Today, we will have a look at one legend that may be remembered by to older folks, which was one hell popular commercial game for PC and PlayStation. Warzone 2100 has changed a lot and it’s hard to believe this is the old game. But what’s different is great, thanks the huge community behind the years work.
Original

Perished game studio Pumpkin Studios got its year of fame with an interesting game Warzone 2100 in 1999. In that moment, they really didn’t know how long the game’s name is going to last, especially on the open-source scene. The core style is real-time strategy, fully in 3D and totally free camera. It was nice to create your own units according your wishes and imagination. The next good stuff was exploration of the landscape around and combination of close ranged, artillery units plus the air machines of war. Another great factor was that your units were able to gain experience making them more effective and useful in various missions. For year 1999 the game was really good.

The story took us into the 21st century where a nuclear war played wildly, especially the defensive satellites NASDA guarding the North America. Those who survived created new community under the name “The Project” hoping and trying to recreate the lost civilization using only pre-war technology. As usually, they aren’t the only people putting things together according their philosophy and so you have to face few other enclaves and communities which have totally different opinion.

Warzone 2100 received very good critique and high score from reviewers. The gamers and players only disliked the small innovation.




The end of Pumpkin Studios and new hope in Pumpki-2

Eidos Interactive (blind the life of Pumpkin Studios) dissolved this “sister” company and the whole project was moved under groups N.E.W.S.T. They published patch 1.11 in the year 2000 and changed their name to Pumpkin-2. Another very important patch saw the light three years later and it was prove that the game was still cared for. Warzone 2100 got many new things and content.

But the future wasn’t bright at all. We shouldn’t forget that the game was commercial and needed investments and the hosting (I wasn’t able to find the name of the hosting) unexpectedly dismissed the collaboration with Pumpkin-2. The alternative rout was found and the project was still breathing.

The year 2004 was about sending a petition to Eidos Interactive (the rights owner) with an ask to make the game open-source. And that’s what on December 6th of the same year happened.



Enthusiasm and creation

Few people from the celebrated Pumpkin-2 started working on the continuation of Warzone 2100 with an extended name “Total War”. Those guys and girls got to pre-alpha-demo but that was the end of this project.
It was decided to turn the process into total conversion of this history hit and se the time went on a new name for it was used – Warzone 2100 Resurrection Project and later Warzone 2100 Project. This name has been used till these days.


Warzone 2100 Project

We have already tried and played this game but we would like to meet with it in the future as well. A lot has changed during the past six and half years. The whole project was started thanks the pre-alpha demo and the version was 0.1.11 in the June 2005 (thanks Wiki). Warzone 2100 Project has been developed and improved since that moment and many versions has been released. The latest one is 2.3.8 (Windows, Linux, Mac) and a new one is in the process of creation.

What’s changed since the beginning? The creators can be really proud of the huge technology tree containing over 400 possibilities. This makes with the possibility to deign your own vehicles huge re-playable value. The graphics has been much improved and the textures are almost up-today. The design and explosion effects looks marvellous and you can see some work behind it. The core is te same, specially the story and control, but the game is much longer thanks various modes, maps and multi-player.

If you wish to join the game as player or even being part of the creator chains then I recommend having a look at the official website and forum where everything is nicely described. Have fun and enjoy this jewel.