Tau Ceti (video game)
A 3D action game set on a hostile alien world.
Tau Ceti is a video game published in 1985 by CRL, designed and programmed by Pete Cooke. It was released for the ZX Spectrum and later converted to the Commodore 64, among other platforms. The game is notable for its 3D graphics with shadow effects and a day-night cycle on the planet Tau Ceti III.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- CRL Group PLC
- Designer
- Pete Cooke, Chris Newcombe (128K Spectrum enhancements)
- Released
- 1985: Spectrum
- 1986: Atari ST, Amstrad, C64
- 1987: MS-DOS
- Genre
- Action, simulation
- Modes
- Single-player
- Platforms
- Amstrad CPC
- Amstrad PCW
- Atari ST
- Commodore 64
- MS-DOS
- ZX Spectrum
Facts from the source article.
Plot
Humanity colonized nearby star systems, but a plague in 2150 forced abandonment of the colonies, leaving automated robots in charge. The colony on Tau Ceti III lost contact after a meteor impact, and a subsequent mission in 2164 sent a mayday then fell silent. Experts concluded the robots were malfunctioning, and a single pilot in an armored skimmer was sent to shut down the central reactor in the capital, Centralis.
Gameplay
The planet Tau Ceti III contains cities with buildings, laser towers, and patrolling Hunter ships. The player's skimmer can dock at some buildings to find parts, refuel, or obtain information. A jump pad allows rapid travel between cities. The game world is rendered in 3D with shadows to simulate a day-night cycle; each Cetian day consists of sixteen spins of the planet per hour. Cities are hostile, defended by laser towers, Fortresses, three types of Hunter ships (Mark I, II, III), and slow mines. The skimmer has lasers, missiles, and ammunition to counter enemy missiles, plus a shield that depletes and can cause system failures if exhausted. Repairs are available at supply centers. Static defenses are permanently destroyed, but mobile defenses respawn when the player leaves a city. Defenses vary widely, from nearly undefended cities to heavily fortified ones like Centralis. The skimmer includes a scanner, compass, infrared display, and flares for darkness. Text-input sections appear when docking or landing, allowing commands such as HELP, STATUS, SCORE, LOOK, and EQUIP.
Reception
Response from gaming media was positive. CRASH magazine rated it 94%, calling it an excellent game with stunning graphics. Sinclair User gave it five stars and described it as one of the all-time greats among shoot 'em ups with purpose. Commodore User magazine sparked controversy by claiming the final two reactor parts could never fit, making the game impossible to complete, a claim contradicted on the C64-Wiki Tau Ceti page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who developed Tau Ceti (video game)?
Tau Ceti was developed by CRL Group PLC.
What platforms is Tau Ceti (video game) available on?
Tau Ceti was released for Amstrad CPC, Amstrad PCW, Atari ST, Commodore 64, MS-DOS and ZX Spectrum.
Who designed Tau Ceti (video game)?
Tau Ceti was designed by Pete Cooke, Chris Newcombe (128K Spectrum enhancements).
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