Unreal

Unreal is a first-person shooter computer game developed by Epic Games and published by GT Interactive on May 22, 1998. It was powered by the Unreal engine which had been in development for over three years before the game was released. Since the release of Unreal , the franchise has had one direct sequel and two different series based on the Unreal series universe.

Unreal Mission Pack I: Return To Na Pali was released on .

=Premise=

In the original title you take the part of a criminal aboard the prison spacecraft Vortex Rikers which has crash-landed on the lip of a canyon on the planet Na Pali, killing most of those on board. The natives of this planet (the four-armed, pacifism Nali) have been subjugated by a collection or alliance of alien races, primarily the Skaarj. They kill off all survivors except you. Your primary goal is to locate and destroy the alien mothership and escape the planet.

Unreal features a broad range of settings and artwork. In the course of the game the player explores the Nali iron age culture, a crashed research vessel (the ISV-Kran ), the dizzyingly tall Sunspire, a floating city, Nali castles and villages, Skaarj bases, and ultimately the Skaarj mother ship. Several Nali documents refer to a messiah who will deliver the Nali from the Skaarj, with the obvious implication that the player is that messiah.

=Competition with Quake series=

The Unreal game engine was seen as a major rival to id Software s Quake engine, and the Unreal game itself was considered to be technically superior to the Quake and Quake II titles which were out on the market at the same time. Since Unreal came packaged with its own scripting language called UnrealScript, it soon developed a large community on the Internet which was able to add new mod (computer gaming)s (short for modifications ) in order to change or enhance gameplay. This feature greatly added to the overall longevity of the product and provided an incentive for new development. A map editor called UnrealEd also came with the package.

=About the game engine=

The all-new Unreal engine provided tons of possibilities to third-party content producers.

==Music==

While many game companies went from FM synthesis in the early 1990s and/or General MIDI straight to CD audio and otherwise prerendered audio later on, one thing that set many of the Epic games apart from others was their use of MOD (file format), (composed with a tracker) which used stored PCM sound effects sequenced together to produce music. Epic had been using this technology for other games such as Jazz Jackrabbit (game) and One Must Fall which allowed relatively rich-sounding music to be stored in files usually smaller than one megabyte. Naturally, this technology allowed easy implementation of dynamic music for mood changes in Unreal . The Unreal soundtrack was written by MOD music authors Alexander Brandon and Michiel van den Bos. Alex Brandon was also responsible for the soundtracks for Unreal Tournament and Deus Ex, which also use the Unreal Engine; van den Bos also produced the soundtrack for Age of Wonders.

==Sound Effects==

Unreal is also possibly the first major first person shooter to use 44.1 kHz audio for sound effects. Many sound effects take full advantage of the high frequency range capable with such a sample rate, as is evident when ammo is picked up or when the flak cannon is reloading, for example.

==Graphics==

Although Unreal is not the first major release with colored lighting (see Quake II) it is the first to have a software renderer capable of just about everything the hardware renderers (Most commonly 3dfx Glide, Direct3D and OpenGL) are capable of, to include colored lighting, but not bilinear filtering.

One of the limitations of the Quake engine is that large areas caused slowdowns in the game s framerate. The Unreal engine s specialty is that it is capable of large outdoor areas without great reductions in framerate. Of course, because Unreal is a newer and more resource-intensive game than Quake and Quake II , this means that framerates were lower overall, when run on the same computer.

==Map Editing==

Unreal s method of creating maps differs in major ways from Quake s . The bundled UnrealEd map editor uses the Unreal engine to accurately render the exact scene, as opposed to external editors like Worldcraft attempting to recreate it with different methods. Whereas Quake maps are compiled from a variety of different components, Unreal maps are inherently editable on the fly. This allows anybody to edit any map that is created, including the originals from the developers. Though UnrealEd loads quite a bit slower than most map editors, it runs maps smoothly and swiftly: hitting rebuild automatically finalizes the level within minutes, as opposed to the hours or (at the time) even days with a full Quake map compile.

In addition, Unreal starts with a completely solid world in which you extract areas with primitives instead of starting with a void and building rooms by adding primitive shapes to fill it. Many map designers believe that this eliminates the tedium of matching up separate walls, floors and ceilings.

=Creatures=

Unreal s world is rich with life and sports a diverse array of creatures, either aggressive or non-aggressive towards the player, roaming the surface of Na Pali. Info taken from www.unrealsp.org

==Benevolents==

===Nali Rabbit===

Cute and entirely harmless, Nali Rabbits are often found grazing the grasses of the planet. Try not to step on the poor things as that will almost certainly result in their gibbing.

===Nali Cow===

Adult versions of the Nali Calf, these slow and un-intelligent creatures are pretty much irrelevant. They are farmed by the Nali for their milk, hide and meat and are thus often found in Nali barns or enclosures. They have a distinctive mournful call which will instantly inform you of the presence of one of the creatures; the Nali Calf also has a similar but higher pitched call.

====Nali Calf====

Unmatured offspring of the harmless and stupid Nali Cow, these small creatures are seen very occasionally, normally with the larger adults. Like the adults, they are grass grazers, and will take no notice of you unless you do something to threaten them, at which point they will panic and run all over the place, often getting in the way of your fire.

===Nali===

A plain Nali is the basic towns-person and worshipper of the planet. A benevolent and timid race, the Nali are easily afraid of threatening creatures. However, if your rate of Nali survival is high, you will often find that these four-armed people will summon you and lead you to some kind of helpful and powerful item. For this reason, endeavour to save as many Nali as you can from attack, and never shoot them

====Nali Priest====

The Nali are a simple and holy people. These more colourfully tattooed versions of your basic Nali frequent the planet s temples and sacred sites. Or at least they used to, until the Skaarj came along. Now these Nali like the others are also suppressed and in fear for their lives. That does not mean to say that a Nali Priest cannot be just as helpful as a basic Nali if not mistreated.

==Critters==

===Biterfish===

These small native piscines travel in shoals. Some shoals will completely ignore you, but get too close to other shoals and they will start to show interest in you via their teeth; each bite does 1 point damage. Not much, but they bite repeatedly so it mounts up. They are too small to be worth killing and are difficult to target, so it is best to simply swim away if they get too busy, and save yourself the ammo.

===Devilfish===

These large-jawed underwater denizens are devout meat-eaters and can give quite a powerful bite. When a Devilfish spots you it will pursue you relentlessly until either you or it is dead. Although there is an advantage in that they will also go for critters that jump in after you, Devilfish are best exterminated quickly to avoid losing too much health, so tackle them, but make sure that you do not forget to come up for air. There is nothing more annoying than drowning whilst fighting.

===Squid===

Hefty multiple-tentacled water natives who swim around with a distinctive ink trail. When they spot a target they swim at it head-first then whip round and lay in with a flailing tentacle attack. These enemies are quite hard, but given that nowhere in the game were they actually used , you do not really need to worry about them that much.

===Slith===

Slith are large amphibious creatures which can slither lumberingly on land but who are really in their element wheeling around underwater. They have two main attacks in the form of spitting green acidic saliva, and a melee attack with large, fast and deadly claws. Get cornered by a Slith with its claws and you are as good as dead, which is why it is always best to fight them on land. They are much faster and more manouvreable than you underwater, so if met by a Slith underwater then get away as fast as you can. Push them back using a weapon with kick like the ASMD.

===Predator===

Predator (a.k.a. Pack Hunter): Predators are lightning-fast runners. One Predator on seeing you will probably squeal and run away, but will soon come back with several other Predators and pursue you as a group. They really are pack hunters, chasing a victim down in a flood and then forming a circle to tear flesh off the vanquished s bones. They are equipped with small but incredibly powerful jaws, so it is imperative that you never allow yourself to get cornered. Predators can run just as fast as you. Return to Na Pali only.

===Spinner===

Spinners like to lurk in dark shadowy places like crypts, mine workings and ancient temples. These spiders have two attacks in the form of flesh-tearing fangs at close range, and spitting acid at long range. Both attacks are nasty and best avoided, but of the two it is generally preferable to snipe and dodge rather than get torn to shreds. Watch out when visiting dark areas, because Spinners can drop down and ambush you from unexpected locales. Return to Na Pali only.

===Amoeba===

These Amoebas are highly acidic in composition. Creatures whose natural environment is space, their structure intrigued the science officer of the ISV-Kran. Aggressive creatures who follow you and deploy their acid on you if they can reach, they are difficult to target so explosive weapons are the easiest option. Such creatures were picked up in space by the ISV-Kran, Skaarj Mothership and UMS Prometheus.

===Tentacle===

Tentacles are immobile creatures that attach themselves to a ceiling, where they remain in a visually hard to pick out dormant state until a potential victim is nearby, whereupon they unfurl three tentacles and start firing spikes at the prey. If the prey comes too close then the Tentacle will use its limbs to give the prey a hefty whack that sends the prey flying back. Tentacles are not hard to kill but if left alone can whittle you down to quite poor health quite quickly.

===Fly===

These are not your average horseflies. These creatures can lurk inconspicuously in a corner somewhere then fly out and attack you when you are least expecting it, although you are given some warning by the distinctive rattly buzzing of the Fly s wings. Flies use their tail stings as weapons, so when one attacks it will fly at you then curl its tail under to give you a jab. Although not this attack too dangerous in itself, the Fly will keep coming back for more until either you or it is dead. They are not tough, so make sure that it is not you that dies.

===Manta===

Mantas are small reptilian flying creatures who use their tails as nasty stings. A typical Manta attack pattern is to fly at you, then dart off to one side swinging its tail at you. It can deliver quite a nasty sting. There is one weakness though, Mantas tend to wheel off between attacks and swoop around. This gives you a good opportunity to get some shots in. Best weapon has to be the Automag, which you can use to accurately hit the Manta whatever it is doing. If it is following you, you can back off and continue firing.

====Cave Manta====

Cave Mantas are weaker versions of the basic Manta. A distinctive white in colour as opposed to the usual Manta green, these creatures only take a couple of hits to kill but tend to attack in groups of more than one. However they attack, make sure you use an appropriate weapon like the Automag, with which you can back off continuously whilst maintaining accurate fire. Cave Mantas suffer from the same lack of concentration as regular Mantas.

====Giant Manta====

These larger and nastier versions of the regular Manta are much more dangerous than their miniature cousins. They are faster and require a lot more damage to kill, thus a certain change of strategy is required. Use a bigger gun than the Automag and circle strafe more (their greater speed gives them a boost on your backing off tactic). They do have a disadvantage though; their size makes them less manouvreable in cramped areas, giving you the opportunity for extra hits. Only used in Return to Na Pali .

===Gasbag===

These curious balloon-like night stalkers float around and vomit large red balls of explosive plasma at their prey (usually you). The plasma is slow-moving and has a limited range before it detonates, but if you get caught in it it is quite unpleasant. Thus avoidance is a good tactic. Up close, the Gasbag can beat you with its fists, so that is not ideal either. Gasbags are not especially tough but they can dodge projectiles, so good weapons to use are the Automag, ASMD and fast-action Flak Cannon (at closer range). Eightballs locked on can hit but often miss.

====Giant Gasbag====

This semi-boss is extremely rare. It is basically like a huge version of a regular Gasbag, but with the added attribute that it can spit out normal Gasbags as well as red plasma fireballs. The upshot of this is that you should use a big gun like the Flak Cannon to dispose of the Giant Gasbag before it has a chance to spawn too many regular ones.

==Enemies==

===Krall===

Long ago the Krall were enslaved by the Skaarj like the Nali. Now, the Krall are willing servants of the Skaarj, and are all too happy to carry out the Skaarj s dirty work. Krall are often seen as guards in captured Nali strongholds, and are seen to patrol these places swinging their concussion staffs as they go. As fighters, they possess two attacks; a whack with the staff close up, and an energy bolt further away. To a limited extent Krall can dodge your shots, but they are not as agile as Skaarj. They make up for this by attacking in numbers. Krall are determined fighters which will continue to attack even if you chop off their legs.

====Krall Elite====

Krall Elite are stronger and more highly-trained versions of your basic Krall guard. These elite fighters are often placed as commanding officers of groups of regular Krall, and are seen to charge with the troops. These blue-tattooed versions carry a more powerful concussion staff that shoots projectiles at a greater velocity. Krall Elite dodge more and take more punishment, so be prepared for a fight.

===Mercenary===

Mercenaries are rivals to Skaarj supremacy, ones you meet on Na Pali are stranded on the planet, due to their ship s (the Terraniux) crash. Skilled at fighting in teams and building huge facilities, Mercenaries are formidable opponents armed with a machinegun, rocket launcher and invulnerability shield. At close range, they will fist you. Fortunately, most Mercenaries cannot fire whilst under their invulnerability shield, so you do have a fighting chance. Mercenaries are quite nimble and can dodge your fire but not very effectively. Basically, lay into them until they are dead, but do not waste ammo whilst they are protected by the shielding.

====Mercenary Elite====

These guys are tough. They are like regular Mercenaries, but these blue-clad Mercenaries are more intelligent, stronger and have more health, but worst of all they can fire whilst using the invulnerability shield. This gives them a major advantage - if there is one creature against which you have to fight strategically, then it is this one. Fight carefully, or you will be dead faster than a stepped on Nali Rabbit.

===Brute===

Basically, a larger and more powerful version of the Lesser Brute. Brutes are later-game enemies, being rare in the early maps, only appearing once in the Rrajigar Mine facility. They are all over the place at Dasa Pass and the Nali Castle but that is later on in the game. Anyway, their rockets and swipes are still powerful, and they have more health; they still do not lead you with rockets but it is easy enough to get hit. Identification: beige colour, as opposed to a Behemoth s light blue. More armour than a Lesser Brute.

====Lesser Brute====

Lesser Brutes are the weakest breed of the Skaarj-engineered group known generically as Brutes . These pink-skinned creatures are the first real opposition that you will meet. At long range they fire rockets, close up they whack you with the flats of their guns to quite considerable effect. Where you have the advantage here is the Lesser Brute s lack of speed and its relative fragility. Plus, Lesser Brutes do not generally have the intelligence to lead you with their rockets.

====Behemoth====

Relatively rare, until Return to Na Palis Foundry Tarydium Plant. Behemoths are more powerful versions of Brutes that take a lot more damage and can lead you with rockets. They are huge, which is a disadvantage to you, but it does have the one benefit that they are less manouvreable. Behemoths are tough, but you will not meet them too much. Identification: huge size and pale blue armour.

===Marine===

Even your own planet has turned against you. Only in Return to Na Pali , these elite Terran fighters beam down to terminate you as a security risk after you locate the bridge communicator of the crashed UMS Prometheus. Armed with either a Combat Assault Rifle or Rocket Launcher, they attack in team waves to provide opposition that is not only fast and deadly, but is intelligent and can pick up items like Health Packs and dead comerades weapons to boost their fight. Plan the fight carefully or you are in trouble.

===Titan===

The 30 foot tall Titan is a humongous enemy that you will only meet once in a while. It is truly a creature to be feared, as not only do its huge fists pack an immense punch, at long range it fires instant kill boulders at you. Get in the way of one of those, and you really are in trouble. To make matters worse, they stomp along causing the earth to shake, and wallop the ground to send you flying out of control, only to meet a well-placed boulder. A tip: use Eightballs, and lots of them. Work down through your weapons after that, but do not use the Minigun (waste of ammo), and save the Flak Cannon for Skaarj and Brutes etc.

====Stone Titan====

Of course, where there is something big there is always something bigger. The colossal Stone Titan is a variant on your basic Titan with stone armour plating such that it takes dramatically less damage from your weapons.

===Skaarj===

The main form of resistance you will encounter during your adventures on Na Pali, these come in all flavours.

====Pupae====

These small skittish creatures are unmatured Skaarj in an early formative stage. Their main method of attack is to bite and claw with their front legs. In order to achieve the close range required to do this, they will run at speed and if necessary jump; they can jump quite a distance at some speed, so are more than a match for even the best player. If there is space, back off and fire; otherwise, some skillful circle strafing will be required to avoid getting cornered.

====Skaarj Scout====

There are two main classes of Skaarj, the Warriors and the Troopers. Warrior Skaarj are lightly-clad and use their speed to attack with skill using metal claws on their fists and energy bolts fired from the tips of these claws. They are athletic and can somersault, dodge, strafe and play dead. The Skaarj Scout is the weakest of the Warrior Skaarj, but is still a considerable threat especially if you only have weaker weapons. Early in the game, the weapon of choice has to be the powerful secondary fire Stinger at close range. Identification: red eyes, smaller size and brown chest with red tattoo.

====Skaarj Warrior====

These are the next step up in the Warrior Skaarj class. Slightly faster and more intelligent than basic Skaarj Scouts, Skaarj Warriors main advantage is their increased health that allows them to take more punishment. Like all Skaarj, Skaarj Warriors have a powerful attack in the form of a forward lunge that can do quite a lot of damage. This is an attack to be avoided. Identification: their skin is much greener than a lot of Skaarj. Green eyes and no brown colouration on their chest.

====Skaarj Berserker====

Comparing these guys to most Warrior Skaarj, Skaarj Berserkers are simply huge. With much more health and melee attacks that do a lot more damage, Skaarj Berserkers really are creatures to be feared. Skaarj Berserkers are highly aggressive and will almost certainly never run away from a fight. In fact, they are so aggressive that they have been known to spontaneously attack other Skaarj, even other Skaarj Berserkers. Identification: large size and exposed brown chest with no tattoo, and red eyes.

====Skaarj Assassin====

These Skaarj are pretty unpleasant but are not as tough as Skaarj Berserkers. They have more health than a Skaarj Warrior, which can be partly attributed to the combat armour they wear. Skaarj Assassins are fast and intelligent and thus should be treated as some of the nastier opponents, which of course they are. Get trapped in a corner by one and you will soon see why. Anyway, Skaarj Assassins are quite unusual and are seen mainly in the later part of the game. Identification: red eyes and combat armour.

====Skaarj Lord====

These Skaarj are similar to Skaarj Berserkers. The main difference is the lack of the recklessness possessed by Skaarj Berserkers; Skaarj Lords are more the thinkers than the run psychotically and disembowel the player type. Not to say they are not just as menacing; they have a plentiful supply of health and a similar supply of intelligence. Their combat armour makes it hard to damage that scaly hide. Identification: Skaarj Lords have the same physical appearance as Skaarj Assassins but for a very slight difference in armour tint, and you will probably only realise what you are facing when they survive several Flak Shells.

====Ice Skaarj====

The default attributes for the Ice Skaarj are not that tough. However, when you meet it in the game it is a lot tougher. Ice Skaarj are possibly the most unpleasant sort of Skaarj. They are highly intelligent, deal a hefty whack and take a huge amount of damage before they fall. There is only one Ice Skaarj in the original game; you will meet it by the entrance to the alternate power supply, right at the end of The Darkening . It will be an unpleasant shock when it is still running after six perfect-hit Flak Shells. Identification: red eyes and these guys are blue.

====Skaarj Trooper====

Trooper Skaarj are covered in full body armour, and carry the same varieties of weapon that you carry. At close range they will fist you, at longer range they will deploy tactics appropriate to whichever weapon they are carrying. Trooper Skaarj also carry a switchable invulnerability shield. Do not waste your ammo when it is in use. Specifically now: the Skaarj Trooper is the simplest variety of Trooper Skaarj, armed normally with a Dispersion Pistol although they sometimes carry other weapons. As Dispersion Pistol carriers they are not too bad but the damage can still mount up. Identification: red eyes. and yellow and white body armour.

====Skaarj Infantry====

These Trooper Skaarj are the next step up the stats ladder. Their statistics are basically identical to those of the basic Skaarj Trooper, but they are seen to carry more powerful guns. The default weapon for the Skaarj Infantry is the Stinger, but you will occasionally see them carrying an Eightball Gun or other powerful weapon. Watch out, as the Stinger is surprisingly effective in the hands of a Skaarj. Especially at close range in secondary fire mode. Identification: Skaarj Infantry are visually indistinguishable from Skaarj Troopers. It does not really matter, what matters is the weapon they carry.

====Skaarj Sniper====

This strange class of Trooper Skaarj is very rare. Skaarj Snipers carry some of the most powerful weapons, and rely on their marksmanship to make kills. They are not very strong, having less health even than a Skaarj Scout or basic Skaarj Trooper, and this is not surprising given their spindly appearance. They are quite manouvreable though and you should not take their lightweight design be considered too much of a weakness. Although in fact when you meet them in the game they will be carrying GES Biorifles, the default weapon for the Skaarj Sniper is the Assault Rifle. Identification: spindly appearance, red eyes and blue body armour.

====Skaarj Gunner====

In a way, the Skaarj Gunner is the variety of Trooper Skaarj that you should fear the most. Skaarj Gunners are generally armed with Eightball Guns (although they are seen with other weapons including Flak Cannons, Razorjacks and even Automags), which can waste a creature pretty quickly, especially if locked on. Skaarj Gunners are big and beefy and thus can take quite a pummelling, which is unfortunate for you given the power of the Eightball Gun. You have to fight Skaarj Gunners with strategy. They are intelligent and pack a punch. Identification: bulky appearance, red eyes and blue body armour.

====Skaarj Officer====

The largest Trooper Skaarj is the appropriately named Skaarj Officer. Armed normally with the Razorjack, Skaarj Officers are the healthiest of the Trooper Skaarj and thus take a lot of damage to kill. The ricocheting blades from their Razorjacks can decapitate you very quickly if you are not careful, so it is best to circle strafe to avoid direct shots and pray that none of its blades hit you in the head. Identification: green eyes and body armour that is a distinctive mauve-ish pale blue.

====Warlord====

The imposing Warlord is like a giant Skaarj with wings. Armed with whacking fists and a large rocket launcher, the Warlord will circle and wheel through the air, firing large and powerful rockets at you and whacking you if it gets up close. For its size, the Warlord is incredibly fast and agile. Nothing quite beats the skill of a Warlord performing a neat somersault in the air to dodge one of your rockets before whirling round and firing one of its own to deadly effect. A Warlord may also stop briefly to sprint across the ground at you, or it may stand still for a moment to laugh derisively. That is your cue to whack it one with a Flak Cannon.

====Queen====

The Skaarj Queen is the mother of the Skaarj race, and as such is equipped with some extremely unpleasant tools of destruction. At close range, she can tear you up with some powerful pincers. Further off, she fires floods of the energy bolts produced by Warrior Skaarj. Either attack is unpleasant and avoidance is always the best policy. To make things worse, she is equipped with the ability to teleport and when under threat will teleport at random between firing spots within the fighting arena. She is elusive but her size makes her easier to target; lay into her until she is dead. However, she carries a shield like that of the Trooper Skaarj. Do not waste ammo whilst she is using this.