Software:Dragonseeds

From HandWiki
Dragonseeds
Developer(s)Jaleco
Publisher(s)Jaleco
Composer(s)Kenichi Arakawa, Ryo Yamazaki
Platform(s)PlayStation
Release
  • JP: August 6, 1998
  • NA: September 30, 1998
Genre(s)Tactical, raising/construction
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Dragonseeds, released in Japan as Dragon Seeds: Saishū Shinka Keitai (ドラゴンシーズ ～最終進化形態～, Doragon Shīzu ～Saishū Shinka Keitai～, lit. "Dragon Seeds: Final Evolution Form"), is a video game where the player must clone a dragon and train it to fight. The player gets to choose from five basic dragon types and two secret dragons. The game also allows the player to receive extra dragons through the saves files of certain games, if the memory card is placed at the second slot. The game also allows a two-player mode, where each player can battle each other with their own dragons.

Gameplay

The premise of the game is to raise a dragon and have it participate in battle. After acquiring high enough stats the dragons evolve into more powerful forms. There are three elemental types in the game: Fire, aqua, and storm. Fire being basic flame control, Aqua referring to water or ice abilities, and Storm refers to electrical powers. Each dragon has an element it is born with, and each species of dragon has certain limitations on how many elements it can be. The elements work in a rock, paper, scissors way of play: Fire being strong against storm, but being weak to water. Storm being strong against water, but weak to fire. Water being strong against fire, but being weak to storm. The goal of the game is to raise a dragon to compete in the Arena with the aim of being the best dragonsage in the land. The higher the rank, the tougher the competition and the more prize money involved. The player can move around the map as needed, but the entirety of the game takes place within a single city.

The game supports two-player combat as well, with two modes, regular and quick battle. Quick battle allows for pre-registered dragons to be used as opposed to having to raise the player's own and is comparable to the Battle Now mode of Pokémon Colosseum.

Battle

The battles of Dragon Seeds are fought in traditional 1 vs 1 matches, on a semi rotating screen between the player and the challenger's dragons. The battle is fought in turn-based rock, paper, scissors rotations with a timer that counts down during each player's phase of action. The player can command the dragon to either move forward, backward, use a physical or magical attack, defend, or taunt. The player must equip the dragon with a weapon and shield, called a reflector, for the dragon to be able to enter combat. In battle, there are 3 main positions in which the dragon can be in: Close, Mid, and Far range. Each dragon can be at max 2 ranges apart from their opponent. Only at close range can a dragon successfully perform a physical attack. At mid and far ranges, the dragon can perform magical attacks attuned with their element, or taunt. The player must choose correct judgment and a bit of luck to win battles successfully.

During battle, if the player anticipates defeat, they have the option to forfeit the match. Forfeiting will cause the player to lose, but will spare their dragon's life. If the dragon's HP reaches 0, it has the possibility of dying. If the player's dragon dies during a battle it will be lost permanently, however if its DNA cell it was last in is empty it might still have the DNA remnants in it and there is a chance it can be re-synthesized to the last point it was in the cell, but it loses the weapons it had.

Types

There are 6 different types of dragons: Saurian, Winged, Beetle, Crustacean, Wasp, and Natura, plus two, Spirit and Evil, which are secret and are unlocked after fulfilling special conditions. Out of these types, there are three flavors of dragon per type; called Normal, Super and Mutant, with different appearances. For example, the Saurian dragons can come in either Red or Blue coloration with slightly different spike orientation. Their evolutions are also affected by which flavor the player receives.

  • The Saurian dragons are dinosauric dragons which are bipedal and evolve into more fierce-looking versions of themselves, gaining spikes and size. Saurian dragons are able to be in all 3 of the element types.
  • The Winged Dragons are the most reminiscent of true dragons in the game. They are, as their name states, dragons with wings. They are always in the air until they die. One version of the Winged Dragon has only one eye, like a cyclops. Their evolutions are slightly bigger versions with immense wings. Some resemble birds more than reptiles. They are not limited to any elements, they can become all three.
  • The Beetle dragons are shaped nothing like mythical dragons but are described as "myriopods". They have 4-6 legs they stand on and use two to wield their weapon and reflector. Their evolutions are bigger, more armored versions of themselves. They are limited to Fire and Storm elements.
  • The Crustacean Dragons also do not look like reptilian dragons, but have the front part of a crab as their head/body including claws and their legs are composed of small legs in a circle that undulate in and out as it moves and/or stands. Their evolutions are taller and fiercer versions of themselves. Their elements are limited to Aqua.
  • The Wasp dragon is shaped like a slightly advanced bee, with a more defined separation between the thorax and abdomen. They are continuously flying and hold their weapon and reflector in two of their six legs. Their evolutions are fiercer versions of themselves. They only come in aqua and storm elements.
  • Natura dragons are a statuesque type, resembling humanoid robots with a huge oval for a torso. Some varieties have one eye. Their evolutions are bulkier versions of themselves. They only come in Storm elements, like robots.
  • Spirit dragons are often humanoid, but having heads or tails of animals. They usually have two arms and always are floating in midair.
  • Evil dragons are possibly the furthest depiction from a traditional dragon. They are usually living doors or gateways, such as wooden doors and coffins with arms. They float in midair and evolve into larger, more elaborate objects.

Synthesis and evolution

Dragons are made by DNA synthesis in a genetics lab. This is done by choosing a dragon type and then combining given phrases to specify the element/stats. Certain phrases give more power than others, or rather produce more specialized effects. They can also determine what flavor of dragon type the player receives. There are four evolutions generally, from Baby, to Adult, Senior, then Old. The dragon will cocoon itself for a small amount of time when undergoing each transformation. However, each type of dragon also has the potential to undergo a fifth evolution to become a "mutant dragon" which is uber but will die in a short while or the ultimate legendary sixth evolution to a "super dragon", which is described as a status where the dragon becomes immortal, and ceases to age. Dragons of this caliber are far from their traditional forms, mostly resembling humanoid spirits. They are encountered in the game's top tier battles. As a bonus, the game allows for memory card synthesis of dragons. If the player has another memory card inserted into the second slot with save data from certain PlayStation games (such as Tekken 3, Croc, or Crash Bandicoot 2) they can then enter a corresponding code in-game to receive a special dragon.

Story

The Story begins in an unknown world (supposedly Earth) where scientists have discovered an unknown remnant of DNA with no classification. Several years later they identify it and call it a "dragon". Soon after, an entire dragon is successfully cloned from the remnant. Dragons are mass-produced via cloning labs, and dragon sparring has become a popular sport. The player is shown a picture of Warm City, the player's new home, and has supposedly come to this city to make a name for themselves in the sport of dragon battling.

When the player starts the game, they are introduced to the battle system via a story relevant tutorial. The player receives a saurian dragon pre-equipped with a weapon and a reflector. A powerful dragonsage comes by and shows the player character his dragon and asks to spar. He doesn't take no for an answer. It is impossible to defeat this dragon and as a result the player's dragon dies. You can then go to the Cloning Lab and are able to raise as many dragons as you want. The goal of the game is to win in tournaments and get up to the highest rank to defeat the man who first defeated you. Winning in tournaments gives the player money, prestige, and access to better equipment as well. Inside this world, there is an in-game clock and calendar that changes with time passed in the various locations on the map. The day begins at 6 AM and ends at 9 PM, when the player is assumed to sleep. Shops and tourneys close at certain times of the day, so there is a limit on how much the player can accomplish in one day. Tourneys end at 3 PM, and each tourney depending on the rank challenged could take up at least 3 hours of in game time. The player can also choose to speed up time by choosing to sleep at their apartment for a number of hours or a day. There are a few major areas in the city in which the player has access to, each with a notable NPC. They include the cloning lab, an apartment for item and money storage, a weapon/shield shop, the official arena, the junk shop for discount/rare weapons, the sanctuary for capturing/releasing dragons, a training area, and an unofficial arena for battling.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
GameRankings59%[1]
Review scores
PublicationScore
AllGameStarStar[2]
EGM5.25/10[3]
Famitsu28/40[4]
Game Informer5.25/10[5]
GameProStarStarStarStar[6]
GameSpot5.6/10[7]
IGN6.9/10[8]
Next GenerationStarStar[9]

The game received "mixed" reviews according to the review aggregation website GameRankings.[1] Next Generation said that "the heart of any breeding/combat simulation is very basic, and it's the only window dressing that separates Monster Rancher from Lemonade Stand," and that the game was "little more than a minimalist polygon engine grafted on top of a series of static screens."[9] In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of 28 out of 40.[4]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Dragonseeds for PlayStation Reviews". CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 27, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190527011256/https://www.gamerankings.com/ps/197158-dragonseeds/index.html. Retrieved June 17, 2020. 
  2. ↑ House, Michael L.. "Dragonseeds - Review". All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 16, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141116084541/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=14181&tab=review. Retrieved June 17, 2020. 
  3. ↑ EGM staff (1998). "Dragonseeds". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis). 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "ドラゴンシーズ 〜最終進化形態〜 [PS"] (in Japanese). Famitsu (Enterbrain). https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=18183&redirect=no. Retrieved June 17, 2020. 
  5. ↑ McNamara, Andy; Storm, Jon; Reiner, Andrew (December 1998). "Dragonseeds". Game Informer (FuncoLand) (68). Archived from the original on September 12, 1999. https://web.archive.org/web/19990912065726/http://www.gameinformer.com/cgi-bin/review.cgi?sys=psx&path=dec98&doc=dragon. Retrieved June 17, 2020. 
  6. ↑ Dr. Zombie (December 1998). "Dragonseeds". GamePro (IDG Entertainment) (113): 198. https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_113_December_1998/page/n201/mode/2up. Retrieved June 17, 2020. 
  7. ↑ Mielke, James (November 3, 1998). "Dragonseeds Review [date mislabeled as "April 28, 2000""]. CBS Interactive. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/dragonseeds-review/1900-2547344/. Retrieved June 17, 2020. 
  8. ↑ Harris, Craig (October 6, 1998). "Dragon Seeds". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/1998/10/07/dragon-seeds. Retrieved June 17, 2020. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Dragonseeds". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (48): 128. December 1998. https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_48/page/n129/mode/2up. Retrieved June 17, 2020. 
  • 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. 
  • No URL found. Please specify a URL here or add one to Wikidata.

Template:Atari




Retrieved from "https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Software:Dragonseeds&oldid=667969"