Friday 22nd February 2008

Relic designer plans RTS based on George R R Martin books

Posted at: 5:20am 22nd February 2008 by Ben Hardwidge

Lead designer on Company of Heroes reveals his love for the 'A Song of Ice and Fire' series at GDC

It's difficult to top Dawn of War and Company of Heroes in terms of awesome ideas for real-time strategy games, but it looks as though Relic is about to outdo itself in the geek-points stakes. In the latest Games For Windows podcast, Josh Mosqueira - the lead designer on Company of Heroes - said that he wanted to make an RTS based on acclaimed fantasy author George R. R. Martin's 'A Song of Ice and Fire' books.

When asked what games he wanted to make, Mosqueira replied 'Game of Thrones [the first book in the series] - that would be awesome.' In case you haven't read any of 'A Song of Ice and Fire' (and we recommend that you do), it's an epic story with extremely complicated and devious characters. Mosqueira rightly described it as 'It's like fantasy, but without the sucky parts of fantasy.'

The books also describe detailed military strategies, as well as various well-developed armies and houses, each with different strengths. As such, an RTS based on the series could be amazing, and Mosqueira said that the books featured 'a lot of interesting things in terms of what could be done within a strategy setting.'

Of course, this news is going to baffle as many people as it excites, but if it gets made there's a good chance that this could be the best RTS book franchise since Dune.

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Comments

Awfully intrigued!

Wow a lot of Malazan love here, good stuff ;) I hope this news is true, i\'ve been longing for more interaction with the series. The books have everything you need and more to make an incredible game, especially RTS. I have to ask though, how are George R R Martin\'s books \'generally awful political intrigue books?\' I own and have read most of his work and I really don\'t understand that statement at all. As for being set in an imaginary historical context? Is that negative too? If so you\'ve successfully boggled my mind! :/ But by-the-by I think this sounds promising, although GRRM hasn\'t said anything about any computer game ideas for the future as far as I know, so we can only hope.

Comment by Jojensghost at 12:36pm 6th March 2008

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I concurr

The Malazan Book of the Fallen would make for a much more awesome world. Imagine moving in and out the warrens, leveling up to become ascendants etc etc. George R R Martins books are generally awful political intrigue books, set in an imaginary historical context. I dont see much to enjoy in a game about them TBH.

Comment by marcgear at 1:55pm 25th February 2008

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Ahh, but...

A Song of Ice and Fire isn\'t completed yet either. Think a Malazan RTS would be epic though - but what would you cover? Would be a bit depressing to play out the Chain of Dogs campaign as Coltaine!

Comment by Claave at 10:34am 25th February 2008

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Fantasy RTS

I\'d also like to see something based on Stephen Erikson\'s Malazan Book of the Fallen series - though as we\'re only seven books into the projected ten of the series, that might have to wait a while...

Comment by fallingmagpie at 5:53pm 22nd February 2008

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