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Traditionally in adventure game engines, non-player characters were static awaiting the player to interact with them to trigger an event. However, Virtual Theatre allowed [[non-player characters]] to traverse the world in seemingly random patterns, interacting with their environment. Upon the engine's first release, it rivaled competing engines such as [[LucasArts]]' [[SCUMM]] engine, and [[Sierra's Creative Interpreter]], due to its then high level of [[artificial intelligence]].<ref name="Amiga Format">{{cite journal | last =Jackson | first =Neil | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Game Review – Lure of the Temptress | journal = [[Amiga Format]]| volume = | issue = 36| pages = 80–81| publisher = [[Future Publishing]]| location = | date = July 1992 | url = | issn = | doi = | id = | accessdate = March 14, 2012}}</ref> |
Traditionally in adventure game engines, non-player characters were static awaiting the player to interact with them to trigger an event. However, Virtual Theatre allowed [[non-player characters]] to traverse the world in seemingly random patterns, interacting with their environment. Upon the engine's first release, it rivaled competing engines such as [[LucasArts]]' [[SCUMM]] engine, and [[Sierra's Creative Interpreter]], due to its then high level of [[artificial intelligence]].<ref name="Amiga Format">{{cite journal | last =Jackson | first =Neil | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Game Review – Lure of the Temptress | journal = [[Amiga Format]]| volume = | issue = 36| pages = 80–81| publisher = [[Future Publishing]]| location = | date = July 1992 | url = | issn = | doi = | id = | accessdate = March 14, 2012}}</ref> |
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All of the in-game objects (including non-player characters) in Virtual Theatre occupied space, which was unique engine's feature at the time. Consequently non-player characters had to side-step the player's protogonist and any other object they came across, as well as the player had to side step them. As the result, the engine achieved a more realistic game world than previous engines were unable to provide,<ref name="Amiga Format"/> though non-player characters could unwittingly block a path as the player was traversing the game scene.<ref name=AGLOTT/><ref name=AGBASS/> This was somewhat remedied with the release of ''[[Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars]]'', where character sprites were made transparent, so that when the protagonist found his way blocked by another character, he would simply walk straight through them.<ref name=BS1-Yo-ass>{{cite video game|title=Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars |developer=[[Revolution Software]] |date=September 1996 |platform=PC}}</ref> |
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Games that use the Virtual Theatre engine can be now played on modern [[hardware]] using [[ScummVM]],<ref name=ScummVM-Downloads>{{cite web|url=http://www.scummvm.org/downloads/?p=downloads|title=''ScummVM :: Downloads''|publisher=''[[ScummVM]]''|accessdate=March 31, 2012}}</ref> which as a result allows the engine to run on platforms where the titles were not officially released such as [[Mac OS X]], [[Linux]], [[Windows CE]], [[Palm OS]], [[Nintendo DS]], [[iOS]] and [[Android (operating system)|Android]].<ref name=ScummVM>{{cite web|url=http://www.scummvm.org/|title=''ScummVM :: Home''|publisher=''[[ScummVM]]''|accessdate=March 31, 2012}}</ref> |
Games that use the Virtual Theatre engine can be now played on modern [[hardware]] using [[ScummVM]],<ref name=ScummVM-Downloads>{{cite web|url=http://www.scummvm.org/downloads/?p=downloads|title=''ScummVM :: Downloads''|publisher=''[[ScummVM]]''|accessdate=March 31, 2012}}</ref> which as a result allows the engine to run on platforms where the titles were not officially released such as [[Mac OS X]], [[Linux]], [[Windows CE]], [[Palm OS]], [[Nintendo DS]], [[iOS]] and [[Android (operating system)|Android]].<ref name=ScummVM>{{cite web|url=http://www.scummvm.org/|title=''ScummVM :: Home''|publisher=''[[ScummVM]]''|accessdate=March 31, 2012}}</ref> |
Revision as of 13:35, 2 April 2012
Developer(s) | Revolution Software |
---|---|
Platform | Amiga, Atari ST, PC (MS-DOS and Windows), PlayStation, Macintosh |
Type | Game engine |
License | Proprietary |
Website | http://revolution.co.uk/ |
The Virtual Theatre was a computer game engine designed by Revolution Software to produce adventure games for computer platforms. The engine allowed their team to script events, and move animated sprites against a drawn background with moving elements using a point-and-click style interface. The engine was first proposed in 1989, while the first game to use it, Lure of the Temptress, was released in 1992.
Upon its first release, it rivaled competing engines like LucasArts' SCUMM and Sierra's Creative Interpreter, due to its basic level of artificial intelligence. It allowed in-game characters to wander around the gameworld indepently of each other, performing "every day life" actions, which was not previously possible. Another unique feature the engine possessed enabled all objects on screen to be solid, which resulted in non-player characters side-stepping the player and any other object they came across as in turn the player would side step them. - While the engine was very well received, this feature received criticism, as non-player characters could unwittingly block a path as the player was trying to traverse the game scene. This was remedied with the release of Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars.
First used for Lure of the Temptress, it was used again in for Beneath a Steel Sky (1994), Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars (1996), and Broken Sword II: The Smoking Mirror (1997). Because Beneath a Steel Sky was four times the size of Lure of the Temptress, non-player characters had to perform much simpler tasks than in its predecessor. Games that use the Virtual Theatre engine can be now played on modern hardware using ScummVM, which as a result allows the engine to run on platforms where the titles were not officially released.
Development
Charles Cecil and Tony Warriner had worked together at Artic Computing, an English video game development company. In 1990, they decided that they would set up their own video game development company, together with David Sykes and Noirin Carmody.[1] For their debut adventure game, Lure of the Temptress, released in 1992 for Amiga, Atari ST and PC,[1] Cecil, Warriner, Sykes and Dan Marchant draw a concept for a new engine called Virtual Theatre, and it was written by Warriner.[2]
For Beneath a Steel Sky, released in 1994 for Amiga, Atari ST and PC,[3] Revolution used an updated version of Virtual Theatre, Virtual Theatre 2.0, written by Warriner and Sykes.[2] However, because the game was four times the size of Lure of the Temptress, non-player characters had to perform much simpler tasks than in its predecessor.[4][5] Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars, released in 1996 for PC, Mac and PlayStation, and its sequel, Broken Sword II: The Smoking Mirror, released in 1997 for PC and PlayStation, was the final two games to use the Virtual Theatre engine.[6][7][8]
Features
Traditionally in adventure game engines, non-player characters were static awaiting the player to interact with them to trigger an event. However, Virtual Theatre allowed non-player characters to traverse the world in seemingly random patterns, interacting with their environment. Upon the engine's first release, it rivaled competing engines such as LucasArts' SCUMM engine, and Sierra's Creative Interpreter, due to its then high level of artificial intelligence.[9]
All of the in-game objects (including non-player characters) in Virtual Theatre occupied space, which was unique engine's feature at the time. Consequently non-player characters had to side-step the player's protogonist and any other object they came across, as well as the player had to side step them. As the result, the engine achieved a more realistic game world than previous engines were unable to provide,[9] though non-player characters could unwittingly block a path as the player was traversing the game scene.[4][5] This was somewhat remedied with the release of Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars, where character sprites were made transparent, so that when the protagonist found his way blocked by another character, he would simply walk straight through them.[10]
Games that use the Virtual Theatre engine can be now played on modern hardware using ScummVM,[11] which as a result allows the engine to run on platforms where the titles were not officially released such as Mac OS X, Linux, Windows CE, Palm OS, Nintendo DS, iOS and Android.[12]
References
- ^ a b "THE MAKING OF ... Lure of the Temptress - Edge Magazine". Revolution Software. May 9, 2008. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
{{cite web}}
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(help) - ^ a b Revolution Software (March 1994). Beneath a Steel Sky (PC). Scene: Credits.
- ^ "TEDxLeeds - Charles Cecil- 09/10/09 :: "Beneath a Steel Sky"". TED. October 6, 2009. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
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(help) - ^ a b "Adventure Gamers: Lure of the Temptress review". Adventure Gamers. Retrieved March 31, 2012.
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(help) - ^ a b "Adventure Gamers: Beneath a Steel Sky review". Adventure Gamers. Retrieved March 31, 2012.
{{cite web}}
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(help) - ^ "TEDxYork - Charles Cecil - Revolution Games :: "Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars"". TED. July 18, 2011. Retrieved March 31, 2012.
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(help) - ^ "Broken Sword II: The Smoking Mirror". Revolution Software. August 29, 2011. Retrieved March 31, 2012.
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(help) - ^ "Hardcore Gaming 101: Broken Sword II: The Smoking Mirror". Hardcore Gaming 101. Retrieved March 31, 2012.
{{cite web}}
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(help) - ^ a b Jackson, Neil (July 1992). "Game Review – Lure of the Temptress". Amiga Format (36). Future Publishing: 80–81.
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(help) - ^ Revolution Software (September 1996). Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars (PC).
- ^ "ScummVM :: Downloads". ScummVM. Retrieved March 31, 2012.
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(help) - ^ "ScummVM :: Home". ScummVM. Retrieved March 31, 2012.
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