Armor Command

Short description: 1998 video game

Armor Command

Developer(s)| Ronin Entertainment
Publisher(s)| Ripcord Games
Red Ant Enterprises Pty Ltd.
Producer(s)| Kalani Streicher, Nathan Wright[1]
Designer(s)| Edward Kilham
Programmer(s)| Edward Kilham
Artist(s)| Harrison Fong
Platform(s)| Microsoft Windows
Release| 1998[2][3][4]
Genre(s)| Real-time strategy
Mode(s)| Single-player, multiplayer

Armor Command is a military science fiction real-time strategy video game developed by American studio Ronin Entertainment and published by Ripcord Games for Windows in 1998. Set in the early 30th century, the game revolves around two factions, the United Terran Federation led by humanity, and the Vrass, a feudal slaver empire led by aliens. Armor Command was designed by Edward Kilham, known as the co-designer of ‘’Software:Star Wars: TIE Fighter’’.[5] Armor Command released to generally positive and lukewarm reviews, although seen as obscure in comparison to more notable games in the genre.

## Contents

* 1 Gameplay
* 2 Plot
* 3 Reception
* 4 References
* 5 External links
* 6 Features
* 7 History
* 8 See also
* 9 References
* 10 External links

## Gameplay

Screenshot of the game demonstrating the different camera views during a skirmish

Armor Command is a real-time strategy game set in the distant future, using a 3D display view.[6] The two races are humans under banner of the United Terran Federation, and a slaver alien race called the Vrass, but nicknamed as Slavers. Both are somewhat homogeneous gameplay-wise,[5] their main differences being aesthetic. A close-up view is available that allows players to focus on units, along with a less focused in one, though a top-down, eagle's eye view is present.

Mechanics involve an unseen and unplayable orbiting fleet, which beam units and supplies to the surface using pad buildings -- the town halls of the game. Ore and metal are the two resources of the game, which may be mined using specialized worker units. Ore is used as a more general resource and metal is more specialized, used for purposes such as upgrades. Radar towers may be constructed to bypass the fog of war. Aerial and ground units are available. The only units available in game are mechanical, no infantry exists. Most units may attack when moving. The singleplayer campaign involves 22 missions on each side, as well as five training missions.[5]

Multiplayer is available up to four players, with LAN and modem options available.

## Plot

The Vrass in the game are a contingent of their species that have entered human space from a wormhole, starting the events of the game in 2910. Though some space-conflict occurs, most of the fighting between the two races occurs on terrestrial settings, caused by the interference of a nebula.[5] Friendly to Terran indigenous alien races are hinted at throughout the game. The game contains two mutually exclusive campaigns, both of which have different results. The Terran campaign culminates after several interstellar battles, when the aliens are pushed back to the wormhole, and are destroyed. The human forces resolve to study the wormhole and develop technology to defeat the rest of the aliens.

The alien campaign concludes with an invasion of the Earth, resulting in the enslavement of the population.

## Reception

Reception

| Aggregate score

Aggregator| Score
GameRankings| 56%[7]
Review scores
Publication| Score
CGW| [8]
Edge| 6/10[9]
GameSpot| 7/10[5]
Next Generation| [6]
PC Gamer (US)| 78%[10]

Armor Command received mixed reviews according to the review aggregation website GameRankings.[7] Themes raised included the game's lack of innovation and criticism over the control and camera designs. The control and cameras were seen as the primary flaws of the game, overshadowing anything else. However, the game was praised for the fidelity of its 3D graphics, seen as a rarity at the time among the RTS genre.

Alan Dunkin of GameSpot said, "Armor Command in many ways is no different from a generic real-time strategy game: direct troops, destroy the enemy, develop your base of operations, exploit resources, and move on to the next scenario. If you're new to the real-time genre or you're just completely addicted to them, it might be a nice distraction from the standard fare. But veteran real-time strategy players will not find much to impress them."[5] However, he noted that if the control and camera system was improved, then "Armor Command would have been tremendously better," and also praised its graphics. Computer Gaming World said, "After all is said and done, Armor Command is a competent Command & Conquer clone with a good gimmick and quite a bit of gameplay for your dollar."[8] Next Generation said, "Mix in excellent multiplayer action, and Armor Command comes up as a solid game glutted with a lot of crap. It doesn't push the genre to a whole new level, but it doesn't insult it either."[6]

## References

1. ↑ "Armor Command Details and Credits for PC". CBS Interactive. https://www.metacritic.com/game/armor-command/details/?platform=pc.
2. ↑ "News for February 25, 1998". February 25, 1998. http://ogr.com/news/news1298.html.
"February 25, 1998: "...a plethora of new titles should be hitting stores today, including...Armor Command."
3. ↑ Jebens, Harley (March 6, 1998). "Armor Command Ships". Archived from the original on October 6, 2000. https://web.archive.org/web/20001006121330/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/98_03/06_armor/index.html. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
4. ↑ "Ripcord Games ships Armor Command". February 5, 1998. Archived from the original on February 10, 1999. https://web.archive.org/web/19990210175430/http://roningames.com/ac_press_release.htm. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Dunkin, Alan (May 19, 1998). "Armor Command Review [date mislabeled as "April 29, 2000""]. CBS Interactive. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/armor-command-review/1900-2538028/.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Armor Command". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (43): 115. July 1998. https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_43/page/n115/mode/2up. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Armor Command for PC". CBS Interactive. https://www.gamerankings.com/pc/196632-armor-command/index.html.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Cirulis, Martin E. (June 1998). "Change of Perspective (Armor Command Review)". Computer Gaming World (Ziff Davis) (167): 245, 250. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_167.pdf. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
9. ↑ Edge staff (June 1998). "Armor Command". Edge (Future Publishing) (59): 96. https://archive.org/details/edgeuk059/page/n79/mode/2up. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
10. ↑ Harms, William (June 1998). "Armor Command". PC Gamer (Imagine Media) 5 (6). http://www.pcgamer.com/reviews/141.html. Retrieved October 16, 2020.

## External links

* Official website (archived)
* 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 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]

On February 13, 2025, Freyholtz stepped down as the site lead to move onto new projects, leaving operations to Tracy Poff, a veteran coder on the site, and Atari staff.[18]

## 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.
18. ↑ "An update on MobyGames leadership". 2025-02-13. https://www.mobygames.com/forum/3/thread/269628/an-update-on-mobygames-leadership/#post-269628.

| Wikidata has the property:

* NO LABEL (P1933) (see uses)

|

## External links

* No URL found. Please specify a URL here or add one to Wikidata.

* v
* t
* e

Atari

Corporations|

| Primary|

* Atari, Inc. (1972–1992)
* Atari Corporation (1984–1996)
* Atari SA, Atari, Inc. (2003–present)

|

Subsidiaries and
spin-offs|

* Atari Games
* Atari Interactive
* AtariAge
* Chuck E. Cheese (1977–1978)
* Cyan Engineering
* Digital Eclipse
* Kee Games
* MobyGames
* Nightdive Studios
* Tengen

Arcades games
and amusements|

* Anti-Aircraft
* Asteroids
* Asteroids Deluxe
* Atari Basketball
* Atari Football
* Avalanche
* Battlezone
* Black Widow
* Breakout
* Canyon Bomber
* Centipede
* Cloak & Dagger
* Crash 'N Score
* Crystal Castles
* Destroyer
* Dominos
* Fire Truck
* Firefox
* Food Fight
* Gotcha
* Gran Trak 10
* Gran Trak 20
* Gravitar
* Hi-way
* I, Robot
* Indy 4
* Indy 800
* Jet Fighter
* LeMans
* Liberator
* Lunar Lander
* Major Havoc
* Millipede
* Missile Command
* Night Driver
* Outlaw
* Pin-Pong
* Pong
* Pong Doubles
* Pursuit
* Quadrapong
* Quantum
* Quiz Show
* Qwak!
* Rebound
* Red Baron
* Return of the Jedi
* Shark Jaws
* Sky Diver
* Space Duel
* Space Race
* Sprint 1
* Sprint 2
* Sprint 4
* Sprint 8
* Star Wars
* Starship 1
* Steeplechase
* Stunt Cycle
* Super Breakout
* Super Bug
* Super Pong
* Tank
* Tank 8
* Tempest
* Tournament Table
* Triple Hunt
* Ultra Tank
* Video Pinball
* Warlords

| Prototypes|

* Tank II

|

Software and utilities|

* Atari BASIC
* Atari Calculator
* Atari DOS

Video game
consoles|

* Home Pong
* Stunt Cycle
* Atari Video Music
* Video Pinball
* 2600
* 2800
* 5200
* 7800
* XEGS
* Lynx
* Jaguar
* CD
* VCS (2021)
* 2600+

| Prototypes|

* Game Brain
* Cosmos
* 2700
* Atari Mindlink
* Panther
* Sierra

|

Personal
computers|

* Atari 8-bit computers
* Atari ST
* MEGA STE
* TT030
* Transputer Workstation
* Falcon

| Portables|

* STacy
* ST Book
* Portfolio

|

Prototypes|

* Sierra

Peripherals|

| Printers|

* 825 80-Column Printer
* 1020 Color Printer

|

Gaming devices|

* CX40 joystick
* Atari joystick port
* XG-1 light gun

Other|

* Atari Democrat
* Atari Flashback
* Intellivision
* Sears

0.00

(0 votes)

Original source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MobyGames. Read more

|

0.00

(0 votes)

Original source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armor Command. Read more

|

Retrieved from "https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Software:Armor_Command&oldid=4142778"
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template