Castle Infinity
| Castle Infinity | ||
|---|---|---|
Designer(s) Russell Ginns | Gregg Foster Scott Wallin | |
| Release | 1996 | |
| Genre(s) | MMOG | |
Castle Infinity was the first commercially launched
The game is full of interactions that force players to collaborate with each other in order to pass from one area to the next, by way of four-person vehicles and other game-like lobbying devices.
The a cappella group The Bobs provided several original songs for the soundtrack. Additionally, members of the band also lent their voices for most of the characters.
History
Castle Infinity was first released in 1996, making it the first fully released MMOG designed for children.[2] It was originally designed by Russell Ginns, Gregg Foster, and Scott Wallin, with art direction and animation by Jonathan Maier and Andy Norman. It was developed and published by Paul Allen's early internet company Starwave.[3]
The initial launch included a joint promotion with
Access to the game required a CD-Rom and also a subscription.
Revival
In 2000, the game servers were rescued from a dumpster
In 2011 a new server was launched with the help of former players, including Spencer Jerome, Donald Butyen and Rachel Coleman. At present, Castle Infinity, LLC, manages the effort.[7]
Story
Castle Infinity takes place in a virtual world created by dinosaurs 65,000,000 years ago to escape from a comet approaching the earth. The virtual world has become infested with monsters but mammals have evolved to the point that they have invented the internet and can now access the Castle. Players are welcomed in by dinosaurs, who want mammals (kids) to help them save the Castle from the monsters.[8]
Gameplay
Castle Infinity is a 2D side-scrolling world, where players collect "grow caps" and "hats" to unlock new play areas. The game places a heavy emphasis on player interaction, and much of the game's map is constructed to encourage users to collaborate in order to proceed. Players complete challenges which require multiple players to participate together, such as piloting a submarine that requires four pilots to steer properly. There are many locations where, in order to access higher levels, at least 3 or 4 members are required to stand on the same spot for the lift to activate.
Much of the directing of players between single and multi-player environments was a solution to the challenges of latency. The game was launched when a majority of home users had 9600 or 14.4k
The game's "official language" is Esperanto. Many signs and audio clips feature warnings and comments in a pidgin version of that language.
References
- ^ "Starwave and Blockbuster to offer new multiplayer Internet game; Castle Infinity poised for nationwide launch". Business Wire. September 10, 1996.
- ^ LewisCastle, Elizabeth (April 1, 1997). "Get in Here, Kid!". WIRED. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
- ^ Haines, Thomas W. (November 7, 1996). "Starwave Wants To Take Kids To Castle Infinity -- Firm Breaks Into Online Games". The Seattle Times. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
- ^ Baker, M. Sharon (November 10, 1996). "Starwave is game for the Net with new CD-ROM products". Puget Sound Business Journal. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
- ^ Luechtefeld, Lori (February 13, 2009). "5 online initiatives we weren't ready for". imediaconnection.com. iMedia Connection. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
- ^ "A Limited History of Castle Infinity". GamesIndustry.biz. 15 May 2017.
- ^ a b Olivetti, Justin (24 November 2018). "The Game Archaeologist: Castle Infinity, the MMO that was literally rescued from a dumpster | Massively Overpowered".
- ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
External links
- Castle Infinity Revival Project Website
- Castle Infinity website from Starwave era
- Castle Infinity website from user-owned era
- Excerpt from Attack of the Show featuring Castle Infinity
- Slashdot thread about the return of Castle Infinity