Software:Tachyon: The Fringe

From HandWiki
Short description: 2000 video game
Tachyon: The Fringe
Developer(s)NovaLogic
Publisher(s)NovaLogic
Producer(s)Michael S. Maza
Designer(s)Randy Casey
Programmer(s)Randy Casey
Artist(s)Keith Rust
Timothy Higgins
Writer(s)Lukas Mandrake
David Merrick
Kevin R. O'Hara
Jason Ryan
Composer(s)Tom Hays
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows
Release
  • EU: March 30, 2000
  • NA: April 20, 2000[1]
Genre(s)Space combat simulation
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Tachyon: The Fringe is a Space combat simulation video game developed and published in 2000 by Novalogic. It features the voice acting of Bruce Campbell as main character Jake Logan in a 3-D space simulator. Tachyon was developed by Randy Casey, who had previously written two other titles for Novalogic: F-22 Lightning II and F-22 Raptor.

Story

The story of Tachyon: The Fringe is set in the 26th century, where mankind has left Earth to colonize the far reaches of space, and has many characteristics of a space opera. The Sol system is a place of relative peace, which is kept by the police force called Star Patrol. Out on the Fringe, where Star Patrol has little presence, megacorporations, pirate clans and colonist groups clash, frequently violently.

The player takes the role of Jake Logan, a mercenary fighter pilot working comfortably in the Sol system. Early in the campaign you are framed for the terrorist bombing of a starbase and are exiled to the Fringe, barred forever from your home. The primary conflict in the Fringe is between the Galactic Spanning (GalSpan) corporation and a group of anti-sol spacer colonists, the Bora - for mining rights, space stations, and territorial control of the Fringe, and they each offer Logan a new start. The Bora want to preserve their independence in the Fringe, particularly their Bora sector, threatening GalSpan's profits in the region.

If the player sides with the Bora, they fight to stymy the "Spanners" attempts to demoralise and displace the Bora, and sabotage GalSpan operations. After many setbacks, Jake overcomes overwhelming odds to destroy the massive new Hephaestus mining station live in front of the Tachyon News Service, humiliating GalSpan and tanking their share price, forcing them to shut down their operations in the fringe and leave the Bora alone.

GalSpan meanwhile offers the chance to work for them, defending GalSpan interests and destroying Bora "terrorists". After many successes GalSpan completes their new Hephaestus station, causing the Bora to launch an all-out assault, which Jake defeats. Jake then escorts the defecting Bora leader to the GalSpan side, who urges the Bora to abandon their homes in the face of the unstoppable GalSpan to resettle further out in the frontier.

Gameplay

Cockpit view

Tachyon: The Fringe is a first-person space combat simulator. Among several features, (such as power and shield management), the game implements "sliding", where the player can maintain a constant velocity while having free control over the orientation of their spacecraft. This is intended to provide an ease-of-motion where the player can strafe, fly backwards and otherwise maintain a higher level of control over their spacecraft.

Missions

In story mode, the player chooses missions from the Job Board. Some missions are offered by neutral parties and do not drive the main storyline (though they do occasionally affect the TNS News bulletins). Eventually, the story will reach a point where it becomes necessary for the player to ally with either the Bora Colonies or the Galactic Spanning Corporation. The Bora missions are usually higher in difficulty and less rewarding monetarily. GalSpan pays well and often has missions in tandem with other pilots, but is more morally grey. Since the two factions offer different fighters and different weapons, they encourage different play styles, as well as different storylines.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
GameRankings78%[2]
Review scores
PublicationScore
CGSPStarStarStarStar[4]
CGWStarStarStar[5]
Eurogamer7/10[7]
GameRevolutionC[8]
GameSpot7.5/10[9]
GameSpy85%[10]
IGN8.4/10[11]
Next GenerationStarStarStar[12]
PC Gamer (US)82%[13]

The game received favorable reviews according to the review aggregation website GameRankings.[2] Kevin Rice of NextGen called it "a solid space-simulation game; it just doesn't offer much in the way of anything new."[12] Nash Werner of GamePro said, "Even with a Hollywood name on the box to draw attention, Tachyon is still more like a treat for the hardcore space flight-sim fan. I'm talking about the type of fan that has the need to fly brand new ships every six months. Those people will love Tachyon. Its entertaining multiplayer mode over NovaWorld is reason enough to get fanboys everywhere salivating. However, casual gamers and tourists may not be able to appreciate Tachyon for what it really is: a very entertaining Privateer clone."[14][lower-alpha 1]

According to Mark Asher of CNET Gamecenter, the game was a commercial flop, with sales of 20,385 units and revenues of $778,095 in the U.S. by July 2000. He cited this performance as part of a trend of falling sales for space flight simulators and the wider flight simulator genre.[15]

The staff of Computer Games Strategy Plus nominated the game for their 2000 "Sci-Fi Simulation of the Year" award, whose winner remains unknown.[16]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ GamePro gave the game two 4/5 scores for graphics and fun factor, and two 3.5/5 scores for sound and control.

References

  1. ↑ IGN staff (April 20, 2000). "News Briefs". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/04/21/news-briefs-477. "Tachyon In Stores: Rush to the stores and grab this one up, cause [sic] it's there just waiting for you to pick it up." 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Tachyon: The Fringe for PC". CBS Interactive. https://www.gamerankings.com/pc/250555-tachyon-the-fringe/index.html. 
  3. ↑ McDonald, Thomas (May 4, 2000). "Tachyon: The Fringe". CNET. http://www.gamecenter.com/Reviews/Item/0,6,0-4084,00.html. 
  4. ↑ McElveen, Nick (May 26, 2000). "Tachyon: The Fringe". Strategy Plus, Inc.. http://www.cdmag.com/articles/028/040/tachyon_review.html. 
  5. ↑ Berg, Gordon (August 2000). "Aspiring, but not Inspired (Tachyon: The Fringe Review)". Computer Gaming World (Ziff Davis) (193): 102. https://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_193.pdf. Retrieved April 21, 2024. 
  6. ↑ Harris, Neil (June 19, 2000). "Tachyon: The Fringe". Greedy Productions Ltd.. http://www.elecplay.com/review.html?article=2618&full=1#mr_toppy. 
  7. ↑ Ellis, Keith "DNM" (June 13, 2000). "Tachyon: The Fringe". Gamer Network. https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/tachyon. 
  8. ↑ Johnny B. (May 2000). "Tachyon: The Fringe Review". CraveOnline. https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/32840-tachyon-the-fringe-review. 
  9. ↑ Kasavin, Greg (May 5, 2000). "Tachyon: The Fringe Review [date mislabeled as "May 8, 2000""]. Fandom. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/tachyon-the-fringe-review/1900-2565291/. 
  10. ↑ Hart, Rico (May 25, 2000). "Tachyon: The Fringe". IGN Entertainment. http://www.gamespy.com/legacy/reviews/tachyon_a.shtm. 
  11. ↑ Ward, Trent C. (May 5, 2000). "Tachyon: The Fringe". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/05/06/tachyon-the-fringe. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Rice, Kevin (August 2000). "Tachyon: The Fringe". NextGen (Imagine Media) (68): 96. https://archive.org/details/NextGen68Aug2000/page/n97/mode/2up. Retrieved April 22, 2021. 
  13. ↑ Kuo, Li C. (August 2000). "Tachyon: The Fringe". PC Gamer (Imagine Media) 7 (8). http://www.pcgamer.com/archives/2005/06/tachyon_the_fri.html. Retrieved April 22, 2021. 
  14. ↑ Werner, Nash (June 20, 2000). "Tachyon: The Fringe Review for PC on GamePro.com". GamePro (IDG). http://www.gamepro.com/computer/pc/games/reviews/5915.shtml. Retrieved April 22, 2021. 
  15. ↑ Asher, Mark (July 14, 2000). "Game Spin: Crunching Diablo II Numbers". CNET. http://www.gamecenter.com/News/Item/0,3,0-4466,00.html. 
  16. ↑ CGSP staff (February 8, 2001). "Computer Games Magazine announces nominees for annual best in computer gaming awards". Strategy Plus, Inc.. http://www.cdmag.com/articles/031/125/010208-07.html. 
  • Official website
  • 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



Template:NovaLogic



Retrieved from "https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Software:Tachyon:_The_Fringe&oldid=3960649"