Destiny of the Doctors

"Destiny of the Doctors" is a PC computer game based on the British science fiction television series "Doctor Who"; released on 5 December 1997 by BBC Multimedia.

Overview

A collaboration between BBC Multimedia and Studio Fish (a British developer), "Destiny of the Doctors" was a CD-ROM which received an 11+ age rating from ELSPA. It was supported by Microsoft Windows 95 (although it also works on all subsequent forms of Windows there are some compatibility issues with XP and Vista on some PCs). It was released in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Australia, as well as some countries in Europe, and was well-received and found critical acclaim from many magazines (including the now defunct "PC Planet"). It was quite successful; however, rumours of a new version of the game based on elements of the revived series have proven to be unfounded.

The game featured extensive, newly recorded audio dialogue by Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy, and Nicholas Courtney who reprised his role as The Brigadier. William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton were represented by a voice actor impersonating the deceased Hartnell and Troughton. The substitute Hartnell and Troughton clips were laced with artificial grain to simulate vintage recordings. Jon Pertwee originally agreed to appear in the game. However, due to his death before recording, an agreement was reached with his widow, Ingeborg Pertwee, to represent him in the game using audio clips from the television series. This game contains Anthony Ainley's final recorded performance as the Master before his death.

Cast

The Fourth Doctor - Tom Baker

The Fifth Doctor - Peter Davison

The Sixth Doctor - Colin Baker

The Seventh Doctor - Sylvester McCoy

The Master - Anthony Ainley

Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart - Nicholas Courtney

Story

The Doctor's arch-nemesis the Master has taken control of the planet Siralos, which is made of "pure psychic energy". With this planet's power, he plans to mould the universe unto his will. To begin, he takes the first seven incarnations of the Doctor out of time and space and puts them in the Determinant, a domain he has created from the conquered will of Siralos. He plans to eradicate any trace of the Doctor from time and space; so he may be free to rebuild the cosmos as he pleases. However the player's character, the Graak (a psychic being created by the Doctor) pledges to stop the Master's insidious plans; and the game begins.

It is a matter of debate as to where in continuity this game fits. There are onscreen references to the "seven complete incarnations of the Doctor". Confusing matters is the fact that no reference is made to either the Eighth Doctor or the regeneration of the Seventh Doctor.

The Graak is an intelligent, psychic and seemingly altruistic organism that was apparently created by the Doctor. It is turquoise in colour and resembles a jellyfish. It floats about four feet from the ground, and has no visible organs (nor any recognisable features). The Master states that the Graak is protoplasmic.

Although it has no limbs, it is dextrous enough to be able to handle items such as a sonic screwdriver and a radio transmitter. It only speaks when it asks the Doctor questions as part of a challenge; but when it does speak, it talks with a high voice, varying in tone and inflection (implying that speaking is a strain to the creature). When the Master calls the Graak "a good little doggie", it is heard to bark.

Gameplay

The bulk of the game takes place in the Doctor's TARDIS (and, on occasion, the Master's TARDIS; reached via "junctions" between the two time machines). The game begins in the Console Room of the Fourth Doctor; and the player must then select one of the Time Lord's seven regenerations and activate the TARDIS to go in search of them.

Upon reaching the TARDIS of the selected Doctor (and also before almost every puzzle in the game), the player can use a "Time Winder" (a pyramid-like save point) and then set out into the TARDIS to find the Master (and, accordingly, the Doctor).

Upon leaving the Console Room, the player, as the Graak, must find the Great Divide; a chasm which separates the TARDIS from the Determinant. However, the Master has placed several of the Doctor's enemies in the TARDIS to make things more difficult for the Graak; such as Daleks, Cybermen, Autons, Ice Warriors, Quarks, Sea Devils, Silurians, Sontarans, Yeti and Zygons. There are weapons in the TARDIS that can be used to incapacitate or kill these monsters; some of which can be kept throughout the quest (such as the sonic screwdriver, or a radio used to contact Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart for advice and hints), and others which can only be used for a limited time (such as Dalekanium and watering cans).

Upon reaching the Great Divide, the player selects a symbol and the Master gives the Graak a riddle; and, during the loading time, a map of the area of the TARDIS the player will explore is shown. The Graak will have to complete a certain objective (eg. perform the "Doctor Who" theme on floor tiles), find certain information on monsters or Doctors (either from the Doctor's "City of Thoughts" databank in his TARDIS; or the Master's "Monster Database"), or collect an item (such as a Stattenheim remote, or a Nestene Consciousness control sphere). Whilst the player is scouring the TARDIS(es), they may use telepathic links with the Doctor; these resemble the title sequence effect of the Third Doctor's era, and the Doctor will give a short clue to the player. Having completed their task (out of a possible 28 tasks), the Graak then returns and gives the Master the item, or crosses a grid of tiles, or selects the true Doctor out of three possible choices, or similar. If the player fails, they will have to begin again (from the nearest Time Winder). If they succeed, they will have to face the Master in the Determinant. If they defeat the Master, that incarnation of the Doctor is freed:

*First Doctor - A chase around the Celestial Toymaker's toybox (with Quarks)
*Second Doctor - A race against the Master on London Underground trains (with Yeti)
*Third Doctor - Seek and destroy the Dalek spaceship
*Fourth Doctor - Search around the maze that is the Doctor's mind (with Raston warrior robots)
*Fifth Doctor - A joust in a medieval ring against Sontaran on a hoverbike
*Sixth Doctor - Search the icy wilderness of Mars to find the Doctor
*Seventh Doctor - Race against the Master's car in the Doctor's Edwardian car, Bessie (with Autons)

Other releases

Some of Anthony Ainley's recorded links as the Master from this game were included on the DVD release of Survival." [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/news/cult/news/drwho/2007/01/17/40013.shtml BBC - Doctor Who (David Tennant and Billie Piper) - News ] ]

References