Codename Eagle
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| Codename Eagle | |
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| Developer(s) | Refraction Games |
| Publisher(s) | Take 2 Interactive |
| Engine | Refractor graphics engine |
| Platform(s) | Windows 95/98 |
| Release date | USA November, 1999 UK April 3, 2000 |
| Genre(s) | First-person shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single player, Multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | DJCTQ: 16 anos ESRB: Teen (T) PEGI: 16+ OFLC: M15+ |
| Media | CD |
| Input methods | Keyboard, mouse |
Codename Eagle is the name of a computer game developed by Stockholm-based studio Refraction Games and was released in November 1999. Since then Refraction Games has been bought by Digital Illusions, who with the Refraction Games team developed the famous Battlefield series of games.
The Game is set in an alternate time line, centered around events in Russia in 1917. World War One has not yet happened, Germany has not yet become involved with the other world powers, and instead Russia's expanding war machine threatens to throw the continent into a bloody war. The other European powers are allied against the invasion. You take control of "Red" one of the secret organization "Shadow Command"'s finest operatives. It is your mission to uncover the Tsar's plans for Europe, using whatever means to demolish the Russian war machine from within. Codename Eagle features vehicle and first-person shooter game play.
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[edit] Game Engine
Codename Eagle uses the Refractor graphics engine, which influenced the development of the Refractor 2 graphics engine used in the hit game Battlefield 1942 (2002). The Refractor 1 engine has a more arcade-like feel, while the Refractor 2 engine has a more realistic feel. Vehicle physics, player physics and the interface are also clearly different between the two Refractor engines.
One remarkable feature of the Restractor 1 engine was the maximum view distance; which could be enabled in the console by the player typing in the command viewdist 2000. This maximum view distance setting allows the player to see all the way to opposite side of a huge map, although the engine has very little visual detail the maximum view distance setting was very demanding for the average computer in 1999.
[edit] Multiplayer
In Codename Eagle's multiplayer mode players can battle it out in one of three modes: Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch and Capture the Flag.
In multiplayer, there are two bases, one for each team. Each base contains a variety of vehicles, including planes, tanks, motorbikes and helicopters (added in patch 1.41).
There are 7 official multiplayer maps,
- No Mans Land
- Breakpoint
- The Palace
- Carrier War
- The Airbase
- Fever Valley
- Fortress
No Mans Land was indisputably the most heavily played of all the multiplayer maps online, particularly on Capture the Flag mode.
While Codename Eagle lacks the functionality of modern First Person Shooters, it can be seen as one of the precursors of objective based, team oriented multiplayer games such as the Battlefield series. The Refractor Engine, used to good effect in Codename Eagle, was the basis of the Refractor 2 Engine which formed the basis of Battlefield 1942.
Codename Eagle's multiplayer can also be compared with other similar style arcade shooters such as the Tribes (series), Halo (series), Quake (series) and Unreal Tournament series.
[edit] Critical Response
The general response to Codename Eagle was mediocre at best, particularly towards the singleplayer campaign. However the multiplayer element of the game, and subsequent fixes provided through patches, helped to keep Codename Eagle alive and promote the growth of its own small but dedicated online community.
Below are some mixed reviews of Codename Eagle in its initial form.
- [78/100] - "Refraction Games creates an FPS that stands out among the many that are already on the shelf, offering a unique twist in its game play. Despite a few detractions, the game is solid and entertaining." - Gamespy
- [5.7/10] - "Codename Eagle is a short, linear, and really goofy game that's much more frustrating than it is interesting." -Gamespot
- [7.3/10] - "New action game from Talonsoft hits several highs and several lows." -IGN
- [4.0/5] - "There comes a time when even the most devoted first-person shooter fan wants to do something other than separate another crew of witless virtual bad guys from their lives. Talonsoft's Codename Eagle offers an inviting alternative." -GamePro.com
The multiplayer element of Codename Eagle was well received by Gamespy staff and as a result it was included in "GameSpy's 25 Most Memorable Games of the Past 5 Years" Featured Here
[edit] Recreations
A Codename Eagle mod named 'CE Mod' for Battlefield 1942 was released in 2003 that featured similar multiplayer content but with up to 64 players. On Christmas of 2005 another Codename Eagle mod named 'CE Legends' was released by the same developers for Battlefield 2.
According to Rex Hill (Rexman), the lead creator behind both Battlefield CE mods and now a developer for Kaos Studios; both Codename Eagle mods were primarily made to demonstrate various capabilities of the Battlefield 1942 and Battlefield 2 mod development kits. This evidently meant that the mods were not intended to be popular or updated beyond their initial release.
Whilst CE Mod does not work with any version of Battlefield 1942 later then the 1.3 patch, CE Legends is still compatible with the latest Battlefield 2 patch.
Recently Ben Cousins, Senior Producer of the upcoming Battlefield Heroes title at Digital Illusions, mentioned in his developer blog that his interest in joining Digital Illusions came from being a fan of Codename Eagle's multiplayer gameplay. Discussing gameplay concepts for Battlefield Heroes he then went on to say that he and Battlefield Heroes Lead Designer James Salt "wanted to return to the crazy unrealistic feel of Battlefield 1942 and Codename Eagle, games which we had both been fans of." The developer blog can be found here.
