This article's lead sectionmay be too short to adequately summarize the key points. Please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of all important aspects of the article.(July 2015)
Aliens Online included asymmetric teams, teams consisting of more players than found in most first-person shooters of its era, job/class specialization, and RPG elements. Players could fight on either the side of the United States Colonial Marines or on the side of the Aliens.[4] Scenarios were played in one of six different maps, with three more added over the game's lifespan.
The Colonial Marine faction had the Medic, Scout, Soldier, and Heavy Weapons classes. More advanced weaponry were available when grouping as a "fireteam," and increased hit points became available as a character progressed in rank. Marines' equipment included the motion detector from the film Aliens, which was their sole method to locate Aliens, but would not locate Aliens which were not moving. In later versions of the game, the Marines could also drop proximity mines.
The Hive Alien faction had the Face Hugger, Drone, Queen, and Empress classes. Their capabilities included leaping easily to vents and speeding through cramped ducts, and radar of the entire map, representing the aliens' greater awareness and hive-like mentality. They attacked only at close range using tail strikes and with claws. Each map allowed one alien player to fill the role as Queen or Empress, and that player could freely swap from drone to drone. Players gained points for killing Marines and lost them by dying, except when playing as a face hugger, which loses no points for dying.
Developmentedit
The game was announced in June 1997.[5] The budget for the game was $450,000 USD.[6]
Releaseedit
The software was free to download and was automatically updated. Joining GameStorm for $9.95 per month was required to play the game.[7][8] Online play was shut down in 2000 after the GameStorm network was sold to Electronic Arts.[9]
Aliens Online was well received upon its release. Chris Gregson of GameSpot said, "With so much to gain and absolutely nothing to lose, any self-respecting Aliens fan should give Aliens Online a try."[8] Brooks Peck and Craig E. Engler from Science Fiction Weekly gave the beta version the perfect A score. Noting the game's bugs, they nevertheless opined, "It's clear that Kesmai has what it takes to satisfy both the Aliens fan and the hardcore gamer. This is one of those titles that cashes in on some of the Internet's promises of multiplayer action, and it's sure to be a hit with SF lovers."[12] However, Next Generation called it "a wonderful addition to GameStorm. We just wish there was more variety so the thrill could last."[11]
According to a retrospective by Stephen Kleckner of GamesBeat, "Aliens Online, unfortunately, was riddled with balancing issues and bad level design. (...) Ancient ’90s computing technology and Internet infrastructure and these issues worse, resulting in incredibly laggy connectivity."[13]
^Mullen, Micheal (April 16, 1998). "GameStorm Launches Aliens Online". GameSpot. Fandom. from the original on October 11, 2000. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
^"Aliens Merchandise". James Cameron. from the original on July 7, 2022. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
^Broady, Vince (August 21, 1997). "Kesmai Readies Aliens Online". GameSpot. Fandom. from the original on January 19, 1998. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
^Action Grrl (November 1997). "Aliens Online: In Cyberspace, No One Can Hear You Scream". GamePro. No. 110. IDG. pp. 36, 38. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
^. GameStorm. June 19, 1997. Archived from the original on February 19, 1999. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
^Jacobs, Mark (30 May 2014). "Former Mythic boss eulogises the fallen Warhammer studio". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
^"Aliens Online Update". GamePro. No. 113. IDG. February 1998. p. 32. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
^ abcGregson, Chris (April 16, 1998). "Aliens Online Review". GameSpot. Fandom. from the original on January 9, 2016. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
^Correia, Alea Ray; Riendeau, Danielle (October 3, 2014). "From Atari to Isolation: A video and written history of Alien games". Polygon. Vox Media. from the original on April 4, 2023. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
^D'Aprile, Jason (June 29, 1998). . Computer Games Strategy Plus. Strategy Plus, Inc. Archived from the original on April 18, 2003. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
^Peck, Brooks; Engler, Craig E. (1998). . Science Fiction Weekly. Archived from the original on March 4, 2009. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
^Kleckner, Stephen (October 6, 2014). "Games of the Alien franchise, Part 1: The bad, the canceled, and the weirdly cool". VentureBeat. from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
^"D.I.C.E. Awards By Video Game Details: Aliens Online". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. from the original on August 4, 2023. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
^. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on June 15, 1998. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
aliens, online, this, article, lead, section, short, adequately, summarize, points, please, consider, expanding, lead, provide, accessible, overview, important, aspects, article, july, 2015, 1998, massively, multiplayer, first, person, shooter, video, game, re. This article s lead section may be too short to adequately summarize the key points Please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of all important aspects of the article July 2015 Aliens Online was a 1998 massively multiplayer first person shooter video game released for Microsoft Windows It was based on the science fiction horror film Aliens 2 3 Aliens OnlineDeveloper s Mythic EntertainmentKesmaiPublisher s Fox InteractiveDirector s Paul ProvenzanoProducer s Matt Firor Jason Bell Nick LaiaconaDesigner s Mark JacobsProgrammer s Rob DentonArtist s Bob Frizzell Missy CastroPlatform s Microsoft WindowsReleaseNA April 16 1998 1 Genre s First person shooterMode s Single player multiplayer Contents 1 Gameplay 2 Development 3 Release 4 Reception 5 References 6 External linksGameplay editAliens Online included asymmetric teams teams consisting of more players than found in most first person shooters of its era job class specialization and RPG elements Players could fight on either the side of the United States Colonial Marines or on the side of the Aliens 4 Scenarios were played in one of six different maps with three more added over the game s lifespan The Colonial Marine faction had the Medic Scout Soldier and Heavy Weapons classes More advanced weaponry were available when grouping as a fireteam and increased hit points became available as a character progressed in rank Marines equipment included the motion detector from the film Aliens which was their sole method to locate Aliens but would not locate Aliens which were not moving In later versions of the game the Marines could also drop proximity mines The Hive Alien faction had the Face Hugger Drone Queen and Empress classes Their capabilities included leaping easily to vents and speeding through cramped ducts and radar of the entire map representing the aliens greater awareness and hive like mentality They attacked only at close range using tail strikes and with claws Each map allowed one alien player to fill the role as Queen or Empress and that player could freely swap from drone to drone Players gained points for killing Marines and lost them by dying except when playing as a face hugger which loses no points for dying Development editThe game was announced in June 1997 5 The budget for the game was 450 000 USD 6 Release editThe software was free to download and was automatically updated Joining GameStorm for 9 95 per month was required to play the game 7 8 Online play was shut down in 2000 after the GameStorm network was sold to Electronic Arts 9 Reception editReceptionReview scoresPublicationScoreComputer Games Strategy Plus nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 10 GameSpot7 2 10 8 Next Generation nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 11 Aliens Online was well received upon its release Chris Gregson of GameSpot said With so much to gain and absolutely nothing to lose any self respecting Aliens fan should give Aliens Online a try 8 Brooks Peck and Craig E Engler from Science Fiction Weekly gave the beta version the perfect A score Noting the game s bugs they nevertheless opined It s clear that Kesmai has what it takes to satisfy both the Aliens fan and the hardcore gamer This is one of those titles that cashes in on some of the Internet s promises of multiplayer action and it s sure to be a hit with SF lovers 12 However Next Generation called it a wonderful addition to GameStorm We just wish there was more variety so the thrill could last 11 According to a retrospective by Stephen Kleckner of GamesBeat Aliens Online unfortunately was riddled with balancing issues and bad level design Ancient 90s computing technology and Internet infrastructure and these issues worse resulting in incredibly laggy connectivity 13 During the inaugural Interactive Achievement Awards Aliens Online received a nomination for Online Game of the Year by the Academy of Interactive Arts amp Sciences 14 the award ultimately went to Ultima Online 15 References edit Mullen Micheal April 16 1998 GameStorm Launches Aliens Online GameSpot Fandom Archived from the original on October 11 2000 Retrieved September 7 2023 Aliens Merchandise James Cameron Archived from the original on July 7 2022 Retrieved September 7 2023 Broady Vince August 21 1997 Kesmai Readies Aliens Online GameSpot Fandom Archived from the original on January 19 1998 Retrieved September 7 2023 Action Grrl November 1997 Aliens Online In Cyberspace No One Can Hear You Scream GamePro No 110 IDG pp 36 38 Retrieved September 8 2023 Fox Interactive And Kesmai Introduce Aliens Online GameStorm June 19 1997 Archived from the original on February 19 1999 Retrieved May 1 2022 Jacobs Mark 30 May 2014 Former Mythic boss eulogises the fallen Warhammer studio Eurogamer Gamer Network Retrieved 30 May 2014 Aliens Online Update GamePro No 113 IDG February 1998 p 32 Retrieved September 8 2023 a b c Gregson Chris April 16 1998 Aliens Online Review GameSpot Fandom Archived from the original on January 9 2016 Retrieved September 8 2023 Correia Alea Ray Riendeau Danielle October 3 2014 From Atari to Isolation A video and written history of Alien games Polygon Vox Media Archived from the original on April 4 2023 Retrieved September 8 2023 D Aprile Jason June 29 1998 Aliens Online Computer Games Strategy Plus Strategy Plus Inc Archived from the original on April 18 2003 Retrieved September 8 2023 a b Aliens Online Next Generation No 43 Imagine Media July 1998 p 120 Retrieved September 8 2023 Peck Brooks Engler Craig E 1998 Science Fiction Game Reviews Aliens Online Science Fiction Weekly Archived from the original on March 4 2009 Retrieved July 17 2015 Kleckner Stephen October 6 2014 Games of the Alien franchise Part 1 The bad the canceled and the weirdly cool VentureBeat Archived from the original on March 6 2023 Retrieved September 8 2023 D I C E Awards By Video Game Details Aliens Online Academy of Interactive Arts amp Sciences Archived from the original on August 4 2023 Retrieved September 8 2023 The Award Winners Academy of Interactive Arts amp Sciences Archived from the original on June 15 1998 Retrieved September 8 2023 External links editAliens Online at MobyGames Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Aliens Online amp oldid 1210956045, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
