

Neverwinter Nights had some incredibly versatile campaign-creation tools. Remember those? Well, Stardock’s upcoming 4X strategy game Sorcerer King: Rivals will include all the tools you need to create your own RPGs and share them with everyone else—minus any of the hassle players had to put up with in NWN and other games thanks to Steamworks.

This fantasy 4X game allows players to design their own classic RPG by stripping out the factions and city/unit building and focus entirely on characters and storybuilding.

As for Rivals, it’s Stardock’s follow-up to last year’s Sorcerer King—the God Game in which players, who are the surviving wizards in a world already conquered by someone who’s essentially the Master of Magic. They’re the only individuals left standing in the way of the titular character and his quest for godhood.

The developers at Stardock admit that the game was only fun for so long before confronting the Sorcerer King in his fortress so many times before its replay value showed.

In Rivals, the tables are turned and players now take on the role of a wizard who aspires to godhood. The rival wizards must try to stop you before you ascend, and the Sorcerer King’s (he’s still around) own ambitions will get in the way of yours.

The tools available in Sorcerer King: Rivals include a quest editor, a map editor, and various other tools to create items, units, tiles, and more.

Stardock describes the game as “Populous meets Master of Magic.” It’s set for release on September 22.

Disclosure: I’ve known Brad Wardell, Sorcerer King’s creator, for many years. We have been in podcasts together.