''Chess Wars'' (fully titled as ''Chess Wars: A Medieval Fantasy'') is a 1996

computer chess Computer chess includes both hardware (dedicated computers) and software capable of playing chess. Computer chess provides opportunities for players to practice even in the absence of human opponents, and also provides opportunities for analysi ...

game released for

DOS DOS is shorthand for the MS-DOS and IBM PC DOS family of operating systems. DOS may also refer to: Computing * Data over signalling (DoS), multiplexing data onto a signalling channel * Denial-of-service attack (DoS), an attack on a communicat ...

WizardWorks WizardWorks Group, Inc. was an American video game developer and publisher based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The company was founded in 1980 and, in 1993, WizardWorks opened the CompuWorks and MacSoft divisions. In 1996, WizardWorks was acquire ...

and developed by Art Data Interactive and Digital Arena Software. It is the last game to be released by Art Data Interactive.

Gameplay

''Chess Wars'' is a 3D

game that animates the movement of the pieces in a manner similar to ''

Battle Chess ''Battle Chess'' is a computer game version of chess with animated three-dimensional graphics. It was originally developed and released by Interplay Entertainment for the Amiga in 1988 and subsequently on many other systems, including 3DO Intera ...

''. The game is notable for displaying

full-motion video Full-motion video (FMV) is a video game narration technique that relies upon pre-recorded video files (rather than sprites, vectors, or 3D models) to display action in the game. While many games feature FMVs as a way to present information duri ...

sequences when a piece is taken. Pieces on the board correspond to 'character pieces' representing actors for each piece on the chess board. The

sequences follow a loose story of two opposing kingdoms meeting on the battlefield. The

chess Chess is a board game for two players, called White and Black, each controlling an army of chess pieces in their color, with the objective to checkmate the opponent's king. It is sometimes called international chess or Western chess to dist ...

engine of ''Chess Wars'' contains several features, including strength settings, an enhanced move history and a 'guess move' mode, with a reported chess rating score of 2100 for 'Master' difficulty and 1000 for 'Beginner' difficulty on a standard computer. The game includes data from 60,000 masters' games and 4,000 opening variations as a reference for players.

Development

Full-motion video Full-motion video (FMV) is a video game narration technique that relies upon pre-recorded video files (rather than sprites, vectors, or 3D models) to display action in the game. While many games feature FMVs as a way to present information duri ...

sequences were written and directed by screenwriter Paul W. Cooper in his first and only directorial role. Filming was supported with a cast of eighteen, plus six stuntmen, three camera units and over a hundred extras. Overall, the game features 60 minutes of

footage. Art Data Interactive reportedly commissioned the footage before development of the software, which led to considerable delays. Alex Wells of Digital Arena Software was contracted to complete the code and programming for the

version of the game. ''Chess Wars'' was announced by Art Data Interactive in 1995, originally intended for release on the 3DO in November 1995. Due to constraints with development, the game was ultimately released only for

Reception

Reviews

Reviews for ''Chess Wars'' were mixed. Chuck Klimushyn of

Computer Games Strategy Plus ''Computer Games Magazine'' was a monthly computer and console gaming print magazine, founded in October 1988 as the United Kingdom publication ''Games International''. During its history, it was known variously as ''Strategy Plus'' (October 1 ...

stated "as a chess program, the game is adequate, but just barely", although found the

sequences "entertaining" and "varied enough to keep me from toggling them off. David Wildgoose of

PC PowerPlay ''PC PowerPlay'' (''PCPP'') is Australia's only dedicated PC games magazine. ''PC PowerPlay'' focuses on news and reviews for upcoming and newly released games on the Microsoft Windows platform. The magazine also reviews computer hardware for ...

critiqued the sequences as "hideously embarrassing", recommending that players "disable the appalling FMV sequences", although praising the tutorial, graphics, and difficulty levels.

Legacy

The complex and costly production of ''Chess Wars'' was a contributing factor in the closure of Art Data Interactive in 1996-97. ''3DO Magazine'' reported that Art Data Interactive "burnt up around half a million dollars" in producing the

sequences.

References

External links

*{{moby game, id=/chess-wars-a-medieval-fantasy, name=''Chess Wars: A Medieval Fantasy'' 1996 video games DOS games DOS-only games Chess software WizardWorks games Multiplayer and single-player video games