NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Bioforge

BioForge (working title: Interactive Movie 1) is a 1995 computer role-playing game (RPG) published by Origin Systems for the PC. The game was marketed as an interactive movie, a term which has since fallen out of favor. This refers to its in-depth plot and extensive voice acting (with 22 different voice actors for characters and computer voices) more than its gameplay. It was localized in four languages. Image File history File links Bioforge_cover. ... A video game developer is a software developer (a business or an individual) that creates computer or video games. ... Origin Systems, Inc. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Origin Systems, Inc. ... A game designer is a person who designs games. ... Richard Garriott in Lord British attire Richard Allen Garriott (born July 4, 1961; nickname Lord British) is a significant figure in the video game industry. ... A game engine is the core software component of a computer or video game or other interactive application with real-time graphics. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_States. ... 1995 1995 in games 1994 in video gaming 1996 in video gaming Notable events of 1995 in video gaming. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Computer puzzle game is a genre of computer games that emphasize puzzle solving. ... Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology, or both, upon society and persons as individuals. ... One of the first laserdisc games, Dragons Lair, was developed during the Golden Age of Arcade Games An interactive movie is a video game genre composed entirely of full-motion video of either animated or live-action footage. ... In computer games and video games, single-player refers to the variant of a particular game where input from only one player is expected throughout the course of the gaming session. ... The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) is a self-regulatory organization that applies and enforces ratings, advertising guidelines, and online privacy principles for computer and video games and other entertainment software in the United States and Canada (officially adopted by individual provinces 2004-2005). ... The Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (or ELSPA) is an organisation set up in 1989 by British software publishers. ... â€¹ The template below has been proposed for deletion. ... The CD-ROM (an abbreviation for Compact Disc Read-Only Memory (ROM)) is a non-volatile optical data storage medium using the same physical format as audio compact discs, readable by a computer with a CD-ROM drive. ... Intel i486 DX2- top view The Intel i486 (also called 486 or 80486) is a range of Intel CISC microprocessors which is part of the Intel x86 family of processors. ... CPU can stand for: in computing: Central processing unit in journalism: Commonwealth Press Union in law enforcement: Crime prevention unit in software: Critical patch update, a type of software patch distributed by Oracle Corporation in Macleans College is often known as Ash Lim. ... A megabyte is a unit of information or computer storage equal to approximately one million bytes. ... Random access memory (usually known by its acronym, RAM) is a type of data store used in computers that allows the stored data to be accessed in any order â€” that is, at random, not just in sequence. ... The CD-ROM (an abbreviation for Compact Disc Read-Only Memory (ROM)) is a non-volatile optical data storage medium using the same physical format as audio compact discs, readable by a computer with a CD-ROM drive. ... VGA redirects here. ... It has been suggested that IBM PC keyboard be merged into this article or section. ... The first computer mouse In the context of computing, a mouse (plural (generally): mice, also mouses) consists of a hand-held pointing device, designed to sit under one hand of the user and to detect movement relative to its two-dimensional supporting surface. ... 1995 1995 in games 1994 in video gaming 1996 in video gaming Notable events of 1995 in video gaming. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Origin Systems, Inc. ... Macs like the iMac Core Duo are also personal computers. Unlike many PCs, the iMac is an all in one with all its components, including processor and speakers, in one case. ... One of the first laserdisc games, Dragons Lair, was developed during the Golden Age of Arcade Games An interactive movie is a video game genre composed entirely of full-motion video of either animated or live-action footage. ... Look up Plot in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A voice actor (also a voice artist) is a person who provides voices for animated characters (including those in feature films, television series, animated shorts), voice-overs in radio and television commercials, audio dramas, dubbed foreign language films, video games, puppet shows, and amusement rides. ... Gameplay includes all player experiences during the interaction with game systems, especially formal games. ... Software localization is a process of translating software user interfaces from one language to another and adapting it to suit a foreign culture. ...

The game was very hardware demanding in 1995, requiring 8MB of RAM and a 486 CPU running at 33 MHz at least, due to its use of texture-mapped, detailed 3D models and a software renderer (3D accelerators were not yet common). This level of requirement and technical achievement was usual for Origin games. 1995 1995 in games 1994 in video gaming 1996 in video gaming Notable events of 1995 in video gaming. ... Intel i486 DX2- top view The Intel i486 (also called 486 or 80486) is a range of Intel CISC microprocessors which is part of the Intel x86 family of processors. ... A GeForce 4 4200-based graphics card A graphics card or video card is a component of a computer which is designed to convert a logical representation of an image stored in memory to a signal that can be used as input for a display medium, most often a monitor...

Well received, but also going low on sales, it is considered by many to be an overlooked game and is featured prominently at the Home of the Underdogs. ^[1] Home of the Underdogs (HOTU) was founded by Sarinee Achavanuntakul in September 1998, and has grown to be one of the largest abandonware sites on the Internet. ...

Story

In the far future, a fanatical group of religious extremists known as the Mondites, who believe in the evolution of man through machine by cybernetic implants, aspire to galactic conquest under the direction of their insane leader, the Prime Paragon. To this end, the Mondites abduct people and subject them to diabolical experiments at a secret base on a moon called Daedalus (named after the Greek myth) in a remote sector of the galaxy. A mad scientist called Dr. Mastaba who is the base commander and head of the "ABA Project" (Assassin Biologically Augmented) conducts these experiments under the guise of scientific research, mutilating the bodies of his victims in an attempt to turn them into the ultimate killing machine. However, everyone so far has ended up either dead or insane. Image File history File links Bioforge. ... Image File history File links Bioforge. ... Various Religious symbols, including (first row) Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Bahai, (second row) Islam, tribal, Taoist, Shinto (third row) Buddhism, Sikh, Hindu, Jain (fourth row) Ayyavazhi, Diane de Poitiers, Maltese cross Religion is the adherence to codified beliefs and rituals that (generally) involve a faith in a spiritual nature and... In 1832, while traveling on the Beagle, naturalist Charles Darwin collected giant fossils in South America. ... This article deals with the mythological character Daedalus. ... Caucasian, male, aging, crooked teeth, messy hair, lab coat, spectacles/goggles, dramatic posing â€” one popular stereotype of a mad scientist. ... Insignia of a United States Navy Commander Commander is a military rank used in many navies but not generally in armies or air forces. ... Jack Ruby murdered the assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, in a very public manner. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Inmates at Bedlam Asylum, as portrayed by William Hogarth Insanity, or madness, is a general term for a semi-permanent, severe mental disorder. ...

Using technology borrowed from the native species of Daedalus, a sentient race known as the Phyxx who were long thought to be extinct, the Mondites have finally succeeded in their experiments. But when one of the aliens is accidentally revived from suspended animation in its tomb, it goes on a rampage through the complex, damaging the reactor and killing half of the base personnel in the process. By the mid 20th century humans had achieved a level of technological mastery sufficient to leave the surface of the planet for the first time and explore space. ... The Dodo, shown here in illustration, is an often-cited[1] example of extinction. ... Suspended animation is the slowing of life processes by external means without termination. ... A tomb is a small building (or vault) for the remains of the dead, with walls, a roof, and (if it is to be used for more than one corpse) a door. ... Core of a small nuclear reactor used for research. ...

The player takes on the role of a cyborg called Lex ^[2] (Experimental Unit AP-127) who awakens in a cell on Daedelus with no prior memories. After escaping the cell, the player seems to be one of the scant survivors of the incident that has devastated the station. He must unravel the truth about himself, the research station, the bizarre Mondite cult that controls it, and the mysterious ancient alien race that once inhabited the moon. Seven of Nine, a Borg in Star Trek: Voyager The term cyborg, a portmanteau of cybernetic organism, is used to designate an organism which is a mixture of organic and mechanical (synthetic) parts. ... Dorchester Penitentiary in New Brunswick, Canada is an institution that is part of Corrections Canada. ... In psychology, memory is an organisms ability to store, retain, and subsequently recall information. ... This article does not discuss cult in its original sense of religious practice; for that usage see Cult (religious practice). ...

The game ends rather abruptly after the player escapes Daedalus in an experimental spacecraft in the wake of the moon's destruction. A sequel (BioForge II) was designed and the team were working on the art when the project was halted and changed to an extension of the original game.^[3] The extension, however, was also cancelled and subsequently never published. A spacecraft is a vessel, craft or device designed to operate beyond the surface of the Earth in outer space. ... A sequel is a work of fiction in literature, film, and other creative works that is produced after a completed work, and is set in the same universe but at a later time. ...

Gameplay

BioForge centers mainly on exploration and puzzle solving using items, and also on fighting and interaction with NPCs. The ultimate goal of the game is not obvious at the beginning, since the player is unaware of his identity, which depends on his actions during the game. The player has full control over the main character's actions. This was a deliberate idea of Richard Garriott's who, in a 1994 magazine article, said that "Interactive Movies have become a buzzword, so it's being applied to games which really aren't. Just because a game has FMV that doesn't automatically make it an interactive movie, because you have very little control over the actor. Neither is a game in which you click on an icon, then sit back and watch a scene take place." ^[4] Image File history File links Bioforge_examplequote. ... Image File history File links Bioforge_examplequote. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... A buzzword (also known as a fashion word or vogue word) is an idiom, often a neologism, commonly used in managerial, technical, administrative, and sometimes political environments. ... Screenshot of an FMV from Final Fantasy VIII. Full motion video, usually abbreviated as FMV, is a popular term for TV-quality movie or animation in a video game. ...

The player character can rotate left and right, walk and run forwards and backwards, and sidestep. The player can also enter a combat stance that makes several punch and kick movements and hand-to-hand weapons (if carried) available. Combat can be awkward and has somewhat of a learning curve since enemies must be faced at the correct rotation angle for attacks to connect. Also, since camera angles are fixed, the view can change in a unpredictable manner if the player crosses scene-thresholds during the fight, a gameplay problem first seen in Alone in the Dark. Look up Punch in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Punch can refer to: Punch from Punch and Judy Punch (magazine) Punch (drink), various mixed drinks often containing fruit or fruit juice, sometimes alcoholic Punch (strike), blow made with a fist. ... A taekwondo sidekick. ... Alone in the Dark is a series of survival horror computer games from Infogrames (now Atari). ...

The body of the player character houses an exchangeable (and depletable) battery that powers various body functions put there by the experimenters. Functions include a regeneration system that heals all damage when activated, as well as a powerful projectile weapon (known as the PFD Prototype). Upgrading and swapping the battery is key to the player's progress at certain points in the game. The player can also don a protective armoured suit that enables him to survive the harsh atmosphere outside the facility and explore the archaeological dig. Look up regeneration in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A projectile is any object sent through space by the application of a force. ...

Various objects, such as data-logs or healing packs, can be picked up and stored in an inventory. Selected objects are shown as if carried in the left hand of the player character. Several hand-to-hand and ranged weapons, as well as batteries and other large or one-use objects, can also be picked up during the course of the game, but only one can be carried, using the right hand, and they can not be stored in the inventory. In business management, inventory consists of a list of goods and materials held available in stock. ... This does not cite its references or sources. ...

Much of the game's backplot is revealed by finding and reading logs on PDAs and notes left behind by characters, including accounts of experimental subjects losing their memories and lapsing into insanity. As the plot progresses, the main character automatically updates his own diary/log summarizing what he has discovered and what has happened for the player to review, an event marked by a sound cue. palmOne Tungsten T5 Personal digital assistants (PDAs) are handheld devices that were originally designed as personal organizers, but became much more versatile over the years. ...

A large portion of the puzzle element relies on accessing control and computer terminals in order to remotely control robots, open doors and bypass security systems. The puzzles are realistic and well integrated with the plot, so several have a time limit. Image File history File links Bioforge_reactor_entrance. ... Image File history File links Bioforge_reactor_entrance. ... A computer terminal is an electronic or electromechanical hardware device that is used for entering data into, and displaying data from, a computer or a computing system. ...

Development

BioForge was developed at Origin by a core team of ten people under the direction of Lead Programmer/Director Ken Demarest, during a period of two years from February, 1993 to March, 1995. The game was developed using C++ and 80x86 assembly and used the Phar Lap DOS extender. Internally, the game used a custom script language for world management and animation. It also employed an HTML-like language to code the in-game interface. ^[5] Game development is the process by which a game is produced. ... Origin Systems, Inc. ... Notable events of 1993 in computer and video games. ... 1995 1995 in games 1994 in video gaming 1996 in video gaming Notable events of 1995 in video gaming. ... C++ (IPA pronounciation: ) is a general-purpose, high-level programming language with low-level facilities. ... The title given to this article is incorrect due to technical limitations. ... An assembly language is a low-level language used in the writing of computer programs. ... Phar Lap was the name of a company manufacturing DOS extenders. ... DOS extender is the name invented in the 1980s for a technology to allow programs started from MS-DOS, which ran in Real mode, to actually run in protected mode. ... Scripting programming languages (commonly called scripting languages or script languages) are computer programming languages designed for scripting the operation of a computer. ... In computing, HyperText Markup Language (HTML) is the predominant markup language for the creation of web pages. ...

The animations were created using the rotoscope technique on live-actor movements captured with the Flock of Birds on-body motion detector system, using an in-house pose editor named System for Animating Lifelike Synthetic Actors (S.A.L.S.A.) that was capable of displaying captured movement as fully rendered models in real time. ^[6] Rotoscoping is a technique where animators trace live action movement, frame by frame, for use in animated films. ... A Motion Detector is a device connected to a burglar alarm that is used to detect motion. ... It has been suggested that Real-time computing be merged into this article or section. ...

Technical details

BioForge uses a software-only 3D engine to draw polygonal objects and characters against pre-rendered backdrops with a fixed resolution of 320x200 pixels in 256 colors. In this respect, the game is very similar to the successful Alone in the Dark series of games which used hand drawn backgrounds. There are other striking similarities, like the movement scheme incorporating a separate combat mode. The combat element is toned down in BioForge with respect to the Alone in the Dark series, especially the later titles. Image File history File links Bioforge_damage_screenshot. ... Image File history File links Bioforge_damage_screenshot. ... A pixel (a contraction of picture element) is one of the many tiny dots that make up the representation of a picture in a computers memory. ... 8-bit colour graphics is a method of storing image information in a computers memory or in an image file, such that each pixel is represented by one 8-bit byte. ... Alone in the Dark is a series of survival horror computer games from Infogrames (now Atari). ...

Other elements similar to Alone in the Dark are the gory atmosphere and scenery, although BioForge is actually sci-fi, the logs and narrations one finds, the lonely and devastated scenery, populated only by enemies, deranged lunatics and dead bodies, is something that boosts this feeling. Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology, or both, upon society and persons as individuals. ...

Human blood smear: a - erythrocytes; b - neutrophil; c - eosinophil; d - lymphocyte. ... A Blaster, along with the ray gun, is a standard science fiction weapon. ... Hot metal work from a blacksmith In chemistry, a metal (Greek: Metallon) is an element that readily forms positive ions (cations) and has metallic bonds. ... A technique in computer animation, particularly the animation of vertebrates, where a character is represented in two parts: a surface representation used to draw the character (called the skin) and a hierarchical set of bones used for animation only (called the skeleton). ...

Extensions

BioForge Plus was projected by Origin as an extension to the original game, which would directly continue the plot, but it was cancelled after a rushed beta was completed in 10 weeks. ^[3] A former Origin employee noted that the company was going through a "hard year" in 1995 and that job and production team cuts resulted in the cancellation of BioForge Plus. ^[7] The cancellation may also presumably have been related to BioForge's weak sales. Origin Systems, Inc. ... Software development stages In computer programming, development stage terminology expresses how the development of a piece of software has progressed and how much further development it may require. ...

This extension was advertised in promotional electronic catalogs bundled with other games of the company, with this blurb:

Compatibility with modern systems

BioForge is not compatible with modern operating systems such as Windows XP but can be run reliably in the DOSBox PC emulator as of version 0.65. ^[8] Another way to run the game successfully is through a virtual machine running DOS. Windows XP is a line of operating systems developed by Microsoft for use on general-purpose computer systems, including home and business desktops, notebook computers, and media centers. ... DOSBox is an emulator which creates a DOS-like environment intended for running MS-DOS-based PC computer games which may not run properly on newer PCs. ... In general terms, a virtual machine in computer science is software that creates a virtualized environment between the computer platform and the end user in which the end user can operate software. ...

References

Home of the Underdogs (HOTU) was founded by Sarinee Achavanuntakul in September 1998, and has grown to be one of the largest abandonware sites on the Internet. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... May 11 is the 131st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (132nd in leap years). ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... May 22 is the 142nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (143rd in leap years). ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... May 16 is the 136th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (137th in leap years). ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... March 9 is the 68th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (69th in Leap years). ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... April 15 is the 105th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (106th in leap years). ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... May 17 is the 137th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (138th in leap years). ...

External links

Categories: Articles with unsourced statements | 1995 computer and video games | DOS games | Science fiction computer and video games | Origin games Image File history File links Wikiquote-logo-en. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... MobyGames is a website devoted to cataloging computer and video games, both past and present. ... All Media Guide (commonly known as AMG), is the company which maintains All Music Guide, All Game Guide and All Movie Guide. ... GameFAQs is a gaming website that has hosted FAQs and walkthroughs for gamers since November 1995. ...