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Delta (computer game)
Encyclopedia
Delta is a horizontally-scrolling shooter computer game originally released for the Commodore 64
by Thalamus Ltd
in 1987. It was programmed by Stavros Flatley and the music was written by Rob Hubbard
. The menu-music is based on the theme of Koyaanisqatsi
by Philip Glass
and the in-game-music is based on Pink Floyds
On the Run. The game was also released for the ZX Spectrum
in 1990 as Delta Charge.
The game was released as Delta Patrol in the United States by Electronic Arts
for its Amazing Software line of action-oriented software programs, in 1987 on the Commodore 64
.
The player controls a spaceship and gains power-up
points by destroying formations of enemies. Some enemy formations instead subtract power-up points for the player, so the player must take note of which formations to destroy. Periodically blocks containing the power-ups (higher speed, faster rate of fire) appear and the player can pick one of them up: The more points the player has collected, the more powerful are the power-ups that can be chosen. Unavailable power-ups are gray and kill the player if he flies into them, making them part of the obstacles in the game. The effects of the power-ups are lost over time and must therefore be regained. The player gets a choice between in-game music
or in-game sound effect
s. There is also a high score table but no way to save it when the game is turned off.
The game title music was covered by Desert Planet
in their 2003 album Joystick Pop.
is a member of an elite police squadron called Delta Patrol, commanding a battle cruiser in the Delta Sector of space. The Delta Sector's dangers include lost ships, alien bandits, and unknown forces of destruction, and the character's assignment is to terminate the enemy forces that hide within them. Destroying an entire wave of attacking aliens earns credits that the player may use to buy weapons and ship modifications.
#128 by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser in "The Role of Computers" column. The reviewers gave the game 4 out of 5 stars.
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...
by Thalamus Ltd
Thalamus Ltd
Thalamus Ltd was a British computer game developer that published titles for a number of 8-bit and 16-bit platforms during the late 1980s and early 1990s.-Genesis:...
in 1987. It was programmed by Stavros Flatley and the music was written by Rob Hubbard
Rob Hubbard
Rob Hubbard is a music composer best known for his composition of computer game theme music, especially for microcomputers of the 1980s such as the Commodore 64...
. The menu-music is based on the theme of Koyaanisqatsi
Koyaanisqatsi
Koyaanisqatsi also known as Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance, is a 1982 film directed by Godfrey Reggio with music composed by Philip Glass and cinematography by Ron Fricke....
by Philip Glass
Philip Glass
Philip Glass is an American composer. He is considered to be one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century and is widely acknowledged as a composer who has brought art music to the public .His music is often described as minimalist, along with...
and the in-game-music is based on Pink Floyds
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
On the Run. The game was also released for the 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...
in 1990 as Delta Charge.
The game was released as Delta Patrol in the United States 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...
for its Amazing Software line of action-oriented software programs, in 1987 on the 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...
.
The player controls a spaceship and gains power-up
Power-up
In computer and video games, power-ups are objects that instantly benefit or add extra abilities to the game character as a game mechanic. This is in contrast to an item, which may or may not have a benefit and can be used at a time chosen by the player...
points by destroying formations of enemies. Some enemy formations instead subtract power-up points for the player, so the player must take note of which formations to destroy. Periodically blocks containing the power-ups (higher speed, faster rate of fire) appear and the player can pick one of them up: The more points the player has collected, the more powerful are the power-ups that can be chosen. Unavailable power-ups are gray and kill the player if he flies into them, making them part of the obstacles in the game. The effects of the power-ups are lost over time and must therefore be regained. The player gets a choice between in-game music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
or in-game sound effect
Sound effect
For the album by The Jam, see Sound Affects.Sound effects or audio effects are artificially created or enhanced sounds, or sound processes used to emphasize artistic or other content of films, television shows, live performance, animation, video games, music, or other media...
s. There is also a high score table but no way to save it when the game is turned off.
The game title music was covered by Desert Planet
Desert Planet (band)
Desert Planet is a band performing electronic music influenced by 8-bit video games, coin operated games and science fiction movies. Usually this type of music is called bitpop or micromusic. The band comes from Lapland, northern Finland and the members are Jukka Tarkiainen, Jari Mikkola and Antti...
in their 2003 album Joystick Pop.
Plot
The player characterPlayer character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
is a member of an elite police squadron called Delta Patrol, commanding a battle cruiser in the Delta Sector of space. The Delta Sector's dangers include lost ships, alien bandits, and unknown forces of destruction, and the character's assignment is to terminate the enemy forces that hide within them. Destroying an entire wave of attacking aliens earns credits that the player may use to buy weapons and ship modifications.
Reception
Delta Patrol was reviewed in 1987 in DragonDragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#128 by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser in "The Role of Computers" column. The reviewers gave the game 4 out of 5 stars.