Beyond the Red Line

Beyond the Red Line
Engine FreeSpace Open
Platform(s) Microsoft Windows, Linux, Mac OS X
Release March 31, 2007[1]
Genre(s) Space simulation
Mode(s) Single player and Multiplayer

Beyond the Red Line was a total conversion for the game FreeSpace 2, based on the reimagined TV show Battlestar Galactica. It allows players to fly into combat as either a Colonial Viper pilot or a Cylon raider.

Gameplay

BtRL planned to feature an original soundtrack with pieces inspired by Bear McCreary and Richard Gibbs' soundtrack. It also intended to include 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 multiplayer, including "Deathmatch" and "Team vs. Team", is supported. The Mk II and VII Vipers are featured with authentic weaponry, flight controls, and semi-Newtonian physics (the development team stated that, "if you've seen it on the show, you can do it in BtRL").

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 The Escapist,[2] Macworld,[3] PC Gamer UK [4] and Pelit.[5] The development team has been interviewed on several occasions [6] including a "making of" special in Pelit.[7] 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.[8]

In October 2008, the majority of the team announced that they had left the Beyond the Red Line development team to work on a different project, known as Diaspora.[9] Although Diaspora is also a Battlestar Galactica game built on the FreeSpace 2 engine, it is being developed independently of BTRL and the projects have no affiliation with each other.[10]

In August 2009, it was announced that as a consequence of the Diaspora fork, BtRL's subsequent inactivity, and BtRL's perceived hostility toward its fans since the split, BtRL would no longer be hosted at Game Warden, its historical home.[11] BtRL's primary website has been moved and the demo hosting mirrored on a number of providers.

No release date for the full project has yet been specified, and there has not been any word from the developers. The mod is presumed dead.

The Diaspora fork was completed and released in September 2012.[12]

Reception

In February 2008 Beyond the Red Line received Mod DB's "Mod of the Year Award" for "Best Independent Game".[13] That same year the game was also recommended over the official Battlestar video game (released: 2007 for Xbox Live Arcade and Windows PC), citing the latter game's low production values and publisher's mishandling of the license.[14] In 2008 the game was featured in Popular Science magazine.[15] In December 2007 the game was featured in Computer and Video Games' "The Best PC Mods. Ever!" review.[16]

Player feedback was initially very positive, and a number of dedicated Beyond the Red Line gaming clans sprung up. However, the limited number of ships in the demo, as well as netcode-related lag, hampered the multiplayer experience, and most of these clans have since become defunct or broadened their activities to Battlestar Galactica fandom in general.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Beyond the Red Line data". GameFaqs. p. 1. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
  2. ↑ Howard, Wen (2008-02-26). "So Game We All". The Escapist (magazine). Retrieved 2008-03-18.
  3. ↑ Hodge, Karl (2007-09-03). "Battlestar Galactica: Beyond The Red Line Review". Macworld. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
  4. ↑ "Beyond the Red Line". PC Gamer UK. James Binns. July 2007. p. 98.
  5. ↑ Mäkinen, Marko (May 2007). "Paahdinjahtia". Pelit (in Finnish). SanomaWSOY. p. 34.
  6. ↑ "Mod is Dead: Beyond the Red Line". Shacknews. 2007-07-31. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
  7. ↑ Kankola, Tuomas (May 2007). "Pitkä tie punaiselle viivalle". Pelit (in Finnish). SanomaWSOY. pp. 35–36.
  8. ↑ "Huvi & Hyöty DVD 2008". Mikrobitti (in Finnish). SanomaWSOY. March 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-10-05. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
  9. ↑ "Diaspora FAQ". Diaspora Team. 2008-10-01. Retrieved 2012-09-26.
  10. ↑ "About Beyond the Red Line". Beyond the Red Line Team. 2008-10-01. Retrieved 2009-08-20.
  11. ↑ "Farewell BTRL". Game Warden. 2009-08-14. Retrieved 2009-08-20.
  12. ↑ http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/09/07/battlespace-freestar-galactica-diaspora/
  13. ↑ "2007 Mod of the Year Awards". ModDB. 2008-01-29. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
  14. ↑ Buckland, Jeff (2007-11-04). "Battlestar Galactica PC Review". AtomicGamer. Archived from the original on 2008-03-22. Retrieved 2008-03-19.
  15. ↑ Cage, Chuck (April 2008). "Have a blast". Popular Science (magazine). Bonnier Corporation. pp. 81–82.
  16. ↑ "The Best PC Mods. Ever!". Computer and Video Games. December 28, 2007. Retrieved 2008-06-21.
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