Software:RoboSport

From HandWiki
RoboSport
Developer(s)Maxis
Publisher(s)Maxis
Designer(s)Edward Kilham
Platform(s)Windows, Macintosh, Amiga
Release1991
Genre(s)Turn-based tactics
Mode(s)Multi-player

RoboSport is a 1991 turn-based tactics computer game. It was created by Edward Kilham and developed and published by Maxis.[1][2]

Splash screen

The player creates teams of robots and maneuvers them around a board to map out one "turn" of movement. The other players and AI do the same and then all movement is played out simultaneously. The robots are equipped with different weapons, including rifles, grenade launchers, and so on. The game supports multiple modes such as capture the flag and a "hostage" game.

Maxis developed this game for DOS, Macintosh and Windows 3.x. In 1992, it was converted by The Dreamers Guild and released for the Amiga.[3]

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
CGWStarStar[4]
DragonStarStarStarStarStar[5]

The game was reviewed in 1991 in Dragon #172 by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser in "The Role of Computers" column. The reviewers gave the game 5 out of 5 stars.[5] Computer Gaming World praised the Windows version of RoboSport for its excellent user interface, ease of programming, and quick play. The magazine concluded that it was "at least three excellent games crammed into one nearly seamless sport".[6] A later article reported that the game depicted small arms and combined arms tactics better "than many computer wargames dedicated to the subject".[7] A 1994 survey in the magazine of strategic space games set in the year 2000 and later gave the game three-plus stars out of five.[4] Alfred Giovetti, writing for Compute!, praised the game for the flexibility of programming computer robots that would then fight providing an interesting outcome.[8]

Reviews

  • Amiga Format (Nov, 1992)[9]
  • CU Amiga (Feb, 1993)[10]
  • Australian Commodore and Amiga Review (Jan, 1993)[11]
  • The One Amiga (Jan, 1993)[12]
  • ASM (Aktueller Software Markt) (Aug, 1992)[13]
  • Amiga Power (Jan, 1993)[14]
  • Amiga Joker (Dec, 1992)[15]
  • Amiga Magazine (May, 1993)[16]

References

  1. ↑ Playing at War, Once Removed by L.R. Shannon - New York Times article (Aug 11, 1992)
  2. ↑ RoboSport for Windows by Alfred C. Giovetti - Compute! (Feb 1993)
  3. ↑ Robosport reviews at Moby Games
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Brooks, M. Evan (May 1994). "Never Trust A Gazfluvian Flingschnogger!". Computer Gaming World: 42–58. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1994&pub=2&id=118. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Lesser, Hartley; Lesser, Patricia; Lesser, Kirk (August 1991). "The Role of Computers". Dragon (172): 55–64. 
  6. ↑ Cooper, Jim (December 1992). "Maxis' RoboSport for Windows". Computer Gaming World: pp. 96. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1992&pub=2&id=101. Retrieved 5 July 2014. 
  7. ↑ Cirulis, Martin E. (February 1993). "A Replay of Maxis' RoboSport". Computer Gaming World: pp. 84. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1993&pub=2&id=103. Retrieved 6 July 2014. 
  8. ↑ RoboSport for Windows by Alfred C. Giovetti - Compute! (Feb 1993)
  9. ↑ "Amiga Reviews: Robosport". https://amigareviews.leveluphost.com/robospor.htm#robosportaf. 
  10. ↑ "CU Amiga Magazine Issue 036". February 1993. https://archive.org/details/cuamiga-magazine-036/page/n57/mode/2up. 
  11. ↑ "Robosport review from ACAR Vol 10 No 1 (Jan 1993) - Amiga Magazine Rack". http://amr.abime.net/review_4701. 
  12. ↑ "Robosport review from the One Amiga 52 (Jan 1993) - Amiga Magazine Rack". http://amr.abime.net/review_9112. 
  13. ↑ http://www.kultboy.com/index.php?site=t&id=4554 [bare URL]
  14. ↑ "Robosport review from Amiga Power 21 (Jan 1993) - Amiga Magazine Rack". http://amr.abime.net/review_693. 
  15. ↑ "Amiga reviews: Robosport". http://amigareviews.classicgaming.gamespy.com/robospor.htm. 
  16. ↑ "RoboSport review from Amiga Magazine 21 (May - Jun 1993) - Amiga Magazine Rack". http://amr.abime.net/review_41649. 
  • 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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