Firefly Studios

Stronghold Crusader 2

By in Stronghold 2, Stronghold Crusader 2, Stronghold Crusader HD, Stronghold HD, Stronghold Legends Comments Off on Stronghold Showcase – Episode 8

Stronghold Showcase – Episode 8

This week we return to our fan-favourite series Stronghold Showcase. Firefly’s very own Aaron Hayden takes you through five different sieges, scenarios and battlefields across our legacy titles from Stronghold HD to Stronghold Crusader 2. This small selection of community maps is intended to give you some fresh options in your multiplayer and single player sessions.

Travel to Ancient Greece in ‘300 Spartans’, Slovakia in our very first Eastern European community-made castle ‘Spis Castle’ or even Australia where everything is trying to kill you, Lords and wildlife alike!

Continue reading

By in Stronghold 2, Stronghold Crusader 2, Stronghold Crusader HD, Stronghold HD, Stronghold Legends Comments Off on Stronghold Showcase – Episode 7

Stronghold Showcase – Episode 7

While you wait for the next entry in the Stronghold series Aaron delivers another five choice custom maps in our latest episode of Stronghold Showcase. Returning to completely original player maps and scenarios after our recent forays into Middle Earth and Westeros in previous episodes, this week’s Showcase once again delivers the medieval goods. From feudal urban warfare and holiday resorts to the Black Sea and monkey eating islands, there’s something for everyone regardless of which Stronghold game you load up this weekend:

Henn Dommen (By Unikunok)
Requiem (By The Dragonheart)
The Black Sea (By Dovahkiin)
Cold Harbour (By The Geko)
Monkey Eating Island (By kevinsogo)

Do you have a multiplayer battlefield, siege scenario or cosmetic map you think deserves to be in a future Showcase? Then comment and let us know! We’re constantly on the lookout for cool fan-created content and love spotlighting lesser-known creations that go under the radar, so show us your moves!

By in Firefly News, Stronghold 2, Stronghold Crusader 2, Stronghold Crusader HD, Stronghold HD, Stronghold Legends Comments Off on Stronghold Showcase – Lord of the Rings

Stronghold Showcase – Lord of the Rings

With Stronghold players flocking to get the best Game of Thrones based maps from the last episode of the Showcase, we thought it fitting to embrace the other titan of both fantasy and custom Stronghold maps – The Lord of the Rings. With the likes of Helms Deep and Minas Tirith already covered in previous episodes of the Showcase, we head to other hot spots within Middle Earth. The City of Osgiliath, Pellenor Fields, and The Westfold are all available to download now for players wanting to recreate castles and battles from Tolkien’s epic world:

Osgiliath

War in the East

The Westfold

Middle Earth

Four Castles

Do you have a multiplayer battlefield, siege scenario or cosmetic map you think deserves to be in a future episode? Comment and let us know! We’re constantly on the lookout for cool fan-created content and love spotlighting lesser-known creations that go under the radar.

By in Stronghold 2, Stronghold Crusader 2, Stronghold HD, Stronghold Legends Comments Off on Stronghold Showcase – Game of Thrones Edition

Stronghold Showcase – Game of Thrones Edition

This week we celebrate the Game of Thrones Season 8 premiere with a special edition of the Stronghold Showcase. Spanning two decades of Stronghold, from Stronghold HD to Crusader 2, we explore five different recreations of (in)famous Westeros castles and keeps. So if you’ve ever desired to defend The Wall against a horde of Wildlings, or simply looking to conquer the entirety of the continent to seat yourself on the Iron Throne, we’ve got you covered in this Game of Thrones edition of the Stronghold Showcase. Continue reading

By in Stronghold Crusader 2 Comments Off on Stronghold & Chill – Production

Stronghold & Chill – Production

We’re back again with yet another Firefly developer interview in this brand new episode of Stronghold & Chill! Senior Producer Paul Harris boasts a whopping 15 years of game development experience, many of which were put under his belt here at Firefly Studios. Having managed teams across a wide array of disciplines from the original release of Stronghold 2 all the way through to Stronghold Next, Paul draws upon his abundant experience and production expertise answering questions about video game production in 2018.

If you’re unfamiliar with the series Stronghold & Chill brings the developers at Firefly Studios closer to the Stronghold community by giving career advice, recalling development anecdotes and gushing about their favorite games of all time! So make sure you’re subscribed to Firefly Studios on YouTube to catch brand new episodes with our other developers.

By in Stronghold 2, Stronghold Crusader 2, Stronghold Crusader HD, Stronghold HD, Stronghold Legends Comments Off on Stronghold Showcase – Episode 2

Stronghold Showcase – Episode 2

This week we’re back with another episode of the Stronghold Showcase! This new series sees Firefly Studios highlighting hidden gems from Steam Workshop, Stronghold Heaven and other Stronghold fan sites giving new life to classic titles. Whether you’re seeking a fresh Crusader skirmish map on which to battle friends or a brand new siege scenario to test your mettle in Stronghold we have you covered! Selecting maps from Firefly Studio’s legacy titles with active map making communities and easy access via Steam Workshop or Stronghold Heaven, Aaron showcases a series of awesome custom maps to dig your teeth into until Stronghold Next surfaces:

Do you have a multiplayer battlefield, siege scenario or cosmetic map you think deserves to be in a future episode? Comment and let us know! We’re constantly on the lookout for cool fan-created content and love spotlighting lesser-known creations that go under the radar.

By in Stronghold Crusader 2 Comments Off on The Making of Stronghold Crusader 2

The Making of Stronghold Crusader 2

This week marks the return of our ‘Making Of’ series with the grand finale, The Making of Stronghold Crusader 2! So get comfy while you wait for Stronghold Next as Nick, Simon and Paul once again take you through the adventure of returning to the desert once more, preparing Firefly Studios for future Stronghold titles in the process. Watch as we delve into the decade-long inception of our most recent 3D Stronghold game and discuss learnings for the next game in the series.

Did any secret features end up on the cutting room floor? Why did we develop Legends over Crusader 2 way back in 2005? What was it like self-publishing a sequel to everyone’s favourite Stronghold game? What does the future hold for Stronghold? Paul and Simon discuss living up to the hype of fan favourite Crusader, operating without a publisher and how Firefly Studios has learnt from the various challenges Crusader 2 presented. If you liked this latest episode in our ‘Making Of’ series make sure you subscribe to our official channel for future installments and check out previous trips down memory lane in ‘Stronghold: The Early Years‘.

By in Stronghold 2, Stronghold Crusader 2, Stronghold Legends Comments Off on Stronghold Halloween Update

Stronghold Halloween Update

Rest in peace Nick… Today our Marketing Manager sacrifices himself to bring you Halloween updates for three separate Stronghold games! Celebrating this most unhallowed time of year your peasants have been cursed in Stronghold Crusader 2, Stronghold Legends and Stronghold 2. In Crusader 2 they have been reduced to little more than dust and bones until All Hallows’ Eve, these lifeless subjects wandering decrepit castles in a dire state of disrepair. Tomb stones, rotting pumpkins, cobwebs and more adorn once magnificent castle structures, along with corrupt colours and unholy flames in the workshops of your medieval minions.

The return of the Stronghold Halloween Update and corruption of Sir William also means the curse once again falls on Stronghold 2 and Stronghold Legends! Terrify your workers with horrifically impractical and yet somehow perfectly balanced pumpkin-head peasants or purge them from your castle with green wildfire. Keep them working to fight back against the curse or cower and wait for the horror to pass after Halloween has ended. Continue reading

By in Stronghold 2, Stronghold Crusader 2, Stronghold Crusader HD, Stronghold HD, Stronghold Legends Comments Off on Stronghold Showcase #1

Stronghold Showcase #1

This week we debut a brand new series on Firefly Studios’ YouTube channel suggested by you – the players! Introducing the ‘Stronghold Showcase‘ in which we flaunt five awesome user-created maps from our five favorite Stronghold games for your viewing pleasure. Each episode’s collection of community made gems will be available to download immediately via the game’s Steam Workshop page or on Stronghold fan site Stronghold Heaven.

So while you patiently wait for more Stronghold Next info and gameplay, why not dip into our legacy titles with Aaron’s cherry picked array of sieges, skirmishes and economic scenarios? Watch as we take you from the realms of Legends to the lush green fields of Stronghold 2 and the deserts of the Crusader series!

By in Firefly News, Stronghold Crusader 2, Stronghold Crusader HD Comments Off on Firefly Joins One Special Day

Firefly Joins One Special Day

On September 28th Firefly Studios will begin a second ‘Crusade for SpecialEffect’! For 24 hours all proceeds from our fan-favourite Crusader games will be donated to this amazing charity for One Special Day. That means 100% of Steam revenue from Stronghold Crusader HD, Stronghold Crusader 2 and all associated DLC will be used to help fund SpecialEffect’s ongoing quest for inclusiveness and accessibility in gaming.

In addition to this day-long pledge, we are also planning giveaways and other promotions on the day, generally doing everything we can to spread the word of One Special Day!