Software:Chess Wars

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Short description: 1996 video game
Chess Wars: A Medieval Fantasy
Cover Art
Developer(s)Art Data Interactive, Inc.
Digital Arena Software
Publisher(s)WizardWorks
Producer(s)Carl Hartman
Programmer(s)Alex Wells
Platform(s)DOS
Release9 December 1996
Genre(s)Chess
Mode(s)Single player, Multiplayer

Chess Wars (fully titled as Chess Wars: A Medieval Fantasy) is a 1996 computer chess game released for DOS by WizardWorks and developed by Art Data Interactive and Digital Arena Software. It is the last game to be released by Art Data Interactive.

Gameplay

Chess Wars is a 3D computer chess game that animates the movement of the pieces in a manner similar to Battle Chess. The game is notable for displaying full-motion video sequences when a piece is taken. Pieces on the board correspond to 'character pieces' representing actors for each piece on the chess board. The full-motion video sequences follow a loose story of two opposing kingdoms meeting on the battlefield.[1]

The chess engine of Chess Wars contains several features, including strength settings, an enhanced move history and a 'guess move' mode, with a reported chess rating score of 2100 for 'Master' difficulty and 1000 for 'Beginner' difficulty on a standard computer.[2] The game includes data from 60,000 masters' games and 4,000 opening variations as a reference for players.[1]

Development

Full-motion video sequences were written and directed by screenwriter Paul W. Cooper in his first and only directorial role.[3] Filming was supported with a cast of eighteen, plus six stuntmen, three camera units and over a hundred extras.[4] Overall, the game features 60 minutes of full-motion video footage.[1]

Art Data Interactive reportedly commissioned the footage before development of the software, which led to considerable delays.[5] Alex Wells of Digital Arena Software was contracted to complete the code and programming for the DOS version of the game.

Chess Wars was announced by Art Data Interactive in 1995, originally intended for release on the 3DO in November 1995.[6] Due to constraints with development, the game was ultimately released only for DOS.

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
CGSPStarStarHalf star[7]
PC PowerPlay70%[8]

Reviews

Reviews for Chess Wars were mixed. Chuck Klimushyn of Computer Games Strategy Plus stated "as a chess program, the game is adequate, but just barely", although found the full-motion video sequences "entertaining" and "varied enough to keep me from toggling them off.[7] David Wildgoose of PC PowerPlay critiqued the sequences as "hideously embarrassing", recommending that players "disable the appalling FMV sequences", although praising the tutorial, graphics, and difficulty levels.[8]

Legacy

The complex and costly production of Chess Wars was a contributing factor in the closure of Art Data Interactive in 1996-97.[5] 3DO Magazine reported that Art Data Interactive "burnt up around half a million dollars" in producing the full-motion video sequences.[4]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Chess Wars: Special Features". http://artdata.com/products/chesswars/cwars.html. 
  2. ↑ "Chess Wars Strength". http://www.artdata.com/products/chesswars/engine.html. 
  3. ↑ "Chess Wars". https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0165146/. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "New at the CES: Art Data Interactive". 3DO Magazine (2): 16. February 1995. https://archive.org/details/3-do-02/page/8. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Cassidy (29 December 2021). "DOOM (3DO)". https://www.badgamehalloffame.com/doom-3do/. 
  6. ↑ "Art Data Interactive Announces Two New Releases". 3DO Magazine (3): 11–12. October 1995. https://archive.org/details/3-3DO-Magazine-1995-10. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Klimushyn, Chuck (June 1997). "Chess Wars". Computer Games Strategy Plus (79): 82. https://archive.org/details/computer-games-strategy-plus-june-1997/page/n81. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Wildgoose, David (August 1997). "Chess Wars". PC PowerPlay (15): 68. https://archive.org/details/PCPowerplay-015-1997-08. 
  • 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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