n00b gaming review - ATC |
Article Rating: Poor
(# of votes: 1) |
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| Author:
| ranok
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| Submitted: |
01-Jan-1970 01:00:00 |
| Imported From: |
zZine (original author: Ranok)
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| This month's game review does not have photorealistic graphics or intense surround sound but it does have addictive, heart pounding game play.
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This month's game is called Air Traffic Control (ATC), and it is a classic BSD game that you can play either at the command line or on a shell account. Written by Ed James, this ASCII based game lets you take control of the skies and route planes safely through your airspace. You can either route them to an airway exit or direct them to gently land.
While ATC may seem simple at first, the planes in your airspace soon stack up, and planes you've set to circle start running low on fuel. The game makes you act quickly with no room for mistakes. You get a rush from routing the planes safely across your airspace. The stress that builds up as multiple planes require immediate attention gets your heart beating fast and your fingers flying across the keyboard.
The commands in this game are simple: a few easy to learn letter combinations allow you plenty if control over the aircraft. For example, to make plane 'a' climb 2000ft (the gap between the required entry and exit altitudes) you would push the following keys: a (to select plane 'a'), a (for altitude), c (for climb), 2 (for 2000ft) you finish the command off with 'enter' and the plane begins to climb. There are also some other commands that can be delayed. This can be helpful when you have a plane that just needs to turn towards an exit in order to be all set. You can set up these commands in advance, and they activate when an aircraft reaches a beacon, of which there are several spread around the map. One example of how to do this is press a (to select plane 'a'), t (turn), t (towards), e (exit), 1 (#1), a (at), b (beacon), 1 (#1).
This game shows that you don't need great graphics or stunning sound to make a great game. You just need a well thought-out and cleverly designed game. While seemingly simple and easy to learn, this game can give you hours of gameplay. When you're ready, you can make your own airspace and take control of your own airport!
Final Tally:
Graphics 1/10 - While the ASCII graphics won't wow you, they get the job done.
Difficulty 10/10 - It is possible to set the difficulty level, and then the planes never give you a break.
Gameplay 10/10 - I could play this game forever if I didn't have a life!
Overall 9/10 - A great game, I would recommend it to anyone.
This article was originally published by CyberArmy.net in the CyberArmy Library.
This article was originally published by CyberArmy.net in the CyberArmy Library.
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