<s>
Escape	B-Operating_System
Velocity	I-Operating_System
is	O
a	O
single-player	O
role-playing	O
space	O
trading	O
and	O
combat	O
video	O
game	O
series	O
first	O
introduced	O
in	O
1996	O
by	O
Ambrosia	O
Software	O
for	O
the	O
Apple	B-Device
Macintosh	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Two	O
other	O
similar	O
games	O
based	O
on	O
the	O
original	O
,	O
EV	B-Operating_System
Override	I-Operating_System
and	O
EV	B-Application
Nova	I-Application
,	O
followed	O
in	O
1998	O
and	O
2002	O
respectively	O
,	O
the	O
latter	O
of	O
which	O
is	O
also	O
available	O
on	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
addition	O
there	O
is	O
a	O
trading	O
card	O
game	O
available	O
based	O
on	O
the	O
storyline	O
of	O
the	O
EV	B-Application
Nova	I-Application
universe	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Early	O
test	O
versions	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
went	O
by	O
the	O
name	O
'	O
Merc	O
 '	O
(	O
short	O
for	O
'	O
mercenary	B-Application
 '	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Peter	O
Cartwright	O
wrote	O
the	O
scenario	O
for	O
EV	B-Operating_System
Override	I-Operating_System
and	O
the	O
Australian	O
company	O
ATMOS	B-Application
created	O
the	O
scenario	O
of	O
EV	B-Application
Nova	I-Application
;	O
both	O
originated	O
as	O
plug-ins	O
for	O
the	O
preceding	O
games	O
before	O
being	O
picked	O
up	O
by	O
Ambrosia	O
as	O
sequels	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
plug-in	O
of	O
additional	O
phrases	O
was	O
also	O
created	O
and	O
later	O
included	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
EV	B-Operating_System
Override	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
remake	O
of	O
EV	B-Operating_System
Override	I-Operating_System
named	O
Cosmic	O
Frontier	O
:	O
Override	B-Operating_System
was	O
launched	O
on	O
April	O
21	O
,	O
2020	O
,	O
by	O
Peter	O
Cartwright	O
,	O
scenario	O
designer	O
at	O
Ambrosia	O
Software	O
,	O
and	O
reached	O
its	O
funding	O
goal	O
on	O
May	O
24	O
,	O
2020	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
first	O
two	O
Escape	B-Operating_System
Velocity	I-Operating_System
games	O
are	O
only	O
available	O
in	O
their	O
original	O
forms	O
for	O
the	O
Apple	B-Device
Macintosh	I-Device
and	O
are	O
Classic-only	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
EV	B-Application
Nova	I-Application
is	O
a	O
Carbon	B-Operating_System
application	O
and	O
runs	O
natively	O
on	O
both	O
the	O
original	O
Mac	B-Application
OS	I-Application
and	O
Mac	B-Operating_System
OS	I-Operating_System
X	I-Operating_System
,	O
and	O
has	O
been	O
ported	O
to	O
Windows	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Version	O
1.1.0	O
of	O
EV	B-Application
Nova	I-Application
,	O
released	O
in	O
December	O
2008	O
,	O
is	O
a	O
Universal	O
Binary	O
,	O
and	O
runs	O
natively	O
on	O
Intel-based	O
Macs	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Adapted	O
versions	O
of	O
the	O
scenarios	O
of	O
the	O
first	O
two	O
games	O
that	O
run	O
natively	O
in	O
EV	B-Application
Nova	I-Application
are	O
available	O
for	O
free	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
All	O
three	O
games	O
are	O
shareware	B-License
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ambrosia	O
's	O
shareware	B-License
system	O
allows	O
most	O
distribution	O
of	O
unregistered	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Copies	O
of	O
the	O
first	O
two	O
Escape	B-Operating_System
Velocity	I-Operating_System
games	O
will	O
work	O
without	O
limitation	O
for	O
30	O
days	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
is	O
also	O
the	O
character	O
called	O
'	O
Cap'n	B-Operating_System
Hector	I-Operating_System
 '	O
(	O
named	O
after	O
Ambrosia	O
's	O
mascot	O
and	O
office	O
parrot	B-Language
)	O
who	O
reminds	O
the	O
player	O
to	O
register	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
the	O
trial	O
period	O
has	O
expired	O
,	O
the	O
character	O
starts	O
attacking	O
the	O
player	O
,	O
but	O
in	O
EV	B-Operating_System
Override	I-Operating_System
,	O
Cap'n	B-Operating_System
Hector	I-Operating_System
also	O
steals	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
credits	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
can	O
not	O
damage	O
Cap'n	B-Operating_System
Hector	I-Operating_System
directly	O
,	O
though	O
in	O
the	O
original	O
game	O
it	O
was	O
possible	O
for	O
splash	O
damage	O
to	O
disable	O
or	O
destroy	O
her	O
ship	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
unregistered	O
copy	O
of	O
EV	B-Application
Nova	I-Application
is	O
more	O
limited	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
addition	O
to	O
the	O
attacks	O
by	O
Cap'n	B-Operating_System
Hector	I-Operating_System
,	O
certain	O
ships	O
and	O
technologies	O
cannot	O
be	O
obtained	O
after	O
the	O
thirty-day	O
trial	O
ends	O
,	O
and	O
even	O
before	O
then	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
story	O
lines	O
stop	O
about	O
two	O
thirds	O
of	O
the	O
way	O
through	O
,	O
and	O
plug-ins	O
are	O
not	O
supported	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Once	O
the	O
game	O
has	O
been	O
registered	O
,	O
Cap'n	B-Operating_System
Hector	I-Operating_System
and	O
all	O
of	O
the	O
other	O
restrictions	O
disappear	O
from	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
technology	O
is	O
based	O
on	O
the	O
Macintosh	B-Operating_System
resource	I-Operating_System
fork	I-Operating_System
format	O
,	O
making	O
it	O
possible	O
to	O
develop	O
plug-ins	O
without	O
using	O
any	O
purpose-designed	O
editors	O
(	O
though	O
several	O
editors	O
exist	O
and	O
are	O
popular	O
since	O
they	O
make	O
the	O
task	O
much	O
easier	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Since	O
Windows	B-Application
does	O
not	O
support	O
resource	B-Operating_System
forks	I-Operating_System
and	O
it	O
is	O
therefore	O
impossible	O
to	O
preserve	O
them	O
when	O
transferring	O
files	O
to	O
Windows-based	O
computers	O
,	O
an	O
alternate	O
format	O
and	O
a	O
conversion	O
system	O
were	O
devised	O
for	O
the	O
Windows	B-Application
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
are	O
able	O
to	O
fly	O
through	O
hundreds	O
of	O
star	O
systems	O
,	O
which	O
are	O
connected	O
to	O
each	O
other	O
by	O
hyperlinks	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ships	O
travel	O
between	O
star	O
systems	O
along	O
the	O
hyperlinks	B-Application
by	O
engaging	O
their	O
hyperdrive	O
,	O
a	O
form	O
of	O
faster-than-light	O
travel	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Nova	B-Application
,	O
wormholes	O
or	O
hypergates	O
may	O
also	O
be	O
utilized	O
for	O
instantaneous	O
travel	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
can	O
choose	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
trader	O
or	O
a	O
mercenary	B-Application
or	O
an	O
asteroid	O
miner	O
among	O
a	O
number	O
of	O
things	O
or	O
a	O
combination	O
of	O
several	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
three	O
games	O
are	O
alike	O
in	O
gameplay	O
only	O
;	O
the	O
universe	O
and	O
plot	O
are	O
completely	O
separate	O
and	O
unrelated	O
between	O
the	O
releases	O
(	O
though	O
EV	B-Application
Nova	I-Application
contains	O
the	O
Kestrel	O
from	O
EV	O
with	O
a	O
description	O
of	O
being	O
from	O
another	O
universe	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Occasionally	O
the	O
player	O
will	O
encounter	O
Sinistar	B-Application
,	O
including	O
his	O
voice	O
files	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
plot	O
of	O
the	O
original	O
Escape	B-Operating_System
Velocity	I-Operating_System
involves	O
disputes	O
between	O
the	O
Confederation	B-Operating_System
government	O
and	O
a	O
Rebellion	B-Application
against	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
begins	O
with	O
a	O
shuttlecraft	O
resembling	O
those	O
from	O
Star	B-Operating_System
Trek	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Confederation	B-Operating_System
is	O
one	O
of	O
two	O
main	O
governments	O
in	O
the	O
original	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
became	O
known	O
as	O
the	O
Confederation	B-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Confederation	B-Operating_System
and	O
the	O
aliens	O
fought	O
a	O
bloody	O
war	O
,	O
with	O
millions	O
of	O
humans	O
being	O
killed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Eventually	O
the	O
Confederation	B-Operating_System
prevailed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
the	O
start	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
the	O
Confederation	B-Operating_System
and	O
the	O
Rebellion	B-Application
are	O
locked	O
in	O
a	O
bloody	O
stalemate	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Confederation	B-Operating_System
uses	O
four	O
ships	O
in	O
its	O
military	O
,	O
namely	O
the	O
Confederate	B-Operating_System
Patrol	I-Operating_System
Ship	I-Operating_System
,	O
the	O
Confederate	B-Operating_System
Gunboat	O
,	O
the	O
Confederate	B-Operating_System
Frigate	O
and	O
the	O
Confederate	B-Operating_System
Cruiser	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Rebellion	B-Application
is	O
the	O
other	O
main	O
government	O
in	O
Escape	B-Operating_System
Velocity	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
after	O
winning	O
the	O
war	O
with	O
the	O
aliens	O
,	O
the	O
Confederation	B-Operating_System
did	O
not	O
relinquish	O
its	O
naval	O
power	O
and	O
began	O
exploiting	O
the	O
resources	O
of	O
the	O
outer	O
worlds	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Rebellion	B-Application
is	O
in	O
turn	O
criticized	O
for	O
its	O
aggressive	O
nature	O
,	O
support	O
of	O
quasi-criminal	O
organizations	O
,	O
and	O
attacks	O
on	O
civilian	O
shipping	O
and	O
liners	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Rebellion	B-Application
uses	O
four	O
ships	O
in	O
their	O
campaign	O
against	O
the	O
Confederation	B-Operating_System
,	O
namely	O
the	O
Manta	O
,	O
the	O
Rebel	O
Destroyer	O
,	O
the	O
Rebel	B-Operating_System
Cruiser	I-Operating_System
and	O
the	O
Escort	O
Carrier	O
,	O
the	O
last	O
of	O
which	O
is	O
seen	O
only	O
when	O
the	O
player	O
is	O
working	O
for	O
the	O
Confederation	B-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
Astex	O
Mining	O
Corporation	O
is	O
a	O
mining	O
company	O
that	O
works	O
exclusively	O
for	O
the	O
Confederation	B-Operating_System
,	O
and	O
as	O
a	O
result	O
is	O
often	O
targeted	O
by	O
the	O
Rebellion	B-Application
and	O
its	O
sympathizers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Artemis	O
Group	O
are	O
a	O
family	O
run	O
organization	O
devoted	O
to	O
eliminating	O
pirates	B-Application
as	O
well	O
as	O
ensure	O
the	O
galactic	O
order	O
remains	O
balanced	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
attempt	O
to	O
prevent	O
either	O
the	O
Confederation	B-Operating_System
or	O
Rebellion	B-Application
from	O
winning	O
the	O
civil	O
war	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
starting	O
planet	O
,	O
Levo	O
,	O
which	O
is	O
in	O
a	O
system	O
by	O
the	O
same	O
name	O
,	O
has	O
a	O
militia	O
patrolling	O
it	O
to	O
defend	O
it	O
from	O
Pirates	B-Application
,	O
though	O
Pirates	B-Application
never	O
appear	O
in	O
the	O
system	O
except	O
when	O
following	O
the	O
player	O
because	O
of	O
valuable	O
cargo	O
in	O
their	O
possession	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
are	O
a	O
number	O
of	O
Pirates	B-Application
in	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
who	O
immediately	O
attempt	O
to	O
destroy	O
any	O
non-Pirate	O
ship	O
they	O
spot	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
exception	O
of	O
the	O
player	O
once	O
they	O
have	O
achieved	O
a	O
high	O
combat	O
rating	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Pirates	B-Application
do	O
not	O
plunder	O
their	O
targets	O
due	O
to	O
limitations	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
;	O
the	O
player	O
,	O
however	O
,	O
is	O
allowed	O
to	O
board	O
ships	O
,	O
and	O
may	O
from	O
there	O
steal	O
money	O
,	O
cargo	O
,	O
fuel	O
,	O
or	O
ammunition	O
,	O
or	O
attempt	O
to	O
capture	O
the	O
ship	O
for	O
use	O
as	O
their	O
own	O
or	O
as	O
an	O
escort	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Another	O
key	O
detail	O
,	O
Pirates	B-Application
may	O
board	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
ship	O
if	O
they	O
disable	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
EV	B-Application
Nova	I-Application
,	O
Pirates	B-Application
do	O
board	O
and	O
plunder	O
ships	O
,	O
including	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
MacUser	O
named	O
Escape	B-Operating_System
Velocity	I-Operating_System
the	O
best	O
shareware	B-License
game	O
of	O
1996	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Escape	B-Operating_System
Velocity	I-Operating_System
has	O
two	O
sequels	O
:	O
Override	B-Operating_System
(	O
1998	O
)	O
and	O
Nova	B-Application
(	O
2002	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Many	O
subsequent	O
games	O
explicitly	O
cite	O
Escape	B-Operating_System
Velocity	I-Operating_System
as	O
an	O
or	O
the	O
primary	O
influence	O
on	O
their	O
design	O
,	O
such	O
3030	B-Application
Deathwar	I-Application
,	O
Endless	O
Sky	O
,	O
Gaia	O
Beyond	O
,	O
Space	O
RPG	O
,	O
and	O
Naev	O
.	O
</s>
