ParaWorld

ParaWorld

Developer(s)	SEK
Publisher(s)	Sunflowers Deep Silver Aspyr
Platform(s)	Microsoft Windows
Release	September 15, 2006
Genre(s)	Real-time strategy
Mode(s)	Single player Multiplayer

ParaWorld is a real-time strategy PC game released on September 25, 2006. It was developed by the German company SEK (Spieleentwicklungskombinat), based in Berlin. The game features more than 50 prehistoric animals, especially dinosaurs and Pleistocene mammals. The game uses TAGES, and therefore installs a driver on the system for copy protection.

Gameplay

The game-concept is similar to "Age of Empires", which is a real-time strategy game. ParaWorld features food, wood, and stone as resources. Food can be picked from bushes, hunted from animals, fished from the sea, or farmed. Stone is located in limited deposits, and wood, cut from trees, is generally scattered throughout a map. Battles can occur on both land and sea.

The story takes place in a parallel dimension, where prehistoric life thrives alongside diverse human civilizations that are not technologically advanced. As a result, dinosaurs take the place of traditional wildlife and livestock, though some of the dinosaurs in-game are highly stylized and not necessarily scientifically accurate. Wild-living dinosaurs can be hunted for food, though some are of dangerous and aggressive species and will attack any player unit that wanders too close. Other prehistoric creatures make an appearance as well, for example woolly mammoths are used where other games might feature elephants.

Players advance through epochs in order to unlock new technologies and upgrades.

Plot summary

ParaWorld ("parallel world") is an alternate universe where dinosaurs and ice age creatures never became extinct. A group of 19th-century scientists, the SEAS (the Society of Exact Alternative Science) led by scientific genius Jarvis Babbit, discovered the parallel world where dinosaurs and primitive human tribes coexist. When they subsequently learned that people don't age in this dimension and that the concept of electricity is inexistant, they decided to remain there to rule. Later, three young scientists are led to Jarvis Babbit: the American geologist Anthony Cole, Swedish biologist Stina Holmlund, and Hungarian physics genius Béla András Benedek, all of whom having discovered elements in the "real" world that point toward the existence of a parallel world. Jarvis Babbit decides to send the three scientists into "Paraworld", seemingly for an expedition. However, when the three heroes discover the true intentions of the SEAS, they have to rally all the parallel world's warring inhabitants in order to defeat the SEAS.

The three scientists serve as the game's core "hero" units. Their main goal is to return to their home world, but to do this they will need to enlist the aid of enlightened natives and battle against the hostile creatures, tribes, and ultimately the masterminds trying to stop them. Along the way they'll meet several characters who are seemingly based on classical scientists such as Nicola Tesla or Charles Darwin ("Nikolaj Taslow" and "James Warden" in the game). They eventually discover that a man named David Leighton, who is one of Babbit's men, is orchestrating events on the parallel world, and pursue him. They also learn of a plot to permanently seal the world away by moving the planet out of orbit, which will also trigger a cataclysm.

In order to save the planet and secure their own escape from ParaWorld, they are forced to assault Babbit's fortifications. They manage to stop the countdown and Cole kills Leighton in battle. Babbit makes a last-ditch effort to stop the heroes by using a giant robot. Having failed, Babbit falls into lava and presumably dies. The heroes finally go back home. However, Cole is awakened in the middle of the night by a phone call of Béla telling him that the dinosaurs have come through as well. The chaos of ParaWorld now ensues on planet Earth.

Climatic Zones

In paraworld there are 5 different climatic zones (Jungle, Savannah, Northland, Icewaste, and Ashvalley). Different animal species live in each zone. Generally speaking, dinosaurs predominate in warmer climates and mammals in more temperate conditions. The maps tend to be islands or inland regions with rivers, lakes, or ponds.

Jungle: Tropical rainforest with mostly dinosaurs. The Dragon Clan lives here, and ruins of past civilizations lay scattered across the jungle thai temple.

Species: Apatosaurus, Deinonychus, Baryonyx, Allosaurus, Spinosaurus, Ankylosaurus, Corythosaurus, Tyrannosaurus, Triceratops, Deinonychus, Pteranodon, Yangchuanosaurus, Gigantopithecus, Gallimimus, Muraenosaurus and Oviraptor..

Savannah: Dry, desert-like region with dinosaurs; the home territory of the nomadic Dustriders.

Species: Dilophosaurus, Parasaurolophus, Ankylosaurus, Carcharodontosaurus, Gallimimus, Baryonyx, Pteranodon, Iguanodon, Diplodocus, Tyrannosaurus, Muraenosaurus, Kronosaurus, Allosaurus, Achelousaurus, Velociraptor, Brachiosaurus, Triceratops and Oviraptor.

Northland: Temperate region with both dinosaurs and mammals. The Norsemen roam this autumny landscape.

Species: Smilodon, Eusmilus, Dilophosaurus, Megaloceros, Coelodonta, Mammoth, Tyrannosaurus, Tsintaosaurus, Triceratops, Brachiosaurus, Baryonyx and Wild Boar

Icewaste: Frozen, wintry polar region with mostly mammals. You can find dinosaur nests in Icewaste maps. The only known dinosaurs to live there are Baryonyx, Allosaurus, Iguanodon, Kentrosaurus, and Triceratops. It was revealed that this is the home of the barbarians. It was only visited once in the story. The 3 heroes and the Dustriders drove them away. They ended up in the jungle and were most likely finished off by the Dragon clan.

Species: Wild Boar, Smilodon, Megaloceros, Baryonyx, Allosaurus, Coelodonta, Mammoth, Kentrosaurus, Triceratops and Iguanodon.

Ashvalley: Volcanism is extremely high in this gray world. Only a few hardy dinosaurs and plants can survive here. most of the dinosaurs here are armored. This place is obviously the SEAS main base of operations. In the ashvalley scene of the main menu you can see rifles were weapons are normally at. It's possible that Jarvis is responsible for the ashvalley being desolate, and it seems he can control it seeing how he managed to make a volcano in the desert erupt(Of course that area of the desert was probably close to the ashvalley). Jarvis must have a big plan that has something to do with the ashvalley.

Species: Polacanthus, Carnotaurus, Maiasaura, Panoplosaurus, Stygimoloch, Ankylosaurus, Brachiosaurus, Stegosaurus and Kentrosaurus.

Heroes

Anthony Cole - American geologist who discovered an area where several geological layers were warped together by an unknown force. This led him to seek out other scientists experiencing strange phenomena in their fields, eventually ending up in James Babbit's office. Cole is the most adventurous of the three scientists. Normally, he wields two machetes, but is also handy with a shotgun.
Stina Holmlund - Swedish biologist and dinosaur expert. She discovered Triceratops scales that are only 90 years old. Holmlund then found Cole and Benedek and offered to seek help from James Babbit and SEAS. She is extremely adept with a whip and can even tame certain animals.
Béla Andràs Benedek - timid but brilliant Hungarian physicist. His research into gravity anomalies led him to believe that another world coexists with ours. After discovering Cole and Holmlund's problems, he suggests that they are the result of some parts of that world crossing over into ours. Benedek's use of a composite bow can put many marksmen to shame.
Arch-Druid - wise protector of the Ancient Forest and its mammoths. He seems to possess healing abilities beyond the realm of science, as apparently ParaWorld allows a limited use of magic. His staff fires thorns at the enemy.
Nikolaj Taslow - famous scientist and engineer. He was taken to ParaWorld and asked by Babbit to build a device to jump between worlds at will (instead of depending on natural windows). When Taslow completed the device, Babbit revealed his plan to rule all of ParaWorld using SEAS superior technology. Taslow destroyed the device and escaped to the desert, where he continued his tinkering with technology, although without the benefit of electricity. Taslow fashioned himself a crossbow with which he is quite adept. He is also very good at sabotaging machinery.
James Warden - famous biologist. Stina refers to him as the greatest biologist of all time. He was taken to Paraworld by Brabbit, most likely to help the SEAS fend off against the local fauna or help them understand them better to see if they could be used in the SEAS plans for conquest, he is probably why the SEAS have cyborg Triceratops in their armies, it's most likely the SEAS have more cyborg-animals. He was banish by Brabbit, most likely to stop Brabbit from turning triceratops into cyborgs, and forced to live in the jungle. There he built himself a tree house and befriended the local animals. In fact dangerous animals never seem to attack him. He has the ability to make all nearby friendly units immune to enemy animal damage. Wild animals won't attack him, but player owned animal units will, he has the ability to make him and others immune to animal damage. He seems to use some sort of stick as a weapon. He is killed by David Leighton which angers Stina greatly.
Ada Loven - an ex-colleague of Brabbit. She was one of the very few to go to Paraworld with Brabbit and has been alive for at least a hundred years. At first she went along with Brabbit's plans, but began to think what she was doing and then started to betray him. At the start of the game she helps Brabbit dispose of the 3 heroes by sending them into Paraworld, but eventually helps them out by defeating a small band of barbarians. She then helps the 3 heroes get away but they are swept up in a storm. The 3 heroes think she has drowned, but she has survived and once she gets back to our world Brabbit accuses her of being a traitor. She angrily walks out of Brabbit's Office, and is not seen again until Chapter 14: The Prisoners as one of the prisoners, most likely because she was branded a traitor and she has been locked up.

Villains

Jarvis Babbit - the main villain of the game. Jarvis is a brilliant mathematician. He discovered Paraworld, and when he learned that he no longer aged there he decided to set up permanent rule. He couldn't stand the other tribes and their squambling "because they were uncivilized", so he started the SEAS to bring Paraworld into his order. As the years went by Earth started to become less civilized so Brabbit decided to set up permanet rule in Paraworld using SEAS superior technology. At the beginging of his trip to Paraworld he brought Nikolij Taslow and James Warden with him. He asks the two to help him take over Paraworld, but when they discovered his plan, they tried to stop him but failed and he banished them. They don't even know that he is their leader, judging by the fact they said that Leighton was the leader. They think that Brabbit's SEAS and the SEAS they are fighting are 2 different SEAS, or they could probably know that the 2 SEAS are the same since Stina said "and they dare call themselves scientists".
David Leighton - Brabbit's right-hand man and relative newcomer to the SEAS since Brabbit said that Leighton could be Ada's Great, Great Grandson. David is a cruel and vicious person. He is in charge of most SEAS operations such as trying to kill the heroes with a squad of gunners, trying to take Taslow's machine with a battalion of black widows, and posing as a phony prophet to lead the heroes into a trap. He even led the main assault on the holy city and killed James Warden, which made Stina very angry, making her want to kill Leighton. After he escapes from the holy city he runs all the way to the SEAS prison islands. He was then seen escorting Ada to the main prison in a hovercraft. He is probably keeping an eye on Ada in the main prison.
Governor - a bulky dustrider who is the mayor of the holy city. He tells the 3 heroes that they are the chosen ones and they should proved themselves as heroes. But really he is in leagued with the SEAS and he has been helping them in their plans. According to Brabbit, he gain his seat of power through Brabbit's help. He is killed by Cole in the Arena.
Heinrich Kleeman - a man posing as a herald but he is oblivious a SEAS member. He led the heroes to Valhalla where a fountain would heal people of their pain and suffering forever. But really he was using the 3 heroes to get to a red fountain which would give him eternal youth but instead turned him into an undead monster, having control over the Valhalla guards. He sends 4 golems after the heroes, but they destroy each one. Heinrich eventually engaged them battle but he was defeated, and he died frozen in the icewastes. It is unknown if his plan to reach vahalla was his own or under orders from either David or Jarvis. If he was doing this on his own then that would mean he was a traitor to the SEAS.

Tribes

In Paraworld, users can play as one of three human tribes. They are the Norsemen (a Viking-like culture), the Dustriders (nomads who resemble Earth's Africans), and the Dragon Clan (inspired by eastern Asian cultures such as China and Japan). Each one has their own special units, buildings, and strengths/weaknesses. When you have a hero on your team they add a special unit only usable by you. There is also a fourth unplayable tribe, the SEAS, a high tech tribe that is ruled by the 19th century scientists. Units can be upgraded, from level 1 to level 5. Units get bigger, get more weapons, and gain more hitpoints and attack strength. Heroes unlock abilities, buildings, and units.

Norsemen

Utilizing powerful and slow units, the Vikings can unlock some of the most high-tech units. They have more defensive buildings than the other tribes. They also have more generalized buildings. The Norsemen have excellent infantry, powerful machines, the strongest ships (including the awesome steam Battleship), the toughest buildings, and a cavalry force of Ice Age mammals to reckon with.

Units

Epoch 1: Worker, Fishing Boat, Warrior, Scout
Epoch 2: Archer, Spearman, Lancer, Chariot, Wild Boar, Dragon Boat, Transport Ship, Kentrosaurus
Epoch 3: Battle Rhino, Ballista Rhino, Rhino Transporter, Druid, Market Wagon, Steam Ram, Ram Ship
Epoch 4: Battle Mammoth, Mammoth Harvester, Log Cannon Mammoth, Eusmilus Rider, Steam Tank, Beserker, Killer, Crossbowman, Jetpack Warrior, Battleship, Exo Enforcer
Epoch 5: Triceratops Titan

Dustriders

Fast units; buildings can be torn down for resources; they're equipped with mobile command centers and a mobile harbour. They have less buildings than any other tribe, but they have more and better cavalry. The Dustriders are the only tribe requiring the Skulls resource to invent Epochs. They have versatile infantry, very good ships and sea beasts, and weak but quick-to-build buildings. Their strength, however, lies in the great amount of dinosaurs they utilize as cavalry and siege units. Also, certain dino units are capable of changing roles (e.g. a Stegosaurus can be turned into a Stego Transporter and vice versa).

Units

Epoch 1: Worker, Spearman, Raptor Handler, Trade Dino, Scout
Epoch 2: Warrior, Archer, Ankylosaurus, Stegosaurus, Stego Transporter, Ankylo Catapult, Kronosaurus, Transport Turtle
Epoch 3: Brachiosaurus, Brachio Transporter, Brachiosaurus Mobile Camp, Shaman, Torpedo Turtle, Poisoner
Epoch 4: Brachio Catapult, Allosaurus, Tracker Dino, Eusmilus rider, Rammer, Venom Thrower, Assassin, Catamaran, Triceratops Transporter
Epoch 5: T-rex Titan

Dragon Clan

Have weak walls, but can use a lot of traps to kill or damage the enemy. They can use smoke screen to hide buildings and units. The most advanced of the 3 playable tribes. The Dragon Clan need certain buildings to upgrade to the next epoch and the demand for resources is high. The Dragon Clan has powerful infantry, moderately good cavalry, and a large variety of buildings. Their main strength is in the high-tech machines they create to hinder the enemy

Units:

Epoch 1: Worker, Fishing Boat, Smokebomber, Archer, Scout
Epoch 2: Samurai, Spearman, Mortar, Baryonyx Rider, Gatling Rider, War Drums, Trike, Fireboat, Minelayer, Transport Ship
Epoch 3: Saltasaurus Transporter, Mechanical Scorpion, Ninja, Monk, Muraenosaurus Submarine, Trade Cart
Epoch 4: Dragon Tank, Sumo Wrestler, Eusmilus rider, Marksman, Ice Spearman, Rocket Boat, Corsair Ship
Epoch 5: Seismosaurus Titan

SEAS

Established by the English scientist Jarvis Babbit and his gang of 19th century scientists, the SEAS buildings and units have high hitpoints, their harbors are mobile, and their transport ships can move on land and water. The SEAS have only one dinosaur, namely the Cyborg Triceratops, the CBT. This cyber-dinosaur comes in the carrier form, the CBT 1000, or the original form, the CBT 500. other forms of cavalry are steam-powered robots. Infantry weapons of choice are primarily guns. SEAS is the main enemy in the single-player campaign, along with the Barbarians (Norsemen), Pirates, Amazons, rouge Dustriders, and a supernatural army of undead warriors, statues, and golems.

Units:

Epoch 1: Worker, guard, hovercraft
Epoch 2: Marksman, gunner, sentinel, rocket launcher, flamethrower, stinger, submarine
Epoch 3: Medic, black widow, exo-enforcer, exo-flamethrower, excuetioner, excuetioner MKII
Epoch 4: CBT-100, CBT-500, CBT-1000
Epoch 5: Scorpion

Renegade Tribes

Barbarians-Norseman
Rogue Dustriders-Dustriders
Amazons-Dustriders
Pirates-Dragon Clan

Prehistoric Animals Featured

Playable factions

Norsemen: Based on Viking legend, the Norsemen are stout warriors. They rely on heavy armor and thick, solid walls. They have the strongest close combat infantry fighters.
Dustriders: Loosely based on African cultures, the Dustriders are desert-dwelling nomads, to the extent that some of their "buildings" are actually mobile units. They are the most flexible of all tribes as they can take down their buildings, recovering the resources used for their construction. In addition, Dustrider infantry units (as well as workers) can construct buildings.
Dragon Clan: Derived from classical East Asian societies, the Dragon Clan is technologically ahead of most other game factions, being the only native faction equipped with gunpowder weapons. They specialize in machine units and hidden traps as well as ranged combat.

Reception

Upon release the game was met with fair reviews with an average critic score of 72% at GameRankings. The developing company SEK shut down due to insufficient sales, and Sunflowers ended their partnership with it. The previously announced expansion pack was cancelled. A German-only Booster Pack for the game was released with Gold GOTY Editions of Paraworld, containing new maps, heroes, and missions, and was only compatible with German copies of the game. However, members of the ParaWorld gaming community "Para-Welt" have created an unofficial downloadable version of the Booster Pack for all regions that incorporates updated community content (such as modifications enabling players to utilise the previously NPC 'SEAS' factions) alongside the official SEK Booster Pack content.

References

External links

Official website (backup by WayBack Machine)

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