Nexus: The Jupiter Incident ( Nexus: The Incident on Jupiter ) is a real-time tactical game for PC, created by Hungarian company Mithis Entertainment and released by Vivendi Universal and HD Interactive. The creators call the game “tactical fleet simulator.” Unlike real-time strategy , the central part of Nexus: The Jupiter Incident depends on tactical decisions and control of ships instead of gathering resources and building a base.
Nexus: The Jupiter Incident | |
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Developer | Mithis entertainment |
Publisher | Vivendi universal HD Interactive |
Date of issue | November 5, 2004 |
Latest version | |
Genre | real time tactics |
Age ratings | ESRB : Teen (T) |
Technical details | |
Platforms | PC ( Windows ) |
Game engine | Black sun |
Game modes | single-player , multi-user |
Carrier | CD-ROM |
Control | keyboard , mouse |
Content
Overview
For each mission, the player is allocated a small number of large spacecraft (always less than 10, sometimes only 1 or 2), along with the accompanying fighters and bombers. Ships are big and slow, and battles between fleets are usually long, giving the game a noticeable cinematic look. The Black Sun engine was specially made for this game, making the graphics of the game one of its most interesting parts.
Story
At the beginning of the 22nd century, the conquest of outer space and the colonization of the solar system are monopolized by gigantic and ambitious mega-corporations. The player takes on the role of Marcus Cromwell, the famous captain, whose father was the captain of "Noah's Ark" - a ship that was sent through a wormhole near Mars . The wormhole slammed shut, and now the ship is considered dead. Cromwell was ordered to fly his new Stiletto-class ship to Jupiter . What happens there will be later called the “Jupiter Incident”.
After a few fairly simple tasks (mainly intended for training a player), Cromwell will have to investigate an abandoned but well-protected space station belonging to a rival corporation, the Kissaki Syndicate. During the landing, the landing party found an unknown ship the size of a cruiser in the station hangar. Entries on the ship indicate the secret base of the Syndicate for Pluto . On an ordinary ship, such a flight would take several years, but for an alien cruiser, this flight took only a week. Kissaki called the ship "Angel Wing". Cromwell is assigned to the “Angel Wing” to research the base of Pluto. After arriving at Pluto, an artificial intelligence named Angel copies itself to Angel Wing and convinces Cromwell to flee the strange device that attacked him — a mechanoid — through a space funnel nearby.
Cromwell is in a different system, populated by the colonists of "Noah's Ark." The colonists of Noah are the mercenaries of the high-tech race of the Vardrags, fighting against another powerful race, the Gorg. Soon, other Wardrag mercenaries began to attack the colonists - Raptors, biomechanical creatures improved by the Wardragas and completely loyal to their creators due to special implants. However, after the cataclysm of the “Space funnels” a part of the Raptors lost contact with the Vardragi. Cromwell and his ship are enrolled in the colony fleet of Noah. After several successful missions against the Raptors, ending with the destruction of their main base, the cruiser "Angel Wing" is transferred to the front against Gorg. But soon, a much more terrible threat hangs over all the races - an invincible race of nano-machines called Mechanoids. After a short time, the birthplace of the Vardrags and the Earth are captured by the Mechanoids. Only a strange race of cosmic insects called the Locusts have weapons against the Mechanoids. After the defeat of the Locust uterus, her body is transported to the colony of Noah, where scientists, on the basis of the remains, create new technologies for the Energovampir weapon, which “sucks” energy from the Mechanoids (if desired, you can “suck” energy from the shield of the enemy ship). Then, on the basis of this “energy vampire”, a special shield is created, which is installed on all Colossus class support ships (COLOSSUS), under whose shield, the huge Human-Gorgian-Vardrag fleet frees the Earth and other worlds. The main mechanoid, titled "Essence", is destroyed by the Angel and the "Angel Wing" in a subspace called the Nexus.
The game ends with the restoration of the Earth in its state before the invasion of machines and the departure of the Angel to destroy all the remaining Mechanoids.
Races / ships
Earth (International Space Agency and Corporations)
The ICA (ISA) is the successor to the great pioneers of space exploration, such as NASA , Roscosmos and ESA . However, by 2050, the organization gradually lost its leading role in space research and, by 2070, it was no longer able to implement uniform space laws. By 2080, it finally lost its position in space research and, adapting to new circumstances, established the official space army of the Earth, known as the Confederation Fleet.
The organization uses the only legitimate Artificial Intelligence of the Solar System - it controls space motion in the sector of the Earth. The rest of artificial intelligence is prohibited after they have made wars between themselves.
The ICA recently lost the interplanetary war against colonial corporations. Prior to this, the first human interstellar colonial ship "Noah's Ark" was sent through a space funnel near Mars and was lost for many years. After the war, corporations manage outside the Earth's orbit (where the ICA still rules) and constantly fight among themselves.
The ships of earthlings are very similar to the ships of the Earth Alliance in the TV series " Babylon 5 ": a rotating central part for centrifugal gravity . These ships do not exceed the size of the frigate can not move with the help of interplanetary drive (MP drive) and move with the help of chemical rocket engines, so the usual flight from Earth to Mars takes several weeks, and the flight from Jupiter to Pluto - a few years. In the last missions, the six of such ships are carried out by two light destroyers of the Noanians with a bang.
Angel Wing
The vessel of strangers, which was in the hands of people. The ship is able to receive and assimilate any technology or device. It uses methods unknown to people to determine the functions of devices and create their own modifications. It seems that the ship was designed specifically for the use of alien technology. This may explain his lack of weapons. Another remarkable ability of the ship is the ability to heal itself. In one of the missions in the postscript it is mentioned that the structure of this ship is based on biology, thus the ship is in a sense “alive”.
The Interplanetary Drive Engine is one of the main components of the Angel Wing. With conventional engines, people must accelerate for several months to reach a speed of 20 km / s. A motor with an MP can accelerate up to 3000 km / s in a few seconds. Physical obstacles pose no problem for the Angel Wing; it surrounds itself with a “bubble” of subspace, in this mode the ship does not technically exist in normal space, and therefore cannot encounter anything. Although the ship’s capabilities are ideal for flights within a star system, they are not enough for phenomenal distances between star systems. It should be noted that all interstellar races use a less advanced version of the MP. While escorting a convoy of cargo ships, the flotilla is attacked by Predators using the wardrag technology to “throw” the convoy out of its subspace. This device only partially worked on the Angel Wing, while the cargo and escort ships were unable to jump within a few minutes.
Colony of Noah
Contrary to the expectations of the inhabitants of the solar system, "Noah's Ark" survived the flight through the funnel from Mars. The colonists found a suitable planet and built a colony on it. After some time, the colonists came into contact with the Vardragas - a high-tech, but peaceful race of strangers who offered the deal to the colonists: people would get new technologies and permission to move through the craters in exchange for the help of people in the war against Gorg.
Noah's ships are the same that earth ships can become in a century or two: fast, with strong weapons and defense systems, shields, thermonuclear and ionic engines, and superfast interplanetary methods of movement.
Wardrag Confederation
The Wardragi is a very advanced alien race that created a mighty empire long before meeting the colonists of Noah. Homeland Vardragov is a city the size of the planet itself, supplemented by giant orbital platforms. The main problem Vardragov - constant clashes with the Empire Gorg. Although powerful weapons and defense systems of the Wardrages help to repel the attacks of the enemy, the Wardrages themselves are peaceful and do not tolerate war. Having learned that people can be as aggressive as the Gorgians, they gave the colonists new technologies in exchange for their service as mercenaries. Most of their technology wardragi still kept secret, even from people; for example, a technology that allows a ship to be thrown out of an interplanetary jump, the so-called "gravitational engines", extraordinarily powerful energy shields, and destructive cataclysm-class missiles. Vardragi prefer to travel in massive ships-cities that are larger and somewhat stronger than the battleships of Noah and the Gorg. Although they leave most battles to their human mercenaries and raptors-allies, they still have defensive forces to protect their main systems. Despite the presence of advanced technology, they openly panic in battles with the mechanoids and lose their home planet.
Gorgue Empire
Gorgi is a warlike green-skinned reptiloid race that is constantly looking for systems to capture and enemies to fight. If neither one nor the other is found, then they fight among themselves. This is probably the main reason for their lack of centralized power; the sphere of influence of each clan extends only to its territories and ships. Sometimes clans create temporary alliances to fight wardrags or to control other clans. Although the Gorgians are proud warriors, they also use “lesser” races as mercenaries. Their technological level is almost the same as that of the colonists of Noah, although they were the first to use siege lasers — a powerful weapon requiring the energy of at least three ships (not counting the laser carrier) and capable of breaking through any shields. The ships of Noah were able to gain access to these weapons after the conclusion of a truce between the Wardrag, the gorgians and the people.
The original cause of the Gorg and Wardrag feuds was the so-called “Wormhole cataclysm”, when the wormholes connecting different regions began to change directions, eventually isolating some systems. The Gorgians declared war to the Vardrags, as they believed that the Vardrags were the only ones capable of such a thing.
Raptors (Raptors)
The predators, the elite soldiers of the Wardrages, were originally a primitive, undeveloped animal race that the Wardrages developed through genetic engineering. Cybernetic enhancements ensured their loyalty. Outwardly, they look like predators and use hunting tactics. They lack the discipline to act in large groups, so the wardragi use small units. Some groups were separated from the wardrags when the tunnel system failed, and their descendants no longer had implants that would monitor their loyalty.
Space Predator fighters are also created by the wardrag. Predators prefer to neutralize an enemy ship with lasers, board it with cyber-strike groups, and capture it for themselves.
Ghosts
Ghosts are a mysterious and mysterious race living in a system called "Mist." They sometimes work as spies and scouts for the wardrag and colony of Noah. They carry out all communication through text messages or through carefully selected representatives who are privileged to see the real form of Ghosts. It is suspected that the Ghosts have powerful psi-abilities that allow them to improve their technology far beyond the level of other races. Ghost ships are not the best fit for combat. Their main strength is the ability to make their ships invisible to most sensors (except near scanners). Their guns are designed for accurate strikes that allow the Ghost ship to disarm and immobilize and stun the enemy. Apparently they are hinting at the Shadows from Babylon 5, although they preferred to destroy their targets.
Mechanoids (also known as "Essence")
Little information is available about mechanoids, except that they are trying to capture or destroy everything they see. According to the Wardrages, the recent Cataclysm of wormholes and the explosion of some stars nearby is the work of mechanoids. There is a theory that they are artificial intelligence created by a long-extinct race, and they want to remake the universe for their needs.
The nano-machines themselves are inanimate, but they are controlled by a vast and powerful artificial consciousness called “Essence”. Nano-machines can change their physical shape at will. Usually, they take the form of a complex geometric shape of approximately 1/8 of the size of the “Angel Wing” and can shoot with a powerful beam capable of destroying most ships with several shots. Gigantic spheres of mechanoids were also noticed, from the size of the ship-city of the Wardrag to the diameter of the Moon . They are able to seize almost any machine for their needs, and even living beings with cyber-implants.
Mechanoids can absorb and use any energy directed at them, and therefore many have considered them invulnerable. In the end, the colonists of Noah discovered that the mechanoids are vulnerable to Locust. Using the locust abilities, an energy skter turns off mechanoids but does not destroy them. Over time, and with the help of an angel, the colonists of Noah were able to create an anti-mechanoid field capable of destroying mechanoids within a radius of 100 km.
This field could not destroy the Essence itself, and also had no effect against the ships of other races under the control of the mechanoids.
Creators
The only thing known about the Creators, also known as Planners, is that they followed and possibly managed the development of humanity until the 17th century , when the last Creator died, leaving the secret base behind Pluto, the Angel Wing, and the sleeping AI in the future known as Angel (Tenshi). It is suspected that the Mechanoids were the creators of the Creators, but they betrayed and attacked their masters. Like the Mechanoids, the Angel Wing is able to assimilate almost any technology, including the Mechanoids themselves.
Locust
This race behaves almost like their terrestrial "version" , devouring energy and bio-matter from nearby sources. These sources can be ships, mechanoids and even entire ecosystems. Communication with them is impossible, and they are dangerous opponents.
Locusts, since they are completely organic, have no ships. Instead, they are organized like terrestrial social insects, with three castes: the worker, the warrior, and the queen. A worker is a creature the size of a fighter that sticks to an enemy’s shield and drains energy from it until it disappears. Warriors - Locust bombers; they shoot energy charges at the enemy until the enemy becomes helpless. The Queen is a giant creature that gives birth to workers and warriors. It is known that queens can move faster than the speed of light . Locust is the only known form of life that is fully capable of resisting the mechanoids without getting change. They have no technology, they are all alive. Since mechanoids do not have anti-aircraft defense systems, workers and warriors can drain energy from mechanoids with impunity. The uterus emits electromagnetic radiation that disables any equipment that approaches it (ships are destroyed in a few seconds), so the uterus can be killed only with the help of a siege laser.
Characters
Marcus Cromwell
The main character of the plot. The son of the famous Richard Cromwell - the first person born in space. Marcus was born the same year that a wormhole was discovered near Mars. When he was 10 years old, "Noah's Ark" was launched under the command of Richard Cromwell. After losing the Ark, Marcus did not lose the thirst for space exploration he received from his father. When he matured, he joined the Federation space fleet and suddenly found himself in the thick of the Martian war when colonies and corporations declared independence from the Earth. Cromwell's ship was seriously damaged near Phobos , and he spent the next 10 years in stasis, waiting for salvation. Finally, he was found and revived, and he learned that the Earth had lost the war. Everyone did not care on which side he fought. He became a war hero. In the end, SpaceTech offered command of the heavy Stiletto corvette to Marcus.
Tenshi (Angel)
The fourth-generation Illegal Artificial Intelligence created to control the base of Shukenia Beta near Pluto, belonging to the Kissaki Syndicate. Tenshi, translated from Japanese Angel. The ship Angel Wing was named by Kissaki scientists after her. When Tenshi was installed on a base computer, the sleeping AI left there by the last Creator merged with it and began to grow. After the mechanoid killed everyone aboard the station, the Angel Wing ship arrived under the command of Marcus Cromwell and Tenshi copied itself into it. Initially, an obedient person (the Kissaki people have programmed it in accordance with Eastern cultural characteristics, where the woman is assigned a supporting role), but in her character there is a share of independence and superiority. She is ready to take the initiative in their own hands under certain circumstances. Her reaction is quick and unpredictable.
Rear Admiral Arthur Norbank
Admiral, commander of the main attack on the Empire of the Gorg. Although he is not incompetent, his arrogance and distrust of everything often end, at best, with very expensive victories, and at worst, destructive defeats. His eyes were called rhinoceros. Norbank became known as a captain when he led Noah’s newly created fleet to his first battle and victory against the Gorg (mostly because the Gorg waited for the Vardrag). In fact, he is a comic character, as the player often has to clean him up, take command of his fleet when he is unable to command, and even save him. Together with the ship he is captured by the mechanoids, but survives by barricading himself in the cabin. He manages to save and bring the harbor. Seems to go crazy.
Commander Sweetwater
Sweetwater spent most of her life with Ghosts, and it left its mark on her personality. She constantly insults Marcus Cromwell, Angel, and Angel Wing, challenges their abilities and motives, and obeys orders undesirable. She turns out to be indispensable for Cromwell, since she is an official from the Ghosts and the only person capable of controlling the Ghost stealth invisibility generator on the Angel Wing.
Captain Francis Delorine
Francis Delorine and Marcus Cromwell childhood friends, then their paths of life went their separate ways. His parents did not agree with Noah’s plan, and their fathers often quarreled strongly about the project until the families stopped talking to each other. Their paths crossed again at the cadet school. Francis and Marcus realized that no matter what happened they would follow and help each other.
Commander Rudolf Veltman
Rudolf Weltman - a man of science, whose work was known throughout the solar system. He was sent along with Marcus Cromwell on the “Angel Wing” to study the Shukenya Beta base. When the Angel Wing was drawn into a war with the Gorgians, Veltman was given command of the Brutus reconnaissance destroyer in the Cromwell battle group. To the surprise of many, he turned out to be a capable commander.
Admiral Anderson
Chief Admiral of the colony of Noah.
Robert Scheinman
Rear Admiral of the Defense Fleet of Noah, a diplomat. Scheinman periodically operates as an ambassador between the colony of Noah and the wardrag. He was a school friend of Marcus Cromwell.
Chief Zatuk
The leader of the ruling clan Gorg. His position as emperor is constantly threatened by other clans, making Zatuk more receptive to the proposals of the world with the Wardrags and the colony of Noah so that he can fully concentrate on internal affairs. But his desire to make peace with his enemies makes him unpopular to members of his own clan. Zatuk is also the leader (captain) of the powerful heavy battleship Battle Battle, whose crew he chose personally. The main opponent of the world is the clan Ragra.