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By Al Giovetti
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Genre: action adventure
Release: December, 1997
Developer: Monolith
Lead Artist:
Lead Designer:
Craig Hubbard Programmer:
Producer:
Publisher: Microsoft
Phone:
Website: www.microsoft.com
Requirements: Windows 95

History

Doomers and Quakers all unite in a multiplayer frenzy of free-for-all, capture-the-flag, and other games on the internet, as online game sales soars to eclipse the retail boxed and shrink-wrapped game market.

Microsoft is finally beginning to know games, making the over one year old cloisonné buttons handed out at the October 31, 1995 Holloween party in Redmond, Washington finally make sense. Microsoft has recently signed Dwango in a deal we discussed with Dwango President and CEO, Robert E. Huntley at the recent E3 Show in Atlanta, Georgia. Microsoft also recently signed up Chris and Erin Roberts of Wing Commander and Privateer fame to produce two new titles from their newly formed Digital Anvil.

 Riot appears to be another such smart move on the part of Microsoft. Monolith software was working on a title called MetalTek. The name of the game has been changed to Riot, but the basic premise is the same: Big Robots transforming and hitting each other.

"As it stands, you'll spend somewhere around 60% of the game as a mech and the rest on foot. I say 'as a mech' because the goal isn't to make you feel like you're piloting a mech Battletech-style (which is cool, of course), but rather that you ARE the mech, in a sense. Anime mechs are distinctly organic in their movement, like oversized soldiers that wield guns and knock the crap out of each other. That's what we're going for. Essentially, the game will play more like Blood or Quake or Doom rather than Mechwarrior or Earthsiege." Craig Hubbard, Game Designer of Riot.

The DirectEngine technology game engine will allow you to fly through clouds, blow craters and the ground and go underwater. The lighting system will allow huge explosions to light up hillsides. All objects which use the engine will be interchangeable.

Plot

Animation is achieved by interpolated motion capture with electrodes which capture movements of the human body. Enemies move in a more lifelike fashion.

Voice Actors

A super server which will host thousands of players on the internet is planned. Sysops will be able to create new scenarios with completely scripted story lines. The players can have battles and lives of their own, similar to another product just acquired by Monolith, the Alternate Reality game which was popular in 1984, which they plan to put online, as well.

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