By Dale Farris, Secretary
Golden Triangle PC Club
August 2003

Game Overview

In Emergency Fire Response, you can simulate what life is really like for firefighters, as you control an entire team of firefighters and their various support vehicles! As captain of your station, you will train your team, teach them the basics of the profession and how to manage in emergencies, develop their resistance to stress, and most importantly, get your team successfully through their missions.

The spread of the fire, poisonous fumes, the number of people in danger, their location - all this has to be taken into account upon arrival at the scene. If you think your guys cannot handle it, you can call for backup from the specialists who will be able to handle the most difficult and deadly situations.

This game is the first 3D, real-time strategy (RTS) game set in the world of fire-fighting. In the game, your job is to guide the team from Fire Station 615 through their less-than ordinary everyday lives.

You could also consider the game a tactical strategy game, and there is also a lot of simulation aspects in the game. The game was created with the assistance of a professional fire consultant, and much attention was paid to actual fire propagation and firefighting techniques.

You can take control of fire-fighters, paramedics, technical officers, approach suit specialists and more, witness some awesome explosions, and tackle fearsome blazes. Your duties will include fighting fires on a train, at a service station, at the aftermath of a storm, a bank and even a nuclear power plant.

Think you have what it takes to become a hero? In the heat of action, you must overcome all obstacles blocking your way and discover the best entry points in order to get to the source of a fire and extinguish it more quickly.

Get rewarded for all your hard work. A 1 to 5 medal rating will be awarded to players completing a mission according to their performance (saving lives and objects of value, speed and pollution control)

Features

34 amazing missions set in 10 different environments during which you will face all kind of events, such as a forest fire, a railway accident, and a gas station explosion

A team of firefighters and fire specialists, trained to face all kinds of emergencies - paramedic, specialist in approach suit, and high-risk environment specialist

High-performance vehicles, such as a pumper, rescue ladder, and tanker

Game designed in collaboration with an international fire consultant

A tense and captivating atmosphere in which pressure is built up continuously

Unexpected obstacles and events will slow down the player's progression

An easy to pick-up and play game, making it accessible to all

Dynamic fire system allowing for the realistic spread of fires

Full 3D engine

Game Play

You can set the difficulty level of the game, but the medals you are awarded are dependent in part on the difficulty setting. Only those who master the Hard setting will have a shot at the prestigious gold medals. As you might expect, accomplishing this will take a lot of practice.

The game screen is split into 2 parts. The main part is the 3D view in which your units operate. The information bar at the bottom of the screen permanently displays relevant information on the game, as well as giving you access to certain game commands.

The game is a 3D game. During play, you will be entirely free to view the scene from the angle and zoom level of your choice. You can modify the game camera in 4 ways. You can mouse click the arrow and the +/- buttons at the left hand side of the information bar. You can press the middle mouse wheel and move the mouse up to zoom, down to unzoom, and sideways to rotate. You can hold down the CTRL key and move the mouse towards the sides of the screen, upwards to zoom, downwards to unzoom, and sideways to rotate. You can hold down the CTRL key and use the keyboard arrow keys. Up arrow to zoom, down arrow to unzoom, right and left to rotate. You can also zoom and unzoom by turning the mouse wheel.

Three buttons are available on the left hand side of the information bar. The computer icon opens a menu screen that will enable you to restart the mission, load or save the game, modify the graphics and audio option, access the fire station to consult the unit characteristics or abort the game. This screen can be opened at any time by pressing the ESC key.

The i icon opens the information screen that summarizes all the current mission objectives.

The || icon enables the game to be paused. Camera commands are still active in PAUSE mode. This mode enables you to explore the map and calmly analyze the situation at any time during the game. You can also go into PAUSE mode by pressing the P key on the keyboard, and quit PAUSE by clicking the || icon again or pressing P.

In the 3D view you left click to select units, and right-click for action. Each unit can be selected, whether a firefighter or a vehicle, with a left click. Right clicking triggers an action. The exact nature of the action depends on the unit selected and the position of the mouse on the screen.

Dragging a green rectangle on the screen enables you to select several people at the same time. Take care to always select vehicles individually with a left click.

Firefighters and Abilities

A firefighter is the basic unit in the game. He has all the necessary equipment for fighting fires and clearing accesses. His missions are first of all to rescue and evacuate victims, then to get the fire under control and extinguish it.

Two gauges symbolize the status of each firefighter: a life gauge and an air gauge. The firefighter can move around, attack a fire, destroy a door or obstacle, carry persons, reassure panicked victims, and act on mechanisms.

Specialists

A paramedic intervenes alongside the firefighter and his mission is to provide first aid to victims so they can reach the ambulance by themselves. A paramedic can treat firefighters who have been wounded during operations, and he revives unconscious firefighters. He can carry out the same actions as a firefighter, but he is less efficient than a firefighter.

An extrication specialist is called for each time large obstacles or metal debris need to be removed. The circular saw he uses enables him to cut metal to free incarcerated victims or open blocked passages. He can carry out the same actions as a firefighter, but he is less efficient than a firefighter.

Technical Officer

The technical officer is a specialist who intervenes on all types of sophisticated mechanisms. He can start up and drive any type of motor vehicle and also repairs damaged firefighter vehicles. He can carry out the same actions as a firefighter, but he is less efficient than a firefighter. The technical officer cursor turns into a steering wheel on a civilian vehicle. Right clicking with the cursor orders him to go and drive the vehicle. Then you can control it like firefighter vehicles.

Specialist in Approach Suit

This specialist is called for each time it is necessary to act urgently on equipment exposed to fire. His fireproof suit enables him to move around inside the flames for a limited period of time. However, his heavy equipment greatly limits his movement. His equipment only delays his exposure to the temperature. After a short while, the suit will no longer protect him from the heat. A thermometer displayed on the right hand side of the screen shows the temperature.

High-Risk Environment Specialist

This specialist is a firefighter with very light equipment, trained in climbing to reach the most inaccessible zones. His job is to make a very quick evaluation of the premises so they can start operations before reinforcements arrive. He can move a victim, for example, or start evacuating smoke from the most inaccessible areas. He can carry out the same actions as a firefighter, but he is less efficient than a firefighter. A grapple icon appearing next to the cursor tells you that the movement you are requesting requires the firefighter to use a grapple.

Vehicles

You control different vehicles in the game. These include moving vehicles, ambulances, tankers, pumpers, water ladders, and a rescue ladder.

Simulating Reality

While Emergency Fire Response is obviously designed as a game to have fun with, it is also designed to simulate the reality of fighting fires and what it is like to be a firefighter. In this case, this "game" provides much more than merely a fun game, as the real-time strategy aspects of the game revolve around what it is like to actually fight a fire.

This means you will need to be constantly diligent as the game progresses, and as your fire fighting team begins to do what you tell them to do. As you play through the various missions, your team will be constantly giving you feedback that you must organize and then decide what you want your team to next do. This results in a fun, but also very enlightening experience, something that closely parallels what real fire fighting is about.

This worthy purpose is accomplished very well in this game, and integrating RTS game features with fire fighting results in an excellent tool that not only can be played for fun, but also can be used as an educational learning tool. Fire fighter teams across the country can consider this game a good tool for use with young people interested in becoming a fire fighter, as a means of providing a fun way of simulating what this job really entails.

Game Saves

You can save your game at any point, a feature always appreciated by adventure gamers.

Targeted Customers

Emergency Fire Response will likely appeal most to those interested in fire fighting, but also to a wider audience. Anyone who has ever wanted to know what is like to fight fires will have a lot of fun with this unique game. In the game, you can play like you are a firefighter, and see what firefighting is all about. The game should also appeal to real-time strategy (RTS) fans who are looking for something a little bit different. Instead of commanding an army of orcs, they can take control of a team of crack firefighters.
 
Install and Setup

The game should install and set up with no problems. The game comes on one (1) CD ROM disc. You also have to be sure and enter the code key in order to play the game, and you have to restart your machine after the game installs. You also need the disc in the CD ROM drive in order to play the game. Just be sure you have the disc space to load the game, and note also the game's preferred hardware. This is a super RTS game, but as most all RTS type games, this one also demands a lot from hardware because of all the massive amounts of data that have to be processed to present the vast assortment of images and information as you play the game.

Price

$19.99
Note this price. This is one of the most reasonably priced computer games now on the market, and with the tremendous amount of fun you are going to have playing the game, at this price all gamers will want to play the game.

Minimum System Configuration Requirements

P-500 MHz processor (1GHz processor recommended)
Windows 98, 98 SE, ME, 2000, XP
128MB RAM (256MB RAM recommended)
1.5GB free disc space
DirectX 8.1 compatible 32MB Video Card (64MB card recommended)
Soundblaster or 100% compatible Sound Card
4x speed CD ROM drive

The above system configuration requirements indicate the minimum and recommended system configuration requirements, and as any experienced gamer knows, you just don't ever want to load and run any computer game on minimally configured systems. Computer games are notorious for taking over machines, and this is why users will need to be sure and close out all their other open files, before playing this and any computer game.

The more powerful the video and sound card, the more beautiful will the game play, and the more mysterious it will sound with high end sound systems. This game will perform much better if you do not try to run it on the minimum system requirements.

About The Adventure Company

The Adventure Company is the new subsidiary of the well known adventure game company, DreamCatcher Games. In 1996, DreamCatcher Interactive launched their first title and since then, they have become a very successful publisher in the computer game entertainment software industry. In my opinion, one of this company's strongest assets is their dedication to provide customers with high quality entertainment software at very affordable prices. Some of the best interactive computer games now on the market come from DreamCatcher.

Bringing to market titles that are affordable, without jeopardizing content quality, is another significant factor that helps distinguish this company from the many that flood the market with countless game titles. DreamCatcher thrives on innovative marketing strategies, solid retail and developer partnerships, and on providing excellent customer support that is well above industry standards.

A new partnership with Her Interactive has enabled DreamCatcher to now sell the super games in the Nancy Drew series, including Nancy Drew: Secrets Can Kill, Nancy Drew: Stay Tuned for Danger, and Nancy Drew: Message in a Haunted Mansion. Check this link to read a review of these Nancy Drew Interactive Mystery Adventure Games.

Dracula: The Resurrection and In Cold Blood are two current games for the PC that will soon be released for the Playstation, and DreamCatcher also plans to release more games in the future for the Playstation 2 and the GameBoy Color platforms.

Necronomicon ($19.99) and The Legend of the Prophet and the Assassin ($19.99) are two of DreamCatcher's newer games that should also prove to be successful titles in their long list of super adventure games.

Other super games from DreamCatcher Interactive include Traitor's Gate, The Messenger, Riddle of the Sphinx, Jewels of the Oracle, Jewels II, Egypt 1156 B.C., Odyssey, TimeScape, Ancient Conquest, Beyond Time, Beyond Atlantis, Lightbringer, Legend of Lotus Spring, Nightlong, Seven Games of the Soul (also sold in Europe as Faust), SafeCracker, The Forgotten, The Sacred Amulet, and Time Machine.

All these are similarly designed adventure games, and all are priced very reasonably, the most expensive being $29.99 (In Cold Blood), with most around $14.99, and many even priced at $9.99, which I think are super prices for these super games. At the time of this writing, I have purchased and played nearly all these games, and these reasonable price points have always gotten my attention.

I think these affordable price points represent a very important strategy of DreamCatcher that has helped them achieve their success. When you consider the very expensive proposition to invest in the coding and other very expensive costs to develop and produce a computer game today, I think it is quite remarkable that this company markets their products at such a reasonable price.

I also think it is important to remember that DreamCatcher is still very much in the business of producing quality computer games, something many other companies can no longer attest to since they have gone out of business. What is even more remarkable, in my opinion, is that at the time of this writing, DreamCatcher Interactive remains wholly owned and self-sufficient, and has not yet been absorbed by a larger company.

So, with the easy on the pocket-book price of the game, and the also minimal price of the solution guides, you have the makings of a winner in the hotly contested battle for our limited disposable income and free time to invest in playing computer games. DreamCatcher Interactive is certainly a company worth watching and supporting.

About Monte Cristo Games

Monte Cristo, founded 7 years ago, has very quickly become a leader in the sector of offline management and strategy games. Today, Monte Cristo has a full and extended games catalogue as well as distribution at international level. Starting off as a developer and publisher of games destined for management and economics fans, Monte Cristo is now positioning itself between simulation and strategy gaming, with the intention of interesting a much wider audience.

Monte Cristo is keen to expand its overseas activity. In 1998, it published the first English version of its flagship game, Wall Street Trader, and launched its website in French and English. Monte Cristo games are now available in seven languages in over 45 countries.

he geographical distribution of turnover is a significant indicator of this international focus:  35% in the USA, 60% in Europe, of which 20% in Germany, 15% in Great Britain, 15% in France, and approximately 5% in the rest of the world.

Contact Information

The Adventure Company
DreamCatcher
5000 Dufferin Street
Toronto, Ontario
M3H 5T5
info@dreamcatchergames.com
www.adventurecompanygames.com

You can also order from other retailers or online vendors.