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Ground Control II

Topic: Software

 From HandWiki - Reading time: 8 min

Short description: 2004 video game
Ground Control II: Operation Exodus
Developer(s)Massive Entertainment
Publisher(s)Vivendi Universal Games[lower-alpha 1]
Producer(s)Martin Walfisz
Carl Fransson
Designer(s)Henrik Sebring
Programmer(s)Niklas Hansson
Johannes Norneby
Artist(s)Tobias Strömvall
Pär Green
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows
Release
  • NA: June 23, 2004
  • EU: June 25, 2004
  • CHN: September 3, 2004
  • JP: February 25, 2005
Genre(s)Real-time tactics
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Ground Control II: Operation Exodus is a 2004 real-time tactics video game developed by Massive Entertainment.[1] It is a sequel to Ground Control, the award-winning game of the same genre. Much like its predecessor, it features 3D graphics and a fully rotational camera system.

Gameplay

Similar to the first Ground Control, Operation Exodus focuses on combat tactics rather than base construction or managing an economy, but unlike its real-time tactics predecessor, Ground Control II has a resource system called acquisition. Acquisition points are earned through the capturing of victory locations and destruction of enemy forces and allow the player to field units on the battlefield and use the support weapons that are unique to each faction. The game is also significantly faster paced than its predecessor and moves along at a pace similar to real-time strategy games such as Command & Conquer.

The game features a three-sided conflict, but only two of the factions, the Northern Star Alliance and the Viron Nomads, are actually playable. The Terran Empire is a non-playable faction featured only in the single-player campaign. The two playable sides feature a total of 33 units available. All of these units are deployed onto the battlefield through dropships, much like the deployment procedures of its predecessor. These units include infantry, tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, aircraft, artillery, and static emplacements. Unlike Ground Control, however, unit customization is unavailable; each individual unit features a fixed secondary function.

Plot

Settings

The story of Ground Control II takes place in the same universe as the original game but starts 320 years later and has little in common with the original game. The human race has discovered faster-than-light travel and has colonized the galaxy. There are two groups of colonies in this universe, dubbed the Inner Sphere and Outer Sphere. A physical phenomenon causes communications between the two areas to be only possible through a network of Tachyon relay stations built at the border of the spheres. Intergalactic travel is also impossible due to an unexplained barrier between the galaxies.

After the battle of Krig-7b that took place in the original video game, Major Sarah Parker (the original game's protagonist) destroyed the Earth's early warning relay station, commandeered a battle cruiser called the CSS Astrid (seen in the original game), and escaped. Subsequently, a stellar war that lasted 70 years changed the political layout of the colonies. A colony called Draconis Empire subjugated the Inner Sphere and established the Empire of Terra. It destroyed the communication relays, severing communications with the Outer Sphere. The next two hundred years was the age of strife for the Outer Sphere, for they had to rediscover the precious knowledge to which they no longer had access. Eventually, the Outer Sphere colonies formed two interstellar states: The Northern Star Alliance (NSA) and the Intergalactic Trade Guild (ITG). After two hundred years, however, the Empire of Terra invaded the Outer Sphere and began taking over the NSA. In 40 years of battle that followed, the Empire took most of the NSA territory and finally invaded the Morningstar Prime, the capital of the NSA.

Story

The game begins with Captain Jacob Angelus becoming a field commander for the NSA. Despite Captain Angelus's "exceptional" battlefield performance, it is clear that the NSA cannot win this war, and it is only a matter of time before the Empire overwhelms them. An unknown spacecraft crashes on Morningstar Prime, which Captain Angelus secures. NSA scientists who study the craft reveal that Major Parker outfitted the CSS Astrid with an ancient device called a Singularity Drive that enables the ship to bypass the intergalactic barrier and travel to other galaxies. NSA plans to use the vessel to evacuate NSA citizens to another galaxy, where the Empire cannot follow. Angelus departs to find the spaceship, with imperial forces in pursuit. Eventually, CSS Astrid is recovered and brought back to Morningstar Prime.

On Morningstar Prime, Captain Angelus must deal with the treachery of an NSA general and the arrival of fresh Imperial reinforcements. In the tragic final battle, Captain Angelus and his allies help evacuate anyone they can to CSS Astrid and see to their safe departure. Despite all the efforts, the Imperials destroy an entire detachment of NSA forces as well as an NSA shuttle, presumably loaded with passengers. Captain Angelus does not make it to CSS Astrid and is stranded on Morningstar Prime.

Development

The game was announced in February 2003 and was originally going to be published through Vivendi Universal's NDA Productions division.[2]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic80/100[3]
Review scores
PublicationScore
CGWStarStarStarStar[4]
Eurogamer7/10[5]
Game Informer8.5/10[6]
GameProStarStarStarStar[7]
GameRevolutionB+[8]
GameSpot8.5/10[9]
GameSpyStarStarStarStarHalf star[10]
GameZone8.8/10[11]
IGN8.8/10[12]
PC Gamer (US)84%[13]
The New York Times(average)[14]
The TimesStarStarStarStarStar[15]

Ground Control II: Operation Exodus received "generally favorable reviews" according to video game review aggregator Metacritic.[3] GameSpot named it the best computer game of June 2004.[16]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Released under the Sierra Entertainment brand name.

References

  1. ↑ Bedigian, Louis (29 April 2004). "Tactical Combat and an Ongoing Online Experience are the focus of "Ground Control II"". GameZone. http://pc.gamezone.com/news/04_30_04_08_37AM.htm. 
  2. ↑ "Ground Control 2 announced". https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ground-control-2-announced/1100-2911552/. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Ground Control II: Operation Exodus for PC Reviews". https://www.metacritic.com/game/ground-control-ii-operation-exodus/critic-reviews/?platform=pc. 
  4. ↑ "Ground Control II: Operation Exodus". Computer Gaming World: 76. October 2004. 
  5. ↑ Fahey, Rob (6 July 2004). "Ground Control 2: Operation Exodus". http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/r_groundcontrol2_pc. 
  6. ↑ Biessener, Adam (August 2004). "Ground Control 2: Operation Exodus". Game Informer (136): 105. http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/4143EA2E-D9CA-43FD-9DD1-E7D7CE423FDA.htm. Retrieved 3 December 2015. 
  7. ↑ Star Dingo (8 July 2004). "Ground Control II: Operation Exodus Review for PC on GamePro.com". GamePro. http://gamepro.com/computer/pc/games/reviews/36651.shtml. Retrieved 4 December 2015. 
  8. ↑ Dodson, Joe (9 July 2004). "Ground Control II: Operation Exodus Review". Game Revolution. http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/ground-control-ii-operation-exodus. 
  9. ↑ Colayco, Bob (22 June 2004). "Ground Control II: Operation Exodus Review". http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/ground-control-ii-operation-exodus-review/1900-6101103/. 
  10. ↑ Tsotsos, Alex (25 June 2004). "GameSpy: Ground Control II: Operation Exodus". GameSpy. http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/ground-control-ii-operation-exodus/526463p1.html. 
  11. ↑ Tha Wiz (21 June 2004). "Ground Control 2: Operation Exodus - PC - Review". GameZone. http://www.gamezone.com/reviews/ground_control_2_operation_exodus_pc_review. 
  12. ↑ Adams, Dan (15 June 2004). "Ground Control II: Operation Exodus Review". http://www.ign.com/articles/2004/06/16/ground-control-ii-operation-exodus-review. 
  13. ↑ "Ground Control II: Operation Exodus". PC Gamer: 64. September 2004. 
  14. ↑ Herold, Charles (5 August 2004). "GAME THEORY: O.K., Private, Give Me 50, Then Play This Video Game". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/05/technology/game-theory-ok-private-give-me-50-then-play-this-video-game.html. 
  15. ↑ "Ground Control 2: Operation Exodus". The Times. 31 July 2004. https://www.thetimes.com/culture/gaming/article/ground-control-2-operation-exodus-wjqr0nk0plc. 
  16. ↑ Staff (July 6, 2004). "GameSpot's Month in Review for June 2004". GameSpot. http://www.gamespot.com/features/6101893/index.html. 
  • 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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