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Thrust (computer game)
Encyclopedia
Thrust is a computer game originally for the BBC Micro
and Acorn Electron
. The perspective is 2 dimensional platform-based and the player's aim is to maneuver a spaceship by rotating and thrusting, as it flies over a landscape and along corridors.
, it involved piloting a ship in a side-on 2d view of a planet and cave system.
The aim is to pilot a spacecraft which must pick up a pod using a tractor beam and fly it into space. The ship and pod are subject to gravity and inertia, and being connected by a stiff rod can end up spinning around each other, out of control. Hitting the walls of the cave with either the ship or the pod results in death.
Each planet has turrets which fire bullets at the ship, which can be destroyed with a single shot, and a reactor which powers the defence system of each planet. If the reactor is shot enough the turrets will cease firing for a short amount of time. Hitting the reactor with many bullets causes it to go critical and destroy the planet in 10 seconds - the ship must escape into space before this happens, with or without the pod (more points are gained if the pod is present).
Fuel is needed to manœuvre the ship and can be collected with the tractor beam, if the ship runs out of fuel the whole game is over. A shield is also available, although when activated it uses fuel and the ship cannot shoot.
Later levels have doors that are opened by shooting a panel. After all 6 levels have been completed the levels start again, but first with gravity reversed, then with the planet and walls invisible unless the shield is used, and finally with invisible walls and reverse gravity. After the 24th level is complete a message is displayed. Two more messages are available after completing the 48th and 72nd level, and from then on the 3rd message is repeated. On the BBC Micro implementation, the messages displayed are "Support Hotol
", "Physics is fun" and "I love space".
The realistic physics, pixel-perfect collision detection and a fearsome difficulty level were some of the main attractions of the game.
s, including the Commodore 64
, ZX Spectrum
, Atari
and Commodore 16
as well as the Vectrex
and Atari 2600
consoles. The Atari 2600 version, whose code was programmed by Thomas Jentzsch, was published in 2000 by XYPE, and used the Atari CX-40 joystick; the game was re-released for the 2600 in 2002 as Thrust+ DC Edition (in addition to the CX-40 joystick, incorporates compatibility with the Atari Driving Controller, CBS Booster Grip, and an Atari 2600-compatible foot pedal controller) and again in 2003 as Thrust+ Platinum (uses the same controllers as Thrust+ DC, but includes music code by Paul Slocum which adds a title theme based on the C64 version's title theme by Rob Hubbard
).
Thrust was credited by Bjørn Stabell as an influence on the game XPilot
.
BBC Micro
The BBC Microcomputer System, or BBC Micro, was a series of microcomputers and associated peripherals designed and built by Acorn Computers for the BBC Computer Literacy Project, operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation...
and Acorn Electron
Acorn Electron
The Acorn Electron is a budget version of the BBC Micro educational/home computer made by Acorn Computers Ltd. It has 32 kilobytes of RAM, and its ROM includes BBC BASIC along with its operating system....
. The perspective is 2 dimensional platform-based and the player's aim is to maneuver a spaceship by rotating and thrusting, as it flies over a landscape and along corridors.
Development
Programmed by Jeremy Smith (co-author of Exile) and originally published by Superior SoftwareSuperior Software
Superior Software is a video game publisher. It was established in 1982 by Richard Hanson and John Dyson, two graduates of the University of Leeds, England...
, it involved piloting a ship in a side-on 2d view of a planet and cave system.
Gameplay
Each planet has turrets which fire bullets at the ship, which can be destroyed with a single shot, and a reactor which powers the defence system of each planet. If the reactor is shot enough the turrets will cease firing for a short amount of time. Hitting the reactor with many bullets causes it to go critical and destroy the planet in 10 seconds - the ship must escape into space before this happens, with or without the pod (more points are gained if the pod is present).
Fuel is needed to manœuvre the ship and can be collected with the tractor beam, if the ship runs out of fuel the whole game is over. A shield is also available, although when activated it uses fuel and the ship cannot shoot.
Later levels have doors that are opened by shooting a panel. After all 6 levels have been completed the levels start again, but first with gravity reversed, then with the planet and walls invisible unless the shield is used, and finally with invisible walls and reverse gravity. After the 24th level is complete a message is displayed. Two more messages are available after completing the 48th and 72nd level, and from then on the 3rd message is repeated. On the BBC Micro implementation, the messages displayed are "Support Hotol
HOTOL
HOTOL, for Horizontal Take-Off and Landing, was a British air-breathing space shuttle effort by Rolls Royce and British Aerospace.Designed as a single-stage-to-orbit reusable winged launch vehicle, it was to be fitted with a unique air-breathing engine, the RB545 called the Swallow, to be...
", "Physics is fun" and "I love space".
The realistic physics, pixel-perfect collision detection and a fearsome difficulty level were some of the main attractions of the game.
Ports
Thrust was subsequently ported to a wide number of other home computerHome computer
Home computers were a class of microcomputers entering the market in 1977, and becoming increasingly common during the 1980s. They were marketed to consumers as affordable and accessible computers that, for the first time, were intended for the use of a single nontechnical user...
s, including the 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...
, 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...
, Atari
Atari 8-bit family
The Atari 8-bit family is a series of 8-bit home computers manufactured from 1979 to 1992. All are based on the MOS Technology 6502 CPU and were the first home computers designed with custom coprocessor chips...
and Commodore 16
Commodore 16
The Commodore 16 was a home computer made by Commodore with a 6502-compatible 8501 CPU, released in 1984. It was intended to be an entry-level computer to replace the VIC-20 and it often sold for 99 USD...
as well as the Vectrex
Vectrex
The Vectrex is a vector display-based video game console that was developed by Western Technologies/Smith Engineering. It was licensed and distributed first by General Consumer Electric , and then by Milton Bradley Company after their purchase of GCE...
and Atari 2600
Atari 2600
The Atari 2600 is a video game console released in October 1977 by Atari, Inc. It is credited with popularizing the use of microprocessor-based hardware and cartridges containing game code, instead of having non-microprocessor dedicated hardware with all games built in...
consoles. The Atari 2600 version, whose code was programmed by Thomas Jentzsch, was published in 2000 by XYPE, and used the Atari CX-40 joystick; the game was re-released for the 2600 in 2002 as Thrust+ DC Edition (in addition to the CX-40 joystick, incorporates compatibility with the Atari Driving Controller, CBS Booster Grip, and an Atari 2600-compatible foot pedal controller) and again in 2003 as Thrust+ Platinum (uses the same controllers as Thrust+ DC, but includes music code by Paul Slocum which adds a title theme based on the C64 version's title theme by Rob Hubbard
Rob Hubbard
Rob Hubbard is a music composer best known for his composition of computer game theme music, especially for microcomputers of the 1980s such as the Commodore 64...
).
Thrust was credited by Bjørn Stabell as an influence on the game XPilot
XPilot
XPilot is a multiplayer computer game. It is open source and runs on many platforms. Although its 2D graphics have improved over time, they still resemble the style of Thrust. Gameplay includes Capture the Flag, base defense, racing and deathmatches...
.
Clone and related games
- Gravity ForceGravity ForceGravity Force is a computer game released in 1989 for the Amiga by Kingsoft. It is a 2D Thrust-clone, with single player missions and a 2-player multiplayer mode. It is primarily notable for inspiring the far more popular unofficial sequel Gravity Force 2.In 1994, Jens Andersson and Jan Kronqvist...
- Zarathrusta, Commodore Amiga game.
- Rotor, Commodore Amiga game.
- Sub-Terrania, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis game.
- Fly Harder, Commodore Amiga game.
- TerraFireTerraFireTerraFire is a multidirectional shooter for MS-DOS. It was originally released on October 1, 1997 as shareware with a demo limiting the player to only the first 8 levels...
, a DOS game. - XPilotXPilotXPilot is a multiplayer computer game. It is open source and runs on many platforms. Although its 2D graphics have improved over time, they still resemble the style of Thrust. Gameplay includes Capture the Flag, base defense, racing and deathmatches...
, a multiplayer open-source Unix game. - Gravity CrashGravity CrashGravity Crash is a multidirectional shooter released on the Playstation Network. Its visual style pays homage to arcade games of the 1980s.-Gameplay:...
, a single- and multiplayer game for the Playstation 3.