Galactic Empire (1980 video game)

Last updated
Galactic Empire
Galactic Empire (1980 video game).jpg
Developer(s) Broderbund
Publisher(s) Broderbund
Adventure International
Platform(s) Apple II, Atari 8-bit, TRS-80, Classic Mac OS
Release1980: TRS-80
1981: Atari 8-bit [1]
1994: Mac
Genre(s) Strategy
Mode(s) Single-player

Galactic Empire is a strategy video game written by Doug Carlston for the TRS-80 and released 1980. It is the first game in the Galactic Saga and became first game published by Broderbund which was, in fact, created for the purpose of publishing the game. Galactic Empire was ported to the Apple II and Atari 8-bit computers and followed by three sequels. The game was also published by Adventure International. [1]

Contents

Description

Doug Carlston was an attorney who wrote Galactic Empire on his TRS-80. Adventure International was the original publisher; after his brother Gary began successfully selling the game to computer stores, they founded Broderbund. [2] [3]

Many of the locations have names taken from African languages, such as Afrikaans or Swahili, based on Doug Carlston's years in Africa. [2] The game navigation uses a list of planets with names beginning with a unique letter of the alphabet for easy access. The 'R' key is reserved for 'Return', and 'Q' for 'Quit.' The player has one fleet which travels from planet to planet, beginning with the home world 'Galactica.' Conquered planets can be taxed and produce troops used to take other planets. Each planet has a technology level above or below Galactica standard, which makes it easier or harder to conquer. It takes time to travel between planets to collect taxes and troops to conquer new planets. The player has 999 years to take the galaxy.

Reception

J. Mishcon reviewed Galactic Empire in The Space Gamer No. 30. He commented that "Galactic Empire provides hours of play, but they can be frustrating and tedious hours. It is too easy to beat the system, and the game cannot be saved. A mediocre buy." [4] 80 Micro in 1981 called Galactic Empire "one of the best game programs currently available for the TRS-80". The magazine described the game as "well designed and fun to play", stated that it "is never dull" with replayability from a random map generator, and approved of the addition of a save function on newer versions given that a session could last up to six hours. It concluded, "I heartily recommend Galactic Empire to anyone seeking a complex, intelligent, and of course, fun program." [5]

Reviews

Legacy

A Macintosh port was released by Cary Torkelson in 1994, with permission from Doug Carlston.

Subsequent games in the Galactic Saga are Galactic Trader (no relation to the later Galactic Trader game by Stephan Meier), Galactic Revolution , and Tawala's Last Redoubt .

Related Research Articles

<i>Star Raiders</i> 1980 video game

Star Raiders is a space combat simulator video game created by Doug Neubauer and published in 1980 by Atari, Inc. Originally released for the Atari 400/800 computers, Star Raiders was later ported to the Atari 2600, Atari 5200, and Atari ST. The player assumes the role of a starship fighter pilot, who must protect starbases from invading forces called Zylons. Piloting and combat are shown in the 3D cockpit view, while a 2D galactic map shows the state of the Zylon invasion. Neubauer made the game during in his spare time at Atari, inspired by contemporary media such as Battlestar Galactica and Star Wars, as well as the 1971 mainframe game Star Trek.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Broderbund</span> American software company

Broderbund Software, Inc. was an American maker of video games, educational software, and productivity tools. Broderbund is best known for the 8-bit video game hits Choplifter, Lode Runner, Karateka, and Prince of Persia, as well as The Print Shop—originally for printing signs and banners on dot matrix printers—and the Myst and Carmen Sandiego games. The company was founded in Eugene, Oregon, and moved to San Rafael, California, then later to Novato, California. Broderbund was purchased by SoftKey in 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">4X</span> Genre of strategy-based video and board games

4X is a subgenre of strategy-based computer and board games, and includes both turn-based and real-time strategy titles. The gameplay generally involves building an empire. Emphasis is placed upon economic and technological development, as well as a range of military and non-military routes to supremacy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Human Engineered Software</span>

Human Engineered Software was an American software developer and publisher from 1980 until 1984. The company sold video games and educational and productivity software, in addition to several hardware products. It focused on the Commodore 64, VIC-20, and Atari 8-bit family home computers.

<i>Davids Midnight Magic</i> 1982 video game

David's Midnight Magic is a pinball simulation video game written by David Snider for the Apple II and published by Broderbund in 1982. The game was published in Europe by Ariolasoft. A port to Atari 8-bit computers was released the same year, then the Commodore 64 in 1983. In 1987 Atari Corporation published a cartridge version in the styling of the then-new Atari XEGS.

<i>Master of Orion II: Battle at Antares</i> 1996 video game

Master of Orion II: Battle at Antares is a 4X turn-based strategy game set in space, designed by Steve Barcia and Ken Burd, and developed by Simtex, who developed its predecessor Master of Orion and Master of Magic. The PC version was published by MicroProse in 1996, and the Macintosh version a year later by MacSoft, in partnership with MicroProse. The game has retained a large fan base, and is still played online.

<i>Apple Panic</i> 1981 video game

Apple Panic is a game for the Apple II programmed by Ben Serki and published by Broderbund Software in 1981. Apple Panic is an unauthorized version of the 1980 arcade game Space Panic, the first game with ladders and platforms. While the arcade original remained obscure, Apple Panic became a top seller for home computers. It was ported to the Atari 8-bit computers, VIC-20, IBM PC, and TRS-80.

<i>Time Traveler</i> (1980 video game) 1980 text adventure game

Time Traveler is a 1980 fantasy text adventure developed by Krell Software. The game was released on the 16K, Level II TRS-80, Apple II, Commodore PET, and Atari 8-bit computers

<i>The Arcade Machine</i> 1982 video game

The Arcade Machine is a game creation system written by Chris Jochumson and Doug Carlston for the Apple II and published by Broderbund in 1982. Louis Ewens ported it to Atari 8-bit computers. Broderbund ran a contest from January–June 1984 where the best user-created game was awarded a prize of $1,500 in hardware and software. Jochumson also wrote Track Attack for Broderbund.

<i>Gumball</i> (video game) 1983 video game

Gumball is a video game written for the Apple II by Veda Hlubinka-Cook and published by Broderbund in 1983. It was ported to the Atari 8-bit computers, and Commodore 64. The player controls the valves of a maze-like machine to sort gumballs by color.

<i>Super Nova</i> (video game) 1980 video game

Super Nova is clone of Atari, Inc.'s Asteroids arcade game published by Big Five Software for the TRS-80 in 1980. Co-author Bill Hogue called Super Nova "the game that started the company."

<i>Labyrinth</i> (1980 video game) 1980 video game

Labyrinth is a 1980 adventure video game published by Med Systems Software for TRS-80. It is the second game in the Continuum series, following Deathmaze 5000.

<i>Stellar Adventure</i> 1980 video game

Stellar Adventure is a 1980 video game published by Software Innovations for the TRS-80.

<i>Computer Acquire</i> 1980 video game

Computer Acquire is a 1980 video game published by Avalon Hill for the Apple II, Atari 8-bit family, Commodore PET, and TRS-80.

<i>Conflict 2500</i> 1981 video game

Conflict 2500 is video game published by Avalon Hill in 1981 for the Apple II, Atari 8-bit family, Commodore PET, and TRS-80.

<i>Galaxy</i> (video game) 1979 video game

Galaxy is a 1981 video game published by Avalon Hill and developed by Microcomputer Games for the Apple II, TRS-80, Atari 8-bit family, Commodore PET, Commodore 64, IBM PC compatibles, FM-7, and TI-99/4A. It was originally published as Galactic Empires by Powersoft in 1979.

<i>The Battle of Shiloh</i> (video game) 1981 video game

The Battle of Shiloh is a 1981 computer wargame published by Strategic Simulations. It is one of the first Civil War strategy computer games, and was the first Strategic Simulations game available on the TRS-80. Intended as an introductory war game, it was available on the Commodore 64, Apple II, and Atari 8-bit family, TRS-80 and IBM PC, and was originally developed by David Landry and Chuck Kroegel through their studio "Tactical Design Group".

<i>A.E.</i> (video game) 1982 video game

A.E. is a fixed shooter written by Jun Wada and Makoto Horai for the Apple II and Atari 8-bit computers and published by Broderbund in 1982. Versions followed for the VIC-20 (1983) and MSX (1984). Unlike most earlier shooters which have a solid color or starfield as a background, the action in A.E. takes place in front of science fiction scenes. Attacking creatures emerge from points in the image, often appearing to come from behind objects. Combined with a slight scaling as they advance, there is the impression of depth.

References

  1. 1 2 "Galactic Empire". Atari Mania.
  2. 1 2 Wilson, Johnny L. (November 1991). "A History of Computer Games". Computer Gaming World. p. 19. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  3. ↑ Dobson, Dale (2012-11-26). "Games from the Trash: The History of the TRS-80". Gamasutra. Retrieved 2019-05-13.
  4. ↑ Mishcon, J. (August 1980). "Capsule Reviews". The Space Gamer (30). Steve Jackson Games: 28–29.
  5. ↑ Cataldo, Dan (August 1981). "Galactic Empire". 80 Micro. pp. 39–40. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
  6. ↑ Moves Issue 56 Strategy and Tactics Press
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.