InstantAction
Encyclopedia
InstantAction was a web gaming site
and digital distributor
featuring 3D
, browser-based games.
The site was created by game and technology developer GarageGames
after its acquisition in 2007 and released a year later. InstantAction's goal was to allow publishers and developers the ability to embed games across the internet through the use of InstantAction's embed-tech. Publishers were then able to set monetary rates, including social features, release free demos and more. Users were required to download an initial plug-in that would be used across all games using the InstantAction platform. Games were broken into "chunks", which allowed players to start playing much faster than ordinary downloads. The rest of the game would then download as the user played. The games were also downloaded to the user's hard-drive, allowing them to play the game instantly wherever it was embedded.
InstantAction's platform initially hosted eight games that featured the ability to add friends, chat, and create parties which could jump from game to game together without being forced to leave the party and rejoin it. In 2010, these games were taken down after InstantAction announced it was focusing on embedded 3D gaming technology for external websites, rather than operating its own website. Several developers have shown interest in releasing said games at some point, however.
On November 11, 2010, it was announced that InstantAction would be "winding down" their operations.
and Interactive Corporation (NASD: IACI) and was re-named InstantAction. Soon after this announcement, InstantAction.com went into open beta on March 31, 2008.
On July 15, 2009, it was announced that Louis Castle
would become the new CEO of GarageGames, after Josh Williams stepped down in late 2008. It was also announced that InstantAction would be split into two divisions, one in Portland, Oregon
and the other in Las Vegas, Nevada
.
On March 13, 2010, InstantAction.com was taken down as a gaming portal, with the company instead moving to support the embedding of 3D games on external websites. On April 29, 2010, the company released a 20 minute demo of The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition with the option to buy the full game, while the previous games, known as the Arcade, remained offline. This was the first game to take advantage of their new embed-tech platform.
On August 16, 2010, the company unveiled Instant Jam at Gamescom
. It launched in open beta and was the company's second, and ultimately last game to feature their embed-tech.
On October 23, 2010, it was announced that InstantAction sold the Tribes IP to Hi-Rez Studios
, developers of Global Agenda
. Shortly thereafter, it was also announced that their game platform deal with Penny Arcade to release PlayGreenhouse.com had been withdrawn, along with their deal with Mad Otter Games to host their MMO A Mystical Land.
On November 11, 2010, InstantAction's community manager announced that the company was shutting down. Their TorquePowered.com website will be kept active, however. InstantAction stated that they were "winding down operations" and thanked all their customers "for their support."
On December 22, 2010, Eric Preisz posted an update informing everyone that they were no longer looking for buyers of their Torque engine, and that the future "looks bright."
On January 20, 2011, it was announced that Graham Software Development were the new owners of the Torque engine, and the company was renamed back to GarageGames.
was a first-person shooter
that consisted of two teams: team alpha and team beta. The game included several gametypes, including Deathmatch
, Team Deathmatch and Capture the Flag. It was considered a "spiritual successor" to Tribes, and featured similar elements such as skiing and jetpacks. After InstantAction was shutdown, the game was re-released as a stand-alone downloadable client on December 20, 2010. The game is being developed by community members and previous InstantAction interns.Visit www.legionsoverdrive.com to play the game. \
Rokkitball was a team-based game similar to basketball
or soccer with futuristic weaponry. The game launched on InstantAction.com in April 2008 with support for up to eight players. Players move around an arena and use a magnetic beam to grab a ball and shoot it into holes in the wall to score points. Smaller, higher holes are worth more points than the lower, larger ones. Players have a limited amount of energy, which is needed to sprint and to use the "magno-beam" that holds the ball. Energy constantly regenerates when not being used. Players can shoot rockets in order to propel the ball, make enemy players lose all their energy, or knock the ball out of an enemy’s grip. There were four arenas for Rokkitball: Gauntlet, Cathedral, S-Hook, and Canyon. It is currently unknown what the future of Rokkitball is.
Marble Blast Online
is a 3D platformer in which the player maneuvers a marble to collect gems or reach the end of the level. Variations of this game have been developed for the Xbox 360 and iPhone.
Lore: Aftermath was a multiplayer mech combat game, and a sequel to Dark Horizons Lore: Invasion
. Players control mechs called MAV, and can use preconfigured mechs or access the “MAV Lab” to create their own with customized looks, weapons, and statistics. The developers are planning on distributing the game elsewhere once they secure the rights from InstantAction.
Think Tanks was originally created as a stand-alone game for the PC, and was eventually ported to InstantAction. There are two game modes: Deathmatch(Battlemode) and Scrum. Both can be played with or without teams. In Battlemode, players try to shoot and destroy the other tanks. In Scrum, players try to get a ball and drive it to a goal placed on the field. The game is no longer available to purchase. However here is a small but dedicated community at www.planetthinktanks2.com. An independent master server and game servers are running. The community has also expanded the game types to multiple game types: Capture the Flag, Keepaway, Dodgeball, & Rollerball. The game is very easily modded and there are currently thousands of unique maps available. These include all of the maps, objects and effects developed for the failed InstantAction platform.
ZAP! was a multiplayer top-down space shooter. The player controls a triangular ship and tries to accomplish different objectives depending on the mode. Most modes involve shooting enemy ships with various weapons and moving flags around. There are six modes in ZAP! These include BustIn, CTF (Capture the Flag), ZoneControl, Retrieve, Hunters, and ZapMatch. The game is no longer available to play or purchase.
Galcon
is a real-time strategy
game where players try to eliminate the enemy by sending ships to take over their planets. Every ship that is sent will destroy one ship docked on the enemy planet; once the planet is reduced to 0 ships, a ship can conquer it. The planet will then begin to produce ships for the new owner. The goal is to capture all the planets on that particular map. While no longer available on InstantAction, it's available for purchase at Galcon.comhttp://www.galcon.com/fusion/
Ace of Aces is a World War I dog-fighting game where players fly fighter planes and attempt to score points by shooting down enemy planes or blowing up the enemy base. Players can choose to play as either the Axis or the Allies. In the single-player Training Mode, players can complete two tutorials: one on Marksmanship, which teaches the basic controls, and one on Ground Attack, which teaches how to assault the enemy base. The Multiplayer Battle Mode features five different modes: Team Dogfight, Furball, Fox and Hounds, Rescue the Spy (CTF), and Base War. Mad Otter Games, the developers of Ace of Aces, are planning on re-releasing the game at AceofAcesthegame.com.http://www.aceofacesgame.com/
Rev was an arcade racing game developed by Luma Arcade. It never got past the private beta phase, though the developers have still shown interest in releasing the game at some point.
The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition was the first game to be released on InstantAction's embed-tech platform. The game is an enhanced remake of The Secret of Monkey Island developed by LucasArts
. It was originally released on July 15, 2009 for the PC
, Xbox Live Arcade
and iPhone
/iPod touch
. On April 29, 2010 InstantAction released a 20 minute demo of the game to show off the companies new embed technology, along with the option to buy the full game for $9.99.
Instant Jam was a music rhythm game similar to Guitar Hero, only in the browser. The game supported 2000 songs at launch, with plans to add more in the months thereafter. Instant Jam scanned the user's hard drive for any songs matching the services own database of note charts, and offered Amazon.com and iTunes links to buy songs they didn't already have. Players could either use their keyboard or Rock Band and Guitar Hero controllers to play. It was shutdown the same day InstantAction was and will not return.
was a game where players try to get to the bottom of the mine shaft and then escape it after detonating it. The story is that aliens have invaded and as part of the ScrewJumper team, the player needed to help to destroy those mines and thus save the planet. The player had a choice of three different characters playable in 20 different levels (ranging from very easy to very hard) which contained different obstacles as well as bonuses. The game was both single-player and multiplayer and featured 5 modes (although only 4 were available at any point) and eventually dropped to 2 modes.
Cyclomite was an action/puzzle game developed by Wideload Games
that was removed in 2008. The game involved rotating a multicolored sphere as meteors of different colors approached it. Players had to align the sphere so that the meteors made contact with the section that was the same color. Ian Tornay (Crash7800) explained why the game was taken off the site in a video podcast, saying that "A lot of the users who tried Cyclomite as their first game didn't stick around."
PlayTribes
, Starsiege: Tribes
in the browser, was originally planned to release on InstantAction but was canceled when the company sold the Tribes franchise to Hi-Rez Studios.
Game portals
A game portal is a distribution channel for games. People can play or download games from a portal and/or buy it through a game portal. One reason for using game portals is publicity: the top listings of games in game portals receive millions of downloads and/or gamers that want to play online -...
and digital distributor
Digital distribution
Online distribution, digital distribution, or electronic software distribution is the practice of delivering content without the use of physical media, typically by downloading via the internet directly to a consumer's device. Online distribution bypasses conventional physical distribution media,...
featuring 3D
3D rendering
3D rendering is the 3D computer graphics process of automatically converting 3D wire frame models into 2D images with 3D photorealistic effects on a computer.-Rendering methods:...
, browser-based games.
The site was created by game and technology developer GarageGames
GarageGames
GarageGames is located in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, where it was moved after being acquired by IAC in 2007. As the makers of Torque game development technology, they have provided cross-platform technology and tools since 2000...
after its acquisition in 2007 and released a year later. InstantAction's goal was to allow publishers and developers the ability to embed games across the internet through the use of InstantAction's embed-tech. Publishers were then able to set monetary rates, including social features, release free demos and more. Users were required to download an initial plug-in that would be used across all games using the InstantAction platform. Games were broken into "chunks", which allowed players to start playing much faster than ordinary downloads. The rest of the game would then download as the user played. The games were also downloaded to the user's hard-drive, allowing them to play the game instantly wherever it was embedded.
InstantAction's platform initially hosted eight games that featured the ability to add friends, chat, and create parties which could jump from game to game together without being forced to leave the party and rejoin it. In 2010, these games were taken down after InstantAction announced it was focusing on embedded 3D gaming technology for external websites, rather than operating its own website. Several developers have shown interest in releasing said games at some point, however.
On November 11, 2010, it was announced that InstantAction would be "winding down" their operations.
History
In 2007, GarageGames was acquired by Barry DillerBarry Diller
Barry Charles Diller is the Chairman and Senior Executive of IAC/InterActiveCorp and the media executive responsible for the creation of Fox Broadcasting Company and USA Broadcasting.-Early life:...
and Interactive Corporation (NASD: IACI) and was re-named InstantAction. Soon after this announcement, InstantAction.com went into open beta on March 31, 2008.
On July 15, 2009, it was announced that Louis Castle
Louis Castle
-Career:Castle co-founded Westwood Studios with Brett Sperry in 1985. Castle remained with Westwood when it was bought by Electronic Arts in 1998 and he was a vice president and General Manager of EA's Blueprint Studio...
would become the new CEO of GarageGames, after Josh Williams stepped down in late 2008. It was also announced that InstantAction would be split into two divisions, one in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
and the other in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
.
On March 13, 2010, InstantAction.com was taken down as a gaming portal, with the company instead moving to support the embedding of 3D games on external websites. On April 29, 2010, the company released a 20 minute demo of The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition with the option to buy the full game, while the previous games, known as the Arcade, remained offline. This was the first game to take advantage of their new embed-tech platform.
On August 16, 2010, the company unveiled Instant Jam at Gamescom
Gamescom
gamescom is a trade fair for video games held annually at the Koelnmesse in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is organised by the Bundesverband Interaktive Unterhaltungssoftware...
. It launched in open beta and was the company's second, and ultimately last game to feature their embed-tech.
On October 23, 2010, it was announced that InstantAction sold the Tribes IP to Hi-Rez Studios
Hi-Rez Studios
Hi-Rez Studios is an independent, privately held video game developer based in Alpharetta, Georgia. It was founded in 2005 by Erez Goren, and released their first game, Global Agenda, in February 2010....
, developers of Global Agenda
Global Agenda
Global Agenda is an online team-based game by Hi-Rez Studios developed using Unreal Engine 3. The game went live on February 1, 2010. April, 2011, Global Agenda was re-released as a free-to-play game, introducing Elite and Free Agents in addition to an in-game cash shop featuring Agenda...
. Shortly thereafter, it was also announced that their game platform deal with Penny Arcade to release PlayGreenhouse.com had been withdrawn, along with their deal with Mad Otter Games to host their MMO A Mystical Land.
On November 11, 2010, InstantAction's community manager announced that the company was shutting down. Their TorquePowered.com website will be kept active, however. InstantAction stated that they were "winding down operations" and thanked all their customers "for their support."
On December 22, 2010, Eric Preisz posted an update informing everyone that they were no longer looking for buyers of their Torque engine, and that the future "looks bright."
On January 20, 2011, it was announced that Graham Software Development were the new owners of the Torque engine, and the company was renamed back to GarageGames.
Games
Fallen Empire: LegionsFallen Empire: Legions
Legions: Overdrive, formerly Fallen Empire: Legions, was a browser-based sci-fi first-person shooter computer game by GarageGames on InstantAction. Announced officially in January 2007, Legions was being developed as a "spiritual successor" to Tribes, borrowing many gameplay elements from the series...
was 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...
that consisted of two teams: team alpha and team beta. The game included several gametypes, including Deathmatch
Deathmatch (gaming)
Deathmatch or Player vs All is a widely-used gameplay mode integrated into many shooter and real-time strategy computer games...
, Team Deathmatch and Capture the Flag. It was considered a "spiritual successor" to Tribes, and featured similar elements such as skiing and jetpacks. After InstantAction was shutdown, the game was re-released as a stand-alone downloadable client on December 20, 2010. The game is being developed by community members and previous InstantAction interns.Visit www.legionsoverdrive.com to play the game. \
Rokkitball was a team-based game similar to basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
or soccer with futuristic weaponry. The game launched on InstantAction.com in April 2008 with support for up to eight players. Players move around an arena and use a magnetic beam to grab a ball and shoot it into holes in the wall to score points. Smaller, higher holes are worth more points than the lower, larger ones. Players have a limited amount of energy, which is needed to sprint and to use the "magno-beam" that holds the ball. Energy constantly regenerates when not being used. Players can shoot rockets in order to propel the ball, make enemy players lose all their energy, or knock the ball out of an enemy’s grip. There were four arenas for Rokkitball: Gauntlet, Cathedral, S-Hook, and Canyon. It is currently unknown what the future of Rokkitball is.
Marble Blast Online
Marble Blast Ultra
Marble Blast Ultra is a 3D puzzle/action game involving a marble developed by GarageGames. It was released on January 25, 2006 for the Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade. It is the sequel to Marble Blast Gold. It features 60 brand new levels, enhanced graphics, 2 new power-ups and a multiplayer mode...
is a 3D platformer in which the player maneuvers a marble to collect gems or reach the end of the level. Variations of this game have been developed for the Xbox 360 and iPhone.
Lore: Aftermath was a multiplayer mech combat game, and a sequel to Dark Horizons Lore: Invasion
Dark Horizons Lore: Invasion
Dark Horizons Lore: Invasion is a Mech simulation computer game developed by independent game studio Max Gaming Technologies and published by GarageGames. Built using the Torque Game Engine, the game is available for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux...
. Players control mechs called MAV, and can use preconfigured mechs or access the “MAV Lab” to create their own with customized looks, weapons, and statistics. The developers are planning on distributing the game elsewhere once they secure the rights from InstantAction.
Think Tanks was originally created as a stand-alone game for the PC, and was eventually ported to InstantAction. There are two game modes: Deathmatch(Battlemode) and Scrum. Both can be played with or without teams. In Battlemode, players try to shoot and destroy the other tanks. In Scrum, players try to get a ball and drive it to a goal placed on the field. The game is no longer available to purchase. However here is a small but dedicated community at www.planetthinktanks2.com. An independent master server and game servers are running. The community has also expanded the game types to multiple game types: Capture the Flag, Keepaway, Dodgeball, & Rollerball. The game is very easily modded and there are currently thousands of unique maps available. These include all of the maps, objects and effects developed for the failed InstantAction platform.
ZAP! was a multiplayer top-down space shooter. The player controls a triangular ship and tries to accomplish different objectives depending on the mode. Most modes involve shooting enemy ships with various weapons and moving flags around. There are six modes in ZAP! These include BustIn, CTF (Capture the Flag), ZoneControl, Retrieve, Hunters, and ZapMatch. The game is no longer available to play or purchase.
Galcon
Galcon
Galcon is a series of real time strategy video games for Android, iPhone, Windows, Linux, Mac OS X and Flash, which were developed by Phil Hassey...
is a real-time strategy
Real-time strategy
Real-time strategy is a sub-genre of strategy video game which does not progress incrementally in turns. Brett Sperry is credited with coining the term to market Dune II....
game where players try to eliminate the enemy by sending ships to take over their planets. Every ship that is sent will destroy one ship docked on the enemy planet; once the planet is reduced to 0 ships, a ship can conquer it. The planet will then begin to produce ships for the new owner. The goal is to capture all the planets on that particular map. While no longer available on InstantAction, it's available for purchase at Galcon.comhttp://www.galcon.com/fusion/
Ace of Aces is a World War I dog-fighting game where players fly fighter planes and attempt to score points by shooting down enemy planes or blowing up the enemy base. Players can choose to play as either the Axis or the Allies. In the single-player Training Mode, players can complete two tutorials: one on Marksmanship, which teaches the basic controls, and one on Ground Attack, which teaches how to assault the enemy base. The Multiplayer Battle Mode features five different modes: Team Dogfight, Furball, Fox and Hounds, Rescue the Spy (CTF), and Base War. Mad Otter Games, the developers of Ace of Aces, are planning on re-releasing the game at AceofAcesthegame.com.http://www.aceofacesgame.com/
Rev was an arcade racing game developed by Luma Arcade. It never got past the private beta phase, though the developers have still shown interest in releasing the game at some point.
The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition was the first game to be released on InstantAction's embed-tech platform. The game is an enhanced remake of The Secret of Monkey Island developed by LucasArts
LucasArts
LucasArts Entertainment Company, LLC is an American video game developer and publisher. The company was once famous for its innovative line of graphic adventure games, the critical and commercial success of which peaked in the mid 1990s...
. It was originally released on July 15, 2009 for the PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
, Xbox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Arcade is a type of video game download distribution available primarily in a section of the Xbox Live Marketplace, Microsoft's digital distribution network for the Xbox 360, that focuses on smaller downloadable games from both major publishers and independent game developers...
and iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
/iPod touch
IPod touch
The iPod Touch is a portable media player, personal digital assistant, handheld game console, and Wi-Fi mobile device designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The iPod Touch adds the multi-touch graphical user interface to the iPod line...
. On April 29, 2010 InstantAction released a 20 minute demo of the game to show off the companies new embed technology, along with the option to buy the full game for $9.99.
Instant Jam was a music rhythm game similar to Guitar Hero, only in the browser. The game supported 2000 songs at launch, with plans to add more in the months thereafter. Instant Jam scanned the user's hard drive for any songs matching the services own database of note charts, and offered Amazon.com and iTunes links to buy songs they didn't already have. Players could either use their keyboard or Rock Band and Guitar Hero controllers to play. It was shutdown the same day InstantAction was and will not return.
Previous games
ScrewjumperScrewjumper!
Screwjumper! is an action video game for the Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade, developed by Frozen Codebase and published by THQ. The game was released on November 14, 2007 for 800 Microsoft Points....
was a game where players try to get to the bottom of the mine shaft and then escape it after detonating it. The story is that aliens have invaded and as part of the ScrewJumper team, the player needed to help to destroy those mines and thus save the planet. The player had a choice of three different characters playable in 20 different levels (ranging from very easy to very hard) which contained different obstacles as well as bonuses. The game was both single-player and multiplayer and featured 5 modes (although only 4 were available at any point) and eventually dropped to 2 modes.
Cyclomite was an action/puzzle game developed by Wideload Games
Wideload Games
Wideload Games is an American game developer located in Chicago, Illinois.It was founded in 2003 by Alexander Seropian—the co-founder of Bungie and head behind the games Halo: Combat Evolved, Myth, and Marathon—and 6 other former Bungie Studios employees 3 years after Bungie's acquisition by...
that was removed in 2008. The game involved rotating a multicolored sphere as meteors of different colors approached it. Players had to align the sphere so that the meteors made contact with the section that was the same color. Ian Tornay (Crash7800) explained why the game was taken off the site in a video podcast, saying that "A lot of the users who tried Cyclomite as their first game didn't stick around."
PlayTribes
PlayTribes
PlayTribes was a planned browser-based version of Starsiege: Tribes, an online multiplayer first-person shooter developed by the now defunct Dynamix game studio in 1998 for the PC. InstantAction first announced PlayTribes in March 2009, along with their acquisition of the Tribes intellectual...
, Starsiege: Tribes
Starsiege: Tribes
Starsiege: Tribes is a sci-fi first-person shooter video game. It is the first of the Tribes video game series and follows the story from Earthsiege and Starsiege. It was developed by Dynamix and published by the company now known as Sierra Entertainment in 1998.-History:A sequel, Tribes 2, was...
in the browser, was originally planned to release on InstantAction but was canceled when the company sold the Tribes franchise to Hi-Rez Studios.