Now is the Time of Defiance is the press release with details about Time of Defiance, an upcoming massively multiplayer RTS game in the works at Nicely Crafted Entertainment (NiCE). According to the release: "In Time of Defiance, players battle for control of thousands of islands spread across the remnants of a distant planet – giving a game area of over 14,062,500 square kilometres. Up to 1,000 players can compete in each game, and there will be many games running concurrently in order to accommodate a huge audience." In a twist, the game is in a preview mode where the client is free, but players will still be paying to participate: "The game is currently in ‘preview programme’, with around 400 gamers battling it out for ultimate control. The full release is planned for August 2002. A free demo is available from www.nicelycrafted.com, offering players the chance to try before they buy. Players can 'taste' the game for as little as £5 per month or £25 for six months during the preview programme." It is unclear with the use of pounds, whether this 'programme' is available outside the UK. Accompanying the press release are some new screenshots along with some higher-resolution versions of some previously released shots, all of which we've posted here.