Software:Pax Imperia: Eminent Domain

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Pax Imperia: Eminent Domain
Developer(s)Heliotrope Studios
Publisher(s)Atari, THQ
Platform(s)Windows, Apple Macintosh
ReleaseWindows
Macintosh
Genre(s)4X, RTS
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Pax Imperia: Eminent Domain is a real-time strategy video game. The game emphasizes empire building and customization. Pax Imperia is a Latin term, meaning "peace from empire". It is the sequel to the 1992 video game Pax Imperia.

Gameplay

Instead of using a single large map as do most real-time strategy games, the game revolves around star systems connected by wormholes or jump points, which connect a system of star systems in a large web. The game allows the player to customise the species that they are to play to a high degree. Players can focus on construction, reproduction, research, espionage, or the acquisition of money. Players can select special qualities, such as having psychic powers or an aquatic physiology, and can tailor their species to be better at peaceful colonisation or conquest. Finally, the player can customise a galaxy size and characteristics, customise a race of species and customise a ship of original design.

Different planets have different types of atmosphere, so that certain species can more easily colonise some than others, and each planet has different quantities of natural resources, similar to the Space Empires series of games.

Unlike the Master of Orion series of games, Pax Imperia: Eminent Domain is not a turn based strategy game, but is instead real time. The game speed can be adjusted during the game, to speed up moments and slow down important parts in which a lot of interaction is needed.

Development

In 1995, Blizzard Entertainment, in association with Changeling Software, announced the development of the sequel to Pax Imperia, Pax Imperia 2, for release upon both the Macintosh and PC platforms for Christmas 1995.[citation needed] The release date was later pushed back to March 1996.[2]

In August 1996, Blizzard Entertainment announced the sale of the game rights to THQ, and Heliotrope Studios continued to finish its development.[3] Discussing the decision to cancel Blizzard's involvement with the project, Blizzard's Allen Adham said in 1996:

"Since we're a small company, we don't have the resources to generate a dozen titles a year, and because of that, we're not prepared to release a title that's not an A+ title[. ...] We spent a lot of time going over Pax Imperia II, and even though it's a cool concept and has lots of potential, we just didn't feel it was progressing as well or as quickly as we'd hoped."[4]

In 1997, Pax Imperia 2 was released under the name of Pax Imperia: Eminent Domain, exclusively on the PC and Macintosh platforms.[5]

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
MacintoshPC
AllGameStarHalf star[6]StarStarStarHalf star[7]
CGSPN/AStarStarHalf star[8]
CGWN/AStarStarHalf star[9]
EdgeN/A6/10[10]
Game InformerN/A7.75/10[11]
GameSpotN/A6.5/10[12]
Next GenerationN/AStarStar[15]
PC Gamer (US)N/A60%[16]

The game received mixed reviews. Next Generation said, "The original Pax Imperia offered complexity and elegance, but this one is too arbitrary and confusing."[15] In a negative review, Macworld's Michael Gowan wrote, "This space-age strategy game tries to turn a slow-moving genre into a real-time experience, but lackluster graphics and long waits cause it to fall flat."[17]

References

  1. ↑ PC Gamer staff (November 3, 1997). "Now Shipping". Imagine Media. http://www.pcgamer.com/news/news-1997-11-03.html. 
  2. ↑ "NG Alphas: Pax Imperia 2". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (15): 55. March 1996. https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_15/page/n57/mode/2up. Retrieved October 26, 2021. 
  3. ↑ Smith, Peter (August 7, 1996). "Pax 2 finds new home". Strategy Plus, Inc.. http://www.cdmag.com/news/0807961.html. 
  4. ↑ Vaughn, Todd (October 1996). "The Craft of War!". PC Gamer (Imagine Media) 3 (10): 114–16, 119–20, 122, 124. 
  5. ↑ "Pax Imperia 2" (in fr). http://www.judgehype.com/index.php?page=hype17. 
  6. ↑ Savignano, Lisa Karen. "Pax Imperia: Eminent Domain (Mac) - Review". All Media Network. http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=13951&tab=review. 
  7. ↑ House, Michael L.. "Pax Imperia: Eminent Domain (PC) - Review". All Media Network. http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=6644&tab=review. 
  8. ↑ Johnson, Lee (1997). "Pax Imperia: Eminent Domain". Strategy Plus, Inc.. http://www.cdmag.com/articles/009/084/pax_imperia_review.html. 
  9. ↑ Carter, Tim (February 1998). "Pax Nausea (Pax Imperia: Eminent Domain Review)". Computer Gaming World (Ziff Davis) (163): 221. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_163.pdf. Retrieved October 26, 2021. 
  10. ↑ Edge staff (January 1998). "Pax Imperia [Eminent Domain (PC)"]. Edge (Future Publishing) (54): 97. https://retrocdn.net/images/f/f9/Edge_UK_054.pdf. Retrieved October 26, 2021. 
  11. ↑ "Pax Imperia: Eminent Domain (PC)". Game Informer (FuncoLand) (55): 77. November 1997. 
  12. ↑ Kasavin, Greg (December 3, 1997). "Pax Imperia: Eminent Domain Review (PC) [date mislabeled as "May 2, 2000""]. Red Ventures. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/pax-imperia-eminent-domain-review/1900-2545803/. 
  13. ↑ Love, Scott (July 1998). "Pax Imperia: Eminent Domain". MacADDICT (Imagine Media) (23): 62. https://archive.org/details/MacAddict-023-199807/page/n63/mode/2up. Retrieved October 26, 2021. 
  14. ↑ Madar, Daniel (June 1998). "Pax Imperia: Eminent Domain". Macworld (IDG Entertainment): 58. https://archive.org/details/MacWorld_9806_June_1998/page/n53/mode/2up. Retrieved October 26, 2021. 
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Pax Imperia: Eminent Domain (PC)". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (37): 160. January 1998. https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_37/page/n161/mode/2up. Retrieved October 26, 2021. 
  16. ↑ "Pax Imperia: Eminent Domain". PC Gamer (Imagine Media) 5 (2). February 1998. 
  17. ↑ Gowan, Michael (February 1999). "Name Your Game; From Goofy to Gory, Macworld Reviews 48 Ways to Play". Macworld. Archived from the original on August 10, 2001. https://web.archive.org/web/20010810062339/http://www.macworld.com/1999/02/games/games.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 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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