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'''''Flotilla''''' is a [[turn-based strategy]] space combat video game developed by Brendon Chung's video game studio, [[Blendo Games]]. It was released in March 2010 on [[Steam (software)|Steam]] for [[Microsoft Windows]] and on [[Xbox Live|Xbox Live Indie Games]] for the [[Xbox 360]]. The game was designed with Microsoft's [[Microsoft XNA|XNA]] tools, and its development was influenced by cats as well as board games such as ''[[Axis and Allies]]'' and ''[[Arkham Horror]]''. The game follows the player in an adventure through a randomly generated galaxy.
'''''Flotilla''''' is a [[turn-based strategy]] space combat video game developed by Brendon Chung's video game studio, [[Blendo Games]]. It was released in March 2010 on [[Steam (software)|Steam]] for [[Microsoft Windows]] and on [[Xbox Live|Xbox Live Indie Games]] for the [[Xbox 360]]. The game was designed with Microsoft's [[Microsoft XNA|XNA]] tools, and its development was influenced by animals as well as board games such as ''[[Axis and Allies]]'' and ''[[Arkham Horror]]''. The game follows the player in an adventure through a randomly generated galaxy.


Chung began developing ''Flotilla'' immediately after [[Pandemic Studios]] closed. It uses assets imported from an early space combat prototype, ''Space Piñata'', created by Chung. ''Flotilla'' incorporates several pieces of classical music in its score, such as [[Chopin]]'s [[Prelude, Op. 28, No. 15 (Chopin)|"Raindrop" prelude]]. The game received mixed to positive reviews from [[Video game journalism|video game media outlets]], with a score of 72 out of 100 on review aggregate website [[Metacritic]]; and it was included in Mike Rose's book ''250 Indie Games You Must Play''.
Chung began developing ''Flotilla'' immediately after [[Pandemic Studios]] closed. It uses assets imported from an early space combat prototype, ''Space Piñata'', created by Chung. ''Flotilla'' incorporates several pieces of classical music in its score, such as [[Chopin]]'s [[Prelude, Op. 28, No. 15 (Chopin)|"Raindrop" prelude]]. The game received mixed to positive reviews from [[Video game journalism|video game media outlets]], with a score of 72 out of 100 on review aggregate website [[Metacritic]]; and it was included in Mike Rose's book ''250 Indie Games You Must Play''.
Line 34: Line 34:
''Flotilla'' was developed by Brendon Chung's video game studio, [[Blendo Games]]. Chung, who worked as a [[Level designer|level designer]] for [[Pandemic Studios]], previously contributed to the development of ''[[Full Spectrum Warrior]]'' (2004) and ''[[Lord of the Rings: Conquest]]'' (2009).<ref name="Dev1"/> Chung started coding ''Flotilla'' in 2009 after [[Electronic Arts]] closed Pandemic Studios. He was excited at the time of the studio's closure, and stated that "there was adrenaline pumping through my veins".<ref name="Making Of"/> The game was developed using [[Microsoft XNA]], a set of game development tools created by [[Microsoft]].<ref name="GamersHub"/>
''Flotilla'' was developed by Brendon Chung's video game studio, [[Blendo Games]]. Chung, who worked as a [[Level designer|level designer]] for [[Pandemic Studios]], previously contributed to the development of ''[[Full Spectrum Warrior]]'' (2004) and ''[[Lord of the Rings: Conquest]]'' (2009).<ref name="Dev1"/> Chung started coding ''Flotilla'' in 2009 after [[Electronic Arts]] closed Pandemic Studios. He was excited at the time of the studio's closure, and stated that "there was adrenaline pumping through my veins".<ref name="Making Of"/> The game was developed using [[Microsoft XNA]], a set of game development tools created by [[Microsoft]].<ref name="GamersHub"/>


The concept of ''Flotilla'' came from a combination of "sci-fi like ''[[Star Wars]]'' and submarine movies".<ref name="Square"/> Chung explained that he "figured there was enough games about little fighter jets", and that what he had in mind was "a jumbo battleship floating in space".<ref name="Square"/> In an interview with [[SquareGo]], Chung revealed that cats as well as board games, such as ''[[Axis and Allies]]'' and ''[[Arkham Horror]]'', also had an influential role in the game's development process.<ref name="Square"/> Before ''Flotilla'', Chung worked on a prototype, a [[2D computer graphics|two-dimensional]] turn-based space action game called ''Space Piñata'', whose gameplay and structure were similar to those of the final version of ''Flotilla''.<ref name="Making Of"/>
The concept of ''Flotilla'' came from a combination of "sci-fi like ''[[Star Wars]]'' and submarine movies".<ref name="Square"/> Chung explained that he "figured there was enough games about little fighter jets", and that what he had in mind was "a jumbo battleship floating in space".<ref name="Square"/> Animals, instead of aliens, are featured as characters in the game. Chung explained that he did so because "any fantastical creature design I came up with would pale in comparison to already-existing designs made by other people." Therefore, instead of trying to solve the problem of creating compelling alien characters, he switched to animals: "[they] have certain built-in characteristics, they were fairly unique in how they weren't typically associated with space adventures."<ref>Chung, Brendon. [[ticket:2014042210017676|A question about ''Flotilla'']]. {{link note|note=membership required}} [[:m:OTRS|Wikimedia Response Team]]. April 22, 2014.</ref> In an interview with [[SquareGo]], Chung revealed that board games such as ''[[Axis and Allies]]'' and ''[[Arkham Horror]]'', had an influential role in the game's development process.<ref name="Square"/>


Chung intentionally limited the solo mode's play time as an "experiment in making a short-story generator", such that an adventure could begin and end within a half hour.<ref name="Square"/> Following negative response, a patch was deployed to change this limitation. The patch included a new "hardcore" mode.<ref name="Square"/> ''Flotilla''{{'s}} score incorporates several pieces of classical music, such as [[Chopin]]'s [[Prelude, Op. 28, No. 15 (Chopin)|"Raindrop" prelude]]. According to ''[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]]'' magazine, the "Raindrop" prelude gives the game's battles "an emotional undercurrent".<ref name="Making Of"/> Chung said that the soundtrack was designed to give the game "a tragic feel" and that he wanted the game to be portrayed as "the anti-testosterone-fueled" action game.<ref name="Making Of"/>
Before ''Flotilla'', Chung worked on a prototype, a [[2D computer graphics|two-dimensional]] turn-based space action game called ''Space Piñata'', whose gameplay and structure were similar to those of the final version of ''Flotilla''.<ref name="Making Of"/> Chung intentionally limited the solo mode's play time as an "experiment in making a short-story generator", such that an adventure could begin and end within a half hour.<ref name="Square"/> Following negative response, a patch was deployed to change this limitation. The patch included a new "hardcore" mode.<ref name="Square"/> ''Flotilla''{{'s}} score incorporates several pieces of classical music, such as [[Chopin]]'s [[Prelude, Op. 28, No. 15 (Chopin)|"Raindrop" prelude]]. According to ''[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]]'' magazine, the "Raindrop" prelude gives the game's battles "an emotional undercurrent".<ref name="Making Of"/> Chung said that the soundtrack was designed to give the game "a tragic feel" and that he wanted the game to be portrayed as "the anti-testosterone-fueled" action game.<ref name="Making Of"/>


== Reception ==
== Reception ==

Revision as of 19:09, 22 April 2014

Flotilla
Developer(s)Blendo Games
Platform(s)
Release'Microsoft Windows'Xbox 360
Genre(s)Turn-based strategy
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer (co-operative)

Flotilla is a turn-based strategy space combat video game developed by Brendon Chung's video game studio, Blendo Games. It was released in March 2010 on Steam for Microsoft Windows and on Xbox Live Indie Games for the Xbox 360. The game was designed with Microsoft's XNA tools, and its development was influenced by animals as well as board games such as Axis and Allies and Arkham Horror. The game follows the player in an adventure through a randomly generated galaxy.

Chung began developing Flotilla immediately after Pandemic Studios closed. It uses assets imported from an early space combat prototype, Space Piñata, created by Chung. Flotilla incorporates several pieces of classical music in its score, such as Chopin's "Raindrop" prelude. The game received mixed to positive reviews from video game media outlets, with a score of 72 out of 100 on review aggregate website Metacritic; and it was included in Mike Rose's book 250 Indie Games You Must Play.

Gameplay

Several ships exchanging missiles across a three-dimensional area littered with asteroids. The ships, asteroids, and missiles are all rough-looking, with hard edges and few details.
Flotilla allows the player and artificially intelligent opponents to issue orders to their ships every 30 seconds, and then to watch their orders play out in real time.

Flotilla is a three-dimensional simultaneous turn-based strategy space combat video game set in a randomly generated galaxy.[3] The player and computer-controlled opponents issue orders to their ships every 30 seconds, which are then performed in real time. At the beginning of the game, the player is usually given two ships to control, but more become available as the game continues. Ships may be rotated arbitrarily in any direction.[4]: 2 

The game's single-player mode is an "adventure" that can be played an indefinite number of times. These adventures have a duration of around 30 minutes.[5] The character dies at the end of each adventure and the player is given the option to play again.[4]: 2  A hardcore mode, which removes the solo mode's standard 30-minute time limit, was later added to the game.[4][5] Each time the player starts a new adventure, a new galaxy is randomly generated and filled with planets and enemy ships.[4] The player may take a short tutorial before beginning the adventure.[6]

Each planet offers a possible quest or challenge to the player. Challenges are tactical battles in which the player must fight against a variety of enemies.[3] However, ships can only be harmed from behind or below; attacks from any other position will be countered by the ships' shields.[7] Upon succeeding, a new chapter is added to the player's character's story, and the player is awarded with ship upgrades.[6] These upgrades are used to customize ships with improvements, such as increased firing speed or heavier rear armor. The upgrades available to the player vary upon finishing each encounter with an enemy, and the player might not receive the same upgrade by playing the same encounter in two different adventures. Flotilla has cooperative and split-screen multiplayer modes that can be played with an additional Xbox 360 controller.[3]

Development

Brendon Chung delivering a speech from behind a podium.
Brendon Chung, developer of Flotilla

Flotilla was developed by Brendon Chung's video game studio, Blendo Games. Chung, who worked as a level designer for Pandemic Studios, previously contributed to the development of Full Spectrum Warrior (2004) and Lord of the Rings: Conquest (2009).[8] Chung started coding Flotilla in 2009 after Electronic Arts closed Pandemic Studios. He was excited at the time of the studio's closure, and stated that "there was adrenaline pumping through my veins".[4] The game was developed using Microsoft XNA, a set of game development tools created by Microsoft.[9]

The concept of Flotilla came from a combination of "sci-fi like Star Wars and submarine movies".[5] Chung explained that he "figured there was enough games about little fighter jets", and that what he had in mind was "a jumbo battleship floating in space".[5] Animals, instead of aliens, are featured as characters in the game. Chung explained that he did so because "any fantastical creature design I came up with would pale in comparison to already-existing designs made by other people." Therefore, instead of trying to solve the problem of creating compelling alien characters, he switched to animals: "[they] have certain built-in characteristics, they were fairly unique in how they weren't typically associated with space adventures."[10] In an interview with SquareGo, Chung revealed that board games such as Axis and Allies and Arkham Horror, had an influential role in the game's development process.[5]

Before Flotilla, Chung worked on a prototype, a two-dimensional turn-based space action game called Space Piñata, whose gameplay and structure were similar to those of the final version of Flotilla.[4] Chung intentionally limited the solo mode's play time as an "experiment in making a short-story generator", such that an adventure could begin and end within a half hour.[5] Following negative response, a patch was deployed to change this limitation. The patch included a new "hardcore" mode.[5] Flotilla's score incorporates several pieces of classical music, such as Chopin's "Raindrop" prelude. According to Edge magazine, the "Raindrop" prelude gives the game's battles "an emotional undercurrent".[4] Chung said that the soundtrack was designed to give the game "a tragic feel" and that he wanted the game to be portrayed as "the anti-testosterone-fueled" action game.[4]

Reception

Flotilla received a mixed response from video game journalists upon release. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the game received an average score of 72 based on 7 reviews.[11] British magazine Edge included Flotilla in its 2010 list of the Best 20 Indie Games available in the Xbox Live Marketplace, and acknowledged that the game was "as exacting as it is quirky, a stiff challenge beneath a sugar coating."[17] Mike Rose included Flotilla in his book 250 Indie Games You Must Play.[18]

The American version of PC Gamer commented that Flotilla "is a charmingly crafted bite-size portion of tactical fun".[12] Meanwhile, the British version of the magazine elaborated that although the game had its share of "charm and character," it was nonetheless a random experience.[13] PC Zone UK characterized Flotilla as stylish and funny, but concluded that it was a "sadly disposable" experience.[15] Edge gave a mixed response to the game, but praised the battles, which they considered "engaging despite their simplicity."[16] An editor from website Charge Shot praised the game's artificial intelligence and overall design, but criticized the multiplayer mode.[7]

Joe Martin from Bit-Tech named Flotilla a "hilarious and brazenly original" game. However, he criticized the interface and navigation gameplay, which he condemned as "trying to pilot a radio-controlled helicopter with someone else's feet." He also mentioned the lack of a speed-up feature in battles; he considered such a feature necessary for the game.[19] GameZone's Tom Dann also felt frustrated by the ship maneuvering mechanics, though he concluded that they "can also be rewarding and entertaining".[14] Flotilla was nominated for the 2011 Independent Games Festival Visions Award,[20] but lost to Amnesia: The Dark Descent.[21] It was also listed among the Honorable Mentions for the Excellence in Visual Art and Excellence in Design awards.[21]

References

  1. ^ "Flotilla". Steam. Valve Corporation. Retrieved March 28, 2014. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  2. ^ "Flotilla". Xbox Live Marketplace. Microsoft Corporation. Retrieved March 29, 2014. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  3. ^ a b c Plunkett, Luke (February 2, 2010). "Flotilla, For All The Homeworld Fans Out There". Kotaku. Gawker Media. Archived from the original on April 12, 2010. Retrieved January 10, 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Edge Staff (December 2, 2011). "The Making Of: Flotilla". Edge. United Kingdom: Future Publishing. Archived from the original on April 4, 2013. Retrieved May 6, 2013. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Harris, Phil (July 12, 2010). "Brendon Chung (Blendo Games) – Interview". Square Go. Archived from the original on September 26, 2012. Retrieved January 10, 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ a b Chung, Brendon. Flotilla (Windows). Blendo Games. 2010.
  7. ^ a b Rob (March 17, 2010). "Review: Flotilla, or Ender's Game: The Game". Charge Shot. Archived from the original on July 1, 2013. Retrieved January 10, 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ Chick, Tom (January 1, 2009). "The man behind the strange wonderful world of Gravity Bone". FidGit. Sci Fi. Archived from the original on February 27, 2009. Retrieved November 15, 2012.
  9. ^ AnthonyD (February 8, 2010). "Blendo Games Interview". The Gamers Hub. Archived from the original on January 10, 2014. Retrieved January 10, 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  10. ^ Chung, Brendon. A question about Flotilla. (membership required) Wikimedia Response Team. April 22, 2014.
  11. ^ a b "Flotilla for PC Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive Inc. Retrieved January 10, 2014. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  12. ^ a b Belsaas, Erick (June 2010). "Homeworld meets Disney for some space adventures in Flotilla". PC Gamer US. No. 201. United States: Future Publishing. p. 81. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  13. ^ a b "Flotilla review". PC Gamer UK. No. 217. United Kingdom: Future Publishing. September 2010. p. 95. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  14. ^ a b Dann, Tom (June 22, 2010). "Flotilla Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on January 10, 2014. Retrieved January 10, 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  15. ^ a b "Flotilla review". PC Zone. United Kingdom: Future Publishing. June 2010. p. 87.
  16. ^ a b "Flotilla review". Edge. No. 214. United Kingdom: Future Publishing. May 2010. p. 102.
  17. ^ Edge Staff (November 16, 2010). "Best 20 Indie Games". Edge. United Kingdom: Future Publishing. Archived from the original on April 4, 2013. Retrieved May 6, 2013. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  18. ^ Rose, Mike (2011). 250 Indie Games You Must Play. CRC Press. p. 244. ISBN 9781439875759. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  19. ^ Martin, Joe (March 14, 2010). "Flotilla Review". Bit-Tech. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  20. ^ "IGF 2011 Audience Award Closes This Week, D2D Vision Award Finalists Revealed". Gamasutra. February 16, 2011. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
  21. ^ a b "2011 Independent Games Festival Winners". Independent Games Festival. 2011. Retrieved January 11, 2012.

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