EVOLUTION OF FREESCAPE
The many iterations of Major Development’s engine
driller 1987
As the first Freescape release, and the slowest of the lot, Driller introduced gamers to the solid 3D landscapes that would become the engine’s hallmark. Set in space and visually impressive with its lovely shading and colour, the game involved moving an excavation probe through 18 regions of the moon Mitral while digging to allow gas to escape.
dark side 1988
Set 200 years after Driller, Dark Side may have looked more sombre than the previous game but it had a larger playing area, a greater number of logical puzzles to solve and a complex environment to explore. Using the character’s jet pack was fun while the mix of arcade, strategy and adventure made for a more complete experience.
castle Master 1990
By working hard to enhance Freescape following Total Eclipse, Incentive proved it was willing to invest in its winning technology. The result was a faster, less glitchy game filled with a huge number of locations and puzzles. Players could choose the prince or princess, the decision slightly affecting the way the game could be completed.
castle The crypt Master ii: 1990
This was not only released as part of a double compilation involving the debut game, it was also bundled into the Virtual Worlds pack along with Driller and Total Eclipse. It tasked players with escaping from the castle and solving difficult puzzles but it essentially offered more of the same.
3d kit construction 1991
Incentive allowed gamers to play around with the Freescape system itself by producing a user-friendly environment designer that let you use a host of buttons to create any object you wanted. You could then learn the programming language to code your own games or simply explore your own worlds.
3d kit construction 2 1992
This version was produced for the Atari ST, Amiga and MS-DOS and it made use of the Freescape III engine. There were more controls and users could also use rounded objects. It was also possible to add sound effects and a host of preproduced art, making for an all-round great tool.