Publish And Be Damned

Although it rightfully received positive reviews on release, the decision by Looking Glass to self-publish TN proved to be a disaster. It meant LGS held all of the publication debt - a perilous situation for a title that had already been delayed and had sales in the area of 100,000. Dan expands on the knock-on effects of filming multiple scenes of FMV, which merely made this situation worse: "[the FMV] certainly cost a lot, which obviously means that we had to sell a greater number in order to break even. It was also probably a business mistake as well; it didn't cause the game to sell great, and ended up just costing us more and delaying the game even more than it already was."

As to why TN didn't sell better, Dan feels that his position places him too close to the game to really analyse that. What's clear is that the public simply didn't take to it in the way they took to other FPS titles around at the time. This may in part have been due to the system requirements for the game, which (despite it having been delayed) were quite demanding for the era. The revolutionary open landscapes required a decent processor and at least 8Mb of memory to run. Perhaps too there was an issue with the game appearing over-complex - a hang-over from the early intentions to make it a hardcore simulation of battles inside powered armour. The range of features and tactical depth that should have attracted so many, may instead have been off-putting for some.

Those people wishing to sample TN retrospectively also face an uphill struggle. Systems have now advanced too far for the games liking and getting it to run on anything approaching a modern set-up is akin to a waking nightmare. Partly because the 'best' method involves using the host program DOSBox - itself something of a horror show for users. We recommend this lengthy thread on long-standing Looking Glass fansite Through The Looking Glass as probably your best bet in getting TN to run in 2009. Manage to get it going however, and you'll be rewarded with a splendid retro gaming experience.

Return To Centauri

TN triumphed when it forged its own path. The development of technology that could draw outdoor environments at large distances (although it would be superceded) afforded the game a tremendous feeling of scale and space. When it fared less well, it was due to being caught in an era of doomed trends such as FMV and VR headsets, which not only hampered the game with additional costs, but would quickly dissipate as the Next Big Thing of PC gaming. As a result, TN stands as a paradox from an important period for PC gaming - an example of both typical Looking Glass innovation and an archival document of now-forgotten trends. In the last ever message published on their website, the LGS team wrote "We intentionally charted new game design territory ... to thrive and grow the game industry must take some creative risks and continue to innovate. Although LookingGlass has fallen, we pass on the flag to those who are up to the challenge." Precisely who owns the rights to the TN source and license is unclear, but we at IncGamers hope somebody out there can answer the call and make the sequel (or silky smooth modern remake) this excellent title deserves.

 

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