Octopus Overlords

We haven't done this in a while. We did it once on GG, then twice here. The first time, the idea was to take screenshots from relatively known games that people wouldn't recognize right away and try to have people guess them. The first shot, I believe, was a case of butterflies from a museum in The Sum of All Fears. Lots of people played.

The next couple of iterations of the idea did it differently - the idea was to take screenshots from the most obscure games from 20 years ago on a system that only six people owned. The threads were popular, but a huge portion of forum members weren't able to play. Hell, a quarter of them probably hadn't even been born when some of the games in those shots were made!

The goal this time is to be a little more open to people who have only picked up the hobby in the last few years, to let more people play. The challenge for the poster won't be in finding obscure games, but in finding just the right shot. The ideal shot should be some detail from a known game that someone who pays attention and has a good memory might recognize, but that isn't so obvious that it gives it away instantly.

Here are the guidelines:

1. Post a shot from a PC game released since 1995*. Editing to remove an interface or focus on a detail is fine. Adding hints then or later is up to the poster. It is suggested that you not name your file with the name of the game.

2. Whoever names the game goes next.

3. If the winner passes (or doesn't post in 24 hours), the floor is open to whoever feels like posting next.

4. If nobody guesses correctly in 48 hours, anyone can post a new shot.

*1995 is the year that Windows 95 was released, the year that DirectX was released, the year Nvidia put out their first video card, and the year before 3dfx hit the market. I think it is reasonable to call that a kickoff year for modern PC gaming, while still going back far enough to cover a ton of classic games without getting too obscure.

This is a great place to check release dates, by the way.

First shot:

Beyond Good and Evil

Lordnine wrote:Beyond Good and Evil

Yep! In fact, you can just barely see Jade sneaking around behind the grating.

Beyond Good and Evil is one of my favorite games I’ve played in the last couple years..And so is this one.

STALKER?

greeneggsnham wrote:STALKER?

Yes, i didn't post the image, but it's the Red Forest level.

Guess that was an easy one. Yep!

Hot off my new rig:

World in Conflict

The level thats in the demo

What gives it away for me is the building in the top right corner.

pengo wrote:World in Conflict

The level thats in the demo

Wow ... that actually looks a lot more fun than I'd suspected. Blowing up my next-door neighbor's house with an A-10 would feel really good every now and then

Correct!

Actually, it's from the auto benchmark from the options screen, but I edited out the FPS bar that would be to the left.

Couldn't find a bigger screenshot so this will have to do!

My all time favourite game, and oldy but a goody!

Terra Nova:Strike Force centauri

Yep! Surprised someone got it so quick!

I loved that game. Feels like I played it just a year or two ago. Hard to believe its been so long. Ive tried a couple times to get it to run in the last few years but failed

Ok lemme see what I can find and Ill post in a few min.

EDIT: Game pic

Sorry for the small pic. Hard to find a good one.


For a neat look back heres the video to the game. Now dont cheat and view this before guessing.

Was that the Millennium Falcon making a strafing run in that video?

Aces of the Deep.

I was thinking one the Silent Hunters or the Silent Services, and forgot about AotD.

greeneggsnham wrote:Aces of the Deep.

I was thinking one the Silent Hunters or the Silent Services, and forgot about AotD.

Right you are. My favorite sub sim ever. The waves backthen almost made me sick.

Daehawk

Can you remember that level in terra nova, where you had to defend some npc and wait for the jump ship to come and pick him up? While you were under attack from mechs and the pirates? It was towards the end and you were able to plant those small laser turrets.

Even on easy I found that level hard, as they would just get the npc and for a game from '96 the ai was quite good. As it would out flank you from what I could remember.

I wish the source code was available or it was able to be updated to windows and textures updated.

Can't pick that one out of my head. For some reason the Real Video cutscenes stick in my mind the best though I do recall a moon base assault that was pretty different for the time to me. I also remember a fight on the outside of a space craft but that might have been a Mechwarrior title mission.

I remember the water reflections and how that was new and took horsepower to do. I was afraid my little 486Sx-33 wasn't up to it but it ran it pretty well for the time. Looking at the screenshots most would say its pretty ugly...but for that time it was an amazing thing to see.

Reminds me how much I miss Looking Glass

yeah the big outdoor enviroments for the time was impressive and the squadmates too but they would evac too easily

I have a game I want to post a shot for, but I'll have to get it installed to get a picture. I'll post it tomorrow ASAP; been a long day today and I'm turning in soon.

EDIT: Pic added. Not the picture I wanted from the game, but it's been enough of a bear to get it to work at all.

Reminds me of Independence War One, kinda, sortof, maybe...

It's not IW1 for sure. It *may* be Defiance (the expansion pack) as I've never played that one (even though I *do* have it)

Ripstar wrote:Reminds me of Independence War One, kinda, sortof, maybe...

Thats my guess. From the opening intro where they've jumped into system and he sees a Puffin class Tug on his screen.

You get it, Daehawk. It's Iwar 1. In the game, you can get up from your console and pan to the other stations(via mouse) in lieu of just hitting the function key for that station. This is from Ops looking towards Engineering. I think I did this one from the infinity battle between waves.

I'm just glad I finally got it to work on a modern xp system; the screen cap actually came from a VM running 98, but later I got the glide wrapper and compatability manager to get it native on the new rig. I could post the stuff I used if anyone is interested.

EDIT: Actually, Ripstar said it was -maybe- Iwar, and Daehawk said it with authority. Either of you get dibs on the next shot. Whoever posts first, maybe?

I don't think anyone has posted "kind, sorta, maybe" with more authority than me, IMO, but Daehawk done real good too.
So I will slip this in and then maybe he will take a shot. Loved this game.

Hostile Waters. I loved it too! Someone else can post a shot, though.

Edit: Actually that's not very in keeping with the spirit of things, is it? I'll post a shot in a little while.

Is this Dungeon Keeper 2?

I only played the first one and recognize the slightly warped bookshelves, but the fairy's don't look familar so I'm guessing they were in the sequel.

NP Ripstar..I considered it your turn . And I knew your shot looked familiar to me but couldn't think of it. Was on my PSP at the time too so typing is a chore hehehe.

Crawley wrote:Is this Dungeon Keeper 2?

Ah, well done. I was hoping the first person perspective would keep people guessing for longer than that!

Probably an easy one.

Unreal? Whatever it is, I know I've played it.

Kyosho wrote:Unreal? Whatever it is, I know I've played it.

That was my first thought but just to be safe Ill say Thief 2.

Kyosho wrote:Unreal? Whatever it is, I know I've played it.

Exactly that.

I took advantage of that Unreal pack Steam had/has. Even though I had played Unreal I never did get the add-on so I was looking forward to going through the main game again. I remember it being such an amazing experience.

In particular I have strong memories of first coming out of the prison ship and turning around and see how HUGE the ship was. Wow! Then walking to the overlook and seeing this magnificent waterfall. Holy crap was that something to behold!

When I went to replay it I was SO excited with anticipation at seeing that waterfall again! Excitement was just building going through the prison ship and going through all the little triggered events. By the time I got out of the ship I was pumped at seeing that waterfall.

Then I finally see it and my excitement shriveled up within seconds. "That's it!? I was all excited over this little trickle of piss?"

Total disappointment.

Blackhawk wrote:
3. If the winner passes (or doesn't post in 24 hours), the floor is open to whoever feels like posting next.

Invoking this rule. This shouldn't be a tough one.

Mafia

Mafia

EDIT: aw beat me by 1 min somehow lol