Software:Deuteros

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Short description: 1991 video game
Deuteros
Developer(s)Activision
Publisher(s)Activision
Designer(s)Ian Bird
Platform(s)Amiga and Atari ST
Release1991
Genre(s)Strategy
Mode(s)Single player

Deuteros: The Next Millennium is the sequel to the sci-fi strategy video game Millennium 2.2, published by Activision for the Amiga and Atari ST. Ian Bird designed and wrote the game, with graphics by Jai Redman and music by Matt Bates.

Overview

While the game shares themes of space exploration and resource gathering - plus some elements of its interface - with its predecessor, the two are different in gameplay.

The object of Deuteros is to mine and manage resources, explore the Solar System and beyond. For this, 3 categories of civilians are trained: Producers, Researchers and Marines, out of a pool of 6000 population. The longer these teams are used, they are advanced in three levels, required for some later action (some inventions can be manufactured only by a producer who is at "Expert" level while Pilots with the rank of "Admiral" will be more effective in battles).

New bases built on other planets must be staffed with new teams of Producers in order to construct the shuttles and derricks needed for supply. Some of these events are "milestones" which will trigger new technology to be researched by the scientists.

The player has to take care mostly of the transaction between the planets and the factories and distribute their supply with shuttles and long-range spacecraft. New technology (such as automation computers or teleport) will replace some of the player's involvement, as the player must later concentrate on war.

Scenario

The game is set some 800 years after Millennium, in a time when mankind has won the struggle to make the Earth habitable again but lost its spacefaring capabilities, when the Martians, moments before they were defeated in Mars, hid a small robotic fleet just when Earth was re-settled, and destroying the Moon Base moments before humans returned to Earth as a final deed of vengeance. Eight centuries later, the humans attempt to reach space travel again and rediscover old secrets.

Initially the player has Earth resources with which they can build ships and orbital factories. The first factory will give the player the technology to make IOSs (interplanetary operations spacecraft) which they can build orbital factories over selected planets and moons of the Solar System. First the player can use the IOS to extract material from asteroids not found on Earth (such as silver, platinum etc.), and later build bases on the selected planets with the orbital factories so that exotic material is steadily produced.

In the process the player will meet the Methanoids, colonists from the first game who declared independence when Earth was re-settled. Now they dominate Trans-Neptunian space and act secretively, only allowing the player to swap mined goods for materials they need.

War

Once the player builds a sixth orbital factory (or gets the methanoid laser from trading a lot with the methanoids), the Methanoids will declare war, and in the process the player will have to research and manufacture battle drones and also copy the self-destruct mechanism of the enemies. A teleport system (for inanimate objects) will be discovered that will eliminate the need for supply IOSs.

Once the player conquers all of the solar system, they will discover some alien messages and a blueprint for faster-than-light travel. New technology will allow the player to construct SCGs (star-class galleons) and travel to Proxima Centauri, the first of the seven star systems that have to be conquered. In the process the technology "Hyperspace travel" will be acquired.

Winning requires conquering 8 systems and collecting of 8 parts of a mysterious machine scattered by Methanoids.

Upon winning, the game ends with a mini video clip that shows three picture-slots with icons and pictures of in-game objects changing every 3 seconds accompanied by the main music of the game.

Critical reception

Deuteros was critically well received. Amiga Format awarded 95%, Amiga Power gave 89%, CU Amiga gave 70% and Zero awarded 92%.[1]

Remakes

A PC remake exists in the beta stage of development.[2]

References

  1. ↑ "Amiga Reviews: Deuteros". http://amigareviews.classicgaming.gamespy.com/deuteros.htm. 
  2. ↑ "Deuteros - Deuteros". http://bartfernhout.magix.net/public/deuteros.html/. 
  • 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 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]

On February 13, 2025, Freyholtz stepped down as the site lead to move onto new projects, leaving operations to Tracy Poff, a veteran coder on the site, and Atari staff.[18]

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. 
  18. ↑ "An update on MobyGames leadership". 2025-02-13. https://www.mobygames.com/forum/3/thread/269628/an-update-on-mobygames-leadership/#post-269628. 
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