Gravity Well (video game)

Infobox VG| title = Gravity Well


developer = Software Engineering, Inc.
released = 1995
genre = Multi-directional shooter
modes = Single player, Multi player LAN
platforms = PC, Mac
input = Keyboard

"Gravity Well" is a multi-directional shooter game developed and published by Software Engineering, Inc. and released for shareware in 1995. The object of the game is for the player to establish control over a local solar system by piloting a single spaceship and battling against rival alien empires.

Game overview

"Gravity Well" plays similar to the older Asteroids (arcade game) released by Atari. The player controls a single fighter viewed top-down over a backdrop of space and manipulates the ship using the keyboard keys right, left, up and down. These keys activate left turns, right turns, thrusting forward and shooting, respectively. The simple keystrokes allow full control over the ship, which is the single, main source of interaction the player has to the environment. Players guide their ship through space avoiding obstacles like planets, stars and other ships, and fight other ships and planet-based structures through the use of forward-facing guns on the ship.

While Asteroids used vector-based motion as well, "Gravity Well" introduced another dimension of movement that affected the ship in the form of gravitational pulls from planets and stars nearby. Based on modern theories of space-time, the player's ship constantly accelerates toward the nearby terrestrial bodies as a looming danger. Players may use this ability to an advantage by luring other ships into untimely collisions.

Each player's goal is to colonize the local planets in the solar system and ultimately destroy the rival empires. The map begins with four separate races and a base that serves as an initial headquarters. Players land their ships on planets to claim its possession. At this time their base sends freighters, automated space transports that haul cargo to establish bases on new planets which provide further resources for building and maintaining the army. It is the player's job to claim new planets, protect their own planets and the freighters as they send cargo for new bases, while preparing to attack alien bases. Thus, "Gravity Well" features a mix of strategy and dexterity that combine to add a new dimension to the old "Asteroids" shell.

External links

* [http://www.SoftwareEngineering.com "Gravity Well" at Software Engineering, Inc. site]