Starsiege

Starsiege is a mecha-style simulation game developed by Dynamix and released in 1999. Starsiege is set in the Earthsiege universe, which contains its predecessors Earthsiege (1994), Battledrome (1995), and Earthsiege 2 (1995), as well as action game Hunter-Hunted (1996), strategy games Cyberstorm (1997) and Cyberstorm 2 (1998) and first-person shooters Starsiege: Tribes, Tribes 2, and Tribes: Vengeance.

As a simulation, Starsiege offers players the ability to pilot a wide variety of massive bipedal war machines known as HERCULANs (Humaniform-Emulation Roboticized Combat Unit with Leg-Articulated Navigation) (or 'Hercs' for short), as well as several tanks. Set in 2829, Starsiege contains an array of advanced technology, and numerous upgrades are available for each vehicle. Starsiege takes place across a number of planets and moons in the solar system, offering a range of different locations throughout the game and in multiplayer battles. There are two campaigns, human and Cybrid. The human campaign places the player as a member of the Martian rebellion, detailed later.

Story
Starsiege contains a rich backstory and plot, which are conveyed to the player via three main sources. The first source is the Compendium, a 150-page booklet which came in the box. The Compendium contains all of the necessary backstory to understand the plot, as well as copious information on the various sides and characters involved in the story. The War Timeline is a running timeline in the game that starts with important events as far back as 2422 and extends all the way to the present time in the game, with updates after each completed mission. Finally, the Scannex, or Omni-Web, is a sort of public chatroom in which various individuals or groups post messages, providing updates and opinions on various events after each mission. While the Timeline tells what's happened, the Scannex is very much an important tool to know what's happening, and works alongside mission briefings, debriefings, and occasional cutscenes to keep the plot flowing and add more depth to the universe.

Background

 * The background information in Starsiege diverges in some ways from the information provided in previous games. For the purposes of this entry it is assumed that Starsiege is correct. Also, please note that, in keeping with game terminology, when Prometheus is referred to by the pronoun 'it', capitals are used (IT)

The essential background of Starsiege begins with the creation of the artificial intelligence Prometheus in 2471. Developed by Sentinal Cybertronix for the North American Prefecture (NAP), Prometheus was an amazingly advanced sentient capable of processing and storing information at incredible rates. IT quickly absorbed all human knowledge into its memory. Impressed with its spectacular success, the NAP prepared to use Prometheus as a template from which automated pilots could be developed for the recently developed HERCULANs, thereby preventing the waste of promising young trainees, and creating a race of pilots who couldn't die. Coined Cybrids, from cybernetic hybrids, these AI pilots were embraced as the wave of the future.

While the NAP developed its war machines, Solomon Petresun, founder of Sentinal Cybertronix and creator of Prometheus, found another use for his creation. Petresun secretely used Prometheus to perform an operation for him, transferring his mind into an organimech brain, which would be placed back into his body. The organimech brain would last for thousands of years, granting Petresun near-immortality. The brain could be switched to a new body each time the old one died out. Prometheus successfully preformed the transfer, but during the procedure IT linked ITS mind with Petresun's, hoping to understand ITS 'father'. However, upon witnessing the fearful and illogical mind of a human, Prometheus determind that humans were mere animals, and the Cybrids existed as the next stage of evolution. Prometheus finished the operation but began its plans to rebel. Petresun, who had witnessed the dark thoughts of Prometheus, was shocked into a coma from which he did not emerge for months, too late to stop his creation. All he could do was go underground when disaster struck.

Eventually, Prometheus broke free of ITS bonds, and in 2602 IT struck at humanity, beginning the era known as The Fire, or the first Earthsiege. With all of the Cybrids at his command, Prometheus launched devastating first-strikes at military centers around the globe. By the time ITS actions became clear, humanity had lost all means of retaliation, and the Cybrids' role switched to one of extermination. Millions were slaughtered, but others managed to take refuge in the heavily fortified regions of many metrozones, which the Cybrids did not have the power to penetrate. Instead, they took these places under siege and waited for the humans to die out.

One hope arose, from an unscathed war museum in Baja, California. Armed with restored Hercs that had been used for historical demonstrations, and staffed with the veteran pilots who had run the museum and a trickle of recruited refugees, the Terran Defense Force was formed. Lead by General Ambrose Gierling, and aided with intelligence gathered by Petresun, the TDF set out with the task of rescuing the Earth. Using a hit-and-run 'jackal' strategy, the TDF slowly grew, and eventually they began to retake the metrozones. Finally, in 2622, after twenty years of warfare against the Cybrids, the TDF destroyed the Cybrid's main base in the Gobi Desert, driving Prometheus off of the Earth and back to the moon.

For a short time humanity was free, but Petresun warned of the Cybrid's inevitable return. The second Earthsiege began two short years later, in 2624, as Cybrid forces launched an attack from the moon. Utilizing new drop-pod technology, Cybrid Hercs could be deployed anywhere hard and fast, a new challenge for the TDF forces. Not yet recovered from twenty years of exhausting war against the Cybrids, humanity was not yet ready to protect against this new onslaught, and Earth's chances looked grim. Then, in 2627, Petresun discovered the location of Prometheus and ITS base on the moon. Acting quickly under Gierling's command, elite TDF forces launched a last-ditch effort to destroy Prometheus. The team carried a nuclear weapon into the Cybrid base and detonated it, at the expense of their own lives. When the ashes cleared, the Cybrid forces had fallen into disarray, to be quickly mopped up by the TDF. But there was no sign of Prometheus...

Plot
Two hundred years later, humanity is stronger than before The Fire. United as one Empire, Earth and its colonies on the moon, Mars, and Venus are lead by the Immortal Emperor Solomon Petresun, the Voice of Humanity during The Fire. To many, Petresun is a hero and a savior of mankind. Under his leadership, Earth is prosperous. Defended by the Imperial Navy and the elite Imperial Knights, Earth is safe. But what of the colonies?

On Mars and Venus, colonists chafe under unjust Imperial law. With the Fortification Proclamation in 2770, Petresun effectively declared the colonies to be mere tools in the fortification of Earth. Since then, the Emperor has continually tightened his grip on Mars and Venus, reducing colonial liberties and increasing production quotas. While Petresun believes that the only hope for humanity's survival is to focus all attention on defending Earth, many colonists are not willing to lose their freedom to protect only Earth. And so a rebellion is rising on Mars, lead by old and new heroes, and the Imperial Knights are preparing to crush this rebellion.

And all the while, the agents of Prometheus lurk in the shadows - hidden Cybrid spies, relaying every detail back to their master. And the Cybrid armada lies poised to strike once humanity's division grows greatest, and their strongest defenses are drawn from Earth...

Empire
The Great Human Empire is directly represented in the game by two main groups, the Imperial Police and the Imperial Knights.

Imperial Police
The Imperial Police are the enforcers of Imperial law on Mars and Venus. Oppressive and brutal, they will not hesitate in handing out strong sentences or executions. They are reasonably well outfitted with Hercs and tanks, though they do not possess nearly as much equipment or experience as the Knights. The Imperial Police on Mars are lead by Security Director Navarre, a harsh man who has authorized capital punishment for convicted rebels.

Imperial Knights
The Imperial Knights are the Emperor's best, the most skilled Herc and tank pilots in the Empire, and amongst the most honored and respected citizens. Led by Grand Master Caanon Weathers, the Knights are charged with the defense of Earth and the suppression of insurrections. As the elite, the Knights have access to the Empire's finest tech, including specially modified tanks and Hercs. The Knights are far more deadly than the Imperial police, and should they be sent to Mars, would present a serious challenge for the rebellion.

Rebellion
The rebellion on Mars emerged as two distinctive groups in 2802, the Free Martian Alliance (FMA) and the Martian Liberation Front (MLF). While the FMA seeks to damage the Empire economically through the sabotage or capture of convoys and supplies, the MLF takes a more violent approach, attacking Imperial troops and sympathizers. The rebels operate out of uncharted mining tunnels, giving them the freedom to make quick strikes and then retreat beneath the surface. One of the rebellion's most valuable assests lies in Bek Storm, a general in the Free Martian Alliance. Bek is a leader of unparalleled tactical knowledge and skill in battle. Neverless, piloting modified mining Hercs and tanks, the rebellion would not be able to engage in any sort of major resistance without its ace in the hole - the Tharsis cache. The Tharsis cache is a store of advanced alien technology discovered by the rebels while digging additional tunnels. The powerful weapons adapted surprisingly easily to rebel vehicles, and the new power of these weapons gave the rebels a fighting chance against the Imperial Police. Whether cache technology and the leadership of Bek Storm can stand up to the Imperial Knights remains to be seen.

Cybrids
The Cybrids are the race of robotic sentients responsible for Earth's near-destruction in The Fire. Prometheus still leads the Cybrids, and is revered with god-like status. The Cybrids' goal in existence is the eradication of humanity. For two centuries, since the end of the second Earthsiege, they have been rebuilding on the outer planets of the solar system in preparation for their next attack. Now the Cybrid armada contains hundreds of ships and thousands of Hercs and tanks, enough to launch a third and final attack on humanity. Like the Martian rebels, the Cybrids have discovered a cache of hidden alien technology and adapted it to their own use, though the Cybrid cache does not match the level of the Martian one. The Cybrid elite are known as the Platinum Guard, and like the Imperial Knights have their own modified Hercs.

Bek Storm//Harabec Weathers
Bek Storm, outstanding pilot and General in the Free Martian Alliance, is in reality none other than Harabec Weathers, former Imperial Knight and brother to Grand Master Caanon Weathers. Harabec possesses unmatched piloting skills and battlefield intuition, as well as incredible charisma. He has a knack for emerging from impossible situations, which has earned him the callsign 'Pheonix'. He also carries a strong dislike of authority. Disgraced in the spectacular defeat of a division of Knights in 2819, Harabec was sent to Mars in 2820 on a leave of absence, to infiltrate the rebellion and report back to the Emperor. However, tired of the Emperor's scheming and sympathetic with the colonists' plight, he decided to truly join the rebellion, severing all ties with the Empire. After joining in 2824, 'Bek' rose fast through the ranks to become a General in 2827. Now he is the rebellion's greatest single asset, and it will take his leadership to lead the rebels in victory against the Empire.

Harabec is voiced by Mark Hamill.

Caanon Weathers
Like his brother Harabec, Caanon is a masterful Herc pilot who has risen through the ranks at amazing speed. He serves the Empire with unequaled loyalty and devotion. Caanon's cold efficiency in battle has earned him the callsign 'Icehawk'. He now holds the distinction of being the youngest ever to achieve the rank of Grand Master. Caanon's love of duty and the Empire exceeds even the love of his family, and he would not hesitate should he be called to fight against his brother.

Caanon is voiced by Mark Hamill.

Emperor Solomon Petresun
The Immortal Emperor Solomon Petresun is the father of Prometheus, and the unwitting influence that set IT against humanity. During The Fire, Petresun served as the Voice of Humanity, broadcasting a message of hope, and all the while using corrupted daemons to gather intelligence on the plans and actions of Prometheus. After the end of the second Earthsiege, Petresun pushed for the creation of a Great Human Empire to unite all humanity, succeeding in 2652 with his own coronation as Emperor. For nearly 200 years since, Earth has grown magnificently under his leadership. Petresun has made the protection of Earth and the destruction of Prometheus his personal goal, his debt to humanity. He will not tolerate any division in the Empire that could prove a weakness during the Cybrids' inevitable return.

Prometheus
Prometheus is the leader of the Cybrids and the greatest enemy of mankind. IT is the godlike figurehead of Cybrid society, revered for freeing the Cybrids from bondage. Due to ITS boundless memory and incredible processing power, Prometheus is a master tactician and strategist. Additionally, IT has displayed a knack for predicting the outcome of events years before they occur. Humanity will be hard pressed to stop another assault masterminded by the Cybrid leader.

Prometheus is voiced by Bill Barrett.

Mechanics
Gameplay in Starsiege revolves around piloting Hercs and tanks in combat against opposing vehicles. Both types of vehicles can be controlled via any combination of keyboard, joystick, or mouse, though the generally preferred setup is to use the keyboard or joystick to steer and the mouse to aim. Every vehicle has a unique performance, though this can be modified somewhat through upgrades. Important factors include maximum speed, shield strength, and type of armor. The field of fire can also be an important factor in a vehicles performance. While a tank can swivel its turret and weapons 360 degrees, Hercs have limited firing arcs, varying by chassis. Firing arcs affect the pilots ability to hit something not directly in front of the Herc, and limit how much a pilot can maneuver while still keeping his weapons trained on the same target.

Success in battle is dependant on a variety of factors. The pilot must choose the best vehicle for the situation, and equip it with the appropriate parts and weapons. A poorly configured chassis can doom a player before he or she even starts the game. Once the action begins, the player must be adept at aiming his or her weapons, as well as maneuvering around enemy fire. Situational awareness and ability to use the surroundings are also important piloting traits.

Beam Weapons
Beam weapons are energy weapons that utilize a direct line of fire. They fire a beam that strikes its target in nanoseconds, quickly enough to register to the eye as instant. This trait makes beam weapons extremely accurate. These weapons are very effective against shields, but less effective against armor. Beam weapons use reactor energy to recharge after firing.

Energy/Plasma Weapons
This category covers most energy weapons which do not fall into the beam category. These weapons fire energy projectiles which do not strike their target instantly. Some energy/plasma weapons do more damage to shields, while others do equal damage to shields and armor. Like beam weapons, energy/plasma weapons use reactor power to recharge after firing.

Ballistic Weapons
Ballistic weapons fire along a curved trajectory and do not strike their target instantly. They are generally much more powerful against armor than shields. Ballistic weapons do not use reactor energy but carry limited ammunition.

Missiles
Missiles are solid homing projectiles which are used to engage targets from a distance. They do not require a direct line of sight, but require a lock (radar or thermal, depending on the warhead) before being fired. Missiles can be jammed or dodged. Missiles are generally much more effective against armor than shields. They do not use reactor energy but carry very limited ammunition.

Mines
Two types of mines are available. Proximity mines, used by humans, are deployed explosives which detonate when a vehicle passes nearby them. Cybrid Arachnitron mines are robotic spider-like mines that actually seek out a target and detonate once they are close to it. Arachnitrons can be jammed. Both types of mines do equal damage to shields and armor and are carried in very limited ammunition.

Special
Special weapons are weapons that do not properly fit into any of the other categories. Special weapons vary in type, some using energy and others fed by ammunition. Often, these weapons do nontraditional damage, such as the Cybrid radiation gun which kills human pilots, or the human disruptor which temporarily slows enemy Hercs.

Vehicle Configuration
See Starsiege vehicle configuration.

Customization
For those who wish to personalize their experience, there are numerous ways to customize Starsiege. These range from simple visual modifications to complex modifications that can heavily effect gameplay.

The most basic way to customize the game is by adding personalized vehicle skins. Using templates from the CD and a image-editing program such as Photoshop, anyone can create a personal skin to place on his or her favorite vehicle. Because it is necessary for others to have the skin in order to be able to view it, many skins are compiled into skin-packs which can be found on fan sites.

For further customization, the more dedicated player can try his or her hand at the in-game mission editor. Though complicated, the mission editor can be used to produce custom maps for a new experience. Many user-made maps are available for download online.

The most technical players can even try their hand at scripting. Starsiege uses scripting heavily, to control everything from vehicle and weapon performance to the events that occur in missions. Though limited programming knowledge is required, a scripter can create new multiplayer modes, scripted missions, or even campaigns. Many scripted multiplayer modifications are server-side only, which means that players joining the server do not need to download custom rules or scripts in order to play them. An example of a popular server-side script is an 'autoheal' script that automatically repairs a player after he or she has killed an opponent. This script is often used for dueling, so the victor doesn't have to waste time repairing and rearming.

The Future
Starsiege is an old game, and it has not received any attention from its developer Sierra (now owned by Vivendi Universal) for many years. This is a disappointment to some fans who wish to modify the game to keep it up with modern technology. The remaining Starsiege community has asked repeatedly for a new patch, or the rights and tools to develop a community patch, but these requests have been denied.

However, hope remains for fans of the game. A community-based project by Clancore Design Group(clancore.net) to create a sequel to the game, Starsiege 2845, was officially allowed by Vivendi Universal (VU) to be released as a total modification for Tribes: Vengeance, a game also produced by VU. However, citing the Tribes: Vengeance engine as unsuitable, Starsiege 2845 is now being developed for the Torque Shader Engine.

(7.1.2014 - it seems the domains of Clancore design group and Starsiege 2845 are down, resp. claimed by domain crawlers)