It is already an established fact that Battlecruiser 3000AD v2.0 released by Interplay on 12/98, has done very well, in fact, better than expected. That feedback facilitated the deal I did with GTi a few months ago, for which several enhancements were made to BC3K which hits the European streets this Friday, the 6th of October as BATTLECRUISER 3000AD v2.08. Naturally, since BC3K has a long standing history of being the game that caters to its fan base, this v2.08 which contains bug fixes and several enhancements, including the amazing Tactical Operations Command module for which over 7000 planetary strike zones were created, was also made available, for free, to existing v1.0x and v2.0x owners. Units mastered by Interplay this season will also be of this version.
That version marks the conclusion of the v2.0x series forthwith and unless some showstopper is discovered (highly unlikely for a version whose primary kernel that was in public and private Beta testing since v2.06 back in March ’99), there will not be a v2.09.
The Battlecruiser series has had quite a long and colorful history. We have worked over the years to keep the fan base on our side and to keep them rooting for a product that continues to compete in an industry rife with product cancellations, diminishing returns and of course, shattered expectations. BC3K has become so advanced and chock full of features which give the gamer total control over his/her playing style, that sometimes I ask myself whether I will ever be able to return to simplicity. Never.
As I expanded the series, I added new team members consisting of support programmers, artists, sound engineers, modelers and Beta testers (hand picked from the growing BC3K community) who augment everything I have learned on this long journey and who bring their own special touch and expertise to what is arguably one of the most notorious and recognized brand names in the industry. Sporting a plethora of highly advanced, tried and proven technologies, the BC3K series remains on the cutting edge of the total immersion curve and its only going to get better.
The official website which hosts a real-time chat and discussion forum among other features, boasts a tight and close knit community of hard core cerebral gamers of all ages, sex and indeed all professions. Everyday, I read several role playing stories created by the fan base and posted in the discussion forum. Each day, I see dedicated fans who, over the years have quietly shaped the future of a title they believe in, passionately. And in those posts and wishlists I see the anguish of gamers who wish they had multiplayer, better graphics, support for more 3D accelerators (instead of just 3DFX Glide) etc, to go with the kick-ass gameplay they already have that no other game in the genre, this side of the galaxy, has or even comes close to having. Of course, they have to wait, patiently for the next generation, totally enhanced sequel, not due out until later in 2000.
So, one day I said to myself, “..self, why wait?”. With that, I frantically started drawing up a four month plan to do something absolutely brilliant. This was the same feeling I had when I decided to do the GTi release and I wanted to give back so much more to the fans that in the end and under three months, the v2.08 release turned out to be the most kick-ass version of BC3K ever released since ’96.
So, after assessing the state of the next generation engines developed to take the franchise into the Millennium, I came up with a design model that would give the existing gamers everything they’ve been asking for and more, without another year of waiting.
So, without further ado, I’d like to announce BATTLECRUISER MILLENNIUM, currently in development, using the new engines and scheduled for a late 2000 completion. This title sports everything that the fan base have wished for, and of course, a whole lot more. It will be huge. It will be fast and by golly, it will look pretty. All things being as they are and remaining constant, a scaled down version developed for a console, (Dreamcast or PSX-2) may follow.
Why Battlecruiser Millennium?
Some have asked why the ‘Millennium’ tag was chosen. Simple explanation. The original series released in ’96, was Battleruiser 3000AD. I tagged the company name (3000AD, Inc) at the end to go with the company tag line “Technology for the future”, and started the in game date on 04.04.3000. With Battlecruiser 3020AD coming down the pipeline and because I didn’t want to call it Battlecruiser 3001, Battlecruiser 3010 or similar, ‘Millennium’ seemed more appropriate as it is in line with ‘Battlecruiser 3001’, the new Millennium. This title signifies the next generation engines for the series, the new Millennium. However BC3020AD will still go into development, though none of its more advanced features (persistent online multiplayer universe, first person in-ship mode etc) will be in BCM. BCM will, however, show the simply stunning advancements we have made in areas of 3D graphics technologies, speed, even more sophisticated AI and gameplay. The good thing is, it ain’t a shooter. Never has been, never will be.
The Battlecruiser Millennium premise
In choreographing the BCM logo, I wanted to convey everything that the player currently does in the game and here is an explanation.
The BC hovering over an asteroid hurtling through space, the ground units being attacked by BC units, the renegade fighter being engaged by BC fighters, the commander standing on a ledge, next to a player or NPC driven ATV and waving his ZS10 Combat Assault Rifle in the air, etc, symbolize all features already in the game. Every unit in that image, comes from the new model database for BCM/BC3020AD and you have probably already seen them on the BC3020AD screen shots page.
With the ability to fly ships and engage hostile forces in space or on planets, drive ATVs or 4 man Combat Assault Buggies (new in BCM), command marines in first/third person (new in BCM) as well as prosecute surface targets on planets from space – all in single or multiplayer, BCM is not just about pretty graphics, it is the next generation in the series.
I have some questions….
I know that I’m going to get bombarded with questions, so, I’ll answer some of them now and look forward to the rest.
Q. OK, so, what’s new in BATTLECRUISER MILLENNIUM that would make any fan want to buy it?
A. A lot! check the product info page.
Q. What is the exact street date?
A. I can’t give exact dates but since my last title was on time, it will probably be out before
the end of 2000. Either way, its ready when its ready.
Q. How much will it cost and what kind of release is it?
A. I am undecided but since it will be distribution deal, I suspect that it would be around
$50.00 on the street. It will be a front line release, complete with full printed manual,
keyboard commands sheet etc.
Q. Do you have a distributor yet and will it be a worldwide release?
A. Yes, I have several offers which I am considering; but this will be covered in a separate
announcement. And yes, it will be a worldwide release.
Q. Will there be an upgrade for existing BC3K owners?
A. Unfortunately not. There will most likely be a rebate coupon in the box, but that’s it.
No downloadable upgrades. No discounts. No trade-ins. No patches.
BC3K v2.0x was released as a value title in order to get the game back in the hands of the gamers, especially those who were disappointed by the original ’96 Take 2 release, and to prove to those interested, that BC3K was indeed the definitive all-purpose simulation. I have always funded all my development, one way or another. Royalties from a value title amount to little more than pittance when compared to the thousands and thousands, even millions of dollars it takes to develop and produce quality titles. I have, over the years, absorbed tremendous financial and personal losses in sticking with the franchise, as a result of the ’96 mishap, with almost 10 years in R&D alone. However, the saving grace for my company is the expertise of the team, the low overhead (my content team accuse me of running a sweat shop; go figure) and the fact that only one person is at the top of the food chain: yours truly. I have 100% control of my company, my assets, my intellectual properties, trademarks etc. As such, I maintain total creative and development control of what it is I am creating and releasing.
That, however, comes with a heft price tag in itself, especially if you want to call all the shots. A publishing deal rarely ever gives you that much control, so, I stopped doing them and instead, since the ’96 Take 2 release, have opted for distribution deals.
So, with that, I can’t continue enhancing titles for free or continue releasing value products. Of course, if I took the plunge and released my own titles direct, things would be different. But that takes huge sums of money and responsibility. I am sure that you the fans who know that the BC3K you are playing today, is worth many times what you paid for it, won’t think twice about picking up Battlecruiser Millennium, especially since you are always guaranteed the personal attention of the creator, the dedication of the team, a kick-ass game that makes you lose sleep and of course, the support of the BC3K community at large.
Q. Will there be a demo?
A. Yes, look for it around the time of the game release.
Q. OK, so, Battlecruiser Millennium is coming out in 2000 but should I buy BC3K v2.0x now,
or should I wait?
A. If you are asking this, it means you are not yet a fan. They are two different games and I’d
like to think of Millennium as the true sequel to Battlecruiser 3000AD because the kernel,
engines etc, are all vastly different. At the end of the day, what you do is up to you. Your
dollars, your choices.
Q. There are no less than 6 space sims coming out within the next twelve months, how will
Millennium compete?
A. The Battlecruiser franchise has never had to compete. It is a unique title geared at at
unique group of gamers. It has an established fan base that is constantly growing. Even if
only the existing fans purchase the title, considering the cost of development and low
overhead, it will be a guaranteed hit. Battlecruiser already has over 250K+ gamers worldwide
and that number will surely increase with the upcoming GT and JOAG v2.08 releases.
I have been advised by GT (Europe) that BATTLECRUISER 3000AD v2.08, has gone into production and should be in stores within two weeks. The European version boasts a printed 146 page manual and a keyboard reference sheet.
BC3K v2.08 is the most advanced version in the series and sports the technologically advanced Tactical Operations Command extensions for amazing real-time combat and exploration in space and on planets. A highly advanced Electronic Battlefield with over 90 space regions, 75 planets, 145 moons. Apart from a host of new features, models and enhancements, v2.08 includes exactly 7,970 planetary mission zones. The original v2.0 released in December ’98 by Interplay, only had 42.
In the tradition of sticking with the fans, a free upgrade to v2.08 is now available on the 3000AD website. All owners of any BC3K title, going as far back as v1.0, can upgrade to this version.
I have also sent Interplay, the US distributors, for free, a gold master of v2.08 which will be used for all future production runs. The last production version, as of two weeks ago, was v2.07.
Work on the true sequel, Battlecruiser 3020AD, due out in 2000, continues full steam ahead. Today, new screen shots were posted on the cruisers section of the screen shots page.
SIERRA CANCELS BABYLON 5
I would also like to take this opportunity to extend my heartfelt regrets to the entire B5 team who lost their jobs as a result of Sierra’s restructuring. These decisions are never easy for publishers and even harder to consume by the developers and the fan base. At the end of the day, it all comes down to the numbers. The larger the team and the longer the development, the less chances a publisher stands of turning a profit. It does not take 50 whining gamers to make a game
profitable and in this highly competitive market, the more money you bury into a project, the
less chances you have of turning a profit. Sometimes I remember when it was actually fun to work
in this God forsaken industry. Sometimes.
Its sickening, yes, I know because I was looking forward to this title and further, I know what
its like to suffer a loss and have a dream turn into a nightmare. So, lets be calm out there.
I’ve been there back in ’96 and I know, first hand, what it feels like. I don’t think one ever
recovers from that emotional stress. We can only hope that the talented crew can find their way
back to gainful employment and hopefully, have learned from their mistakes. It takes two.
Regards
Derek wrote a history of BC3K and what exactly happened in 1999 that saw its release by Take Take Interactive (Ryan Brant in charge) while still in Beta.
I have, today, signed a distribution agreement which allows the release of BC3K v2.0x into the European markets to complement Interplay’s North America and Canada release of the game. Out of courtesy, I will wait until I speak with the distributors, based in the UK, tomorrow about their plans for a joint press release, before release any names. At any rate, the long wait is over and fans no longer have to hunt down older v1.0x units and then have to pay for the download patch or pay huge shipping costs to get the game from the US.
The game will most likely start to appear in the UK, Germany and elsewhere, by July/August.
Unlike the US release, this version (which will be v2.08), will definitely come with a printed keyboard command sheet and the full printed manual.
To date, BC3K v2.0x has done very well in the retail channel and has gained more fans as the series continues to evolve. There are big things in store for Battlecruiser 3020AD and we are working hard to make it the best that it can be.
BC3K v2.0x TUTORIAL
Due to the European release of the game, coupled with the fact that more and more novice gamers are getting the game, I will be spending some time to do a comprehensive tutorial for BC3K v2.0x as only I know how. This will be available for download at the website and if I time it right, will also be on the master CD-ROM in Acrobat PDF format for the European release. You in the press have said that the BC3K manual is one of the most detailed and comprehensive, therefore you
can expect the same level of quality from the tutorial.
BC3K v2.08 WIN32 VERSION
I’ve been keeping this quiet because I wanted it to be a surprise to the fans……
We’ve had a WIN32 version of BC3K v2.0x for several months now. I had abandoned it when the Interplay deal was done last year because there was not enough time to finish and test it and BC:3020AD was already the main focus.
With the success of cards such as the TNT line, ATi, S3, Matrox etc, the average BC3K gamer is no longer the card carrying member of the 3DFX Mile High club and therefore has had to settle for the less appealing visuals of the software renderer. Well, thats all over with. A week ago, I decided to resurrect the WIN32 port, and since we now have a WIN32 based rendering engine with D3D, OPENGL and Glide support used in BC:3020AD, the D3D/Glide layers of this engine, will be used in the WIN32 port of BC3K v2.0x. Owners of DirectX based cards will benefit from the increased speed and graphics quality that those playing the Glide only version have come to enjoy all these months.
I have recently finished cleaning up the port and fixing some bugs, in my spare time. Once thats done, the WIN32 based D3D/Glide renderers from the new BC:3020AD graphics engine, will be integrated into BC3K v2.0x.
This port, which will likely go final around v2.10, will give the following
- Sound supported in native mode via WIN9x. No more manual configurations.
- Joysticks supported in native mode via WIN9x. No more manual configurations.
- Hardware acceleration for D3D and Glide.
- Better stability (depends on what you think of WIN9x) since the DOS legacy code for DPMI memory, sound, joystick etc, are all gone now anyway.
- Will be available free of charge for fans worldwide and will be branded as
BC3K v3.0 when it goes final.
A Beta 6 version of this WIN32 port of BC3K v2.08, is at:
It requires the DOS BC3K v2.08 Beta 6 which is currently out on wide release testing and available at:
Be sure to read the included text file before running it.
Simply unzip it into your existing BC3K v2.08 Beta 6 folder and create a shortcut for it. It runs in windowed mode (easier to debug) but the final version will be full screen.
If nothing else, this proves once again, that I have been listening and even though my bets are on BC:3020AD, I continue to, as I always have, stand by my projects and enhance them as needed. We’ve done a lot of work in the port and it was instrumental in setting the ground work for BC:3020AD which is WIN32 based from the ground up.
Because BC3K v2.0x contains legacy code, I will, most likely release it into the public domain sometime in the future so that the community can port it to OS2, Linux, put in multiplayer (now that it is WIN32, that should be easy) etc, if they so desire. It is, still, the only game of its kind and will most likely be around for some time to come. The next generation of BC3K, which
will debut with the release of Battlecruiser 3020AD, will carry the torch of this franchise, well into the future.
Derek has written a soapbox article for the January issue of Game Developer Magazine.
