Montreal, Quebec. April 30th, 2002 -- Strategy First and EsimGames announced today that a Special Gold Edition of the award-winning tank simulation, Steel Beasts has shipped to stores nationwide.
Released throughout North America’s retail stores in 2000, Steel Beasts has taken the tank sim community by storm, winning numerous accolades, such as “Best PC Simulation of 2000” from PC Gamer Magazine, Computer Games Magazine and winning numerous Editor’s Choice Awards from various online sites. It is still being used at the US Military Academy (West Point) to help train future armor officers.
As a detailed PC-based simulator of modern mechanized warfare, Steel Beasts centers around two of the world’s most awesome main battle tanks: the US’s M1A1 Abrams, and Germany’s Leopard 2A4. Players can experience all the sights and sounds of modern armored combat from the gunner’s or tank commander’s position, as well as the challenges of tactical planning and decision making from a powerful map view. In addition, multiplayer support allows any mission to be played over a network with any cooperative or competitive style of play, including multiple players in a single tank.
The new and improved features that are included in this Special Steel Beasts Gold Edition are:
- Dramatically improved debriefing phase: better playback features, and ability to view 3D world during debriefing
- Improved low level AI for vehicles and troops
- Added and improved features to make mission creation easier and more powerful (e.g. More events and triggers, nameable events and triggers, customizable ammo load-outs)
- Improved map graphic tools: all map graphics can now be stretched, rotated and flipped with added pre-made square and ellipse map graphics.
- Significantly modified fire control system for the M1A1, based on feedback from master gunners in the US Army
- Improved multiplayer performance
- Improved modeling of rounds
- Revised damage models based on feedback from armor experts
- Improved unit map symbols
- More convenient screenshot tool
- Improved joystick response, and added joystick centering hot keys
- Dozens of missions not included in the original SB, and better organization of missions.
Steel Beasts Gold will be distributed throughout North America by Infogrames. Strategy First is still in negotiations for a European distribution agreement. For more information, contact Stewart Braybrook, Director of European Operations at
sbraybrook@strategyfirst.com.
For more information on the game and/or the series, log onto
www.esimgames.com or www.strategyfirst.com.
About eSim Games
eSim Games, located in Sunnyvale, California, creates highly accurate, affordable simulators for the personal computer, which can be used by both civilians for entertainment purposes, and by the military as an inexpensive training tool. Steel Beasts is its first product, and work on Steel Beasts 2 is underway.
About Strategy First
Strategy First, Inc. is a leading developer and worldwide publisher of entertainment software for the PC. Founded in 1990, the Company has grown rapidly, publishing major games in the industry such as “Supreme Ruler 2010” and “Disney’s Aladdin Chess Adventures” and simultaneously developing its own in-house titles such as “O.R.B.” and “Disciples II”. After winning numerous awards for games such as “Disciples: Sacred Lands”, “Kohan: Immortal Sovereigns”, “Steel Beasts”, “Galactic Civilizations”, and “Jagged Alliance”, Strategy First continues to push the gaming envelope with its own groundbreaking titles, while maintaining its reputation as a unique alternative for independent developers seeking to market their games to a worldwide audience.
www.strategyfirst.com
