Escape Velocity Override
| Escape Velocity Override | |
|---|---|
| File:Override splash.gif | |
| Developer(s) | Ambrosia Software |
| Publisher(s) | Ambrosia Software |
| Platform(s) | Mac OS |
| Release | 1998 |
| Genre(s) | RPG |
| Mode(s) | single player |
Escape Velocity Override is a Macintosh-only role-playing game that takes place in space. It is the sequel to Escape Velocity, a game developed by Ambrosia Software. It features an entirely new story line with a much bigger universe and many more governments and missions than the first, and an extended version of the original game engine.
The game involves the player as an independent space captain making his way through the galaxy. There are several governments which control different sectors of the galaxy: United Earth at the south of the known galaxy, the Voinians to the west, the Miranu to the north, and the Strand races: the Igadzra, Zidagar, and Azdgari to the east. The player has the choice of aiding any of these governments through doing missions and completing different plotlines. However, like the rest of the Escape Velocity series, it has no real ending and the player can play the game without ever getting involved in the politics of the galaxy.
Although Escape Velocity and EV Override are written for the classic Mac OS, and therefore run natively only on Mac OS 9 and earlier, plug-ins for EV Nova that simulate the first two titles using the new game's engine have been released with Ambrosia's authorisation. Because EV Nova runs natively on both Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows, virtually anyone can now play the stories of all three games regardless of their operating system.
Gameplay
The player starts out in United Earth territory with a small shuttlecraft, the weakest ship in the game. The player can land on planets, where he can buy different equipment and weapons for his ship, buy a new ship, buy and sell commodities on the Commodities Market, and get missions in either the Mission Computer or the Spaceport Bar. Missions generally available in the Mission Computer are simple shipments and cargo runs that pay a fair amount of money, whereas missions in the Spaceport Bar are generally connected to a set of missions or a story line that will change the galaxy should you choose to accept.
The player can travel to different systems in the galaxy, controlled by different governments, each with their own planets. Missions usually involve traveling to other systems and either landing on a planet or destroying an enemy fleet or ship. In EV Override, some systems change in response to missions, and often after completing one of the main plotlines systems will have been conquered and/or destroyed.
One of the principles of the Escape Velocity series is that the player does not have to participate in special missions or politics. Any player can make a living by simply doing the missions in the mission computer or buying and selling commodities. Though many of the ships in the galaxy are only available after completing different sets of missions, there are a huge selection of ships available to the player, allowing a simple trader to get stronger and richer as he becomes more powerful. Players who are powerful enough can even force planets to pay tribute by defeating their defence fleets (though this will, of course, render them highly unpopular with the planets' governments and allies).
Governments
United Earth
United Earth is centered around its capital, Earth, in the Sol system. It was founded in response to a sudden invasion by the Voinians, a cruel, warlike race to the galactic west. Earth was narrowly defended, the only thing saving humanity being the new, fast strike fighters which overwhelmed the slow Voinian ships. In Override, the war between the Voinians and United Earth still rages on, although both have seemingly reached a stalemate.
Technology
United Earth ships feature a balance of speed, firepower, and defenses. UE ships are not as fast as ships of the Crescent, and feature weaker shields, but easily beat Voinian ships in both respects. This places UE ships as the middleground of the three galactic technology sets. United Earth ships make heavy use of the Blaze Cannon, a fast-firing energy cannon that can be easily installed in mass numbers on most ships. It is quite inaccurate and short ranged, and is most effective in head-on assaults. Also available to the United Earth are stolen Voinian technologies, like the Rocket Launcher and the modified Hunter Missile Launcher, which are outfitted to capital ships for an extra punch. In the United Earth storyline, the player can actually help the humans to gain access to more Voinian technology (the Paaren Station missions).
The ships used by the United Earth military are:
- UE Fighter
- UE Destroyer
- UE Carrier
- UE Cruiser (a special prototype warship)
These ships can be acquired by the player after completing certain United Earth missions. The UE Cruiser can only be acquired after completing a separate, optional set of missions.
As well as the military ships seen around UE space, there are also civilian ships available to any pilot in the game (assuming you are allowed to land to buy them). There are the ships primarily designed for cargo deliveries:
- Shuttle (the ship the player begins the game with)
- Scoutship
- Freighter
- Transporter
- Freight-Courier
as well as a handful of ships more often seen in the hands of renegade pilots in the southern parts of UE space than law-abiding citizens:
- Krait
- Helian
- Turncoat
Some weapons used by the United Earth are:
- Blaze Cannon
- Rocket Launcher
- Hunter Missile Launcher
- Needle Missiles
Voinians
The Voinians are an aggressive race to the galactic west, controlled by the government on their capitol of Voina in the system of the same name. Almost all of their Empire was acquired through invasion and the natives of the worlds were either forced into slavery or wiped out altogether. They once invaded and attacked the United Earth, the unified human race located east of the Voinian empire, without warning, pushing them back all the way to Earth. The human race would have been destroyed had not the ingenuity of the humans saved themselves from destruction. The two sides still fight bitterly over their territories, though at the time of the game both sides have reached a virtual standstill.
The Voinians have other enemies. The Emalgha, a primitive race to the northeast, have managed to defend against Voinian invasion despite their lack of technology (the only reason they survive is because they have armor-piercing weaponry). Also, the Voinians have to keep the Hinwar, a race which they enslaved, under control.
Technology
Voinian technology is somewhat cruder than that of the rest of the galaxy. Armor plating is used instead of conventional energy shielding to protect warships (due to the Voinians' low tech shielding technology), and the Voinian ships and even fighters are very slow. They rely on bulk and brute strength for their power, unlike the faster swarming tactics used by the United Earth. Their weapons reflect this strategy, and trade firing speed for raw power and long range. The prime example of this is their Neutron Cannon: it shoots far, is very accurate, and packs a great punch, but it lacks firing speed and the individual shots travel slowly through space. One-on-one, most Voinian ships can easily defeat their UE counterparts. However, UE ships have a huge advantage in numbers and maneuverability that the Voinians cannot match easily, making both sides balanced.
Both the UE and the Emalgha stole the Voinians' simple rocket design though the UE often use a modified version which include guidance systems. Due to the slow turn rate of Voinian ships, capital ships launch rockets from turrets.
Because of the Voinians' extensive use of armor, pilots using spaceships and weaponry from the outer Crescent will have a tough time fighting them. Crescent weapons are very effective against shields (and can tear UE forces to shreds), but are very weak against armor. Consequently, only the heaviest Strand warships can hope to trade broadsides with Voinian capital ships. Captains with Crescent technology are encouraged to use their superior speed and agility to offset this weakness. One of the Empire's main weaknesses is the pitifully weak Supply Ships, which are easily disabled and destroyed by raiding UE task forces. Voinian fighters are tough in terms of firepower but not being much faster than capital ships, pose little threat to most other ships.
The ships used by the Voinians are:
- Voinian Heavy Fighter
- Voinian Interceptor
- Voinian Frigate
- Voinian Cruiser
- Voinian Supply Ship
- Voinian Dreadnought (a special prototype warship)
The Crescent
Located along the fringes of space, spanning a wide arc around the core planets, the Crescent is home to the peaceful Miranu and the belligerent Strand. On average, Crescent ships are faster and more agile than their United Earth counterparts, and can fly circles around the Voinians. Crescent ships have the most powerful shielding in the game, and consequently, the most effective weaponry against shields. This makes Crescent ships extremely dangerous when fighting United Earth spacecraft, but very weak against the Voinians. Crescent ships have little armor, or in some cases, no armor at all.
Ships commonly found throughout the Crescent:
- Crescent Fighter
- Arada
- Lazira
- Crescent Warship
The Miranu
Peaceful traders, the Miranu lie to the galactic north of UE planets. Miranu missions pay higher than their UE counterparts, and as such, many new pilots will head to Miranu space early in the game for the extra money. The Miranu use mostly merchant ships designed for hauling huge amounts of cargo. The Miranu are on good terms with just about every government in the game, and will trade with anyone except the Voinians.
Ships used by the Miranu include:
- Miranu Freighter
- Miranu Heavy Freighter
- Miranu Courier
The Zachit
A subgroup of the Miranu, the Zachit are dedicated to protecting the edges of Miranu space from pirates. The Zachit do not command any heavy warships, but they have modified several stock ships to increase their offensive and defensive capabilities, which is ideal for skirmishes with pirates. By completing several missions, a pilot has the option of purchasing the only ship the Miranu ever created specifically for combat, the Miranu Gunship, which is only available through the Zachit.
Ships used by the Zachit:
- Miranu Gunship
- Zachit Arada
- Zachit Fighter
The Strand
All three governments of the Strand are actually comprised of the same species (in fact, their names are all anagrams of each other), but have been separated into distinct factions for aeons. They are currently engaged in The Strand War, over territory.
Azdgari
The Azdgari are one of the three Strand governments. The Azdgari are fierce raiders whose territory reaches along the outer rim of the Strand. Nomadic by nature, they had their homeworld destroyed by the Zidagar but had already fled the planet when the Zidagar attacked. Azdgari ships are primarily built for speed. While they employ their own modified versions of both Crescent Warships and Aradas, the definitive Azdgari craft is the Azdara, a blazingly fast quad-winged fighter mounted with swivel phase cannons. Carried by Azdgari Warships, the Azdara is the fastest ship in the game, and its shields recharge quickly. Unless it is completely destroyed by sustained fire, the Azdara's shields will be full by the time it turns around for another pass on its target. Furthermore, Azdgari Warships can empty their fighter bay of 6 Azdaras in under a second, the quickest of any fighter bay in the galaxy. They favour close-quarters fighting over long-range battles; their upgraded Arada being the only ship that mounts missiles as standard.
Ships unique to the Azdgari include:
- Azdara
- Azdgari Arada
- Azdgari Warship
Zidagar
The Zidagar are one of the three Strand governments. Described as honest, brave, and slightly crazy, the Zidagar are a very enthusiastic people. The Zidagar are a middle ground between the fast, lightly armed ships of the Azdgari, and the Igadzra's slower, more powerful ships. They occupy the territory of the Crescent between the Miranu and the other two Strands. The Zidagar's workhorse is the Zidara; with slightly less defensive capabilities than an unmodified Crescent Warship, but slightly more speed than its primary competitor, the Azdgari Warship. Smaller than other carriers, they can hold only a pair of Zidagar fighters. Mainly to combat the Azdgari Azdaras, the trademark weapon of the Zidagar is the Phased Disruptor beam, a close-range weapon that tears through shields and proves very effective at holding off swarms of Azdaras and the powerful Igazras.
Ships unique to the Zidagar include:
- Zidagar Fighter
- Zidara
Igadzra
The Igadzra are the last of the three Strand governments. They are very secretive and paranoid, and tend to keep to themselves. Their territory falls between the UE, with whom they have limited relations, and the other two Strands. Since the Igadzra are xenophobic, they do not initially allow the player to land on their planets. The Igadzra's primary warship, the Igazra, has the most powerful shielding in the game, and the second-most armor of any ship in the Crescent (the Miranu Heavy Freighter has more). A modified Igazra is virtually unstoppable; with capabilities severely outclassing every other apex warship from every other government in the game. Due to their fairly limited speed and agility, Igadzra ships often employ Search and Eliminate (or SAE) modules to destroy their targets from a safe, distant range.
Ships unique to the Igadzra inlude:
- Igadzra Arada
- Igazra
Strandless
To the south of Igadzra space are those deemed "Strandless". They are former members of the other strands who have been exiled for crimes. As a result, many become renegades while the rest do not take part in the warring of the Crescent and don't really fall under the rule of any government. Because exile is irreversible and all offspring of Strandless are also considered Strandless, they represent a considerable population of beings. They fly ordinary Crescent ships and lack specialised military ships. For the most part, they are ignored by other governments and aren't hostile to anyone other than renegades, which given their background, many end up becoming anyway.
Renegades
Pirate ships wreak havoc throughout space. The United Earth and Miranu have the most rampant piracy problems due to their proximity to renegade bases. In UE space, renegades generally fly Helians or Kraits, though a Turncoat is not uncommon either. Due to the comparative superiority of UE military, they generally attack within independent or uninhabited systems. The UE are yet to flush them out due to forces being spread thin along the frontiers to prevent Voinian invasion. In Miranu space, the Zachit keep the much more powerful and better organised renegades of the North Tip under control.
Cap'n Hector
While using the shareware demo of Escape Velocity Override, a pirate named "Cap'n Hector" will often jump into a system and remind the player to purchase the full version. Once the allotted thirty days of shareware are up, "Cap'n Hector" will frequently rob the galactic bank, causing the player to lose enormous sums of money, often ruining an entire game. The only way to avoid this is to purchase the game.