FireArms | |
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Developer(s) | FireArms Development Team |
Engine | GoldSrc (Half-Life) |
Version | 3.0 (April 18, 2005) |
Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows, Linux |
Release date(s) | 1998 |
Genre(s) | First-person shooter |
Mode(s) | Multiplayer |
System requirements |
Firearms (commonly abbreviated as FA) is a first-person shooter video game for Half-Life which originated from a Quake modification. Initially developed in 1998, Firearms was created as a quasi-realistic team-based FPS. The mod's main feature is the large amount of playable weapons in the game.
Contents |
The current, and final build is Release Candidate (RC) 3.0 which was released on April 18, 2005. FA was originally created by Caspar Milan Nielsen and Brian Fuller. Versions 2.0 through (RC) 2.5 were developed under the leadership and programming of Eric Smith (Zerk). Firearms 2.4 was included in the Counter-Strike retail package and was later awarded PC Gamer's Mod of the Year award and PC Gamer's Best Multiplayer Game of the Year Runner-up in the year 2000.[1] Firearms was at one time the #3 most popular mod based on the Half-life engine, after Counter-Strike and Team Fortress Classic. Later versions, (RC) 2.6 through (RC) 3.0 were developed under the direction of Ben Irwin.[2][3]
In FireArms, players are divided into a red and a blue team and are to complete objectives. Objectives can vary from controlling areas to destroying objects. The main objective in all maps is to reduce the number of the opponent team's reinforcements to zero. Reinforcements determine the amount of times players on a team can respawn. A team loses reinforcements when killed players respawn. The loss of reinforcements on a team can be stifled by completing map objectives and the direct and indirect actions of medics on the team. As long as a team has more than 0 reinforcements, players can respawn instantly. FireArms was the first FPS game to feature player-deployed parachutes.
There are 5 official map objectives:
Unlike other games, players are free to choose what weapons they want to use. There are no classes (although players can choose predefined and editable weapon configurations) or a money system used to buy weapons. Instead, FireArms uses a credit system where every player can spend 30 credits to his or her liking. Every player receives a free knife regardless of the weapons configuration they choose. Players can spend their credits on weapons and equipment, ammunition is free and can be obtained from ammunition boxes available throughout most maps for when a player runs out.
Players can buy skills by spending skill points. Every player starts out with 1 skill point and can earn another skill point for every 10 points they have. No more than 7 skill points can be obtained this way. The skill points can be used to buy skills which help the player. There are 7 different skills to choose from, 3 of which have a followup skill.