Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri
Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri | |
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Single-player |
Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri is a 1996
Terra Nova has been cited as one of the first squad-oriented games with three-dimensional (3D) graphics; the player is often assisted by artificially intelligent teammates who may be given tactical commands. Conceived by Looking Glass after the completion of their first game, Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss, Terra Nova was subject to a long and difficult development process, caused in part by the production of its full-motion video cutscenes. The game's TED engine can render 3D outdoor environments and simulate physics; the latter enables such effects as procedural animation.
Terra Nova's critical reception was highly positive. Reviewers praised its tactical elements, and several compared it to the 1995 video game MechWarrior 2: 31st Century Combat. However, reception of its graphics was mixed, and many noted the game's steep system requirements. Despite critical acclaim and sales in excess of 100,000 units, the game was a commercial failure: it did not recoup its development costs. While it was intended to be the first in a series, its low sales led the company to cancel plans for a sequel.
Gameplay
As a
The player is usually accompanied by up to three artificially intelligent squadmates, who may be given tactical orders such as holding a position, taking cover or rushing enemies.[2][4] Squadmates may be commanded as a group or individually; for example, one half of a squad may be used to distract enemies while the other half attacks an objective. Each squad member specializes in weapons, reconnaissance, repairs, demolitions or electronics. Those in the latter four categories may be given special commands, such as repairing a teammate's armor or setting explosive charges.[2] During missions, squad members radio in enemy sightings and status assessments.[2][5]
The game takes place in 37 missions. Each begins with a briefing that describes such details as objectives, squad size and enemies.[2] Objectives range from rescues and assaults to reconnaissance photography.[6][7] Additional missions—whose contents may be selected by the player—are available through the game's "Random Scenario Builder". Before undertaking missions, the player outfits the squad and protagonist with PBA suits and equipment.[2] The three types of PBA—Scout, Standard and Heavy—vary in ability; for example, the Scout armor is fast and light, while the Heavy armor is slow and powerful.[6] Each may be fitted with weapons and an "Auxiliary Suit Function" (ASF); the latter ranges from increased jumpjet power to deployable automatic turrets.[5][6] Only a small amount of equipment is available at the outset, but more becomes accessible as the game progresses.[6] Between missions, the player may read e-mails, news and military files, and a "library" that details the game's setting.[2]
Plot
Setting and characters
Terra Nova is set in a science fictional depiction of the year 2327 and takes place in the Alpha Centauri star system.[8] The setting's early inspirations were the novels Starship Troopers and The Forever War,[9] and PC Gamer UK compared it to that of the 1986 action film Aliens.[6] Over two hundred years before the beginning of the game, Earth is subsumed by a world government called the Hegemony,[8] whose "Publicanism" philosophy PC Zone summarized as "communism without the economic restrictions".[10] The Hegemony annexes colonies throughout the Solar System,[8] but the inhabitants of Jupiter's moons reach an agreement that allows them to relocate to Alpha Centauri,[2] where they settle on the Earth-like NewHope and the frozen Thatcher planets.[11][12] The settlers divide into twelve "Clans"—each with a military "Strike Force" to defend against bandits—and create the Centauri Council to govern the system.[8] Trade is established with the Hegemony.[2] As the game begins, an elite Strike Force called Strike Force Centauri is formed in response to increasing pirate activity.[2]
The protagonist of Terra Nova is Nikola ap Io, the squad leader of Strike Force Centauri.
Story
As the game begins, pirates steal a shipment of highly destructive "Petrovsk grenades".[15] A reconnaissance mission by Nikola identifies the grenades at a heavily defended pirate base,[19] and they are recovered en route to a transport ship.[20] Without the grenades, the base is assaulted by Strike Force Centauri,[21] and Hegemony equipment is found there. When MacPherson confronts Pentheus about the incident, he denies involvement.[22] Proof of the Hegemony's intentions is later found at a Thatcher smuggling base, and Pentheus declares war on the Centauri colonies.[23][24] Now knowing the pirates are funded by the Hegemony, MacPherson suspects that a previous information leak was in fact the work of a Hegemony spy; Nikola questions Brandt, who responds with indignance.[25][26] After a series of missions against the Hegemony, Nikola's aircraft is ambushed and shot down, and he is captured by Pentheus. During this time, Pentheus tells him that a traitor within Strike Force Centauri is responsible for the ambush.[27] The squad rescues Nikola, but Schuyler is killed in the assault.[27][28] At his funeral, Ashford accuses Nikola as the traitor.[28]
It soon becomes clear that MacPherson is being poisoned. Nikola believes that Brandt is responsible, because of his recent disappearances, but is proven wrong.[29] After MacPherson dies, Sarah Walker takes his place as commander of Strike Force Centauri.[30] Walker sends Nikola, disguised as a pirate, on an espionage mission to discover the traitor's identity.[31] Nikola finds information that incriminates Ashford, who, when confronted, boasts of his actions and leaps to his death from a docking bay.[32] The squad continues the war, and the Hegemony is eventually forced to gather its remaining forces at a base on Thatcher. The squad destroys the facility by detonating a highly explosive fuel tank inside it.[33] Following its defeat, the Hegemony denies involvement in the war, declares Pentheus a rogue agent and appoints a new ambassador to the system. While angered by the announcement, Strike Force Centauri celebrates its victory as the game ends.[34]
Development
Terra Nova was conceived in 1992, around the time that Looking Glass Technologies' first game, Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss, was completed.[35] Company co-founder Paul Neurath wrote a design document for a tactical, squad-based game with a science fiction setting, and he helped the team initiate its development.[9][36] Artist Robb Waters created concept art.[18][37] It was originally titled Freefall, because of the way the soldiers enter combat by dropping from aircraft.[18] Development was initially led by a newly hired programmer who envisioned the game as an exact simulation, in which every element was as realistic as possible.[35] Programmer Dan Schmidt created the game's artificial intelligence, and he attempted to make squadmates intelligently follow orders and provide assistance, instead of merely "staying out of your way".[2][18][35] Schmidt hired Eric Brosius and Terri Brosius, then-members of the band Tribe, to compose the game's music,[38] which was called "orchestrally flavored" by the Boston Herald.[39] As with their 1995 video game Flight Unlimited, Looking Glass Technologies self-published Terra Nova.[40]
The game began production alongside the company's second project, Ultima Underworld II: Labyrinth of Worlds, and remained in development after that game's 1993 release. It then continued through the creation of their titles System Shock (released in 1994) and Flight Unlimited.[35][41] The game was subject to numerous delays,[42] which Schmidt later attributed to its lack of a set deadline. He stated that the team was "trying to go with the same philosophy" as the company's earlier games, in that they would "develop the systems and the game would come out of it".[35] However, the team's development priorities regularly changed, and the programmer who led the project left several years into production. According to Schmidt, his departure meant that "there was no-one left who was psyched about making this really [realistic] simulation". Despite this fact, the team continued using the idea, even though serious difficulties were involved in achieving it.[35] Schmidt said that the game's development status was uncertain after the programmer left, and that he inherited the role of lead programmer around that time merely because the position had to be filled. He later assumed the role of project leader.[35] In January 1995, Looking Glass showed Terra Nova alongside Flight Unlimited at the Winter Consumer Electronics Show, under their "Immersive Reality" marketing label.[43]
In the team's original plan, Terra Nova consisted of missions that were bookended by simplistic cutscenes, akin to those of the 1990
Roughly a year before its release, the team concluded that Terra Nova's realistic, simulation-style gameplay was not enjoyable.[42] However, Schmidt said that the game's already lengthy development meant that it had to be released; otherwise, he believed that it would be canceled, or that its high cost would bankrupt the company.[35] As a result, the game was completely redesigned to be "much more arcadey" only a few months before release. Schmidt said that, in the new game, "you were going around blowing people up" and "your enemies have brackets on them showing their health and it's very bright and glowy and green". He believed that these elements drastically increased the game's enjoyability. He summarized, "Six months before it shipped the game wasn't fun at all and we actually ended up shipping something that was at least somewhat enjoyable to play". After previously being slated to launch in the second quarter of 1995,[45] the game was released on March 5, 1996;[1][42] by this time, its graphical technology had been surpassed by other video games, according to Schmidt.[42] Lead programmer Art Min later expressed dissatisfaction with the game: he believed that, while the team coalesced at the end of development, they shipped the game too soon because of "an overexcited VP of Product Development".[46]
Technology
Unlike Looking Glass' previous first-person games—Ultima Underworld, Ultima Underworld II and System Shock—Terra Nova takes place in outdoor environments.
The game's characters are procedurally animated via simulated physics models and inverse kinematics (IK)—a system designed by programmer Seamus Blackley.[18][49] Basic physics are used to move character models through the environment, and the models are animated by the IK system in accordance with this movement. Designer Richard Wyckoff later compared the character physics to those of a marble, and Schmidt described the technique as akin to putting each character in a hamster ball.[2][18][49] The system's imperfect nature can result in animation glitches.[49] A more realistic simulation of bipedal movement was originally planned, but it was simplified before release because of coding difficulties. Schmidt later said that the original method "almost always worked", but that "every thirty minutes someone would put their foot down slightly wrong ... and then go flying off across the map".[35] A physics model is also used to simulate weapon recoil, the arc of projectiles and the gravity of each planet; for example, projectiles travel farther in low gravity environments.[2][3][6]
Reception
Publication | Score |
---|---|
PC Magazine | [4] |
Maximum | [53] |
PC Games | B+[54] |
Publication | Award |
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PC Gamer UK | Game of the Month[6] |
Computer Games Strategy Plus | Best Science-fiction Simulation[55] |
PC Games | Game of the Month[54] |
Although Terra Nova sold more than 100,000 units, it was a commercial failure because it did not recoup its development costs.[40] Designer Tim Stellmach later characterized its performance as "a disaster".[2][56] Despite this, the game was acclaimed by critics,[9] and several publications drew comparisons to the 1995 video game MechWarrior 2: 31st Century Combat.[5][7][57]
William Wong of
Terra Nova was named the 15th best computer game ever by PC Gamer UK in 1997. The editors called it "exactly the kind of dynamic, risk-taking, intelligent game we've been asking for".[60] In 2000, Computer Games Strategy Plus named it one of the "10 Best Sci-Fi Simulations" of all time.[61]
Legacy
While Schmidt said before the game's release that the team wanted to develop "a whole series of games that take place in the Terra Nova world",[18] the game's poor sales made the creation of a sequel "impractical", according to Paul Neurath.[9] As the game's publisher, Looking Glass took on the full burden of its commercial underperformance,[42] which contributed to the company's bankruptcy and closure in May 2000.[40][63] Neurath later said, "If we could do Terra Nova over, I would have dumped the cinematics and done online team play instead. Who knows, maybe then the Tribes II and Halo teams would be talking about the influence of Terra Nova on their games".[9]
Notes
- ^ a b c "Major Games Publishers Roll Out Key Titles with QSound". PR Newswire. March 18, 1996.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Hart, Dorian; Yaus, Jeff (1996). Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri manual. Looking Glass Technologies. pp. 1, 2, 8–10, 14–18, 21–23, 25–27, 29, 32, 33, 38, 42, 43, 47, 50–53, 72–75.
- ^ a b c d e f g Hiles, Bill (May 1, 2001). "Looking Glass and Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri". GameSpy. Archived from the original on June 16, 2004. Retrieved October 26, 2010.
- ^ PC Magazine. Archived from the originalon May 13, 2001. Retrieved November 3, 2010.
- ^ a b c d e Royal, Tim (1996). "Over the hill and dale with a vengeance". Computer Games Strategy Plus. Archived from the original on July 5, 2003. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Flynn, James (April 1996). "Exoskeletal". PC Gamer UK (29). Archived from the original on December 19, 2000. Retrieved October 26, 2010.
- ^ a b c Payne, John; Smart, William; Amdur, Dan (May 29, 1996). "3DOh-No!". The Washington Post. p. R26.
- ^ Looking Glass Technologies(March 5, 1996). Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri. Scene: Personal Terminal Library.
Centauri Clans Timeline
- ^ a b c d e f g Neurath, Paul (April 3, 2001). "Interview with Paul Neurath". RPGDot (Interview). Interviewed by Monzari, Sia. Archived from the original on June 19, 2002. Retrieved July 1, 2007.
- ^ a b McCarthy, Patrick (June 1996). "Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri Review". PC Zone. Archived from the original on October 29, 2010. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
- Looking Glass Technologies(March 5, 1996). Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri. Scene: Personal Terminal Library.
Planetary Report: Thatcher a. CLIMATE The climate of Thatcher ranges from cool to utterly inhospitable, depending upon how far one moves from the equatorial regions.
- Looking Glass Technologies(March 5, 1996). Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri. Scene: Personal Terminal Library.
Planetary Report: NewHope
- ^ a b Perkins, Lee (May 7, 1996). "Terra Nova warriors beat back evil alien invaders". The Age. p. 11.
- Looking Glass Technologies(March 5, 1996). Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri. Scene: Cutscene #3.
Brandt ap Io: Oh, it's true, little brother. This isn't a one-man show, so the next time you're out there making your "high-ranking decisions", just remember: *jabs Nikola* you're never alone. All right? / Nikola ap Io: Don't start with that. / Brandt ap Io: What? *jabs Nikola* This? / Nikola ap Io: *nods* / Brandt ap Io: Or how about this? *wrestles Nikola*
- ^ Looking Glass Technologies(March 5, 1996). Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri. Scene: Opening Cutscene.
- Looking Glass Technologies(March 5, 1996). Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri. Scene: Personal Terminal: SFC Review.
Personnel Roster: Ernest "Sky" Schuyler served for 5 years in Strike Force Feldvaar, and was highly recommended by Commander Andersen of that unit. Schuyler has been noted as having an odd sense of humor, and has received several reprimands for neglect of duty during his years on the Force.
- Looking Glass Technologies(March 5, 1996). Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri. Scene: Personal Terminal: SFC Review.
Personnel Roster: Ashford is known for his scathing bluntless and direct personal approach.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Yee, Bernie (March 1995). "Through the Looking Glass". PC Gamer. pp. 62, 63, 65, 67, 69.
- Looking Glass Technologies(March 5, 1996). Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri. Scene: Mission 3 Briefing.
- Looking Glass Technologies(March 5, 1996). Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri. Scene: Mission 4 Briefing.
- Looking Glass Technologies(March 5, 1996). Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri. Scene: Mission 6 Briefing.
- Looking Glass Technologies(March 5, 1996). Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri. Scene: Cutscene 6.
- Looking Glass Technologies(March 5, 1996). Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri. Scene: Mission 10 Briefing.
- Looking Glass Technologies(March 5, 1996). Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri. Scene: Cutscene 7.
- Looking Glass Technologies(March 5, 1996). Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri. Scene: Personal Terminal: Private Mail Listings.
Arlen MacPherson, 4 Sep 124: Now that we know the role our "friends" in the Hegemony have been playing in the pirate activities in the system, I'm not so sure the incident was so minor. ... We may have a leak within the SFC itself, someone who is relaying vital military information to the pirates or even directly to the Hogs.
- Looking Glass Technologies(March 5, 1996). Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri. Scene: Cutscene 8.
- ^ Looking Glass Technologies(March 5, 1996). Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri. Scene: Cutscene 12.
- ^ Looking Glass Technologies(March 5, 1996). Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri. Scene: Cutscene 13.
- Looking Glass Technologies(March 5, 1996). Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri. Scene: Cutscene 15.
- Looking Glass Technologies(March 5, 1996). Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri. Scene: Personal Terminal: Private Mail Listings.
Centauri Council, 7 Oct 124: It is the decision of the Council to appoint Sarah Walker to the position, confirming the acting command duties she assumed following Commander MacPherson's death.
- Looking Glass Technologies(March 5, 1996). Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri. Scene: Mission 24 Briefing.
- Looking Glass Technologies(March 5, 1996). Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri. Scene: Cutscene 17.
- Looking Glass Technologies(March 5, 1996). Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri. Scene: Mission 37 Briefing.
- Looking Glass Technologies(March 5, 1996). Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri. Scene: Cutscene 21.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Weise, Matthew (March 21, 2011). "Looking Glass Studios Interview Series – Audio Podcast 2 – Dan Schmidt". Singapore-MIT GAMBIT Game Lab. Archived from the original on July 22, 2011.
- ^ Mallinson, Paul. "Games That Changed The World Supplemental Material". PC Zone. Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved November 2, 2010.
- ^ "Irrational Games Boston Team". Irrational Games. Archived from the original on February 8, 2001. Retrieved December 31, 2010.
- ^ Brosius, Eric (August 15, 2007). "Profile: Audio Lead, Eric Brosius" (Interview). Interviewed by Baptiste, Sean. Harmonix. Archived from the original on October 15, 2012. Retrieved April 3, 2011.
- ^ Lozaw, Tristram (December 15, 1994). "Music; Tribe's fans are in for a 'Shock'". Boston Herald. Features; p. 47.
- ^ a b c McDonald, T. Liam (August 2000). "Game Theory; Beyond the Looking Glass". Maximum PC. p. 31.
- ^ Rosenberg, Ronald (May 3, 1995). "Preparing for Takeoff: Company Hooks Fortunes to Pilot Game". The Boston Globe. Business; p. 77.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Parrish, Peter (February 25, 2009). "Terra Nova Retrospective". IncGamers. Archived from the original on April 14, 2012. Retrieved November 2, 2010.
- ^ "Looking Glass Technologies Sets the Pace For Immersive Reality Software Development". PR Newswire. January 6, 1995.
- ^ Flynn, James (March 1996). "Scoop: Technology bombardment". PC Gamer UK (28): 15.
With Looking Glass now publishing their own games it's entirely up to them what they do next. First up will be a network add-on for Terra Nova, due for a September release.
- ^ Staff (March 1995). "Prescreen: Looking Glass". Edge. No. 18. p. 32.
Terra Nova isn't expected until the second quarter of 1995 but is already shaping up well.
- ^ Min, Art (April 23, 2000). "Interview With Art Min, ex-LGlass'er" (Interview). Interviewed by Staff. Through the Looking Glass. Archived from the original on May 11, 2000. Retrieved January 6, 2011.
- ^ Flynn, James (March 1996). "Scoop: Technology bombardment". PC Gamer UK (28): 14.
Terra Nova looks even better, but mercifully hasn't increased the demands on the processor to a significant extent. The TED engine that drives the game is undoubtedly one of the most advanced available today.
- ^ Kirschner, Suzanne Kantra (June 1995). "Getting A Grip On Reality". Popular Science. p. 50.
- ^ Gamasutra. p. 3. Archivedfrom the original on March 25, 2008. Retrieved October 29, 2010.
- ^ Cirulis, Martin E. (June 1996). "Suit Up and Lock On: Armored Combat Action Invades The Territory Of Mech-Style Sims". Computer Gaming World. No. 143. pp. 130, 132.
- ^ Future Publishing. May 1996. pp. 70–71.
- ^ Next Generation Magazine(19). p. 84. July 1996.
- ^ Emap International Limited: 128.
- ^ a b Klett, Steve (May 1996). "Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri". PC Games. Archived from the original on October 18, 1996.
- ^ "Computer Games Strategy Plus announces 1996 Awards". Computer Games Strategy Plus. March 25, 1997. Archived from the original on June 14, 1997. Retrieved November 2, 2010.
- ^ Stellmach, Tim (2000). "Once more through the Looking Glass". GameSpy (Interview). Interviewed by Opii, Valoria. p. 3. Archived from the original on August 16, 2000. Retrieved November 28, 2010.
- The Sunday Star-Times. April 14, 1996. Computers; p. 6.
- The Sunday Star-Times. p. 5.
- ^ Wong, William (October 1996). "Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri". Computer Shopper.
- PC Gamer UK. No. 45. pp. 51–83.)
{{cite magazine}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link - ^ Bauman, Steve (January 28, 2000). "10 Best Sci-Fi Simulations". Computer Games Strategy Plus. Archived from the original on February 4, 2005.
- ^ Olafson, Peter (August 3, 2000). "Game Theory; In Free-Spirited Play, a Departed Spirit Lives". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 24, 2011. Retrieved October 26, 2010.
- ^ Sterrett, James (May 31, 2000). "Reasons for the Fall: A Post-Mortem On Looking Glass Studios". Through the Looking Glass. Archived from the original on March 8, 2014.
External links
- Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri at MobyGames
- Terra Nova on GameSpot's "The Best Games You Never Played"