Difference between revisions of "Powerslave"

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Revision as of 11:30, 22 August 2018

n/a

Powerslave title.png

Powerslave
System(s): Sega Saturn
Publisher: BMG Interactive, Playmates Interactive Entertainment (US)
Developer:
Sound driver: SCSP/CD-DA (13 tracks)
Peripherals supported: Saturn 6 Player Adaptor (for Death Tank)
Genre: Action

















Number of players: 1 (2-6 for Death Tank)
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Saturn
JP 		¥5,8005,800 T-18001G
Sega Saturn
US 		T-13205H
Sega Saturn
EU 		81084-50
Sega Saturn
AU

Powerslave, known as Exhumed in Europe and Seireki 1999: Pharaoh no Fukkatsu (西暦１９９９ ファラオの復活) in Japan, is a first person shooter game developed by Lobotomy Software and released for the Sega Saturn in 1996.

Gameplay

Death Tank

The North American and Japanese versions of Powerslave contain a mini game called Death Tank that can be accessed if you collect all 23 dolls hidden in the game. The mini-game supports up to 6 players, which was increased up to 7 players in it's sequel, Death Tank Zwei, which can be found in Duke Nukem 3D.

History

Slave Driver game engine

The original version appeared on the PC as a Build engine game and featured many mechanics, levels and content that varied differently. This includes linear level design, in-game speech from the main character, and stock lives that once they've run out, the game ends for the player. When the game was brought to the Sega Saturn and PlayStation, the game was rebuilt from the ground up using a proprietary engine called Slave Driver which was able to render more complex levels, including rooms above other rooms, which was not possible on the Build engine. It also went through a major gameplay re-design thanks to the stronger hardware. The PlayStation and Sega Saturn versions put more focus on exploration and allow the player to replay stages. In order to progress, certain permanent power ups (e.g. magic sandals that allow higher jumps) need to be collected. The Slave Driver engine would become a framework for PC to console ports by Lobotomy Software including Duke Nukem 3D and Quake.

Versions

Powerslave was released on the Sega Saturn several months before its PlayStation counterpart, and for its time was a technical showpiece for the system. With better 3D performance, the PlayStation is able to add more visual effects, true transparency (negating the need for the checkerboard "mesh" pattern used for water), and performance improvements in some areas.

While the Saturn version is capped at 30FPS, the PlayStation can reach highs of 60FPS. As was common for 3D games at the time, however, both versions struggle to hold their desired numbers - the Saturn dropping to 20FPS in more hectic scenes, and the PlayStation also dropping to 30 or 20FPS on occasion. The Saturn version, while slower in this regard, is therefore able to output a more consistent frame rate, with its PlayStation counterpart being noticeably more variable as more frames are dropped.

The PlayStation version is also able to offer better lighting effects, however much of its level geometry has been paired back, with smaller, less complicated rooms being used throughout the experience (and some larger rooms being split up). While a new introduction area is added, several areas lose the sense of scale, to the point where some outdoor areas on the Saturn are indoors on the PlayStation.

The auto-aiming feature of the Saturn version of Powerslave is less effective on the PlayStation, making it harder to hit smaller targets. Also missing is any form of analogue control - while Saturn Powerslave supports the 3D Control Pad, neither Dual Analog or DualShock controllers are supported on Sony's machine.

Reportedly the red spiders were changed to blue scorpions to satisfy Sony's desire for PlayStation games to have unique content when ported from other platforms.

On the PC, Powerslave is an entirely different game, and while many assets are shared between the three versions, the PC has unique levels designed for the Build engine (which on the PC is most notable for powering Duke Nukem 3D, as well as Shadow Warrior and Blood). Powerslave uses an earlier version of the engine than Duke 3D, however, so there are no slopes in the game, and is much more linear in design than is console counterparts.

Death Tank is exclusive to the Saturn version of Powerslave.

Localised names

Also known as
Language Localised Name English Translation
English Exhumed Exhumed
English (US) Powerslave Powerslave
Japanese 西暦１９９９ ファラオの復活 Seireki 1999: Pharaoh no Fukkatsu

Production credits

Powerslave and Seireki 1999: Pharaoh no Fukkatsu

TODO: there's a paragraph after the credits row of the Japanese version, translate/check if it's relevant
  • Executive Producers: Brian McNeely, Paul Lange
  • Game Design and Art Direction: Brian McNeely
  • Game Programming: Ezra Dreisbach
  • BREW World Editing Tool: David Lawson
  • Music and Sound Effects: Scott Branston
  • Design Team: Brian McNeely, Dominick Meissner, Ezra Dreisbach, Paul Knutzen, Paul Lange, Mark Coates, Jason Wiggin
  • Texture and Ambient Object Art: Troy Jacobson, Joe Kresoja
  • Creatures and Weaponry: John Van Deusen
  • 3D Modeling: Kevin Chung, William Vallieres
  • Cinema Scene and Map Art: Richard Nichols, John Van Duesen
  • Art Team: Brian McNeely, Troy Jacobson, John Van Duesen, kevin Chung, Paul Knutzen, Richard Nichols, Erik Klokstad, William Vallieres, Joe Kresoja, Jason Wiggin
  • Stage Design: Brian McNeely, Dominick Meissner, Paul Knutzen
  • Object and Ambient Light Editing Tool: Jeff Blazier
  • Peepshow Animation Tool: Paul Schreiber
  • Additional Technical Support: Kurt Pfeifer, John Yuill, Paul Hagerud, John Schwab, Pat Schreiber
  • Instruction Manual: Tom Kristensen
  • Lobotomy Would Like to Thank: Jacqui Lyons, Marjacq Micro, PIE, Tommy Tellarico, Cheryl Hart, SEGA
Playmates Interactive Entertainment
  • Executive Producer: David Luehmann
  • Producer: Chris Archer
  • Associate Producer: Carlos Rodriguez
  • QA Manager: Rich Frey
  • Lead Tester: Andrew, A. Brown
  • Testers: David Ontiveros, Lee Jones, David Arranaga, James Martinez, Anthony Vasquez, Jose Zatarain, Leland Mah
  • Sales Marketing: David Localio, Kelly Frey
  • Technical Support: Jose Zatarain, Lee Jones
  • PR: Ron Antonette, Nicole Rosenberg, Karen Trachtenberg
  • Special Thanks: Richard Sallis, Thomas Chan, Sue Lucchino, Dabvid L. Hoffman, Scott Herrington, Playmate Toys
Source:
In-game credits

Exhumed

  • Executive Producers: Brian McNeely, Paul Lange
  • Game Design: Brian McNeely
  • Additional Game Design: Dominick Meissner, Mark Coates, Jason Wiggin, Ezra Dreisbach
  • Game Programming: Ezra Dreisbach
  • BREW World Editing Tool: David Lawson
  • Art and Environment: Troy Jacobson, Brian McNeely, John Van Deusen, Kevin Chung, Paul Knutzen, Richard Nichols, Eric Klokstad, Joe Kresoja, Jason Wiggin, Willian Vallieres
  • Creatures and Weaponry: John Van Deusen
  • Music and Sound Effects: Scott Branston
  • Stage Design: Brian McNeely, Dominick Meissner, Paul Knutzen, Jason Wiggin, Mark Coates
  • Additional Technical Support: Jeff Blazier, John Schwab, John Yuill, Paul Hagerud, Paul Schreiber, Pat Schreiber, Kurt Pfeifer
  • Instruction Manual: Tom Kristensen
  • Special THANKS! to: Jacqui Lyons, Marjacq Micro, Ian Mathias, Mike Brown, Ronya, Lonnie, Nasie, and of Course Sega
Source:
In-game credits

Magazine articles

Main article: Powerslave/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #86: "September 1996" (1996-xx-xx)
also published in:
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #89: "December 1996" (1996-xx-xx)
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #91: "February 1997" (199x-xx-xx)
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) #1996-21: "1996-21 (1996-12-13)" (1996-11-22)
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Hobby Consolas (ES) #61: "Octubre 1996" (1996-xx-xx)
Logo-pdf.svg

Artwork

  • Powerslave Saturn US Art Cover.jpg

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
80 №178, p72-73[2]
60 №416, p32
86 №0411, p16[6]
89 №46, p51
91 №61, p68-70[7]
92 №57, p98-99[8]
93 №54, p36-39[9]
88 №10/96, p76-77[10]
94 №47, p52-54[11]
89 №68, p92-93[12]
91 №83, p34-37
92 №11, p68-69[13]
83 №1996-21, p267[14]
89 №, p9[15]
86 №10/96, p86-87[16]
Sega Saturn
 87
Based on
15 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
576 KByte (HU)
91
[17]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
75
[2]
Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U
73
[18]
Famitsu (JP) NTSC-J
60
[19]
Freak (IL)
86
[20]
Fun Generation (DE) PAL
90
[21]
Gambler (PL)
87
[22]
GameFan (US) NTSC-U
86
[6]
GamePro (US) NTSC-U
100
[23]
GamesMaster (UK) PAL
89
[24]
Game Informer (US) NTSC-U
89
[25]
Gry Komputerowe (PL)
85
[26]
Hobby Consolas (ES)
91
[27]
Joypad (FR) PAL
92
[8]
LeveL (CZ)
86
[28]
MAN!AC (DE) PAL
85
[29]
Mega Force (FR) PAL
93
[9]
Mega Fun (DE) PAL
88
[30]
Mean Machines Sega (UK) PAL
94
[11]
Player One (FR)
89
[12]
Saturn Fan (JP) NTSC-J
62
[31]
Saturn Fan (JP) NTSC-J
64
[32]
Saturn+ (UK) PAL
91
[33]
Score (CZ)
80
[34]
Secret Service (PL)
80
[35]
Sega News (CZ)
95
[36]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
91
[37]
Świat Gier Komputerowych (PL)
85
[38]
Sega Saturn Magazine (UK) PAL
92
[13]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
83
[14]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
89
[15]
Total Saturn (UK) PAL
85
[39]
Total Saturn (UK) PAL
87
[40]
Video Games (DE) PAL
86
[41]
Sega Saturn
 85
Based on
34 reviews

Powerslave

Saturn, US
PowerSlave Saturn US Box Back.jpgPowerSlave Saturn US Box Front.jpg
Cover
Powerslave Saturn US Disc.jpg
Disc
Powerslave sat us manual.pdf
Manual
Saturn, EU
PowerSlave Saturn EU Box.jpg
Cover
Powerslave Saturn EU Disc.jpg
Disc
Saturn, JP
PowerSlave Saturn JP Box Back.jpgPowerSlave Saturn JP Box Front.jpg
Cover
Powerslave Saturn JP Spinecard.jpg
Spinecard
Powerslave Saturn JP Disc.jpg
Disc
Seireki 1999 Pharaoh no Fukkatsu Sat JP Manual.pdf
Manual

Technical information

ROM dump status

System Hash Size Build Date Source Comments
Sega Saturn
✔
CRC32
MD5
SHA-1
570,672,816 CD-ROM (EU) 81084-50 V1.000
Sega Saturn
✔
CRC32
MD5
SHA-1
524,049,120 1996-10-02 CD-ROM (JP) T-18001G V1.003

Save data

Powerslave makes use of the Saturn's internal battery back-up as well as the Saturn Backup Memory to save data for progress. To load and save data from the Ram Cart, the save file must be created on the internal battery back-up first, then moved over via the Memory Manager.

Powerslave Save Data
Name Comment File Size
POWERSLAVE# save games 11

References

  1. ↑ File:CVG UK 179.pdf, page 53
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 File:CVG UK 178.pdf, page 72 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:CVG UK 178.pdf_p72" defined multiple times with different content
  3. ↑ Next Generation, "October 1996" (US; 1996-09-17), page 195
  4. ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "October 1996" (US; 1996-xx-xx), page 43
  5. ↑ EGM², "November 1996" (US; 1996-xx-xx), page 67
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 File:GameFan US 0411.pdf, page 18 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:GameFan US 0411.pdf_p18" defined multiple times with different content
  7. ↑ File:HobbyConsolas ES 061.pdf, page 70
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 File:Joypad FR 057.pdf, page 98 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:Joypad FR 057.pdf_p98" defined multiple times with different content
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 File:MegaForce FR 54.pdf, page 36 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MegaForce FR 54.pdf_p36" defined multiple times with different content
  10. ↑ File:MegaFun DE 1996-10.pdf, page 76
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 File:MeanMachinesSega47UK.pdf, page 52 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MeanMachinesSega47UK.pdf_p52" defined multiple times with different content
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 File:PlayerOne FR 068.pdf, page 92 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:PlayerOne FR 068.pdf_p92" defined multiple times with different content
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 File:SSM UK 11.pdf, page 68 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:SSM UK 11.pdf_p68" defined multiple times with different content
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 File:SSM JP 19961213 1996-21.pdf, page 269 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:SSM JP 19961213 1996-21.pdf_p269" defined multiple times with different content
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Saturn no Game wa Sekai Ichi~i~i~i!: Satamaga Dokusha Race Zen Kiroku, SoftBank Publishing, page 11 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:SnGwSISDRZK Book JP.pdf_p11" defined multiple times with different content
  16. ↑ File:VideoGames DE 1996-10.pdf, page 83
  17. ↑ 576 KByte, "Október 1996" (HU; 1996-xx-xx), page 26
  18. ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "December 1996" (US; 1996-xx-xx), page 85
  19. ↑ Famitsu, "1996-12-06" (JP; 1996-11-22), page 1
  20. ↑ Freak, "3/97" (IL; 1997-xx-xx), page 1
  21. ↑ Fun Generation, "11/96" (DE; 1996-10-09), page 78
  22. ↑ Gambler, "4/1997" (PL; 1997-xx-xx), page 1
  23. ↑ GamePro, "November 1996" (US; 1996-xx-xx), page 120
  24. ↑ GamesMaster, "September 1996" (UK; 1996-08-01), page 51
  25. ↑ Game Informer, "December 1996" (US; 1996-1x-xx), page 65
  26. ↑ Gry Komputerowe, "1-2/1997" (PL; 1997-xx-xx), page 1
  27. ↑ Hobby Consolas, "Octubre 1996" (ES; 1996-xx-xx), page 68
  28. ↑ LeveL, "Prosinec 1996" (CZ; 1996-12-01), page 82
  29. ↑ MAN!AC, "11/96" (DE; 1996-10-09), page 74
  30. ↑ Mega Fun, "10/96" (DE; 1996-09-18), page 60
  31. ↑ Saturn Fan, "1996 No. 24" (JP; 1996-11-15), page 188
  32. ↑ Saturn Fan, "1997 No. 2" (JP; 1997-01-17), page 70
  33. ↑ Saturn+, "Issue 4" (UK; 1996-10-24), page 28
  34. ↑ Score, "Prosinec 1996" (CZ; 1996-12-01), page 112
  35. ↑ Secret Service, "Marzec 1997" (PL; 1997-xx-xx), page 67
  36. ↑ Sega News, "Listopad 1996" (CZ; 1996-1x-xx), page 10
  37. ↑ Sega Power, "September 1996" (UK; 1996-08-01), page 34
  38. ↑ Świat Gier Komputerowych, "2/1997" (PL; 1997-xx-xx), page 1
  39. ↑ Total Saturn, "Volume One Issue Two" (UK; 1996-09-30), page 58
  40. ↑ Total Saturn, "Volume One Issue Four" (UK; 1996-12-29), page 25
  41. ↑ Video Games, "10/96" (DE; 1996-09-25), page 86
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