Time of Defiance

Last updated
Time of Defiance
Time of Defiance cover.jpg
European cover art
Developer(s) Nicely Crafted Entertainment
Publisher(s)
Platform(s) Windows
Release
  • WW: August 21, 2002
  • EU: November 21, 2003
  • NA: October 7, 2004 [1]
Genre(s) Massively multiplayer online real-time strategy
Mode(s) Multiplayer

Time of Defiance was a massively multiplayer online real-time strategy (MMORTS), featuring floating islands on a planet called Nespanona. Players capture and extract resources from these floating islands. [2] Because the game runs in real-time, the game world continues to alter when players are logged out. [3] All in-game enemies consist of other players, who must be repelled by force or prevented from attacking through diplomatic intervention. [4] It was made free to play on August 19, 2009 [5] and was closed down on July 28, 2010.

Contents

Setting

Time of Defiance is set on a world called Nespanona, which one million years ago had a race called the Nespans living on it. The Nespans understood that all physics was just a side effect of actions at the quantum level, and using this knowledge were able to do many things that would seem impossible. They were interested in interstellar travel. They could already teleport objects but only relatively small objects, such as people. A scientist attempted to teleport larger objects to use on starships, however, a mathematical mistake caused him to begin the process of shrinking the entire planet's core. Although this would take years to complete, the effects on the planet's gravity would be fairly extreme, causing the planet's crust to fracture and fall. Faced with the situation, the Nespan attached thousands of anti-gravity engines to the underside of the crust, giving them time to evacuate the entire planet. As the crust began to collapse, the anti-gravity engines held parts of the crust in place creating islands floating above the ocean created by the watery moon being sucked into the core.

Currently the remaining people haven't got the level of technology that the Nespan have, the most advanced being Quantam Foam Gates, relics of the Nespan. The Quantam Gates are controlled by the Eighth House, a neutral organization that acts like a marketplace selling rare ships and resources in exchange for the Crystal Moss. The Eighth House is engaged in a war with the Shadoo, and seems to encourage the Cog tribes to fight over the Northern Continent. [6]

Races

The Cog are a clannish race with moderately primitive technology. Each individual Cog is a member of a specific clan, and the clans are dominated by the Eighth House. An Example of Cog technology is that all their ships run on coal as a fuel. The Cog are engaged in a war with the Shadoo, but it is war only fought by the Eighth House and few other Cog have even seen a real Shadoo.

The Shadoo are a more technologically advanced race than the Cog. They are a more philosophical race than the energetic Cog, and their architecture reflects this. In the game the only way to acquire their ships is through transactions with the Eighth House, as no Shadoo are encountered in the game. There is little evidence to suggest the Shadoo appearing in the game in person as they have only been represented by their looted ships.

The Nespan are even less encountered than the Shadoo, with only two of their units in the game. They seem to disturb the Eighth House, as the ships that are found do not resemble the relics they had expected. They were constructed recently, and are purchasable through the Eighth House or found scattered across the continent.

Gameplay

The objective of the game is to colonise as many islands as possible, to mine their resources - coal, stone, metal etc. These islands are scattered within a huge arena. Once gathered these resources enable players to build more assets. Meanwhile, other players are doing the same thing, which can lead to alliances or enemies. The game seems to require total commitment of its players if they hope to make headway.

Reception

At the time of release, the game received "average" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. [7]

Related Research Articles

<i>Star Trek: Starfleet Command</i> 1999 video game

Star Trek: Starfleet Command is a computer game based on the table-top wargame Star Fleet Battles. It was developed by 14° East and Quicksilver Software and published by Interplay Entertainment. It was released in 1999 for Microsoft Windows. It simulates starship operations, ship-to-ship combat, and fleet warfare in the Star Trek universe. An expanded version was released in 2000 titled Star Trek: Starfleet Command - Gold Edition. It includes the latest patch and all the missions that were downloadable from the official website.

Wipeout is a series of futuristic anti-gravity racing video games developed by Studio Liverpool.

<i>Darwinia</i> (video game) 2005 video game

Darwinia is a 2005 real-time tactics and real-time strategy video game for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. It is the second game developed by Introversion Software, and is set within a computer environment that simulates artificial intelligence. It received favourable reviews and won three awards at the 2006 Independent Games Festival. A multiplayer sequel, Multiwinia, was released for Windows in 2008. Darwinia and Multiwinia were released together as Darwinia+ for the Xbox 360 in 2010.

<i>Wipeout 2097</i> 1996 racing video game

Wipeout 2097 is a racing video game developed and published by Psygnosis. It is the second installment released in the Wipeout series and the direct sequel of the original game released the previous year. It was originally released in 1996 for the PlayStation, and in 1997 for Microsoft Windows and the Sega Saturn. It was later ported by Digital Images to the Amiga in 1999 and by Coderus to Mac OS in 2002.

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

Vietcong is a 2003 tactical first-person shooter video game developed by Pterodon in cooperation with Illusion Softworks and published by Gathering for Microsoft Windows. It is set during the Vietnam War in 1967.

<i>Sword of the Stars</i> 2006 video game

Sword of the Stars is a space 4X game developed by Kerberos Productions. In the game the player chooses one of four unique races to form an interstellar empire and conquer the galaxy. In order to win, the player must expand territory by colonizing new star systems, exploit the resources available to their colonies, design and build starships, and improve their empire's technology through research and strategy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Floating cities and islands in fiction</span> Science fiction concept

In science fiction and fantasy, floating cities and islands are a common trope, ranging from cities and islands that float on water to ones that float in the atmosphere of a planet by purported scientific technologies or by magical means. While very large floating structures have been constructed or proposed in real life, aerial cities and islands remain in the realm of fiction.

<i>Silver</i> (video game) 1999 action role-playing video game

Silver is an action role-playing video game for Microsoft Windows, Dreamcast and Mac OS, released in 1999. The game was produced by Infogrames initially for Windows, and later for the Dreamcast. The story focuses around a young warrior called David and his quest to retrieve his wife from the clutches of the villain Silver. On his journey he gains a number of followers and visits many different landscapes. The game sold over 400,000 copies.

<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>Star Trek: New Worlds</i> 2000 video game

Star Trek: New Worlds is a strategy game published in 2000 by Interplay in which the player can choose to command the forces of the United Federation of Planets, Klingons or Romulans. The player's goal is to build successful colonies on a series of newly discovered planets while battling off competing factions.

<i>Universe at War: Earth Assault</i> 2007 video game

Universe at War: Earth Assault is a real-time strategy game, developed by Petroglyph Games and published by Sega. Universe at War: Earth Assault was intended to be the first game in a planned series of games to be called the Universe at War series.

<i>The Dog Island</i> 2007 video game

THE DOG Island, known in Japan as THE DOG Island: Hitotsu no Hana no Monogatari, is a 2008 adventure video game for the Wii and PlayStation 2 consoles in which players control a dog and must go on a journey to search for a special flower to aid their sick sibling, which can only be found by achieving their goal to become a "sniff master". The player interacts with various other animals in the game that give hints and information to aid on the quest. The video game is based on The Dog and Friends franchise.

<i>Crayon Physics Deluxe</i> 2007 video game

Crayon Physics Deluxe is a puzzle video game designed by Petri Purho and released on January 7, 2009. An early version, titled Crayon Physics, was released for Windows in June 2007. Deluxe won the grand prize at the Independent Games Festival in 2008. It features a heavy emphasis on two-dimensional physics simulations, including gravity, mass, kinetic energy and transfer of momentum. The game includes a level editor and enables its players to download and share custom content via an online service.

<i>Star Trek: ConQuest Online</i> 2000 video game

Star Trek: ConQuest Online was an online digital collectible card game set in the Star Trek universe released in June 2000 for the Microsoft Windows by Activision.

<i>F1 2000</i> (video game) 2000 video game

F1 2000 is a racing video game developed by Visual Science for the PlayStation version and Image Space Incorporated for the Microsoft Windows version and published by EA Sports for PlayStation and Microsoft Windows. It is based on the 2000 Formula One season. F1 2000 was the last Visual Science F1 game to appear on the PlayStation. With an official FIA Formula One license, it includes the full 2000 World Championship season, including the new Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Jaguar Racing team.

<i>Alien Breed 2: Assault</i> 2010 video game

Alien Breed 2: Assault is a video game in Team17's Alien Breed series and is the second new title in the series since 1996 after Alien Breed Evolution. It was released on Steam, Xbox Live Arcade, and PlayStation Network in 2010. The follow-up Alien Breed 3: Descent was released on 17 November 2010.

<i>Grand Theft Auto V</i> 2013 video game

Grand Theft Auto V is a 2013 action-adventure game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the seventh main entry in the Grand Theft Auto series, following 2008's Grand Theft Auto IV, and the fifteenth instalment overall. Set within the fictional state of San Andreas, based on Southern California, the single-player story follows three protagonists—retired bank robber Michael De Santa, street gangster Franklin Clinton, and drug dealer and gunrunner Trevor Philips, and their attempts to commit heists while under pressure from a corrupt government agency and powerful criminals. Players freely roam San Andreas's open world countryside and fictional city of Los Santos, based on Los Angeles.

<i>Defiance</i> (video game) 2013 video game

Defiance was a science fiction-themed persistent world massively multiplayer online third-person shooter developed by Trion Worlds. Defiance took place on a terraformed Earth several years into the future. It was a tie-in to the Syfy show of the same name. The game was released in April 2013 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It was also released on Steam. The game went free-to-play on June 4, 2014 for PC, August 14, 2014 for PS3 and November 18, 2014 for Xbox 360. Official game servers, community forums, and social media outlets were shut down by owning company Gamigo on April 29, 2021.

<i>Grow Home</i> 2015 video game

Grow Home is an adventure platform video game developed by Ubisoft Reflections and published by Ubisoft. It was released for Microsoft Windows on February 4, 2015, and for PlayStation 4 on September 1, 2015. The game follows a robot named B.U.D., who is tasked with growing a plant that will oxygenate its home planet. Players explore an open world, moving B.U.D. and individually using each of its arms to climb and interact with objects.

<i>Worlds Adrift</i> Video game

Worlds Adrift was a massively multiplayer sandbox video game, set in a massive world that is permanently changed by players' actions. Developed and published by Bossa Studios, the game entered early access on PC through Steam in mid-July 2017. Following the conclusion of the "End of the world" in-game event, Worlds Adrift was discontinued on July 26, 2019 by Bossa Studios, who cited the game being no longer commercially viable as the reason for its shutdown.

References

  1. ↑ Adams, David (October 7, 2004). "Time of Defiance Ships". IGN . Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  2. 1 2 Habib, J. (January 3, 2005). "Time of Defiance Review". IGN . Ziff Davis . Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  3. 1 2 Todd, Brett (December 22, 2004). "Time of Defiance Review". GameSpot . CBS Interactive . Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  4. 1 2 Eberle, Matt (November 30, 2004). "Time of Defiance - PC - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on October 2, 2008. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  5. ↑ "Time of Defiance is now FREE to play!". Time of Defiance. Nice Tech Ltd. August 19, 2009. Archived from the original on August 27, 2009. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  6. ↑ "Knowledgebase". Time of Defiance. Nice Tech Ltd. Archived from the original on February 13, 2008. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  7. 1 2 "Time of Defiance for PC Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  8. ↑ Neigher, Eric (April 2005). "Time of Defiance" (PDF). Computer Gaming World . No. 250. Ziff Davis. p. 89. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  9. ↑ "Time of Defiance". PC Format . No. 158. Future plc. February 2004.
  10. ↑ "Time of Defiance (2003)". PC Gamer UK . Future plc. December 2003.
  11. ↑ "Time of Defiance". PC Gamer UK. Future plc. November 2002.
  12. ↑ "Time of Defiance". PC Gamer . Future US. February 2005. p. 59.
  13. ↑ Anderson, Chris (November 3, 2002). "PC Review: Time of Defiance". PC Zone . Future plc. Archived from the original on January 16, 2007. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  14. ↑ Bemis, Greg (March 28, 2005). "Time of Defiance Review". X-Play . G4TV. Archived from the original on March 29, 2005. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
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.