''MindRover: The Europa Project'', also known as simply ''MindRover'', is a
video game
A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...
for
PC, developed by CogniToy.
Gameplay
The game, which can be thought of as a successor to the Learning Company's
Robot Odyssey, revolves around three activities:
* Assemble virtual robots from a library of stock parts.
*
Programming robots using a special graphical interface (referred to in the game as "wiring") with a paradigm more based on multicomponent circuitry construction than on traditional programming.
* Participate in events such as
robot battles and racing games with newly programmed robot.
Development
The game had a budget of $500,000. In October 2000, CogniToy signed a contract with Tri Synergy to distribute the game to retail stores.
The game was developed for
Microsoft Windows
Windows is a Product lining, product line of Proprietary software, proprietary graphical user interface, graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sec ...
and was released for online retail in 1999, and for traditional retail stores a year later. Add-ons were available to control
Lego Mindstorms
Lego Mindstorms (sometimes stylized as ''LEGO MINDSTORMS'') is a discontinued line of educational kits for building programmable robots based on Lego bricks. It was introduced on 1 September 1998 and discontinued on 31 December 2022.
Mindstor ...
robots.
The game was
ported
In software engineering, porting is the process of adapting software for the purpose of achieving some form of execution in a computing environment that is different from the one that a given program (meant for such execution) was originally desig ...
to
Linux
Linux ( ) is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an kernel (operating system), operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991, by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically package manager, pac ...
by
Loki Software
Loki Software, Inc. (Loki Entertainment) was an American video game developer based in Tustin, California, that porting, ported several video games from Microsoft Windows to Linux. It took its name from the Norse deity Loki. Although successful ...
and
Linux Game Publishing
Linux Game Publishing (sometimes also referred to as LGP) was a software company based in Nottingham in England. It ported, published and sold video games Linux gaming, running on Linux operating systems. As well as porting games, LGP also spon ...
and to the Mac by
MacPlay
MacPlay is the name used by a series of three United States, American publishers of Apple Macintosh, Macintosh video games. ''MacPlay'' was founded to bring more focus to
Interplay’s Mac games.
History
MacPlay was founded in the ear ...
.
Reception
The PC version received favorable reviews. Carla Harker of ''
NextGen'' called the retail version "A truly amazing title for anyone looking for something unique and challenging."
[
The same PC version was nominated for the "Best Strategy Game for PC", "Best Independent PC Game", and "Most Innovative Game of the Year" awards at '']The Electric Playground
''EP Daily'' (formerly ''The Electric Playground'') is a daily news television show that covers video games, movies, TV shows, comic books, collectibles and gadgets. Created and executive produced by host Victor Lucas, and his Vancouver, British ...
''s Blister Awards 2000, which went to ''Sacrifice
Sacrifice is an act or offering made to a deity. A sacrifice can serve as propitiation, or a sacrifice can be an offering of praise and thanksgiving.
Evidence of ritual animal sacrifice has been seen at least since ancient Hebrews and Gree ...
'', '' Combat Mission: Beyond Overlord'', and '' Jet Grind Radio'', respectively.
See also
* '' Armored Core: Formula Front''
* '' Armored Core: Verdict Day'', featuring UNACs, AI controlled Armored Cores which players can create and customize
* '' BASIC STUDIO Powerful Game Koubou'', a 2001 PS2 game creation title by Artdink featuring a sample game based on their title '' Carnage Heart''
* ''Breeder
A breeder is a person who selectively breeds carefully selected mates, normally of the same breed, to sexually reproduce offspring with specific, consistently replicable qualities and characteristics. This might be as a farmer, agriculturalist ...
'', a 1986 Famicom algorithm-based simulation combat game by SoftPro
* '' ChipWits''
* '' COMSIGHT'', a 1987 PC88, X1 , and X68000 algorithm-based simulation combat game by Technosoft
* '' Omega (video game)''
* '' Pandora Project: The Logic Master'', a 1996 PS1 algorithm-based simulation combat game by Team Bughouse very similar to ''Carnage Heart''
* '' Robot Odyssey''
* '' Robot X Robot'', a 1999 PS1 algorithm-based simulation combat game by Nemesys
* '' RoboSport''
* Logic simulation
Logic simulation is the use of simulation software to predict the behavior of digital circuits and hardware description languages. Simulation can be performed at varying degrees of physical abstraction, such as at the transistor level, gate ...
References
External links
* (archived)
BattleSpot
*
1999 video games
Classic Mac OS games
Linux Game Publishing games
Linux games
Loki Entertainment games
Programming games
Robotics simulation software
Strategy video games
Tank simulation video games
Video games developed in the United States
Video games set in outer space
Windows games
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