Operation: Inner Space (Game)

Operation: Inner Space

GAME » on 1994

Your computer is in chaos, and now you must fly inside its "Inner Space" to clean up your files, destroy viruses, defend your allies, and take care of opposing ships in this multi-directional space shooter for Windows.

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Overview

Prepare to enter your computer's Inner Space!

Operation: Inner Space, also known as Inner Space, is a sci-fi multi-directional space shooter developed and published by Software Dynamics for Windows PCs in 1994.

Set inside the "Inner Space" of the player's computer, where all of the hard drive's file icons are scattered throughout and the computer itself is being overrun with viruses from a mysterious evil force, Inner Space has several factions seeking supremacy by collecting these icons, using them to upgrade their gear, and partaking in faction-based combat.

Developed with the intention of a fast-paced game for lower-end Windows computers, the game is known for its personalized game world, in which its contents are based on the player's hard drive contents, the player's chosen ship and chosen faction is customizable, and the relationships between the player and all other AI-controlled ships can change over time based on how aggressive they are. It also features an alternate "Strategy" mode (where you give commands to your own ship, rather than piloting it yourself), a dynamic music system (which changes its tune based on combat), as well as the option to have the game as a screensaver.

A multi-player focused sequel, known as Lightning: Inner Space II, was in development before being cancelled.

Gameplay

Operation: Inner Space begins with the player selecting a spaceship to launch into their computer. Each ship belongs to a team, and the player has both an individual relationship to other ships and other teams; depending on the team, relationships with other teams and ships can start out positively, negatively or neutrally. These relationships can change over time, depending on the player's aggressiveness or willingness to help.

Once the player enters "Inner Space," inside the computer, they are given the full run of the entire file system of one drive in Windows. The files in each directory become icons which can be collected as a resource on missions with the ship, up to eight icons appear within each mission. Within certain missions, electrical viruses float around, infecting the icons and rendering them worthless. In addition to the viruses, each directory may contain hazard blocks, stationary turrets, and asteroids which must be dealt with or avoided.

The player enters the game with default ship guns, and can purchase additional weapons and defenses inside the ambulance in exchange for collected icons. Locomotion and certain weapons use fuel instead of ammunition, which can be found floating throughout each mission. If the player breaks the law by destroying healthy icons or killing and looting other ships, a member of the Enforcers team may enter the directory and attempt to arrest the character and bring them to the Hall of Justice, where they will be penalized.

During meal times, fuel turns into tasty treats.

The game includes an internal "online help," which serves as a codex with general information and specific information about the other unique ships the player has met.

In addition to the default mission style, certain directories will randomly become races, where the player must face off in one of three pre-constructed race tracks; the winner of the race receives all the icons in the wave. There is also an arena directory where disputes between the player and rivals can be settled without the rule of law.

Demon's Gate

The Inner Demon.

At random points throughout regular missions, the player will get sucked into a black hole, where they must combat the Inner Demon and its Dragons. Each dragon contains a virus, which when destroyed release a "Noble Weapon," a powerful ability unique to the player's ship.

These Noble Weapons are also key to unlocking an endgame, where players collect all four Noble Weapons and solve its puzzle in the barren Demon's Gate directory to challenge the Inner Demon once and for all.

Factions & Ships

The base game includes 112 playable ships, split into seven unique factions. Each ship has their own unique stats, including body mass, damage resistance, turn rate, thruster speed, thruster acceleration, fuel tank capacity, and fuel tank drain. Several of these ships are palette swaps, and players can create their own ships using the Ship Factory add-on, or download additional ship add-ons.

Each AI-controlled ship also starts with their own initial weapon upgrade and attitude to both friendly ships (Disinterested, Friendly, Helpful, Loyal) and hostile ships (Disinterested, Unfriendly, Hostile, Psychopathic).

Avengers

Although this team tends to avoid combat and instead concern themselves with collecting resources, they will fight valiantly if vengeance is called for.

The game starts with them in friendly terms with the Fuzzy Ones, Knights, and Predators, but in hostile terms with Pirates, Speed Demons, and Renegades.

Aquatic Xform (Transformer)
Biplane (Biplane)
Classic Xform (Transformer)
Cosmic Talon (Talon)
Doublewing (Biplane)
Eco Talon (Talon)
Enigma (Enigma)
Fire Talon (Talon)
Golden Viper (Viper)
Hot Rod (Hot Rod)
Hot Spectrum (Spectrum)
Sky Talon (Talon)
Spectral Force (Spectrum)
Sports Car (Hot Rod)
Transformer (Transformer)

Predators

Although they don't tend to be aggressors, this team is filled with ships that are eager to fight for the sake of fighting.

The game starts with them in friendly terms with Speed Demons and Avengers, but in hostile terms with Fuzzy Ones and Renegades.

Bald Eagle (Bald Eagle)
Bird of Prey (Falcon)
Blue Shark (Shark)
Desert Eagle (Bald Eagle)
Dragon (Dragon)
Eagle (Eagle)
Flying Saucer (Saucer)
Fruit Bat (Bat)
Fulcrum (MIG29)
Golden Eagle (Eagle)
Green Dragon (Dragon)
Hot Orca (Orca)
Jaguar (Jaguar)
Kool Kat (Tiger)
MIG 29 (MIG29)
Red Hot Jag (Jaguar)
Shark (Shark)
Tiger (Tiger)
UFO (Saucer)
Vampire Bat (Bat)
Wild Cat (Jaguar)

Fuzzy Ones

More of a nuisance than a threat, this annoying team tends to avoid direct combat unless provoked, which is made easy due to crowding those they don't like.

The game starts with them in friendly terms with Avengers and Knights, but in hostile terms with Predators and Renegades.

Beaver (Beaver)
Bunny (Bunny)
Cuddly Bear (Teddy Bear)
Duck (Duck)
Heart (Heart)
Heart of Gold (Heart)
Koala (Koala)
Magic Bunny (Bunny)
Platypus (Platypus)
Rubber Duck (Duck)
Sizzling Duck (Duck)
Teddy Bear (Teddy Bear)
Winter Duck (Duck)

Pirates

Actual space pirates and habitual rule-breakers that prefer to attack enemies and loot their wrecked ships rather than collect icons on their own. However, they tend to show cowardice when the odds are not in their favor.

The game starts with them in friendly terms with Renegades and Speed Demons, but in hostile terms with Avengers, Knights, and Enforcers.

Corsair (Pirate)
Dread Pirate (Reaper)
Grim Reaper (Reaper)
Henchman (Lackey)
Lackey (Lackey)
Nemesis (Skull)
Rogue (Pirate)
Scoundrel (Skull)

Knights

An honorable team who is always ready to defend those in danger, although they usually avoid destroying ships in favor of simply subduing them.

The game starts with them in friendly terms with Fuzzy Ones, Avengers, and Enforcers, but in hostile terms with Renegades and Pirates.

Arctic Orca (Orca)
Brass Dolphin (Dolphin)
Bronze Sword (Excalibur)
Canadian (Canada)
Dolphin (Dolphin)
Excalibur (Excalibur)
Intrepid (Trouble)
Killer Whale (Orca)
Maple Leaf (Canada)
Navy Dolphin (Dolphin)
Ninja (Zen)
Samurai (Zen)
Trouble (Trouble)
Zenmaster (Zen)

Speed Demons

Like a biker gang, this team of finely-tuned ships are apathetic to the plight of others, but are loyal to each-other at all costs.

The game starts with them in friendly terms with Predators, Renegades, and Pirates, but in hostile terms with Avengers and Enforcers.

Aquatic Bullet (Bullet)
Berzerker (Berzerk)
Blaster (Rocket)
Bullet (Bullet)
Covert Fighter (Stealth)
Crazy (Berzerk)
Dark Thunder (Thunderbird)
Deep Enigma (Enigma)
Falcon (F16)
Firebird (Targa)
Hornet F18 (F18)
Khaki Enigma (Enigma)
Lunatic (Berzerk)
Mustang (Mustang)
Night Bullet (Bullet)
Night Viper (Viper)
Ochre Tbird (Thunderbird)
Pocket Rocket (Rocket)
Rocket (Rocket)
Screaming Rod (Hot Rod)
Stealth (Stealth)
Steed (Mustang)
Strike Falcon (F16)
Thunderbird (Thunderbird)
Viper (Viper)

Renegades

A chaotic group of loners who only concern themselves with destruction for the fun of it, even attacking icons and other objects.

The game starts with them in friendly terms with Pirates and Speed Demons, but in hostile terms with Avengers, Predators, Fuzzy Ones, Knights, and Enforcers.

Bat out of Hell (Bat)
Blue Cavalier (Cavalier)
Cavalier (Cavalier)
Cold Heart (Heart)
Cosmic Rocker (Rocker)
Destroyer (Impala)
Evil Eye (Eye)
Hawkeye (Eye)
Ice Eagle (Eagle)
Impala (Impala)
Metal Targa (Targa)
Midnight Dragon (Dragon)
Pacific Targa (Targa)
Rebel (Rebel)
Rocker (Rocker)
Warbird (Falcon)

Enforcers

The game's non-playable peacekeeping force, Enforcers ensure that all other ships follow the laws of Inner Space. Unlike other factions, there is no limited roster of ships and no ship-based relationship to the player (only a team-based one).

While some tend to patrol areas on their own, they tend to show up when criminal activity is present (or when a ship has a warrant out for their arrest), weaken those they pursue, and use the Handcuffs weapon to drag them to the exit (where they become judged in the Hall of Justice and must pay a fine).

Initially the game dispatches weaker Runabout-class ships, but will dispatch stronger ships against more dangerous players. Eventually they'll send out dangerous Terminator-class ships who, instead of using Handcuffs, use Heatseeker Missiles in a lethal capacity.

Patrolman (golden Runabout)
Constable (chrome Runabout)
Interceptor (chrome Interceptor)
Lethal Weapon (golden Interceptor)
Terminator (chrome Terminator)
Eliminator (golden Terminator)

Upgrades and Weapons

Upgrades

Name	Cost	Effect
Double Guns	4.5	Doubles the default gun.
Upgrade Armor	2.0 - 6.0	Allows each component to take more damage before failure. Can be taken multiple times.
Upgrade Guns	4.0 - 8.0	Increases default gun damage. Can be taken multiple times.
Upgrade Thruster	4.0 - 8.0	Increases thruster output. Can be taken multiple times.

Weapons

Name	Cost	Effect
Dumb Missiles	4.5	Simple missile that travels in a straight line.
Ring of Death	6.0	Ring of fire that erupts around the ship.
Grappling Hook	10.0	Grapple that draws in resources and swings objects around wildly.
Lightning	9.5	Highly damaging lightning bolt that erupts from the ship.
Snowballs	6.5	A freezing projectile that can freeze icons solid.
Fireballs	7.0	A burning projectile that will burn up icons and hazards.
Targeting Missiles	11.0	Missile that travels toward the ship or hazard in focus.
Heatseeker Missiles	8.0	Missile that travels toward the nearest heat source.
Radar-Guided Missiles	7.5	Missile that travels toward the nearest active target.
Death Heads	5.5	Mine that spins and shoots guns until random detonation.
Rear-Deployed Mines	4.5	Simple mine that explodes on contact.
Fire Demons	5.0	Mine that spins and shoots fireballs until detonation.
Batteries	9.0	Battery-shaped radar-guided missile that releases lightning as it closes in on its target.
Handcuffs	7.5	Limp grappling hook that drags its target behind the ship.
Doughnuts	5.0	The Banana (Object) of Inner Space. When absorbed by an enemy it will cause loss of control.
Protective Pellets	6.0	Quick, weak pellet projectile.
Beer Bottles	6.5	Straight firing projectile that causes a shock on impact.
Boomerangs	7.0	Projectile that returns to the user if it misses.
Spud Missiles	5.5	Large, slow projectile that deals significant damage. Shaped like a potato.
Throwing Stars	6.5	Very fast, lightly damaging projectile.
Inspiration	Noble Weapon	Heat-seeking firework that explodes brilliantly on contact.

Defenses

Name	Cost	Effect
Uncertainty	Noble Weapon	Causes an earthquake that shakes the entire zone.
Wildcard Defense	7.5	Turns all projectiles into harmless fruit.
Repulsive Force	Noble Weapon	Force field that repels projectiles aimed at the front of the ship.
Attractive Force	Noble Weapon	Force field that attracts nearby objects to the sides of the ship.
Inner Force	Noble Weapon	Force field that combines Repulsive and Attractive forces.

System Requirements

Minimum Specs

Windows 3.1, 95, NT, XP, or Windows for Workgroups
386 or equivalent processor
1.3MB free HDD Space
Sound Card Compatible
Joystick Compatible

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