Acorn Arcade

TEK News

[TEK] Since completing Ankh, Artex Software are currently working on TEK, a new real-time strategy game which is set to take the Acorn games scene by storm. The game will feature internet, LAN and modem multiplayer modes, high-quality music, human speech, and cut-scene films using real actors. Artex are hoping to be able to release versions of TEK both for the RiscPC and NetStation.

No release dates have yet been set and Artex are hardly well known for their punctuality but the game should be released in time for the Christmas sales this year.

Info on TEK
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Game Plot

TEK is set in the near future. The world has been devastated by wars and ecological disasters, most animals have died, and the human race can only survive by consuming a drug called 'Shock'. There are only two corporations who know how to produce this drug, a European one and a Japanese one. These corporations both have private armies to defend the Shock development and transports, and to attack and sabotage the enemy. You start the game as a young general who will do training missions (probably 3). Then as you progress, you get sent to the head-quarters to fight against the enemy. You do patrol missions, search and rescue, espionage, and much more... The battles get more and more desperate, until an interesting discovery is made... The story is a bit more complicated than this, but I expect all will be explained in detail in the 3-5 minute intro film at the beginning of the game!

Game Features
Here's all the info we have about the game engine so far. Some of these features have not been programmed yet so there is no guarantee that they'll appear in the final game.

Unit features

Artificial intelligence for each unit

Units that become more skilful as they gain experience

Some special units: a worm-like unit that goes underground, animals, huge robots

Ground units cannot see what's behind hills

Units have limited fuel

Unmanned vehicles can be taken over by soldiers

You can set up 'way points' for patrolling routes etc.

Units can be given special missions, eg. guard another unit, seek and destroy, patrol etc.

Units can be grouped and ungrouped

Grouped units get a commander who has his own artificial intelligence

You can transfer weapons, fuel etc. from one unit to another

Some units (eg. jeeps) can jump over gorges

Sound

Lots of music tracks
Sound effects for shooting, explosions, vehicle movement, scenery etc.
Speech (but not annoying speech as in some PC war games)

Unit Listing
These units are still subject to change

Land Units

Trooper
- Weakest (and cheapest) unit, suitable for a number of special tasks.

Tank
- Slow, heavily armoured unit with lots of firepower

Glider
- Small, quick. Comparable to the jeep but only usable on flat terrain

Raptor
- Cloned animal-like fighter with special animal senses

Jeep
- Explorer unit suitable for rough terrain

Walker
- Two-legged multi-purpose battle machine

Spider
- Six-legged battle machine very suitable for rocky terrain

Worm
- Operating in the underground, only appearing for attacks

Mine Layer
- Small weak unit with the ability to make mine fields

Sea Units

Amphibic Glider
- Can be used as a floating bridge

Air Units

Chopper
- Quick unit with little armour
Fighter
- Strong, fast plane with the ability to throw bombs

Support Units

Transporter
- Can carry a certain amount of units
Huge Transporter
- Can carry more units and maybe even a smaller transporter

Stationary Units

Radar
- Makes approaching enemy units visible
Gun tower
- Available in many variants.
Factory
- Produces new units after a certain time
Repair station
- Repairs damaged units and heals injured soldiers

All these units have basic attributes as well as a certain amount of podule slots where additional weapons/systems can be fitted. Thus, you can equip all your units mission-specific.

Network Play info

TEK can be played via serial or modem link, local networks and the Internet. The latter will support mid-game joining of new players. The network code is being developed right now and up to 8 participating players will be possible.

Technical Info
Graphics: The game will use all high-resolution graphics, including lots of films. There will be an 'intro' film, as well as a 'game over' and 'well done' film, and others in the game.

Sound: The game will use high-quality music tracks which will be played straight from CD. The game will also feature a lot of speech, especially on the training missions.

Requirements
To play this game you will need a Risc PC with a minimum of 4MB of RAM. A StrongARM processor will be ideal but the game will still run happily on an ARM6/7 in medium resolution (640x480), and with a few less 'twiddly bits'. Ideally you would have a StrongARM RiscPC with 2MB VRAM (to display 1024x768 with 2 screenbanks), 8MB+ RAM and a 17" monitor. (We can all dream, can't we! -Ed)

Screenshots

High Resolution (1024*768)
Medium Resolution (800*600)
Lowest Resolution (640*480)

Click on a thumbnail above to see the full picture.

Alasdair Bailey / Tim Fountain (6/3/98)