Deuteros

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Deuteros

Developer(s)	Activision
Publisher(s)	Activision
Designer(s)	Ian Bird
Platform(s)	Amiga and Atari ST; a PC version is currently in early development stage, see Deuteros Forum at links
Release date	1991
Genre(s)	Strategy
Mode(s)	Single player
Rating(s)	None

Deuteros: The Next Millennium is the sequel to the sci-fi strategy video game Millennium 2.2, published by Activision for the Amiga and Atari ST. Ian Bird designed and wrote the game, with graphics by Jai Redman and music by Matt Bates.

Ian Bird, the author of this game, confirmed the existence of a PC port of Deuteros but unfortunately the source code was lost in a hard disk crash and any chance of releasing the game to the community died with the disk.

[edit] Overview

The game is set some 800 years after Millennium, in a time when mankind has won the struggle to make the Earth habitable again but lost its spacefaring capabilities, which it is seeking to regain. While the game shares themes of space exploration and resource gathering - plus some elements of its interface - with its predecessor, the two are highly different in gameplay. Deuteros has been noted for its uncanny sense of timing in introducing new technologies that ease and automate tasks as they become trite, a graphics style somewhat similar to the works of H. R. Giger and a high difficulty level, whereas in Millennium losing was next to impossible.

The object of Deuteros is to mine and manage resources, explore the Solar System and beyond, and rid the galaxy of the evil Methanoids. Winning requires the collecting of 8 parts of a mysterious machine as asked by a mysterious race that sends enigmatic messages to the game-player. Upon winning, the game ends with a mini video clip that shows three picture-slots with icons and pictures of in-game objects changing every 3 seconds accompanied by the main music of the game.

The game was eagerly awaited by Millennium 2.2 fans, but they soon realised that Deuteros had its problems, such as bugs causing system hangs, a buggy save system, and an unfinished game plot.^{[citation needed]} It was also criticized as being repetitive after the leaving the Solar System stage of the game.

[edit] Interim

(from original game manual) In 2200 AD a gigantic asteroid smashed into the Pacific Ocean with devastating results. All human life ceased to exist in the cataclysm which followed, except for a small colony of researchers living on the Moon. Their destiny was to recolonize the Earth and transform her devastated lands and seas in to the gentle blue planet they had once known. Massive resources were required: materials not available from the meager deposits on the Moon.

The commander of Moon Base drew up his plans and colonized planets and moons throughout the Solar system. The technology of the day had filed the entire genome and allowed the scientists of Moon Base to create specific human mutations which could live and multiply on other planets. Eventually, with the Mother planet now restored and habitable, the commander ordered a mass exodus to Earth. Every man, woman and child would be needed to rebuild the civilization destroyed by the impact. All thoughts turned to the objective. Moon Base, so crucial to their survival was abandoned. The outer colonies, with varying races of mutations, were forgotten.

For the first two centuries very little occurred on the outer colonies. The separate races expanded and traded, each developing their unique cultures. Then a minor argument flared up between the two most advanced and powerful races, the Hydroids and the Methanoids. The Hydroids were a rather unpleasant lifeform who seemed to have retained most of man's more hostile traits. On the other hand the Methanoids were a calm, intelligent and resourceful culture, whose most consuming passion was for music. As long as the Hydroids kept to their planet the Methanoids were happy.

For some years the Hydroids had been surveying a small moon in Saturn's orbit and were now ready to colonize. The Methanoids were having none of it, worried at the speed at which the Hydroids were expanding. The situation was compounded by an incident following a concert given by the spectacularly popular Ulta ben-Cthug, a Methanoid composer. A Hydroid envoy had been invited to the concert, but had left after a few minutes, complaining that ben-Cthug's opening piece had caused them physical distress. The Methanoids were furious, and war followed swiftly, a bitter and prolonged war which was to last for over a century.

The Methanoids' intellect was to give them the ultimate advantage. Their tactics and weaponry improved with every battle while the Hydroids were losing more and more of their colonies, and with them the resources to build new battle fleets. Finally the Hydroids were pinned down to their last stronghold, the yellowed disk of Jupiter, and the Methanoids moved in for the kill. Their awesome fleet approached the beleaguered colony, the vast ships flanked by hundreds of battle drones. The Methanoid battle anthem boomed across the radio waves as the last battle began.

Meanwhile, on Earth, the passing centuries had seen the rise of a new human civilization. Life on New Earth was desperately severe and humans had been softened by generations of reliance on technology and science. Thoughts of spaceflight were long since forgotten and contact with the outer colonies was unheard of. No one knew of the frantic conflict between the Hydroids and the Methanoids; no one would have been interested anyway. Their lives were a constant struggle with one objective: recolonization of this harsh new world. Even Moon Base failed to stir any emotions; there were no records of such a place, no proof that it ever existed, and the one time home of the human race became a legend.

All this was to change with the works of a certain Dr. Darrill Trout. Born in the 29th Century he became the head of research at the New World university, revolutionizing the world’s thinking with works on spaceflight, politics and history.

Dr. Trout believed that Moon Base existed. He had evidence of this and other colonies beyond the asteroid belt. After many years of hard work he published "Principles", a twenty six volume thesis on spacecraft design and construction. The latter two volumes dealt with a plan to build a second "Moon Base" on Earth for the control of an orbital stepping stone to the Moon and beyond.

The effect of "Princicles" was spectacular. Work on the new Earth City began forthwith. Despite the feelings of some of the populace that space travel was both unnatural and undesirable, the project provided a much needed goal now that the prime objective had been achieved. By the year 3100 AD the City was complete. Recruits were ready for training and eagerly awaited the arrival of the newly appointed commander...

Operation "Deuteros" was underway.