1998 Black Flag and Vulcan Software
Platform: Commodore Amiga and PC
By 1998, things were looking extremely bleak for the Amiga platform, but there were people still trying to keep the dream alive. None more so than Black Flag and Vulcan Software with the development of Caveman Species. A version was also in development for PC too.
This was to be a strategy game in a similar form to Command and Conquer, but set within a prehistoric setting. It was previewed by various magazines of the time, including Amiga Computer Studio 1998 05 and 09, Amiga Magazyn and CU Amiga.
Programming was by David Serafim, graphics by Rui Guerreiro and with Music and Sound FX by Ruben Monteiro. Originally the game was to be made by the Portuguese company Black Flag, with Vulcan Software as the publisher.
The original press release about the game can be found here, and had the following to say about the game:
CAVEMAN SPECIES
A small planet in our universe bares witness to the emergence of intelligent life! In this evolutionary rage of power, the weaker will not stand against the breed who shall inherit the land of the caveman species…
Caveman Species is a real-time strategy war game set in a world comprising of 3 continents that enclose over 90 playable locations.
Each location features its own unique storyline that creates an ever evolving and intriguing plot.
The players’ goals will be different for each location and can include, wiping out the enemy tribes, reaching a certain level of tribe progress or perhaps discovering ancient cities or finding lost tribes.
Special features allow tribes to interact with elements like, witches with magical powers `who can weaken the enemy in battle or turn them into frogs` or visit Stonehenge to invoke the gods `who can fill your enemy with the plague` or kidnap dinosaur eggs for breeding or ultimately hunt the infamous T-Rex, train it, then ride on it`s back into battle to tear your enemy apart with one single bite!
AMIGA TECHNICAL SPECS
AGA-CyberGfx-Picasso 4Mb
68020 CPU, HD, 2x Speed CD100`s of Character Animations
90 Segments in 3 Continents
Several Degrees of EvolutionDigitized Sound Effects
16 Bit Stereo CD Music
5 Movie Sequences
300Mb of 3D AnimationsTCP/IP Modem & Internet for 4 Player Multi-Play
Multisync-SVGA for 640×512
Black Flag had joined Vulcan on the 27th April 1998, and from the start there seemed to be both an Amiga and PC version in development. Each version on their old site had their own individual web page.
In August 1998, Vulcan announced the demise of the Amiga version:
Two Large Magazines fold and still there is more Bad News for August!
Surely Not? Vulcans, D.S.P. Development Team responsible for the Amiga CDRom title ‘Almagica Scions of a Forgotten World’ have decided to cease all development of the title due to the economic realities of the Amigas constantly eroding user base.
Vulcans, Black Flag Development Team responsible for the Amiga CDRom title ‘Caveman Species’ have decided to cease development of the Amiga version due to the economic realities of the Amigas constantly eroding user base.
Live as Long as you can & Prosper!
Paul Carrington BA(Hons) Vulcan Software Limited
The PC edition seemed to go a lot longer and had a bit more detail about the storyline on the PC page:
As the new sun rose over our childish Earth, the morning mist was broken with a ferocious roar. Cadilian birds of paradise flocked from the tree tops whilst early man ran for cover in self made shelter, the ground shook with cascading timber as the infamous Rex thundered into our village, scrambling at the dirt I turned to see an iron jaw of nails lowering graciously towards me, then the cold realisation of pain crept through my back as I watched the beast devour my lower torso.
My last image was of my enemy riding the harnessed dinosaur and screaming with heroic ecstasy, the evolutionary battle for power has begun, the weaker will not stand against the breed who shall inherit the land of the caveman species.
As well as a bit more detail about what the game entailed:
Caveman Species is a real-time strategy God game, set in a prehistoric world exploiting the benefits of 3D technology.
Dominance of power spans over a world comprising of three continents, each with their own unique features that create an evolving story line. The players goals will be different for each location and can include, wiping out enemy tribes, reaching a certain level of tribe progress or perhaps discovering ancient cities and lost races.
The game will have the advantage of attracting two distinctive audience types. Those that are normally drawn to 3D action-based genres (as the game will include many ferocious, prehistoric creatures), and Gods-game fans who will enjoy the incredible variation in game play and strategic possibility.
A conversation with founder Paul Carrington later that year suggests the PC version is still going, but there are issues.
By 1999, something changed. All of a sudden, mentions of Black Flag are removed – and instead the game is credited to Vulcan Software and Vulcan Moon (Nomad Entertainment). Was Black Flag now out of the picture by 1999?
The following page here claims that Nomad Software was a daughter company of Vulcan Moon. We wonder if Nomad was any relation to the group that had done Gods on the Commodore 64 that was cancelled. This was from around the same time. Probably not, but worth mentioning.
As a side note, Vulcan seemed to refer to its sublabels as “Moons”.
Finally, Musician Ruben Monteiro spoke with a Canadian Amiga newsletter in 2001, and mentioned the project:
“I attempted to setup my own videogame company to create Caveman Species, a Vulcan Software game, but we failed.”
It seems to imply that neither version made it overall. But how far did the game get, and could anything be preserved or shown? It is believed that the game got to a playable state, but we don’t know how far exactly. Hopefully we’ll hear soon from the team to find out more about this promising title.
If you know anything about the game, please do get in touch.
With thanks to Grzegorz Antosiewicz for highlighting the title and scans and Anonymous Contributor for all the excellent leads and archive links.
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