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The first in a long-lasting series of hunting simulators, Deer Hunter puts the player in the role of a man (or woman) hunting the forest for deer. Players can choose between 3 different areas in the US: Arkansas, Colorado, and Indiana. Once arrived at the location, the game is a static first-person shooter experience. Players can turn left and right, but have no other choice of movement. In order to find and attract deer, the player can use one of several items; including the Deer Call, Antlers and Binoculars. Once a deer is spotted, it is up to the player to shoot it and take it down. Three different weapons are available which are: the Rifle with scope (easiest difficulty), the Shotgun (medium difficulty), and the Bow (hardest difficulty). After successfully killing a deer, its head will be transferred to the game's Trophy Room with statistics for size, area found, weapon used, etc. The game was conceived by a Wal-Mart buyer, and was contracted to Sunstorm by WizardWorks. The game was expected to be a throw-away, bargain-bin type title. Surprisingly enough, the original concept of the game was simply an arcade-style shooting gallery in which the hunter couldn't even move around in a map view. However, by pushing for more realism and an added map view, the programmers managed to convince the company owner to allow a more simulation-oriented title, but were given no more time to do so, as the game needed to be released by the start of the deer hunting season. The entire game was developed by three relatively inexperienced programmers. One was a college intern, for another it was his first project, and the lead only had one other game to his credit. A single part-time artist created all the art, assisted by a programmer, who also did all the voice-overs as well. The entire game was finished in about 11 weeks and for around $75,000. It was a big bestselling title.
See also: #Deer Hunter: Extended Season, #Deer Hunter Companion |
