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Artillery (computer game)
Encyclopedia
Artillery is the generic name for either early two- or three-player (usually turn-based) computer games involving tank
s fighting each other in combat or similar derivative games. Artillery games are among the earliest computer games developed; the theme of such games is an extension of the original uses of computer themselves, which were once used to calculate the trajectories of rockets and other related military-based calculations. Artillery games have been described as a type of "shooting game", though they are more often classified as a type of strategy
game.
Early precursors to the modern artillery-type games were text-only games that simulated artillery entirely with input data values. A BASIC
game known simply as Artillery was written by Mike Forman and was published in Creative Computing
magazine in 1976
. This seminal home computer version of the game was revised in 1977
by M. E. Lyon and Brian West and was known as War 3; War 3 was revised further in 1979
and published as Artillery-3. These early versions of turn-based tank combat games interpreted human-entered data such as the distance between the tanks, the velocity or "power" of the shot fired and the angle of the tanks' turrets.
An early graphical version of the artillery game for personal computers emerged on the Apple II computer platform in 1980
. Written in Applesoft BASIC
, this variant, also called Artillery, built upon the earlier concepts of the artillery games published in Creative Computing but allowed the players to actually see a simple graphical representation of the tanks, battlefield, and terrain. The Apple II variant also took wind speed into account when calculating the eventual result of the fired shot. Lines on the screen showed the players the paths that previous shots had taken toward their target, allowing players to use visual data when considering future strategy. Similar games were made for home computers such as the Commodore PET
by 1981.
Video game console
variants of the artillery game soon emerged after the first graphical home computer versions. A two-player game called Smithereens! was released in 1982
for the Magnavox Odyssey²
console in which two catapults, each behind a castle fortress wall, launched rocks at each other. Although not turn-based, the game made use of the console's speech synthesis
to emit sarcastic insults when one player fired at the other. The first widespread artillery-based video game was Artillery Duel
. Artillery Duel was released in 1983 for the Atari 2600
and ColecoVision
video game consoles as well as the Commodore 64
and VIC-20
home computer platforms. The game featured more elaborate background and terrain graphics as well as a simple graphical readout of wind speed and amount of munitions.
With the increased presence of IBM-compatible PCs came the arrival of artillery games to the platform. In 1990
, Tank Wars
was released by Kenny Morse and published by Microforum for MS-DOS
-based PCs. Tank Wars introduced the concept of buying weapons and multiple AI computer-player tanks to the artillery game.
In 1991
, one artillery style game in particular got widespread attention when Gorillas was distributed as part of QBasic
with MS-DOS
5.0. That year also saw the release of the first version of Scorched Earth
was released by Wendell Hicken. Scorched Earth was a popular shareware computer game for MS-DOS in which tanks do turn-based battle in two-dimensional terrain, with each player adjusting the angle and power of his or her tank turret before each shot. Scorched Earth, with numerous weapon types and power-ups, is considered the modern archetype of its format, on which the popular Worms
, Hogs of War
, SpaceTanks
and GunBound
games are based. Scorched Earth incorporates many of the features of previous graphical artillery games (including sarcastic comments by each player's tank before firing) while expanding the options available to each player in regard to the choice of weapons available, the ability to use shields, parachutes, and ability to move the player's tank (with the purchase of fuel tanks). The game is highly configurable and utilizes a simple mouse-driven graphical user interface
.
In 1994
, Team17 Software
released the first version of its successful Worms
series of turn-based computer games on the Amiga
computer platform. In Worms, players control a small platoon of worms (rather than tanks) across a deformable landscape, battling other computer- or player-controlled teams. The games feature bright and humorous cartoon-style animation and a varied arsenal of bizarre weapons. Subsequent games in the series have been released since 1995, including a 3D variant (Worms 3D
) in 2003. This was later followed by Worms Forts and Worms 4. The game then went back to its 2D style gameplay in Worms Open Warfare (2006) and Worms:Reloaded (2010).
In 2001, Gavin Camp released a 3D artillery game called Scorched 3D
that is loosely based on the earlier game Scorched Earth. Scorched 3D offers options such as multiplayer LAN
and Internet play, player avatar
s and flexible camera views.
Other active projects include Warmux or Hedgewars
, fully playable on many systems, including Windows, GNU/Linux or Mac OS X
.
In December 2009, Finland-based Rovio Mobile released Angry Birds
, a popular video game in which the player aims to find the most efficient way to destroy various structures by anticipating the trajectory and destructive effects of a bird fired from slingshot, which could be considered a version of an artillery game.
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
s fighting each other in combat or similar derivative games. Artillery games are among the earliest computer games developed; the theme of such games is an extension of the original uses of computer themselves, which were once used to calculate the trajectories of rockets and other related military-based calculations. Artillery games have been described as a type of "shooting game", though they are more often classified as a type of strategy
Strategy video game
Strategy video games is a video game genre that emphasizes skillful thinking and planning to achieve victory. They emphasize strategic, tactical, and sometimes logistical challenges. Many games also offer economic challenges and exploration...
game.
Early precursors to the modern artillery-type games were text-only games that simulated artillery entirely with input data values. A BASIC
BASIC
BASIC is a family of general-purpose, high-level programming languages whose design philosophy emphasizes ease of use - the name is an acronym from Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code....
game known simply as Artillery was written by Mike Forman and was published in Creative Computing
Creative Computing
Creative Computing was one of the earliest magazines covering the microcomputer revolution. Published from 1974 until December 1985, Creative Computing covered the whole spectrum of hobbyist/home/personal computing in a more accessible format than the rather technically-oriented BYTE. The magazine...
magazine in 1976
1976 in video gaming
-Events:* In October, Warner Communications acquires Atari from Nolan Bushnell for $28 million USD. Bushnell stays on as chairman.-Notable releases:* Atari releases F-1 and Night Driver...
. This seminal home computer version of the game was revised in 1977
1977 in video gaming
-Events:*Agnes Kim opens the first Electronics Boutique, a kiosk at the King of Prussia Mall in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania selling transistor radios and calculators....
by M. E. Lyon and Brian West and was known as War 3; War 3 was revised further in 1979
1979 in video gaming
-Notable releases:* Richard Garriott creates Akalabeth, a computer role-playing game for the Apple IIe. It launches Garriott's career and is a precursor to his highly successful Ultima series....
and published as Artillery-3. These early versions of turn-based tank combat games interpreted human-entered data such as the distance between the tanks, the velocity or "power" of the shot fired and the angle of the tanks' turrets.
The emergence of graphical artillery
The Tektronix 4051 BASIC language desktop computer of the mid-1970s had a demo program called Artillery which used a storage-CRT for graphics. A similar program appeared on the HP 2647 graphics terminal demo tape in the late 1970s.1980 in video gaming
-Notable releases:* May 22, Namco releases Pac-Man, which is their biggest selling game of all time* December, Nintendo releases the Radar Scope arcade game...
. Written in Applesoft BASIC
Applesoft BASIC
Applesoft BASIC was a dialect of Microsoft BASIC supplied with the Apple II series of computers. It superseded Integer BASIC and was the BASIC in ROM in all Apple II series computers after the original Apple II model. It was also referred to as FP because of the command used to invoke it instead...
, this variant, also called Artillery, built upon the earlier concepts of the artillery games published in Creative Computing but allowed the players to actually see a simple graphical representation of the tanks, battlefield, and terrain. The Apple II variant also took wind speed into account when calculating the eventual result of the fired shot. Lines on the screen showed the players the paths that previous shots had taken toward their target, allowing players to use visual data when considering future strategy. Similar games were made for home computers such as the Commodore PET
Commodore PET
The Commodore PET was a home/personal computer produced from 1977 by Commodore International...
by 1981.
Video game console
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
variants of the artillery game soon emerged after the first graphical home computer versions. A two-player game called Smithereens! was released in 1982
1982 in video gaming
-Events:* December 27 - Starcade, a video game television game show, debuts on TBS in the United States.-Notable releases:*October 13 - Mystique releases the Custer's Revenge adult video game for the Atari 2600 home console....
for the Magnavox Odyssey²
Magnavox Odyssey²
The Magnavox Odyssey², known in Europe as the Philips Videopac G7000, in Brazil as the Philips Odyssey, in the United States as the Magnavox Odyssey² and the Philips Odyssey², and also by many other names, is a video game console released in 1978.In the early 1970s, Magnavox was an innovator in the...
console in which two catapults, each behind a castle fortress wall, launched rocks at each other. Although not turn-based, the game made use of the console's speech synthesis
Speech synthesis
Speech synthesis is the artificial production of human speech. A computer system used for this purpose is called a speech synthesizer, and can be implemented in software or hardware...
to emit sarcastic insults when one player fired at the other. The first widespread artillery-based video game was Artillery Duel
Artillery Duel
Artillery Duel is a strategy game and artillery clone for home console and computer systems developed by Xonox. Artillery Duel was featured in a few double-ender configurations as well as in a single cartridge.-Gameplay:...
. Artillery Duel was released in 1983 for the Atari 2600
Atari 2600
The Atari 2600 is a video game console released in October 1977 by Atari, Inc. It is credited with popularizing the use of microprocessor-based hardware and cartridges containing game code, instead of having non-microprocessor dedicated hardware with all games built in...
and ColecoVision
ColecoVision
The ColecoVision is Coleco Industries' second generation home video game console which was released in August 1982. The ColecoVision offered arcade-quality graphics and gaming style, and the means to expand the system's basic hardware...
video game consoles as well as the Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
and VIC-20
Commodore VIC-20
The VIC-20 is an 8-bit home computer which was sold by Commodore Business Machines. The VIC-20 was announced in 1980, roughly three years after Commodore's first personal computer, the PET...
home computer platforms. The game featured more elaborate background and terrain graphics as well as a simple graphical readout of wind speed and amount of munitions.
Artillery games on the PC
1990 in video gaming
-Notable releases:*Bonk's Adventure is released for NEC's TurboGrafx-16 and is the first US appearance of Bonk, the mascot of the TurboGrafx-16.*February 12 — Nintendo releases the NES game Super Mario Bros. 3 in North America...
, Tank Wars
Tank Wars
Tank Wars is an artillery game developed in 1990 by Kenneth Morse.There is another artillery game named Tank Wars, written in 1986 by Cody Snider for DOS and the Apple II...
was released by Kenny Morse and published by Microforum for MS-DOS
MS-DOS
MS-DOS is an operating system for x86-based personal computers. It was the most commonly used member of the DOS family of operating systems, and was the main operating system for IBM PC compatible personal computers during the 1980s to the mid 1990s, until it was gradually superseded by operating...
-based PCs. Tank Wars introduced the concept of buying weapons and multiple AI computer-player tanks to the artillery game.
In 1991
1991 in video gaming
-Notable releases:*Microprose creates Civilization, Sid Meier's most successful game .*Electronic Arts releases James Pond 2 and Road Rash for Sega Genesis/Mega Drive, starting a series of games that were popular in the 1990s....
, one artillery style game in particular got widespread attention when Gorillas was distributed as part of QBasic
QBasic
QBasic is an IDE and interpreter for a variant of the BASIC programming language which is based on QuickBASIC. Code entered into the IDE is compiled to an intermediate form, and this intermediate form is immediately interpreted on demand within the IDE. It can run under nearly all versions of DOS...
with MS-DOS
MS-DOS
MS-DOS is an operating system for x86-based personal computers. It was the most commonly used member of the DOS family of operating systems, and was the main operating system for IBM PC compatible personal computers during the 1980s to the mid 1990s, until it was gradually superseded by operating...
5.0. That year also saw the release of the first version of Scorched Earth
Scorched Earth (computer game)
Scorched Earth is a popular shareware artillery video game, which is a subgenre of strategy game. The game was developed in the DOS era, originally written by Wendell Hicken , in which tanks do turn-based battle in two-dimensional terrain, with each player adjusting the angle and power of their...
was released by Wendell Hicken. Scorched Earth was a popular shareware computer game for MS-DOS in which tanks do turn-based battle in two-dimensional terrain, with each player adjusting the angle and power of his or her tank turret before each shot. Scorched Earth, with numerous weapon types and power-ups, is considered the modern archetype of its format, on which the popular Worms
Worms (computer game)
Worms is a series of turn-based computer games developed by British company Team17 Software. Players control a small platoon of earthworms across a deformable landscape, battling other computer- or player-controlled teams...
, Hogs of War
Hogs of War
Hogs of War is a turn-based tactics video game developed by Infogrames Studios and published by Infogrames Europe, released for the PlayStation and PC in 2000 for Europe on June 6 and North America on August 5. The game is set in a First World War-era where anthropomorphic pigs engage in combat...
, SpaceTanks
Space Tanks
Space Tanks – Gladiatoren im All is an artillery strategy game developed by the German based YawThrust Software Labs. and published by Pepper Games in Summer 2003. Re-Released in by Alten8, the game pits players against one another or against the computer, utilising tanks in a futuristic setting...
and GunBound
GunBound
GunBound is a free-to-play, turn-based, room-to-room, multiplayer online game with many similar features to the popular Worms game series....
games are based. Scorched Earth incorporates many of the features of previous graphical artillery games (including sarcastic comments by each player's tank before firing) while expanding the options available to each player in regard to the choice of weapons available, the ability to use shields, parachutes, and ability to move the player's tank (with the purchase of fuel tanks). The game is highly configurable and utilizes a simple mouse-driven graphical user interface
Graphical user interface
In computing, a graphical user interface is a type of user interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices with images rather than text commands. GUIs can be used in computers, hand-held devices such as MP3 players, portable media players or gaming devices, household appliances and...
.
Modern derivatives of the artillery game
1994 in video gaming
-Events:*Nintendo calls this year "1994: The Year of the Cartridge".*Nintendo Australia Pty. Ltd, the Australian subsidiary of Nintendo Co., Ltd is established and opened by Hiroshi Yamauchi and effectively ends Mattel Australia's distribution of Nintendo's products throughout Australia.*"Project...
, Team17 Software
Team17
Team17 Software Ltd. is a video game company best known for developing the Worms series of games , but it has made many other games, notably Superfrog and the Alien Breed series. Most of its early releases were on the Amiga home computer system and featured trademark smooth scrolling, and detailed...
released the first version of its successful Worms
Worms (computer game)
Worms is a series of turn-based computer games developed by British company Team17 Software. Players control a small platoon of earthworms across a deformable landscape, battling other computer- or player-controlled teams...
series of turn-based computer games on the Amiga
Amiga
The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
computer platform. In Worms, players control a small platoon of worms (rather than tanks) across a deformable landscape, battling other computer- or player-controlled teams. The games feature bright and humorous cartoon-style animation and a varied arsenal of bizarre weapons. Subsequent games in the series have been released since 1995, including a 3D variant (Worms 3D
Worms 3D
The game has received generally good reviews. A negative point by most reviewers was the 3D camera system, that often places behind the objects in landscape with the worm being hidden in front of those.-External links:* * ]]...
) in 2003. This was later followed by Worms Forts and Worms 4. The game then went back to its 2D style gameplay in Worms Open Warfare (2006) and Worms:Reloaded (2010).
In 2001, Gavin Camp released a 3D artillery game called Scorched 3D
Scorched 3D
Scorched 3D is a turn-based artillery game modeled after the classic DOS game Scorched Earth "The Mother Of All Games". Unlike Scorched Earth however, it is available free in its entirety. Also, Scorched 3D adds, amongst other new features, a 3D island environment and LAN and internet play...
that is loosely based on the earlier game Scorched Earth. Scorched 3D offers options such as multiplayer LAN
Local area network
A local area network is a computer network that interconnects computers in a limited area such as a home, school, computer laboratory, or office building...
and Internet play, player avatar
Avatar (computing)
In computing, an avatar is the graphical representation of the user or the user's alter ego or character. It may take either a three-dimensional form, as in games or virtual worlds, or a two-dimensional form as an icon in Internet forums and other online communities. It can also refer to a text...
s and flexible camera views.
Other active projects include Warmux or Hedgewars
Hedgewars
Hedgewars is a turn-based free and open-source strategy game, artillery game, skill game. It is cross-platform and runs on FreeBSD, Linux, Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, iOS, and Android. It features a single-player mission/tutorial mode, in addition to multi-team multiplayer gameplay...
, fully playable on many systems, including Windows, GNU/Linux or Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
.
In December 2009, Finland-based Rovio Mobile released Angry Birds
Angry Birds
Angry Birds is a puzzle video game developed by Finnish computer game developer Rovio Mobile. Inspired primarily by a sketch of stylized wingless birds, the game was first released for Apple's iOS in December 2009...
, a popular video game in which the player aims to find the most efficient way to destroy various structures by anticipating the trajectory and destructive effects of a bird fired from slingshot, which could be considered a version of an artillery game.