Dyson is a 4X (explore, exploit, expand, exterminate) space game with unusual technology and a curiously serene feel. You play an alien lifeform that colonizes asteroids, but competitors are doing the same (RTS-like), and your ultimate goal is to exteriminate them.
Your mobile units are "seedlings," which both battle enemies and can be used to build "trees" on asteroids; it takes 16 seedlings to initiate a tree. Trees are of two types -- ones that create more seedlings, and ones that grow defensive pods that are launched at enemies attacking your asteroid. Asteroids range in size and energy, and can each support between one and five trees.
Trees grow fractally, with each leaf node capable of growing a seedling (or defensive pod), so that the rate of unit production expands with the age of the tree. Seedlings also grow in size and combat power over time. You do not control seedlings directly, but can direct those circling an asteroid to move to another one -- either all at once, or one at a time, or by selecting how many to move. Since an asteroid produces more seedlings only if there are fewer than 32 circling it, you want to do so, in fact.
When your seedlings reach an asteroid controlled by the enemy, they battle its seedlings there, then reduce its trees, then take over the asteroid.
The fractal nature of the trees and the procedurally generated arcs in which seedlings wander about their current asteroid, together with pleasant ambient music provided by Milieu create a curious sense of serenity, given that this is ultimately a game about conquest. It's also visually striking, perhaps even beautiful, when viewed at a close-in scale; much of the time, however, you're zooming out to get a better sense of the overall strategic situation, so some of that beauty is lost.
At the algorithmic level, Dyson is highly original, and it's no great surprise that it's an IGF nominee this year (and took second place in TIG's Procedurally Generated Content competition). At the strategic level, however, it plays very much like other simple 4X games like, say, Galcon. At present, there are five levels, each with slightly different problems for you to overcome; the developers promise more, but given the essential simplicity of the system, my guess is that at some point they'll have to add some additional aspects to the game to enable a sufficient variety in challenge.
Starbarons
Dyson's really pretty, yeah, but "algorithmically original?" As far as I can tell from looking at the two sites Starbarons came along first, and it's the same game. http://alienprocess.com/StarBaron.html Plus it blows Dyson out of the water features-wise.
4X "Originality"
Uh.... No. Starbarons is another simplified 4X game, but it does not have the fractal trees or algorithmically generated approach of Dyson. As to "originality," the "original" game of this type is Howard Thompson's Stellar Conquest, a boardgame first published by his company Metagaming in the 70s (and later republished by Avalon Hill). In other words, the essential gameplay is decades old; what's original here is not the gameplay, but the use of fractals procedurally generated content.
This game is really boring.
This game is really boring. I found myself bored in less than 5 minutes. While I appreciate that it has cool fractal trees, that doesn't make the game fun. Besides, if I wanted to marvel at beautiful trees, I'd go play Crysis or Far Cry 2.
Oh, and just to be clear, I have spent thousands of hours playing the Civilization series, the Master of Orion series (except 3) and of course, Master of Magic (my sentimental favourite).
I wish an indie developer would take up the challenge of doing a really innovative MoM-style game.
I knew
I knew this one would get some more attention. After the grave disappointment of Spore, I was very happy to see an alternative variation of purely procedural gameplay.
It does get old after a while, though. Always felt more like a "prototype game" than a fully polished experience to me.
I tried to warn you
I told everyone Spore was not the game they were hoping for. I knew it would suck, but did anyone listen to wise old man Hendar? No....
But Dyson, yeah. It's fun for a bit. Nice ambiance.
And...erm....yeah. Thats it really.
@Hendar23: Yea, I know. I
@Hendar23: Yea, I know. I tried optimism for a bit, but it didn't work out so well... Will Wright seems to be a just another douche personality in gaming. What a let-down.
I still like the concept. I never really cared for cutesy Spore-Monsters... I do get bored with Dyson... but I believe that there is potential hidden in this approach to game design.
I yet have to find a game that makes use of procedural content in a way that truly impresses me, especially over a longer period of time. But when it comes to _new_ gaming concepts, it's the direction I'm looking for it.
Not deep enough
I liked playing that game, but it eventually becomes a bit boring. I never felt like playing two times in a row, as it would have been too boring.
If there were some differences between the seedlings, more trees to plant, and things like that, it would be perfect.
The game in itself is smooth and beautiful, for sure, but it lacks gameplay depth.
Eufloria
Bump for Eufloria, the sequel to Dyson. They added a bit more of everything.
www.eufloria-game.com/