Download the demo HERE

The brainchild of Toby and Ben Simpson, Time of Defiance is the world’s first 3D massively multiplayer real-time strategy game. Players use aggression, politics, risk and stealth as they battle for control of thousands of islands spread across the remnants of a distant planet. Up to 1,000 players can compete in each game, and there will be many games running concurrently in order to accommodate a huge audience.

A five-day demo can be downloaded from the site, offering players a taste of this incredibly addictive strategy title. After that, subscription charges apply – and, for a limited time only, these are offered at an introductory rate of £5 per month standard, £25 for six months (effectively one month free) or £40 per 12 months (effectively four months free).

Sign-up is easy and takes less than a minute. Once registered, players can download the client (under 10Mb) and enter the battle immediately. With the client, players can check out the community forums and view the battle cries and banter which form a vital part of the game.

Time of Defiance uses revolutionary server technology to ensure that players don’t need a super-fast Internet connection in order to enjoy the game. A standard 56k dial-up is completely sufficient – and players have even been known to play with a laptop and GSM mobile phone.

“This is the culmination of eighteen month’s intensive hard work,” says Toby Simpson, managing director, Nicely Crafted Entertainment. “We firmly believe in providing games that don’t tell you how to have fun; places you can go and be entertained. The human factor that massively multiplayer games bring to the party provides players with an endless range of strategies and challenges as other players resort to increasingly devious ploys. Almost all of our original alpha testers from August last year are still playing today, which is a fantastic testament to the flexibility and depth of the product.”

“After the investment we put in to creating such a detailed background to Time of Defiance it has been exciting to see our virtual world come to life,” adds Ben Simpson, creative director, Nicely Crafted Entertainment. “I can’t wait to compete against our players when we open the game for all – and perhaps one day, I might actually win a game.”

Time of Defiance will be available for full download on August 21st 2002.

Time of Defiance Features:

• The first 3D massively multiplayer real-time strategy game
• Huge community aspect: Players can chat, brag, forge alliances and buy or sell items in central ‘Eighth House’
• Massive play area: It can take several days of real time to cross from one side to another (though ‘jump gates’ are available for those that can afford them!)
• Ability to interact with the game via e-mail and SMS (text alerts available in September)
• Requires little bandwidth: Players can play with virtually any modem
• Not a time dependant game – it isn’t the player who is on the most that wins
• Emergent strategies are limitless