Lux (video game)
| Lux | |
|---|---|
| Lux icon | |
| Developer(s) | Sillysoft Games |
| Publisher(s) | Sillysoft Games |
| Platform(s) | Windows, Linux, Mac |
| Release | 2005 |
| Genre(s) | Strategy |
| Mode(s) | Single player, Multiplayer |
Lux is a turn-based strategy computer game that uses the rule system of the board game Risk but expands it to function on any map made up of a graph of countries and the connections between them. Regardless of the map, the object of the game remains: eliminate all other players so only one remains. Lux includes some other options not included in Risk, such as the ability to use a starting scenario, or set continent values to increase as the game goes on.
Like Risk, winning in Lux requires both skill and luck, with every attack hanging on the result of a dice roll. However, in spite of the randomness there exists a regular group of players who dominate the multiplayer rankings. The ranking system is very competitive, and has evolved into a 2 tiered system where each player has a score in the current week, as well as a seeded place depending on the last 16 weeks of play. The player base is relatively small (about 700 regular online players), but many of them are fairly dedicated.
Lux is distributed as a shareware product, with a free demo available and the full version requiring a one-time purchase. The user community has been active in growing Lux. Users can create maps and computer AIs for Lux, and submit them to be included in the official plugin manager.
Expansion Games
2 mores games based on the Lux game engine were released in 2006 by Sillysoft. They both consist of a single-player campaign through a set of historical maps. In the first game American History Lux the user is limited to playing the American positions in wars from the French and Indian to the Gulf War. In the second game Ancient Empires Lux players can play as any faction in the history of 12 ancient empires from Sumer to the Roman Empire. These games come with some historical data for each level, and also contain a link to the Wikipedia page on each.
External links
- Lux Website - The official Lux website, where a demo of the game may be downloaded for free. The website also contain a user forum and wiki, as well as the rankings board that scores multiplayer games.
- Lux SDK - The software developer's kit that can be used to write your own AIs or random map generators.