2001 · Adventure · Real-time strategy

Colobot

Original mix of adventure and educational game. While you have fun with this game, you will also learn C-BOT, program language that is similar to all C- languages. C-BOT wouldn't allow you to write programs, but it will ease learning of C- languages.

Released: 2001
Platforms: Linux Windows
Genres: Adventure Real-time strategy Simulation Strategy
Developers: —
Publishers: —
Modes: Multiplayer Single-player
Themes: Fantasy Science fiction Historical Educational
Country: Switzerland

About

Colobot (Colonize with Bots) is an educational, post-apocalyptic real-time strategy video game featuring 3D graphics, created by Swiss developer Epsitec SA. The objective of the game is to find a planet for colonization by the human race by establishing a basic infrastructure on the surface and eliminating any alien life forms endangering the expedition. The game takes place on the Earth, Moon, and seven fictional planets. The main feature of the game, which makes it educational, is the possibility for players to program their robots using a programming language similar to C++ or Java.

Keywords

death
robots
spaceship
flight
edutainment
base building
giant insects
astronaut
resource gathering
character creation
saving the world
shaky camera

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Story

Life on earth is threatened by a devastating cataclysm, forcing mankind to move out and search for a new home. A first expedition composed solely of robots was sent to find another habitable planet, but for unknown reasons, the mission was a disaster and never returned.

With only a few robots for companions, the player must travel to new planets. Houston, Earth Mission Control as well as a spy satellite will transmit valuable information to the player. The player needs to build the infrastructure necessary to gather raw materials, energy supplies, and produce the weapons necessary to defend themselves. By programming robots, the player can delegate tasks to them, allowing the player to continue their mission while their robots upkeep the base, fight off enemies, harvest materials, and perform any other tasks assigned to them.

Reception

The game has been recommended by the Polish Ministry of National Education as a teaching aid for learning the basics of algorithms and object-oriented programming.

Legacy

Epsitec released the games' source code in March 2012 under GNU GPL-3.0-or-later after being contacted by the Polish game enthusiast community PPC.

ICC & TerranovaTeam (formerly PPC) was given the source code by Epsitec under the GPL-3.0-or-later license. TerranovaTeam is in the process of updating the game, titled Colobot: Gold Edition.