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For the science fiction novel, see. Rocket Jockey Release date(s), Mode(s), One Rocket Jockey was a PC game created by and published by in 1996. A version of the game was also under development but never released. A unique game concept, developed by Game Designer/Lead Programmer, Sean Callahan, with an inventive alternative reality 1930s America setting, conceived of by VP of Development/Creative Director,, the game featured the player riding around inside an enclosed arena on a rocket sled that was always in motion and chiefly steered with grappling hooks mounted on its sides. The soundtrack was also unique in that live performers were used, most notably legendary surf rock guitar player. Three different game modes were available for competition.

Initially receiving high marks from reviewers and much hype from SegaSoft, its steep hardware requirements (at the time) and a much delayed patch which added play hurt game sales and later reviews. As time has passed it has suffered a classic example of, compatibility issues have appeared, making it very difficult to install the game on modern systems. Some diehards have created workarounds for this, most notably a custom modified key. Rockets ('Sleds') Next up is the selection of the 'sled,' which is basically a rocket with small wings for directing the ride slightly left, right, up, and down, and one more major component: grappling hooks mounted on the sides. These hooks shoot out of the rocket when the proper button is pressed and grapple on to the first thing in their path, be it pylon, mine, sporting equipment, body, or anything else that can be grappled (with the proper upgrade they can even grapple the ground). Hence, they serve a dual purpose: tight turns on pylons and anything else stationary (which are spread throughout the arenas), as well as for offensive tactics such as grappling mines, other rockets, and even other riders! Rockets also have the ability during play to receive power-ups, such as repair and speed boost, and grappling hooks (as well as their cables) are also modifiable.

The rockets first available to the player have only minor differences, but sleds unlocked later in the game have major stat advantages, i.e. Acceleration, top speed, boost, and maneuverability. One interesting element about the rockets is that they are not unlocked by beating certain levels: they are unlocked by stealing it from the opponent. Therefore, in order to unlock a certain rocket that has not been acquired yet, the player must find a level in which the computer is riding it, knock them off it, jump off their existing rocket, climb onto the target sled, and successfully complete the level.

Existing unlocked rockets are not lost when ditched for a newer model. Game Modes The last menu before play is the game mode selection. There are three to choose from: War, Ball, and Race. For complete descriptions of these, see below.

Game modes Rocket War is a classic mode with the player facing any number of computer controlled jockeys in a fight to the death. The goal is to eliminate or disable all the opponents, using any means necessary. Points are awarded based on how the player eliminates the computer opponents. Basic moves such as a tripline or a ram off receives minimal points, whereas more difficult moves, such as the matchmaker (joining two riders together with grappling hooks), or ball and chain (joining a rider to a mine), awards much higher points. Points are required to unlock higher levels in the main campaign.

Strategy is also key in this game mode: quickly eliminating the opponent isn't always the best way to win. Because the points requirement becomes very high in later levels, dragging out the computer opponents' suffering would garner the most points. Dismounting an opponent and stealing their sled was also an option, both to switch to a working or less damaged sled and to unlock it for use in later levels. Install Openfiler On Usb Flash.

Rocket Ball, a twisted take on or, is a more distinctive game mode. Facing an opposing 'team' which ranged from one to several independently acting computer opponents, the goal was to score as many points as possible in a set amount of time.

Stealing the ball from the opponents, or eliminating them outright, while navigating the field and scoring goals with the sometimes explosive balls was a challenge at best and near impossible at worst. Aiding the player was the fact that the is rather stupid and never works together, but strict time limits, handicaps and the number of opponents makes Rocket Ball very difficult in later levels. One other interesting aspect of Rocket Ball, which is true for Rocket War as well (but to a lesser extent), is the presence of referees, which tend to run around the arena after you. They can be treated exactly the same as other jockeys. Rocket Race is what is says it is: a race to the finish. The course must be done in a certain amount of time, with either the player's rocket passing though sets of pylons, or grappling on to certain pylons as they light up.

This is the most difficult of the three modes, especially for the, which almost never completed the course. At times, it can become an obstacle course, and on more than one occasion it becomes a test in how quickly the player can memorize a series of razor-quick turns, sometimes in very tight space. It features interesting tracks, but since the is virtually absent, Rocket Race does not have as much lasting appeal as the other two modes. Remakes Although no commercial entity has ever expressed an interest, several grass-roots Rocket Jockey remake attempts have come and gone since the late 1990s. Most have been conceived as modifications of other commercial games. The first such project to see any progress used the original game as a foundation. A partial gameplay hack and a handful of themed maps were released.

Another ill-fated project appeared in the community shortly thereafter. Nothing was published beyond early development screenshots. More recently, in 2005, a Rocket Jockey project was put together modding. This effort lost momentum without publishing any results. In October 2006, the latest effort to build a remake of Rocket Jockey was announced by independent developer. Unlike previous efforts, this project is not proposed as a modification of another game.

The developer published several development screenshots early on in development. Then, in March 2008, the first alpha test version of the Solar-Ray remake was released, which allows the player to walk or fly around in a small arena and attach cables to one of two posts but does not include any real game play. In July 2008, Solar-Ray announced that development would be 'frozen for an unknown amount of time!' , then in January 2009, a project was founded.

Pre-alpha code is still available for download. Technical information It had very high hardware demands for 1996: at least a 90mhz 'Pentium' grade CPU, and recommended 120mhz or higher. One of the first games to support a 3D accelerator, it only supported one: the original 3D Blaster from. Six person LAN multiplayer was advertised on the original box but was not included with the game.

When sent to many reviewers, most were told by SegaSoft that a patch would be available by the time the game hit store shelves, and therefore this missing feature was not noted in some early reviews. When the game was finally released and LAN play was still missing, it upset many in the gaming community. The much promised patch did not appear until several months after the launch and was never included in any retail version. Many blamed for not delaying the release date and/or dragging their feet on finishing the patch.

This was typical of, who were known for releasing games without extensive testing to meet deadlines. Because of a quirk of the installer supplied with the game, a specific DirectX 3 component (d3dhalf.dll) must be present in the Windows System directory (on Windows ME and before) in order to complete normal installation. This file can be found in the DirectX directory of the Rocket Jockey CD, has been provided on Rocket Jockey fansites in the past, and can still be found on many general and troubleshooting sites. The installer also fails to install the game on Windows 2000 and XP systems, requiring either: • a complete dump of the CD onto the hard disk, as well as movement of some sound files, and a modified key, or • a specially made installer made by fans Once installed, Rocket Jockey runs without reported problems under these newer versions of the Windows OS. External links • - serious effort for a Rocket Jockey remake by X-ray • at • • • at the.

For the science fiction novel, see. Rocket Jockey Release October 1996, Mode(s), Rocket Jockey is a PC game created by and published by in 1996. Originally developed for the, Rocket Jockey became a PC title because 'hardware limitations and longer lead times forced the switch to PC as the initial platform.' The game benefited from unique game concept, developed by Game Designer/Lead Programmer Sean Callahan, paired with an inventive alternative reality 1930s America setting, conceived by VP of Development/Creative Director. In Rocket Jockey, the player jets at high speed inside a grassy enclosed sports arena on a rocket sled that is always in motion and chiefly steered with two grappling hook guns mounted on its flanks. The rocket can change speeds but always flies about three feet off the ground unless it is engaged in one of the games' frequent and often comic collisions.

The soundtrack is also unique in that live performers are used, most notably legendary surf rock guitar player. Three different -style game modes are available for competition. Initially receiving high marks from reviewers and much hype from SegaSoft, its steep hardware requirements (at the time) and a much-delayed patch which added play hurt game sales and later reviews. As time passed it has suffered a classic example of and compatibility issues have appeared, making it very difficult to install the game on modern systems. Some diehards have created workarounds for this, most notably a custom modified key. Contents • • • • • • • Gameplay [ ] Players control a 'sled,' which is basically a rocket with small wings for directing the ride and grappling hooks mounted on the sides.

These hooks can be fired into pylons, mines, sporting equipment, bodies, and anything else that can be grappled. The grappling hook guns are fixed to shoot out horizontally, 45 degrees to the left and the right of the sled's direction of motion. The player can tap a key to connect the left grapple line to the right one and fly free, leaving a clothesline obstruction for others. Hence, grappling hooks serve a dual purpose: tight turns on stationary objects, and disabling competitors.

Sleds also have the ability to receive power-ups, such as repair and speed boost. Grappling hook projectiles and cables are also modifiable. The sleds first available to the player have only minor differences, but sleds unlocked later in the game have major stat advantages, i.e. Acceleration, top speed, boost, and maneuverability. Sleds are unlocked by stealing them from opponents. To unlock a sled, the player must knock their opponent off it, jump off their existing sled, climb onto the target sled, and successfully complete the level.

Unlocked sleds are not lost when ditched for a newer model. Most of the sleds will also unlock if all of the levels of a certain tier of competition are successfully beaten. The tier that the sled will be unlocked on is generally one or two tiers after the first level the sled was introduced. Most of the end-game sleds cannot be unlocked in this way. While each of the playable characters has a different name and logo, they all perform with the same characteristics. Game modes [ ] Rocket War is a mode with the player facing computer controlled jockeys. The goal is to eliminate or disable all the opponents.

Points are awarded based on how the player eliminates the computer opponents. Basic moves such as a 'tripline' or a ram off receives minimal points, whereas more difficult moves, such as the 'matchmaker' (joining two riders together with grappling hooks), or 'ball and chain' (joining a rider to a mine), award much more points. Points are used to rank a jockey's run through each individual arena. Points are not required to advance to the later rounds, only the elimination of all rivals. Dismounting an opponent and stealing their sled is also an option, both to switch to a working or less damaged sled and to unlock it for use in later levels. Rocket Ball is a twist on.

Facing an opposing 'team' which ranges from one to several independently acting computer opponents, the goal is to score as many points as possible in a set amount of time. Players can steal the ball from opponents, or eliminate them outright, while navigating the field and scoring goals with the sometimes explosive balls.

Referees run around the arena after the player on foot. They never mount a sled but will sometimes try to kick jockeys around the field.

They can be treated exactly the same as other jockeys. Tether cables connect all jockeys, including the player, to their sleds.

In this way, if a jockey falls off of his sled, or are cabled off, they remain attached to their sled by a short cable until a certain amount of time passes. This allows a jockey to land near their rocket, even if they were cabled by an opponent. Shorter cable lengths are also used, which shortens the amount of time a cable may be attached to a jockey or ball to only a few seconds. This generally forces the player to make shots at a net, rather than towing in the ball, as well as making it harder to disable the opponent. The rules of Rocket War still apply in Rocket Ball. Completing a match is dependent on the amount of goals the player versus their rivals.

Winning on a stolen sled will also unlock it in this mode. Rocket Race is a race on an obstacle course. The course must be done in a certain amount of time, with either the player's sled passing though sets of pylons, or grappling on to certain pylons as they light up. Tethering cables and shortened cable duration on opponents are used, similar to Rocket Ball.

Winning on a stolen rocket will unlock it, as in the other two game modes. Remakes [ ] Although no commercial entity has ever expressed an interest, several grass-roots Rocket Jockey remake attempts have come and gone since the late 1990s.

Most have been conceived as modifications of other commercial games. The first such project to see any progress used the original game as a foundation. A partial gameplay hack and a handful of themed maps were released. Cp210x Ubuntu Driver.

Another ill-fated project appeared in the community shortly thereafter. Nothing was published beyond early development screenshots. In 2005, a Rocket Jockey project was put together modding. This effort lost momentum without publishing any results.

In October 2006, an effort to build a remake of Rocket Jockey was announced by independent developer. Unlike previous efforts, this project is not proposed as a modification of another game. The developer published several development screenshots early on in development.

Then, in March 2008, the first alpha test version of the Solar-Ray remake was released, which allows the player to walk or fly around in a small arena and attach cables to one of two posts but does not include any real game play. In July 2008, Solar-Ray announced that development would be 'frozen for an unknown amount of time!' , then in January 2009, a SourceForge project was founded. Pre-alpha code is still available for download.

Unfortunately the project is officially canceled. A was being developed using the UDK (UNREAL development kit) by Six Shooter Games and called Sprocket Junkie! So far, only a demo for the PC has been released, the Sprocket Junkie website is offline, and no updates on its progress have been posted since May 2012. Influenced Games [ ] The game only sold a few thousand copies, but apparently those copies fell into the right hands, because a number of successor games have included features that are remarkably reminiscent. Ignoring games with similar gameplay that simply tap into the joy of fast, barely-controlled skimming movement, like pure jetski games, here are a few games that show some heritage., October 1996: Popular enough to make the 'Greatest Hits' Playstation lineup in 1998.

There are some uncanny similarities here, from the futuristic craft to the arena courses (dropped during development) to the 'Dick Dale-esque' soundtrack. Perhaps the most telling is the 'magnetic grappling system' that lets riders shoot out a cable to swing themselves around sharp turns and across distances. Released in the same month as Rocket Jockey, Jet Moto certainly has some legitimate claim to complete originality. A significant feature like grappling cables is not something that a game team can add to a project in six months., July 2015: 'Soccer, but with rocket-powered cars.' Like Rocket Jockey's 'Rocket Ball' mode, the game encapsulates players in a futuristic arena where fans watch crazy players risk their lives to try to put an unwieldy ball into goals.

Technical information [ ] It had very high hardware demands for 1996: at least a 90mhz 'Pentium' grade CPU, and recommended 120mhz or higher. Six-person LAN multiplayer was advertised on the original box but was not included with the game. When sent to many reviewers, most were told by SegaSoft that a patch would be available by the time the game hit store shelves, and therefore this missing feature was not noted in some early reviews. When the game was finally released and LAN play was still missing, it upset many in the gaming community. The much promised patch did not appear until several months after the launch and was never included in any retail version.

These later versions included a slip of paper providing the website address for the patch. Many blamed for not delaying the release date and/or dragging their feet on finishing the patch. This was typical of, who were known for releasing games without extensive testing to meet deadlines. Because of a quirk of the installer supplied with the game, a specific DirectX 3 component (d3dhalf.dll) must be present in the Windows System directory (on Windows ME and before) in order to complete normal installation. This file can be found in the DirectX directory of the Rocket Jockey CD, has been provided on Rocket Jockey fansites in the past, and can still be found on many general and troubleshooting sites.

The installer also fails to install the game on Windows 2000 and XP systems, requiring either: • a complete dump of the CD onto the hard disk, as well as movement of some sound files, and a modified key, or • a specially made installer made by fans Once installed, Rocket Jockey runs without reported problems under these newer versions of the Windows OS. References [ ].