E3 2002: Project Nomads preshow report

CDV Software will be demonstrating Project Nomads, its upcoming sci-fi fantasy strategy game, at the 2002 Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles. The third-person game combines action and strategy elements, and it has been in development at Berlin-based game studio Radon Labs for almost three years. The game is built on the studio's open-source 3D engine, The Nebula Device.

In the game, you'll assume the role of a wizard engineer in a battle for territory against other wizards. The game is set amidst a series of floating islands, and you can build power plants, factories, and other structures to create units--such as zeppelins, biplanes, and ground-based vehicles--to use in battle. In addition to conquering enemy territory, these units can be used to capture powerful artifacts. Since the game is set in the sky, movement can occur in any direction. You'll have to account for real-time weather effects when planning your strategy, and you'll have the option to either control your units directly, or leave the control to the computer AI. Project Nomads' single-player campaign will feature 25 missions, and the game will also include cooperative and competitive multiplayer modes.

We've posted some new screenshots in the gallery above that show off some of the game's characters, units, and aerial environments. Project Nomads is scheduled for release on the PC later this year, and the game is planned for release on the Microsoft Xbox in mid-2003.