Homeworld Cataclysm No CD 44
Roseline Dyba
Cataclysm was originally an expansion pack for Homeworld, requiring the original game to run. However, Barking Dog made such large changes to the game engine and also made the game bigger (17 missions to Homeworld's 16), so impressing Sierra that they decided to change it to a stand-alone release. The game was critically acclaimed on release, with its improved interface (including being able to issue combat commands on the sensor manager screen) and the time-skip facility being particularly welcomed.
Cataclysm's source code was lost when Barking Dog was acquired by Rockstar Games. Without the source code, it has not been possible for Gearbox to re-release the game as with the Homeworld Remastered project. Gearbox have indicated that if the code is found, they would consider the possibility. Gearbox have looked at the viability of updating Cataclysm by other means, but have not yet confirmed it is something they are working on. They have also noted that Blizzard Entertainment now own the Cataclysm video game trademark (for their World of WarCraft expansion of the same name), so the game would have to be renamed for a new release.
On 22nd June 2017, Gearbox Software announced that the game would be re-released with DRM removed on the popular digital platform GOG.com. Due to issues arising from Blizzard's trademarking of the word "Cataclysm" in a video game context, it was re-released under the name Homeworld: Emergence.[4] However, this only changes the main menu imagery to use the new game title, as the game is still referred to as Cataclysm everywhere else [the executable and the data files]. Players can easily restore the traditional image on the main menu through removing the overriding image files from the installation directory.
The war for Hiigara has left the Galaxy in turmoil. The past fifteen years have seen the birth of new possibilities ... and the festering of old grudges. The once dominant Taiidan Empire has fractured under the strain of civil war. The new Taiidani Republic tries to hold old territories together, while forces loyal to the old Emperor lurk in the new bandit kingdoms, waiting for their chance to strike back.
While the Taiidani struggle between past and future, the Kushan people have established themselves on Hiigara. Building new cities. Repairing the damage done by the final battle for their homeworld.
Even a fragile peace has its politics. The Kiith council has been reestablished, and the future of Hiigara is now debated amongst the gathered Kiith-Sa. Even amongst equals, there are power struggles.
The Mothership still orbits high above Hiigara. Pressed into the role of shipyard, she now builds new carriers to the specifications of each individual Kiith. The need for new ships and the crews to man them is a desperate one. Military and economic pressure on the new Hiigarans is intense.
Resources and technology are at the command of the council. Kiith with little or no political power have been forced to purchase technology from the Bentusi and other races. Hiigaran ships of exotic design now seek their future amongst the stars.
The war for Homeworld is over now. But the galaxy remains a dangerous place...
The Kuun-Lan, a large Deep Space-based mothership vessel in the employ of Kiith Somtaaw, is mining asteroids near the Angel Moon when it receives a distress call from the Veer-Rak, a Carrier under the control of Kiith Nabaal, warning of an attack by the Taiidan Imperialists.
Hearing the radio call, the Kuun-Lan returns to Hiigara to assist in the defence of their homeworld. It helps the Nabaal by destroying some enemy fighters attacking the friendly Ion Cannon Frigates, before dealing with enemy Resource Collectors.
After destroying the resourcing operation, the Proximity Sensor grid comes under attack from some Interceptors and Multi-Gun Corvettes. These are dispatched quickly by the Kuun-Lan's own Acolytes and ACVs, before the tide of battle is turned in favour of the Hiigarans. Sensing this, the enemy Heavy Cruiser flees, but is dispatched by the Kuun-Lan's defensive fleet.
Instead of any thanks from Kiithid, the Somtaaw receive orders to return to the job of helping retrieve wrecks and collect the dead from the battlefield. The task leads the Kuun-Lan to its next assignment at the edges of Hiigaran space to rescue the stranded Bushan-Re, a Destroyer in the service of Kiith Manaan and whose hyperdrive is off-line.
The Kuun-Lan comes to the destroyer's aid, only to discover the presence in the region of Turanic Raiders, intent on destroying the Bushan-Re, who now requires an escort as well as a repair crew. Even after the Turanic Raiders are initially defeated, they reveal a new and rumored "mimicking" technology, which is shortly thereafter copied by the Somtaaw. The Kuun-Lan bravely continues to defend the Bushan-Re and finally finish the repairs to the hyperdrive. Unable to assist in the battle, the vulnerable destroyer then departs, wishing luck to the Somtaaw.
Continuing to defend against the attacking forces, the Kuun-Lan prepares to leave when Fleet Intelligence detects a strange artifact emitting a weak beacon. Fleet Intelligence orders the recovery of the artifact before the Turanic Raiders find it. The Somtaaw send a single escorted worker to recover the derelict while fending off Turanic Raider attempt to do the same. The derelict is retrieved and brought back to the Kuun-Lan, which then makes the jump to hyperspace.
The Kuun-Lan's science team finds that it is unable to examine the derelict properly and Fleet Command requests of the Somtaaw Kiith-sa that he allow them to seek out assistance. Somtaaw-sa forbids this and demands that the Kuun-Lan's discovery remain completely secret. Instead they recommend the Somtaaw to seek out the Clee-San, the Somtaaw's lone science vessel.
The Kuun-Lan arrive at a designated rendezvous point to meet with the Clee-San but discover that it has been captured by Turanic Raiders who are intent on stealing valuable Somtaaw technology such as the Acolyte Drive. Using the captured mimicking technology, the Kuun Lan is able to make it past a large field of mines surrounding the Clee-San and communicate with it. They discover that a Turanic carrier fleet will be arriving soon to take possession the science vessel and its technology. If the Somtaaw are going to rescue the Clee-San they must do so soon.
An all out assault by a Somtaaw fleet manages to break the defenses around the Clee-San, allowing the Somtaaw a chance to escort the ship to the Kuun-Lan. They barely escape in time to avoid a heavily armed Turanic carrier fleet. Jumping out of range of the Turanic fleet the Somtaaw begin to examine the mysterious derelict in earnest which they discover to be encoded in some strange, alien language and that it is covered in some sort of organic matter. Research continues as the Kuun-Lan moves out of range.
The Kuun-Lan is forced to perform an emergency exit of hyperspace. The hanger and science modules are quickly succumbing to some kind of disease and the scientists struggle to keep it under control. When they are unable to do so any longer they sacrifice themselves by demanding Fleet Command to cut them from the main hull. Separated from the main vessel, they drift off into space, their inhuman screams haunting the imagination.
Shortly after the Kuun-Lan begins to rebuild its lost modules and sends the Clee-San and an escort of ten acolytes to examine the situation. They are met by the ejected modules who are now covered in the same organic matter that once covered the derelict. Soon afterwards, the module broadcasts a chilling greeting: "We live...." The Clee-San and its escorts are attacked by a mysterious beam of energy which leaps from vessel to vessel and forces them to succumb to the same thing that attacked the modules. Then the impossible happens: the acolytes fly against the Kuun-Lan.
Panicking, the Somtaaw attempt to hold off the attackers while scrambling for whatever little information they have on the derelict they took aboard. As they do this their Turanic pursuers arrive along with a Taiidan Heavy Cruiser, and demand the Clee-San. Though Fleet Command tries to warn them off the Turanics believe it a ploy to frighten them away and head for the succumbed ships anyway. The Somtaaw continue to fight off the infected attackers, each vessel more and more powerful as their enemy absorbs more and more technology.
Meanwhile, the Turanic fleet arrives at the Clee-San and is delighted to find it and the Kuun-Lan research module, without giving a thought to why it is separated from the Somtaaw command vessel. In seconds they themselves are infected by the strange disease and too turn towards the Kuun-Lan. Within minutes they are upon the Somtaaw who realized they have no more time to spare. With just enough information based on the behavior of the infected ships to make a basic plan of action they make an emergency jump and escape from the battlefield.
In hyperspace the Somtaaw dub the infection The Beast and determine that it is some kind of biomechanical being that binds to vessels and turns organic matter into living circuitry. Unable to discern more the Somtaaw head towards an area where a Bentusi Exchange was recently spotted, hoping to find more information from the ancient race. To their dismay they find the Bentusi instead under attack by the very enemy they were hoping to seek help against and watch as Beast ships surround the tradeship. Despite the Beast's ferocity however, the natural power of the tradeship allows the Bentusi to easily fend off the attackers.
The Kuun-Lan acts to defend the Bentusi and shortly after another fleet arrives, hearing a Bentusi distress call. This time it is a Manaani fleet, led by the Caal-Shto. The Somtaaw, realizing the Manaani know nothing of this Beast seek now to protect the Manaani from themselves. Unfortunately, this leaves the Bentusi to be approached by an Infected Heavy Cruiser, and when it fires its infection beam, the Bentusi pilots choose to self-destruct rather than succumb to the infection. Destroying the remaining Beast fleet the Somtaaw partially repair the Caal-Shto, the only remaining ship in the Manaani fleet and begin to voyage on standard drives.
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