Software:Disciples: Sacred Lands

From HandWiki
Short description: 1999 video game
Disciples: Sacred Lands
Developer(s)Strategy First
Publisher(s)GT Interactive
Director(s)Stéphane Rainville
Producer(s)Prokopios Sotos
Designer(s)Danny Bélanger
Programmer(s)Dominic Mathieu
Artist(s)Benoit Carrière
Composer(s)Sébastien Thifault
Platform(s)Windows
Release
  • NA: September 30, 1999[1]
Genre(s)Turn-based strategy
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Disciples: Sacred Lands is a turn-based strategy game published by Strategy First in 1999. Set in a fantasy world known as the Sacred Lands, it depicts a battle for dominance between the races of the world of Nevendaar. In 2001, an expanded version of the game was released titled Disciples: Sacred Lands - Gold Edition, which added 25 new scenarios.

Gameplay

The gameplay is similar to other turn-based strategy games of the era, such as Heroes of Might and Magic and Warlords, and consists of three major components: The capital city, where the player recruits units, constructs buildings, and researches spells; the adventure map, where the player leads heroes and their parties to explore the land; and the battle screen, where battles are fought whenever hostile parties meet on the adventure map.[2][3]

The player can choose one of four different races — the Empire (humans), the Mountain Clans (dwarves), the Legions of the Damned (demons), and the Undead Hordes (undead) — each of which has a different play style and a unique story campaign. The player also selects from three overlord professions with unique skills and abilities. Each race has unique army units to recruit, and the units can be upgraded by constructing buildings at the player's capital city and gaining experience points from battling foes or wandering monster parties.[2][4]

Combat is turn-based, with individual units' speed stat determining what order they will act in. While on the adventure map, the player can move units around and assign them to either the front row or the back row, although while in combat the units cannot be moved. Each unit has a different style of attacking. Some units have a melee attack that targets a single enemy unit in the front row, some units have a ranged attack that targets a single enemy unit anywhere, and some units attack with magic spells that targets all enemy units at once.[4][5][6]

The game can be played in single-player, hotseat multi-player on the same computer, or online multi-player modes.[6]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
GameRankings82%[7]
Review scores
PublicationScore
CGSP3.5/5[3]
CGW1.5/5[9]
GamePro4/5[4]
GameSpot8.3/10[5]
GameZone5.2/10[6]
IGN8.5/10[2]
Jeuxvideo.com13/20[11]
PC Gamer (US)89%[12]

The game received "favorable" reviews according to the review aggregation website GameRankings,[7] and Computer Games Magazine said it received "mostly positive reviews" upon release.[13] However, publisher Strategy First was disappointed with its initial performance, prompting them to release a special "gold edition" of the game in 2001.[14]

GameSpot's associate editor Andrew Park called the game "the most pleasant surprise of 1999." He stated he was initially unimpressed with the game, regarding it as a "watered-down clone" of Heroes of Might and Magic III, and was particularly critical of its "washed out" colors and "tiny sprites." But upon playing a session of the game, he reversed his opinion of it, now praising its "exquisite hand-painted portraits" and "subdued colors" as well as the sound quality of the voice clips.[15]

GameSpot awarded the game "Best Game No One Played" at their Best & Worst of 1999 Awards,[16] and nominated it for the "Best Graphics, Artistic Design" award, although it lost to Software:Rayman 2: The Great Escape.[17]

Sequels

Three sequels have been released: Software:Disciples II: Dark Prophecy in 2002, Software:Disciples III: Renaissance in 2009, and Disciples: Liberation in 2021. A fourth sequel, titled Disciples: Domination, is scheduled to be released in 2026.[18]

References

  1. ↑ Fudge, James (September 30, 1999). "Disciples: Sacred Lands Hits Retail". Strategy Plus, Inc.. Archived from the original on May 24, 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20030524194039/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/023/047/disciples.html. Retrieved July 8, 2022. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Ward, Trent C. (October 18, 1999). "Disciples: Sacred Lands". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/10/19/disciples-sacred-lands. Retrieved July 22, 2017. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Rickmann, Merrie (September 15, 1999). "Disciples: Sacred Lands". Strategy Plus, Inc.. Archived from the original on May 12, 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20030512051004/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/022/175/disciples_review.html. Retrieved July 8, 2022. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Brenesal, Barry (October 7, 1999). "Disciples: Sacred Lands Review for PC on GamePro.com". GamePro (IDG Entertainment). Archived from the original on June 24, 2004. https://web.archive.org/web/20040624210736/http://www.gamepro.com/computer/pc/games/reviews/2327.shtml. Retrieved July 22, 2017. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Park, Andrew Seyoon (September 28, 1999). "Disciples: Sacred Lands Review". Red Ventures. Archived from the original on December 29, 2004. https://web.archive.org/web/20041229221448/http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/disciplessacredlands/review.html. Retrieved July 8, 2022. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Lupos (September 19, 1999). "Disciples: Sacred Lands Review". Archived from the original on January 14, 2004. https://web.archive.org/web/20040114113310/http://www.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r13266.htm. Retrieved July 22, 2017. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Disciples: Sacred Lands for PC". CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 30, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190530130916/https://www.gamerankings.com/pc/197131-disciples-sacred-lands/index.html. Retrieved July 8, 2022. 
  8. ↑ Conley, Eric (October 5, 1999). "Disciples: Sacred Lands". CNET. Archived from the original on August 16, 2000. https://web.archive.org/web/20000816171017/http://gamecenter.com/Reviews/Item/0,6,0-3222,00.html. Retrieved July 8, 2022. 
  9. ↑ Green, Jeff (December 1999). "Disciples: Sacred Lands". Computer Gaming World (Ziff Davis) (185): 158. https://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_185.pdf. Retrieved July 22, 2017. 
  10. ↑ Grant, Jules (October 25, 1999). "Disciples: Sacred Lands". Greedy Productions Inc.. Archived from the original on April 30, 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20030430233815/http://www.elecplay.com/review.html?article=1465&full=1#mr_toppy. Retrieved July 8, 2022. 
  11. ↑ pilou (January 22, 2002). "Test: Disciples : Sacred Lands" (in fr). Webedia. Archived from the original on September 18, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200918135412/https://www.jeuxvideo.com/articles/0000/00001872_test.htm. Retrieved July 8, 2022. 
  12. ↑ Trotter, William R. (December 1999). "Disciples [Sacred Lands"]. PC Gamer (Imagine Media) 6 (12). Archived from the original on March 15, 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20060315131454/http://www.pcgamer.com/archives/2005/07/disciples.html. Retrieved July 22, 2017. 
  13. ↑ Yans, Cindy (February 2002). "Reborn and Polished – The Maturation of Disciples: Dark Prophecy". Computer Games Magazine (theGlobe.com): 47-48. 
  14. ↑ Asher, Mark (June 2001). "GameSpin #14 -- Strategy First (Page 2)". IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on February 15, 2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20050215042222/http://archive.gamespy.com/gamespin/june01/gamespin14/index2.shtm. Retrieved July 8, 2022. 
  15. ↑ Park, Andrew (1999). "GameSpot Question of the Week: What was the most surprisingly good game of 1999?". Gamespot. Ziff Davis. http://www.gamespot.com/features/question/122099/p7.html. 
  16. ↑ GameSpot staff (2000). "The Best & Worst of 1999 (Best Game No One Played)". Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on August 23, 2000. https://web.archive.org/web/20000823200046/http://www.gamespot.com/features/1999/p2_08.html. Retrieved July 8, 2022. 
  17. ↑ GameSpot staff (2000). "The Best & Worst of 1999 (Best Graphics, Artistic Design)". Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on August 23, 2000. https://web.archive.org/web/20000823200006/http://www.gamespot.com/features/1999/p2_05.html. Retrieved July 8, 2022. 
  18. ↑ Romano, Sal (August 7, 2025). "Dark fantasy strategy RPG Disciples: Domination announced for PS5, Xbox Series, and PC". Gematsu. https://www.gematsu.com/2025/08/dark-fantasy-strategy-rpg-disciples-domination-announced-for-ps5-xbox-series-and-pc. 
  • Short description: Video game database
MobyGames
Logo since March 2014
Screenshot
Frontpage as of April 2012
Type of site
Gaming
Available inEnglish
OwnerAtari SA
Websitemobygames.com
CommercialYes
RegistrationOptional
LaunchedJanuary 30, 1999; 26 years ago (1999-01-30)
Current statusOnline

MobyGames is a commercial website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes nearly 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] The site is supported by banner ads and a small number of people paying to become patrons.[2] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It is currently owned by Atari SA.

Content

The database began with games for IBM PC compatibles. After two years, consoles such as the PlayStation, were added. Older console systems were added later. Support for arcade video games was added in January 2014 and mainframe computer games in June 2017.[3]

Edits and submissions go through a leisurely verification process by volunteer "approvers". The approval process can range from immediate (minutes) to gradual (days or months).[4] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copyediting.[5]

Registered users can rate and review any video game. 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 subforum.

History

Logo used until March 11, 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999 by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, then joined by David Berk 18 months later, three friends since high school.[6] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience.

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[7] This was announced to the community post factum and a few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.

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).[8] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel.[9]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[10] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[11][12]

See also

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

References

  1. ↑ "MobyGames Stats". https://www.mobygames.com/moby_stats. 
  2. ↑ "MobyGames Patrons". http://www.mobygames.com/info/patrons. 
  3. ↑ "New(ish!) on MobyGames – the Mainframe platform.". Blue Flame Labs. 18 June 2017. http://www.mobygames.com/forums/dga,2/dgb,3/dgm,237200/. 
  4. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  5. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/32856/Report_MobyGames_Acquired_By_GameFly_Media.php. 
  8. ↑ 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. 
  9. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/207882/Game_dev_database_MobyGames_getting_some_TLC_under_new_owner.php. 
  10. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  11. ↑ "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/. 
  12. ↑ "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/. 



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