Software:DemonStar

From HandWiki
Short description: 1997 video game
DemonStar
Developer(s)Mountain King Studios
Publisher(s)Mountain King Studios
Composer(s)Robert C. Prince III
Platform(s)Windows
ReleaseJanuary 28, 1998[1]
Genre(s)Scrolling shooter
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

DemonStar is a video game developed by Mountain King Studios and published in 1998. Considered an unofficial sequel to the studio's earlier Raptor,[2] it is a top-down vertically scrolling shooter set in outer space.

Plot

An original DemonStar screenshot, 2-player mission

The player is a test pilot of a prototype starfighter, the RaptorX, launched by the Terran fleet. A space crime organization, known as the Alien Shogunate Xidus Armada, delivered a surprise attack to the Terran Fleet, destroying most of the Raptor fighters in the process. The few prototypes that were away being tested have survived. The player is tasked to battle through the Xidus Armada, destroy their ultimate weapon, codenamed the DemonStar, and conquer the Armada fleet.[3]

Gameplay

DemonStar is a shoot 'em up that features three weapons with levels of increasing power: proton lasers, ion cannons and plasma cannons, that can be side- or rear-mounted. The player may obtain additional power-ups that may be used as bombs or increase shields.[2] The game features eighteen levels, a two-player local co-operative game mode, and a unlockable level editor.[4]

Development and release

Mountain King Studios was formed by lead developer Scott Host following his departure from Apogee Software to independently develop and self-publish titles.[5] Development of DemonStar was completed by Scott Host and Kevin Blackman,[6] with music composed by Robert Prince, who provided sound effects and music for the Doom series and other Apogee Software titles.[2]

DemonStar was re-released in 2003 as DemonStar: Secret Missions. Released in two parts, Secret Missions used an enhanced version of the original engine and new music.[7] Each Secret Missions title contains eight new levels.[8]

As a shareware title, DemonStar was packaged among other software, such as the Space Arcade Collection by Greenstreet Software,[9] and Arcade Classics.[10]

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
GameSpot4.7[6]
PC Zone61%[11]
82% (Secret Missions)[8]
The Adrenaline VaultStarStarStarStar[2]
Gaming Entertainment Monthly55%[12]

DemonStar received mixed reviews upon release, with reviewers divided on the merits of the simplicity of its gameplay. Positive assessments of the game focused on the addictiveness and intensity of its arcade-style gameplay. David Laprad of The Adrenaline Vault praised the game as "one of the most intense scrolling shooters I can ever recall playing...the level design is top-notch, and betrays the experience the developers have had designing this type of game."[2] In reviewing the Secret Missions version, Stuart Campbell noted the game was a "tough, well-balanced, no-nonsense "shmup" that you can devote the odd blissful, brainless half-hour to."[8]

Many reviewers compared the game to its predecessor, Raptor, and the 1990 arcade video game Raiden. Stuart Campbell of PC Zone stated the game "follows the Raiden design template to a degree that verges on stalking."[8] Gaming Entertainment Monthly assessed that their disappointment with DemonStar was due to high expectations "based on what Raptor offered in the past".[12] Common critiques included the lack of a save feature or a points system to upgrade the player's ship, as had been the case in Raptor.[6]

Negative reviews of DemonStar focused upon the low resolution for a game released in 1998. Richie Shoemaker of PC Zone stated "the viewing window is so tiny...you shouldn't have to switch resolution to enjoy a game".[11] GameSpot acknowledged that the game was an improvement of the resolution of Raptor by running in SVGA, but stated "there's a major trade-off: DemonStar always runs in a window, even (in) the so-called "full screen" mode, which simply crops out your desktop background with metallic textures".[6]


References

  1. ↑ Jebens, Harley (January 28, 1998). "DemonStar Released". Archived from the original on June 5, 2000. https://web.archive.org/web/20000605214644/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/98_01/28_deamon/index.html. Retrieved September 19, 2022. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Laprad, David (25 February 1998). "Demonstar". http://www.avault.com:80/reviews/review_temp.asp?game=demon&page=1. 
  3. ↑ "DemonStar". PC PowerPlay (37): 12. https://archive.org/details/PCPowerplay-037-1999-06/page/n11/mode/2up?q=DemonStar. 
  4. ↑ "DemonStar". http://www.mking.com/demonstar. 
  5. ↑ Siegler, Joe (10 April 2006). "The Apogee Legacy #14 - Scott Host". https://legacy.3drealms.com/news/2006/04/the_apogee_legacy_14.html. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 "Demonstar Review". 1 May 2000. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/demonstar-review/1900-2538587/. 
  7. ↑ "DemonStar Secret Mission 1". http://www.mking.com/demonstarsm1/index.html. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Campbell, Stuart (September 2004). "DemonStar: Secret Missions". PC Zone (145): 18. https://archive.org/details/PC_Zone_145_September_2004/page/18/mode/2up. 
  9. ↑ "Space Arcade Collection - egames". PC Zone (Dennis Publishing) (90): 89. June 2000. https://archive.org/stream/PC_Zone_Issue_090_2000-06_Dennis_Publishing_GB#page/n87. 
  10. ↑ House, Michael L. (2010-10-03). "Galaxy of Arcade Classics - Overview". allgame. http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=23221&tab=overview. Retrieved 2014-02-02. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Shoemaker, Richie (April 1998). "DemonStar". PC Zone (62): 107. https://archive.org/details/PC_Zone_62_April_1998/page/107. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Demonstar". 1 April 1998. http://www.gemonthly.com/reviews/demonstar/index.htm. 
  • Official website
  • 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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