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Terminal Velocity (computer game)
Encyclopedia
Terminal Velocity is a video game developed by Terminal Reality
and published by 3D Realms
on May 1, 1995. It is an arcade-style flight combat game, with simpler game controls and physics than flight simulators. It is known for its fast, high-energy action sequences, compared to flight simulators of the time.
Terminal Reality also developed a similar game, Fury3
, published that same year by Microsoft
. It used the same game engine
(Photex + Terrain Engine 1) and basic game mechanics, but was designed to run natively on the new Windows 95
operating system. Though considered to add little to the gameplay of Terminal Velocity, Fury3 spawned an add-on pack, F!Zone, as well as a sequel, Hellbender.
, meaning its course
can be changed instantly. Additionally, it possess powerful afterburners that allow it to move at very high speed without being able to shoot, which is useful in order to evade attack.
. The main programmer of the game was Mark Randel, the former lead programmer of Microsoft Flight Simulator
. At its launch, the game's all-digital soundtrack, frame rate
s, external environments, and ability to fly through tunnels and into underground caverns set it apart from the rest of its genre.
Terminal Velocity was released as both a floppy disk
and a CD-ROM
version. The CD-ROM version improved upon the floppy version with 70 MB of extended pre-rendered 3D cut scenes, higher image resolution (including more detailed textures) and support for 8-player
network multiplay.
is a member, suddenly turns against Earth and their fleet ravages the planet, starting a war. The player flies a powerful starfighter
, the TV-202, in a series of missions to defeat the enemy. In Episode 3, the player learns that a huge supercomputer
known as X.I. (Xenocidic Initiative), located on Proxima Seven, is responsible for the war. Their final mission is to eliminate it.
s, the first of which was distributed as shareware
. Each episode features three different worlds, making a total of nine levels.
Terminal Reality
Terminal Reality is a video game development and production company based in Lewisville, Texas. Founded in 1994 by ex-Microsoft employee Mark Randel and former Mallard Software general manager Brett Combs, Terminal Reality develops a variety of games including racing games , 3D action games , and...
and published by 3D Realms
3D Realms
3D Realms is a current video game publisher and former video game developer based in Garland, Texas, United States, established in 1987...
on May 1, 1995. It is an arcade-style flight combat game, with simpler game controls and physics than flight simulators. It is known for its fast, high-energy action sequences, compared to flight simulators of the time.
Terminal Reality also developed a similar game, Fury3
Fury3
Fury3 is a video game developed by Terminal Reality and published by Microsoft in 1995 for Microsoft Windows. It is not a sequel to Terminal Velocity, but the two games share basic game mechanics and use the same engine...
, published that same year by Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
. It used the same game engine
Game engine
A game engine is a system designed for the creation and development of video games. There are many game engines that are designed to work on video game consoles and personal computers...
(Photex + Terrain Engine 1) and basic game mechanics, but was designed to run natively on the new Windows 95
Windows 95
Windows 95 is a consumer-oriented graphical user interface-based operating system. It was released on August 24, 1995 by Microsoft, and was a significant progression from the company's previous Windows products...
operating system. Though considered to add little to the gameplay of Terminal Velocity, Fury3 spawned an add-on pack, F!Zone, as well as a sequel, Hellbender.
Gameplay
The player can fly at low speeds without falling. The player's craft also has no inertiaInertia
Inertia is the resistance of any physical object to a change in its state of motion or rest, or the tendency of an object to resist any change in its motion. It is proportional to an object's mass. The principle of inertia is one of the fundamental principles of classical physics which are used to...
, meaning its course
Course (navigation)
In navigation, a vehicle's course is the angle that the intended path of the vehicle makes with a fixed reference object . Typically course is measured in degrees from 0° clockwise to 360° in compass convention . Course is customarily expressed in three digits, using preliminary zeros if needed,...
can be changed instantly. Additionally, it possess powerful afterburners that allow it to move at very high speed without being able to shoot, which is useful in order to evade attack.
Design
Terminal Velocity was co-produced by Tom HallTom Hall
Tom A. Hall is a game designer born in Wisconsin. He attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he received a B.S. in Computer Science. In 1987, he worked at Softdisk Inc., where he was both a programmer and the editor of Softdisk, a software bundle delivered monthly...
. The main programmer of the game was Mark Randel, the former lead programmer of Microsoft Flight Simulator
Microsoft Flight Simulator
Microsoft Flight Simulator is a series of flight simulator programs for the Microsoft Windows operating system, although it was marketed as a video game. It is one of the longest-running, best-known and most comprehensive home flight simulator series...
. At its launch, the game's all-digital soundtrack, frame rate
Frame rate
Frame rate is the frequency at which an imaging device produces unique consecutive images called frames. The term applies equally well to computer graphics, video cameras, film cameras, and motion capture systems...
s, external environments, and ability to fly through tunnels and into underground caverns set it apart from the rest of its genre.
Terminal Velocity was released as both a floppy disk
Floppy disk
A floppy disk is a disk storage medium composed of a disk of thin and flexible magnetic storage medium, sealed in a rectangular plastic carrier lined with fabric that removes dust particles...
and a CD-ROM
CD-ROM
A CD-ROM is a pre-pressed compact disc that contains data accessible to, but not writable by, a computer for data storage and music playback. The 1985 “Yellow Book” standard developed by Sony and Philips adapted the format to hold any form of binary data....
version. The CD-ROM version improved upon the floppy version with 70 MB of extended pre-rendered 3D cut scenes, higher image resolution (including more detailed textures) and support for 8-player
Player (game)
A player of a game is a participant therein. The term 'player' is used with this same meaning both in game theory and in ordinary recreational games....
network multiplay.
Plot
The story is set in the year 2704, when the ASFAR (Alliance of Space-Faring Alien Races), of which EarthEarth
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...
is a member, suddenly turns against Earth and their fleet ravages the planet, starting a war. The player flies a powerful starfighter
Starfighter
"Starfighter" is a science fiction term used to describe small, fast, usually one-manned craft designed for armed combat .The appearance and use of fictional starfighters is often modeled on fighter aircraft, with little regard for the actual physics of spaceflight...
, the TV-202, in a series of missions to defeat the enemy. In Episode 3, the player learns that a huge supercomputer
Supercomputer
A supercomputer is a computer at the frontline of current processing capacity, particularly speed of calculation.Supercomputers are used for highly calculation-intensive tasks such as problems including quantum physics, weather forecasting, climate research, molecular modeling A supercomputer is a...
known as X.I. (Xenocidic Initiative), located on Proxima Seven, is responsible for the war. Their final mission is to eliminate it.
Episodes
The game has three episodeEpisode
An episode is a part of a dramatic work such as a serial television or radio program. An episode is a part of a sequence of a body of work, akin to a chapter of a book. The term sometimes applies to works based on other forms of mass media as well, as in Star Wars...
s, the first of which was distributed as shareware
Shareware
The term shareware is a proprietary software that is provided to users without payment on a trial basis and is often limited by any combination of functionality, availability, or convenience. Shareware is often offered as a download from an Internet website or as a compact disc included with a...
. Each episode features three different worlds, making a total of nine levels.
See also
- Hellbender
- Fury3Fury3Fury3 is a video game developed by Terminal Reality and published by Microsoft in 1995 for Microsoft Windows. It is not a sequel to Terminal Velocity, but the two games share basic game mechanics and use the same engine...
- DescentDescent (video game)Descent is a 3D first-person shooter video game developed by Parallax Software and released by Interplay Entertainment Corp. in 1995. The game features six degrees of freedom gameplay and garnered several expansion packs...