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'''Rockstar New England''' is the newest [[Rockstar]] studio, formerly Mad Doc Software. Incorporated in 2008, they are best known for Empire Earth III. Currently Rockstar New England has developed no new games since they become part of Take-Two but they will surely get developing some in the near future. | '''Rockstar New England''' is the newest [[Rockstar]] studio, formerly Mad Doc Software. Incorporated in 2008, they are best known for Empire Earth III. Currently Rockstar New England has developed no new games since they become part of Take-Two but they will surely get developing some in the near future. | ||
The original Mad Doc Software was founded by Dr. Ian Lane Davis, an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_artificial_intelligence artificial intelligence] (AI) expert. The company incorporates new [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_networking networking], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphics graphics], and AI technologies into their games (''Empire Earth II'' uses Mad Doc’s Mad3D Game Engine and MadAI technologies). | |||
As of 2008, the company has sold over 10 million copies of their various software titles worldwide. | |||
Dr. Davis started Mad Doc Software in Andover in 1999 before shortly moving to Lawrence a year later. | |||
In [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001_in_video_gaming 2001], Mad Doc completed ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek:_Armada_II Star Trek: Armada II]'' for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Activision Activision], adding 3D play, enhanced AI and other features. The Mad Doc team also delivered a wireless-platform golf game to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JAMDAT_Mobile JAMDAT Mobile], as well as AI design for the sequel to a major software publisher's PC game. | |||
In March [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_in_video_gaming 2002], Mad Doc completed the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II World War II] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_simulator flight simulator] ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane%27s_Attack_Squadron Jane's Attack Squadron]''. In the fall of 2002, the company released ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_Earth:_The_Art_of_Conquest Empire Earth: The Art of Conquest]'', the official expansion pack for ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_Earth Empire Earth]'', to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierra_Entertainment Sierra Entertainment]. | |||
The year [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2003_in_video_gaming 2003] brought further success for Mad Doc. In November, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Game_Studios Microsoft Game Studios] released ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dungeon_Siege:_Legends_of_Aranna Dungeon Siege: Legends of Aranna]''. Mad Doc developed an expansion pack for ''Dungeon Siege'' adding new features and AI enhancements. The company was a finalist for the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_of_Interactive_Arts_and_Sciences Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences] "Computer Role Playing Game of the Year" due to this expansion pack. | |||
In the spring of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_in_video_gaming 2005], the company released ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_Earth_II Empire Earth II]''. They added features including advanced AI, enhanced environmental realism, new multiplayer modes, and improved management systems. The game garnered a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PC_Gamer PC Gamer] Editor's Choice Award and a 94% review score. PC Gamer stated that the game was "The New King of Real-Time Strategy Gaming". | |||
''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek:_Legacy Star Trek: Legacy]'', had mixed to moderate reviews for the Xbox 360 and was negatively received for the PC. | |||
The company's ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_Earth_III Empire Earth III]'' has been the subject of many harsh reviews, with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GameSpot GameSpot] saying, "''Empire Earth III'' has been dumbed down to the point of irrelevance." As a result, Mad Doc has removed ''Empire Earth III'' from their list of games on their website and any trace of it. | |||
Mad Doc has also created an autonomous cross-country navigation system for the U.S. Dept. of Defense. | |||
Mad Doc was contracted to partner with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_Games Propaganda Games] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threewave_Software Threewave Software] for various map designs for the 2008 game [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turok_(2008_video_game) Turok]. | |||
Mad Doc ported [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockstar_Vancouver Rockstar Vancouver]'s ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bully_(video_game) Bully]'' to the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xbox_360 Xbox 360] (ported to the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wii Wii] by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockstar_Toronto Rockstar Toronto]) in the form of ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bully_(video_game)#Bully:_Scholarship_Edition Bully: Scholarship Edition]''. | |||
On April 4, 2008, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockstar_Games Rockstar Games] announced that it had acquired the studio and rebranded it Rockstar New England.[[File:Mad doc software.jpg|frame|Original logo for Mad Doc Software]] | |||
== External link == | == External link == |