7 replies to this topic

[Snapt Gleipnir]

https://archive.org/details/GNome_1020

My family computer had the full game ("G-NOME: CD Required") installed on it. It had very similar play-style to the single-player BattleTech franchise, but I don't meet many people who have even heard of it. Does it have a place in BattleTech lore? Was it some kind of off-shoot? Or maybe it was a knock-off developed by a competing games company...

If anyone can answer these questions, please do so!

[MalaVolpe]

It was a mech sim made not long after Mechwarrior 2 Mercenaries' release. There was also an RTS made in the same setting if I remember right, but neither it nor G-NOME are related to Battletech.

[MisterPlanetarian]

It was the first game I got, family got it with our first PC. Still have it on a functioning CD.

Edited by MisterPlanetarian, 18 October 2017 - 05:44 PM.

[Karl Streiger]

From the Future War Stories Blog

Quote

As computer technology increased, so did the promise of bring mecha that we’d seen in some many classic animes to the realm of video games. One of those 1990’s mech video games lost to time was 1997’s G-Nome; developed Dallas based software developer 7th Level. This studio only existed for a brief time, but their most known game, G-Nome, was continued onward by other developers after the end of 7th Level. Ion Storm would release a sequel in 1998 under the name “Dominion: Storm over Gift 3” and is the terminus of the series at present due to the massive failure of the game. This was due to the fact that Dominion: Storm over Gift 3came out the same day has Starcraft. So, what was G-Nome? The central story revolves around several factions’ battle for the control of the mineral-rich planet of Ruhelen in the Omicron Reticuli system. Union intelligence has learned in 2225 of the alien super-soldier program codename G-NOME. Your character has been assigned to hunt down any information on the Scorp Republic G-NOME program.

The mecha of G-Nome are the HAWC (Heavy Armored Weapon Chassis) and much like Titanfall, you can get out of the HAWC and either carryout mission objective or capture a better HAWC. Sounds solid, but there were issues with the development of G-Nome. The first trailer was revealed at the Consumer Electronics Show in 1994 and fatal delays pushed the game back until winter of 1997. During this, the original developer of G-Nome was Distant Thunder, which was acquired by 7th Level. This delay caused the initial interest in the mech game to cool and by 1997; the market had changed with Activision’s MechWarrior being established PC mech game. Other reasons for the lack of impact were the actual name of the game itself, some play issues, and heavily pixilation. In the end, G-Nome’s sequel was developed by another studio and was converted to an RTS with a terrible name.

Edited by Karl Streiger, 18 October 2017 - 09:42 PM.

[Rorik Thrumsalr]

A couple months ago LGR did a review of it. I remember seeing it, but never played it as Mech2 and mercs seemed better all round the board.

[RedDragon]

Lol - and even those had better walking animations than today's MWO mechs

[MW Waldorf Statler]

G-nome is a Follow Game of very good Mechshooter "Earthsiege" ..is a other Mechuniverse like Heavy Gear or Front Mission or the great Earthsiege

[Brain Cancer]

Notably, we see giant robot hijacking show up in the MechAssault series in #2 (Lone Wolf), making G-nome it's grandfather.