Gundam 0079: The War for Earth
An interactive movie adaptation of the original Gundam series.
Gundam 0079: The War for Earth is a video game developed by Presto Studios and published by Bandai Digital Entertainment. It was released for Macintosh, Windows, PlayStation, and Apple Bandai Pippin.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Presto Studios
- Publisher
- Bandai Digital Entertainment Corporation
- Platforms
- Macintosh
- Windows
- PlayStation
- Apple Bandai Pippin
- Release
- 1997 (WW)
- Genre
- Interactive film
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
Facts from the source article.
Story
The story follows the plot of the Mobile Suit Gundam series, in which the Duchy of Zeon, ruled by the Zabi family, rebels against the Terran Federation. Armies use mobile suits, humanoid mechas built en masse. A young civilian becomes embroiled in a Zeon attack on the neutral colony Side 7, takes control of a prototype Gundam, and enlists on the Federation ship White Base under Bright Noa. The player develops newtype talents as the White Base undertakes dangerous missions against Zeon and its elite pilot Char Aznable. The Federation gradually gains the upper hand despite heavy losses. The player adopts the point of view of an unnamed hero referred to as "gundam."
Gameplay
Gundam 0079: The War for Earth is an interactive movie with a first-person view from the cockpit of the Mobile Suit Gundam in a 3D environment. The game consists of long interactive cutscenes requiring keyboard and mouse input. The player must make quick decisions such as attacking, moving, activating the shield, or strategic choices to complete missions. The interface shows the cockpit view, two monitors for blind spots, and a damage indicator simultaneously on screen.
Reception
Next Generation reviewed the Macintosh version and gave it two stars out of five, stating it is not for action gamers or adventurers but serves as a new experience for fans of the Gundam opus. The game was released in Japan for Apple Pippin and Macintosh/PC in late 1996 and early 1997, then for PlayStation on May 2, 1997. Critics noted the graphics were appreciated but the integration of real actors was unnatural and motion capture was insufficiently fine-grained. Some found the difficulty high due to the interfaces, and others criticized the acting and the poor gameplay of interactive cutscenes.
Development
Bandai entrusted production to the American studio Presto Studios, known for first-person adventure games. The idea of simulating mobile suit piloting had appeared in a 1995 Gundam game on PlayStation. Bandai and Presto Studios adopted a cinematic approach using CGI animation and real actors for FMVs. The graphics were inspired by Mobile Suit Gundam 0083. Collaboration with Sunrise ensured respect for the series' universe. 3D modeling of environments, robots, and characters was done by Victor Navone, Frank Vitale, and Derek Becker using Alias 3D and QuickTime VR. Animation used motion capture systems, and graphic effects were handled by Shadi Almassizadeh and Eric Fernandes on Silicon Graphics machines. Tim Tembruell arranged the game and scenario. Jamey Scott composed the musical score. The product took two years to design.
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