From rec.arts.sf.starwars
Path: downey!netcomsv!netcom.com!darons
From: darons@netcom.com (Daron Stinnett)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.starwars,comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action
Subject: PRESS RELEASE: Dark Forces (LucasArts)
Message-ID: <daronsCtBIDF.HxA@netcom.com>
Date: Fri, 22 Jul 1994 01:20:01 GMT
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 261-4700 guest)
Lines: 202

/**************************************************************************\
*                                                                          *
*             LucasArts Entertainment Announces -- DARK FORCES             *
*                                                                          *
\**************************************************************************/


LucasArts Entertainment Company is announcing a new 3D action adventure
game entitled: DARK FORCES.  You can find a slide show for the game on
wuarchive.wustl.edu in /pub/MSDOS_UPLOADS/games.  The files are
dfslide.txt & dfslide.zip.


Press release, game features, and system requirements follow...


===========================================================================
                             PRESS RELEASE
===========================================================================

                  LUCASARTS' DARK FORCES FEATURES
                   IN YOUR FACE STAR WARS ACTION

   San Rafael, CA -- Get up close and personal with the deadliest
stormtroopers and most vile aliens ever in LucasArts Entertainment
Company's upcoming first-person, PC CD-ROM action/adventure, Dark
Forces.  Scheduled for release this fall, Dark Forces introduces a
compelling new Star Wars story fraught with danger and intrigue, and
executes it in richly-detailed, full-3D environments.  Successfully
completing the game (and, of course, saving the universe from the
clutches of the evil Empire) requires navigating through more than a
dozen complex, multi-level worlds and harnessing the fire power of an
arsenal of weapons including blasters, ion guns and plasma assault
rifles in order to defend the Rebel cause.  Dark Forces will be
available in the fourth quarter of 1994.

   The player takes on the persona of an elite special agent on the
Rebel Alliance's covert intelligence team.  When the Rebels learn of the
Empire's devastating new battle station -- the Death Star -- you are
assigned to infiltrate an Imperial Star Destroyer and capture the plans.
This first mission leads to subsequent -- more dangerous -- missions
revolving around the discovery of a secret facility where the Empire is
manufacturing an army of deadly, mechanized super stormtroopers.  This
gripping action game pits the players against an array of Imperial
enemies, super-human adversaries and aliens loyal to the dark side, all
while negotiating the corridors and catwalks of  enemy vehicles,
descending into the rocky canyons of the Empire's hidden bases, freeing
prisoners from their subterranean cell blocks and squaring off against
Admiral Mohc and his army of special darktroopers.

   During game play, your alter-ego is extremely maneuverable.  In
addition to having 360 degree rotation, he can look up and down and
execute enhanced movements such as jumping and ducking.  The player can
utilize a Personal Digital Assistant for easy access to mission
briefings, as well as a Heads-Up Display for status evaluation and an
auto-mapping function for quick location reference.  Game play can be
customized to the player's own skill with difficulty levels ranging from
beginner to advanced.

   The game visuals are detailed and realistic with challenging
indoor and outdoor morphing environments and 3D texture-mapped, shaded
objects.  Digitized Star Wars and original sound effects, full speech
and a compelling stereo musical score create a stirring audio complement
to the 3D graphics and fast-paced game play.

   LucasArts Entertainment Company develops and publishes
entertainment and educational software for CD-ROM, personal computers,
video game consoles and multimedia.  LucasArts is one of three Lucas
companies.  Lucas Digital Ltd., comprised of Industrial Light & Magic
and Skywalker Sound, is dedicated to serving the needs of the
entertainment industry for visual effects and audio post-production.
Lucasfilm Ltd. includes George Lucas' feature film and television
activities, as well as the business activities of the THX Group and
Licensing.

                         #    #    #


Dark Forces Development Leads

Project Leader:        Daron Stinnett
Lead Artist:           Justin Chin




===========================================================================
                               FEATURES
===========================================================================

o  JEDI 3D TECHNOLOGY - Dark Forces is the premiere product utilizing
   LucasArts' advanced 3D rendering system.  The Jedi Engine supports full 3D
   objects, a realistic lighting model, atmospheric effects (haze, fog, etc),
   Gouraud Shading, animating textures, 3D viewing angles, and more.  The
   Jedi Engine is a proprietary system developed internally by LucasArts.

o  BREATHTAKING WORLDS - Your mission to destroy the Empire's latest
   weapons of destruction will take you across the galaxy.  Along the way
   you will see a variety of Star Wars worlds and capital ships.

o  ULTRA COMPLEX LEVEL DESIGNS - Worlds extend out in all directions.  There
   are elevators that take the player to multiple floors, bridges over
   flowing water, catwalks, air shafts, and many other unique architectural
   features.

o  ACTIVE ENVIRONMENTS - Flight decks that have ships coming and going,
   rivers that sweep you along, moving platforms and conveyors, and
   functioning machinery.

o  MORPHING WALLS AND FLOORS - Escape the crushing walls of the Detention
   Center's trash compactor, extend bridges, and rotate walls.

o  FULL 3D VIEW - Using the keyboard, joystick, or mouse, the player can look
   up, down, left, and right, for the ultimate virtual experience.

o  TWENTY DIFFERENT ENEMIES - Fight Storm Troopers, Gamorrean Guards, Probe
   Droids, Dark Troopers, Remotes, Bounty Hunters, and many more.

o  EIGHT WEAPONS - A variety of weapons to assist you in your fight against
   the Empire - including: Laser Pistol and Rifle, Thermal Detonators, Mines,
   Fusion Cutter, and more.

o  BLAZING FRAME RATE - 30+ frames per second on a 486-66!

o  FULL DETAIL LEVELS - Customize the viewing system to achieve maximum frame
   rates on systems ranging from 386 through Pentium.

o  EXPANDED PLAYER MOVEMENT - Use your ability to jump, duck, and crawl to
   solve puzzles and defeat enemies.

o  PDA - Your Personal Digital Assistant provides you with in game information
   such including map, inventory, and mission briefing.

o  CINEMATIC CUT-SCENES - Follow this compelling storyline loaded with
   spectacular cut-scenes.

o  INTERACTIVE 3D SOUND - iMuse(TM) soundtrack based on John Williams'
   original score plus extensive speech and digitized Star Wars sound effects
   in 3D stereo.

o  VARYING DIFFICULTY LEVELS - Configure the game play to match your skill
   level.

o  FULLY CONFIGURABLE CONTROLS - All game controls are fully configurable.
   Dark Forces supports all major game controls including Thrustmaster Mark I
   and the CH Flight Stick Pro.  Also includes support for multiple joysticks
   for advanced movement and view controls.

o  PUZZLE SOLVING - In addition to heart-pounding action, you will confront
   a multitude of challenging puzzles.

o  PENTIUM OPTIMIZED - Without sacrificing performance on slower systems,
   Dark Forces has been fully optimized for optimum Intel Pentium performance.


===========================================================================
                              REQUIREMENTS
===========================================================================

COMPUTER:            IBM and 100% compatibles
OPERATING SYSTEM:    MS-DOS 5.0 or higher
CPU:                 386/33 DX minimum (486 recommended)
MEMORY:              4 megabytes minimum (8 recommended)
INPUT DEVICE:        Keyboard required (Joystick(s) and Mouse supported)
GRAPHICS:            256 color VGA/MCGA
SOUND CARDS:         Sound Blaster, Sound Blaster Pro, Sound Blaster 16,
                     AWE32, Pro Audio Spectrum, Roland MT 32 / LAPC1,
                     General MIDI and compatibles
HARD DISK DRIVE:     CD-ROM VERSION - NONE (CD-ROM required)
                     DISK VERSION   - 20 megabytes of free space on hard disk


===========================================================================
                         CONTACTING LUCASARTS
===========================================================================

For ordering information and availability:    1-800-STAR WARS (9-5 PST)
LucasArts BBS:                               415 257 3070



===========================================================================
                           LEGAL INFORMATION
===========================================================================

NOTICE:  The software included in this demonstration program is the
copyrighted property of LucasArts Entertainment Company ("LEC").  LEC
hereby gives you permission to make copies of the software to give to
other persons and to distribute the software to others electronically,
provided that in all such cases you may not charge or receive money or
other consideration from any person or entity for the receipt or use
of the software.

Dark Forces TM and (c) 1994 LucasArts Entertainment Company.  All Rights
Reserved.  Used Under Authorization.  Star Wars is a registered trademark
of Lucasfilm Ltd.  LucasArts is a trademark of LucasArts Entertainment
Company.

LucasArts Entertainment Company
P.O. Box 10307
San Rafael, CA 94912


