Corridor 7

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Corridor 7: Alien Invasion
Developer(s)	Capstone Software
Publisher(s)	Intracorp Entertainment Gametek
Engine	Modified Wolf 3D engine
Release date(s)	March, 1994
Genre(s)	First-person shooter
Mode(s)	Single player, Multiplayer
Rating(s)	RSAC: V3 (Blood & Gore) ESRB: Teen (T) ELSPA: 11+
Platform(s)	PC (MS-DOS)
Media	3½-inch floppy disk or CD

Corridor 7: Alien Invasion is a first-person shooter computer game developed and published by Capstone Software. It was widely ignored for its outdated Wolfenstein 3-D engine technologically surpassed by Doom. A sequel Corridor 8: Galactic Wars was planned, but was cancelled.

[edit] Plot

Excerpt from the Corridor 7 manual:

"Earth's fighting days were believed to be over. Most of America's military funds were now being directed towards research and space exploration. In 2012, Dr. Donald Fox, a U.S. exobiologist on one of the first manned missions to Mars returned with a metallic object taken from an area near one of Mars' curious face-like formations. It was the first hard proof that life existed outside Earth's solar-system. Scientists were elated, but the government, ever so cautious, removed the artifact to an underground research facility called Delta Base. Delta Base, a small weapons development and research centre located in the Nevada desert, is the only facility equipped to test such an object. The object was taken to the lowest level, a maze-like series of hallways and test chambers, to the laboratory known as Corridor 7.

The age of the object was impossible to determine. Most scientists believed it to be ancient, but it showed no traces of its age and its surface could not be sampled, even at a molecular level. The standard battery of tests were issued. In the back of the chamber the object was subjected to varying levels and types of radiation. During the Gamma phase of tests, the object began to change..."

As a result a dimensional gate (the Vortex) is opened in the midst of Corridor 7, allowing an army of alien invaders to reach Earth. The aliens quickly overrun the military base and took its control killing everyone. While the creatures are busy modifying the surroundings to better suit their needs, but before they can effectively cut off Delta Base from the rest of the world, a lone Special Forces soldier is able to penetrate their perimeter: his objective will be to stop the invasion and destroy the artifact.

[edit] Gameplay

The player takes control of the lone soldier who has infiltrated the alien invaded military base. Corridor 7 is not organized in episodes. Instead, there are 30 (floppy disk version) or 40 (CD version) levels to explore plus 6 more bonus levels. The gameplay slightly differs from that of most FPS games because the player, rather than finding an exit surviving the various enemies scattered around, is tasked with the duty of killing the aliens present on the level. Once this objective is achieved he will be granted access to the next floor of the base through a lift which is also the starting point of each level. The skill setting selected when starting the game influences the percentage of aliens that need to be eliminated:

• Corporal: the levels contain few aliens and only 10% kills are required to gain access of the elevator.
• Lieutenant: the aliens increase in number and 75% kills are required.
• Captain: this is the standard difficulty setting and requires that 100% of the aliens are killed.
• Major: like Captain, but with a higher number of enemies.
• President: like Major, but features a randomization factor which scatters around the level all the objects present. This setting is only available in the CD version.

To help hunting down the aliens the player can activate the proximity map in one corner of the screen. This function shows a small section of the current level with all active aliens as yellow blips and can be expanded by finding the floor plan. Upon collecting this object the proximity map is extended to show the whole level and the position of every alien.

In this scene the player fires the M-343 at a Bandor. On the left lying on the floor are the remains of a dead Animated Probe. Notice the proximity map in the upper right corner of the screen.

Corridor 7 levels can be split into different blocks depending on their setting. The first twenty levels of Delta Base comprise a mix of offices, research labs, computer rooms and storage warehouses themed with appropriate decorations and furniture. Next comes the so called alien converted floors: these 10 levels of Delta Base have been completely reorganized by the aliens who brought in their own devices and structures. The converted floors feature a darker light setting and the almost complete disappearance of human made equipment. A third section is made up by the six bonus levels accessible on specific levels throughout Delta Base using an alternate elevator. Such elevator is usually guarded by an alien boss. The total of these 36 levels makes up the original floppy disk release of the game. This version of Corridor 7 ends when the player destroys the Vortex on level 30. The CD version features 10 more levels: rather than destroying the Vortex the player walks through it to reach the aliens' homeworld. The alien levels share some similarities with the alien converted floors, but the major difference is that no kill percentage is required to move on, but an exit teleporter must be found.

There are some more differences from other Wolfenstein 3D engine based games: for instance the player is equipped with a visor capable of both infrared and night vision. Infrared is employed to detect invisible, energy draining force fields or other threats, while night vision is especially useful to better see when playing on dark levels. Ammunition and health are not scattered around the levels as objects to pick up, but rather as dispenser bays encased in the level walls. Health is also available in special rooms called "health chambers" where the player can obtain up to 100 hit points. Corridor 7 features two distinct ammo types as well: the projectiles dispensed from the bays are used to feed all human weapons while energy packs are available to power up the alien guns.

Locked areas do not require a key to be opened, but a color coded (blue or red) passcard is necessary. These cards are granted by operating special wall-sized computer terminals; since these terminals are also placed behind the color coded doors, sometimes it is possible to lure an alien into opening such doors and, after dispatching the creature, quickly move in to get the access without having to wander around in search for another terminal.

[edit] Multiplayer

The immense success of Doom multiplayer modes is probably behind the addition of LAN and modem gameplay in the CD release of Corridor 7. The only multiplayer mode featured is deathmatch and there is also an extra set of 8 multiplayer maps included. Players can deathmatch impersonating either the Special Forces soldiers from the singleplayer mode or one of the aliens: interestingly enough playing as an alien results in possessing the distinctive abilities of the creature chosen (e.g. speed or endurance).

[edit] Weapons

Corridor 7 featured a total of eight weapons. Three of these guns are available in the CD version only: they are the shotgun, the alien assault cannon, and the alien disintegrator.

• Taser: A basic weapon issued to the player since the first level, the Taser works by emitting a shock charge. It's a very weak weapon, but it doesn't consume any ammo and thus will be always available.

• M-24 CAW: Given its description this weapon is basically an assault rifle (CAW stands for Close Assault Weapon). It uses projectiles as ammo and features full auto fire, good accuracy and fast firing rate. This weapon is also immediately available to the player.

• Shotgun: After being featured in Doom the shotgun was also added to Corridor 7. This weapon fires cartridges dispensed from the usual ammo bays and inflicts a lot of damage but also has an extremely short range.

• M-343 TriBarrell Power Blaster: Basically an automatic tribarrelled machinegun with a bizarre looking triangular prism shape. In spite of its looks it is the most effective weapon in the game, capable of disposing quickly of every type of alien. It fires the same projectiles as the M-24 CAW.

• Alien Dual Blaster: A low-damage energy weapon acquired when dispatching the alien Mechanoid Warrior, this gun is not very effective, but its low consumption makes it ideal when energy reserves are not very high.

• Alien Plasma Rifle: Resembles a bazooka. This weapon fires a bluish plasma blast which travels slowly and does a lot of damage both by direct hit and splash damage. It can be acquired by killing a Tymok boss.

• Alien Assault Cannon: A faster firing rate version of the Dual Blaster. This weapon combines good damage with low consumption and is the weapon of choice on the alien levels.

• Alien Disintegrator: The disintegrator fires a big energy blast that obliterates almost everything in one shot.

• Mines: Crates of proximity mines are available. These mines can be planted everywhere on the ground and do an extreme amount of damage upon contact. Useful to soften up big targets or huge packs of enemies or to create traps in multiplayer.

[edit] Aliens

The game features a good number of enemies, from the plain alien soldier to very dangerous alien bosses. Oddly some of the names chosen for the creatures are the names of the game creators typed backward.

• Ailoprobe: this creature looks like a giant floating eye with tentacles. It is almost harmless, but if awakened it will alert other aliens of an enemy presence.

• Animated Probe: another eye shaped creature, the probe has no tentacles, but a couple of guns on both its sides. Its role is that of guardian as it will usually patrol the levels. Not very dangerous, but extremely fast.

• Bandor: this alien can morph into everyday objects such as chairs,file cabinets, plants or barrells. It uses this ability to ambush the enemies with his fast firing energy weapon.

• Eitak: an ugly looking creature acting as the main type of guard on the alien levels.

• Eniram: this is a red demon looking alien with black horns and the ability to cloak at will. It moves while invisible and reveals itself only when firing. Only the infrared vision can help to spot them while cloaked.

• Eniram Boss: this is the first alien boss encountered and it looks like the Enirams, but has a better build and yellow horns. They cannot cloak, but are armed with a Plasma Rifle.

• Mechanoid Warrior: another boss alien widely present on the levels, the Mechanoid Warrior is encased into an armor and is armed with a Dual Blaster. Its stomping sound is a distinctive trademark of its presence.

• Otrebor: this creature resembles some kind of red armored hi-tech cowboy with dual wielded guns. Its role is that of a technician, but it is very dangerous due to its speed and firepower.

• Rodex: small creatures that travel in groups. Rodexes are dangerous if they can swarm the player, but tend to flee when most of them are killed.

• Semaj: located only on the alien levels, the Semajes look like violet pools of mud with eyes and mouth. They are more of an annoyance than a threat since they slow down the player.

• Solrac: this alien looks like a giant red skull with gleaming eyes, exposed brain and a mass of tentacles as legs. It is the leader of the invasion of Earth and one of the toughest enemies of the game. Its attack consists in energy blasts fired from its eyes. The Solrac image suddenly appears on most levels (usually scaring and making the player waste ammo) since the alien presence appears to invade the player character's thoughts.

• Tebazile: the boss of all aliens located only on the last level of the alien world. This creature has some kind of regenerative power since after being killed once it resurrects in the form of an Eniram boss first, then a Tymok, a Solrac and last again as itself.

• Tenaj: humanoid in form with violet body, its arms and legs look like bundles of fibers. Tenajes are described as atmosphere technicians, but are well armed and their speed can make them dangerous.

• Ttocs: big, slow moving and not very bright creatures with humanoid appearance and a strange red cover on head and shoulders.

• Tymok: looks like a giant gorilla with violet fur, but it is a very aggressive alien boss armed with a Plasma Rifle. Once killed it will leave behind its weapon.

• Nerraw: an unknown alien present only on the alien levels of the CD version. The Corridor 7 guide describes it as a very powerful creature capable of a killing even the strongest opponents.

[edit] Differences between versions

[edit] References

• Corridor 7: Alien Invasion computer game manual
• Steven M. Schafer, Corridor 7 Official guide - Brady publishing 1994