Site Content :: Articles :: Speculations 001 "The Box"

Since its first announcement in Spring 2000, Strategy First's upcoming game Zero-G Marines has kept many desirous. With only a few interviews and screenshots, Strategy First has deliberately limited coverage to prevent overexposure. Awaiting the game's official release, we here at Zero-G station feel it is our duty to provide at the least some news about this hot title, as fictitious, ridiculous or imaginary this information may be. I therefore humbly present to you (aren't we the best?) my speculations and suppositions about Zero-G Marines.

We all agree that purchasing a game with all your hard-earned cash is a difficult choice, for most games these days are relatively well-made and each have their own strengths and weaknesses. Many gamers believe that the best course of action before buying game is to read online previews and reviews, possibly look at screenshots and then evaluate the game's content based on published opinions. Well friends, I beg to differ. The proper first step to buying a game is what I like to call preliminary inspection.

Preliminary Inspection consists at first of begging your parents or friends to drive you to the mall (because you are oh so too lazy to take a bus or do it yourself.) Once there, the next step is to head for the closest computer game store available. Before you walk in however, you have to look like a gamer. This is achieved by wearing either slacks or faded blue jeans in combination with a black T-shirt (anything "scruffy" will do.) Finally, a relaxed look and a light grin adds to the whole effect. But friends, the fun has just begun, for this week's speculation on Zero-G Marines will focus on one of the most important aspects of a game, its box.

Game boxes are, to say the least, one of the great aspects of a game. Incorporating factory-fresh carton and a blend of colors, these are without a doubt an important influence towards a game's purchase. It is therefore wise to walk casually down the shelves, pick up a game box here, read the system requirements there, and exchange a few friendly glances with who seems to be the only female gamer in the store. Most importantly, when a clerk approaches you asking you if you need any assistance, the most obvious choice for a veteran "preliminary inspector" is to politely refuse, since by all means, you know your stuff, right? (And for those of you who don't, pretend you do. There's nothing more embarrassing than someone eyeing you in store for not knowing about the best action game there is.) But let us not jump too far ahead. Rather, let us speculate about Zero-G Marine's upcoming game box.

Many factors play together in creating the ideal game box. Shape, color and size are very important, since a game box has to catch your attention, right? Since ZGM will be a game taking place in mostly space, I believe the developers should include as part of their game box a sort of vacuum chamber in which we could practice movement and shooting:

Notice the different gauges and settings, so as to provide the ideal zero-gravity environment. The game CD and manual can come packaged inside this chamber, and you could purchase the whole kit at your local hardware store. Kewl, huh? Or perhaps Zero-G Marines will be shipped in a sphere, reminding us of the planets and moons you will be able to see in the game. A large, globe-like orb. It would be ideal for transportation since it can roll on itself almost anywhere, and you could litterally use it as an ornament for your room.

Quite special indeed. Which side up? Hmm…. What if StrategyFirst had enough metal to build exo-shells, so that those too could be sold with the game :

Or perhaps something that could remind us of the speed and excitement of travelling fast in space. Something that could propel us…

Or they may need funds and cutback on the boxes, in which case I believe would be a bit like this:

Not too original, is it? Well, perhaps they could add the fun foamy stuff to play with, which would certainly be fun for a while and would turn attention away from the box itself…

Or, they could be superfluous and put a really colorful picture on it…

Which would only make us wonder whats inside…

Mmm, donuts, looks tasty, doesn't it? :)

As you can see, there are various suppositions that can be made about the future ZGM game box. Let us hope that Strategy First can live up to our expectations. I for one am rooting for the exo-shell. I have some gardening to do, and a good plasma blast would surely get rid of the weeds. Or maybe I could bribe my brother to do it for me with a few donuts….

By Admiral13