of mines, refineries, and stockpiled resources, building and commanding fleets in a tactical mode, conversion of systems to one's own side through various means, recruitment of characters, and dispatching characters or units to systems or fleets, and finally the assigning of missions to characters and special forces.
Characters
There are two kinds of characters in the game: Major and minor ones.Major characters will always be available at the beginning of the game, while most minor ones must be recruited. Only major characters can embark on recruitment missions. The major characters for the Alliance are Mon Mothma, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Princess Leia, who is referred to as Leia Organa. The Empire's major characters are Darth Vader and the Emperor.
Minor characters will sometimes randomly be generated Force
Force (Star Wars)
The Force is a binding, metaphysical and ubiquitous power in the fictional universe of the Star Wars galaxy created by George Lucas. Mentioned in the first film in the series, it is integral to all subsequent incarnations of Star Wars, including the expanded universe of comic books, novels, and...
sensitive and can be trained by certain Jedi characters (Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the original film trilogy of the Star Wars franchise, where he is portrayed by Mark Hamill. He is introduced in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, in which he is forced to leave home, and finds himself apprenticed to the Jedi master...
or Darth Vader
Darth Vader
Darth Vader is a central character in the Star Wars saga, appearing as one of the main antagonists in the original trilogy and as the main protagonist in the prequel trilogy....
) to augment their abilities (Luke must be a Jedi Knight). Characters can also enhance their abilities by conducting missions. Characters with higher Force ratings are better at diplomacy, espionage and combat, and can therefore conduct missions with a higher chance of success.
Some characters can be given military ranks by the player to put them in specific roles.
- An AdmiralAdmiralAdmiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
increases a fleet's performance in both tactical battles and orbital bombardments. - A GeneralGeneralA general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
increases the performance of troops and reduce the likelihood of successful enemy missions on a friendly planet. - A CommanderCommanderCommander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
increases the combat efficiency of starfighter squadrons.
Unit management
There are several kinds of buildable units. Each kind can be constructed by one of three construction facilities.- Installations are buildings on a planet's surface or in orbit. They can be construction facilities or defense installations.
- Mines produce raw material from planets, while refineries refine them into processed materials that can be used for construction. Both increase maintenance and thus allow for larger military forces.
- Construction Yards build other installations.
- Troop Training Facilities create troop regiments and special forces.
- Shipyards construct starships and fighter squadrons
- Planetary cannons attack assaulting or bombarding starships and troop transports or defend units escaping a blockade
- Shield generators defend everything on the planet from orbital bombardment
- Troops are used to conquer and defend planets, and to claim uninhabited systems.
- Starships can blockade systems, unleash orbital bombardments and be the platforms for planetary assaults. They can carry troops and starfighters up to their respective limits and an unlimited number of characters and special forces. Ships are grouped together in fleets. When opposing fleets meet at a system, the battle between them is fought at the beginning of that 'day'.
- Starfighters can be stationed on planets or capital starships and are built in squadrons of 12 apiece. They can fight in fleet battles, and have bombardment power and detection ratings.
- Special forces include spiesEspionageEspionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
, saboteurs, and long-range reconnaissanceReconnaissanceReconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
teams.
As research progresses, new units and facilities become available for construction. Research can be sped up significantly by ordering characters with the corresponding ability to conduct design missions. Characters can have the ability to research facilities, starships or troop designs.
Encyclopedia
Every element of the game has its own encyclopedia-like 'card' with a short description and abilities sheet. This amounts to a total of several hundred encyclopedia cards.Objectives
The standard objective set of each game is to take the HQHQ
HQ may refer to:* HQ, an abbreviation for headquarters* HQ, an abbreviation for high quality* HQ , a 1975 album by Roy Harper* Hagströmer & Qviberg, a Swedish investment bank* Harley Quinn, a DC Comics character and enemy of Batman...
of the enemy (Coruscant
Coruscant
Coruscant is a planet in the fictional Star Wars universe. It first appeared onscreen in the 1997 Special Edition of Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, but was first mentioned in Timothy Zahn's 1991 novel Heir to the Empire...
or the mobile Rebel base) and capture the two leaders of the opposing side: The Alliance must capture Darth Vader
Darth Vader
Darth Vader is a central character in the Star Wars saga, appearing as one of the main antagonists in the original trilogy and as the main protagonist in the prequel trilogy....
and Emperor Palpatine
Palpatine
Palpatine is a fictional character and the main antagonist of the Star Wars saga, portrayed by Ian McDiarmid in the feature films.Palpatine first appeared as the unnamed Emperor of the Galactic Empire in the 1980 film Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back...
while the Empire must capture Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the original film trilogy of the Star Wars franchise, where he is portrayed by Mark Hamill. He is introduced in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, in which he is forced to leave home, and finds himself apprenticed to the Jedi master...
and Mon Mothma. Before starting a new game, the player may select the alternative objective set which only requires the destruction or capture of the opponent's HQ.
Tactical interface
Most of the game is played in the Galaxy view where you can manage your different systems. When two enemy fleets meet, the game asks you if you wish to switch to the tactical interface, which allows you to control your fleet in a real-time space battle. It suffers from poor graphics, but the fan community now offers a large array of ships that can be used to replace the original ones.The limited interface and lack of orders to give your troops mean that the issue of the battle is often decided by numerical advantage. This has not stopped development of strategies, but these often only work against the AI.
Synopsis
The game starts right after the Battle of Yavin and the destruction of the Death StarDeath Star
The Death Star is a fictional moon-sized space station and superweapon appearing in the Star Wars movies and expanded universe. It is capable of destroying a planet with a single destructive super charged energy beam.-Origin and design:...
. The Galactic Empire
Galactic Empire (Star Wars)
The Galactic Empire is one of the main factions in the fictional universe of Star Wars. It is a galaxy-spanning regime established by the series' lead villain, Palpatine, to replace the Galactic Republic in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. The Galactic Empire is introduced in Star Wars...
is ready to strike back against the Rebel base of Yavin IV, while the Rebel Alliance
Rebel Alliance
The Alliance to Restore the Republic is an interstellar faction of the fictional universe of Star Wars....
is readying to move to another system.
Apart from the given time of the beginning, the game stops being story driven, and the scenario expands freely. Although events of the later movies might occur (like the capture of Han Solo
Han Solo
Han Solo is a fictional character in the Star Wars franchise played by Harrison Ford. Introduced in the film Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope , Solo and his Wookiee co-pilot, Chewbacca , become involved in the Rebel Alliance against the Galactic Empire...
by bounty hunters and the construction of a second Death Star), or are even scripted to happen, (like the Jedi
Jedi
The Jedi are characters in the Star Wars universe and the series's main protagonists. The Jedi use a power called the Force and weapons called lightsabers, which emit a controlled energy flow in the shape of a sword, in order to serve and protect the Republic and the galaxy at large from conflict...
training of Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the original film trilogy of the Star Wars franchise, where he is portrayed by Mark Hamill. He is introduced in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, in which he is forced to leave home, and finds himself apprenticed to the Jedi master...
), the player can change or avert some events of the canonical timeline, including such things as not migrating to Hoth
Hoth
In the fictional universe of Star Wars, Hoth is the sixth planet of a remote system of the same name. It is a terrestrial planet blanketed by snow and ice. Many meteorites from a nearby asteroid belt pelt the planet's surface, making temporary craters in the planet's ever-moving snow drifts. Hoth...
after Yavin, creating more than one Death Star, having Luke become a Jedi Master before he even meets Vader or the Emperor, or even lead the Empire into victory.
For gameplay purposes, many elements of the game are randomized at the beginning. For this reason, troop, fleet, and resource locations, as well as the allegiance of most planets, do not reflect canon information.
Rebellion Editors (RebEd and SWR:E)
One of the main problems of Rebellion and surely one of the reasons of its poor success was its rather limited gameplay.An attempt to solve this problem was made when a player named Revolution released his Rebellion Editor (or RebEd). This program allows one to easily edit many aspects of the game, going from ship power to ingame interface.
These modifications could be saved as 'cards' which could then be loaded by any other person who had the Editor. Thanks to this, a solid community has been growing, which offers over a thousand cards to download freely.
The last RebEd version to ever be released was 0.26. There has been speculation and suggestion about Revolution having written a 0.27 version; since this version was never found, this is believed to be conjecture. The source code for the editor was never released.
Before RebEd, there was SWR:E which could only change very limited stats.
Reception
Rebellion was criticized despite ambitiously depicting diplomacyDiplomacy
Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of groups or states...
, espionage
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
, and fleet movements within the Star Wars universe. Critics argued that the game failed to provide an interactive experience because it placed too much emphasis on space battles, with ground battles resolved automatically. LucasArts' 2006 game Star Wars: Empire at War
Star Wars: Empire at War
Star Wars: Empire at War is a 2006 real-time strategy game developed by Petroglyph Games and published by LucasArts. Set between Episode III and Episode IV, it focuses on the fledgling struggle between the Empire and the Rebels. It uses Petroglyph's game engine Alamo. The most recent patch was...
was seen as a successor to Rebellion, but it also failed to provide the desired ground battle experience.