Nomad (video game)

Last updated
Nomad
Nomad cover.jpg
Developer(s) Intense! Interactive
Papyrus Design Group
Publisher(s) GameTek
Producer(s) Rod Humble (GameTek)
Dan Scherlis (Papyrus)
Sam Palahnuk (Intense!)
Designer(s) Sam Palahnuk
Programmer(s) Richard Garcia
Andy Hendrickson
David Kaemmer
Omar H. Khudari
Artist(s) Doug McCartney
Writer(s) Shannon Donnelly
Composer(s) Jim Andron
Jack Levy
Platform(s) MS-DOS
Release
Genre(s) Space trading and combat
Mode(s) Single-player

Nomad is a 1993 space trading and combat game developed by Intense! Interactive and Papyrus Design Group. It was published by GameTek for MS-DOS.

Contents

Nomad combines elements of alien diplomacy, trading, exploration, and combat. It has been compared to Starflight and Elite 2 .

Plot

The story of Nomad changed between its early design and its ultimate commercial release. Originally, the game was to be titled Space Mountain, and act as a tie-in to the Disneyland roller coaster of the same name. Introductory narration was recorded for the game which described the player's character climbing aboard the model ship at Space Mountain only to discover that it is a real spacecraft. It is then launched unexpectedly into the Earth's orbit with the unwitting protagonist still aboard.

The connection with Disneyland was abandoned for the commercial release of Nomad. The story changed to describe the protagonist as being an agent of a global intelligence organization ("O.E.S.I.") that discovered a crashed alien spacecraft in a snowy region of Earth. They repair and re-launch the craft with the protagonist as its sole crew member.

Once in orbit, the player is met by another ship whose pilot, a llama-like Arden, describes the ongoing galactic war between the Alliance and a race of mechanical beings named the Korok. The player is allowed to choose whether he will actively assist the Alliance, and to what degree. Through conversation with alien beings and exploration of star systems, the player uncovers rumors and legends about an ancient alien race (the "Losten") who were the progenitors of existing sentient species. Some of the facts uncovered by the player can be used to locate a fail-safe device that destroys the Korok's Master Control Robot and restores order to the galaxy.

Disney association

Although the Disney connection was eliminated, several game elements remain unchanged from the original design. The in-game log is titled "Space Mountain Log", and the design of the player's ship almost exactly mirrors that of the "CMB 2000" model which was part of Disneyland's Space Mountain between its 1977 opening and 2005 remodel.

Gameplay

All gameplay takes place with the player's ship in orbit around one of approximately 270 planets that are available to visit across the galaxy. Activities include general ship functions (engineering upgrades, repairs, navigation, and scanning), conversation with aliens, and combat. Most commands are issued through a menu system with keyboard shortcuts.

When in conversation with an alien, the player may ask questions and receive responses about any planet, item, race, or individual that they have previously encountered. Different alien races will have different information available about certain topics. The player's choice of conversation topics influences the disposition of individual aliens, and other game actions influence the friendliness or animosity between alien races.

Communication screen Nomad 1993 screenshot.png
Communication screen

Conversation can also lead to trade, with many of the game's items providing some value as ship upgrades, navigational data stores, or historic artifacts that carry important plot information. The player may acquire resources from the surface of planets through the use of labor-bots, which are robotic probes specialized in mining, gas harvesting, agriculture, archaeology, or spycraft. These bots – and various enhancements that increase their efficiency on the surface – are available through trade with aliens.

The ship's main functions (e.g. navigation and scanning) can be improved through the acquisition of upgraded components. For example, upgrading the engine booster will reduce travel time between star systems. Upgraded missile loaders will reduce the time required for weapons lock during a combat sequence.

An in-game posting of missions by the Alliance gives a path the player may follow to advance the plot and earn rewards in the form of tradable items.

Release

Nomad operates only in Mode 13h (320x200 256-color VGA). Some preliminary support was added for a 16-color EGA compatible mode at the same resolution, but the finished game did not provide any option to use this mode. The combat engine itself is simplistic, only allowing the player freedom of movement in a 2D plane despite the game using polygon rendering in 3D space.

The performance characteristics of the game's items and equipment are stored in a series of structured data tables. These – and the game's graphics and sound data – are LZSS compressed and packed into a series of archive files.

Sound was made available through Sound Blaster and Disney Sound Source support. There is no synthesized music; the only audio produced by the game is stored as 4-bit DPCM data.

Releases

Nomad was released in late 1993, with a patched bugfix release (v1.01) appearing in February of the following year. It was originally available only on 3.5" floppy disk. When a CD-ROM release was made available in 1994, it included a short pre-rendered cinematic introduction, but the game's content was unchanged from the 3.5" disk release.

Reception

Computer Gaming World stated that Nomad "is well balanced between allowing freedom of choice and imparting a feeling of progression toward the conclusion", and approved of its interface and multiple ways of solving the game. The reviewer stated that the game "came dangerously close to" imitating Starflight instead of being an homage, but "comes up short" compared to Wing Commander: Privateer and Elite 2: "It simply isn't as large, doesn't pay off in as many hours of play, and doesn't have the same detailed atmosphere and scope". He recommended Nomad to casual gamers "who actually work for a living and game 'on the side'". [3] PC Player cited the game's simplicity as a positive attribute, while PC Joker was critical of its outdated graphics and repetitive gameplay. [4] [5] Power Unlimited gave a score of 91% summarizing: "A fantastic mix between adventure, strategy, sim, action and mystery. The story only becomes clear while playing. [6]

Related Research Articles

<i>Zool</i> 1992 video game

Zool: Ninja of the Nth Dimension is a platform game written for the Amiga by Gremlin Graphics and published in 1992. It was marketed as a rival to Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog. Zool was ported to other platforms and followed by Zool 2 in 1993.

<i>Star Control II</i> 1992 video game

Star Control II: The Ur-Quan Masters is a 1992 video game, the sequel to Star Control. It was developed by Toys for Bob and originally published by Accolade in 1992 for MS-DOS. The game includes exoplanet-abundant star systems, hyperspace travel, extraterrestrial life, and interstellar diplomacy. There are 25 alien races with which communication is possible.

<i>Master of Orion</i> 1993 video game

Master of Orion is a turn-based, 4X science fiction strategy game in which the player leads one of ten races to dominate the galaxy through a combination of diplomacy and conquest while developing technology, exploring and colonizing star systems.

<i>Starflight</i> 1986 video game

Starflight is a space exploration, combat, and trading role-playing video game created by Binary Systems and published by Electronic Arts in 1986. Originally developed for IBM PC compatibles, it was later ported to the Amiga, Atari ST, Macintosh, and Commodore 64. A fully revamped version of the game was released for the Sega Genesis in 1991.

<i>Starflight 2: Trade Routes of the Cloud Nebula</i> 1989 video game

Starflight 2: Trade Routes of the Cloud Nebula is a 1989 science fiction video game developed by Binary Systems and published by Electronic Arts as the sequel to the successful Starflight. It features a combination of space exploration, role-playing and strategy within a futuristic setting. The player commands a spaceship capable of traveling to the game world's 150 solar systems, communicating with or attacking other spaceships, and landing on planetary surfaces which may be explored with a crewed rover for plot clues, minerals and alien lifeforms. Game mechanics and the overall look and feel closely resemble the earlier Starflight game, but many new features are introduced including an interstellar trade-based economy, new sentient alien races, and new spacecraft accessories and artifacts. The player is tasked with discovering the ultimate source of the advanced spacecraft technology and unlimited fuel supply which provide a military advantage to the Spemin, a hostile alien race threatening to annihilate or enslave humanity. A major part of the game consists of earning enough money to pay for spaceship upgrades and crew training by engaging in interstellar trade and barter with various alien cultures at their planetary trading posts.

<i>Freelancer</i> (video game) 2003 video game

Freelancer is a space trading and combat simulation video game developed by Digital Anvil and published by Microsoft Game Studios. It is a chronological sequel to Digital Anvil's Starlancer, a combat flight simulator released in 2000. The game was initially announced by Chris Roberts in 1999, and following many production schedule mishaps and a buyout of Digital Anvil by Microsoft, it was eventually released in March 2003.

<i>Ironseed</i> 1994 video game

Ironseed is a 1994 MS-DOS video game, developed and published by Channel 7. It is a space trading and combat game with real-time strategy elements.

<i>X2: The Threat</i> 2003 space trading and combat video game

X2: The Threat is a space simulation video game developed by Egosoft for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X. It is part of the X series. It was released in 2003 and is a sequel to X: Beyond the Frontier. Freeverse Software ported the game to Mac OS X in 2004/2005, while Linux Game Publishing produced their Linux port in 2005/2006. An expansion pack, X2: The Return, was cancelled.

<i>Sentinel Worlds I: Future Magic</i> 1988 video game

Sentinel Worlds I: Future Magic is a 1988 role-playing video game developed by Karl Buiter and published by Electronic Arts for the MS-DOS and Commodore 64 computer systems.

<i>Shadowgrounds</i> 2005 video game

Shadowgrounds is a top-down shooter for Microsoft Windows, Linux and Mac OS X, developed by Frozenbyte. The game takes place on a space colony on Ganymede which is being attacked by aliens. It was released for Windows on November 11, 2005, in stores in Finland and Germany, and in Spring 2006 in the rest of Europe and North America.

<i>Star Trek: The Next Generation</i> (1994 video game) 1994 video game

Star Trek: The Next Generation is a 1994 adventure game developed and published by Spectrum HoloByte. The game features strategy and puzzle-solving elements. The game was released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, the Sega Genesis and the Sega Game Gear. It takes place in the Star Trek universe, spanning Federation space and the Romulan Neutral Zone, and centers on the appearance of the IFD, an artifact machine of unknown origin that, as its name suggests, allows its user to reshape matter and energy. It culminates in the IFD Trials, three tests undertaken by representatives of any races that are present when the Trials are held, and failure would mean the destruction of the Federation and the enslavement of countless worlds by the Federation's enemies.

<i>Planets Edge</i> 1992 video game

Planet's Edge is a 1992 space science fiction role-playing video game developed by New World Computing with Eric Hyman as the lead designer. The game's plot centers on investigating the sudden disappearance of planet Earth, by venturing out into the universe from a Moon base. There are two main play modes: real-time exploration and combat using various spacecraft, and turn-based exploration, problem solving, and combat on the surface of dozens of planets. The game features a variety of objects, weapons, and missions, though it lacks any detailed experience or stats system for the four characters the player controls.

<i>Sins of a Solar Empire</i> 2008 video game

Sins of a Solar Empire is a 2008 science fiction real-time strategy video game developed by Ironclad Games and published by Stardock Entertainment for Microsoft Windows operating systems. It is a real-time strategy (RTS) game that incorporates some elements from 4X games; its makers describe it as "RT4X". Players are given control of a spacefaring empire in the distant future, and are tasked with conquering star systems using military, economic and diplomatic means.

<i>DarkStar One</i> 2006 video game

DarkStar One is a space trading and combat simulator game developed by German studio Ascaron and published by CDV.

<i>Star Fighter</i> (video game) 1994 video game

Star Fighter or Star Fighter 3000 is a 3D flight-based shoot-em-up developed and published by UK company Fednet Software, and released in 1994 for the Acorn Archimedes. The gameplay is mission based and involves elements of strategy and planning. The player can order wingmen to fly in formation and attack specific targets.

<i>Protostar: War on the Frontier</i> 1993 video game

Protostar: War on the Frontier is a 1993 science fiction video game produced by Tsunami Media that blends elements of role-playing, space exploration, space combat, and strategy. The player commands a spaceship from a first-person perspective in real-time capable of traveling to the various planets in the game world and launching an explorer vessel to traverse their surfaces. Several sentient alien races inhabit the region with whom the player interacts through friendly conversation, intense spaceship combat, or barter at their planetary trading posts. One of these races, the Skeetch, is aggressively threatening to conquer the Earth; the player has been recruited to convince the other sentient races in the region to join humanity in an alliance against the Skeetch. A secondary goal of the game is to earn money by performing actions such as selling alien lifeforms and minerals collected on planetary surfaces to obtain the funds needed to upgrade the player's spaceship and improve the odds of survival in confrontations with the Skeetch and other hostile entities. Computer Gaming World criticized the game for failing to break new ground and for its "muddled" blend of science fiction themes, but did recommend it to players new to this genre.

<i>Star Trek: The Next Generation</i> (1993 video game) 1993 video game

Star Trek: The Next Generation is a large spaceship simulation video game based on the Star Trek follow-up series of the same name. It was released in 1993 to the North American and European markets for both the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and Game Boy.

<i>DarkOrbit</i> 2006 massively multiplayer video game

DarkOrbit, later renamed to DarkOrbit: Reloaded is a massively multiplayer online game developed by Bigpoint Games. The game is set in outer space, where players control a spaceship to battle against non-player characters and other players. It is a three-dimensional isometric Flash game with over 300 million registered accounts.

<i>Star Cruiser</i> (1988 video game) 1988 video game

Star Cruiser is a role-playing first-person shooter video game developed by Arsys Software and released in Japan for the PC-8801 and X1 home computers in 1988. The game was released for the PC-9801 and X68000 computers in 1989, and then ported by Masaya (NCS) to the Mega Drive in 1990.

<i>Flotilla</i> (video game) 2010 turn-based strategy game

Flotilla is a 2010 turn-based strategy space combat video game developed by Brendon Chung's studio, Blendo Games. The game was released in March 2010 on Steam for Microsoft Windows and on Xbox Live Indie Games for the Xbox 360. Flotilla was designed with Microsoft's XNA tools, and its development was influenced by animals as well as board games such as Axis and Allies and Arkham Horror. The game takes the player in an adventure through a randomly generated galaxy.

References

  1. 1 2 "Nomad (1993) DOS release dates - MobyGames". MobyGames . Blue Flame Labs. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Power Unlimited Game Database". powerweb.nl (in Dutch). June 1994. Archived from the original on September 20, 2003. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
  3. ↑ Seacat, Douglas (May 1994). "Space Operetta". Computer Gaming World. pp. 22–23.
  4. ↑ Werner, Thomas (April 1994). "Nomad". PC Player. p. 54.
  5. ↑ Duy, Manfred (March 1994). "Nomad". PC Joker. p. 37.
  6. ↑ "Power Unlimited Game Database". powerweb.nl (in Dutch). June 1994. Archived from the original on September 20, 2003. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
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.