Populous (series)
The published in 1989 computer game Populous [ pɒpjələs ] ( adj.
- 2.1 extension
- 3.1 Multiplayer
Populous
Gameplay
The player and his computer opponent make imaginary gods represent the fight the epic battle between "good" and "evil" by trying by indirect exposure to multiply her people and to strengthen, to finally destroy the people of God other. For this, the God can change the environment shown isometric scrolling favor of his believers by raising land and lowers. The direct interaction with the people occupies only a very small part of the game, because the direct control of the game pieces is exclusively by the Papal Magnet (English " papal magnet " ) is possible. The followers automatically populate the surrounding countryside. The player changes their mind while only between pacifist and aggressive attitude that is responsible for whether the own supporters peacefully till when hitting the opponent's followers, the free country or try to conquer the houses of the opponent and fight his followers.
In most levels, there is the particular God only possible in a restricted area to generate the landscape - namely exclusively in the vicinity of the faithful or their own homes. In contrast, natural disasters such as earthquakes or the deluge can be specifically triggered all over the map. In addition to the creation of swamps and volcanoes can be Crusaders generated and sent out to destroy the enemy buildings and eliminate the inhabitants of the leaders of the people ( carriers of the miniature version of the Papal Magnet ). As an ultimate spell applies the Armageddon in which all the inhabitants of the whole world leave their homes and meet in the middle of the level to the last, decisive battle.
The generation of the country and the utterance of spells mana is implemented, which is replenished by the increase of population again - the higher the number of own faithful, the higher the mana regeneration. The population lives and multiplies in the self- built by their structures, which, depending on the generated by God 's land area different sizes - from the tent on clay, wood and stone cottages to huge castles. The size of the building has a decisive influence on the game: in small huts there is rather a lack of space, so that the descendants of earlier left the parental house to build their own. For the residents of larger homes are stronger and therefore less vulnerable to hostile takeovers of buildings in general. In addition, large buildings increase the mana production. The construction of buildings or the acquisition of hostile houses stretches way out of the sphere of influence of each of God.
The fact that residents of small houses leave faster than large, one can actively exploit. If you want to collect followers on Papal magnet to create a Crusader, you can make great castles temporarily smaller by putting a mound next to it. A moment later, leaving a trailer house. The same can also make to colonize quicker country.
The campaign, in which the player assumes the role of the "good" of God, includes 500 worlds, starting with the Level Genesis. The environments consist of four different landforms each pasture land, desert sand, ice desert and lava ash, when the sea is in contrast to the other scenarios, not of water, but of molten lava. The nature of the soil has an impact on the fertility of the population. So the lava landscape has due to the fertilization effect of lava ash the highest population growth, while the icy wastes not only has the lowest, but still home to the additional risk that homeless believers quickly lose their strength and freeze to death in search of suitable building sites and die. The two other landscapes are in between with their fertility rate.
You play against the computer or in multiplayer mode via null -modem cable against a human opponent, where there is also a slower way of multiplayer game via modem. Populous is one of the first computer games that could be played via modem.
There is also the possibility of free game in which the player competes on randomly generated worlds against the computer. In this variant it is possible to change the conditions of play and even the sides to act as " evil " god. Except for the change of color of the people of blue ( "good " ) to red (" evil" ) the election of the pages has a playful no effect because both gods can act like magic. However, the available spells of each party vary from level to level.
History of development
Bullfrog created the game originally as a board game with Lego bricks within a couple of days. Peter Molyneux, who led the development, said in an interview that the reason that players can manipulate the terrain, had been simply that he was too lazy to create the large number of predefined maps.
That same year, the two add -ons The Promised Lands and The Final Frontier for the Amiga and the Atari ST were published in which one has the opportunity to play in several additional scenarios. The special feature of the expansion disks is that they are readable from both the Amiga as well as the Atari ST. The gameplay, as well as the level codes were left untouched, but the difficulty level has been increased significantly.
The 2001's game Black & White, also developed by Molyneux at Lionhead Studios, is considered " spiritual successor " of Populous.
Extensions
In the expansion, The Promised Lands graphic design is particularly noteworthy, as opposed to the main program, the landscapes are very funny constructed. The still at the " most normal " looking level are those of the French Revolution (including a guillotine as Papal Magnet) and the Wild West with cowboys and Indians. Then follows the crazy world in which buildings eg reflective ball palaces. The two funniest Level designs include the block - world, in which both the buildings, the landscape, as well as the game characters look as if they were made out of Lego, and the computer world, in which the base of printer paper is made and the building, depending on size, are represented by individual micro - chips on home computers to huge computer systems which are modeled after the Cray -1 computers. The flags of the opposing nations each have Commodore or Atari logos that have been swapped depending on the platform version among the parties, so that the " Atari Pendant" on the Amiga the "evil" represent side and vice versa.
When expanding Final Frontier colonization of the planet Mars takes place. This add -on has been produced as a cover disc for the UK computer games magazine, The One, whereby the low level of recognition outside the UK can be explained. The landscape of this extension is in contrast to the main program and the first add-on in all levels the same throughout. It consists of a dusty surface, and the equivalent of water are crystalline floor tiles. Trees have been replaced with crystal columns and volcanic rock consists of crystal. The respective nations are represented on the side of "good" by green Martians and on the " evil" side by astronauts in space suits. The buildings vary according to the size from small landing capsules and mehrblöckigen laboratory complexes. The level of difficulty was increased compared to the first add -on again.
Editor
Published in 1992 under the name World Editor a programmed by the Germans Kochann Alexander and Oliver Reiff level editor for Populous, which was officially distributed by Electronic Arts. This makes it possible not only to create his own level, but also to change the graphic details ( eg landscape, buildings or units ).
The editor also included two new landscapes: "Space", where males were fighting in space suits between different spacecraft on asteroids, the vastness of the universe replaced while the water and "fast food", where two well-known food chains between hamburgers and pizzas for supremacy wrestled. There was also an improved version of the original grass landscape with lush meadows, grain fields and vegetable patches.
Re-release
In the 2000s Populous was re-released on the Digital Distribution, for example, in September 2011 on gog.com and in August 2013 about the Humble Bundle Origin.
Press
Biff Kritzen from Computer Gaming World magazine wrote a positive review, noting "as heavy-handed as the premise sounds, it really is a rather light-hearted game. " The eingängliche game design was praised, as are the colorful graphics.
Populous II - Trials of the Olympian Gods
As a background story of Populous II - Trials of the Olympian Gods they chose the Greek mythology, in which the player takes on the role of a son of Zeus. Both the building, the game characters as well as the graphical user interface were adapted to the optics of Greek antiquity.
The basic gameplay remained the same, although by Populous ( just as well as the types of landscapes: desert, fertile land, snow, lava ash ), but some extensions and improvements were carried out. In addition to improved graphics and control options and new magic heroes with different abilities have been added, which are similarly generated the Crusaders from the predecessor, from the leader of the people. It is also possible to build for the opposing nation impassable protection walls and build roads, which accelerates the movement of their own people.
One of the most important new features is the ability (similar to role-playing games ) to extend the capabilities of their own alter-ego by awarding experience points, which is obtained after completing a level. This makes it possible to enhance the effect of certain spells, which in comparison to Populous - means a huge change the tactical approach - in which the spell effects are always the same. It is now possible and at the same risk to develop its own capabilities to one side, which may mean that the magic of the enemy you can not neutralize certain levels.
The number of worlds to be conquered was doubled compared to Populous to 1000. As in the predecessors, however (depending on the number of points ) skipped some worlds after finishing a level, which prevents playing through all levels in practice.
Also Populous II offers a multiplayer option via a null modem cable or modem.
Extension
The add -on The Challenge Games is similar in principle to the main program, but the story of the game is settled at the time of feudal Japan.
The campaign of the game includes 500 worlds, which were graphically adjusted to the Japanese theme. So building are shown as pagodas and heroes, among other things as a samurai or sumo wrestlers and the people wearing kimonos. The user interface has been decorated with kanji characters.
The only playful change is the added "Challenge Mode", the modes in contrast to the main program ( and its predecessor) located " Conquest " ( campaign ) and "Custom" ( free play ), not the conquest of a world as a destination has, but the player sets tasks, such as: "Save the last remaining inhabitants of this world of the approaching flood ." The player has the option to conjure regardless of its mana pool.
Populous: The Beginning
The representation of the game world to perspective 3D graphics changed The Beginning: While Populous II is similar to the original Populous playful and by using isometric graphics, was the third part of Populous. The game world is not flat, but consists of a ball. Instead of a divine being, the player takes in Populous: The Beginning the role of a shaman who must ascend ( by defeating several opponents inside on numerous worlds) to the Goddess yet. In the last scenario, it is finally ascended and only as " Gods Hand " in the game present.
It has blue color the players; In total there are 3 strains. The shaman can summon magic, such as Insect Infestation, Fireball, bridge, erosion, land pave, hypnosis, invisibility, death angel, volcano, rain of fire, earthquake, etc. There are 25 levels in which you try to wipe out the enemy / enemies.
Multiplayer
Bullfrog developed to Populous: The Beginning a multiplayer mode, which does not work in modern networks. The community " Populous: Reincarnated " has the multiplayer mode of Populous 3 repaired with an unofficial patch. Through a game lobby, the player can make contact with other players and join their games over the chat.
Chronology
- Populous (1989 ) Populous - The Promised Lands (1989 )
- Populous - The Final Frontier (1989 )
- Populous - World Editor ( 1992)
- Populous II - The Challenge Games (1992 )
- Populous: The Beginning - Undiscovered Worlds (1999)