Software:Battle Chess 4000

From HandWiki
Short description: 1992 video game
Battle Chess 4000
Developer(s)Interplay Productions
Publisher(s)Interplay Productions[1]
Platform(s)MS-DOS
Release1992[2]
Genre(s)Computer chess
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Battle Chess 4000 is a 1992 chess video game developed and published by Interplay Productions for the MS-DOS. It is a sequel to Battle Chess II and the third and final game in the Battle Chess series.

Gameplay

The player is an anonymous chess grandmaster who has traveled through time to the year 4000 aboard a space station that orbits Earth and has a huge chessboard within. The standard chess pieces have been replaced by alien creatures. The game has a rewind feature where the player can rewind or fast forward to any played turn. Elo rating is graded by completing 24 chess puzzles. The multiplayer supports head-to-head and modem play. The game features an opening library of 300,000 moves and SVGA graphics.[1]

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
PC Games84%[3]
PC Joker60%[4]
PC Player (DE)67%[5]
Power Play (Zeitschrift) (de)70%[6]

Computer Gaming World concluded: "Battle Chess 4000 has transformed chess from a stuffy, intellectual exercise into a game that is fun to play. It combines great comedy, superb graphics, and a serious chess game without compromising anything along the way."[1] PC Games called the game extremely funny but said the playing strength is not enough for serious chess players and recommended the game for beginners and advanced players. The tutorials were said to come nowhere close to the ones in Chessmaster 3000.[3] PC Player said Chessmaster 3000 has more conservative graphics but is ahead of Battle Chess 4000 in terms of playing strength and game features.[5] Power Play (Zeitschrift) (de) said the battle animations are entertaining at first but grow old fast. Chessmaster 3000 was recommended for serious chess players, Battle Chess 4000 was suggested for casual players.[6] PC Joker said that after you've seen all the fight combinations, you're left with a below average chess program.[4]

In a comparison between 13 chess programs, Amiga Joker (de) rated Battle Chess 4000 the fifth lowest.[7] In a 1995 comparison between 11 chess programs, Computer Gaming World rated Battle Chess 4000 the sixth highest, noting that "the humor by this point in the series feels a little forced".[8]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Kee, Jay (June 1993). "Review - 4001: A Chess Odyssey". Computer Gaming World (Russell Sipe) (107): 56–57. https://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_107.pdf. 
  2. ↑ "Startup Disk". Battle Chess 4000 (Interplay Productions). https://www.mobygames.com/game/3460/battle-chess-4000/cover/group-78343/cover-312613/. "©1992 Interplay Productions". 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Borovskis, Thomas (March 1993). "Review - Battle Chess 4000" (in German). PC Games (Computec Media GmbH) (3/93): 42–43. https://archive.org/details/PC.Games.N006.1993.03-fl0n/page/n41/mode/2up. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Nettelbeck, Joachim (March 1993). "Brainstorm - Battle Chess 4000" (in German). PC Joker (Joker-Verlag) (3/93): 38. https://archive.org/details/pcjokermaerz1993images/page/n37/mode/2up. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Lenhardt, Heinrich (February 1993). "Spiele-Tests - Battle Chess 4000" (in German). PC Player (2/93): 45. https://archive.org/details/PC-Player-German-Magazine-1993-02/page/n43/mode/2up. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Steffen, Sönke (March 1993). "Computerspiele Tests - Battlechess 4000" (in German). Power Play (Markt+Technik) (3/93): 31. https://archive.org/details/powerplaymagazine-1993-03/page/n29/mode/2up. 
  7. ↑ "Knobeln & Schieben - Schach dem Computer" (in German). Amiga Joker (Joker-Verlag) (5 Sonderheft - Strategie): 68–69. 1993. https://amr.abime.net/issue_2934_pages. 
  8. ↑ Coleman, Terry Lee (November 1995). "Survey - The Game of Kings". Computer Gaming World (Ziff Davis) (136): 278–290. https://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_136.pdf. 
  • MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This lengthy approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
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