Infantry (computer game)
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Infantry-game.jpg
Infantry Online is a pay-to-play, two-dimensional, top-down, multiplayer, combat, computer game utilizing complex soldier, ground vehicle and space-ship models on typically complex terrains. Players may choose from a list of game zones to enter, each zone having a unique style of gameplay.
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History
Around 1996, now-defunct Virgin Interactive Entertainment (VIE) began to develop a game called SubSpace. While very successful, it became a burden in various ways and was eventually dropped by VIE. Some of the developers of SubSpace, banded together as the Harmless Games company, continued further development of the game model. The project was renamed Infantry. The game was developed and gained relative popularity. GameFan (the parent company of Brainscan Development) went bankrupt and hadn't paid its employees in months. The lead designer of Infantry, Rod (Rodvik) Humble, was offered a job with Sony Online Entertainment (http://www.station.sony.com/en/) (SOE) and left Harmless Games a few months into these tough times. Larry J. Cordner (LJC) also found another job, however, stayed with the development team until shortly after Harmless Games was bought by another company. Harmless Games, and its sole game Infantry, was bought by Sony Online Entertainment (http://www.station.sony.com/en/) (SOE) from Brainscan Entertainment for an undisclosed sum. Two of Infantry's developers, Jeff Petersen (programmer) and Jerimy Weeks (Artist and Zone designer) were hired by SOE to continue development of the game. Some time later, SOE had them develop Cosmic Rift (http://cosmicrift.com/) (CR), an offshoot of Infantry meant to rival the now player-run SubSpace. CR was a relative failure, compared to Infantry and Continuum. In October 2001, Petersen was transferred to EverQuest development and Weeks was laid off. Game development stagnated. In May 2002, SOE rehired Weeks and introduced a monthly $6.95 pay-to-play plan for SOE's three small action games: Infantry, CR and Tanarus (http://tanarus.station.sony.com/main.jsp).
Game setting
The time is set several centuries ahead of the present. There is a war between the government (The Collective) and the various rebelling moon colonies of the outer solar system. The Collective is a pure democracy, every single citizen has a voting unit in which they vote on every single issue, although more often only on the issues that conern them. The rebels are mainly located in the outer colonies of the solar system and are a vast minority compared to the large populations on Earth and Mars. The rebels feel their colonies are being exploited for resources and labour due to the fact that they have little voice on what is decided. The citizens of the larger populations cannot understand why people would rebel from a system where everyone has a say and thus the war. Titan has the largest population of the outer rim colonies and therefore the major battles are between them and the Collective army, however, many colonies provide militia and able bodies to the cause such the Europan mercenaries. Due to the choas many privateers have emerged such as the Morgan Raiders who will throw in with anyone providing the credits, although, they have no particular love for anyone.
Game zones
- Capture the Flag - Fast-paced basing action. The most popular zone.
- RPG - Role-playing. Player vs. Player action.
- Fleet - Real time strategy action. Massive spaceship battles in asteroid fields.
- Bug Hunt - Marine vs. alien arachnid fighting. Marines are slow-moving and have long-range weapons, bugs are just the opposite.
- Skirmish - Massive team vs. team fighting. Several variants exist. Some include tanks and other vehicles. Most employ static flags for territory holding.
- Gravball - Sport zone. Players play on a large map with various obstacles. Hardest zone in the game.
- Boom Ball X - Sport zone. Players play on a small, hockey-like arena and are restricted to either to aft, mid or fore sections of the field.
- Ambush - Fast-paced action. Players use jetpacks or hoverboards to fly around collecting flags and blowing up other players.
- Team Deathmatch - Fast-paced action. Players use multitudes of weapons against eachother in tight corridors.
- TankODrome - Arcade-style play. Players drive tanks, launch projectiles at other players and computer turrets to collect tokens. Tokens are used to buy vehicle upgrades.
External links
- Infantry (http://infantry.station.sony.com/en/main.jsp), official site.
- Infantry-Sector (http://infantry-sector.com/), leading fansite.
- Savage Decay (http://www.savagedecay.com/), the newest fansite.
- Infantryzone.net (http://infantryzone.net/), eccentric community spawned from now-defunct official forums.
- Fleet Command (http://www.fleetcommand.net/), fan site for the zone Fleet!
- CTF Players League (http://ctfpl.davoid.com/), a league based on the Capture the Flag zone.
- Skirmish League (http://www.skirmishleague.com/), a league based on the Skirmish zones.
- Infantry GravBall League (http://www.radiationconsulting.com/IGBL/), a league based on the GravBall zone. The only decent league involved with Infantry.
- Unified Skirmish League (http://www.infantry-sector.com/usl/), a league based on the Skirmish zones.
- Boom Ball X League (http://www.forsakenguild.net/bbxl/), a league based on the Boom Ball X zone.
- Skrallistan bughunt forums (http://www.saeedtavakoli.com/forums/), forums for the BH community; also organises the BHL (Bug hut league)
Development Credits
- Lead Programmer
- Formerly Jeff Petersen (aka. Bagman)
- Scott (last name and alias unknown)
- Lead Designer
- Formerly Rod Humble (aka. Rodvik)
- Lead Artist
- Formerly Juan Sanchez (aka. Tswift)
- Tools Programmer
- Larry J. Cordner (aka. ljc)
- Lead Designer/Artist
- Jerimy Weeks (aka. Yankee/Azathoth) (Get those voice commands in yet?)
- Brainscan Producer
- Nick Fisher (aka. Trixter)
- SOE Producer
- Formerly Rob Hill (aka. Qombat)
- Dallas Dickinson (aka. IronEagle)
- SOE Station Pass CSR
- Formerly Paul Williams (aka. soePWilliams/Soepy)
- Joe Nelson (aka. no~0ne/SoeJoe)
- Map Designers
- Black Magic
- Mar
- Unit92
- Weltch
- Un0me
- 7hm (Doesn't matter.)
- Military Police