Ground Zero: Texas
Encyclopedia
Ground Zero: Texas is a full motion video
game, released for the Sega Mega-CD
in November 1993. The game relies heavily on video footage, with which the player interacts. It contains 110 minutes of interactive footage from four different cameras. It was directed by Dwight H. Little
, who is also known for the films Marked for Death
and Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers
.
system. The game had a two million dollar budget - most of which was generated by the bundling of Sewer Shark with Mega CD consoles.
The game started life with the codename Project X, a script written by Digital Pictures co-founder Ken Melville that was inspired by Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Invaders from Mars
. By the time development started the script had been re-written by Alan B. McElroy
, Edward Neumeier
and Joshua Stallings.
The game's FMV was shot by a full Hollywood film crew, which meant that Digital Pictures had to negotiate with the Directors Guild, Screen Actors Guild and Writers Guild - the first time this had been done for a video game.
In the game, the film elements suffered due to the technical limitations of the Mega CD. The film had to be processed to reduce it to a palette of 64 colours and to accommodate the slow data transfer rate of the CD drive. Despite the limitations, the game's visual appearance was still described as "breathtaking" for 1993 by Edge
.
.
Full motion video
Full motion video based games are video games that rely upon pre-recorded TV-quality movie or animation rather than sprites, vectors, or 3D models to display action in the game. In the early 1990s a diverse set of games utilized this format...
game, released for the Sega Mega-CD
Sega Mega-CD
The is an add-on device for the Mega Drive video game console, designed and produced by Sega and released in Japan, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. The device was also released in North America under the name Sega CD, for the Sega Genesis...
in November 1993. The game relies heavily on video footage, with which the player interacts. It contains 110 minutes of interactive footage from four different cameras. It was directed by Dwight H. Little
Dwight H. Little
Dwight Hubbard Little is an American film director, known for directing the films Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers, The Phantom of the Opera, Marked for Death, Rapid Fire and Murder at 1600...
, who is also known for the films Marked for Death
Marked for Death
Marked for Death is a 1990 action film directed by Dwight H. Little. It stars Steven Seagal as John Hatcher, a former DEA troubleshooter. Upon moving back to his home town, Hatcher finds it taken over by a gang of vicious Jamaican drug dealers, led by Screwface.The film is widely considered by...
and Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers
Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers
Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers is a 1988 slasher film and the fourth installment of the Halloween film series, directed by Dwight H. Little and written by Alan B. McElroy. The central plot focuses on Michael Myers returning home to kill his niece Jamie Lloyd , the daughter of Laurie...
.
Plot
Aliens have attacked El Cadron, a small border town in Texas. The player has arrived to save the townspeople, who’ve been disappearing. The aliens have clever ways of disguising themselves as townspeople. the player's mission is to do away with them, but they can’t be killed with regular guns. The player is armed with four BattleCams, with a stunning particle beam that stops the alien temporarily. The player must rid the world of the Reticulan menace before the entire area is destroyed by a nuclear bomb.Development
Ground Zero Texas was a "second-generation" title for Digital Pictures, their first titles for the Mega CD having been rehashes of titles developed for Hasbro's aborted NEMONemo
Nemo is a Latin word meaning "no man" or "no one". "Nemo" may also refer to:-Fiction:* Captain Nemo, captain of the submarine Nautilus in Jules Verne's novels Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and Mysterious Island...
system. The game had a two million dollar budget - most of which was generated by the bundling of Sewer Shark with Mega CD consoles.
The game started life with the codename Project X, a script written by Digital Pictures co-founder Ken Melville that was inspired by Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Invaders from Mars
Invaders from Mars (1953 film)
Invaders From Mars is a science fiction film directed by William Cameron Menzies, taken from a scenario by Richard Blake, and based on a story treatment by John Tucker Battle who was inspired by a dream recounted by his wife. It was produced independently by Edward L. Alperson Jr. and starred...
. By the time development started the script had been re-written by Alan B. McElroy
Alan B. McElroy
Alan B. McElroy is an American writer, film director and producer.McElroy was born in Cleveland, Ohio and is a graduate of Miami University with a degree in Psychology.He is the creator of Wrong Turn.- External links :...
, Edward Neumeier
Edward Neumeier
Edward Neumeier is an American screenwriter best known for his work on the science fiction movies RoboCop and Starship Troopers...
and Joshua Stallings.
The game's FMV was shot by a full Hollywood film crew, which meant that Digital Pictures had to negotiate with the Directors Guild, Screen Actors Guild and Writers Guild - the first time this had been done for a video game.
In the game, the film elements suffered due to the technical limitations of the Mega CD. The film had to be processed to reduce it to a palette of 64 colours and to accommodate the slow data transfer rate of the CD drive. Despite the limitations, the game's visual appearance was still described as "breathtaking" for 1993 by Edge
Edge (magazine)
Edge is a multi-format computer and video game magazine published by Future Publishing in the United Kingdom. It is known for its industry contacts, editorial stance, distinctive anonymous third-person writing style, yearly awards and longevity....
.
Cast and crew
- Dwight H. LittleDwight H. LittleDwight Hubbard Little is an American film director, known for directing the films Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers, The Phantom of the Opera, Marked for Death, Rapid Fire and Murder at 1600...
- Director - Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
- Alan B. McElroyAlan B. McElroyAlan B. McElroy is an American writer, film director and producer.McElroy was born in Cleveland, Ohio and is a graduate of Miami University with a degree in Psychology.He is the creator of Wrong Turn.- External links :...
- Screenplay - Edward NeumeierEdward NeumeierEdward Neumeier is an American screenwriter best known for his work on the science fiction movies RoboCop and Starship Troopers...
- Story - Joshua Stallings - Story
- Alan B. McElroy
- Steve EastinSteve EastinSteve Eastin is an American character actor. He has appeared in nearly 150 television and film roles throughout his decades long career....
- Commander Reece - Leslie Harter - Lt. DiSalvo
- Scott LawrenceScott LawrenceScott Lawrence is an American actor best known for his role as United States Naval JAG lawyer Cdr. Sturgis Turner on the CBS series JAG. Lawrence played the role from 2001 until 2005, when the series ended.-Career:...
- Pike - Christopher Bradley - Breen
- Rick Aiello - Matthews
Reception
Ground Zero: Texas was awarded Best Sega Mega-CD Game of 1994 by Electronic Gaming MonthlyElectronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly is a bimonthly American video game magazine. It has been published by EGM Media, LLC. since relaunching in April of 2010. Its previous run, which ended in January 2009, was published by Ziff Davis...
.