Rockstar New England
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Rockstar New England | |
|---|---|
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| Type | subsidiary |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Headquarters | New England in Andover, Massachusetts |
| Key people | Ian Lane Davis |
| Industry | Game development |
| Employees | 100 (approx)[1] |
| Parent | Rockstar Games[2] |
| Website | rockstarnewengland.com/ |
Rockstar New England, formerly Mad Doc Software, is a computer game development company founded in 1999 by Dr. Ian Davis. The company is based in New England in Andover, Massachusetts, just north of Boston.[3] On April 4, 2008, Rockstar Games announced that it had acquired the studio and rebranded it Rockstar New England.[2]
Contents |
[edit] Overview
The original Mad Doc Software was founded by Ian Lane Davis, an artificial intelligence (AI) expert[citation needed]. The company incorporates new networking, graphics, and AI technologies into their games (Empire Earth II uses Mad Doc’s Mad3D Game Engine and MadAI technologies).
As of 2008, the company sold over 10 million copies of their various software titles worldwide.[citation needed]
[edit] History
Davis started Mad Doc Software in Andover in 1999 before shortly moving to Lawrence a year later.
In 2001, Mad Doc completed Star Trek: Armada II for Activision, adding 3D play, enhanced AI and other features. The Mad Doc team also delivered a wireless-platform golf game to JAMDAT Mobile, as well as AI design for the sequel to a major software publisher's PC game.
Mad Doc completed the World War II flight simulator Jane's Attack Squadron in March 2002. In the fall of 2002, the company released Empire Earth: The Art of Conquest, the official expansion pack for Empire Earth, to Sierra Entertainment.
The year 2003 brought further success for Mad Doc. In November, Microsoft Game Studios released Dungeon Siege: Legends of Aranna. Mad Doc developed an expansion pack for Dungeon Siege adding new features and AI enhancements. The company was a finalist for the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences "Computer Role Playing Game of the Year" Finalist due to this expansion pack.
In the spring of 2005, the company released Empire Earth II. Mad Doc added features including advanced AI, enhanced environmental realism, new multiplayer modes, and improved management systems. The game garnered a PC Gamer Editor's Choice Award and a 94% review score. PC Gamer stated that the game was "The New King of Real-Time Strategy Gaming".[4]
Star Trek: Legacy, one of their more recent titles, had mixed to moderate reviews for the Xbox 360 and was negatively received for the PC [2].
The company's Empire Earth III has been the subject of many harsh reviews, with GameSpot saying, "Empire Earth III has been dumbed down to the point of irrelevance." As a result, Mad Doc has removed Empire Earth III from their list of games on their website and any trace of it.[5]
Mad Doc has also created an autonomous cross-country navigation system for the U.S. Dept. of Defense [6]
Mad Doc Software ported Rockstar Vancouver's Bully to the Xbox 360 and Wii in the form of Bully: Scholarship Edition.[7]
Rockstar Games acquired Mad Doc Software on 4 April 2008.[2]
[edit] Awards
As Mad Doc Software:
[edit] References
- ^ Mad Doc cooks up fantasy games, government projects - Andover Townsman, Andover, MA
- ^ a b c Rockstar Acquires Mad Doc Software at RockstarWatch. URL accessed on April 4, 2008
- ^ Sierra's Empire Earth 3 announcement at Sierra.com Retrieved February 24, 2007.
- ^ http://www.vugames.com/news_story.do?storyId=2364
- ^ Back Up of Mad Doc Software Homepage Retrieved February 23, 2008.
- ^ [1] Retrieved may 10, 2008.
- ^ More Bully: Scholarship Edition Screens and Info. RockstarWatch (2008-01-17). Retrieved on 2008-01-17.
- ^ www.maddocsoftware.com/about_awards.htm (no longer available)
http://www.rockstarwatch.net/maddocsoftware/about_awards.htm (backup)
[edit] External links
- Rockstar New England's Official Website
- Backup of Mad Doc Software's Website
- Mad Doc Software profile at MobyGames
- Mad Doc Software profile at GameFAQs
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