Universal Combat

''Universal Combat'' (sometimes abbreviated to UC) is the second video game series by the developer 3000AD and is the successor of the ''Battlecruiser'' series of games.

Gameplay

''Universal Combat'' offers the player a very large game world to play in using varying forms of transport and combat. The player can pilot spaceships of varying sizes, as well as land on and explore planets. On land, they can drive varying land craft. The size of the playing area is seen as one of the game's main attractions, where traveling from place to place can take considerable quantities of time as there is no time compression. The game has a high learning curve that is daunting for newer players.

Every crew member aboard the player ship is tracked in location, hunger, AI level, and fatigue. Every system on board the player's starship can be monitored and controlled. In order for the player to fly a shuttle, they must first take time to walk through the ship to the shuttle bay, forcing the player to plan ahead for tactical encounters.

Development

The project began as early as 2000 when Derek Smart announced that he had licensed Croteam's Serious Sam game engine for "Project ABC", for "After Battlecruiser", as replacement for the Battlecruiser Tactical Engagement add-on module intended for Battlecruiser Millennium. The game's scheduled release date was in late 2001, developed for PC and Xbox.

Development started in late 2001 as ''Battlecruiser Generations'', the 5th game in the Battlecruiser series. As part of its design, the upcoming game was intended to make use of newer technology. With a new publisher, DreamCatcher Games, on board and offering more oversight, the direction of the game changed towards more action-based gameplay than the Battlecruiser series had previously been known for. The changes warranted a new title, and the name was changed to ''Universal Combat''.

''Universal Combat'' was not ready in time for the 2003 holidays, despite expectations. It was shipped in early 2004 by the publisher, DreamCatcher Interactive, at half of the originally announced price. Smart pursued legal action against his publisher. A cease and desist letter was issued on behalf of 3000AD to DreamCatcher alleging, among other things, that the price reduction was "clearly calculated to inflict economic harm on 3000AD". In the hearing, DreamCatcher Interactive claimed that the game's quality did not justify a midrange price, citing the graphics as an example of the overall quality of the game. A hearing was held to determine if DreamCatcher would be prevented from shipping the title at the reduced price. The presiding judge denied the injunction, stating that 3000AD "made bold but unsupported assertions regarding the irreparable harm to it", allowing DreamCatcher Interactive to ship the game and 3000AD to proceed with their lawsuit. The matter was later settled out of court under undisclosed terms.

In 2005, 3000AD, Inc. also announced termination of DreamCatcher's publishing right for Universal Combat,UC: A World Apart Gold - 3000AD vs. DC, Round II
but the deal expired on 18 December 2007.

When 3000AD announced they would release the game as freeware, the company reported it had told DreamCatcher to initiate a DIF (Destroy In Field) order to its various retailers so that the remaining copies can no longer be sold, and any unsold copies would be filed as losses in Q4 2007.

Games in the series

Universal Combat Gold

After terminating a publishing deal with DreamCatcher Interactive, Smart released an updated release titled ''Universal Combat Gold''. Starting with this release, Smart has made a policy of releasing games through online resellers.

In 2005, Turner Broadcasting licensed both Battlecruiser Millennium and Universal Combat Gold for their games-on-demand system, GameTap.

Full localization supports Russian, French, Italian, German, and Spanish languages. Additional custom language interfaces are possible.

Universal Combat - A World Apart

''Universal Combat - A World Apart'' is a sequel to the original ''Universal Combat'' games.

The game was originally announced on 18 November 2004 as an expansion pack for ''Universal Combat'', which would feature newer and more advanced technologies found in the then-upcoming ''Universal Combat - Hostile Intent'' and ''Galactic Command Online''.

DreamCatcher Interactive originally announced the publication of ''Universal Combat: A World Apart'' in May 2005, but several issues with the publisher (DreamCatcher) held up the boxed retail release of the title, and led to the termination of the publishing agreement. As a result, the publishing rights reverted to 3000AD Inc.

As a result of the termination, the boxed version of the game was not released, and the developer also removed DreamCatcher-created content from the retail game.

Although the game had switched to DirectX 9, graphics improvements only began in this edition. The audio engine was also based on FMOD, starting in the v1.00.11 patch.

Universal Combat Special Edition

A compilation release that includes all previous Universal Combat games, plus all outstanding updates and fixes.

Terrain rendering engine now uses improved texturing technologies such as high resolution textures support, reflections, volumetric clouds. Multiplayer and audio engine are also improved.

New scenarios include:
*1 new 16-mission Advanced Campaign Mode scenario (A World Apart Episode 2) playable from the perspective of the Commander and Elite Force Pilot careers. The scenario storylines are a continuation of the Episode 1 storyline from the original UCAWA game.
*8 new Instant Action scenarios featuring several career modes.

Total scenarios now 58 Instant Action scenarios, 5 Campaign Mode scenarios ('A Fragile Hope', playable from the perspective of the Commander career; 'Way Of The Titans', playable from the perspective of the Commander and Elite Force Pilot careers; 'A World Apart : Episode 1', playable from the perspective of the Commander and Elite Force Pilot careers; 'A World Apart Episode 2', playable from the perspective of the Commander and Elite Force Pilot careers).

In addition to the standalone title, a version exists as expansion pack to the ''Universal Combat - A World Apart'' game, which only works with Direct2Drive

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