Lords of Chaos (video game)
Encyclopedia
Lords of Chaos is a turn-based tactics
video game, published in 1990 by Blade Software. It is the sequel to Chaos
and an ancestor of the popular X-COM
series of games, also written by Julian Gollop
. In Lords of Chaos each player controls a wizard
who can cast various magic spells
. The spells have various effects, for example summoning other creatures (which the player also controls), or damaging opposing creatures and wizards. The game can be played against a computer-controlled opponent or by up to four human players.
and 16-bit
platforms. The 8-bit versions (for the ZX Spectrum
, Commodore 64
and Amstrad CPC
) were released in April 1990, with the 16-bit versions (Atari ST
and Commodore Amiga
) following in August 1991. The prices were £9.95 for the Spectrum/Commodore 64/Amstrad CPC tape, £19.95 for the Atari ST disk and £24.95 for the Commodore Amiga disk. An IBM PC
version was scheduled for release but never emerged.
Gollop later released Lords Of Chaos into the public domain
.
, action point
s, stamina, constitution, combat, defense and magic resistance. Remaining experience points are spent on spells. Spells may be offensive in nature (magic bolt, curse), potions (speed potion, healing potion), utility (teleport, magic eye) or summoning (goblin, unicorn, etc). These spells continue the theme from Chaos
and include some of that game's more unusual elements (gooey blob, for example.)
After completing each scenario, the player may spend accumulated experience points to further improve their wizard.
The aim of each level of the game is for a player's wizard to reach a portal which appears after a preset number of turns. To do this, the player's wizard and creatures move around a map composed of square tiles, each of which represents one of various terrain types (for example, forest or the wall of a building). During a player's turn, only the parts of the map which that player's wizard or creatures have previously seen are shown, thus leading to other human players having to look away from the screen during each turn to avoid learning information they "shouldn't" know. Points are awarded for a player's wizard reaching the portal, for holding items of treasure (for example, valuable gems) when the wizard reaches the portal, or for enemy creatures killed during the level. Each level ends when all wizards have reached the portal or been killed, or when the portal disappears after a fixed number of turns (in which case all the remaining wizards lose).
During each turn, each creature has a fixed number of action points which it can use to accomplish actions, for example moving, fighting hand-to-hand or shooting ranged weapons. When a creature's action points are used up for the turn, it can take no further actions until all the players have had a turn.
An expansion pack was also available if purchased directly from Mythos Games which contained two further scenarios – "Islands of Iris" and "Tombs of the Undead" – the latter was single-player only.
A demonstration scenario called "Escape From Zol" was released on the covers of Your Sinclair
and Zero magazines. It was single-player only and very similar in style to "Ragaril's Domain" where you had to escape from a trap-filled building. However, even if the player won, their wizard's experience could not be used in the other five scenarios.
, awarding 90%, and by CRASH
, awarding 80%. Both reviews highlighted the game's detailed, colourful graphics and the complexity and depth of the strategic gameplay.
Turn-based tactics
Turn-based tactics , or tactical turn-based , is a computer and video game genre of strategy video games that through stop-action simulates the considerations and circumstances of operational warfare and military tactics in generally small-scale confrontations as opposed to more strategic...
video game, published in 1990 by Blade Software. It is the sequel to Chaos
Chaos (video game)
Chaos: The Battle of Wizards is a turn-based tactics computer game which was released on the ZX Spectrum in 1985. It was written by Julian Gollop and originally published by Games Workshop.-History:...
and an ancestor of the popular X-COM
X-COM
X-COM is a series of strategy games created by Julian Gollop. In 2010 2K Marin announced the official reboot of the series, entitled simply XCOM. The original game has a cult following.- Original series :...
series of games, also written by Julian Gollop
Julian Gollop
Julian Gollop is a British designer of strategy video games and founder of the defunct game studios Mythos Games and Codo Technologies.Gollop's career spans over 25 years, during which he has designed games for numerous systems over the years, from the early 8-bit home computers to 32-bit PCs...
. In Lords of Chaos each player controls a wizard
Wizard (character class)
The Wizard is a type of magical character class in certain role-playing games and computer role-playing games. Wizards are considered to be spellcasters who wield powerful spells, but are often physically weak as a trade-off. Wizards are commonly confused with similar offensive spellcasting...
who can cast various magic spells
Magic (gaming)
Some role-playing games or game systems can include a set of rules that are used to portray magic in the paranormal sense. These rules simulate the effects that magic would have within the game context, according to how the game designer intended the magic to be portrayed...
. The spells have various effects, for example summoning other creatures (which the player also controls), or damaging opposing creatures and wizards. The game can be played against a computer-controlled opponent or by up to four human players.
History
Lords of Chaos was released on both 8-bit8-bit
The first widely adopted 8-bit microprocessor was the Intel 8080, being used in many hobbyist computers of the late 1970s and early 1980s, often running the CP/M operating system. The Zilog Z80 and the Motorola 6800 were also used in similar computers...
and 16-bit
16-bit
-16-bit architecture:The HP BPC, introduced in 1975, was the world's first 16-bit microprocessor. Prominent 16-bit processors include the PDP-11, Intel 8086, Intel 80286 and the WDC 65C816. The Intel 8088 was program-compatible with the Intel 8086, and was 16-bit in that its registers were 16...
platforms. The 8-bit versions (for the ZX Spectrum
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
, Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
and Amstrad CPC
Amstrad CPC
The Amstrad CPC is a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Amstrad between 1984 and 1990. It was designed to compete in the mid-1980s home computer market dominated by the Commodore 64 and the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, where it successfully established itself primarily in the United Kingdom,...
) were released in April 1990, with the 16-bit versions (Atari ST
Atari ST
The Atari ST is a home/personal computer that was released by Atari Corporation in 1985 and commercially available from that summer into the early 1990s. The "ST" officially stands for "Sixteen/Thirty-two", which referred to the Motorola 68000's 16-bit external bus and 32-bit internals...
and Commodore Amiga
Amiga
The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
) following in August 1991. The prices were £9.95 for the Spectrum/Commodore 64/Amstrad CPC tape, £19.95 for the Atari ST disk and £24.95 for the Commodore Amiga disk. An IBM PC
IBM PC
The IBM Personal Computer, commonly known as the IBM PC, is the original version and progenitor of the IBM PC compatible hardware platform. It is IBM model number 5150, and was introduced on August 12, 1981...
version was scheduled for release but never emerged.
Gollop later released Lords Of Chaos into the public domain
Public domain
Works are in the public domain if the intellectual property rights have expired, if the intellectual property rights are forfeited, or if they are not covered by intellectual property rights at all...
.
Game mechanics
Before embarking on the game's levels, the player is asked to design a wizard. This is done by splitting experience points amongst manaMagic point
Magic points are units of magical power that are used in many role-playing, computer role-playing and similar games as an expendable resource that is needed to pay for magic spells and other abilities, such as special attacks...
, action point
Action point
An action point, commonly abbreviated AP, is a point in games to determine how much action a player, unit, or video game character can do in a single turn.Within computer and video games they are predominantly used in the turn-based tactics genre...
s, stamina, constitution, combat, defense and magic resistance. Remaining experience points are spent on spells. Spells may be offensive in nature (magic bolt, curse), potions (speed potion, healing potion), utility (teleport, magic eye) or summoning (goblin, unicorn, etc). These spells continue the theme from Chaos
Chaos (video game)
Chaos: The Battle of Wizards is a turn-based tactics computer game which was released on the ZX Spectrum in 1985. It was written by Julian Gollop and originally published by Games Workshop.-History:...
and include some of that game's more unusual elements (gooey blob, for example.)
After completing each scenario, the player may spend accumulated experience points to further improve their wizard.
The aim of each level of the game is for a player's wizard to reach a portal which appears after a preset number of turns. To do this, the player's wizard and creatures move around a map composed of square tiles, each of which represents one of various terrain types (for example, forest or the wall of a building). During a player's turn, only the parts of the map which that player's wizard or creatures have previously seen are shown, thus leading to other human players having to look away from the screen during each turn to avoid learning information they "shouldn't" know. Points are awarded for a player's wizard reaching the portal, for holding items of treasure (for example, valuable gems) when the wizard reaches the portal, or for enemy creatures killed during the level. Each level ends when all wizards have reached the portal or been killed, or when the portal disappears after a fixed number of turns (in which case all the remaining wizards lose).
During each turn, each creature has a fixed number of action points which it can use to accomplish actions, for example moving, fighting hand-to-hand or shooting ranged weapons. When a creature's action points are used up for the turn, it can take no further actions until all the players have had a turn.
The scenarios
The game came shipped with three scenarios: "The Many Coloured Land" provided both indoor and outdoor environments; "Slayer's Dungeon" was a traditional monster-inhabited dungeon containing a powerful sword; "Ragaril's Domain" was single-player only, set in a trap-filled palace.An expansion pack was also available if purchased directly from Mythos Games which contained two further scenarios – "Islands of Iris" and "Tombs of the Undead" – the latter was single-player only.
A demonstration scenario called "Escape From Zol" was released on the covers of Your Sinclair
Your Sinclair
Your Sinclair or YS as it was commonly abbreviated, was a British computer magazine for the Sinclair range of computers, mainly the ZX Spectrum.-History:...
and Zero magazines. It was single-player only and very similar in style to "Ragaril's Domain" where you had to escape from a trap-filled building. However, even if the player won, their wizard's experience could not be used in the other five scenarios.
Critical reaction
The Spectrum version of Lords of Chaos was reviewed in 1990 by Your SinclairYour Sinclair
Your Sinclair or YS as it was commonly abbreviated, was a British computer magazine for the Sinclair range of computers, mainly the ZX Spectrum.-History:...
, awarding 90%, and by CRASH
CRASH (magazine)
Crash was a magazine dedicated to the ZX Spectrum home computer. It was published from 1984 to 1991 by Newsfield Publications Ltd until their liquidation, and then until 1992 by Europress.-Development:...
, awarding 80%. Both reviews highlighted the game's detailed, colourful graphics and the complexity and depth of the strategic gameplay.
External links
- Zak Evans's Lords of Chaos remake site at sourceforge.net
- Joseph Q. Numpty's Lords Of Chaos for Commodore Amiga and Atari ST tribute and emulation website
- W.R. Wallace's Lords Of Chaos for Commodore Amiga website
- Hall Of Light's information page about Lords Of Chaos for Commodore Amiga
- A review of the Commodore Amiga version of the game
- A review of the Atari ST version of the game
- The facebook page for Lords of Chaos