Arcticfox
Encyclopedia
Arcticfox is a computer game developed by Dynamix
and published in by Electronic Arts
. It was published in Europe by Ariolasoft
.
It was first developed for the Amiga
, but was quickly ported
to other popular platforms of the era such as the Atari ST
, Commodore 64
, ZX Spectrum
, PC
and Apple IIe
. It was one of the first games rendered from a 3-D
first-person perspective
, and is often mentioned as a pioneer of the first person shooter genre. It is also one of the very first titles available for the Amiga home computer.
The game was a first person tank simulator
and a sequel to Dynamix's earlier Stellar 7
. A third game was released in the series in 1991 titled Nova 9: Return of Gir Draxon
. The design team at Dynamix behind this game would eventually go on to produce The Incredible Machine, and Red Baron
.
have taken over the continent of Antarctica, with the aliens attempting to steal Earth
's oxygen
. The player is sent to eradicate the intruders. The player's weapon is a new super tank, the Slye-Hicks MX-100, codenamed Arcticfox. The player is thrust into battle, and has to pilot their tank over a series of levels in an attempt to destroy the aliens' ships and equipment. The player's goal is to knock out the main alien communication array, aided by the tank's abilities to jump, burrow into the snow, and fire oxygen-based mortars at their weather equipment.
The Arcticfox is equipped with a cannon
, guided missile
s and mine
s. It is also outfitted with fore and aft viewscreens, radar
and a GPS
device. The player goes up against a variety of enemy units, including planes, tanks, bunkers and communication towers.
The vantage point for the game is the cockpit
of the Arcticfox. The player can see out the main viewscreen as well as his sundry features (such as the radar screen) and can see his character's hand on the joystick
which steers the tank. When the player directs the tank to steer left, the hand of the character onscreen moves left as well. The same is true for all directions. Enemy targets are visible via the viewscreens and on radar.
One unusual feature of Arcticfox was the perspective of the player. As well as being able to see the character's hand on the controls (on the Amiga
version only), the landscape perspective changes relative to the player's tank. That is, if the Arcticfox is driving along tilted on the side of a slope, the landscape tilts relative to the player's own tilted position. This type of vantage point was very unusual and groundbreaking for a game of the home computer
era.
Dynamix
Dynamix, Inc. was an American developer of computer games from 1984 to 2001, best known for their flight simulator, Red Baron, the Front Page Sports series, Betrayal at Krondor, and their online multiplayer game, Tribes.-History:...
and published in by Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
. It was published in Europe by Ariolasoft
Ariolasoft
Ariolasoft GmbH, later known as United Software, was a German computer game developer, publisher and distributor. It started as the software subsidiary of Ariola Records...
.
It was first developed for the Amiga
Amiga
The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
, but was quickly ported
Porting
In computer science, porting is the process of adapting software so that an executable program can be created for a computing environment that is different from the one for which it was originally designed...
to other popular platforms of the era such as the Atari ST
Atari ST
The Atari ST is a home/personal computer that was released by Atari Corporation in 1985 and commercially available from that summer into the early 1990s. The "ST" officially stands for "Sixteen/Thirty-two", which referred to the Motorola 68000's 16-bit external bus and 32-bit internals...
, Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
, ZX Spectrum
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
, PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
and Apple IIe
Apple IIe
The Apple IIe is the third model in the Apple II series of personal computers produced by Apple Computer. The e in the name stands for enhanced, referring to the fact that several popular features were now built-in that were only available as upgrades and add-ons in earlier models...
. It was one of the first games rendered from a 3-D
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
first-person perspective
First person (video games)
In video games, first person refers to a graphical perspective rendered from the viewpoint of the player character. In many cases, this may be the viewpoint from the cockpit of a vehicle. Many different genres have made use of first-person perspectives, ranging from adventure games to flight...
, and is often mentioned as a pioneer of the first person shooter genre. It is also one of the very first titles available for the Amiga home computer.
The game was a first person tank simulator
Vehicle simulation game
Vehicle simulation games are a genre of video games which attempt to provide the player with a realistic interpretation of operating various kinds of vehicles. This includes automobiles, aircraft, watercraft, spacecraft, military vehicles, and a variety of other vehicles...
and a sequel to Dynamix's earlier Stellar 7
Stellar 7
Stellar 7 is a futuristic tank simulation computer game based on the arcade game Battlezone in which the player assumes the role of a tank pilot. The enemies include anything from other tanks to mechanical birds. Several years later a sequel game, Nova 9 was released...
. A third game was released in the series in 1991 titled Nova 9: Return of Gir Draxon
Nova 9: Return of Gir Draxon
Nova 9: Return of Gir Draxon is a futuristic shooter computer game in which the player assumes the role of a tank pilot. The enemies include anything from other tanks to mechanical birds...
. The design team at Dynamix behind this game would eventually go on to produce The Incredible Machine, and Red Baron
Red Baron (game)
Red Baron is a video game for the PC, created by Damon Slye at Dynamix and published by Sierra Entertainment. It was released in 1990.As the name suggests, the game is a flying simulation set on the Western Front of World War I. The player can engage in single missions or career mode, flying for...
.
Gameplay
The game is set in 2005, where aliensExtraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
have taken over the continent of Antarctica, with the aliens attempting to steal Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
's oxygen
Oxygen
Oxygen is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O. Its name derives from the Greek roots ὀξύς and -γενής , because at the time of naming, it was mistakenly thought that all acids required oxygen in their composition...
. The player is sent to eradicate the intruders. The player's weapon is a new super tank, the Slye-Hicks MX-100, codenamed Arcticfox. The player is thrust into battle, and has to pilot their tank over a series of levels in an attempt to destroy the aliens' ships and equipment. The player's goal is to knock out the main alien communication array, aided by the tank's abilities to jump, burrow into the snow, and fire oxygen-based mortars at their weather equipment.
The Arcticfox is equipped with a cannon
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
, guided missile
Guided Missile
Guided Missile is a London based independent record label set up by Paul Kearney in 1994.Guided Missile has always focused on 'the underground', preferring to put out a steady flow of releases and developing the numerous GM events around London and beyond....
s and mine
Land mine
A land mine is usually a weight-triggered explosive device which is intended to damage a target—either human or inanimate—by means of a blast and/or fragment impact....
s. It is also outfitted with fore and aft viewscreens, radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
and a GPS
Global Positioning System
The Global Positioning System is a space-based global navigation satellite system that provides location and time information in all weather, anywhere on or near the Earth, where there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more GPS satellites...
device. The player goes up against a variety of enemy units, including planes, tanks, bunkers and communication towers.
The vantage point for the game is the cockpit
Cockpit
A cockpit or flight deck is the area, usually near the front of an aircraft, from which a pilot controls the aircraft. Most modern cockpits are enclosed, except on some small aircraft, and cockpits on large airliners are also physically separated from the cabin...
of the Arcticfox. The player can see out the main viewscreen as well as his sundry features (such as the radar screen) and can see his character's hand on the joystick
Joystick
A joystick is an input device consisting of a stick that pivots on a base and reports its angle or direction to the device it is controlling. Joysticks, also known as 'control columns', are the principal control in the cockpit of many civilian and military aircraft, either as a center stick or...
which steers the tank. When the player directs the tank to steer left, the hand of the character onscreen moves left as well. The same is true for all directions. Enemy targets are visible via the viewscreens and on radar.
One unusual feature of Arcticfox was the perspective of the player. As well as being able to see the character's hand on the controls (on the Amiga
Amiga
The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
version only), the landscape perspective changes relative to the player's tank. That is, if the Arcticfox is driving along tilted on the side of a slope, the landscape tilts relative to the player's own tilted position. This type of vantage point was very unusual and groundbreaking for a game of the home computer
Home computer
Home computers were a class of microcomputers entering the market in 1977, and becoming increasingly common during the 1980s. They were marketed to consumers as affordable and accessible computers that, for the first time, were intended for the use of a single nontechnical user...
era.
External links
- Arcticfox on the Amiga at The Hall of Light (HOL)