Software:The Magic Candle

From HandWiki
Short description: 1989 video game
The Magic Candle
Developer(s)Mindcraft
Publisher(s)Mindcraft
Platform(s)Apple II, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, PC-98
Release1989
Genre(s)Role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player

The Magic Candle: Volume 1 is a role-playing video game designed by Ali Atabek and developed and published by Mindcraft in 1989.[1]

Plot

Players must assemble a group of six adventurers and journey across the kingdom of Deruvia to keep the demon Dreax imprisoned in the eponymous magic candle, which has begun to melt. The game's world includes several towns and cities, two castles, and several dungeons and towers. Unlike many computer games, one wins not by defeating a final enemy, but by collecting the necessary items and learning the necessary chants in order to preserve the magic candle. Players begin with one adventurer, a human hero called Lukas. Additional adventurers can be found in the game's two castles. Much of The Magic Candle's fun derives from discovering exactly what is needed to preserve the eponymous candle. However, if the candle melts and Dreax escapes, there is no consequence.

Gameplay

Races

  • Dwarves - very short but exceptionally strong.
  • Elves - tall and slender with special attachment to the forests.
  • Halflings - small charismatic race with large furry feet.
  • Man - or Human.
  • Wizards - wizards are considered a race in this game. This race is similar to the race of Man, but practices magic.

Professions

  • Carpenter - can build shelter for camping. Can work in town.
  • Fighter - skilled in combat.
  • Gem-Cutter - gain extra 1/3 profits from gem sales. Can work in town.
  • Knight - skilled both in combat and in defense.
  • Mage - skilled in Magic. Only Wizards can be mages.
  • Mercenary - offer their services for hire.
  • Metal Smith - repairs weapons faster. Can work in town.
  • Ranger - good hunters and move well in unknown terrain. This is Lukas' profession.
  • Tailor - can make and repair garments. Can work in town.

Realism

The Magic Candle has several traits that increase the realism of the game and of the world of Deruvia:

  • Party splitting - players can split their party into several different groups and have each of them perform a different task, including working at different jobs to earn money in a town.
  • Wear and tear - weapons accumulate wear and tear, and even break if not maintained properly.
  • Hunger and fatigue - characters need to eat, rest, and sleep in order to remain healthy.
  • Residences - players cannot go barging into a private home. They have to knock on the door, and know the name of the residence owner.
  • Time factor - shops close during the night and re-open at dawn. NPCs can be in different places at different times of the day.
  • Respawn - once a district is cleared of patrols, it stays so till replaced, at a rate of 3 times a year.[2] Towers and dungeons do not get replacement guards.

Ports

Japanese company StarCraft, which specialized in localizing Western CRPGs, ported The Magic Candle to the Japanese PC-9801 computer.[3] The port was released in May 1991, two years after the original release, with completely redesigned art and interfaces.

Reception

James V. Trunzo reviewed The Magic Candle in White Wolf #17 (1989) and stated that "Magic Candle seems to offer the best of the old with a refreshing dash of the new, and both novice and veteran gamers should enjoy the challenge presented by this new release from Mindcraft."[4]

The Magic Candle was reviewed in 1989 in Dragon #148 by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser in "The Role of Computers" column. The reviewers gave the game 3 out of 5 stars.[5] Scorpia of Computer Gaming World in 1989 gave the game a very positive review, noting that killed monsters tend to stay dead, a welcome change from the "endless wave" of other CRPGs. Criticisms included the relatively slow combat and the inability to quickly find people or shops in town.[6] The magazine later recognized it as 1989's Role-Playing Game of the Year, describing it as "extensive, well-written, and balanced".[7] In 1993 Scorpia approved of the "superior nonviolent ending" and stated that the 1989 award was well-deserved.[8]

Scorpia in 1993 was more critical of The Magic Candle III, with objections including a shortage of money at the start forcing the player to grind instead of questing, and imbalanced dungeons. She concluded that it "is a dull game" which failed to meet the expectations the first one set,[9] "only for the hard-core fan of the series", and ended the series "on a mediocre note".[8]

The editors of Game Player's PC Strategy Guide gave The Magic Candle their 1989 "Best PC Fantasy Role-Playing Game" award. They wrote that "richly inventive, smoothly playable, filled with user-friendly attention to detail, The Magic Candle stands out dramatically in a very crowded field".[10]

Legacy

The Magic Candle was successful enough to have sequels: The Magic Candle II: The Four and Forty (1991), and The Magic Candle III (1992). The Keys to Maramon (1990) was an action-title spin-off. Software:Bloodstone: An Epic Dwarven Tale, released in 1993, is a prequel to The Magic Candle. The series also spawned two spin-offs: Siege (1992) and its sequel Ambush at Sorinor (1993) are tactical strategy games, both taking place in the world of The Magic Candle.

References

  1. ↑ Barton, Matt (2007-02-23). "Part 2: The Golden Age (1985-1993)". The History of Computer Role-Playing Games. Gamasutra. Archived from the original on 2009-03-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20090312012343/http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20070223b/barton_03.shtml. Retrieved 2009-03-26. 
  2. ↑ Manual, page 45
  3. ↑ "Toshio Sato on StarCraft Inc., Phantasie IV and Tunnels & Trolls". Retrospective Interview. RPG Codex. 2014-08-20. http://www.rpgcodex.net/content.php?id=9577. Retrieved 2016-09-13. 
  4. ↑ Trunzo, James V. (1989). "The Silicon Dungeon". White Wolf Magazine (17): 62. https://imgur.com/a/KsKrzmh. 
  5. ↑ Lesser, Hartley; Lesser, Patricia; Lesser, Kirk (August 1989). "The Role of Computers". Dragon (148): 68–73. 
  6. ↑ Scorpia (April 1989). "Keeper of the Flame". Computer Gaming World (58): 28–30. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1989&pub=2&id=58. Retrieved 25 March 2016. 
  7. ↑ "Game of the Year Awards". Computer Gaming World: 8, 41. October 1989. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1989&pub=2&id=64. Retrieved 25 March 2016. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Scorpia (October 1993). "Scorpia's Magic Scroll Of Games". Computer Gaming World: 34–50. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1993&pub=2&id=111. Retrieved 25 March 2016. 
  9. ↑ Scorpia (May 1993). "Scorpia Orckiller Lights Mindcraft's Magic Candle III". Computer Gaming World: 32. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1993&pub=2&id=106. Retrieved 7 July 2014. 
  10. ↑ "Game Player's First Annual PC Game Awards 1989". Game Player's PC Strategy Guide 3 (2): 11, 12. March–April 1990. 
  • 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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