Beyond the Red Line
| Beyond the Red Line | |
|---|---|
| Engine | FreeSpace Open |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows, Linux, Mac OS X |
| Release date(s) | March 31, 2007[1] |
| Genre(s) | Space simulation |
| Mode(s) | Single player and Multiplayer |
| Media/distribution | Direct downloads or torrents (~360 MB) |
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This article's factual accuracy may be compromised due to out-of-date information. Please help improve the article by updating it. There may be additional information on the talk page. (January 2012) |
Beyond the Red Line is an unofficial and free stand-alone total conversion for the game FreeSpace 2, based on the reimagined TV show Battlestar Galactica. It allows players to fly into combat as either a Colonial Viper pilot, or a Cylon raider.
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[edit] Gameplay
BtRL features an original soundtrack with pieces inspired by or remixed from Bear McCreary and Richard Gibbs' soundtrack. It also includes character-based gameplay and voice acting. The three-mission demo campaign follows a storyline that precedes the episode, "Scar", adding some background to the events of that episode. Online play, including "Deathmatch" and "Team vs. Team", is supported and a large multiplayer community has sprung up. The Mk II and VII Vipers are featured with authentic weaponry, flight controls, and semi-Newtonian physics (the development team state that, "if you've seen it on the show, you can do it in BtRL").
[edit] Development
On March 31, 2007, a demo was released that allowed players to play a tutorial, two single player missions and multiplayer. This demo has since been noted or reviewed in various gaming related websites and magazines such as The Escapist [2], Macworld [3], PC Gamer UK [4] and Pelit [5]. The development team has been interviewed on several occasions [6] including a "making of" special in Pelit [7]. The BtRL demo has also been featured on the covers of two Ukrainian magazines as well as in cover DVD of Finnish computer magazine Mikrobitti [8].
In October 2008, the majority of the team announced that they had left the Beyond the Red Line development team to work on a different project, known as Diaspora.[9] Although Diaspora is also a Battlestar Galactica game built on the FreeSpace 2 engine, it is being developed independently of BTRL and the projects have no affiliation with each other.[10]
In August 2009, it was announced that as a consequence of the Diaspora fork, BtRL's subsequent inactivity, and BtRL's perceived hostility toward its fans since the split, BtRL would no longer be hosted at Game Warden, its historical home.[11] BtRL's primary website has been moved and the demo hosting mirrored on a number of providers.
No release date for the full project has yet been specified.
[edit] Reception
In February 2008 Beyond the Red Line received Mod DB's "Mod of the Year Award" for "Best Independent Game".[12] That same year the game was also recommended over the official Battlestar video game (released: 2007 for XBox Live Arcade and Windows PC), citing the latter game's low production values and publisher's mishandling of the license.[13] In 2008 the game was featured in Popular Science magazine.[14] In December 2007 the game was featured in Computer and Video Games' "The Best PC Mods. Ever!" review.[15]
Player feedback was initially very positive, and a number of dedicated Beyond the Red Line gaming clans sprung up. However, the limited number of ships in the demo, as well as netcode-related lag, hampered the multiplayer experience, and most of these clans have since become defunct or broadened their activities to Battlestar Galactica fandom in general.
[edit] References
- ^ "Beyond the Red Line data". GameFaqs. pp. 1. http://www.gamefaqs.com/computer/doswin/data/955043.html. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
- ^ Howard, Wen (2008-02-26). "So Game We All". The Escapist (magazine). http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_138/2971-So-Game-We-All. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
- ^ Hodge, Karl (2007-09-03). "Battlestar Galactica: Beyond The Red Line Review". Macworld. http://www.macworld.co.uk/macsoftware/reviews/index.cfm?reviewid=2298. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
- ^ "Beyond the Red Line". PC Gamer UK (James Binns): pp. 98. 7/2007.
- ^ Mäkinen, Marko (5/2007). "Paahdinjahtia" (in Finnish). Pelit (SanomaWSOY): pp. 34.
- ^ "Mod is Dead: Beyond the Red Line". Shacknews. 2007-07-31. http://www.shacknews.com/featuredarticle.x?id=489. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
- ^ Kankola, Tuomas (5/2007). "Pitkä tie punaiselle viivalle" (in Finnish). Pelit (SanomaWSOY): pp. 35–36.
- ^ "Huvi & Hyöty DVD 2008" (in Finnish). Mikrobitti. SanomaWSOY. 3/2008. http://www.mbnet.fi/nettijatkot/2008/03/hh2008/. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
- ^ "Diaspora FAQ". Diaspora Team. 2008-10-01. http://www.diaspora-game.com/faq.html. Retrieved 2009-08-20.
- ^ "About Beyond the Red Line". Beyond the Red Line Team. 2008-10-01. http://www.beyondtheredline.net/about.html. Retrieved 2009-08-20.
- ^ "Farewell BTRL". Game Warden. 2009-08-14. http://www.game-warden.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7620. Retrieved 2009-08-20.
- ^ "2007 Mod of the Year Awards". ModDB. 2008-01-29. http://www.moddb.com/events/2007-mod-of-the-year-awards/winners. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
- ^ Buckland, Jeff (2007-11-04). "Battlestar Galactica PC Review". AtomicGamer. http://www.atomicgamer.com/article.php?id=488. Retrieved 2008-03-19.
- ^ Chuck, Cage (4/2008). "Have a blast". Popular Science (magazine) (Bonnier Corporation): pp. 81–82.
- ^ "The Best PC Mods. Ever!". Computer and Video Games. December 28, 2007. http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=177035. Retrieved 2008-06-21.
[edit] External links
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