Tomcat Alley
From Sega Retro
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Tomcat Alley | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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System(s): Sega Mega-CD, Windows PC | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Publisher: Sega Sega PC | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Developer: The Code Monkeys Novotrade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Genre: Virtual Cinema (バーチャルシネマ)[1], Shooting[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Number of players: 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Official in-game languages: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Tomcat Alley (トムキャットアレイ) is a flight combat game for the Sega Mega-CD. It uses full-screen full-motion video. It was later brought in an updated form to Windows PCs.
Contents
Story
A rogue Russian military officer, Colonel Alexi Povich, has deserted and taken squadrons of aircraft and other advanced weaponry with him. He has established a base of operations in the Mexican desert and has been acquiring chemicals needed to produce a deadly nerve agent to use against the United States. The US Navy's top-secret Naval Air Station Tomcat Intercepts (N.A.S.T.I.) has sent two F-14 Tomcat fighter jets, Shadow 3 and Shadow 5, on a mission to stop him.
Characters
Gameplay
The game is a full-motion video flight combat simulator. The player acts as the radar intercept officer for an F-14 Tomcat air superiority fighter codenamed Shadow 5. In this role, the player serves as navigator and controls the aircraft's weapons systems while the pilot, "Dakota," flies the plane. Shadow 5 is accompanied in its missions by Shadow 3, crewed by "Ratchet" and "Buzz."
The player controls an aiming reticle, which can be used to target enemies as well as to select icons in the HUD. At the start of every mission, the player is presented with an overlay of waypoints, each representing a position that the pilot can fly to, and given five seconds to select one. At each waypoint, the radar system displays an overlay of targets, from which the player again has five seconds to make a selection. Each target typically leads to an encounter with enemy resistance in the form of a fighter jet or SAM sites, which must be dispatched before choosing another target. When all targets have been "splashed," the player chooses from the remaining waypoints. Waypoints are numbered and should normally be selected in order; the player is free to select a waypoint out of sequence, but this increases the number of enemy forces at the location. The last waypoint selected generally travels to a special strategic target that fulfills the objective of the mission.
The Tomcat is armed with a complement of weapons (which are limited in supply but restocked at the start of every mission). Weapons are selected from the bottom-left corner. There are two air weapons and two ground weapons, with a toggle to switch between them, each with different uses. Additionally, the Tomcat has a supply of flares or chaffs (selected in the bottom-right corner of the screen), which are launched as a defensive maneuver to divert enemy heat-seeking missiles. The player is alerted with a "WARNING" overlay when a bandit (an enemy fighter) is on Shadow 5's tail, indicating that it must quickly deploy a flare or chaff to avoid being hit by a missile. Like weapons, flares and chaffs are also limited use. Traveling to another waypoint also has a 50/50 chance of evading the missile, if the player has no other countermeasures available.
The D-Pad moves the aiming reticle around the screen. The player can select an icon from the HUD (including waypoints and targets) by highlighting it with the reticle and pressing . The HUD also contains a radio, which must be answered by the player when it flashes and the wingman is trying to radio in, and a recon cam, which is sometimes used to take intelligence photos as a mission objective. Enemy targets are "locked-on" when highlighted with the reticle while an appropriate weapon is selected (for example, a missile for an air target or a bomb for a ground target), and the player can fire while locked-on with
. The lock-on is held momentarily but lost when the target moves too much out of it, which causes the weapon to miss. The player can toggle the HUD with
.
There are two difficulty levels (Easy and Hard). Failing to respond to something, such as selecting a waypoint or answering the radio, in time usually causes "Dakota" to abort the mission (forcing the player to start over from the beginning). The game ends if Shadow 5 or Shadow 3 is destroyed, but the player is given the option to save the game to the console's internal memory to continue from the beginning of the last mission.
Items
Sidewinder Missiles | |
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Heat-seeking missiles effective against most enemy fighter jets. | |
Phoenix Missiles | |
Radar-guided long-range missiles used for MiG fighters that are too far away to hit with Sidewinders. | |
Maverick Missiles | |
Laser-guided missiles effective against SAM sites. | |
Bombs | |
Heavy ordnance used against special mission targets such as enemy facilities. This is the only weapon that does not lock-on to targets; bombs can be dropped anywhere the player aims the reticle. | |
Air/Ground Mode Selector | |
Switches the selectable icons between air and ground weapons. | |
Radio | |
Talks to Shadow 5's wingman. Flashes when it can be used. | |
Recon Cam | |
Takes reconnaissance photographs. Flashes when it can be used. | |
Flare/Chaff Launcher | |
Launches a flare (against a heat-seeking missile) or chaff (against a radar-guided missile) to avoid enemy missiles. Both countermeasures share the same supply. |
Missions
Dogfights are randomized, so the same footage can appear in multiple missions.
Mission 1 | |
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The team must intercept and destroy a bomber that is believed to possess a dangerous chemical weapon. | |
Mission 2 | |
The team must clear the area of enemy forces and take pictures of the enemy facility with the Tomcat's recon camera. | |
Mission 3 | |
The recon photos have discovered a railway bridge being used by the enemy to transport chemicals for their weapons program. The team is sent to destroy the bridge. | |
Mission 4 | |
Two other Tomcats were attacked while running a reconnaissance mission over the enemy's base. The team must return to the area to take new recon photos. | |
Mission 5 | |
The team must destroy the chemical plant identified in the last mission. | |
Mission 6 | |
The enemy has attacked N.A.S.T.I. headquarters. Shadow 5 must destroy the remaining enemy resistance alone, as Shadow 3 is unable to launch due to the damage to the facility. |
History
Development
A Sega Saturn version was once scheduled for 1995, but cancelled for unknown reasons. It is not thought this version got very far; it was announced shortly before the Saturn's release, and disappeared from the schedules shortly afterwards. A Mega-CD 32X version was also in preproduction[13], but never saw release either.
Versions
Curiously, Tomcat Alley recycles the photography from the Japanese version of After Burner III for its cover art.
The Windows PC version of the game has higher-quality video.
Production credits
- Cast: Gregory Balaban, Jolie Jackunas, Mark Carlton, David L. Crowley, Diana Lee Hsu, Miguel Marcott
- Game Design by: Sam Nicholson, John Zuur Platten, Elliot Simon Gay, Chris W. Bankston
- Original Score & Sound Design by: Mars Lasar
- Director of Photography: Sam Nicholson
- Executive Producer: Chris W. Bankston
- Engineering by: Elliot Simon Gay
- Written by: John Zuur Platten
- Producers: Sam Nicholson, John Zuur Platten
- Directed by: Sam Nicholson
- Visual Effects Supervisor: Dan Schmit
- Special Effects Supervisor: David Kuklish
- Aerial Photography by: Clay Lacy
- Production Coordinators: Tony Cabalu, Janette Shew
- Production Auditor: Dorothy Duder
- Casting by: Patrick Rush
- Programmed by: The Code Monkeys
- Programming: Elliot Simon Gay
- Additional Programming: Colin Hogg, Mark Richard Kirkby
- Graphics: Joe Lewis
- Special Musical Appearance by: Herbie Hancock
- Production Designer: Tom Buderwitz
- Mechanical Effects: Michael Haase, Michael Huitron, Eric Heisler, Rocky Gonzales, John Miles, Russ Zinter
- Conceptual Artists: Jim Chrisoulis, Robert Miller
- Set Decorator: Billy Mitchell
- Set Dresser: Richard Mendenhall
- Property Master: Bill King
- Gaffer: John Kennedy
- Motion Control Photography: Casey Wilson
- Camera Assistants: Joseph Clauss, Andrew Turman, Scott Smith
- Key Grip: Jerry Vaughn
- Grips: Michael Graef, Brad Sharbit
- Set Construction: Ronald Record, Joshua Record
- Script Supervisor: Christina Gunderson
- Key Costumer: Brenna Charlesbois
- Assistant Costumers: Molly Mitchell, Kimberly Guenther
- Make-up Artist/Hair Stylist: Danny Mark
- Sound Mixer: Glen Berovitz
- Boom Operator: Brad Bryan
- Guitars by: Emery Kyneur
- On-Line Editor: Tony Shepherd
- Off-Line Editor: Tim Batt
- Digital Production/Macintosh Consultant: Randy Fugaté
- Additional Voices: Tony Cabalu, Cyrena Vladish
- Production Assistants: Larry Gobel, Ross Vinstein, Tina Hill, Cyrena Vladish, Susan Townsend
- Writer's Assistant: Melinda Bell
- Miniatures: Larry Detweiler, Ziggy Carr, Larry Addison, Joe Commando, Dana Teisch, Paul Ozzimo, Justin Kraus, Brian Ranger, Sean Frazier, Erica Loomis, Rebecca Cambruzzi, Dina Duhl, Booka Bickar, Evan Jacobs, Ted Smith
- Painters: Rachel Kelley, Laurah Grijalva, Babette Brunelle, Paulette Fox
- Pyrotechnics: Pete Slegle, Paul Staples
- Computer Graphics: Rob Menapace
- Computer Consultant: Todd Mahon
- Computer Generated Planes by: Homer & Associates, Peter Conn, Seth Greenberg
- "Tomcat" Stock Footage Courstesy of: Grumman Aircraft
- "Blackhawk" Stock Footage Courtesy of: Sikorsky Aircraft
- Aircraft Interiors Furnished by: Ernie Sheldon
- Camera Consultant: Leon Bijou
- Cameras Furnished by: Arriflex Corporation, Volker Bahnemann, Bill Russell
- F-14 and MiG Model Kits Furnished by: Revell
- Special Thanks to: Riley R. Russell
- Tomcat Alley is a trademark of Sega
- Copyright 1994 Sega
- Director of Digital Technologies: Randy Fugaté
- Digital Video Editing/Digital Audio ReMix/Computer Graphics: Randy Fugaté
- Assistant Producer: Vy Nong
- Production Coordinator: Berj Beramian
- Producer: Hidomitsu Kobayashi
- Director: Masami Higashida
- Production Manager: Hiroko Arai, Tyomin Nakae
- Recording Studio: Video Tech Co., Ltd.
- Cast: Tsutomu Isobe, Osamu Kobayashi, Teseho Genda, Iomasa Kayumi, Mami Koyama, Hiroshi Isobe, Yuka Koyama, Kazunari Tanaka
- Japanese Liason: Yukimi Shimura
- Production Coordinator: Osamu Shibamiya
Magazine articles
- Main article: Tomcat Alley/Magazine articles.
Promotional material
- Main article: Tomcat Alley/Promotional material.
Artwork
Physical scans
Mega-CD version
Sega Retro Average |
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77 | |
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Based on 39 reviews |
Mega-CD, AS† |
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PC version
Sega Retro Average | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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37 | |
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Based on 4 reviews |
Technical information
- Main article: Tomcat Alley/Technical information.
External links
- Sega of America webpage: Mega CD
References
- ↑ File:TomcatAlley MCD JP Box Back.jpg
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 https://sega.jp/history/hard/mega-cd/software.html (Wayback Machine: 2020-06-22 19:24)
- ↑ GamePro, "March 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 174
- ↑ https://groups.google.com/g/rec.games.video.sega/c/lncLVP7dg9Q/m/5EChs9lHAfAJ
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Game Players, "Vol. 7 No. 5 May 1994" (US; 1994-0x-xx), page 40
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 VideoGames, "May 1994" (US; 1994-0x-xx), page 61
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Mean Machines Sega, "July 1994" (UK; 1994-05-28), page 76
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Sega Magazine, "June 1994" (UK; 1994-05-15), page 88
- ↑ Computer Trade Weekly, "" (UK; 1994-07-18), page 8
- ↑ Press release: 1995-11-08: Sega delivers arcade gaming action on the PC
- ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "April 1996" (UK; 1996-0x-xx), page 88
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Computer & Video Games, "April 1996" (UK; 1996-03-14), page 58
- ↑ https://groups.google.com/g/atl.resumes/c/HeDxGZEBeRs/m/SufooWuB8xEJ
- ↑ File:TomcatAlley MCD JP SSCredits Intro.pdf
- ↑ File:TomcatAlley MCD JP SSCredits.pdf
- ↑ File:TomcatAlley MCD JP SSCredits JP.pdf
- ↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "January 1995" (JP; 1994-12-08), page 25
- ↑ Consoles +, "Septembre 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 144
- ↑ Computer & Video Games, "July 1994" (UK; 1994-06-15), page 56
- ↑ Digitiser (UK) (1994-07-20)
- ↑ Electronic Games (1992-1995), "June 1994" (US; 1994-05-24), page 100
- ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "May 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 34
- ↑ Famitsu, "1994-12-30" (JP; 1994-12-16), page 42
- ↑ GamePro, "May 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 54
- ↑ Gamers, "Juli/August 1994" (DE; 1994-07-01), page 45
- ↑ GamesMaster, "June 1994" (UK; 1994-05-26), page 71
- ↑ Game Informer, "May/June 1994" (US; 1994-0x-xx), page 19
- ↑ Hyper, "June 1994" (AU; 1994-xx-xx), page 44
- ↑ Joypad, "Mai 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 40
- ↑ Joypad, "Septembre 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 110
- ↑ Joypad, "3/1994" (HU; 1994-xx-xx), page 13
- ↑ MAN!AC, "05/94" (DE; 1994-04-13), page 38
- ↑ Mega, "June 1994" (UK; 1994-05-19), page 34
- ↑ Mega Force, "Juillet/Août 1994" (FR; 1994-07-04), page 110
- ↑ Mega Fun, "07/94" (DE; 1994-06-22), page 40
- ↑ Mega Power, "May 1994" (UK; 1994-04-21), page 40
- ↑ MegaTech, "May 1994" (UK; 1994-04-21), page 6
- ↑ Player One, "Septembre 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 48
- ↑ Play Time, "7/94" (DE; 1994-06-08), page 131
- ↑ Power Up!, "Saturday, July 30, 1994" (UK; 1994-07-30), page 1
- ↑ Saturn Fan, "1995 March" (JP; 1995-02-08), page 41
- ↑ Sega Magazin, "Juni 1994" (DE; 1994-05-11), page 22
- ↑ Sega News, "Říjen 1996" (CZ; 1996-xx-xx), page 19
- ↑ Sega Power, "June 1994" (UK; 1994-04-28), page 46
- ↑ Sega Pro, "May 1994" (UK; 1994-04-21), page 58
- ↑ Sega Zone, "May 1994" (UK; 1994-04-xx), page 22
- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 85
- ↑ Supersonic, "Octobre 1994" (FR; 1994-xx-xx), page 32
- ↑ The Zone (AU)The Zone (AU) "Season 1, episode 4" (1994-05-21, ) (+0:00)
- ↑ Todo Sega, "Septiembre 1994" (ES; 1994-0x-xx), page 36
- ↑ Video Games, "5/94" (DE; 1994-04-27), page 89
- ↑ Dimension-3, "Volume 1, Issue 7: December 1995" (US; 1995-xx-xx), page 30
- ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "April 1996" (UK; 1996-0x-xx), page 89
- ↑ PC Gamer, "March 1996" (UK; 1996-02-22), page 100
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