Beyond the Red Line

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Beyond the Red Line - Demo
Developer(s) Beyond the Red Line team
Engine FreeSpace Open
Platform(s) Microsoft Windows, Linux, Mac OS X
Release date Demo on March 30, 2007 Full Version TBA
Genre(s) Space simulation
Mode(s) Single player and Multiplayer
Media Direct downloads or torrents (~360 MB)

Beyond the Red Line is an unofficial and free stand-alone total conversion for the award-winning game FreeSpace 2, based on the reimagined TV show Battlestar Galactica. It allows players to fly into combat as both a Colonial Viper pilot, or a cylon fighter.

Contents

[edit] Gameplay

BtRL features an original soundtrack with pieces inspired by or remixed from Bear McCreary and Richard Gibbs' soundtrack. It also includes character-based gameplay and voice acting. The three-mission demo campaign follows a storyline that precedes the episode Scar adding some background to the events of that episode. Online play, including Deathmatch and Team versus Team, is supported and a large multiplayer community has sprung up. The Mk II and VII Vipers are featured with authentic weaponry, flight controls, and semi-newtonian physics (according to the team, "if you've seen it on the show, you can do it in BtRL").

[edit] Development

On March 31, 2007, a demo was released that allowed players to play a tutorial, two single player missions and multiplayer. This demo has since been noted or reviewed in various gaming related websites and magazines such as Escapists [1], Macworld [2], PC Gamer UK [3] and Pelit [4]. The development team has been interviewed on several occasions [5] including a "making of" special in pelit [6]. The BtRL demo has also been featured on the covers of two Ukrainian magazines as well as in cover DVD of Finnish computer magazine Mikrobitti [7].

Though no set release date has been specified, the project remains under continued development with updates and previews being released often.

[edit] Reception

In February 2008 Beyond the Red Line received Mod DB's Mod of the Year Award for Best Independent Game.[8] The game has also been recommended [9] over the official video game which in turn was released on 2007 for XBox Live Arcade and Windows PC. The game was also featured in Popular Science magazine. [10]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Howard, Wen (2008-02-26). So Game We All. The Escapist (magazine). Retrieved on 2008-03-18.
  2. ^ Hodge, Karl (2007-09-03). Battlestar Galactica: Beyond The Red Line Review. Macworld. Retrieved on 2008-03-18.
  3. ^ "Beyond the Red Line", PC Gamer UK, James Binns, 7/2007, pp. 98. Retrieved on 2008-03-19. 
  4. ^ Mäkinen, Marko. "Paahdinjahtia", Pelit, SanomaWSOY, 5/2007, pp. 34. Retrieved on 2008-03-18. (Finnish) 
  5. ^ Mod is Dead: Beyond the Red Line. Shacknews (2007-07-31). Retrieved on 2008-03-18.
  6. ^ Kankola, Tuomas. "Pitkä tie punaiselle viivalle", Pelit, SanomaWSOY, 5/2007, pp. 35 - 36. Retrieved on 2008-03-18. (Finnish) 
  7. ^ Huvi & Hyöty DVD 2008 (Finnish). Mikrobitti. SanomaWSOY (3/2008). Retrieved on 2008-03-18.
  8. ^ 2007 Mod of the Year Awards. ModDB (2008-01-29). Retrieved on 2008-03-18.
  9. ^ Buckland, Jeff (2007-11-04). Battlestar Galactica PC Review. AtomicGamer. Retrieved on 2008-03-19.
  10. ^ Chuck, Cage. "Have a blast", Popular Science (magazine), Bonnier Corporation, 4/2008, pp. 81 - 82. Retrieved on 2008-03-19. 

[edit] External links

Languages