Rockstar New England
Rockstar New England is the newest Rockstar studio, formerly Mad Doc Software. Incorporated in 2008, they are best known for Empire Earth series. 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 artificial intelligence (AI) expert. The company incorporates new networking, 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, Mass. in 1999 before shortly moving to Lawrence, Mass. a year later.
In 2001, Mad Doc completed Star Trek Armada II for Activision, adding 3D play, enhanced AI and other features. The Mad Doc team also delivered a wireless-platform golf game to JAMDAT Mobile, as well as AI design for the sequel to a major software publisher's PC game.
In March 2002, Mad Doc completed the World War II flight simulator Jane's Attack Squadron. In the fall of 2002, the company released Empire Earth: The Art of Conaquest, the official expansion pack for Empire Earth, to Sierra Entertainment.
The year 2003 brought further success for Mad Doc. In November, Microsoft Game Studios released 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 Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences "Computer Role Playing Game of the Year" due to this expansion pack.
In the spring of 2005, the company released Empire Earth II. They added features including advanced AI, enhanced environmental realism, new multiplayer modes, and improved management systems. The game garnered a 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".
Star Trek: Legacy, the next game Mad Doc released, received mixed to moderate reviews for the Xbox 360 and was negatively received for the PC.
The company's Empire Earth III has been the subject of many harsh reviews, with 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 anywhere else, effectively disowning the title.
Mad Doc has also created an autonomous cross-country navigation system for the US Department of Defense.
Mad Doc was contracted to partner with Propaganda Games and Threewave Software for various map designs for the 2008 game Turok.
Mad Doc ported Rockstar Vancouver's Bully to the Xbox 360 (the Wii port was done by Rockstar Toronto) in the form of Bully Scholarship Edition. It was well received.
On April 4, 2008, Rockstar Games announced that it had acquired the studio and rebranded it Rockstar New England.
Games
As Mad Doc Software
- Star Trek: Armada II (2001) (PC)
- Jane's Attack Squadron (2002) (PC)
- Empire Earth: Age of Conquest (2002) (PC)
- Dungeon Siege: Legends of Arrana (2003) (PC)
- Empire Earth II (2005) (PC)
- Empire Earth II: Age of Supremacy (2006) (PC)
- Star Trek: Legacy (2006) (PC, Xbox 360)
- Empire Earth III (2007) (PC)
- Bully: Scholarship Edition (2008) (PC) (with Rockstar Vancouver and Rockstar Toronto)
As Rockstar New England
- Bully: Scholarship Edition (2008) (Xbox 360) (with Rockstar Vancouver and Rockstar Toronto)
External link