15 Homeworld (1999) Facts, Gameplay Tips and Walkthrough

“Homeworld” is a real-time strategy (RTS) game released in 1999 by Relic Entertainment. It is set in a distant future where a dying planet known as Kharak is the ancestral home of a nomadic race called the Kushan. The game follows the Kushan’s journey through space to reclaim their lost homeworld.

In “Homeworld,” players control a fleet of spaceships and must guide the Kushan people through a vast and treacherous galaxy. The game features a rich storyline, immersive visuals, and a unique 3D gameplay system that allows for full 3D movement and combat in space.

Homeworld Facts

“Homeworld” was developed by Relic Entertainment and published by Sierra Studios. It was released in 1999.
The game is a real-time strategy (RTS) title set in space, featuring a 3D environment and innovative gameplay mechanics.
“Homeworld” was the first fully 3D RTS game, allowing players to navigate their fleets freely in three-dimensional space.
The game received critical acclaim for its immersive story, stunning visuals, and innovative gameplay, winning multiple awards, including Game of the Year.
“Homeworld” features a rich and emotional storyline that follows the journey of the Kushan people to reclaim their lost homeworld, Hiigara.
The game features a single-player campaign with 16 missions, as well as multiplayer modes that allow players to compete against each other.
Players must manage resources, research technologies, build their fleet, and engage in strategic battles against various enemies, including other alien races.
The game’s unique design and gameplay mechanics were influenced by science fiction classics like “Dune” and “Battlestar Galactica.”
“Homeworld” features stunning visuals with detailed spaceship designs, vibrant nebulae, and other celestial phenomena.
The game’s soundtrack, composed by Paul Ruskay, is highly regarded and adds to the immersive atmosphere of the game.
“Homeworld” spawned a direct sequel, “Homeworld 2,” which was released in 2003 and continued the story of the Kushan people.
Both “Homeworld” and “Homeworld 2” were remastered and re-released as the “Homeworld Remastered Collection” in 2015, featuring updated graphics and improved gameplay.
The success of the “Homeworld” series inspired the development of other space-based RTS games and had a significant impact on the genre.
“Homeworld” has a dedicated modding community, with various fan-made modifications and total conversion mods available to enhance the game’s content.
The “Homeworld” franchise has a passionate and loyal fanbase, and the games are considered classics in the RTS genre, known for their immersive storytelling and innovative gameplay.

Homeworld Gameplay Tips

Take Advantage of 3D Movement: Embrace the game’s 3D environment and use it to your advantage. Position your ships strategically in three-dimensional space to gain better angles for attacks or to create defensive formations.
Manage Your Resources: Resources are crucial for building and maintaining your fleet. Keep a close eye on resource collection and make sure to balance your spending between building new ships and researching technologies.
Research Technologies: Unlocking new technologies is essential for enhancing your fleet’s capabilities. Prioritize researching upgrades that suit your preferred playstyle and objectives.
Maintain a Diverse Fleet: Build a balanced fleet consisting of different ship types to cover various combat scenarios. Fighters are effective against smaller ships, while capital ships can deal significant damage to larger targets.
Scout and Reconnaissance: Send scout ships ahead to gather information about the enemy’s fleet composition and position. Knowledge of your opponent’s forces will help you plan your strategy and make informed decisions.
Establish a Forward Base: In missions that allow it, consider establishing a forward base or mobile carrier to provide logistical support and serve as a launch point for your operations.
Coordinate Attacks: Coordinate your ships’ attacks to focus fire on priority targets. Concentrated firepower can quickly overwhelm enemy ships and increase your chances of victory.
Use Strike Groups: Assign ships to specific strike groups and give them formation orders. This helps you control and maneuver multiple units more efficiently during battles.
Utilize Special Abilities: Each ship type has unique special abilities. Familiarize yourself with these abilities and use them strategically to gain an edge in combat situations.
Use Tactics and Maneuvers: Employ various tactics like hit-and-run attacks, flanking maneuvers, or ambushes to outsmart your opponents. Adapt your strategies based on the situation at hand.
Repair and Salvage: Utilize Repair Corvette ships to keep your damaged ships in fighting shape. Additionally, Salvage Corvette ships can capture and repurpose enemy vessels, expanding your fleet.
Manage Fuel: Keep an eye on your fleet’s fuel levels, especially during long journeys. Refuel ships at resupply points or utilize Support Frigates to replenish their fuel reserves.
Save Your Progress: Save frequently during missions to avoid losing progress and to allow for experimentation with different strategies and approaches.

Homeworld Game Controls

General Controls:

Left-click: Select ships, issue commands, or interact with UI elements.
Right-click: Issue movement orders, attack commands, or cancel actions.
Middle-click or Mouse Wheel: Pan the camera view by moving the mouse or scrolling the wheel.
Spacebar: Pause or resume the game.
Tab: Cycle through selected ships or groups.
Ctrl + 1-0: Assign selected ships or groups to hotkeys.
1-0: Select a ship or group assigned to a hotkey.

Camera Controls:

W: Move the camera forward.
S: Move the camera backward.
A: Move the camera left.
D: Move the camera right.
Q: Tilt the camera up.
E: Tilt the camera down.
R: Rotate the camera clockwise.
F: Rotate the camera counterclockwise.

Unit Controls:

G: Guard mode. Select a ship and press G to set it to guard a specific location or another ship.
H: Harvest mode. Select a Resource Collector ship and press H to set it to harvest resources from asteroids or resource fields.
K: Dock mode. Select a ship and press K to order it to dock with a carrier or other dockable ship.
J: Launch mode. Select a carrier or mothership and press J to order it to launch docked ships.

Menu and Interface Controls:

Escape: Open or close the in-game menu or cancel actions.
F1: Toggle the Command Ship’s display information on and off.
F2: Toggle the Fleet Status screen on and off.
F3: Toggle the Objectives screen on and off.
F4: Toggle the Research Manager screen on and off.
F5: Quick save the game.
F6: Quick load a previously saved game.

Homeworld Cheats – Cheat Codes

“black sheep wall”: Reveals the entire map, allowing you to see all the areas and units.
“operation cwal”: Provides unlimited resources, allowing you to build and upgrade your fleet without limitations.
“showmethemoney”: Grants additional resources, giving you a boost in available funds.
“make it so”: Instantly completes the selected research, unlocking all associated technologies.
“on screen”: Displays detailed information about selected ships, including their health, status, and statistics.
“the gathering”: Allows you to access all campaign missions, enabling you to jump to specific levels.
“there is no spoon”: Enables fast construction and production, reducing the time it takes to build units and structures.
“noglues”: Disables the AI’s ability to use special abilities or special attacks against your fleet.
“gamma”: Adjusts the game’s brightness level. You can increase or decrease the gamma value by entering a number after the cheat code, such as “gamma 1” or “gamma 2.”