Nostalgia (Part I)
Saving the Universe!
These past few days have kept me occupied; I've been so busy that I haven't been going online.
I was out. Off on a mission. Where? Oh, out there. Doing what? It's pretty much top secret, but it was concerned with saving the the known universe (or at least the Delta Quadrant). And I succeeded. So you owe your existence to me, hehe.
I've made one of my most joyous rediscoveries! Thanks to LJ, the Internet and the wonderful age we now live in, I was able to find out that one of the greatest games in the history of PC gaming (one that I have the pleasure of having played) has been ported over to the modern platforms and is available for FREE! [ /run on sentence]
This game, fellow Earthlings, is none other than Star Control II: The Ur-Quan Masters. What is it? Well...
Star Control II, the sequel to the original Star Control, is, in general, a space adventure game. It was a milestone for non-linear gaming and an undeniable influence on modern space travel games such as Homeworld; many consider it one of the best computer games of all time. The player assumes the role of the captain of a single starship wandering a detailed environment of solar systems, gradually gathering information and resources in order to defeat a mysterious and implacable enemy.
It is difficult to pin SC2 down to a single genre; it contains elements of exploration, scavenging, diplomacy, role-playing, and combat, blended together seamlessly. Intense, real-time, ship-to-ship melee is sprinkled throughout your interstellar travels. The Flagship can be outfitted with various modules to change and improve how it functions, as well as bolstering its effectiveness in battle. The meat of the game, however, is information gathering and the acquiring of unique inventory items through conversation and exploration to unravel the numerous mysteries of space.
Game play is divided into six basic modes:
[1] The Ultronomicon, the Star Control II Wiki
I played the game 10 years ago, using our DOS-powered PC. You wouldn't believe the profound effect it had on me as a kid. Despite the adult vocabulary present in the lengthy dialogues of the alien races in the game and their respective backstories, I was able to understand the game. Not bad for a someone who was just 10. Of course, as a kid, I missed out on the finer points of the dialogue like the philosophical discussions and the pop culture references. Here's a sample of the dialogue, spoken by one of the Ur-Quan, the antagonists of the game:
Although you consider us the enemy, these conclusions are flawed. We are your salvation. We bring you peace a peace built upon OUR social framework imposed upon your planet
a new world order in which your prosperity and security are assured by the Ur-Quan. We will protect you from the hazards of this hostile universe, from dangers so hideous your simple minds cannot imagine their dark scope. Today, we are the enemy. In time, this will change. Soon, you will come to understand the boon of slavery we force upon you and then, you will revere and even love us for this gift.
Heavy stuff, eh?
If I wasn't playing the story mode, I was playing the mêlée mode everyday. That or I was reading the manual and the primer about the story, races and ships of the game. A 10-year-old has to be well prepared in order to save the universe, after all.
I think the fact I can still recall the game's plot and mechanics (even after 10 years!) is probably a testament to its greatness. And now that I'm falling short of actually getting on my knees and worshipping it, here's a tribute to and review/description of the game (my very own-it's a first!)
Plot
By now, you can probably tell that this game is very close to my heart. It's the shining example of how every sci-fi RPG should be. No excuses. The game was a labor of love and you can tell. (The developers were already late in turning in the game, but they continued working on it even if they weren't paid for those extra hours, just so they could really finish the game.)
Did I mention that the game is now available for free? The source code was officially released by the developers and it's now been ported over to all the major desktop platforms-all you have to do is point and click!
Here's the link to "The Ur-Quan Masters", the home page of the "Ur-Quan Masters" open-source project. The game, however, has been called by its subtitle "The Ur-Quan Masters" since the developers were unable to obtain the rights to the name "Star Control".
If you're a fan of science fiction and video games, then I strongly urge you to play this classic! If you already have, rediscover the game and relive the adventure!
These past few days have kept me occupied; I've been so busy that I haven't been going online.
I was out. Off on a mission. Where? Oh, out there. Doing what? It's pretty much top secret, but it was concerned with saving the the known universe (or at least the Delta Quadrant). And I succeeded. So you owe your existence to me, hehe.
I've made one of my most joyous rediscoveries! Thanks to LJ, the Internet and the wonderful age we now live in, I was able to find out that one of the greatest games in the history of PC gaming (one that I have the pleasure of having played) has been ported over to the modern platforms and is available for FREE! [ /run on sentence]
This game, fellow Earthlings, is none other than Star Control II: The Ur-Quan Masters. What is it? Well...
Star Control II, the sequel to the original Star Control, is, in general, a space adventure game. It was a milestone for non-linear gaming and an undeniable influence on modern space travel games such as Homeworld; many consider it one of the best computer games of all time. The player assumes the role of the captain of a single starship wandering a detailed environment of solar systems, gradually gathering information and resources in order to defeat a mysterious and implacable enemy.
It is difficult to pin SC2 down to a single genre; it contains elements of exploration, scavenging, diplomacy, role-playing, and combat, blended together seamlessly. Intense, real-time, ship-to-ship melee is sprinkled throughout your interstellar travels. The Flagship can be outfitted with various modules to change and improve how it functions, as well as bolstering its effectiveness in battle. The meat of the game, however, is information gathering and the acquiring of unique inventory items through conversation and exploration to unravel the numerous mysteries of space.
Game play is divided into six basic modes:
- Conversation - Interact with other sentient species; Learn from them, trade with them, and form alliances (or attack them).
- Solar system exploration - Navigate solar systems with your flagship, exploring the various planets and moons, while contacting or avoiding other ships in the region.
- Planetary exploration - Control the Planet Lander to collect minerals and biological data while avoiding earthquakes, hotspots, lightning, and aggressive life forms.
- HyperSpace travel - Travel from star to star in HyperSpace (and later, QuasiSpace) while being chased by unidentifiable alien ships, represented as gravity wells.
- Flagship/fleet management - Spend your accumulated Resource units (RUs). Outfit your flagship for whatever lies ahead. Construct a fleet of up to 12 escort ships. Add crew and fuel to you fleet.
- Space combat - The most exciting part of the game! Fly your armada against alien ships in an all-out brawl to the death.[1]
[1] The Ultronomicon, the Star Control II Wiki
I played the game 10 years ago, using our DOS-powered PC. You wouldn't believe the profound effect it had on me as a kid. Despite the adult vocabulary present in the lengthy dialogues of the alien races in the game and their respective backstories, I was able to understand the game. Not bad for a someone who was just 10. Of course, as a kid, I missed out on the finer points of the dialogue like the philosophical discussions and the pop culture references. Here's a sample of the dialogue, spoken by one of the Ur-Quan, the antagonists of the game:
Although you consider us the enemy, these conclusions are flawed. We are your salvation. We bring you peace a peace built upon OUR social framework imposed upon your planet
a new world order in which your prosperity and security are assured by the Ur-Quan. We will protect you from the hazards of this hostile universe, from dangers so hideous your simple minds cannot imagine their dark scope. Today, we are the enemy. In time, this will change. Soon, you will come to understand the boon of slavery we force upon you and then, you will revere and even love us for this gift.
Heavy stuff, eh?
If I wasn't playing the story mode, I was playing the mêlée mode everyday. That or I was reading the manual and the primer about the story, races and ships of the game. A 10-year-old has to be well prepared in order to save the universe, after all.
I think the fact I can still recall the game's plot and mechanics (even after 10 years!) is probably a testament to its greatness. And now that I'm falling short of actually getting on my knees and worshipping it, here's a tribute to and review/description of the game (my very own-it's a first!)
Plot
- Even as a kid, I considered a good story to be the first, most important part of a game (which is why I tend to gravitate toward RPG's and their intricate plots). SCII certainly doesn't disappoint.
- SCII has a very rich plot; it has an epic, engaging story encompassing the histories of each of the races in the game and their interactions with other races, the accounts of the struggle between the Alliance of Free Stars and the Ur-Quan Hierarchy of Battle Thralls and the story that you yourself create as you progress through the game.
- The story is very non-linear. In fact, it's the most non-linear game I've ever played. There is a definite ending, of course, but how you get there is totally up to you. With the 500+ star systems you can visit the game, you can go to any one at any time you want. No one forces you to do anything.
- Dialogue is what drives the story and the dialogues are written superbly. They are a joy to read. There's a lot of witty wordplay but it gets serious when appropriate. Talking to the alien races determines how events will unfold in the story. In this game, what you say really does matter. You learn a lot about the races's histories and psychology just be talking to them.
- Graphics has never been a factor to me, but this game's visuals are bound to keep you entertained. They're not Final Fantasy, but they're good enough considering the technology available during its development.
- Planet surfaces, starship hulls and the aliens themselves are all rendered beautifully.
- It fosters a healthy balance of brain and brawn. You don't just spend your time firing your ship's primary weapon in an effort to reduce your enemies to spacedust.
- There's a lot of planning and resource-allocation that's involved. You'll need to talk to other races to form alliances and mine planets in exchange for ship modifications/maintenance and additions to your fleet. Of course, when all else fails, you can point your lasers in the direction of that hostile ship and fire away.
- All the ships in the game have abilities that make each one unique. It involves a lot of strategy to try to figure out which ship can best defeat another or if it is possible to win your current ship altogether.
- When SCII came out for the PC in the mid-90's, its music was ahead of its time. Each alien race had a theme that closely matched each of them in terms of their physical appearance and their temperament.
- The sound effects are very believable and do nothing but enhance the experience. What's a sci-fi game without the sound of energy blasts and explosions?
- The 3D0 port had spoken dialogue that accompanied text. The voice-overs are nearly perfect for the races and you'll be annoyed/amused/intimidated as appropriate.
- Each of the alien races are distinct and memorable. They each have their own quirks and peculiar speech patterns.
- Many of them are exaggerations of how some people are in real life. It's almost as if they're examples in a social critique.
By now, you can probably tell that this game is very close to my heart. It's the shining example of how every sci-fi RPG should be. No excuses. The game was a labor of love and you can tell. (The developers were already late in turning in the game, but they continued working on it even if they weren't paid for those extra hours, just so they could really finish the game.)
Did I mention that the game is now available for free? The source code was officially released by the developers and it's now been ported over to all the major desktop platforms-all you have to do is point and click!
Here's the link to "The Ur-Quan Masters", the home page of the "Ur-Quan Masters" open-source project. The game, however, has been called by its subtitle "The Ur-Quan Masters" since the developers were unable to obtain the rights to the name "Star Control".
If you're a fan of science fiction and video games, then I strongly urge you to play this classic! If you already have, rediscover the game and relive the adventure!