E3 2002: Project Nomads coming to the Xbox

A port of the upcoming PC game Project Nomads has been announced for the Xbox. Project Nomads puts you in the role of the commander of an army of floating islands. These islands house bases that allow you to launch aircraft, build gun turrets, and manufacture additional buildings in an effort to capture your opponents' islands.

The majority of action takes place in real time, similar to that of space shooters like X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter, and you can assume control over any of your vehicles or weapons from a first-person viewpoint at any time. There are a number of strategy elements as well. Energy is a precious resource, and you'll have to manage it well in order to keep your airships and guns fueled. After each battle, the enemy leaves behind artifacts that enable you to build additional structures. Clouds offer cover for airborne units, and you can also reposition islands for optimal attack range or added cover.

The PC version of Project Nomads is coming along nicely. It features all sorts of nifty debris and weather effects, as well as realistic day-to-night time passage. All the vehicles, islands, and backgrounds are rendered in 3D using heavily textured polygons. CDV plans to keep the Xbox version on par with the upcoming PC release.

The company isn't saying whether the game will also take advantage of the Xbox Live online service, but some form of deathmatch, team, and cooperative gameplay modes are planned.

Project Nomads will be available for the Xbox in the first quarter of 2003.