Iron Seed
Encyclopedia
Iron Seed is a 1994 DOS
computer game, developed
and published
by Channel 7. It is a real-time strategy
, science fiction
, space game.
s or planned for by the player.
The story and art were created by Jeremy Stanton. The music was composed by computer musician Andrew Sega
. The code was written by Robert W. Morgan III.
for DOS
, therefore the game will not run on modern operating systems without DOSBox
.
Also, a buggy CRT
library was used, resulting in 'Runtime Error 200' messages on CPUs faster than approximately 200 MHz.
, who highlighted the game's replayability through the random planets and options, and allowance of different playing styles through the various ship designs and crews. It drew comparisons with the earlier Starflight
series and the later Master of Orion
.
MS-DOS
MS-DOS is an operating system for x86-based personal computers. It was the most commonly used member of the DOS family of operating systems, and was the main operating system for IBM PC compatible personal computers during the 1980s to the mid 1990s, until it was gradually superseded by operating...
computer game, developed
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...
and published
Video game publisher
A video game publisher is a company that publishes video games that they have either developed internally or have had developed by a video game developer....
by Channel 7. It 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....
, 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...
, space game.
Description
The player begins with a single ship and a chosen crew. Planets are randomly generated and numerous ship designs and crew selection allow for different playing styles. Research, exploration, and diplomacy are essential elements for success. New ships, new upgrades, and ancient artifacts help the player in their efforts. Combat can be both in the form of random encounterRandom encounter
A random encounter is a feature commonly used in various role-playing games whereby encounters with non-player character enemies or other dangers occur sporadically and at random...
s or planned for by the player.
The story and art were created by Jeremy Stanton. The music was composed by computer musician Andrew Sega
Andrew Sega
Andrew Gregory Sega , also known by the moniker Necros, is an American musician best known for tracking modules in the 1990s demoscene as well as for composing music for several well-known video games...
. The code was written by Robert W. Morgan III.
Technical
The game was written with Borland Turbo PascalTurbo Pascal
Turbo Pascal is a software development system that includes a compiler and an integrated development environment for the Pascal programming language running on CP/M, CP/M-86, and DOS, developed by Borland under Philippe Kahn's leadership...
for DOS
MS-DOS
MS-DOS is an operating system for x86-based personal computers. It was the most commonly used member of the DOS family of operating systems, and was the main operating system for IBM PC compatible personal computers during the 1980s to the mid 1990s, until it was gradually superseded by operating...
, therefore the game will not run on modern operating systems without DOSBox
DOSBox
DOSBox is emulator software that emulates an IBM PC compatible computer running MS-DOS. It is intended especially for use with old PC games. DOSBox is free software....
.
Also, a buggy CRT
Runtime library
In computer programming, a runtime library is a special program library used by a compiler, to implement functions built into a programming language, during the execution of a computer program...
library was used, resulting in 'Runtime Error 200' messages on CPUs faster than approximately 200 MHz.
Critical reception
Iron Seed received a Top Dog award from Home of the UnderdogsHome of the Underdogs
Home of the Underdogs was an abandonware archive founded by Thai Sarinee Achavanuntakul , aka: Underdogs or Fringer on her own blog, in September 1998, and grew to be one of the most significant abandonware websites on the Internet, despite losing its domains to cybersquatters and then briefly...
, who highlighted the game's replayability through the random planets and options, and allowance of different playing styles through the various ship designs and crews. It drew comparisons with the earlier Starflight
Starflight
Starflight is a computer game published by Electronic Arts and developed by Binary Systems in 1986. Originally developed for DOS and Tandy, it was later released for the Amiga, Atari ST, Macintosh and Commodore 64...
series and the later Master of Orion
Master of Orion
Master of Orion is a turn-based, 4X science fiction computer strategy game released in 1993 by MicroProse on the MS-DOS and Mac OS operating systems. The purpose of the game is to lead one of ten races to dominate the galaxy through a combination of diplomacy and conquest while developing...
.
Awards
- HOTU TopDog Award (Relaunched HOTUHome of the UnderdogsHome of the Underdogs was an abandonware archive founded by Thai Sarinee Achavanuntakul , aka: Underdogs or Fringer on her own blog, in September 1998, and grew to be one of the most significant abandonware websites on the Internet, despite losing its domains to cybersquatters and then briefly...
Version) - MobyGames 4/5 Points (2008-08-25)
External links
- Iron Seed 2 Site (free download of Iron Seed, official new patches for Iron Seed and the Iron Seed 2 forum.)
- Ironseed 2 Interview on StarGamer.net (WebArchive version 2008-01 http://web.archive.org/web/20080118093147/http://www.stargamer.net/interviews/2006/10/ironseed2/2006-10-17-1395521140.php)