Descent

Game: Descent
Platform: DOS (PC)
Developer: Parallax Software
Release Year: 1995
Impact on my life: 3/10
Impact on the world: 5/10 (because of the use of 3D meshes)
Objective rating: 4/10

Basic Plot

A computer virus has infected mining robots who are gathering minerals throughout the solar system. The player is hired to travel outwards through the solar system eliminating the infected robots. The game takes the player right through the solar system to Pluto's satellite Charon. At the end of the game the player is informed that he cannot return to Earth; as their is a risk his own ship has contracted the virus.

Gameplay

Descent is a first person shooter in which the player controls a small mobile space ship.

Each level involves traversing a winding mine somewhere in the solar system, destroying infected robots along the way. The player must reach the centre of each mine and set off the reactor core, and escape before detonation. 

An optional objective was to pick up human miners who have been captured by the infected robots.

What makes this game unique is that the player has six degrees of freedom within a zero gravity environment. This means the player can move forward and backwards, turn left and right, bank left and right, and travel up and down. Here is an image which summarises the options for movement:

Six degrees of freedom; the movement in Descent involved all these axes.

This was a big change in comparison to other first person shooters of the time (for example DOOM). It meant the player had to consciously keep track of their position in the world (it was easy to get dis-orientated) and it also caused widespread motion sickness for a lot of players.

The game included 30 levels (3 of which are secret), additionally there was competitive multi-player support for up to 8 players over LAN.

Comparisons

This was one of the first games to render a fully 3D environment made up of meshes (as opposed to binary space partition which was used in DOOM and Wolfenstein 3D). It was a step up in terms of technology but it had a somewhat similar aesthetic to DOOM. Power ups and hostages were still rendered using sprites. The 3D technology was the same used for Quake a year later.

Relevance

Descent wanted to take the next logical step in the development of 3D graphics; to give the player complete freedom of movement in a real 3D environment. It was, however, a failed experiment. It turns out a player doesn't want *that* much freedom in a game as it makes keeping track of player position and navigation needlessly complex and difficult.

Positives

It was unique, something new, pushed the boundaries of what games could do at the time.

Negatives

The six degrees of freedom made the entire game dis-orientating and very difficult to play. I found it entirely un-enjoyable from the moment I first played until the moment I quit out of the game and vowed never to play it again.

Weak story.

Memorable Moments

None.