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| A CNET Gamecenter Preview Publisher: MicroProse Developer: Blue Tongue Genre: Real-time strategy Release date: Fall 2000 Inside word: After several delays, it looks as though Heinlein's classic sci-fi novel will finally make the leap to computer monitors everywhere when Starship Troopers is released later this year. By Marc Dultz June 27, 2000 Confucius said, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step." Apparently, the Chinese sage was pondering the fate of the game version of Robert Heinlein's novel Starship Troopers, which has been wandering about the gaming landscape for the better part of four years. Originally conceived as a 3D shooter, Starship Troopers was supposed to have shipped some two years ago so that its release would coincide with the release of the feature film. However, with technology on the march and a target date well out of range, MicroProse elected to scrap the game's original design and redo it as a real-time strategy game. It turns out the company made the right decision, because the film wasn't a blockbuster (although it's a lot of fun to watch), and the game, as it then stood, would've fared even worse. Now, a couple of years after the film's ignominious release and nearly 50 years after the novel's debut, MicroProse is finally ready to stare down the Bug menace once and for all. This place crawls! Bugs, Mr. Rico, Zillions of 'Em One of the biggest complaints about the film was that it did an appalling job of portraying the legendary Mobile Infantrymen (also known as the MI), who are the heart and soul of Heinlein's classic sci-fi tome. For instance, the MI described in the book wore powered spacesuits that enabled them to bounce along a planet's surface like kangaroos on steroids. In the film, however, director Paul Verhoeven opted for a different and far less expensive approach by putting the MI in simple body armor and making them run around like locusts in heat. Fans of the book took immediate issue with the way in which the MI were being portrayed and with the incredulous numbers of soldiers taking to the battlefield. So which version of the MI will show up in the game? Blow it up! Blow it up! Blow it up! "Bouncing is an important part of gameplay," explains Tom Zahorik, the game's producer. "'Troopers-on-the-bounce' will be able to rapidly seize the high ground and take command of the battlefield using advanced technology. Bouncing around, however, gets very dangerous when there are Hoppers in the neighborhood and the local area hasn't been properly secured." Zahorik goes on to indicate that there are three classes of powered armor depicted in the game: Marauder, Scout, and Command, all of which are described at length in the book. When you include all sorts of variants and other options, the list of available armor jumps to 12. Of course, only the more powerful suits enable you to make jumps. Other units will still have to move by foot. "Starship Troopers covers the entire course of the Third Terran Space War," says Zahorik. "The campaign story line owes more to the novel and to the movie than the [Avalon Hill] board game. All the major Mobile Infantry engagements are re-created, from Operation: Bughouse to Operation: Royalty. Because neither the movie nor the novel disclose how the conflict ends, we have extended the game to take the war to its conclusion." All told, there are 3 campaigns included in the game, spread out across 21 separate missions. The first campaign begins with the MI's ill-fated assault on Klendathu, and ends with the capture of the Brain Bug on an Arachnid-infested planet. According to Zahorik, the primary goal of the game is to deliver as much of the book's flavor as possible while remaining faithful to the aesthetics of the film. "We hope that players feel like they are involved in a heroic struggle to defend humanity, rather than just a typical space war." To accomplish this, Australian-based developer Blue Tongue Software has gone to great lengths to make the Bugs as huge and as terrifying as humanly possible. In contrast, the Mobile Infantry are much smaller and far less numerous than their Bug counterparts, although they make up for these deficiencies with advanced technology and superior training. There are 15 types of Arachnids portrayed in the game, ranging in size from the tiny Chariot Bugs all the way up to the mighty Plasma Bug. All of the Bugs in the book and movie are included in the mix, plus a host of nasty surprises too gruesome to discuss here. "While the Neodog teams and duplicitous Skinnies have been intentionally left out," says Zahorik, "we've managed to cover all of the other important elements described in the thriller." It sucked out his brain Knowledge Is Power So how do all of these aesthetic qualities translate into gameplay? In Starship Troopers, you take on the role of an infantry soldier. There is no resource management to worry about--just tactical strategy and plenty of action. As a lieutenant, you are responsible for the lives of every member in your platoon, even though you fight alongside them on each and every mission. As your troopers gain experience, they become more effective soldiers, which grants them access to better armor and superior weaponry. "In this game," explains Zahorik, "grunt rushing will only get you so far." Blow it up! Blow it up! Blow it up! You begin the game fresh out of boot camp, as a green cadet lieutenant. Your platoon consists of six squads, who are led by an assortment of non-coms including sergeants and corporals. Squads can be outfitted for a variety of assignments, from Seek-and-Destroy missions to Bug-Hole Demolition to Advance Recon to Specimen Capture. Each individual infantryman can be assigned a specialist role, such as Medic, Combat Engineer, Stealth Infiltrator, and Special Talents. In addition, your platoon possesses various off-field assets, which are provided by the Terran Fleet. This enables you to call in air strikes, order medical evacuations, and even ask for specimen retrieval when the time is right. The troopers have an extensive range of handheld infantry weapons at their disposal, ranging in scope from smart rifles to nova bombs. Over-the-shoulder Y-racks filled with battlefield nukes, which are ideal for collapsing Arachnid tunnel complexes and destroying Plasma Bugs, are also available. Like real tactical warheads, battlefield nukes leave radioactive fallout in the atmosphere, which is hazardous to Cap troopers, but not to their suits. Heavy equipment is also available, that is, if you can trust your troopers to use it properly. The best part is that Starship Troopers will feature a number of guest appearances by several characters that appeared in the novel. "Sergeant Zim is there," adds Zahorik with a wry, almost whimsical smile, "and so are the Roughnecks, who put in a cameo appearance later in the game. Then, of course, there are the Fleet vehicles. Your platoon gets to travel the universe onboard such ships as the TFT Valley Forge, TFCT Rodger Young, TFT Audie Murphy, and TFDT Xenophon, all of which are described at length in the book." The game version of Starship Troopers has journeyed down a dark and winding path to get to its present state. Gamers will be able to see if the wait was worth it when the game is released later this year. Which version of Starship Troopers do you like better, the movie or the book? Sound off on the CNET Message Boards. Marc Dultz isn't really a Brain Bug, although he plays one on TV. Got a comment? Send us an email! Copyright ©1995-2000 CNET Networks, Inc. All rights reserved. |
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