Tempest 2000
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| Tempest 2000 | |
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| Developer(s) | Atari, Llamasoft |
| Publisher(s) | Atari, Interplay |
| Designer(s) | Jeff Minter |
| Release date(s) | 1994, 1996 |
| Genre(s) | Fixed shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single player, multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Kids to Adults (K-A) |
| Platform(s) | PC, Atari Jaguar, Saturn, Macintosh |
Tempest 2000 was a 1994 remake for the Atari Jaguar of the classic 1980 arcade game Tempest by Dave Theurer. The remake was designed and programmed by Jeff Minter. It was later converted to PC, Mac, Sega Saturn and PlayStation game consoles, the latter version with several changes to the design under the name of Tempest X3. The original PC version was for DOS; Interplay released a Microsoft Windows version later. The Mac version was based on the Sega Saturn version of the game and was published by Logicware.
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[edit] Gameplay
Tempest 2000 modifies the gameplay of the original Tempest by adding bonus levels, collectable power-ups, more sophisticated enemy types, and wildly varying web (level) designs.
The game contains a total of 100 webs, with new frame colors and variations every 15 levels. In all versions, the player's progress is saved every couple of levels, and players are allowed to resume by using "keys" (as the game calls it) to return to the last stage the game saved at.
As mentioned, the game contains several power-ups, which appear as a small floating polygon that appears in random spots on the web and floats up towards you. Grabbing it will power you up with:
- Particle Laser: Enhances the ship's firepower and allows you to destroy spikes much faster.
- Points: Between certain power-ups, you can gain bonuses of 2000 points.
- Jump: Getting the Jump power-up lets you leap off the web. Great for avoiding enemies that travel along the top of the web, as well as avoiding the attack of Pulsars.
- AI Droid: The almighty A.I. Droid will appear above you and randomly move around the web, destroying enemies for you while you concentrate on survival.
- Warp Token: Collect three tokens to play a bonus stage when you complete the web you're on.
- Outta Here!: Collecting this power-up will destroy all enemies on the web and warp you to the next stage.
- Yes! Yes! Yes!: For lack of a better name, this very rare power-up is only given if you grab a power-up token that forms as you begin to warp off a completed web. Grabbing it makes the first power-up in the next stage an AI Droid. It's named for the excited voice that continuously says "Yes! Yes! Yes!" in rising pitch when it's grabbed.
[edit] Conversions
Jeff Minter wrote only the Atari Jaguar version of the game; other, later versions were ported by other developers and are generally considered to lack the fine gameplay tuning present in the Jaguar version. All later versions, however, come as compact discs and contain in-game the tracks of a separately-released soundtrack CD instead of the original game's real-time sequenced module music. Most of the tracks are quite similar (only in higher sound quality), while others have been redone from scratch.
Both PC versions have greatly-reduced graphical effects, especially evident on the bonus levels. In this light, the third type of bonus level has been completely redone. The DOS version contains optional AdLib and Roland MT-32 versions of the music. The Windows version is rendered in higher resolution, and has some unique glitches, like registering bonus level scores incorrectly.
The Sega Saturn version (programmed by High Voltage Software like the PlayStation version) uses a limited amount of sound channels, causing thin sound. The game also fails to recreate the wild framebuffer effects of the original satisfactorily, and hence the third type of bonus level has been completely removed (whereas on the PC the programmers redesigned it). Identically to the PlayStation version, the Particle Laser does not work on Spikes any better than the regular weapon. A unique quirk of the Saturn version causes the game's first type of bonus level to run overspeed if the player moves too far up or down.
Tempest X3, the PlayStation version has graphics and sound updated for the newer platforms on which it runs, and of all the conversions it has the most of the original content intact. However, the following gameplay differences from the original version were identified by Jeff Minter himself in a Usenet post:
- The "AI Droid" only follows the player, instead of acting autonomously. A new, "Super AI Droid" powerup rectifies this somewhat, but it takes very long in a level to acquire it.
- Pulsars now move slowly around the top of the Web if they reach it (rather than electrifying the whole top edge the moment they arrive).
- The Particle Laser is no more effective than the normal laser against Spikes (in the original, it destroys them very quickly).
- Some of the harder, "sticking point" webs have been removed from the game entirely.
Entering the name "YIFF!" on the highscore table will activate a secret mode, allowing the user to choose to play the original Tempest 2000 game; however, any high scores made in this mode are not saved, the music (wave-captured from the original modules) is muffled and the effectiveness of the Particle Laser against Spikes is not restored even in this original mode.
Jeff Minter himself returned to the genre with Tempest 3000 and again with Space Giraffe.
[edit] Critical Acclaim
Tempest 2000 is generally regarded as one of the best video games for the Atari Jaguar. The game received critical acclaim from such video game magazines such as GamePro, Electronic Gaming Monthly (won EGM's Game Of The Month award), and Diehard GameFan. Most critical acclaim comes from its intense techno music soundtrack (although the technology used for the original techno music comes from the MOD audio format that originated on the Commodore Amiga home computer). A separate soundtrack CD with newly-done versions was also released; this was the basis for the audio for all conversions to come.
[edit] Jaguar Rotary Controller
There is an option to use a rotary controller (similar to the controller on the Tempest arcade machine) with Tempest 2000 on the Jaguar, however there are two obstacles :
- The option must be unlocked by holding Pause on Controller 1 and Controller 2 at the same time on the Options menu.
- Atari never made a Jaguar rotary controller, such a controller was planned for development and release by Atari, but not even any prototypes still exist.
However, several people have constructed their own Jaguar rotary controllers by using parts from a Jaguar controller and either an Atari 2600 Driving Controller or new higher precision rotary encoders (the Driving Controller was similar to the Paddle Controller, but the Driving Controller rotated a full 360 degrees, while the Paddle Controller rotated only 270 degrees, it is not very responsive).
A number of these controllers were made available for sale, originally by JediJeff (who used optical encoders and a custom case) and then later by Tyrant, and Jonathan Ascough, whos designs both use mechanical encoders, but manage to fit them into the case of a standard Jaguar Controller, replacing the D-Pad with a small knob.
Interestingly, the one used by Jeff Minter during testing was made from a hacked up 2600 driving controller, and until about 2004, he had never actually played with a more suitable controller.
