Software:America (video game)

From HandWiki
America
America No peace beyond the line (front cover).jpg
German box cover
Developer(s)Related Designs
Publisher(s)Data Becker
Director(s)Thomas Pottkämper
Designer(s)
  • Stefan Binder
  • Andreas Liebeskind
  • Thomas Pottkämper
  • Christian Schmittgen
Programmer(s)Thomas Stein
Artist(s)Igor Posavec
Composer(s)Andreas Liebeskind
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows
Release
  • EU: December 2000
  • NA: 15 January 2001[1]
Genre(s)Real-time strategy
Mode(s)Single-player

America is a real-time strategy game developed by Related Designs and published by Data Becker, released in December 2000 and January 2001 to mixed reviews. Set in a post-civil war America, the game plays similarly to Age of Empires.[2] The player may choose to control a group of either settlers, Native Americans, Mexicans or outlaws of that time.[2]

Development

America was the first released game developed by German studio Related Designs after the studio had been founded in 1995,[3][4] and the first full-price game published by Data Becker.[5] The game was conceptualised at Data Becker in 1998 and developed in less than 23 months.[5] In Germany, the game was released in late December 2000;[5] a release in North America followed on 15 January 2001.[1] The game was released for Microsoft Windows, specifically supporting the Windows 95, 98, 2000 and Me versions.[6]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic50/100[7]
Review scores
PublicationScore
CGSP2.5/5 stars[8]
CGW2/5 stars[9]
Game Informer6.5/10[11]
GameSpot4.8/10[12]
GameZone8.5/10[13]
IGN4.5/10[14]
Jeuxvideo.com15/20[15]
Next Generation3/5 stars[16]
PC Gamer (US)48%[17]

America received mixed reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[7] John Lee of NextGen said that the game was "still a kick, even if the history is skewed. Many of us grew up playing cowboys and Indians, and we're primed for covered wagons, and cavalry charges. The fun wears thin quickly enough, but the game still has its charm. Now if only the Germans could polish up their American history."[16]

Expansion

An expansion pack to America, titled America: Expansion Pack, added eight further missions, a level editor, a multiplayer mode, a revamped game engine to allow for improved artificial intelligence, gameplay and graphics, as well as new units and buildings, to the game.[18] It was also developed by Related Designs,[19] and announced by Data Becker in May 2001, scheduled for release in Germany in September 2001.[20] In North America, Data Becker released the expansion pack on 17 December 2001.[21]

Sequel

On 9 March 2001, CDV Software, by press release, announced that it was producing a real-time strategy developed by Related Designs, tentatively titled America II.[5][22] Data Becker, which owned the rights to the America name, took notice and inquired CDV to cease and desist shortly thereafter. CDV declined to do so as it found no copyright infringement in America II's title, though opted to file for a caveat to protect itself from a preliminary injunction.[5] Data Becker subsequently filed for a preliminary injunction with the Landgericht Berlin on 29 March 2001.[5] At the time, Data Becker intended to produce an America sequel of its own.[23] Data Becker won the case by May, wherefore CDV had to drop the America II title, though it was allowed to continue producing the game under a different name.[23] As a result, America II was retitled No Man's Land.[24] However, CDV continued advertising America II through press releases and its newsletter, prompting further action by Data Becker.[25] CDV also registered the internet domain "america2.de" with registrar DENIC, which redirected users to the website of No Man's Land; a judgement reached by the Kammergericht in Berlin in December 2002 ordered CDV to inquire the deletion of the domain with DENIC and publicise a press release to announce that it was not releasing a game titled America II in 2003.[26]

Data Becker proceeded to produce its own sequel to America, to be titled America 2 or America II, by June 2001, planning to release it in the first quarter of 2003.[27] Data Becker announced its sequel in February 2003, with its release scheduled for later that year.[28] A website for the game was launched in May 2003.[29] It was also scheduled to be displayed at E3 2002.[30] America II was later cancelled.[31]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 IGN staff (12 January 2001). "News Briefs". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/01/13/news-briefs-205. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 IGN staff (24 August 2000). "Conquer the Frontier in Data Becker's RTS America". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/08/25/conquer-the-frontier-in-data-beckers-rts-america. 
  3. ↑ Sinclair, Brendan (11 April 2013). "Ubisoft completes Related Designs acquisition". Gamer Network. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2013-04-11-ubisoft-completes-related-designs-acquisition. 
  4. ↑ MCV Staff (12 April 2013). "Ubisoft acquires Anno maker Related Designs". MCV/Develop (Biz Media). https://www.mcvuk.com/development-news/ubisoft-acquires-anno-maker-related-designs/. Retrieved 23 March 2021. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Philipp, Andreas (24 April 2001). "Data Becker vs. CDV: Einstweilige Verfügung gegen CDV erwirkt ..." (in de). Entertainment Media Group AG. https://www.gameswelt.de/cdv-software/news/einstweilige-verfuegung-gegen-cdv-erwirkt,62298. 
  6. ↑ Olafson, Peter (22 February 2001). "GAME THEORY; After So Many Fantasies, Back to Reality". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2001/02/22/technology/game-theory-after-so-many-fantasies-back-to-reality.html. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "America". Fandom. https://www.metacritic.com/game/america/. 
  8. ↑ Abner, William (8 March 2001). "America". Strategy Plus, Inc.. http://www.cdmag.com/articles/032/016/america-01.html. 
  9. ↑ Chin, Elliott (May 2001). "Age of Bumpkins (America Review)". Computer Gaming World (Ziff Davis) (202): 82. https://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_202.pdf. Retrieved 14 December 2023. 
  10. ↑ MacIsaac, Jason (1 February 2001). "America". Greedy Productions. http://www.elecplay.com/review.html?article=5146&full=1. 
  11. ↑ "America". Game Informer (FuncoLand) (96). April 2001. 
  12. ↑ Kasavin, Greg (16 February 2001). "America Review". Fandom. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/america-review/1900-2687194/. 
  13. ↑ Lafferty, Michael (5 February 2001). "America Review". http://pc.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r15212.htm. 
  14. ↑ Butts, Steve (30 January 2001). "America". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/01/31/america. 
  15. ↑ pilou (26 January 2001). "Test: America" (in fr). Webedia. https://www.jeuxvideo.com/articles/0000/00001170_test.htm. 
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Lee, John (May 2001). "America". NextGen (Imagine Media) (77): 89. https://archive.org/details/NextGen77May2001/page/n91/mode/2up. Retrieved 23 March 2021. 
  17. ↑ Saltzman, Marc (April 2001). "America [score mislabeled as "56%""]. PC Gamer (Imagine Media) 8 (4): 84. http://www.pcgamer.com/archives/2005/06/america.html. Retrieved 23 March 2021. 
  18. ↑ IGN staff (17 December 2001). "America Expansion on the Way". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/12/18/america-expansion-on-the-way. 
  19. ↑ Pototzki, Tim (3 May 2001). ""America"-AddOn von Data Becker" (in de). https://beta.gamesmarkt.de/details/95235. 
  20. ↑ GameStar Redaktion (4 May 2001). "Addon zu America" (in de). GameStar (Webedia). https://www.gamestar.de/artikel/addon-zu-america-,1336992.html. Retrieved 12 August 2019. 
  21. ↑ "DATA BECKER Announces America Expansion Pack". 17 December 2001. https://www.gamezone.com/news/data_becker_announces_america_expansion_pack/. 
  22. ↑ GameStar Redaktion (9 April 2001). "Data Becker gegen CDV" (in de). GameStar (Webedia). https://www.gamestar.de/artikel/data-becker-gegen-cdv,1336785.html. Retrieved 14 December 2023. 
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 "Data Becker + CDV: Streit um America" (in de). PC Games (Computec). 24 April 2001. https://www.pcgames.de/America-No-peace-beyond-the-Line-Spiel-17901/News/Data-Becker-CDV-Streit-um-America-7809/. Retrieved 12 August 2019. 
  24. ↑ Marc (7 April 2001). "Data Becker klagt gegen CDV" (in de). 4Players GmbH. https://www.4players.de/4players.php/spielinfonews/Allgemein/0/4978/-.html. 
  25. ↑ Wiesner, Thorsten (24 April 2001). "CDV und Data Becker: Streit um America geht weiter" (in de). Computec. https://www.golem.de/0104/13602.html. 
  26. ↑ "KG Berlin, Urteil vom 17. Dezember 2002, AZ: 5 U 79/02 – Schikane bei Internet-Domains" (in de). 17 December 2012. https://www.aufrecht.de/urteile/markenrecht/urteile-2002/kg-berlin-urteil-vom-17-dezember-2002-az-5-u-7902-schikane-bei-internet-domains.html. 
  27. ↑ Steininger, Stefan (12 June 2001). "Data Becker verstärkt Spiele-Line-up" (in de). http://beta.gamesmarkt.de/details/96960. 
  28. ↑ Naser, Bodo (6 February 2003). "America: Data Becker kündigt Nachfolger an" (in de). 4Players GmbH. https://www.4players.de/4players.php/spielinfonews/Allgemein/3239/21402/America_2-.html. 
  29. ↑ Kautz, Paul (22 May 2003). "America 2: Website online" (in de). 4Players GmbH. https://www.4players.de/4players.php/spielinfonews/Allgemein/3239/23950/America_2-.html. 
  30. ↑ Walker, Trey (22 May 2002). "E3 2002: America II preshow report". Fandom. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2002-america-ii-preshow-report/1100-2866749/. 
  31. ↑ "America II". Fandom. https://www.gamespot.com/america-ii/. 

External links



Retrieved from "https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Software:America_(video_game)&oldid=3468714"