Tachyon: The Fringe

Last updated
Tachyon: The Fringe
Tachyon The Fringe cover.jpg
Developer(s) NovaLogic
Publisher(s) NovaLogic
Producer(s) Michael S. Maza
Designer(s) Randy Casey
Programmer(s) Randy Casey
Artist(s) Keith Rust
Timothy Higgins
Writer(s) Lukas Mandrake
David Merrick
Kevin R. O'Hara
Jason Ryan
Composer(s) Tom Hays
Platform(s) Microsoft Windows
Release
  • EU: March 30, 2000
  • NA: April 20, 2000 [1]
Genre(s) Space combat simulation
Mode(s) Singleplayer and Multiplayer

Tachyon: The Fringe is a Space combat simulation video game developed and published in 2000 by Novalogic. It features the voice acting of Bruce Campbell as main character Jake Logan in a 3-D space simulator. Tachyon was developed by Randy Casey, who had previously written two other titles for Novalogic: F-22 Lightning II and F-22 Raptor .

Contents

Story

The story of Tachyon: The Fringe is set in the 26th century, where mankind has left Earth to colonize the far reaches of space, and has many characteristics of a space opera. The Sol system is a place of relative peace, which is kept by the police force called Star Patrol. Out on the Fringe, where Star Patrol has little presence, megacorporations, pirate clans and colonist groups clash, frequently violently.

The player takes the role of Jake Logan, a mercenary fighter pilot working comfortably in the Sol system. Early in the campaign you are framed for the terrorist bombing of a starbase and are exiled to the Fringe, barred forever from your home. The primary conflict in the Fringe is between the Galactic Spanning (GalSpan) corporation and a group of anti-sol spacer colonists, the Bora - for mining rights, space stations, and territorial control of the Fringe, and they each offer Logan a new start. The Bora want to preserve their independence in the Fringe, particularly their Bora sector, threatening GalSpan's profits in the region.

If the player sides with the Bora, they fight to stymy the "Spanners" attempts to demoralise and displace the Bora, and sabotage GalSpan operations. After many setbacks, Jake overcomes overwhelming odds to destroy the massive new Hephaestus mining station live in front of the Tachyon News Service, humiliating GalSpan and tanking their share price, forcing them to shut down their operations in the fringe and leave the Bora alone.

GalSpan meanwhile offers the chance to work for them, defending GalSpan interests and destroying Bora "terrorists". After many successes GalSpan completes their new Hephaestus station, causing the Bora to launch an all-out assault, which Jake defeats. Jake then escorts the defecting Bora leader to the GalSpan side, who urges the Bora to abandon their homes in the face of the unstoppable GalSpan to resettle further out in the frontier.

Gameplay

Cockpit view Tachyon The Fringe screenshot.png
Cockpit view

Tachyon: The Fringe is a first-person space combat simulator. Among several features, (such as power and shield management), the game implements "sliding", where the player can maintain a constant velocity while having free control over the orientation of their spacecraft. This is intended to provide an ease-of-motion where the player can strafe, fly backwards and otherwise maintain a higher level of control over their spacecraft.

Missions

In story mode, the player chooses missions from the Job Board. Some missions are offered by neutral parties and do not drive the main storyline (though they do occasionally affect the TNS News bulletins). Eventually, the story will reach a point where it becomes necessary for the player to ally with either the Bora Colonies or the Galactic Spanning Corporation. The Bora missions are usually higher in difficulty and less rewarding monetarily. GalSpan pays well and often has missions in tandem with other pilots, but is more morally grey. Since the two factions offer different fighters and different weapons, they encourage different play styles, as well as different storylines.

Reception

The game received favorable reviews according to the review aggregation website GameRankings. [2] Kevin Rice of NextGen called it "a solid space-simulation game; it just doesn't offer much in the way of anything new." [12] Nash Werner of GamePro said, "Even with a Hollywood name on the box to draw attention, Tachyon is still more like a treat for the hardcore space flight-sim fan. I'm talking about the type of fan that has the need to fly brand new ships every six months. Those people will love Tachyon. Its entertaining multiplayer mode over NovaWorld is reason enough to get fanboys everywhere salivating. However, casual gamers and tourists may not be able to appreciate Tachyon for what it really is: a very entertaining Privateer clone." [14] [lower-alpha 1]

According to Mark Asher of CNET Gamecenter , the game was a commercial flop, with sales of 20,385 units and revenues of $778,095 in the U.S. by July 2000. He cited this performance as part of a trend of falling sales for space flight simulators and the wider flight simulator genre. [15]

The staff of Computer Games Strategy Plus nominated the game for their 2000 "Sci-Fi Simulation of the Year" award, whose winner remains unknown. [16]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ GamePro gave the game two 4/5 scores for graphics and fun factor, and two 3.5/5 scores for sound and control.

Related Research Articles

<i>Grand Prix Legends</i> 1998 video game

Grand Prix Legends is a computer racing simulator developed by Papyrus Design Group and published in 1998 by Sierra On-Line under the Sierra Sports banner. It simulates the 1967 Grand Prix season.

<i>Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance</i> 1999 video game

Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance is a 1999 space simulation video game, the sequel to both Star Wars: TIE Fighter and Star Wars: X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter. X-Wing Alliance presents the story of the Azzameen family, a family of space traders. The player assumes the role of Ace Azzameen, the youngest of the Azzameen children, juggling military duty as a fighter pilot for the Rebel Alliance, and allegiance to his family, flying larger heavily armed freighters for the family business, amid a bloody family feud and in the larger context of a galactic civil war. It received favorable reviews.

<i>F-22 Raptor</i> (video game) 1997 video game

F-22 Raptor is a combat flight simulation video game released by Novalogic in 1997.

<i>Red Baron II</i> 1997 video game

Red Baron II is a video game for the PC, developed by Dynamix and published by Sierra On-Line. It is the follow-up to the flight simulation Red Baron, released in 1990. Red Baron II was released in December 1997. A patch was released in 1998 that added support for 3D acceleration and renamed the game to Red Baron 3D. Red Baron 3D was also released as a retail product.

<i>Starlancer</i> 2000 video game

Starlancer is a space-based science fiction flight simulator computer game, created by Erin and Chris Roberts, and developed by Warthog Games under the auspices of Digital Anvil.

<i>FIFA 99</i> 1998 association football video game

FIFA 99 is a football simulation video game developed by EA Canada and published by Electronic Arts under the EA Sports label. It is the sixth game in the FIFA series and was released in 1998 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation and Nintendo 64.

<i>European Air War</i> 1998 video game

European Air War is a combat flight simulator developed and published by MicroProse and published for Microsoft Windows in 1998. It is a sequel to 1942: The Pacific Air War. It simulates the Battle of Britain, and the Allied Air offensives in Western Europe during World War II in 1943–1945.

<i>Wing Commander: Prophecy</i> 1997 video game

Wing Commander: Prophecy is the fifth installment in the Wing Commander science fiction space combat simulator franchise of computer games. The game was released in 1997 for Windows, produced by Origin Systems and distributed by Electronic Arts. In 2003, a Game Boy Advance conversion with added multiplayer was produced by Italy-based Raylight Studios and distributed by Destination Software.

<i>MechWarrior 3</i> 1999 video game

MechWarrior 3 is a vehicle simulation game, part of the MechWarrior series. It featured a new 3D accelerated graphics engine at the time of its release. The game contains over 20 missions, with access to 18 different mechs. A novelization called Trial Under Fire was written by Loren L. Coleman.

<i>Bang! Gunship Elite</i> 2000 video game

Bang! Gunship Elite is a space combat simulator developed by French studio RayLand was released for Windows and Dreamcast. It allows the player to fly a combat spacecraft in a fully 3D environment and fight enemies piloting similar craft to their own.

<i>Industry Giant</i> 1997 business simulation video game

Industry Giant is a business simulation game for Windows. In 2002 a sequel, Industry Giant II, was released.

<i>MiG Alley</i> (video game) 1999 video game

MiG Alley is a combat flight simulation game, developed by Rowan Software for PCs with Windows, and was published by Empire Interactive in 1999.

<i>Janes WWII Fighters</i> 1998 video game

Jane's World War II Fighters is the 1998 combat flight simulation video game. Set in the European theatre of operations during World War II, it is part of the Jane's Combat Simulations franchise. The game was considered a commercial failure, and contributed to the end of the Jane's Combat Simulations line.

<i>Janes F-15</i> 1998 video game

Jane's F-15, also known as simply F-15, is a combat flight simulator video game developed and released by Electronic Arts in 1998 for the PC. It models the McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle. EA's 2000 Jane's F/A-18 used an improved version of F-15's game engine.

<i>F-22 Lightning 3</i> 1999 video game

F-22 Lightning 3 is a combat flight simulation game developed and published by Novalogic in 1999.

<i>Close Combat: Battle of the Bulge</i> 1999 war video game

Close Combat: Battle of the Bulge, sometimes known as Close Combat IV: Battle of the Bulge, is a 1999 computer wargame developed by Atomic Games and published by Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI). A simulation of the Battle of the Bulge during World War II, it is the fourth game in the Close Combat series. A remake, Close Combat: Wacht am Rhein, was released in 2008.

<i>Armored Fist 3</i> 1999 video game

Armored Fist 3 is a tank simulation video game developed and published by NovaLogic in 1999.

<i>F1 Racing Simulation</i> 1997 video game

F1 Racing Simulation is a racing simulation game, developed for Microsoft Windows by Ubi Soft in 1997. The game is based on the 1996 Formula One World Championship, and is the first of the Racing Simulation games made by Ubisoft, being the predecessor to Racing Simulation 2, which was released in 1998.

<i>Hangsim</i> 1999 video game

Hangsim is a flight simulator video game that simulates hang gliding or paragliding. It was developed by Quality Simulations and published by Wilco Publishing for Windows in 1999. It was set for release in September 1999, before getting delayed to an eventual release date of November 5, 1999.

<i>Superbike World Championship</i> (video game) 1999 video game

Superbike World Championship is a motorcycle racing video game, developed by Milestone s.r.l. and published by EA Sports for Microsoft Windows in 1999. It is part of EA's Superbike video game series, and featured the riders of the 1997 season.

References

  1. ↑ IGN staff (April 20, 2000). "News Briefs". IGN . Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on August 31, 2000. Retrieved April 22, 2021. Tachyon In Stores: Rush to the stores and grab this one up, cause [sic] it's there just waiting for you to pick it up.
  2. 1 2 "Tachyon: The Fringe for PC". GameRankings . CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 11, 2019. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  3. ↑ McDonald, Thomas (May 4, 2000). "Tachyon: The Fringe". Gamecenter. CNET. Archived from the original on August 16, 2000. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  4. ↑ McElveen, Nick (May 26, 2000). "Tachyon: The Fringe". Computer Games Strategy Plus . Strategy Plus, Inc. Archived from the original on May 25, 2003. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  5. ↑ Berg, Gordon (August 2000). "Aspiring, but not Inspired (Tachyon: The Fringe Review)" (PDF). Computer Gaming World . No. 193. Ziff Davis. p. 102. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 6, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  6. ↑ Harris, Neil (June 19, 2000). "Tachyon: The Fringe". The Electric Playground . Greedy Productions Ltd. Archived from the original on August 19, 2002. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  7. ↑ Ellis, Keith "DNM" (June 13, 2000). "Tachyon: The Fringe". Eurogamer . Gamer Network. Archived from the original on January 7, 2001. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  8. ↑ Johnny B. (May 2000). "Tachyon: The Fringe Review". GameRevolution . CraveOnline. Archived from the original on September 22, 2015. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  9. ↑ Kasavin, Greg (May 5, 2000). "Tachyon: The Fringe Review [date mislabeled as "May 8, 2000"]". GameSpot . Fandom. Archived from the original on January 27, 2005. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  10. ↑ Hart, Rico (May 25, 2000). "Tachyon: The Fringe". GameSpy . IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on February 15, 2002. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  11. ↑ Ward, Trent C. (May 5, 2000). "Tachyon: The Fringe". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on October 25, 2021. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  12. 1 2 Rice, Kevin (August 2000). "Tachyon: The Fringe". NextGen . No. 68. Imagine Media. p. 96. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  13. ↑ Kuo, Li C. (August 2000). "Tachyon: The Fringe". PC Gamer . Vol. 7, no. 8. Imagine Media. Archived from the original on March 15, 2006. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  14. ↑ Werner, Nash (June 20, 2000). "Tachyon: The Fringe Review for PC on GamePro.com". GamePro . IDG. Archived from the original on October 1, 2004. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  15. ↑ Asher, Mark (July 14, 2000). "Game Spin: Crunching Diablo II Numbers". Gamecenter. CNET. Archived from the original on August 16, 2000.
  16. ↑ CGSP staff (February 8, 2001). "Computer Games Magazine announces nominees for annual best in computer gaming awards". Computer Games Strategy Plus. Strategy Plus, Inc. Archived from the original on February 9, 2005.
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.