View source for Ur-Quan

{{short description|Antagonists in the Star Control series}}
{{Featured article}}
{{Infobox character
| name = Ur-Quan
| image = File:Ur-Quan from Ur-Quan Masters and Star Control 2.jpeg
| caption = The Ur-Quan speaking to the player in ''[[The Ur-Quan Masters]]'', the open-source remake of ''[[Star Control II]]''
| series = Star Control
| firstgame = ''[[Star Control]]'' (1990)
| creator = [[Paul Reiche III]], [[Fred Ford (programmer)|Fred Ford]]
| designer =
| voice = Larry Zee, David Bryce
| full_name = Ur-Quan Kzer-Za (sub-species), Ur-Quan Kohr-Ah (sub-species)
| nationality =
| last_major = [[The Ur-Quan Masters]] {{noitalic|(2002)}}
| alt = An image of the Ur-Quan, as a green insectoid alien, and their dialog text: "You are trespassing within Ur-Quan space."
}}

The '''Ur-Quan''' are a [[Character (arts)|fictional race]] of predatory [[Extraterrestrial life|alien]] [[caterpillar]]s in the ''[[Star Control]]'' series of [[video game]]s, created by [[Paul Reiche III]] and [[Fred Ford (programmer)|Fred Ford]]. Introduced in 1990, the Ur-Quan are the primary antagonist of the first game, leading a [[Science fiction|galactic]] [[empire]] that seeks to enslave Earth. They reprise their role in ''[[Star Control II]]'', which expands on their history as former slaves who since vowed to fiercely defend themselves. During the game, the Ur-Quan enter into a [[civil war]] over their ideology, giving Earth an opportunity to defeat them. In ''[[Star Control 3]]'', which was developed by a different team, the Ur-Quan ally with Earth against a different antagonist and their role is scaled back. They appear once again in ''[[The Ur-Quan Masters]]'', the 2002 [[open source]] [[remake]] of ''Star Control II.''

Reiche and Ford developed the Ur-Quan based on the concepts for unique [[Starship|spaceships]] in ''Star Control''; their [[Insectoids in science fiction|insectoid]] appearance was inspired by a ''[[National Geographic]]'' photo of a caterpillar. Their role in ''Star Control II'' has earned acclaim among the best game villains in history, praised for their menacing persona, as well as their surprising depth and humanity. The Ur-Quan have also influenced other [[Video game developer|game studios]], inspiring concepts in games such as ''[[Mass Effect]]'' and ''[[Stellaris (video game)|Stellaris]]''.

== Description ==

=== Background ===
[[File:Eighteyescatterpilar.jpg|left|thumb|The Ur-Quan's character design was based on insects such as the [[caterpillar]].|alt=An image of a brown-orange caterpillar dangling from a tree.]]The Ur-Quan are [[Character (arts)|fictional characters]] in the ''[[Star Control]]'' series of [[video game]]s, appearing as an [[Extraterrestrial life|alien]] race of giant [[Predation|predatory]] [[caterpillar]]s.<ref name="SC2manual2">{{Cite web|author=Reiche III|first=Paul|author-link=Paul Reiche III|last2=Polley|first2=Paula|last3=Moran|first3=Dick|date=November 17, 1992|title=Star Control II Manual|url=https://archive.org/details/starcontrol2manual/page/n61/mode/2up|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.org/details/starcontrol2manual/|archive-date=July 4, 2019|access-date=October 14, 2020|publisher=[[Accolade (company)|Accolade]]}}</ref> Their history is revealed through character [[Dialogue in writing|dialog]], which describes them as a species who [[Evolution|evolved]] on a harsh planet in a distant region of space. Their biological lineage is compared to solitary predators such as the praying [[mantis]], who are naturally limited in their social behaviors. As the Ur-Quan developed intelligence and culture, they were able to master their fierce territorial and hunting instincts, and build a co-operative [[Spaceflight|spacefaring]] civilization. Eventually, as they began the exploration of their own solar system, they were discovered by an alien race known as the Taalo - members of a loose collection of space faring civilizations known as the Sentient Milieu - and offered membership.<ref name=":2">{{cite video game|title=[[Star Control II]]|developer=[[Paul Reiche III|Reiche III, Paul]] |developer2= [[Fred Ford (programmer)|Ford, Fred]]|publisher=[[Accolade (company)|Accolade]]|date=1992|platform=[[Personal computer|PC]]|quote='''Melnorme''': The Ur-Quan evolved on a harsh planet orbiting a star outside this region of space. They were solitary predators, like your praying mantis, Captain, or polar bear who had a very limited set of social behaviors, most of which dealt with sex. Since they had to compete for survival against many physically superior species the Ur-Quan evolved intelligence and tool use, in much the same way as your own species. The Ur-Quan also learned to master their fierce territoriality to build a cooperative planetary culture. When the Ur-Quan were discovered by the Taalo, they had just begun exploring their solar system in crude atomic vehicles. Although the Ur-Quan attacked what they thought to be an invader, the Taalo were patient. They explained the purpose of the Sentient Milieu, and offered the Ur-Quan membership. The Ur-Quan recognized the benefits that such a system provided and once more conquered the hunting beast within themselves to become cooperative, productive members of the Milieu.}}</ref><ref>{{cite video game|title=[[Star Control II]]|developer=[[Paul Reiche III|Reiche III, Paul]] |developer2=[[Fred Ford (programmer)|Ford, Fred]]|publisher=[[Accolade (company)|Accolade]]|date=1992|platform=[[Personal computer|PC]]|quote='''Ur-Quan''': We evolved on a hostile world, the descendants of solitary hunters.}}</ref>

Twenty thousand years before ''Star Control'', Ur-Quan explorers discovered a psychic race called the Dnyarri,<ref name="uqdnyarri"/> who enslaved the Ur-Quan and compelled them to attack and destroy the rest of the Sentient Milieu.<ref>{{cite video game|title=[[Star Control II]]|developer=[[Paul Reiche III|Reiche III, Paul]] |developer2= [[Fred Ford (programmer)|Ford, Fred]]|publisher=[[Accolade (company)|Accolade]]|date=1992|platform=[[Personal computer|PC]]|quote='''Melnorme''': In the Dnyarri's new empire, the Ur-Quan were the favored slaves. This is probably because the Ur-Quan were the most psychically sensitive, the most easily compelled. As the centuries of Dnyarri dominance passed, what was once the Sentient Milieu deteriorated and degenerated into a great galactic gulag. Alien races which did not serve with the efficiency and speed demanded by the Dnyarri were ruthlessly burned from the faces of their worlds. The agents of this genocide were inevitably the Dnyarri's favored pet, the Ur-Quan.}}</ref> Using [[genetic engineering]], the Dnyarri separated the original brown Ur-Quan into two sub-species. The green Ur-Quan became the Dnyarri's favored administrators and researchers, and the black Ur-Quan became their designated soldiers.<ref name="uqdnyarri">{{cite video game|title=[[Star Control II]]|developer=[[Paul Reiche III|Reiche III, Paul]] |developer2=[[Fred Ford (programmer)|Ford, Fred]]|publisher=[[Accolade (company)|Accolade]]|date=1992|platform=[[Personal computer|PC]]|quote='''Ur-Quan''': It was on a routine planetfall that one of our Milieu scoutships first met the Dnyarri. They were evilly intelligent creatures who could control the minds of others. They wanted to rule the universe. We could not resist them. For thousands of years, we were unthinking slaves to the Dnyarri. The Dnyarri had a special liking for us Ur-Quan so they began to tinker with our genes. They built two Ur-Quan sub-races one Green, the thinkers and planners the other Black, the warriors and laborers.}}</ref> Many generations later, the Ur-Quan led a successful slave revolt. They discovered they could break the Dnyarri's psychic compulsion by torturing themselves, giving them enough time to kill and eventually exterminate their Dnyarri oppressors.<ref>{{cite video game|title=[[Star Control II]]|developer=[[Paul Reiche III|Reiche III, Paul]] |developer2=[[Fred Ford (programmer)|Ford, Fred]]|publisher=[[Accolade (company)|Accolade]]|date=1992|platform=[[Personal computer|PC]]|quote='''Melnorme''': The Ur-Quan developed new tools and weapons to destroy their evil masters. The most gruesome of these devices was the Excruciator a mechanism which was inserted directly into the brain, and generated a constant stream of agony. The Dnyarri could not bring themselves to make the necessary mental connection with these tortured Ur-Quan. They were slaughtered by the thousands. The Ur-Quan slave revolt was won. When the last Ur-Quan was free of psychic compulsion – when the last free Dnyarri was dead the combined might of the Ur-Quan star fleets met in orbit above the Dnyarri homeworld.}}</ref>

The Ur-Quan vowed they would never again be slaves, and began to conquer all other intelligent life in the galaxy.<ref>{{cite video game|title=[[Star Control II]]|developer=[[Paul Reiche III|Reiche III, Paul]] |developer2=[[Fred Ford (programmer)|Ford, Fred]]|publisher=[[Accolade (company)|Accolade]]|date=1992|platform=[[Personal computer|PC]]|quote='''Ur-Quan''': The Dnyarri had a special liking for us Ur-Quan so they began to tinker with our genes. They built two Ur-Quan sub-races one Green, the thinkers and planners the other Black, the warriors and laborers. When the martyred genius Kzer-Za gave us the secret to defeating the Dnyarri, we destroyed them. Then we decided that we would never again be slaves. We would follow the Path of Now and Forever. We decided to enslave or imprison all other intelligent life in the galaxy.  We had slave-shielded one world, when we learned that the Black Ur-Quan under a new leader, Kohr-Ah, had devised the Eternal Doctrine which called for the `cleansing', the annihilation, of all non-Ur-Quan sentient life.}}</ref> The green Ur-Quan were renamed the Ur-Quan Kzer-Za in honor of the Ur-Quan scientist who freed them all. The Kzer-Za moved forward with the 'Path of Now and Forever', a policy of security through enslaving all non-Ur-Quan sentient life, controlling them as either '[[Conscription#Military slavery|battle thralls]]', or as 'fallow slaves' forever imprisoned on their home worlds under impenetrable force-fields. The Black Ur-Quan, renamed the Ur-Quan Kohr-Ah after their new leader, felt that they could only be safe with the complete annihilation of all non-Ur-Quan life, an ideology they called the 'Eternal Doctrine'.<ref>{{cite video game|title=[[Star Control II]]|developer=[[Paul Reiche III|Reiche III, Paul]] |developer2=[[Fred Ford (programmer)|Ford, Fred]]|publisher=[[Accolade (company)|Accolade]]|date=1992|platform=[[Personal computer|PC]]|quote='''Melnorme''': Following the successful Ur-Quan slave revolt the Ur-Quan met to decide how to ensure their freedom. The Green Ur-Quan, who called themselves the Kzer-Za in honor of the Ur-Quan who triggered the revolt wished to establish the `Path of Now and Forever' which required that all other sentient species must become slaves of the Ur-Quan or be forever imprisoned beneath an impenetrable force shield. Leading the opposition to this plan was Kohr-Ah, a charismatic fleet officer. Kohr-Ah proposed a simpler alternative, the 'Eternal Doctrine'. Simply put, this scheme called for the systematic eradication of all sentient life in the universe aside from the Ur-Quan.}}</ref> The differing doctrines of the two fiercely territorial species escalated into a civil war.<ref>{{cite video game|title=[[Star Control II]]|developer=[[Paul Reiche III|Reiche III, Paul]] |developer2=[[Fred Ford (programmer)|Ford, Fred]]|publisher=[[Accolade (company)|Accolade]]|date=1992|platform=[[Personal computer|PC]]|quote='''Melnorme''': The followers of Kzer-Za and Kohr-Ah were all on the brink of madness but neither side would submit, and so they fought a bloody civil war.}}</ref> After devastating losses, the Kzer-Za eventually triumphed through the discovery of an enormous ancient battleship created by a lost alien civilization called the Precursors.<ref>{{cite video game|title=[[Star Control II]]|developer=[[Paul Reiche III|Reiche III, Paul]] |developer2=[[Fred Ford (programmer)|Ford, Fred]]|publisher=[[Accolade (company)|Accolade]]|date=1992|platform=[[Personal computer|PC]]|quote='''Melnorme''': The civil war between the Green Ur-Quan, the followers of Kzer-Za and their opponents, the death-dealing Kohr-Ah, lasted for decades. It is likely that they would have annihilated each other were it not for a chance discovery by a Kzer-Za – a Precursor Battleship! The vessel was huge, many times the size of the Ur-Quan's vessels. The Precursor ship sliced through the Kohr-Ah forces in days – the Kohr-Ah were defeated.}}</ref>

=== Appearances ===
The ''Star Control'' games are set in the [[22nd Century|22nd century]], with the player defending humanity from the Ur-Quan Hierarchy, an [[empire]] of alien races enslaved by the Ur-Quan.<ref name="SC2manual2" /> The original ''Star Control'' is an [[Action game|action]]-[[Strategy video game|strategy game]], telling a simple story about a war between two alliances, with the Ur-Quan seeking to enslave Earth and its allies.<ref name=":7" /> ''[[Star Control II]]'' greatly expands on the fiction and characters from the first game,<ref name=":7" /> allowing the player to learn the Ur-Quan's deeper history and motivations.<ref name="RPSretrospective2">{{cite web|author=Cobbett|first=Richard|date=February 15, 2016|title=The RPG Scrollbars: Praise The Ur-Quan Masters|url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/02/15/star-control-ii-retrospective/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201009112359/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/02/15/star-control-ii-retrospective/|archive-date=October 9, 2020|access-date=October 14, 2020|website=[[Rock Paper Shotgun]]}}</ref> The sequel begins by revealing that the Ur-Quan succeeded in enslaving their enemies, with planet Earth imprisoned under a Slave Shield.<ref name="HG101SC2" /> The story slowly reveals that the Ur-Quan are preoccupied with their 'Second Doctrinal Conflict', a civil war to determine who should hold the moral authority to impose their will on the galaxy.<ref name="RPSretrospective2" /> At the climax of ''Star Control II'', the Ur-Quan are defeated when a bomb destroys their ancient Precursor battleship.<ref name=":1">{{cite web|author=<!--Staff-->|date=March 2, 2000|title=GameSpot Ten Best Endings – Star Control II|url=http://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_bestending/page8.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050219174742/http://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_bestending/page8.html|archive-date=February 19, 2005|access-date=October 14, 2020|website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite video game|title=[[Star Control II]]|developer=[[Paul Reiche III|Reiche III, Paul]] |developer2=[[Fred Ford (programmer)|Ford, Fred]]|publisher=[[Accolade (company)|Accolade]]|date=1992|platform=[[Personal computer|PC]]|quote='''Chmmr''': We realized that the only way to defeat the Ur-Quan was first to destroy their Precursor battle platform... the Sa-Matra. ... To defeat the Ur-Quan you must first destroy the Sa-Matra battle platform. The only way we can envision this occurring is for you to detonate a huge explosive device adjacent to the battle platform, at point blank range.}}</ref> However, ''Star Control II'' can also end with the Kohr-Ah faction winning their civil war, allowing them to annihilate every alien race in the region, one-by-one.<ref name="HG101SC2" />

The Ur-Quan have a minor role in ''[[Star Control 3]]'', which was created by a different development team.<ref name="HG101SC32">{{cite web|author=Kalata|first=Kurt|date=September 11, 2018|title=Star Control 3|url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/star-control-3/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200223201938/http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/star-control-3/|archive-date=February 23, 2020|access-date=October 14, 2020|website=Hardcore Gaming 101}}</ref> The game starts with the Ur-Quan joining an alliance with Earth,<ref name="HG101SC32" /> but they are ultimately undermined by another civil war with the Kohr-Ah.<ref>{{cite web|author=Parks|first=Jason|date=July 30, 1996|title=GameSpot Strategy Guide – Star Control 3|url=http://www.gamespot.com/features/starcontrol/walkthrough03.html#2|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090601144550/http://www.gamespot.com/features/starcontrol/walkthrough03.html#2|archive-date=June 1, 2009|access-date=October 14, 2020|website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref> They are also featured in ''[[The Ur-Quan Masters]]'', the official [[open source]] [[remake]] of ''Star Control II''.<ref name="HG101SC2" /><ref name=":12">{{cite web|author=Gina Lees|date=January 27, 2019|title=The best space games on PC|url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/15-best-pc-space-games|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190127161943/https://www.pcgamesn.com/15-best-pc-space-games|archive-date=January 27, 2019|access-date=December 4, 2020 |website=[[PCGamesN]]}}</ref>

== Concept and creation ==
[[File:Classic Game Postmortem- Star Control (16552069930).jpg|thumb|''Star Control'' creators Paul Reiche III (left) and Fred Ford (middle) at the 2015 [[Game Developers Conference]]|alt=An image of Star Control creators Paule Reiche III (left) and Fred Ford (middle) at the 2015 Games Developer Conference.]]
Creators [[Paul Reiche III]] and [[Fred Ford (programmer)|Fred Ford]] first conceived of the Ur-Quan for the original ''Star Control''.<ref name="GDC2015">{{cite web|author=Ford|first=Fred|author-link=Fred Ford (programmer)|last2=Reiche III|first2=Paul|author-link2=Paul Reiche III|date=June 30, 2015|title=Classic Game Postmortem: Star Control|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Napx0MjivCM|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200605174104/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Napx0MjivCM&gl=US&hl=en|archive-date=June 5, 2020|access-date=May 1, 2020|work=[[Game Developers Conference]]}}</ref><ref name="DeMaria20182">{{cite book|author=DeMaria|first=Rusel|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dAF-DwAAQBAJ|title=High Score! Expanded: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games 3rd Edition|date=December 7, 2018|publisher=[[CRC Press]]|isbn=978-0-429-77139-2|pages=116–117}}</ref> Reiche and Ford began with paper illustrations, which led them to implement ships with special abilities, with each character concept inspired by each ship's unique look-and-feel.<ref name="Barton20162">{{cite book|author=Barton|first=Matt|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UV7OBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA203|title=Honoring the Code: Conversations with Great Game Designers|date=April 19, 2016|publisher=[[CRC Press]]|isbn=978-1-4665-6754-2|pages=203–217}}</ref> Reiche described their character creation process: "I know it probably sounds weird, but when I design a game like this, I make drawings of the characters and stare at them. I hold little conversations with them. 'What do you guys do?' And they tell me".<ref name="DeMaria20182" /> One large spaceship had the ability to launch fighters, and this ship led the designers to a creative conclusion  – since these aliens had command over others, they should be a powerful ancient race that plays the role of the lead antagonist.<ref name="warstories2">{{cite web|author=Hutchinson|first=Lee|last2=Dacaney|first2=Sean|date=December 27, 2018|editor-last=Watkin|editor-first=Evan|title=War Stories: How Star Control II Was Almost TOO Realistic|url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2018/12/video-how-star-control-ii-was-almost-a-much-more-boring-game/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926094948/https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2018/12/video-how-star-control-ii-was-almost-a-much-more-boring-game/|archive-date=September 26, 2020|archive-format=transcript|access-date=October 14, 2020|website=[[Ars Technica]]}}</ref> Reiche and Ford felt that the word "[[wikt:ur-|Ur-]]" had ancient connotations, and liked the sound of "Quan", and thus the Ur-Quan were created.<ref name="youtubex2" />

The first ''Star Control''{{'s}} story was mainly written in the instruction manual,<ref name="HG101SC2">{{cite web|author=Kalata|first=Kurt|date=September 11, 2018|title=Star Control II|url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/star-control-ii/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201020231826/http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/star-control-ii/|archive-date=October 20, 2020|access-date=October 14, 2020|website=Hardcore Gaming 101}}</ref> describing the Ur-Quan as founders of an evil Hierarchy, a "rigid union of the ancient Ur-Quan slavers and their minions".<ref>{{cite web|author=Hall|first=Larry|last2=Wagner|first2=Jeff|last3=Friedland|first3=David|date=1991|title=Star Control Manual (Sega Version)|url=https://segaretro.org/images/0/0b/Star_Control_MD_US_Manual.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127035652/https://segaretro.org/images/0/0b/Star_Control_MD_US_Manual.pdf|archive-date=November 27, 2020|access-date=October 14, 2020|publisher=[[Accolade (company)|Accolade]]}}</ref> Reiche and Ford wrote the Ur-Quan's motivations for galactic dominance as their desire for slaves.<ref name="DeMaria20182" /> Reiche had previously created a mantis-inspired race called the [[Thri-Kreen]] for ''[[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]]'', and the mantis continued to inspire the creation of ''Star Control''<nowiki/>'s [[Insectoids in science fiction|insectoid]] species.<ref name="Barton20162" /> When Reiche saw a ''[[National Geographic]]'' image of a predatory caterpillar dangling over its prey, this became the basis for the Ur-Quan's appearance.<ref name="DeMaria20182" />{{Quote box
| quote = "We really made a conscious effort to stay away from stereotypes and give every alien race a history that justified their behavior. ... In the Ur-Quan's case, they were under cruel, psychic control themselves for millennia and when they finally broke free the desire never to be in that position again ... overpowered any other mitigating factors".
| source = — Fred Ford, ''Star Control'' co-creator, ''[[GameSpy]]'' Classic Gaming Feature<ref>{{cite web|author=<!--Staff-->|date=May 24, 2001|title=Star Control II History – Fred Ford discussion|url=http://www.classicgaming.com/starcontrol/history/fford5.shtml|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010524095750/http://www.classicgaming.com/starcontrol/history/fford5.shtml|archive-date=May 24, 2001|access-date=November 25, 2020|website=GameSpy Classic Gaming}}</ref>
| align = left
| width = 27em
}} The origins of ''Star Control II'' were motivated by the designers' interest in expanding on the first game's story.<ref name="youtubex2" /> As they began writing the new game, Reiche and Ford used the first game's characters to tell simple visual stories about their fictional conflicts.<ref name="Barton20162" /> Their intention was to develop aliens who were exaggerations of human flaws, personalities, and cultures.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|author=Szczepaniak|first=John|date=January 24, 2006|title=Late 1980s and Beyond!|url=https://v1.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/issues/issue_29/176-Late-1980s-and-Beyond.2|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200320081157/https://v1.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/issues/issue_29/176-Late-1980s-and-Beyond.2|archive-date=March 20, 2020|access-date=October 14, 2020|website=[[The Escapist (magazine)|The Escapist]]}}</ref> The Ur-Quan were already understood as a race of slavers in ''Star Control'', so the writers developed their motivation by imagining them as former slaves themselves.<ref name="DeMaria20182" /> Reiche attempted to humanize the Ur-Quan, based on his own "relationships with people who had experienced significant childhood abuse and how those traumas produced distinctly odd behaviors in adults. [The Ur-Quan's] doctrines were the overtly crazy but internally reasonable responses to their treatment by the Dnyarri, and the pain they had to endure to win their freedom from slavery".<ref name=":0" /> The team describes this writing process as imagining justifications for past creative decisions, building logically on details about the Ur-Quan's history, artwork, and game abilities.<ref name="youtubex2">{{cite web|author=Hutchinson|first=Lee|last2=Dacanay|first2=Sean|date=July 7, 2020|editor-last=Niehaus|editor-first=Marcus|title=An extended interview with Star Control creators Fred Ford & Paul Reiche III|url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/07/an-extended-interview-with-star-control-creators-fred-ford-paul-reiche-iii/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200707194115/https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/07/an-extended-interview-with-star-control-creators-fred-ford-paul-reiche-iii/|archive-date=July 7, 2020|archive-format=transcript|access-date=October 14, 2020|website=[[Ars Technica]]|at=(12:42-13:30, 15:16-16:04)|quote='''Paul Reiche''': And when we were coming up with the alien races, I mean if you look at the very first sketches I did for the game, you can see the archetypes. You know, there's a ''[[Battlestar Galactica]]'' like fighter ship. There is a sort of triangular ''Space Wars!'' style ship and those end up being, like, our starting points and foundations for some of the ships. But then ultimately we start telling each other stories about, you know, well why are these guys launched in fighters? Well, maybe someone's commanding them. And who's commanding them? And wow, this is the biggest ship, so these guys need to be leading. And then, well what do we wanna call them? You know, they're an old alien race, so let's use the word Ur which means old in some ancient language and quan 'cause it just sounds cool. So that's how the Ur-Quan came to be. ... And then in ''Star Control II'' we sort of had to figure out why it was all of these races behaved like this in a way that kind of makes sense and is interesting. So why is it that you have an alien race named the Ur-Quan that wanna go around enslaving people? That's a bizarre thing to do. It's very energy consumptive. ... So there was a certain amount of sorting out the psychology. So whereas ''Star Control I'' is tight type strategy action game, but fairly superficial in terms of story, I think we really wanted to go in and investigate those aliens and that's what pretty much led to ''Star Control II''.}}</ref>

The Ur-Quan theme music for ''Star Control II'' was created by fantasy artist [[Erol Otus]], who first composed the song on a [[synthesizer]] before it was re-[[Digital audio|sampled]] and exported to [[MOD (file format)|MOD]] file format.<ref name="youtubex">{{cite web|author=Hutchinson|first=Lee|last2=Dacanay|first2=Sean|date=July 7, 2020|editor-last=Niehaus|editor-first=Marcus|title=An extended interview with Star Control creators Fred Ford & Paul Reiche III|url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/07/an-extended-interview-with-star-control-creators-fred-ford-paul-reiche-iii/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200707194115/https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/07/an-extended-interview-with-star-control-creators-fred-ford-paul-reiche-iii/|archive-date=July 7, 2020|archive-format=transcript|access-date=October 14, 2020|website=[[Ars Technica]]|at=(77:44 – 78:30)|quote='''Paul Reiche''': Early on Erol Otus, who is an artist/writer, awesome DM, he also is a musician. And he created the Ur-Quan Theme, which you hear both at the end of ''Star Control I'', and whenever you meet the Ur-Quan in ''Star Control II''. And he created it on an E-mu Systems Emulator II, which is a dedicated piece of hardware. But it could download samples and play back those samples, so it was very much like the MOD format. So, we had him create this piece of music. And then he gave us the samples and sort of by ear we re-created a MOD using an open-source editor. And then that's when we realized, oh my God, we need professionals to do this.}}</ref> The [[3DO Interactive Multiplayer|3DO]] version of ''Star Control II'' features the voice of Larry Zee for the Ur-Quan Kzer-Za, and David Bryce for the Ur-Quan Kohr-Ah.<ref>{{cite video game|title=[[Star Control II]]|developer=[[Paul Reiche III|Reiche III, Paul]] |developer2=[[Fred Ford (programmer)|Ford, Fred]]|publisher=[[Crystal Dynamics]]|date=1994|platform=[[3DO Interactive Multiplayer|3DO]]}}</ref>

== Reception and legacy ==
[[File:Ray Muzyka 2011.jpg|thumb|[[BioWare]] co-founder [[Ray Muzyka]] has cited ''[[Star Control]]'' as an inspiration, leading journalists to compare the Ur-Quan Kohr-Ah to the [[Reapers (Mass Effect)|Reapers]] in ''[[Mass Effect]]''.|alt=A photo of BioWare founder Ray Muzyka speaking.]]
The Ur-Quan have been described as among the best villains in video games.<ref name=":7" /><ref>{{Cite news|last=Burke|first=Alexander James|date=June 29, 2006|title=Bad to the bone|work=[[The Globe and Mail]]|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/bad-to-the-bone/article23004282/|url-status=live|access-date=October 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160501193826/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/bad-to-the-bone/article23004282/|archive-date=May 1, 2016}}</ref> In 1999, ''[[GameSpot]]'' ranked the Ur-Quan as their best villain in gaming, explaining how their "masochistic and truly sad history makes the Ur-Quan one of the very best villains. Even now, we are hard-pressed to find a race of adversaries as complex and three-dimensional".<ref>{{cite web|author=<!--Staff-->|date=October 13, 1999|title=The Ten Best Computer Game Villains – The Ur Quan|url=http://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_villains/page11.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020823223224/http://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_villains/page11.html|archive-date=August 23, 2002|access-date=October 14, 2020|website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref> This mirrored their reader-voted awards, where fans chose them as the fourth greatest game villains.<ref>{{cite web|author=<!--Staff-->|date=October 12, 1999|title=Reader's Choice: Best Villains – Villains 5–1|url=https://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_villains_rc/page8.html/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991012071819/https://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_villains_rc/page8.html/|archive-date=October 12, 1999|access-date=October 14, 2020|website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref> Richard Cobbett of ''[[Rock Paper Shotgun|Rock, Paper, Shotgun]]'' declared them a "galactic threat better than basically any science fiction [[role-playing video game]] that came after", praising the writers for developing the antagonist's motives and justifications.<ref name="RPSretrospective2" /> Game historian Rusel DeMaria also proclaimed the Ur-Quan as one of the all-time villainous races in gaming history.<ref name="DeMaria20182" /> ''[[The A.V. Club]]'' included the Ur-Quan in their 2021 list of best aliens in pop culture, describing them as "tremendous [[Science fiction|sci-fi]] villains, importing heady old-school concepts into ''Star Control''’s relentlessly fun space-based action".<ref>{{Cite web|last=Hughes|first=William|date=May 8, 2021|title=The best aliens in pop culture|url=https://www.avclub.com/who-s-your-favorite-alien-1846839754|access-date=May 8, 2021|website=[[The A.V. Club]]|archive-date=May 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210508055233/https://www.avclub.com/who-s-your-favorite-alien-1846839754|url-status=live}}</ref> Noting their overall impact on the game industry, ''[[Hardcore Gaming 101]]'' agreed that the Ur-Quan are "rightfully ranked among gaming's greatest villains", as "their terrible history evokes a classic sympathy for the devil, a dramatic moment that many authors only hope to achieve."<ref name=":7">{{Cite web|last=Sanchay|first=Pre|date=May 12, 2021|editor-last=Kalata|editor-first=Kurt|title=Now and Forever: The Legacy of the Star Control II Universe – Hardcore Gaming 101|url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/now-and-forever-the-legacy-of-the-star-control-ii-universe/|access-date=May 18, 2021|website=Hardcore Gaming 101|language=en-US|archive-date=May 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210518185633/http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/now-and-forever-the-legacy-of-the-star-control-ii-universe/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The Ur-Quan remain an iconic part of what made ''Star Control II'' a success. ''GameSpot'' further celebrated the Ur-Quan for their role in ''Star Control II'' as one of the best game endings,<ref name=":1" /> and ''GameSpot'' readers frequently proclaimed their role in one of the best game [[Setting (narrative)|settings]].<ref name="GamespotTop10Worlds">{{cite web|date=October 18, 2000|title=GameSpot's Top 10 Gameworlds|url=http://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_readers_worlds/p2_01.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050228215510/http://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_readers_worlds/p2_01.html|archive-date=February 28, 2005|access-date=October 14, 2020|website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref> The [[Red Bull]] Gaming channel also highlighted the Ur-Quan's importance to the classic setting of ''Star Control II''.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Houghton|first=Stuart|date=May 2, 2017|title=10 classic game worlds we'd love to revisit|url=https://www.redbull.com/ca-en/10-classic-game-worlds|access-date=May 2, 2017|website=[[Red Bull|Red Bull Gaming]]|language=en|archive-date=May 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210518041136/https://www.redbull.com/ca-en/10-classic-game-worlds|url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[RhythmOne|AllGame]]'' hailed the game as a "masterpiece" for its story, explaining how "the Ur-Quan, ostensibly the major villains, [...] become more sympathetic than most of the friendly-but-fluttery allies populating your own fleet. This is a rare and praiseworthy design achievement."<ref>{{Cite web|author=Laramee|first=Francois|date=November 15, 2014|title=Star Control II – Review – allgame|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=14213&tab=review|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141115211825/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=14213&tab=review|archive-date=2014-11-15|access-date=June 16, 2020|website=AllGame}}</ref>

In addition, the Ur-Quan have been acclaimed for their music and [[Sound design|audio design]]. Kurt Kalata of ''Hardcore Gaming 101'' described how the music of ''Star Control II'' gives each alien race a stronger personality, particularly the Ur-Quan's foreboding theme.<ref name="HG101SC2" /> This similarly led ''GameSpot'' to rank the ''Star Control II'' soundtrack as the second greatest of all time, as "these themes were as diverse as the aliens' appearances. Your Green Ur-Quan masters had a commanding, pounding beat, while their more sinister brothers, the Black Ur-Quan, had a more menacing and subtle theme".<ref>{{cite web|date=October 13, 1999|title=The Ten Best Game Soundtracks|url=http://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_music/page9.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030406171219/http://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_music/page9.html|archive-date=April 6, 2003|access-date=October 14, 2020|website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref> John Szczepaniak of ''[[Retro Gamer]]'' praised the Ur-Quan's voice acting and dialog, including the "absolute dread caused by hearing in-depth explanations of what it's like to wear a 'pain excruciator'".<ref name="retrogamer142">{{cite magazine|author=Szczepaniak|first=John|date=June 2005|title=Control & Conquer|url=http://publicaciones.retromuseo.com:8123/Revistasv1/Retro%20Gamer%20%5Ben-UK%5D/retro%20gamer%20%5Ben-uk%5D%20014.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190706201713/http://publicaciones.retromuseo.com:8123/Revistasv1/Retro%20Gamer%20%5Ben-UK%5D/retro%20gamer%20%5Ben-uk%5D%20014.pdf|archive-date=July 6, 2019|access-date=October 14, 2020|magazine=[[Retro Gamer]]|issue=14|pages=85–87}}</ref>

''Star Control 3'' was developed and written by a different team.<ref name=":7" /> Kurt Kalata felt that the game failed to give the Ur-Quan a meaningful role, though he praised their transformation from antagonist to ally.<ref name="HG101SC32" /> Similarly, [[Niko Nirvi]] of ''[[Pelit]]'' commented that ''Star Control 3'' lacked an enemy as compelling as the Ur-Quan Kohr-Ah.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Nirvi|first=Niko|date=January 9, 1996|title=Star Control 3 – Kolmas kzer-za toden sanoo|url=https://www.pelit.fi/artikkelit/star-control-3/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201014025340/https://www.pelit.fi/artikkelit/star-control-3/|archive-date=October 14, 2020|access-date=October 14, 2020 |website=[[Pelit]]|language=fi}}</ref>

=== Influence ===
''Star Control II'' has inspired several game studios, where the Ur-Quan have influenced some of the most successful space titles. With several ''Star Control II'' fans at [[Paradox Interactive]], their space strategy game [[Stellaris (video game)|''Stellaris'']] offers the ability to encase a planet in a slave shield, and references the Ur-Quan's battle thralls as a policy option.<ref name=":7" /> ''Star Control II'' has also been noted as an influence on ''[[Mass Effect (video game)|Mass Effect]]'' writers [[Mike Laidlaw]] and [[Patrick Weekes]].<ref name=":7" /> The game had an impact on Laidlaw's formative years,<ref name=":02">{{Cite book|last=Sainsbury|first=Matt|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8_abCgAAQBAJ&q=%22Mike+Laidlaw%22+%22mass+effect%22+-ubisoft&pg=PA89|title=Game Art: Art from 40 Video Games and Interviews with Their Creators|date=2015|publisher=[[No Starch Press]]|isbn=978-1-59327-665-2|pages=88–91|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Marcon|first=Erin|date=November 20, 2014|title=Interview: BioWare on Dragon Age: Inquisition|url=http://blackpanel.com.au/2014/11/11/interview-bioware-on-dragon-age-inquisition/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141120084042/http://blackpanel.com.au/2014/11/11/interview-bioware-on-dragon-age-inquisition/|archive-date=November 20, 2014|access-date=November 25, 2020|website=The Black Panel}}</ref> and he later praised the Ur-Quan as one of the game's compelling mysteries.<ref name=":7" /> [[BioWare]] co-founder [[Ray Muzyka]] has also credited ''Star Control'' as an inspiration for the ''[[Mass Effect]]'' series.<ref>{{cite web|author=Gaudiosi|first=John|date=November 20, 2007|title=Critically Acclaimed Mass Effect Powered by Unreal Engine 3|url=https://www.unrealengine.com/ko/blog/mass-effect?lang=ko|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127035654/https://www.unrealengine.com/ko/blog/mass-effect?lang=ko|archive-date=November 27, 2020|access-date=October 14, 2020|website=[[Unreal Engine|Unrealengine.com]]}}</ref> Journalists have since noted the design similarities between the Ur-Quan and ''Mass Effect''{{'}}s [[Reapers (Mass Effect)|Reapers]].<ref name=":7" /><ref>{{cite web|author=Ullery|first=Chris|date=March 13, 2012|title=Arcade Arcana: Star Control II–Mass Effect's Estranged, Spiritual Father|url=http://pikigeek.com/2012/03/13/arcade-arcana-star-control-iimass-effects-estranged-spiritual-father/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316053519/http://geek.pikimal.com/2012/03/13/arcade-arcana-star-control-iimass-effects-estranged-spiritual-father/|archive-date=March 16, 2012|access-date=October 14, 2020|website=PikiGeek}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://sc2.sourceforge.net/ ''The Ur-Quan Masters''], the authorized free version of ''Star Control II''

{{Star Control}}

[[Category:Video game characters introduced in 1990]]
[[Category:Video game mascots]]
[[Category:Video game species and races]]
[[Category:Genetically engineered characters in video games]]
[[Category:Extraterrestrial characters in video games]]
[[Category:Video game antagonists]]
[[Category:Star Control]]