Overlord (1993 video game)

Infobox VG
title = Overlord


caption = "Overlord" NES cover box
developer = Probe Software
publisher = Virgin Games
distributor = Virgin Games
designer = Steve Crow & Mark Kelly
license = Nintendo
series =
engine =
version = 1.0
released = vgrelease|United States of America|USA|January 24, 1993
genre = Strategy
modes = Single-player only
ratings =
platforms = NES
media = Cartridge
requirements = NES controller
input =

"Overlord" is a strategy video game released by then-unknown Virgin Games in 1993, among the last titles for the original Nintendo system. The game is a port of a PC game titled "Supremacy" and is relatively rarecite web|url=http://www.steverd.com/rare/nes-r.htm| title="Nintendo NES Cartridge List"|publisher="www.steverd.com"|accessdate=2008-03-16] for a NES gamepack, with most copies only available online. "Overlord" is also noted for having very few sounds and little music in it (mainly just the title theme composed by Jeroen Tel), both not characteristic of most video games. The gamepack also has an internal battery to retain game saves.

Overview

In "Overlord" the basic idea of the game is to create and maintain a network of planetary colonies to combat an enemy boss and his worlds. The more advanced the galaxy is and the harder the warlord is, the more freedom the player receives in purchasing spaceships. You need people on the world to generate taxes and more population means more credits that can be sent to your headquarters (starbase). However a higher population requires more food, needing either more farms and energy to compensate, or more shipments of food and therefor additional fuels, etc. Balancing this and other statistics it the challenge of "Overlord".

"Overlord" uses a mouse pointer to navigate and control the game's features, and important information is displayed as it is received in a message box on the bottom of most screens, such as ships arriving at a world, any new military threats, or even threats from your opponent. After the introduction screen the player chooses which planetary system to enter. Their differences are the number of planets in them, what craft and equipment for sale, and the playing strength and aggressiveness of the AI. The first system contains eight worlds and allows access to only the basic equipment (B-class ships). The second system has sixteen planets and some new equipment becomes available (a few A-class ships). The third system in made up of twenty-four worlds and most of the ships are available. The final system contains a mighty thirty-two planets, all equipment is now for sale, and the overall enemy boss is now your opponent. As you build up and maintain your expanding empire, never neglect your defenses. If your starbase falls it's game over. You begin any of the four levels of "Overlord" with control over one colonized planet (your starbase) and your opponent has command of the last planet, his starbase. It is this distant world that is your primary target in any system. All other planets between you are not yet inhabited, and are up for grabs. You are now tasked with setting up (formatting) thriving colonies of them with which to build your industrial and military abilities, and the enemy will try to do the same. The player can pick any unimproved (unformatted) world to begin work on, and because of the randomness of a system's initial make-up, which you choose to colonize or not will have a great effect on gameplay.

To make colonies you will need to format them (atmosphere processor) before your opponent does. To survive your colonies will need food, energy, fuel, and protection. To attack you will need a military to conquer the enemy planets; To win you will have to balance all of this constantly and skillfully (hence the genre for the game, strategy). The player provides food by buying and placing farming stations on the colony or by cargo transfers. Energy comes from purchasing orbiting solar satellites or transfer. Fuels are provided by buying mining station or transfer. Protection is achieved by building and maintaining defensive ground armaments on a world. Attack comes from purchasing a battle cruiser and arming it with combinations of both homing and ballistic missiles and hover tanks, then sending the ship to attack an enemy planet's defenses. The only way to win control over a system is to attack and conquer the enemy's starbase in that system, and the only way to beat the game is to take the starbase of the last system, "Yottsu". The player takes planets by eliminating all ground defenses on an enemy world.

Planet types

The four systems of planets in "Overlord" (in order of increasing difficulty) are called "Hitotsu", "Futatsu", "Mittsu", and "Yottsu". There are eight possible world types that can be in these systems; one is your starbase, four of them are one of the types formatted by you or captured from the enemy, another is an unformatted planet, still another is currently formatting (by you or opponent), and the final type is an enemy-controlled world.

Your starbase is identified as planet one in any system and has the picture of a spotlighted major city colored blue. An unformatted world is open for colonizing and looks very much like the barren, atmosphere-lacking rock in space it is. A planet being formatted shows the work of an atmosphere processor by a bright surface and a flame on the right-hand side of its picture. A metropolis world looks somewhat like the starbase but green-yellow in color. A tropical world is bright green, shows its abundant wildlife in the picture, and farming stations produce better here. A desert planet looks mostly barren, yellow to pale orange colored with little life shown, however the thin air allows satellites to generate energy twice as much as elsewhere. A volcanic world is bright red and an erupting volcano signifies the vast amount of raw minerals, and a mining station can turn them into fuels more effectively here than any other place. The final planet type is an enemy's world, labeled "classified" and has a clenched metallic fist on the picture. If this type is the last planet in the system it is the starbase of your opponent. Spying is possible on enemy worlds but not always successful.

Control screens

"Overlord" make use of several screens to buy, repair, scrap, use, or manipulate equipment/aspects of the game. After the introduction the game presents the player a screen from which they choose a planet system to enter, or the option to resume a previously saved game. The screen shot to the right shows the pointer on the system "Hitotsu." Pressing "START" on the controller starts the game in that system, and pressing up/down on the directional pad will move between the system currently selected or a saved game, and pressing "A" or "B" will change the system selected. Following a choice on this screen the game moves to the Planet Information screen. Here the player has access to all other screens from which to control Overlord, can change the planet under scrutiny, spy on a planet, and launch the Atmosphere Processor (AP) or check the AP's progress. You can also initiate combat on an enemy planet here, providing you have a Battle Cruiser (BC) in orbit of that world.

The screen shot to the left shows the Planet Information Screen, with the pointer on the world globe for the "Hitotsu" system. You can view any planet in the system from this screen, whether or not you control it. To change the planet from this screen the player moves the pointer to the clear globe (see screenshot to the left) in which all planets are shown in motion, then holds the "A" and presses up or down to change planets (holding "A" and pressing left/right will change planets in multiples of eight) and release to stop changing. To change worlds on any other screens click the planet number box and then use above instructions. There is also a button to quickly return to the view of starbase on this screen, very helpful in the larger systems for easier navagation. It is the button on the middle right of this screen shot with the arrow pointing to planet one. As you change worlds the picture in the upper right side will also change to further identify the planet type, as described in the Planet types section covered earlier. This screen is the only one that links to all other screens, and the only one that can send and give updates for the AP.

The screenshot to the right shows the three docking bays each formatted planet you control has on it, in this case for the Starbase. The bays are on the left-hand side of the screen and the middle section shows the contents on the currently selected bay. From this screen the player can view any ships docked at a world (here they show an 'X' in each bay, signifying they currently are empty), fuel & crew a recently purchased vessel by clicking 'PREPARE SHIP' , and view/load/unload cargo onto most ships. You can also view graphic representations on a planet's resources (the four icons upper right), scrap a ship in dock (by clicking 'SCRAP'), or access another control screen with the icons along the right-hand side, lower corner of the screen. When a cargo cruiser or another ship with cargo space is docked and the player clicks it the screen shows anything it is carrying. The cargo can be fuel, energy, food, or people, accessed by the icons it the top right corner of the screen. To load or unload, click the ship you want to use in any bay, point to the commodity to be transferred, press & hold 'A' button and press left (to unload) or right (to load) on the directional pad. Note that if you scrap a ship with cargo on it those amounts and any remaining fuel the vessel has is then added to that planet, even the ship's crew.

The screenshot to the left shows the Government Screen for the 2nd system, "Futatsu." Basically it is the economic nerve center of your empire. Here the player can view the statistical status of the planets currently under your control, adjust tax rates on any world, and collect all credits to the starbase. You can also call up the status of an individual planet, reporting the number and type (yours/theirs/formatted or not) of worlds, craft in orbit there, number of ships on the surface, and the overall military strength of that planet. You can see if a world's food stores are increasing or not too by watching the white arrow before the food total, upper left side of the screen.

To change the tax rate move the pointer to the button with arrows going up and down, press & hold "A" and press up or down on the controller to adjust (hold up/down for quicker changes) and release when done. Note changing the tax rate will have a big effect on population growth. To send all credits to the starbase click the middle button showing two planets and a pile of coins. To see the status of a selected world press the 'STATUS' button below the collect button. The player can also go to five of the other screens (or spy on an enemy planet) by pressing one of the icons on the middle right side of this screen.

The screen shot to the right shows the Buy Screen, displaying the B-class Battle Cruiser. Here is where the player purchases the ships to build a fleet, produce resources, or move cargo/equipment to the planets. All craft available to you in the current system is bought here, providing the player has the credits. Press "SELECT" on the controller to see available funds. To cycle through what you can buy, move the pointer to the "UP/DOWN" icon (in the screenshot the pointer is on this button), press and hold the "A" button, and press up or down on the controller. To make a choice press the "BUY" icon and follow the on-screen instructions. Note you can have only one BC, one AP, and a total of 32 ships overall. Also, a warning will be displayed here if you lack the funds to make the purchase, or if you have reached the limit. This screen is unique as it contains no links to the other screens in it; however the player can press "B" on the controller here or anywhere else to return to the Planet Info. screen.

Ships, equipment and stations

With enough credits you can purchase a variety of craft or equipment to aid you in building up your empire or holding on to what you have. The atmosphere processor (AP) will run you 27,000 credits but necessary to colonize, and you can only have one at a time. Solar Satellites cost 975 for class B and 1550 for class A, however they require no crew or fuel to operate. Farming stations are 13,000 for class B and 22,000 credits for class A, and they a crew to run them and require fuel to travel to another planet. Mining stations cost 17,000 for B and 26,000 for A, and likewise need a crew and fuel to travel to another world. Your cargo cruisers are 15,500 for B and 27,000 for A, require fuel and a crew, and slowly lose cargo space on them as they are used. And lastly the battle cruiser (BC) will run you 20,000 for B and 30,000 for A, need a crew & fuel, and class A will hold more missiles and tanks than B will. Like the AP you can only have a single battle cruiser in you fleet. Also the farming & mining stations as well as the battle cruiser do have a limited amount of cargo space.

To attack, the player can buy groups of three homing missiles for 6000 credits, groups of five ballistic missiles for 4000, and hover tanks cost 15,000 each. Again the A class BC will hold more of these munitions than B will. To defend, you can up to three ground bases on any planet you control, one of each type. The Lightning Base costs 20,000 credits, the Pom-Pom Cannon is 15,000 credits, and the Plasma Cannon is 25,000 (although the manual lists 40,000). As these bases are used or take damage you can repair (re-energize) them for half their purchase cost. More detailed information on the war equipment is below:

ground defenses:
* Lightning Base - "available in all levels, a shield generator - Emits electric waves that destroy missiles near it."
* Pom-Pom Cannon - "all levels, a defensive spray cannon - Sprays bullets in a short arch around it."
* Plasma Cannon - "all levels, a defensive turret - Allows you to target missiles using your pad and try to shoot them down."

weapons:
*Ballistic missiles - "all levels, causes some damage - Computer Controlled fire toward the various defense installations"
*Homing missiles - "all levels, causes more damage - Fires toward the various defense installations when you hit the A or B button."
*Hover tank - "all levels, each hit does same damage as a ballistic hit - You control the tank using the pad and fire using the A or B button as it moves around the screen trying to destroy the enemy installations."

Game events

During gameplay in "Overlord" you will receive messages that affect some or all of your planets, ships, equipment, or storage levels on worlds. Some are beneficial while others are harmful, and nearly all of them require immediate action by the player. Below is a summary of these possible events:
*"Technological Breakthroughs" are improvements made to equipment or medicines, such as a new fertility drug which greatly increases population growth, new engines for ships that make them more efficient, new mining or farming methods, etc.
*"Warnings" are messages explaining negative events, such as heavy acid rain falling on a world and therefore causing much damage there, medical problems with previous Technological Breakthroughs, major enemy military movements, or a toxic gas leak on a planet, which costs you the civilian population there (any ground bases remain unaffected). Enemy threats also appear here.
*"System Reports" will relay messages like you have saved your game (hit start to pause the game, then select to save), that a ship has departed or arrived at a planet, the total credits available at the Starbase, a civilian revolt on a world (also costs you the population there), and ion storms in the planetary system that can greatly add or subtract energy supplies. Occasionally you will get the message that your AP has broken down, causing the player to have to purchase another.
*"Military Updates" tell you when your Battle Cruiser has reached an enemy world and that it is ready to attack it. These messages also relay if you have successfully defended a planet, or that the enemy had taken one from you.If you play long enough most of these events will be seen multiple times.

Attacking

Preparing

* Purchase a battle cruiser, "A" series cruisers hold more than B cruisers but are the same otherwise.
* Purchase the weapons of your choice.
* Prepare the ship using the "box and crane hook" looking icon.
* Move the ship on the ships screen to the planet you want to attack using the "ship" icon.
* Commence the attack one the ship arrives at the planet using the attack/defense "hand" icon.
* Battle commences.

Fighting

The object is to destroy the enemy installations (cannons and lighting bases) before you run out of tanks and missiles. When the enemy installation or your tanks start flashing they have taken a lot of damage and are about to be destroyed on the next hit or two. If you purchased hover tanks the first thing you will have control over is a "tank" move it around the map using your control pad and fire at the enemy installations (cannons and lighting bases) using your A & B keys. The computer will automatically start firing your ballistic missiles at the enemy while you control the tanks.Once you have fought with the hover tanks you can hit your A and B buttons to fire homing missiles at the enemy installations. The faster you hit the keys the faster they will fire. Be careful though, once you have used all of your missiles you lose. Likewise if you destroy all of the enemy installations before you run out of missiles you win.

Defending

Preparing

Purchase lighting bases, pom-pom, and plasma cannons for the planets you wish to defense in the attack/defend screen "hand" icon, you can also recharge defenses used in a prior battle by "buying" them again on this screen for a minimal expense. IMPORTANT - Make sure you chose the proper planet but choosing the planet you wish to install them on right below the status and buy icons using B + control pad up/down when your cursor is over the planet #.

Fighting

The object is to keep your bases from being destroyed by the enemy by destroying their missiles and tanks before they hit your bases. If the enemy runs out of missiles and tanks before your bases are destroyed you win. Be careful though, each defensive base has a limited amount of ammo so use them sparingly. Use your A & B buttons to fire your defenses. If you have multiple defenses A will control one and B will control another type of defense. It seems the computer decides which you get to control so if you have 3 defensive installations one of them you will not be able to control unfortunately.
* Using the Lighting Base - Hit A or B key to fire an electric field to destroy missiles, be careful you have a limited supply of energy. - The most effective base type.
* Using the Plasma Cannon - Use the pad to move the cursor around the screen and hit your A or B key to destroy the missiles. - Sounds easy but is really very hard.
* Using the Pom-Pom Cannon - Hit A or B key to fire a short arch of bullets destroying enemy missiles, be careful you have a limited supply of bullets.

Game reviews and critical reception

* "Flyingomelette" rating-10|2 [http://www.flyingomelette.com/reviews/nes/overlord.html link] :"-summary of review-":"It isn't often that a game comes along that challenges my notions of just how bad a game can really be... What appeared to be a very promising simulation and strategy game for the NES, ends up being a complete disaster, due to the many elements that all work against you, all at once, much too quickly." cite web|url=http://www.flyingomelette.com/reviews/nes/overlord.html| title="Overlord Review"|publisher="www.flyingomelette.com"|accessdate=2008-03-16]

Differences in versions

This NES game is a port of an earlier computer game called either "Overlord" or called , depending on the PC type/market it was for. The "Supremacy" game closest resembles this game in look, sound, and gameplay; however there are several differences between them. The NES version uses less screens than its PC counterparts, even less sounds, and much more simplified controls. While "Supremacy" uses units of soldiers in platoons which were upgradeable, the NES game condensed the battle elements to missiles & hover tanks against ground defenses, none of which can be upgraded. The messages part of screens is much larger in the PC versions, and placed along the right hand side of the screens, compared to bottom center of the NES game. The NES game allows a single saved game to be stored,cite book|title=Game's official manual|publisher=Virgin Games|accessdate=2008-02-28] compared to up to four on the PC games. It costs just credits to buy craft in the NES version,cite book|title=Game's official manual|publisher=Virgin Games|accessdate=2008-02-28] while the player will need money, minerals, fuel, and energy to build ships depending on the difficulty level of the PC versions. Plus the use of the docking bays are more complex in the PC games. Also an image of the face of the enemy grows clearer the closer the player is to defeat in the PC versions, a feature lacking in the NES version.

Production

*Original concept - Jonathon Bonar
*NES game design - Steve Crow & Mark Kelly
*Programming - Mark Kelly
*Graphics/animations - Steve Crow
*Audio - Jeroen Tel
*Project mangers - Seth Mendelsohn & Eric Yeo
*Testing - N. Tool, M. Gater, T. Williams, R. Friedman, C. Clark, S. O'Meara
*Game manual - Graeme Kidd (text & production) and Gordon Druce (design).cite book|title=Game's official manual|publisher=Virgin Games|accessdate=2008-02-28]

References

See also

* List of NES games - "listing of all NES game articles"
* Overlord (1990 computer game) - "the older PC version of this game"

External links

* [http://www.virgin.com Virgin official site]
*moby game|id=/nes/overlord-|name="Overlord"
* [http://home.pacbell.net/crash112/overlord.html "Overlord" summary] at [http://home.pacbell.net/crash112/main.html Luke's NES Hangout]