<s>
BattleSphere	B-Device
is	O
a	O
first-person	O
space	O
combat	O
simulation	O
video	O
game	O
originally	O
developed	O
by	O
4Play	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
ScatoLOGIC	O
exclusively	O
for	O
the	O
Atari	B-Device
Jaguar	I-Device
on	O
February	O
29	O
,	O
2000	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Taking	O
place	O
in	O
the	O
future	O
where	O
seven	O
races	O
have	O
colonized	O
and	O
destroyed	O
multiple	O
planets	O
due	O
to	O
their	O
actions	O
,	O
the	O
leaders	O
of	O
each	O
race	O
send	O
their	O
best	O
pilots	O
into	O
an	O
inclosed	O
region	O
of	O
space	O
called	O
BattleSphere	B-Device
to	O
either	O
gain	O
privilege	O
of	O
occupy	O
the	O
remaining	O
habitable	O
stars	O
or	O
return	O
to	O
their	O
original	O
dying	O
planets	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Originally	O
conceived	O
in	O
1993	O
before	O
the	O
Jaguar	B-Device
was	O
officially	O
released	O
to	O
the	O
market	O
,	O
BattleSphere	B-Device
is	O
heavily	O
influenced	O
by	O
multiple	O
science	O
fiction	O
works	O
and	O
video	O
games	O
,	O
most	O
notably	O
Star	B-Application
Raiders	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Initially	O
released	O
in	O
2000	O
,	O
a	O
second	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
2002	O
under	O
the	O
title	O
BattleSphere	B-Device
Gold	I-Device
,	O
which	O
added	O
new	O
features	O
and	O
improvements	O
compared	O
to	O
the	O
original	O
version	O
and	O
in	O
2006	O
a	O
third	O
,	O
one-of-a-kind	O
version	O
titled	O
BattleSphere	B-Device
Trio	O
was	O
auctioned	O
on	O
eBay	B-Application
and	O
has	O
additional	O
features	O
not	O
available	O
on	O
the	O
Gold	O
version	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
first	O
copy	O
of	O
the	O
original	O
version	O
was	O
sold	O
on	O
eBay	B-Application
for	O
over	O
US$1500	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
auction	O
proceeds	O
going	O
to	O
diabetes	O
research	O
,	O
while	O
all	O
after-tax	O
profits	O
from	O
subsequently	O
sold	O
copies	O
of	O
every	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
title	O
were	O
invested	O
into	O
diabetes	O
charity	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Despite	O
being	O
published	O
after	O
the	O
platform	O
was	O
discontinued	O
by	O
Atari	O
Corporation	O
in	O
1996	O
and	O
being	O
declared	O
as	O
open	B-Application
platform	I-Application
by	O
Hasbro	O
Interactive	O
one	O
year	O
prior	O
to	O
release	O
,	O
BattleSphere	B-Device
received	O
positive	O
reception	O
from	O
reviewers	O
when	O
it	O
launched	O
with	O
praise	O
towards	O
the	O
graphics	O
,	O
music	O
,	O
gameplay	O
,	O
replay	O
value	O
and	O
multiplayer	O
modes	O
,	O
with	O
several	O
publications	O
such	O
as	O
GameFan	O
,	O
Next	O
Generation	O
and	O
Retro	O
Gamer	O
referring	O
it	O
as	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
best	O
games	O
released	O
for	O
the	O
Jaguar	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
BattleSphere	B-Device
is	O
a	O
first-person	O
shooter	O
with	O
space	O
combat	O
simulation	O
elements	O
similar	O
to	O
its	O
main	O
inspiration	O
,	O
Star	B-Application
Raiders	I-Application
,	O
where	O
players	O
assume	O
the	O
role	O
of	O
a	O
pilot	O
representing	O
either	O
of	O
the	O
seven	O
alien	O
races	O
in	O
a	O
fight	O
against	O
each	O
other	O
for	O
the	O
right	O
to	O
control	O
and	O
colonize	O
the	O
galaxy	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
network	O
mode	O
features	O
three	O
game	O
modes	O
,	O
with	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
two	O
being	O
only	O
exclusive	O
to	O
this	O
mode	O
and	O
supports	O
up	O
to	O
16	O
consoles	O
,	O
each	O
with	O
a	O
pilot	O
and	O
an	O
optional	O
gunner	O
for	O
a	O
potential	O
total	O
of	O
32	O
players	O
but	O
the	O
claimed	O
network	O
capability	O
has	O
not	O
been	O
tested	O
,	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
after	O
Atari	O
Corp	O
.	O
merged	O
with	O
JT	O
Storage	O
in	O
a	O
reverse	O
takeover	O
and	O
the	O
discontinuation	O
of	O
the	O
Jaguar	B-Device
in	O
1996	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Progress	O
,	O
high-score	O
and	O
other	O
settings	O
done	O
by	O
the	O
player	O
are	O
saved	O
automatically	O
via	O
the	O
cartridge	O
's	O
EEPROM	B-General_Concept
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
gameplay	O
and	O
similarly	O
to	O
Descent	B-Application
,	O
players	O
are	O
given	O
full	O
control	O
of	O
their	O
ship	O
in	O
a	O
three-dimensional	O
environment	O
featuring	O
six	O
degrees	O
of	O
freedom	O
on	O
zero	O
gravity	O
,	O
with	O
battles	O
taking	O
place	O
in	O
real-time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
are	O
five	O
game	O
modes	O
to	O
be	O
found	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
:	O
Alone	O
Against	O
the	O
Empire	O
is	O
an	O
exclusive	O
mode	O
to	O
Single	O
Console	O
inspired	O
by	O
Star	B-Application
Raiders	I-Application
,	O
where	O
players	O
have	O
to	O
command	O
allied	O
spacecraft	O
and	O
protect	O
their	O
starbases	B-Application
in	O
a	O
set	O
of	O
64	O
hexagonal	O
quadrant	O
sectors	O
from	O
attacks	O
by	O
an	O
armada	O
of	O
enemy	O
fighters	O
,	O
bombers	O
,	O
superships	O
and	O
obliterate	O
enemy	O
starbases	B-Application
in	O
higher	O
difficulties	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
this	O
mode	O
,	O
the	O
0	O
and	O
#	O
buttons	O
on	O
the	O
keypad	O
are	O
used	O
for	O
repairing	O
the	O
ship	O
and	O
jump	O
into	O
hyperspace	B-Application
respectively	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Gauntlet	O
is	O
an	O
endless	O
mode	O
similar	O
in	O
structure	O
to	O
Missile	B-Application
Command	I-Application
,	O
where	O
the	O
main	O
objective	O
is	O
to	O
defend	O
six	O
starbases	B-Application
in	O
a	O
single	O
sector	O
from	O
a	O
wave	O
of	O
enemies	O
trying	O
to	O
destroy	O
them	O
with	O
each	O
wave	O
increasing	O
in	O
difficulty	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Free-For-All	O
is	O
an	O
arcade-style	O
deathmatch	O
mode	O
in	O
vein	O
of	O
Doom	B-Application
and	O
Quake	B-Application
,	O
where	O
players	O
attempts	O
to	O
destroy	O
a	O
set	O
number	O
of	O
starships	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
either	O
reach	O
a	O
fixed	O
number	O
of	O
kills	O
or	O
high	O
score	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Battle	B-Device
Sphere	I-Device
is	O
a	O
capture	B-Application
the	I-Application
flag	I-Application
mode	O
exclusive	O
to	O
Network	O
Mode	O
similar	O
to	O
Netrek	B-Application
,	O
where	O
two	O
opposing	O
teams	O
divided	O
across	O
eight	O
consoles	O
attempt	O
to	O
capture	O
or	O
destroy	O
each	O
other	O
's	O
starbases	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Panic	O
between	O
each	O
leader	O
of	O
the	O
seven	O
races	O
led	O
to	O
the	O
decision	O
of	O
confining	O
the	O
hostilities	O
of	O
each	O
other	O
into	O
a	O
small	O
and	O
closed	O
region	O
in	O
space	O
called	O
Sector	O
51	O
,	O
also	O
known	O
as	O
Battle	B-Device
Sphere	I-Device
,	O
where	O
the	O
seven	O
races	O
send	O
their	O
best	O
pilots	O
to	O
fight	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
claim	O
the	O
right	O
of	O
colonizing	O
planets	O
freely	O
or	O
being	O
confined	O
to	O
their	O
original	O
dying	O
homeworld	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
resemble	O
the	O
concept	O
of	O
demons	B-Operating_System
by	O
the	O
human	O
race	O
and	O
previously	O
controlled	O
most	O
of	O
the	O
galaxy	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Lizard-like	O
beings	O
and	O
rumored	O
allies	O
of	O
the	O
O'Catanut	O
race	O
,	O
whose	O
ships	O
appear	O
to	O
be	O
alive	O
as	O
some	O
of	O
them	O
are	O
named	O
and	O
based	O
on	O
reptiles	B-Language
,	O
though	O
one	O
of	O
them	O
resembles	O
the	O
Colonial	O
Viper	O
from	O
Battlestar	B-Application
Galactica	I-Application
physically	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
mysterious	O
race	O
who	O
appeared	O
50	O
years	O
ago	O
and	O
are	O
presumed	O
to	O
originate	O
from	O
a	O
neighboring	O
galaxy	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
BattleSphere	B-Device
was	O
originally	O
pitched	O
under	O
the	O
name	O
Singularity	O
to	O
Bill	O
Rehbock	O
,	O
then	O
vice-president	O
in	O
third-party	O
development	O
at	O
Atari	O
Corporation	O
,	O
after	O
Scott	O
Le	O
Grand	O
and	O
Douglas	O
Engel	O
were	O
invited	O
to	O
play	O
some	O
of	O
the	O
first	O
titles	O
for	O
the	O
then-upcoming	O
Atari	B-Device
Jaguar	I-Device
at	O
Glendale	O
,	O
California	O
on	O
September	O
23	O
,	O
1993	O
,	O
with	O
Scott	O
suggesting	O
to	O
Bill	O
if	O
they	O
could	O
rename	O
the	O
project	O
to	O
Star	B-Application
Raiders	I-Application
2000	O
but	O
he	O
told	O
them	O
that	O
the	O
name	O
was	O
already	O
taken	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
October	O
of	O
the	O
same	O
year	O
,	O
Scott	O
and	O
Douglas	O
reached	O
Tom	O
Harker	O
at	O
GEnie	B-Language
,	O
who	O
was	O
looking	O
for	O
programmers	O
to	O
write	O
titles	O
for	O
the	O
upcoming	O
system	O
,	O
to	O
act	O
as	O
an	O
intermediary	O
between	O
them	O
and	O
Atari	O
Corp	O
.	O
Scott	O
convinced	O
his	O
then-fiance	O
Stephanie	O
Wukovitz	O
to	O
compose	O
music	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
and	O
as	O
result	O
,	O
4Play	O
was	O
formed	O
as	O
a	O
partnership	O
group	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
4Play	O
renamed	O
Singularity	O
to	O
Star	O
Battle	O
,	O
in	O
honor	O
of	O
a	O
mainframe	B-Architecture
computer	I-Architecture
game	O
Scott	O
wrote	O
during	O
his	O
high	O
school	O
period	O
in	O
the	O
1980s	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
then	O
showcased	O
six	O
months	O
later	O
at	O
WCES	O
'	O
95	O
in	O
a	O
semi-playable	O
state	O
,	O
under	O
its	O
final	O
name	O
BattleSphere	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
From	O
July	O
to	O
September	O
of	O
the	O
same	O
year	O
after	O
being	O
showcased	O
at	O
E3	O
1995	O
,	O
4Play	O
went	O
full-time	O
on	O
the	O
development	O
of	O
BattleSphere	B-Device
and	O
at	O
one	O
point	O
,	O
Atari	O
requested	O
a	O
working	O
demo	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
for	O
a	O
focus	O
group	O
session	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
be	O
put	O
in	O
comparison	O
with	O
another	O
upcoming	O
game	O
for	O
the	O
Jaguar	B-Device
,	O
Space	B-Application
War	I-Application
2000	I-Application
,	O
with	O
Atari	O
shelving	O
the	O
latter	O
in	O
favor	O
of	O
the	O
former	O
after	O
the	O
results	O
from	O
the	O
session	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
October	O
of	O
the	O
same	O
year	O
,	O
Atari	O
also	O
requested	O
the	O
team	O
a	O
working	O
network	O
code	O
to	O
be	O
implemented	O
into	O
Iron	B-Application
Soldier	I-Application
2	I-Application
for	O
multiplayer	O
,	O
however	O
,	O
this	O
feature	O
was	O
shelved	O
in	O
the	O
final	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
4Play	O
began	O
working	O
on	O
the	O
game	O
modes	O
,	O
Atari	O
folded	O
in	O
January	O
1996	O
and	O
the	O
Jaguar	B-Device
was	O
also	O
discontinued	O
,	O
in	O
addition	O
to	O
merging	O
with	O
JT	O
Storage	O
on	O
April	O
8	O
of	O
the	O
same	O
year	O
and	O
filing	O
a	O
10-K405	O
SEC	O
Form	O
four	O
days	O
later	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Even	O
after	O
this	O
event	O
,	O
BattleSphere	B-Device
continued	O
to	O
be	O
developed	O
and	O
was	O
showcased	O
to	O
the	O
public	O
for	O
the	O
first	O
time	O
since	O
1995	O
at	O
JagFest	O
'	O
97	O
,	O
a	O
small	O
festival	O
dedicated	O
to	O
the	O
system	O
in	O
Chicago	O
,	O
and	O
in	O
October	O
1997	O
the	O
last	O
single-player	O
gameplay	O
mode	O
was	O
implemented	O
into	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
group	O
of	O
volunteers	O
tested	O
the	O
game	O
on	O
their	O
free	O
time	O
and	O
as	O
such	O
,	O
BattleSphere	B-Device
was	O
finished	O
in	O
July	O
1998	O
,	O
almost	O
five	O
years	O
after	O
its	O
conception	O
and	O
was	O
showcased	O
once	O
more	O
at	O
both	O
JagFest	O
'	O
98	O
in	O
Corfu	O
,	O
New	O
York	O
and	O
World	O
Of	O
Atari	O
in	O
Las	O
Vegas	O
in	O
August	O
of	O
the	O
same	O
year	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
May	O
14	O
,	O
1999	O
,	O
Hasbro	O
Interactive	O
declared	O
the	O
Atari	B-Device
Jaguar	I-Device
as	O
an	O
open	B-Application
platform	I-Application
and	O
released	O
all	O
the	O
rights	O
to	O
the	O
console	O
into	O
public	O
domain	O
,	O
allowing	O
BattleSphere	B-Device
to	O
be	O
encrypted	O
and	O
released	O
on	O
February	O
29	O
,	O
2000	O
,	O
two	O
years	O
after	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
completed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
BattleSphere	B-Device
is	O
influenced	O
by	O
various	O
video	O
games	O
besides	O
Star	B-Application
Raiders	I-Application
such	O
as	O
Doom	B-Application
,	O
Iron	B-Application
Soldier	I-Application
,	O
Netrek	B-Application
,	O
Quake	B-Application
and	O
Star	B-Application
Wars	I-Application
:	I-Application
TIE	I-Application
Fighter	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
also	O
influenced	O
by	O
many	O
science	O
fiction	O
works	O
such	O
as	O
Babylon	O
5	O
and	O
Star	B-Operating_System
Trek	I-Operating_System
,	O
with	O
the	O
latter	O
being	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
main	O
sources	O
for	O
the	O
storyline	O
found	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
addition	O
,	O
it	O
also	O
features	O
references	O
from	O
other	O
science	O
fiction-based	O
works	O
such	O
as	O
Futurama	B-Application
,	O
The	B-Device
Last	I-Device
Starfighter	I-Device
,,	O
Red	O
Dwarf	O
,	O
among	O
others	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
BattleSphere	B-Device
features	O
two-dimensional	O
bitmaps	O
for	O
static	O
images	O
,	O
in	O
addition	O
of	O
using	O
a	O
proprietary	O
polygon	O
rendering	O
engine	O
written	O
by	O
both	O
Scott	O
Le	O
Grand	O
and	O
Douglas	O
Engel	O
,	O
displaying	O
between	O
10,000	O
and	O
15,000	O
polygons	O
on-screen	O
alongside	O
its	O
own	O
networking	O
code	O
supporting	O
up	O
to	O
16	O
players	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
also	O
uses	O
a	O
graphical	O
technique	O
created	O
by	O
4Play	O
dubbed	O
"	O
Decal-Mapping	O
"	O
for	O
all	O
the	O
gouraud	B-Algorithm
shaded	I-Algorithm
3D	O
models	O
consisting	O
of	O
256	O
polygons	O
each	O
one	O
,	O
in	O
addition	O
of	O
featuring	O
very	O
minimal	O
texture	O
mapping	O
dedicated	O
to	O
the	O
alien	O
races	O
 '	O
symbols	O
and	O
identification	O
numbers	O
for	O
multiplayer	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
All	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
graphics	O
and	O
sound	O
were	O
created	O
on	O
the	O
Atari	B-Device
Falcon	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
BattleSphere	B-Device
also	O
makes	O
full	O
use	O
of	O
the	O
processors	O
found	O
within	O
the	O
Jaguar	B-Device
for	O
various	O
tasks	O
such	O
as	O
handling	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
enemy	O
AI	O
and	O
physics	O
engine	O
,	O
with	O
Scott	O
stating	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
made	O
possible	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
system	O
's	O
multi-chip	B-Algorithm
architecture	B-Architecture
.	O
</s>
<s>
BattleSphere	B-Device
was	O
first	O
released	O
on	O
February	O
29	O
,	O
2000	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
first	O
copy	O
of	O
the	O
original	O
version	O
was	O
sold	O
for	O
US$1500	O
in	O
eBay	B-Application
,	O
with	O
the	O
auction	O
proceeds	O
going	O
to	O
diabetes	O
research	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
the	O
original	O
release	O
and	O
subsequent	O
versions	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
did	O
not	O
originally	O
came	O
bundled	O
with	O
a	O
keypad	O
overlay	O
,	O
they	O
were	O
later	O
produced	O
and	O
released	O
with	O
permission	O
from	O
both	O
co-programmers	O
of	O
the	O
title	O
by	O
community	O
members	O
Gaztee	O
and	O
rubixcube6	O
at	O
AtariAge	B-Application
forums	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
second	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
titled	O
BattleSphere	B-Device
Gold	I-Device
,	O
was	O
first	O
released	O
on	O
March	O
15	O
,	O
2002	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
release	O
came	O
in	O
a	O
transparent	O
cartridge	O
,	O
featuring	O
several	O
updates	O
and	O
additions	O
not	O
found	O
within	O
the	O
original	O
version	O
such	O
as	O
new	O
animations	O
,	O
a	O
reworked	O
menu	O
screen	O
system	O
,	O
bug	O
fixes	O
and	O
more	O
,	O
in	O
addition	O
to	O
containing	O
the	O
JUGS	O
(	O
Jaguar	B-Device
Unmodified	O
Game	O
Server	O
)	O
to	O
aid	O
in	O
homebrew	B-Application
development	O
for	O
the	O
system	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
June	O
9	O
,	O
2006	O
,	O
a	O
third	O
one-of-a-kind	O
version	O
titled	O
BattleSphere	B-Device
Trio	O
was	O
auctioned	O
on	O
eBay	B-Application
,	O
featuring	O
all	O
the	O
previously	O
released	O
content	O
from	O
BattleSphere	B-Device
Gold	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
it	O
was	O
released	O
long	O
after	O
the	O
system	O
was	O
discontinued	O
,	O
no	O
contemporary	O
reviews	O
of	O
BattleSphere	B-Device
were	O
realized	O
with	O
the	O
exception	O
of	O
a	O
brief	O
article	O
by	O
Eric	O
C	O
.	O
Mylonas	O
from	O
GameFan	O
,	O
who	O
pointed	O
the	O
graphics	O
,	O
modes	O
,	O
gameplay	O
and	O
network	O
play	O
as	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
strong	O
points	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Gregory	O
D	O
.	O
George	O
of	O
The	O
Atari	O
Times	O
rated	O
the	O
game	O
positively	O
and	O
praised	O
the	O
graphics	O
,	O
music	O
,	O
sound	O
effects	O
,	O
gameplay	O
and	O
replay	O
value	O
while	O
criticizing	O
the	O
menu	O
and	O
ship	O
selection	O
screens	O
for	O
being	O
hard	O
to	O
read	O
,	O
but	O
he	O
states	O
that	O
"	O
it	O
's	O
a	O
fabulous	O
game	O
and	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
Jaguar	B-Device
's	O
Top	O
5	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
4Play	O
had	O
plans	O
to	O
port	O
BattleSphere	B-Device
into	O
other	O
systems	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
and	O
PC	B-Device
if	O
any	O
publisher	O
was	O
interested	O
in	O
backing	O
the	O
project	O
but	O
the	O
idea	O
never	O
happened	O
after	O
several	O
unsuccessful	O
pitches	O
to	O
multiple	O
companies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Scott	O
Le	O
Grand	O
,	O
who	O
later	O
became	O
an	O
employee	O
at	O
VM	O
Labs	O
,	O
also	O
pitched	O
a	O
port	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
to	O
the	O
Nuon	B-Device
but	O
the	O
proposal	O
was	O
rejected	O
.	O
</s>
