Utopia (video game)

"Utopia", released on Intellivision in 1982, is often regarded as among the first sim game and god game, as well as setting the scene for the real-time strategy genre. It was designed and programmed by Don Daglow.

A Mattel Aquarius home computer version of "Utopia" was also released.

"Utopia" also remains available today for various computer and video game systems as part of a variety of Intellivision "greatest hits" packages, and the game has also been licensed for play on mobile phones.Fact|date=August 2007

Gameplay

"Utopia" was a two-player game without an AI opponent, although a single player could play to achieve a high score and ignore the other island. When starting the game, the players would choose how long each turn would last (60 seconds being the default), and how many turns the game would last (15 turns being the default).

Each player ruled his own island and would use the controller disc to move a rectangular cursor around the screen. Both players would spend gold bars to construct different buildings on their islands, build fishing boats or PT boats, or to fund rebel activity on the enemy island. As each island's population grew, the ruler was responsible for feeding the populace and keeping them happy, or risk rebel activity, which would decrease the player's score and sometimes destroy buildings.

Income came when randomly generated rain clouds (and sometimes hurricanes) passed over a player's farms, when a fishing boat was positioned over a school of fish, and at the end of each turn, based on the player's factory output and fishing boats.

The winner was the player with the most points at the end of the game.

Most turns consisted of constructing a building at the beginning of the turn, then continuously maneuvering the player's fishing boat over a moving school of fish in order to maintain fishing income, with occasional interruptions to construct new buildings whenever the player was able to afford them. Alternatively, the player in the lead might spend considerable time maneuvering a PT boat to try and sink the losing player's fishing boat in order to keep his income down.

The computer generated and determined the course of rain clouds, tropical storms, hurricanes, schools of fish, and pirate ships.

Buildable units

* Fort: Prevent rebel units from appearing within 1 square
* Factory: Generate income at beginning of each turn, but with a side effect of lowering population through pollution and disease.
* Farm: Feed 500 people, and provide income when rained upon
* School: Increase well-being of people and factory production
* Hospital: Boost factory production and increase population growth
* Housing project: Increase well-being of 500 people by housing them
* Rebel soldier: Randomly place a rebel upon the enemy island, possibly destroying a building
* PT boat: Sink enemy fishing boat or tie up a computer-controlled pirate ship
* Fishing boat: Feed 500 people, generate income at beginning of each turn, and earn continuous income when positioned over a school of fish

References

* [http://www.gamespy.com/articles/495/495918p1.html GameSpy Hall of Fame Article on "Utopia"]
* [http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/pc/unsung_heroes/sec2_01.html Gamespot Article on "Utopia"]
* [http://www.intellivisionlives.com/bluesky/games/credits/strategy.html#utopia Intellivision Lives Article on "Utopia"]
* [http://www.intellivisionlives.com/bluesky/games/instructions/strategy/utopia.txt Instruction book for "Utopia" from Intellivision Lives]