Darwinia

Post by **Mat Linnett** » Tue Mar 01, 2005 10:25 pm

Got my pre-order copy today, and it's ace; I'd even go so far as to say it's a bit more difficult than the demo (more and nastier baddies).
Nicely weird mix of shooter & strategy.

Oh, and if someone complains about the graphics, they really don't get it...

[lvlshot]http://www.darwinia.co.uk/screenshots/image16.jpg[/lvlshot]

http://www.darwinia.co.uk/

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Mar 01, 2005 10:30 pm

What is the purpose and style of the game exactly?

Post by **Mat Linnett** » Tue Mar 01, 2005 11:07 pm

The story is that Darwinia is the internet's first "Virtual Theme Park", populated by little green AIs called "Darwinians". On opening day, it gets infected by a virus, and somehow you end up inside whilst the Doctor who created Darwinia is trying to clean the whole mess up, so you're roped in to help him out.

It's a cheesy story, but the gameplay is highly unique and very hard to pin down in to an existing genre. It broadly fits in to the RTS category, but there's a lot of classic shooter action in there as well, with a dash of Black & White.

Get the demo here: http://www.darwinia.co.uk/downloads/index.html

One more thing; the full install takes up a ridiculously tiny 27.2MB, a breath of fresh air in these times of multi-GB installations.

Post by **dzjepp** » Tue Mar 01, 2005 11:09 pm

28megs?

It's not a short game is it? Or does it stream stuff from the cd?

Post by **bitWISE** » Tue Mar 01, 2005 11:11 pm

Its a very unique game but I'm not so sure I like it. I think it was made by someone over at GameDev. Thats where I heard about it like 2 months ago.

Post by **Mat Linnett** » Tue Mar 01, 2005 11:11 pm

Nope, definitely not a short game, just very clever programming, and a realisation that textures do not necessarily a good game make...

Post by **SplishSplash** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 12:52 am

Is the actual game any more complex than the demo?
Cause the demo is just lemmings wih enemies or something like that.

Post by **TempSonicClang** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 1:18 am

If the racing part is crap then the game will be nothing more than "drive car off ramp. get back on road. get back on road because I just over corrected and ended up on the other side of the road. drive car through loop. Watch car fall from loop because I didn't have enough speed."

Doesn't sound like much to me. It all hinges on the drivability of the cars. If they put enough time into it, it couuld be a good game.

Post by **Mat Linnett** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 7:04 am

I think you're in the wrong thread SonicClang...

Post by **MKJ** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 9:08 am

Mat Linnett wrote:Nope, definitely not a short game, just very clever programming, and a realisation that textures do not necessarily a good game make...

heresy for odium !

Post by **Strangler** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 9:35 am

where can you dl the full version? It looks like a good gameto dl not buy.

Post by **Mat Linnett** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 9:41 am

It's made by an independent developer, who are distributing it themselves.
I can understand downloading EA titles or Ubi titles, etc., but to pirate games made by people who make games for the love of it seems entirely cynical.

Also, if you're too stupid to figure out where to get hold of warez, you really don't deserve an answer...

Post by **Ryoki** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 9:42 am

Crushed.

Btw i'll see if i can download and play the demo tonight - it sure looks interesting...

Post by **SplishSplash** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 9:42 am

Strangler wrote:where can you dl the full version? It looks like a good gameto dl not buy.

DUDE; WHERE DA WAREZ AT? :icon28: :icon28:

Post by **VoxProminence** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 9:52 am

downloading the demo now, love the requirements

Post by **Geebs** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 12:00 pm

Just adding to this thread to say that you can now get the Mac version from Ambrosia Software

I rather like it, kind of Populous meets Robotron meets One Man And His Dog.

Post by **Pext** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 12:15 pm

Mat Linnett wrote:but to pirate games made by people who make games for the love of it seems entirely cynical.

:icon14:

Post by **Doombrain** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 12:23 pm

looks cool, nice find

Post by **GONNAFISTYA** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 1:26 pm

Mat Linnett wrote: to pirate games made by people who make games for the love of it seems entirely cynical.

You've just described 90% of the people in the games industry....including those who work for EA and Ubi.

Post by **Mat Linnett** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 1:27 pm

A couple issues I have with it:
Whilst it's utterly original and gorgeous in an abstract kind of way, it is VERY short.
Just as you feel you're getting in to the swing of things, it ends.
It is also quite easy, and I have a feeling that this is mainly down to the core game mechanics, so very hard to avoid for modders.

Regarding modding though, when you complete the game, it makes the tools available to you; I haven't checked the community for a while, but there may very well be a plethora of new content for it...

Post by **Mat Linnett** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 1:33 pm

GONNAFISTYA wrote:
Mat Linnett wrote: to pirate games made by people who make games for the love of it seems entirely cynical.

You've just described 90% of the people in the games industry....including those who work for EA and Ubi.

I realise this; I could have worded it better.
I was really referring to the fact that these guys developed the game from the ground up with no external funding, and published it themselves.

Whilst you love making games, when you're working for a faceless corporation such as EA or Ubi, funding isn't so much of a worry.
And game sales do not so directly affect your earnings.

Post by **GONNAFISTYA** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 2:05 pm

Trolled.

Post by **Mat Linnett** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 2:09 pm

I guessed as much, but it was a very mild troll, and you did have a point

Post by **GONNAFISTYA** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 2:25 pm

Well...my point is basically that I made quake 3 maps and posted them for free distribution...even though I spent my own money to buy a computer to make quake 3 maps. But I never thought of asking for money because I did it for me....the same as any mod team that doesn't make a dime. The same as most grunts working in the industry who aren't rich, will never see money from royalties and just want to make games.

Alot of gaming companies started out by a few people funding their own demo and distributing it themselves. But...if you're making a game and distributing it yourself while charging a fee then you are making profit....the same as EA and Ubi.

So pirating is pirating.

Post by **blakjack** » Sat Apr 02, 2005 12:33 am

okay so in the demo, i got the carts moving again, then what? i can send an engineer across water to repair another one of those satellite things but he'll get attacked. the squads cant cross the water to clear it out... or is that supposed to be the end of the demo? because it doesnt say so.

edit: nvm i got it