Jets'n'Guns
Encyclopedia
Jets'n'Guns is a 2D
, side-scrolling shoot 'em up
computer game released in late 2004 for Microsoft Windows
by RakeInGrass software. In April 2006, a version for Mac OS X
was released. In December 2006 an expansion, Jets'n'Guns Gold, was released. A version for Linux
has been developed by Linux Game Publishing
.
, Project-X
and Walker
. As in Tyrian, players earn money by destroying enemies and picking up bonuses in each level. In-between levels, players can purchase weapon
s and devices for their ship, and upgrade them, provided they have enough money.
However, Jets'n'Guns is more complex than Tyrian in this respect. There are many more weapons to choose from, and a greater variety of devices to purchase and more ways to upgrade the player's ship. Also, unlike in Tyrian, where a player could get through most, if not all of the game using the weapons available at the start of the game (with upgrades and new ship systems), in JnG the player is forced to experiment with their weapons in order to be successful. The game has no lives, so the player can keep attempting a level until they beat it.
According to the developers, one of the reasons they chose to do a side scroller, as opposed to a vertical scroller, was so they could put in lots of visual humour. Players can expect to see, among other things, spacefighters with knives strapped to them and various humorous signs. They can also expect most of the weapons in the weapon shop have advertising posters, emblazoned with messages such as "Ultimate destructive power!" or "As seen on TV!". Also, cultural references are scattered throughout the game, both in the equipment and the actual levels.
The side scrolling nature of the game introduces an unusual strategy
. When some enemy ships are shot down, they crash down onto enemies and buildings on the ground, often with devastating results. Killing ground troops often results in masses of blood and tiny body parts flying across the screen.
The RakeInGrass distributed version of the game is currently at version 1.222. A French
translation patch is now available from the official website.
In Jets'n'Guns, the player starts out as a freelancer
, contracted to drive out a gang of criminals from a sector of space. Soon, the player is contacted by their old commanding officer from a previous war, Col. Troubleman, who is based aboard the United Space Ship Impotence. He explains that Xoxx, the evil dictator, has appeared again and has kidnapped a scientist, Professor Von Hamburger. The professor was developing a gigantic quantum cannon, which he intended to use for peaceful purposes. Xoxx, however, wants the cannon because it could, theoretically, destroy the entire universe with a single shot. Erecta Von Hamburger, the professor's daughter, also contacts the player, but she is mainly concerned with the rescue of her father.
The player first has to steal a better fighter, the TMIG-226, from the heavily guarded FeX labs. The player then has to rendezvous with the USS Impotence, and is only just saved from destruction by pirates by a well-timed volley of torpedoes from the Impotence. The majority of the following missions involve assaults on Xoxx's forces and attempts to ascertain the locations of the professor and the quantum cannon.
Eventually, after many battles against Xoxx's forces and hench-beings, the player rescues the professor. Soon after, the location of the completed cannon, the Lord Chaos Mk 1, is discovered. However, when the player finally defeats Xoxx, Xoxx escapes in a "backup time washing machine", his parting message revealing that it is too late to stop the cannon firing. The universe is destroyed, leaving the player's ship flying in a field of rocky debris as the credits roll. Eventually,
Most weapons give off heat when fired, indicated by a heating gauge. This heat dissipates when firing ceases. If the needle passes the orange and then red zones of the gauge the ship overheats, and it will be unable to fire until the needle passes back behind the orange zone. This makes upgrading the cooling system essential. With an improved cooling system, the ship will take longer to overheat, and will cool down faster. Missiles and bombs do not generate heat. The rate of fire for missiles is determined by their upgrade level. Bombs are the only weapons that have a limit pertaining to how many can be fired at any given time. Each bomb that is dropped uses up a portion of a slowly replenishing 'bomb meter'; the amount used by each bomb decreases with upgrades.
. The band created over 50 minutes of original music for the game in a variety of styles. The band provides downloads on their site containing the game soundtrack – however the song "Hero" is available separately — in MP3
and Ogg
format. These downloads are of higher quality and are slightly longer than the versions included with the game. The music included with the game has been trimmed to allow for looping, and the quality reduced to make the download size practical.
The soundtrack was created completely free of charge, though the expansion tracks were paid for.
Sometimes, the Jets'n'Guns Soundtrack is credited to the game music production company Hubnester Industries. This is because Hubnester is owned by three of the members of Machinae Supremacy, using the same composers for both.
2D computer graphics
2D computer graphics is the computer-based generation of digital images—mostly from two-dimensional models and by techniques specific to them...
, side-scrolling shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em up is a subgenre of shooter video games. In a shoot 'em up, the player controls a lone character, often in a spacecraft or aircraft, shooting large numbers of enemies while dodging their attacks. The genre in turn encompasses various types or subgenres and critics differ on exactly what...
computer game released in late 2004 for Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
by RakeInGrass software. In April 2006, a version for Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
was released. In December 2006 an expansion, Jets'n'Guns Gold, was released. A version for Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
has been developed by Linux Game Publishing
Linux Game Publishing
Linux Game Publishing is a software company based in Nottingham in England. It ports, publishes and sells video games running on Linux operating systems. As well as porting games, LGP also sponsors the development of Grapple, a free software network library for games...
.
Overview
The developers have stated they were heavily inspired by the games Tyrian 2000Tyrian (computer game)
Tyrian is a scrolling shooter computer game developed by World Tree Games Productions and published in 1995 by Epic MegaGames.The game was officially released as freeware in 2004, and the graphics have been made available under an open license in April 2007.Tyrian was programmed by Jason Emery,...
, Project-X
Project-X
Project-X is a scrolling shooter game for the Amiga computer released in 1992. It was also ported to DOS.Developed and published by Team17, it was regarded as one of the best shooter games for that platform at the time, both for its technical excellence in graphics and sounds, and for its difficult...
and Walker
Walker (computer game)
Walker is a computer game released for the Amiga system in 1993, where the player controls a huge ED-209/mecha styled device fight against military forces in various time periods....
. As in Tyrian, players earn money by destroying enemies and picking up bonuses in each level. In-between levels, players can purchase weapon
Weapon
A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
s and devices for their ship, and upgrade them, provided they have enough money.
However, Jets'n'Guns is more complex than Tyrian in this respect. There are many more weapons to choose from, and a greater variety of devices to purchase and more ways to upgrade the player's ship. Also, unlike in Tyrian, where a player could get through most, if not all of the game using the weapons available at the start of the game (with upgrades and new ship systems), in JnG the player is forced to experiment with their weapons in order to be successful. The game has no lives, so the player can keep attempting a level until they beat it.
According to the developers, one of the reasons they chose to do a side scroller, as opposed to a vertical scroller, was so they could put in lots of visual humour. Players can expect to see, among other things, spacefighters with knives strapped to them and various humorous signs. They can also expect most of the weapons in the weapon shop have advertising posters, emblazoned with messages such as "Ultimate destructive power!" or "As seen on TV!". Also, cultural references are scattered throughout the game, both in the equipment and the actual levels.
The side scrolling nature of the game introduces an unusual strategy
Strategy
Strategy, a word of military origin, refers to a plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal. In military usage strategy is distinct from tactics, which are concerned with the conduct of an engagement, while strategy is concerned with how different engagements are linked...
. When some enemy ships are shot down, they crash down onto enemies and buildings on the ground, often with devastating results. Killing ground troops often results in masses of blood and tiny body parts flying across the screen.
The RakeInGrass distributed version of the game is currently at version 1.222. A French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
translation patch is now available from the official website.
Storyline
Freelancer
A freelancer, freelance worker, or freelance is somebody who is self-employed and is not committed to a particular employer long term. These workers are often represented by a company or an agency that resells their labor and that of others to its clients with or without project management and...
, contracted to drive out a gang of criminals from a sector of space. Soon, the player is contacted by their old commanding officer from a previous war, Col. Troubleman, who is based aboard the United Space Ship Impotence. He explains that Xoxx, the evil dictator, has appeared again and has kidnapped a scientist, Professor Von Hamburger. The professor was developing a gigantic quantum cannon, which he intended to use for peaceful purposes. Xoxx, however, wants the cannon because it could, theoretically, destroy the entire universe with a single shot. Erecta Von Hamburger, the professor's daughter, also contacts the player, but she is mainly concerned with the rescue of her father.
The player first has to steal a better fighter, the TMIG-226, from the heavily guarded FeX labs. The player then has to rendezvous with the USS Impotence, and is only just saved from destruction by pirates by a well-timed volley of torpedoes from the Impotence. The majority of the following missions involve assaults on Xoxx's forces and attempts to ascertain the locations of the professor and the quantum cannon.
Eventually, after many battles against Xoxx's forces and hench-beings, the player rescues the professor. Soon after, the location of the completed cannon, the Lord Chaos Mk 1, is discovered. However, when the player finally defeats Xoxx, Xoxx escapes in a "backup time washing machine", his parting message revealing that it is too late to stop the cannon firing. The universe is destroyed, leaving the player's ship flying in a field of rocky debris as the credits roll. Eventually,
- (If you did not cheat) The Player reaches a restaurant, where he gets a time machine upgrade for his plane. The player will chase Xoxx through the time warp, and after the player defeats it, He reaches the beginning of the game on a harder mode.
- (If you cheated) a time warpTime travelTime travel is the concept of moving between different points in time in a manner analogous to moving between different points in space. Time travel could hypothetically involve moving backward in time to a moment earlier than the starting point, or forward to the future of that point without the...
that featured earlier in the story re-appears, bringing the player back to the beginning of the game, except set on a harder mode.
Upgrades
Between levels, players are given the option to buy upgrades for their ship. Some of the most vital upgrades are for maneuverability, speed, and cooling. They can also give their ship a new paint job for free. Another item is the Atarix, which gives players a chance to unlock crates found when they destroy transport ships during a mission. There are several upgrades that boost the ship's defense and provide slow armor regeneration, such as shields and nanomachines. Other upgrades give players bounties for killing certain enemies, and bonuses for mass killings of enemy troops. There are also upgrades that allow players to customize up to five different weapon profiles, which can be switched mid-game, or allow players to change the angle of their weapons to adapt to changing strategic situations.Weapons
Between levels, players are given the option of buying weapons. As the game progresses, more weapons and items are made available. The fighter the player starts with only has slots for two front weapons and rather limited ship upgrades. The TMIG-226 has slots for one bombing system, one missile system, three front weapons, and one rear weapon. Some weapons can only be used in the front or rear slots. There is a large variety of weapons, ranging from flamethrowers to electro-balls to acid guns. Most weapons can be upgraded after they are bought. This may enhance power, projectile velocity, rate of fire, or the nature of the attack itself. When viewing the status of an individual weapon, meters are shown that indicate its power, heat generation and speed ratings.Most weapons give off heat when fired, indicated by a heating gauge. This heat dissipates when firing ceases. If the needle passes the orange and then red zones of the gauge the ship overheats, and it will be unable to fire until the needle passes back behind the orange zone. This makes upgrading the cooling system essential. With an improved cooling system, the ship will take longer to overheat, and will cool down faster. Missiles and bombs do not generate heat. The rate of fire for missiles is determined by their upgrade level. Bombs are the only weapons that have a limit pertaining to how many can be fired at any given time. Each bomb that is dropped uses up a portion of a slowly replenishing 'bomb meter'; the amount used by each bomb decreases with upgrades.
Soundtrack
Of note is the soundtrack, composed and performed by Machinae SupremacyMachinae Supremacy
Machinae Supremacy is a Swedish band that combines modern heavy metal and alternative rock with chiptunes. Self-defined as "SID metal", many of their songs use a SidStation that features the SID chip of the Commodore 64...
. The band created over 50 minutes of original music for the game in a variety of styles. The band provides downloads on their site containing the game soundtrack – however the song "Hero" is available separately — in MP3
MP3
MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...
and Ogg
Ogg
Ogg is a free, open container format maintained by the Xiph.Org Foundation. The creators of the Ogg format state that it is unrestricted by software patents and is designed to provide for efficient streaming and manipulation of high quality digital multimedia.The Ogg container format can multiplex...
format. These downloads are of higher quality and are slightly longer than the versions included with the game. The music included with the game has been trimmed to allow for looping, and the quality reduced to make the download size practical.
The soundtrack was created completely free of charge, though the expansion tracks were paid for.
Sometimes, the Jets'n'Guns Soundtrack is credited to the game music production company Hubnester Industries. This is because Hubnester is owned by three of the members of Machinae Supremacy, using the same composers for both.
Jets'n'Guns Gold
In December 2006, RakeInGrass released a sequel/expansion to the game called Jets'n'Guns Gold. The expansion doubled the game's length by adding 21 levels to the 21 that already existed. It features 800x600 graphics, as compared to 640x480 in the original version and 6 new music tracks composed by Hubnester Industries, a sister production company of Machinae Supremacy. The storyline has been completely reworked and is now presented using cartoons instead of simple text. The player is also allowed to unlock different spaceships such as a hot-dog truck, an airplane and a helicopter. A number of new weapons have also been introduced.External links
- Official website Demo and patch downloads and official forums
- Jets'n'Guns on TotalGaming.net
- Machinae Supremacy official site Downloads of the game soundtrack, in MP3MP3MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...
and OggOggOgg is a free, open container format maintained by the Xiph.Org Foundation. The creators of the Ogg format state that it is unrestricted by software patents and is designed to provide for efficient streaming and manipulation of high quality digital multimedia.The Ogg container format can multiplex...
VorbisVorbisVorbis is a free software / open source project headed by the Xiph.Org Foundation . The project produces an audio format specification and software implementation for lossy audio compression...
format - FRAGtopia Review of Jets'n'Guns
- Inside Mac Games Print & Video Review