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Abrams Battle Tank

Topic: Software

 From HandWiki - Reading time: 6 min

Abrams Battle Tank
Developer(s)Dynamix
Realtime Games Software (Genesis)
Publisher(s)Electronic Arts
Sega of America (Genesis)
Designer(s)Damon Slye
Programmer(s)David McClurg
Artist(s)Kobi Miller
Cyrus Kanga
Composer(s)Bryce Morcello
Platform(s)MS-DOS, Genesis
Release1988
Genre(s)Vehicle simulation
Mode(s)Single-player

Abrams Battle Tank is a video game developed by Dynamix and published by Electronic Arts in 1988 for MS-DOS. Designed by Damon Slye, the game is a 3D vehicle simulation of the M1 Abrams tank. The 1991 Sega Genesis port by Realtime Games Software was renamed to M-1 Abrams Battle Tank.

Gameplay

Although the simulation depicts the four crew positions, and is advertised as a simulation, gameplay is not actually very realistic; the missions are arcade game-like with a fixed sequence of actions to perform.[1] The graphics were very good for their time, but reviews are mixed, with many players enjoying the "fun factor" introduced by the lack of realism, and others decrying it for the same reason.

Ports

The first level

The port from MS-DOS to Genesis was performed by Realtime Games Software in the UK using their own 3D engine that was earlier used in Carrier Command with some tweaks to adapt it to the Genesis and the needs of the tank scenario.

Reception

In 1989, Dragon gave the MS-DOS version of the game 3 out of 5 stars.[2] Computer Gaming World gave the game two and a half stars out of five, stating that Abrams Battle Tank was a good game but a poor simulation. The magazine cited the commanding officer's briefings, at one point threatening failure with execution, as unprofessional and offensive to military personnel.[1][3] In a 1994 survey of wargames the magazine gave the title two out of five stars, stating that newer games had superseded it and criticizing the simulation of a single tank instead of a company or squad.[4] Compute! agreed that the game was not very realistic, but advised players to "accept the game as a graphically excellent, tactically complex simulation".[5]

In 1994, PC Gamer US named Abrams Battle Tank the 50th best computer game ever.[6]

Reviews

  • Games-X (Jun 27, 1991)[7]
  • Raze (Oct, 1991)[8]
  • Computer and Video Games (Aug, 1991)[9]
  • The One (Jul, 1989)[10]
  • ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment) (Jul, 1989)[11]
  • ASM (Aktueller Software Markt) (Jul, 1989)[12]
  • Video Games (Sep, 1991)[13]
  • The Games Machine (Jun, 1989)[14]
  • Power Play (May, 1989)[15]
  • Jeux & Stratégie #59[16]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Brooks, M. Evans (June 1989), "High Powered Pillbox", Computer Gaming World (60): 10–11 
  2. ↑ Lesser, Hartley; Lesser, Patricia; Lesser, Kirk (July 1989). "The Role of Computers". Dragon (147): 76–83. 
  3. ↑ Brooks, M. Evan (June 1992). "The Modern Games: 1950–2000". Computer Gaming World: 120. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1992&pub=2&id=95. Retrieved 24 November 2013. 
  4. ↑ Brooks, M. Evan (January 1994). "War In Our Time / A Survey Of Wargames From 1950-2000". Computer Gaming World: 194–212. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1994&pub=2&id=114. 
  5. ↑ Scisco, Peter (June 1989). "Abrams Battle Tank". Compute!: p. 68. https://archive.org/stream/1989-06-compute-magazine/Compute_Issue_109_1989_Jun#page/n69/mode/2up. Retrieved 11 November 2013. 
  6. ↑ Staff (August 1994). "PC Gamer Top 40: The Best Games of All Time; The Ten Best Games that Almost Made the Top 40". PC Gamer US (3): 42. 
  7. ↑ "Games X Magazine 10". https://archive.org/details/Games_X_Magazine_10/page/38/mode/2up. 
  8. ↑ "RAZE - Issue 12 (1991-10)(Newsfield Publishing)(GB)". October 1991. https://archive.org/details/RAZE_Issue_12_1991-10_Newsfield_Publishing_GB/page/n43/mode/2up. 
  9. ↑ "Computer Video Games Magazine. Issue 117". https://archive.org/stream/computer-video-games-magazine-117/CVG117_Aug_1991#page/n43/mode/2up.  [|permanent dead link|dead link}}]
  10. ↑ "TheOne Magazine Issue 10". July 1989. https://archive.org/details/theone-magazine-10/page/n77/mode/2up. 
  11. ↑ "ACE Magazine Issue 22". July 1989. https://archive.org/details/ace-magazine-22/page/n60/mode/2up. 
  12. ↑ "Kultboy.com - DIE Kult-Seite über die alten Spiele-Magazine und Retro-Games!". https://www.kultboy.com/index.php?site=t&id=4457. 
  13. ↑ "Kultpower Archiv: Komplettscan Videogames 3/1991". http://www.kultpower.de/archiv/heft_videogames_1991-03_seite86. 
  14. ↑ "The Games Machine Issue 19". https://archive.org/details/the-games-machine-19/page/n49/mode/2up. 
  15. ↑ "Kultpower Archiv: Komplettscan Powerplay 6/1989". http://www.kultpower.de/archiv/heft_powerplay_1989-06_seite44. 
  16. ↑ "Jeux & stratégie 59". June 1989. https://archive.org/details/jeux-et-strategie-59/page/72/mode/2up. 
  • MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This lengthy approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
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