Cavedog Entertainment
Encyclopedia
Cavedog Entertainment, or Cavedog, was a video game developer
based in Bothell, Washington
. Cavedog gained the attention of gamers and the gaming press alike with the 1997 release of Total Annihilation
(TA), winning many accolades such as multiple Game of the Year honors or being one of The Greatest Games of All Time.
and Shelley Day
, to pursue the creation of mainstream
games. Humongous Entertainment was originally independent, but was purchased in 1996 by GT Interactive, a video game publisher later acquired by Infogrames
in 1999 (later renamed to Atari).
In the same year Squaresoft closed its office in Redmond, so many of their former developers were hired for Cavedog, notabely game music composer Jeremy Soule
and graphics designer Clayton Kauzlaric
, who created the logo for Cavedog. After two years of development on Cavedog's first product, Total Annihilation, it was presented at the E3 at Atlanta 1997 and published on September 30, 1997.
The game's creator, Chris Taylor
, left the company shortly before the release of the Total Annihilation: Core Contingency expansion pack
to found his own development house, Gas Powered Games
. Despite this loss, Cavedog released one more expansion pack, Total Annihilation: Battle Tactics
, as well as many freely downloadable enhancements and patch
es, and built strong community support with their own online service Boneyards (now shut down) that matched opponents and provided a continuing game campaign.
In 1999, Cavedog released the eagerly anticipated Total Annihilation: Kingdoms. TA:Kingdoms largely reused the TA game engine
, replacing the science fiction
theme with one of fantasy
. TA:Kingdoms did not resonate as well with critics or fans of the original title. One expansion pack was released, The Iron Plague.
The closure of Cavedog came as the game industry began to experience a downturn in sales, to which parent company GT Interactive, was no exception. Besides the TA franchise
, Cavedog had three ambitious games in development, but only Total Annihilation and TA:Kingdoms made it to store shelves and their sales were much smaller than their user base.
The unfinished projects were Amen: The Awakening
, a first-person shooter
; Elysium, a fantasy adventure
title, and Good & Evil, an adventure title from Ron Gilbert. With GT Interactive spiraling into debt
and no ship dates in sight, all three were discontinued by the Fall of 1999.
GT Interactive was purchased by Infogrames and the Cavedog label was discarded by Humongous Entertainment in 2000, which renewed its focus on children's games. Cavedog declared bankruptcy in 2000. Humongous Entertainment was shut down in 2005 by Infogrames (now called Atari).
Cavedog's developers have played significant roles at Gas Powered Games
and Beep Industries
.
Video game developer
A video game developer is a software developer that creates video games. A developer may specialize in a certain video game console, such as Nintendo's Wii, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3, or may develop for a variety of systems, including personal computers.Most developers also...
based in Bothell, Washington
Bothell, Washington
Bothell is a city located in King and Snohomish Counties in the state of Washington. It is part of the Seattle metropolitan area. The population was 33,505 as of the 2010 census...
. Cavedog gained the attention of gamers and the gaming press alike with the 1997 release of Total Annihilation
Total Annihilation
Total Annihilation is a real-time strategy video game created by Cavedog Entertainment, a sub-division of Humongous Entertainment, and released on September 30, 1997 by GT Interactive for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS. It was the first RTS game to feature 3D units and terrain...
(TA), winning many accolades such as multiple Game of the Year honors or being one of The Greatest Games of All Time.
History
Cavedog Entertainment was a label created in 1996 by Humongous Entertainment, a developer of children's computer games founded by Ron GilbertRon Gilbert
Ron Gilbert is an American computer game designer, programmer, and producer, best known for his work on several classic LucasArts adventure games, including Maniac Mansion and the first two Monkey Island games. Gilbert was also co-founder of Humongous Entertainment and its sister company Cavedog...
and Shelley Day
Shelley Day
Shelley Day is a former producer of children's video games. She founded Humongous Entertainment with colleague Ron Gilbert. She created the famous Putt-Putt character as a bedtime story for her son, which became a series of popular children's video games. In 1999 she was listed on Time Magazine as...
, to pursue the creation of mainstream
Mainstream
Mainstream is, generally, the common current thought of the majority. However, the mainstream is far from cohesive; rather the concept is often considered a cultural construct....
games. Humongous Entertainment was originally independent, but was purchased in 1996 by GT Interactive, a video game publisher later acquired by Infogrames
Infogrames
Infogrames Entertainment SA was an international French holding company headquartered in Paris, France. It was the owner of Atari, Inc., headquartered in New York City, U.S. and Atari Europe. It was founded in 1983 by Bruno Bonnell and Christophe Sapet using the proceeds from an introductory...
in 1999 (later renamed to Atari).
In the same year Squaresoft closed its office in Redmond, so many of their former developers were hired for Cavedog, notabely game music composer Jeremy Soule
Jeremy Soule
Jeremy Soule is an American composer of soundtracks for film, television and video games. He has won multiple awards and has been described as the "John Williams of video game music" and "a model of success" for Western composers. He has composed soundtracks for over 60 games and over a dozen...
and graphics designer Clayton Kauzlaric
Clayton Kauzlaric
Clayton Kauzlaric is a game designer, writer and animator. He and Ron Gilbert co-created episodic adventure game called DeathSpank, produced at Hothead Games in Vancouver, British Columbia. Kauzlaric was a founding member of Cavedog Entertainment and was the founder of Beep Industries, a first...
, who created the logo for Cavedog. After two years of development on Cavedog's first product, Total Annihilation, it was presented at the E3 at Atlanta 1997 and published on September 30, 1997.
The game's creator, Chris Taylor
Chris Taylor (game designer)
Chris Taylor is a computer game designer and entrepreneur most famous for developing Total Annihilation and the Dungeon Siege series and for founding Gas Powered Games...
, left the company shortly before the release of the Total Annihilation: Core Contingency expansion pack
Expansion pack
An expansion pack, expansion set, or supplement is an addition to an existing role-playing game, tabletop game or video game. These add-ons usually add new game areas, weapons, objects, and/or an extended storyline to a complete and already released game...
to found his own development house, Gas Powered Games
Gas Powered Games
Gas Powered Games is a video game developer located in Redmond, Washington. The development studio was started in May 1998 by Chris Taylor, creator of Total Annihilation, and several other ex-Cavedog Entertainment employees....
. Despite this loss, Cavedog released one more expansion pack, Total Annihilation: Battle Tactics
Total Annihilation: Battle Tactics
Total Annihilation: Battle Tactics is the second of two expansion packs for the popular RTS computer game Total Annihilation, released on June 30, 1998 in the United States. Its features include 100 new missions as either the Arm or the Core, four new units and new keyboard shortcuts...
, as well as many freely downloadable enhancements and patch
Patch (computing)
A patch is a piece of software designed to fix problems with, or update a computer program or its supporting data. This includes fixing security vulnerabilities and other bugs, and improving the usability or performance...
es, and built strong community support with their own online service Boneyards (now shut down) that matched opponents and provided a continuing game campaign.
In 1999, Cavedog released the eagerly anticipated Total Annihilation: Kingdoms. TA:Kingdoms largely reused the TA game engine
Game engine
A game engine is a system designed for the creation and development of video games. There are many game engines that are designed to work on video game consoles and personal computers...
, replacing the science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
theme with one of fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
. TA:Kingdoms did not resonate as well with critics or fans of the original title. One expansion pack was released, The Iron Plague.
The closure of Cavedog came as the game industry began to experience a downturn in sales, to which parent company GT Interactive, was no exception. Besides the TA franchise
Media franchise
A media franchise is an intellectual property involving the characters, setting and trademarks of an original work of media , such as a film, a work of literature, a television program or a video game. Generally, a whole series is made in a particular medium, along with merchandising and endorsements...
, Cavedog had three ambitious games in development, but only Total Annihilation and TA:Kingdoms made it to store shelves and their sales were much smaller than their user base.
The unfinished projects were Amen: The Awakening
Amen: The Awakening
Amen: The Awakening was a narrative driven first-person shooter/computer role-playing game with some stealth elements by Cavedog Entertainment. It was to be the first FPS by Cavedog...
, a first-person shooter
First-person shooter
First-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other...
; Elysium, a fantasy adventure
Adventure game
An adventure game is a video game in which the player assumes the role of protagonist in an interactive story driven by exploration and puzzle-solving instead of physical challenge. The genre's focus on story allows it to draw heavily from other narrative-based media such as literature and film,...
title, and Good & Evil, an adventure title from Ron Gilbert. With GT Interactive spiraling into debt
Debt
A debt is an obligation owed by one party to a second party, the creditor; usually this refers to assets granted by the creditor to the debtor, but the term can also be used metaphorically to cover moral obligations and other interactions not based on economic value.A debt is created when a...
and no ship dates in sight, all three were discontinued by the Fall of 1999.
GT Interactive was purchased by Infogrames and the Cavedog label was discarded by Humongous Entertainment in 2000, which renewed its focus on children's games. Cavedog declared bankruptcy in 2000. Humongous Entertainment was shut down in 2005 by Infogrames (now called Atari).
Cavedog's developers have played significant roles at Gas Powered Games
Gas Powered Games
Gas Powered Games is a video game developer located in Redmond, Washington. The development studio was started in May 1998 by Chris Taylor, creator of Total Annihilation, and several other ex-Cavedog Entertainment employees....
and Beep Industries
Beep Industries
Beep Industries is a video game developer known for creating Voodoo Vince for the Xbox video game console.-Company history:Beep Industries was founded in 2000 by Clayton Kauzlaric. Their best known console release is a platform game called Voodoo Vince, exclusively for the Xbox...
.
External links
- Cavedog Entertainment profile on MobyGamesMobyGames-Platforms not yet included:- Further reading :* Rusel DeMaria, Johnny L. Wilson, High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games, McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media; 2 edition , ISBN 0-07-223172-6...