The Space Bar
Encyclopedia
The Space Bar is an adventure game co-developed by Boffo Games
and published by Rocket Science Games
and SegaSoft
in 1997. The game featured a 3-D environment which allowed the player to rotate (as opposed to Rocket Science's earlier production Obsidian in which the camera was usually fixed), and a humorous cast of aliens in the framework of a mystery. The player fills the role of a detective, interacting with characters and objects via a first-person interface. The name itself is a pun, as the game takes place in a bar
in outer space
--literally a "space bar" rather than the space bar
found on a computer's keyboard.
Created at the end of the mainstream lifespan of the adventure game genre, it received positive reviews but enjoyed lackluster sales and proved to be the last game produced by either Rocket Science or Boffo Games. Famous more for being the death knell of two once-promising game developers than for its innovative gameplay and outstanding graphics for the time, it has garnered little in the way of a following over the years. This is due mostly to the difficulty of its gameplay and several annoying bugs that crept into the final version of the game.
When the game was released, The Sci Fi Channel
held a giveaway
on its website. By finding and clicking on certain banners
scattered throughout the site, the visitor was able to enter the drawing. One of the prizes was a copy of the newly-released game.
Originally, Rocket Science Games was set to publish The Space Bar, but when their previous games sold poorly, Rocket Science looked to outside publishers for the needed cash to keep developing, SegaSoft then became Rocket Science's sole publisher. After publishing two titles for Rocket Science, they released the Space Bar, but by the time the game was finished, SegaSoft was shutting Rocket Science to cut their losses after the financial failure of the previous two titles and gave the game only a limited marketing push.
Boffo Games
Boffo Games was a short-lived computer games developer founded in 1994 by Steve Meretzky, Mike Dornbrook, and Leo DaCosta. The logo was designed by Gayle Syska, formerly of Infocom. Only two games, Hodj 'n' Podj and The Space Bar, were produced by Boffo before the studio closed its doors in 1997...
and published by Rocket Science Games
Rocket Science Games
Rocket Science Games was a video game developer that created games for consoles and computers from 1993 to 1997. The company was responsible for games such as Obsidian, Rocket Jockey, and Loadstar.-History:...
and SegaSoft
SegaSoft
SegaSoft, originally headquartered in Redwood City, California and later San Francisco, was a joint venture by Sega and CSK, created to develop and publish single and multiplayer games for the PC, primarily in the North American marketplace. SegaSoft was founded in 1995 and lasted until 2000, when...
in 1997. The game featured a 3-D environment which allowed the player to rotate (as opposed to Rocket Science's earlier production Obsidian in which the camera was usually fixed), and a humorous cast of aliens in the framework of a mystery. The player fills the role of a detective, interacting with characters and objects via a first-person interface. The name itself is a pun, as the game takes place in a bar
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
in outer space
Outer space
Outer space is the void that exists between celestial bodies, including the Earth. It is not completely empty, but consists of a hard vacuum containing a low density of particles: predominantly a plasma of hydrogen and helium, as well as electromagnetic radiation, magnetic fields, and neutrinos....
--literally a "space bar" rather than the space bar
Space bar
thumb|250px|A [[computer keyboard]], Space Bar is on the bottom center of the keyboardThe space bar, spacebar, or space key, is a key on an alphanumeric keyboard in the form of a horizontal bar in the lowermost row, significantly wider than other keys. Its main purpose is to conveniently enter the...
found on a computer's keyboard.
Created at the end of the mainstream lifespan of the adventure game genre, it received positive reviews but enjoyed lackluster sales and proved to be the last game produced by either Rocket Science or Boffo Games. Famous more for being the death knell of two once-promising game developers than for its innovative gameplay and outstanding graphics for the time, it has garnered little in the way of a following over the years. This is due mostly to the difficulty of its gameplay and several annoying bugs that crept into the final version of the game.
When the game was released, The Sci Fi Channel
Sci Fi Channel (United States)
Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
held a giveaway
Sales promotion
Sales promotion is one of the four aspects of promotional mix. Media and non-media marketing communication are employed for a pre-determined, limited time to increase consumer demand, stimulate market demand or improve product availability...
on its website. By finding and clicking on certain banners
Web banner
A web banner or banner ad is a form of advertising on the World Wide Web delivered by an ad server. This form of online advertising entails embedding an advertisement into a web page. It is intended to attract traffic to a website by linking to the website of the advertiser...
scattered throughout the site, the visitor was able to enter the drawing. One of the prizes was a copy of the newly-released game.
Originally, Rocket Science Games was set to publish The Space Bar, but when their previous games sold poorly, Rocket Science looked to outside publishers for the needed cash to keep developing, SegaSoft then became Rocket Science's sole publisher. After publishing two titles for Rocket Science, they released the Space Bar, but by the time the game was finished, SegaSoft was shutting Rocket Science to cut their losses after the financial failure of the previous two titles and gave the game only a limited marketing push.
External links
- Article about Steve Meretzky at GamasutraGamasutraGamasutra is a website founded in 1997 for video game developers. It is owned and operated by UBM TechWeb , a division of United Business Media, and acts as the online sister publication to the print magazine Game Developer...