G-Nome

G-Nome is a video game developed by 7th Level, which was released on February 28, 1997. G-Nome was followed by a loosely-based sequel, Dominion: Storm Over Gift 3, released in June, 1998.

Game Storyline
The game takes place in a disfunctional world that human and three other alien races are battling to control: the Union Intelligence Agency, the Darken Empire, the Scorp Imperial Republic, and the Bendian Mercenary Provisional Republic. You play Joshua Gant, a Union operative assigned to investigate reports of a secret project entitled G-Nome. Early on, you learn that the G-Nome is a genetically modified killing machine. The game takes place in the same story arc as Dominion: Storm Over Gift 3, which was developed by 7th Level before they sold it to Ion Storm. Though some of the concepts are noticeably different between the two games, the storyline continues from one game to the next.

The G-Nome adventure takes place on the planet Ruhelen of the Omicron Reticuli star system in the year 2225 A.D. Retired Union Sergeant Joshua Gant must assemble a team of experts and penetrate the heavily defended Scorp Republic to destroy a secret bioweapon laboratory suspected of creating the ultimate genetic soldier: the G-Nome.

As the adventure begins, war is imminent between the four races. The discovery of the mineral-rich Phygos system nearby has upset the tenuous strategic balance between the warring factions in this part of the Galaxy. The flashpoint of the pending conflict will be the planet Ruhelen where the four major civilizations, human, Bendian Mercenary, Darken, and Scorp all coexist in a fragile peace.

Union intelligence has known of the secret Scorp genetic research for years, but has now decided to destroy the effort before the G-Nome creature can be replicated and deployed in battle. The mission must be covert, for war has not been declared and the Union does not want to be seen as the aggressor if the matter comes before the Galactic Court.

Union Intelligence turns to retired war hero Joshua Gant. For the last ten years Gant has been drowning in bitterness over a mission that resulted in the capture of his best friend, Pearl, and in hatred of the man that led that mission, Jack Sheridan.

Against his will, Gant is reinstated into service and ordered to assemble a team of experts that includes his old friend, Stephen Kylie, Union's most accomplished scientist, Dr. Victoria Thane, and the best expert on Scorp military customs and tactics: Jack Sheridan.

The adventure unfolds in four grand campaigns. In the first, Gant must traverse the Darken Republic to meet Kylie who has been undercover deep in Darken territory.

Together again, Gant and Kylie embark on the second campaign in Bendian Merc territory as they race to the rescue of Dr. Thane who, unaware of her situation, is on a peaceful mission in the sparsely populated steppes and valleys of the Mercs. Thane realizes the importance of using special technology to capture the G-Nome, and the small team must battle their way to the Merc citadel of Mesa Caracon to obtain the technology, then escape into the Scorp frontier to meet Sheridan.

The third campaign takes place in Scorp territory. The secret base is defended tenaciously by the Scorp Imperial Warriors, but with the help of clandestine Union "orbital ion-strikes," the team finally battles its way to the laboratory. Disaster strikes and the entire mission disintegrates into chaos. The G-Nome is stolen by Sheridan and his bandits, a new and even more dangerous foe than its Scorp creators.

The fourth and final campaign finds Gant and what's left of the team pursuing the G-Nome and its captors through the desolate and war-torn Shalten Frontier. After the climactic confrontation at a secret cloning facility, Gant must finish the mission by terminating the G-Nome creature. The main character's best friend, who was thought to be killed, is discovered to have been transformed into the G-Nome. Instead of killing it, Gant lets the G-Nome live and prompts it to run away before the troops arrive. The G-Nome's fate is unknown; it was last seen in the credits heading toward the sunset.

Epilogue
Wilkins takes a petri dish with Pearl's DNA, as the U.I.A. scout the area for remains of the G-NOME. Later, the news states that chaos continues to spread across Ruhelen, as the Scorp declares war on the Union. Reports of a covert Union operation to destroy the Scorp G-NOME Facility are denied by both the Union and the Scorp. Wilkins unexpectedly resigns, causing speculation that the operation ended in failure. The Scorp refuse to comment on this issue.

Mechanics
At the time of its release, the game was part of a new and popular genre of Mech games that offered gameplay where the player had the ability to control giant-robot-like machines called HAWCs (Heavy Armored Weapon Chassis), similar to the games of the Mechwarrior-Series and games accompanying the Heavy Gear-Universe, which were published in a similar timeframe.

The game mechanics allowed the player easy access in and out of their vehicle to proceed on foot to either capture other vehicles or to carry out tasks that cannot be executed from within the vehicle. That way, the destruction of the player's HAWC is not necessarily the end of the game, since the player would still have the chance of capturing a new one, if they were to leave the old one in time.

Players are restricted to within the game area by the Orbital defense kill zone. Should a player wander too far outside, a computer voice will warn the player. If the player continues, the computer will say, "Have a nice day", and the player's HAWC will be destroyed by a huge laser blast, presumably from a space-based weapon.

During the in-game missions, each factions has notably unique environmental setting. The Bendian Mercenaries are usually found in Arctic weather conditions with snow filled landscapes. The Darken are found in dry desert environment, a complete contrast of the Bendian Mercenaries. The Scorp dwell within a spring-like environment with vast vegetation and grasslands. In contrast with the Scorp, the renegade Union are shown in volcanic environment of the Shalton Frontier with darkened sky and lava flows. All landscapes consist of canyons, mountains, rivers or lava flows.

Allies
Allance Wilkins The UIA representative who informs Gant of his re-enrollment and the assigned mission involved in the game. Wilkins is fast-thinking, motivated and keeps a constant vigil over Sergeant Joshua Gant and his squadron involved. Near the end of the story arc when the general and his companions are delivered to Sheridan's Lair in the Shalton Frontier, he himself follows Sergeant Gant's military and battle tactics in the mission to defeat Sheridan. When Kylie is murdered, Wilkins has Sheridan's orbital transport intercepted and leaves Gant to dispatch Sheridan.

Stephen Kylie An old comrade of Joshua Gant's. He was with Gant through his earlier years along with Ryan Pearl and Jack Sheridan. Kylie seems to keep it a general secret about Gant's unhampered rage and hatred for Sheridan in respects to what happened to Pearl. Even though this is shown at times, Kylie seems to be cautiously optimistic throughout the storyline and has much respect for Sergeant Gant. On the second-to-last level, while out of view of Gant, Kylie is murdered by Sheridan while Gant destroys the laboratory.

Dr. Victoria Thane A technician who also works for the Union. She is on assignment in Merc territory on a peaceful mission in the canyons, unknowingly being in grave danger by Merc raiding parties. Her mission is rudely interrupted when Gant and Kylie show up and expose her to the G-Nome assignment. UIA needs her expertise in gaining access to equipment that is pivotal to the G-Nome's destruction upon Mesa Caracon. She also provides useful weapons, such as the EGGER, and a world of Bendian Merc Intel.

Jack Sheridan Possibly the man that Joshua Gant loathes the most, he was the commander of a mission 10 years prior to the current mission that ended in Pearl's capture. Although it was unknown to all of UIA, Pearl was transformed into the G-Nome and many believe him to be dead. It is never fully explained about Sheridan's involvement in Pearl's MIA, but it is likely associated with his inability to save Pearl in close combat. In reference to the current mission, Sheridan is needed for his profession and deep knowledge of Scorp culture and technology. He however sabotages the mission by capturing the G-Nome and attempting to eliminate Gant. Sheridan transported the G-Nome in his Union Heavy Assault HAWC near a laboratory. His plan was to use an orbital transport to take the G-Nome's DNA off-planet. However, he is foiled when Gant's strikeforce destroys the laboratory. In rage, Sheridan murders Kylie and attempts to flee with the G-Nome in the cargo bay of his HAWC. Gant catches up with him and there is a ferocious battle between the two soldiers. It ended with Sheridan's vehicle totaled and his body lying in ruins at Gant's feet.

Enemies
Enemies can be killed with about the same comparative degree of difficulty. Some make better targets than others.

Bendian Mercenary Provisional Republic: The Mercs are tall and generally easy to defeat, while their troops, structures and vehicles are primarily colored blue. Their HAWCS incorporate an unpredictable array of weapons, and have no auto-eject device. Although their vehicles have drawbacks and their troops are weak, their soldiers have the greatest accuracy of all the races.

Darken Republic: The Darken's troops are noticeably short, but are more difficult to defeat than the other races. Their technology is less conservative than other races and are generally more gritty. The Darken's two primary weaknesses are that they lack the heavy assault vehicles and some specific buildings that the other races maintain.

Scorp Imperial Republic: The Scorp race are also tall and use green as a primary color for their assets. The Scorp's HAWC durability and soldier training is comparable to the Union Alliance.

Union Intelligence Agency: Although the UIA are the protagonists of the game, near the conclusion of the game, Jack Sheridan takes a large contingent of troops to the Shalton Frontier to clone the G-Nome at his laboratory. The renegade Union troops maintain all the advantages the player will have, making the game very challenging and forcing the player to rely completely of their own cunning.

Weapons
PRIF44: This is your laser rifle. It is a very light energy weapon with a fast cycle time. It seems to be standard-issue to all races. Hits produce a red blast cloud on the target. (ammo capacity: infinite)

Gas Assault Shock Rifle: This weapon resembles a grenade launcher, but fires a non-explosive gas cartidge that fills the target's cockpit and triggers the autoeject mechanism. Note: This weapon is ineffective against foot soldiers. (ammo capacity: 6 rounds)

Enhanced Gamma Radiation Rifle: Similar to a GASHR, this weapon kills the pilot of a vehicle without damaging the vehicle itself. (ammo capacity: unknown)

LaserSite: This weapon can be either HAWC-mounted or carried. It uses a laser designator to target an orbital laser strike like the kind used in the Orbital Defense Kill Zone. The laser strike is guaranteed to destroy the target. (ammo capacity: 2 rounds)

Technical trivia
The game uses the RenderWare v2.0 middleware game engine as its 3D rendering engine DirectX 5 is the minimum requirement and the Smacker video codec for video rendering.