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Timeline (video game)

Timeline is a 2000 adventure/puzzle video game published by Eidos Interactive for the Microsoft Windows. The game was developed by author Michael Crichton's Timeline Computer Entertainment (initially formed as Timeline Studios), and is based on Crichton's 1999 novel of the same name. Crichton was directly involved in the game's creation.

Timeline
Cover art by Michel Bohbot
Developer(s)Timeline Computer Entertainment
Publisher(s)Eidos Interactive
Director(s)Michael Crichton
Producer(s)Bob Griswold
Paul Wirth
Designer(s)Mike Backes
Michael Crichton
Readeanna Edwards
David Alan Smith
Programmer(s)Rick Towson
Artist(s)Chris Haire
Composer(s)Bill Brown
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows
Release
  • NA: November 13, 2000
  • EU: 2000
Genre(s)Adventure
Puzzle
Mode(s)Single-player

Gameplay edit

Timeline is played from a first-person perspective, with a focus on adventure and puzzle-solving.[1][2] The plot of Timeline is largely similar to the novel,[1][3] with some changes that include the absence of the novel's scientific aspect and character development, and the removal of characters such as Andre Marek.[2][3][4]

In the game, a group of scientists discover a method of time travel and ventures to 14th-century France to conduct research. When one of the scientists, Edward Johnston, does not return from the trip, a graduate student named Christopher Hughes travels to the time era to search for Johnston. The player controls Hughes,[1] and is accompanied by Kate, who provides hints to the player throughout the game.[5] The game is divided into various chapters, which include the player participating in a jousting tournament.[1][2][4] Enemies cannot be killed in the game, as doing so could disrupt Hughes' future timeline.[1] Killing an enemy results in the player being forced to restart from the last save point.[6] The game includes a free-roaming tour mode, in which the player can observe the environment while Michael Crichton provides narration to explain the history of the area.[4]

Development and release edit

In April 1999, Crichton announced the formation of his own video game development company, Timeline Studios,[7] which would develop games based on Crichton's previous projects.[8] In May 1999, publishing company Eidos Interactive announced that it had invested a stake in Timeline Studios as part of a publishing deal. Development began that month on Timeline's first project, an unspecified video game planned for the first half of 2000.[8] On June 21, 2000, Eidos announced that the company's first game with Timeline Computer Entertainment would be Timeline, based on Crichton's 1999 novel of the same name. Eidos had hoped that Timeline would break new ground with its emphasis on diverse environments, interactivity, and story.[9]

Crichton worked on the game as director and as a game designer.[10] Crichton often held video conferences with the development team to approve and disapprove of gameplay elements.[11] On the game's official website, Crichton described Timeline as "a game for people that don't usually play games."[3] The development team hoped to create a game that would be easy enough for new players, but still challenging enough for more experienced players. Paul Wirth, a producer on the game, said, "One of the design objectives was making it so the average person could finish the whole experience."[11] An orchestral score was composed for the game by Bill Brown.[2][10] Timeline was released on November 13, 2000.[12] Copies of the game included a free copy of the novel.[3][4] Timeline was the only video game developed by Timeline Computer Entertainment.[13]

Reception edit

Timeline received "generally unfavorable reviews" according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[14] Several reviewers criticized the game's character, Kate, for providing hints to the player throughout the game.[2][3][4][16]

Michael Tresca of AllGame criticized the game's short length and the "mediocre" sound effects, but noted the "exceptional" music. Tresca wrote that the arcade sequences, "While a refreshing change of pace," can become repetitive, particularly because of the game's "imprecise" controls. Considering that the game is about knights, Tresca expected more sword combat: "What little there is, though, is really nothing more than a simple button-clicking exercise. Even then, you can't actually kill anyone. These elements make gameplay seem artificial within the story's context." Tresca concluded that Timeline ultimately "seems less like a time-travel experiment gone awry and more like a game design gone bad. The battles, the excitement, and the potential mix of science fiction with history, is all lost in a stilted game environment that was obviously crafted by Crichton's vision of what the game should be vs. the ultimate goal of creating a good game."[2]

Jonathan Houghton of The Adrenaline Vault wrote that overall, Timeline "just doesn't stand up as anything more than a slightly entertaining diversion. Though there are minor problems with the graphics system, control scheme and interface, the primary drawback is that an experienced player can fly through it in around three hours and thirty minutes." Houghton, who praised the novel, felt as if he "had been robbed of what promised to be a wondrous encounter. Why Mr. Crichton felt the need to remove more than half of the storyline, I suppose we'll never know. Timeline ends up being another one of the many botched translations from a truly great piece of literature." Houghton noted that the game's tour mode "is especially interesting" for history connoisseurs, but wrote that most longtime players would likely be "sorely disappointed by the un-involving plot and quirky control scheme."[22]

Ron Dulin of GameSpot praised the voice acting and "fairly good though somewhat bland" graphics, and wrote that "it's hard to understand what Timeline is supposed to be. It borrows good ideas from many different action games, but it isn't very fun. It's based on a lengthy page-turner; yet, it manages to include very little story of its own. And it is so short and easy that it seems like little more than a tutorial for a better game." Dulin wrote that the game's diverse chapters made it seem as if Timeline "is just a collection of scenes from different action games." Dulin felt that the game's most disappointing aspect was its "almost complete lack of story," stating that without reading the novel, "it's doubtful you'll have any idea why anything is happening, who any of these people are, or, most importantly, why you should care."[4] Sal Accardo of GameSpy praised the game's graphics, its music, some of its levels, and its "nifty" tour mode, but wrote, "At its best moments, it barely achieves above-average status, and feels like a game that was rushed from the first day of development. This is truly a shame, because this game had some potential - I would gladly have overlooked the brevity had the story been fleshed out more and made more sense."[18] Joe Bailey of Computer Gaming World wrote that the game "is over before it begins," with a playing time of less than five hours. Bailey wrote that the game lacks the "essential elements" that were common in Crichton's novels, stating that it was devoid of action, tension, and challenges; Bailey attributed these problems to the "dumbing-down of gameplay," which he felt would "test only the most inexperienced gamer."[16]

Scott Steinberg of IGN, who praised the music and voice-overs, wrote that the game was "way too patronizing for any adult to take seriously," and that the "slow-moving, semi-mature" story was not suitable for younger children. Steinberg wrote that scenes in the game only looked "wondrous when viewed from afar," and also opined that the game was "especially annoying" for providing answers to each of its challenges.[6] Kristian Brogger of Game Informer noted some of the nice-looking outdoor environments, as well as some "good voice acting and effects," but wrote that Crichton's "recent foray into the video game world with Timeline is less than good. In fact, I would be willing to suggest that he had little or nothing to do with it, judging from the overall suckhood of the title." Jay Fitzloff offered a second opinion, writing that inexperienced players might be impressed with Timeline but otherwise, "this is a lame adventure game."[17]

Niko Sylvester of The Electric Playground criticized the game's linear gameplay and its controls, as well as the Kate character, "who tells you exactly what you need to do, even if she's chained to the wall in a dungeon three floors below you. Having Kate around is like having a narrated walkthrough you can't turn off." Sylvester wrote that some of the game's graphics "are quite nice" when viewed from a distance, but stated that a majority of them were "uninspiring at best." Sylvester called the game's music "actually quite good, if occasionally repetitive. [...] The other sound effects are occasionally very good, sometimes extremely irritating, but mostly average." Sylvester concluded that Timeline could make a decent family video game to play.[5] Erik Wolpaw of Computer Games Strategy Plus criticized the game's short length of approximately 90 minutes, and wrote that in general, progressing through each level "is a slightly more challenging version of clicking the install program's 'Next' button."[3] Samuel Bass of NextGen said, "Short, dull, and ugly, this wretched trip to the Renaissance Faire should have been left on the bookshelf where it belongs."[19]

Sales edit

According to Mark Asher of GameSpy, Timeline was a "sales flop". Its developer closed after its release.[23]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e Deci, T.J. . AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Tresca, Michael. . AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 17, 2014. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Wolpaw, Erik (December 29, 2000). . Computer Games Strategy Plus. Strategy Plus, Inc. Archived from the original on September 21, 2002.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Dulin, Ron (November 22, 2000). "Timeline Review". GameSpot. Fandom. from the original on March 2, 2001. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c Sylvester, Niko (February 27, 2001). . The Electric Playground. Greedy Productions Ltd. Archived from the original on September 4, 2002. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c Steinberg, Scott (November 23, 2000). "Timeline". IGN. Ziff Davis. from the original on September 20, 2020. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  7. ^ Lohr, Steve (April 16, 1999). "Michael Crichton Giving Computer Games 2d Try [sic]". The New York Times. from the original on May 27, 2015. Retrieved May 9, 2024.(subscription required)
  8. ^ a b IGN staff (May 13, 1999). "Eidos Invests in Timeline". IGN. Ziff Davis. from the original on September 20, 2020. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  9. ^ IGN staff (June 21, 2000). "Michael Crichton's Timeline to Come to PC". IGN. Ziff Davis. from the original on December 4, 2017. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  10. ^ a b . AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 17, 2014. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  11. ^ a b Adams, Dan (September 27, 2000). "Timeline (Preview)". IGN. Ziff Davis. from the original on October 1, 2020. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  12. ^ Walker, Trey (November 13, 2000). "Timeline in Stores". GameSpot. Fandom. from the original on July 7, 2001. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  13. ^ . AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 18, 2014. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  14. ^ a b "Timeline (2000)". Metacritic. Fandom. from the original on May 9, 2024. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  15. ^ Williamson, Colin (December 20, 2000). . Gamecenter. CNET. Archived from the original on January 24, 2001. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  16. ^ a b c Bailey, Joe (March 2001). "Timeline" (PDF). Computer Gaming World. No. 200. Ziff Davis. p. 114. (PDF) from the original on April 9, 2023. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  17. ^ a b Brogger, Kristian (February 2001). . Game Informer. No. 94. FuncoLand. Archived from the original on February 8, 2004. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  18. ^ a b Accardo, Sal (November 20, 2000). . GameSpy. IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on February 14, 2005. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  19. ^ a b Bass, Samuel (March 2001). "Timeline". NextGen. No. 75. Imagine Media. p. 94. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  20. ^ Muir, Ian (February 2001). . PC Gamer. Vol. 8, no. 2. Imagine Media. p. 58. Archived from the original on March 15, 2006. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  21. ^ Hill, Mark (February 2001). "Timeline". PC Zone. No. 99. Dennis Publishing. p. 74. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  22. ^ Houghton, Jonathan (December 20, 2000). . The Adrenaline Vault. NewWorld.com. Archived from the original on January 24, 2001.
  23. ^ Asher, Mark (June 2001). . GameSpy. IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on December 14, 2004.

External links edit

timeline, video, game, timeline, 2000, adventure, puzzle, video, game, published, eidos, interactive, microsoft, windows, game, developed, author, michael, crichton, timeline, computer, entertainment, initially, formed, timeline, studios, based, crichton, 1999. Timeline is a 2000 adventure puzzle video game published by Eidos Interactive for the Microsoft Windows The game was developed by author Michael Crichton s Timeline Computer Entertainment initially formed as Timeline Studios and is based on Crichton s 1999 novel of the same name Crichton was directly involved in the game s creation TimelineCover art by Michel BohbotDeveloper s Timeline Computer EntertainmentPublisher s Eidos InteractiveDirector s Michael CrichtonProducer s Bob GriswoldPaul WirthDesigner s Mike BackesMichael CrichtonReadeanna EdwardsDavid Alan SmithProgrammer s Rick TowsonArtist s Chris HaireComposer s Bill BrownPlatform s Microsoft WindowsReleaseNA November 13 2000EU 2000Genre s AdventurePuzzleMode s Single player Contents 1 Gameplay 2 Development and release 3 Reception 3 1 Sales 4 References 5 External linksGameplay editTimeline is played from a first person perspective with a focus on adventure and puzzle solving 1 2 The plot of Timeline is largely similar to the novel 1 3 with some changes that include the absence of the novel s scientific aspect and character development and the removal of characters such as Andre Marek 2 3 4 In the game a group of scientists discover a method of time travel and ventures to 14th century France to conduct research When one of the scientists Edward Johnston does not return from the trip a graduate student named Christopher Hughes travels to the time era to search for Johnston The player controls Hughes 1 and is accompanied by Kate who provides hints to the player throughout the game 5 The game is divided into various chapters which include the player participating in a jousting tournament 1 2 4 Enemies cannot be killed in the game as doing so could disrupt Hughes future timeline 1 Killing an enemy results in the player being forced to restart from the last save point 6 The game includes a free roaming tour mode in which the player can observe the environment while Michael Crichton provides narration to explain the history of the area 4 Development and release editIn April 1999 Crichton announced the formation of his own video game development company Timeline Studios 7 which would develop games based on Crichton s previous projects 8 In May 1999 publishing company Eidos Interactive announced that it had invested a stake in Timeline Studios as part of a publishing deal Development began that month on Timeline s first project an unspecified video game planned for the first half of 2000 8 On June 21 2000 Eidos announced that the company s first game with Timeline Computer Entertainment would be Timeline based on Crichton s 1999 novel of the same name Eidos had hoped that Timeline would break new ground with its emphasis on diverse environments interactivity and story 9 Crichton worked on the game as director and as a game designer 10 Crichton often held video conferences with the development team to approve and disapprove of gameplay elements 11 On the game s official website Crichton described Timeline as a game for people that don t usually play games 3 The development team hoped to create a game that would be easy enough for new players but still challenging enough for more experienced players Paul Wirth a producer on the game said One of the design objectives was making it so the average person could finish the whole experience 11 An orchestral score was composed for the game by Bill Brown 2 10 Timeline was released on November 13 2000 12 Copies of the game included a free copy of the novel 3 4 Timeline was the only video game developed by Timeline Computer Entertainment 13 Reception editThis article contains too many or overly lengthy quotations Please help summarize the quotations Consider transferring direct quotations to Wikiquote or excerpts to Wikisource December 2016 ReceptionAggregate scoreAggregatorScoreMetacritic41 100 14 Review scoresPublicationScoreAllGame nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 2 CNET Gamecenter3 10 15 Computer Games Strategy Plus nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 3 Computer Gaming World nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 16 EP Daily4 5 10 5 Game Informer5 75 10 17 GameSpot4 2 10 4 GameSpy56 18 IGN3 8 10 6 Next Generation nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 19 PC Gamer US 36 20 PC Zone60 21 Timeline received generally unfavorable reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic 14 Several reviewers criticized the game s character Kate for providing hints to the player throughout the game 2 3 4 16 Michael Tresca of AllGame criticized the game s short length and the mediocre sound effects but noted the exceptional music Tresca wrote that the arcade sequences While a refreshing change of pace can become repetitive particularly because of the game s imprecise controls Considering that the game is about knights Tresca expected more sword combat What little there is though is really nothing more than a simple button clicking exercise Even then you can t actually kill anyone These elements make gameplay seem artificial within the story s context Tresca concluded that Timeline ultimately seems less like a time travel experiment gone awry and more like a game design gone bad The battles the excitement and the potential mix of science fiction with history is all lost in a stilted game environment that was obviously crafted by Crichton s vision of what the game should be vs the ultimate goal of creating a good game 2 Jonathan Houghton of The Adrenaline Vault wrote that overall Timeline just doesn t stand up as anything more than a slightly entertaining diversion Though there are minor problems with the graphics system control scheme and interface the primary drawback is that an experienced player can fly through it in around three hours and thirty minutes Houghton who praised the novel felt as if he had been robbed of what promised to be a wondrous encounter Why Mr Crichton felt the need to remove more than half of the storyline I suppose we ll never know Timeline ends up being another one of the many botched translations from a truly great piece of literature Houghton noted that the game s tour mode is especially interesting for history connoisseurs but wrote that most longtime players would likely be sorely disappointed by the un involving plot and quirky control scheme 22 Ron Dulin of GameSpot praised the voice acting and fairly good though somewhat bland graphics and wrote that it s hard to understand what Timeline is supposed to be It borrows good ideas from many different action games but it isn t very fun It s based on a lengthy page turner yet it manages to include very little story of its own And it is so short and easy that it seems like little more than a tutorial for a better game Dulin wrote that the game s diverse chapters made it seem as if Timeline is just a collection of scenes from different action games Dulin felt that the game s most disappointing aspect was its almost complete lack of story stating that without reading the novel it s doubtful you ll have any idea why anything is happening who any of these people are or most importantly why you should care 4 Sal Accardo of GameSpy praised the game s graphics its music some of its levels and its nifty tour mode but wrote At its best moments it barely achieves above average status and feels like a game that was rushed from the first day of development This is truly a shame because this game had some potential I would gladly have overlooked the brevity had the story been fleshed out more and made more sense 18 Joe Bailey of Computer Gaming World wrote that the game is over before it begins with a playing time of less than five hours Bailey wrote that the game lacks the essential elements that were common in Crichton s novels stating that it was devoid of action tension and challenges Bailey attributed these problems to the dumbing down of gameplay which he felt would test only the most inexperienced gamer 16 Scott Steinberg of IGN who praised the music and voice overs wrote that the game was way too patronizing for any adult to take seriously and that the slow moving semi mature story was not suitable for younger children Steinberg wrote that scenes in the game only looked wondrous when viewed from afar and also opined that the game was especially annoying for providing answers to each of its challenges 6 Kristian Brogger of Game Informer noted some of the nice looking outdoor environments as well as some good voice acting and effects but wrote that Crichton s recent foray into the video game world with Timeline is less than good In fact I would be willing to suggest that he had little or nothing to do with it judging from the overall suckhood of the title Jay Fitzloff offered a second opinion writing that inexperienced players might be impressed with Timeline but otherwise this is a lame adventure game 17 Niko Sylvester of The Electric Playground criticized the game s linear gameplay and its controls as well as the Kate character who tells you exactly what you need to do even if she s chained to the wall in a dungeon three floors below you Having Kate around is like having a narrated walkthrough you can t turn off Sylvester wrote that some of the game s graphics are quite nice when viewed from a distance but stated that a majority of them were uninspiring at best Sylvester called the game s music actually quite good if occasionally repetitive The other sound effects are occasionally very good sometimes extremely irritating but mostly average Sylvester concluded that Timeline could make a decent family video game to play 5 Erik Wolpaw of Computer Games Strategy Plus criticized the game s short length of approximately 90 minutes and wrote that in general progressing through each level is a slightly more challenging version of clicking the install program s Next button 3 Samuel Bass of NextGen said Short dull and ugly this wretched trip to the Renaissance Faire should have been left on the bookshelf where it belongs 19 Sales edit According to Mark Asher of GameSpy Timeline was a sales flop Its developer closed after its release 23 References edit a b c d e Deci T J Timeline Overview AllGame All Media Network Archived from the original on November 15 2014 Retrieved December 9 2016 a b c d e f g Tresca Michael Timeline Review AllGame All Media Network Archived from the original on November 17 2014 Retrieved December 9 2016 a b c d e f g Wolpaw Erik December 29 2000 Timeline Computer Games Strategy Plus Strategy Plus Inc Archived from the original on September 21 2002 a b c d e f g Dulin Ron November 22 2000 Timeline Review GameSpot Fandom Archived from the original on March 2 2001 Retrieved May 9 2024 a b c Sylvester Niko February 27 2001 Timeline The Electric Playground Greedy Productions Ltd Archived from the original on September 4 2002 Retrieved May 9 2024 a b c Steinberg Scott November 23 2000 Timeline IGN Ziff Davis Archived from the original on September 20 2020 Retrieved May 9 2024 Lohr Steve April 16 1999 Michael Crichton Giving Computer Games 2d Try sic The New York Times Archived from the original on May 27 2015 Retrieved May 9 2024 subscription required a b IGN staff May 13 1999 Eidos Invests in Timeline IGN Ziff Davis Archived from the original on September 20 2020 Retrieved May 9 2024 IGN staff June 21 2000 Michael Crichton s Timeline to Come to PC IGN Ziff Davis Archived from the original on December 4 2017 Retrieved May 9 2024 a b Timeline Credits AllGame All Media Network Archived from the original on November 17 2014 Retrieved December 9 2016 a b Adams Dan September 27 2000 Timeline Preview IGN Ziff Davis Archived from the original on October 1 2020 Retrieved May 9 2024 Walker Trey November 13 2000 Timeline in Stores GameSpot Fandom Archived from the original on July 7 2001 Retrieved May 9 2024 Timeline Computer Entertainment Games Developed AllGame All Media Network Archived from the original on November 18 2014 Retrieved December 9 2016 a b Timeline 2000 Metacritic Fandom Archived from the original on May 9 2024 Retrieved May 9 2024 Williamson Colin December 20 2000 Timeline Gamecenter CNET Archived from the original on January 24 2001 Retrieved May 9 2024 a b c Bailey Joe March 2001 Timeline PDF Computer Gaming World No 200 Ziff Davis p 114 Archived PDF from the original on April 9 2023 Retrieved May 9 2024 a b Brogger Kristian February 2001 Timeline score mislabeled as 7 Game Informer No 94 FuncoLand Archived from the original on February 8 2004 Retrieved December 9 2016 a b Accardo Sal November 20 2000 Timeline GameSpy IGN Entertainment Archived from the original on February 14 2005 Retrieved August 15 2020 a b Bass Samuel March 2001 Timeline NextGen No 75 Imagine Media p 94 Retrieved August 15 2020 Muir Ian February 2001 Timeline PC Gamer Vol 8 no 2 Imagine Media p 58 Archived from the original on March 15 2006 Retrieved August 15 2020 Hill Mark February 2001 Timeline PC Zone No 99 Dennis Publishing p 74 Retrieved August 15 2020 Houghton Jonathan December 20 2000 Timeline The Adrenaline Vault NewWorld com Archived from the original on January 24 2001 Asher Mark June 2001 GameSpin 18 Destruction Time GameSpy IGN Entertainment Archived from the original on December 14 2004 External links editTimeline at MobyGames Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Timeline video game amp oldid 1223110281, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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