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[Guardians][Software That Wasn't: It Came From The Desert]    
Unreleased - It Came From The Desert It Came From The Desert

Promised

Cinemaware repeatedly indicated an ST release would be forthcoming - but it never materialised.
Known releases include:

It Came From The Desert:

ST version promised & advertised, but never released.


Background

It Came From The Desert (hereafter ICFTD) - one of the games for which Cinemaware became most renowned - was originally released on the 16-bit platform for the Amiga in late 1989.  An Atari ST version however, was also said to be in development and was tentatively scheduled for release the following April/May (1990). After the widespread acclaim lauded upon the Amiga release, it's fair to say that this game was much anticipated by ST owners as there was nothing else like it around at the time. 

Unique for its 1950s Science Fiction B-Movie (Horror) theme, ICFTD was essenially an Adventure/Action-based stategy game with a classic sci-fi setup (the drama revolves around an outsider in an unfamiliar place where something is not quite right! - yes, that old chestnut! ).  Assuming the role of geologist 'Dr Greg Bradley' (our eponymous hero), you travel to the small Desert town of 'Lizard Breath'- supposedly to study mineral content of meteorite fragments in the surrounding desert.  However, things are not as they seem, with radioactivity from a recent strike leading to mutatated giant ants taking centre stage.  But hang-on you're an outsider, who'll believe you? 

ANT-iclimax!

"Amid much anticipation, the projected launch date for the ST release came and went - and still there was no sign of the game!"

(Mid 1990, the story unfolds)



Amid much anticipation, the projected launch date for the ST release came and went - and still there was no sign of the game! (much to the disappointment of the many who had pre-ordered it).  Nothing was to be heard of an ST version again until June of that year (1990) and the release of 'It Came From The Desert 2: Antheads' for the Amiga[1].  At this time, Cimemaware again reaffirmed their commitment to releasing an Atari ST version of the original game - now with a rescheduled release date of October 1990.  Indeed, the developers even went as far as to say that the ST version would run on stock 1/2 Meg machines (unlike its Amiga counterpart which required 1 Meg to run).  With claims like this, it was seemingly safe to assume that development was well advanced and release imminent... wasn't it? 

Fast forward to late Summer (August/September) 1990, and there was to be one final development in this now enduring saga.  A subtle change was to be observed in the advertisements carried by computing publications for ICFTD around this time, as they now carried an additional line stating that the game was 'Coming shortly for IBM PC and compatibles and the Atari ST' [2].  For a short time hereafter, it really looked as if Cinemaware were going to see the project through, and that this now classic game was indeed coming to the ST... but alas it was not to be - this was yet another false dawn!!  Little was to be heard again about the ST conversion as sadly it seems it was left languishing in some perpetual development limbo. 

As far as can be found, no official reason was ever given for ICFTD's non-appearance (cancellation?) on the ST, however, it has been widely speculated that the financial difficulties Cinemaware found itself in shortly after this time were most likely a major factor. [3]



Timeline:
-April/May 1990: Originally scheduled ST release date.
-June 1990: Cinemaware release 'It Came From The Desert 2: Antheads' for the Amiga and restate their commitment to an ST version of the original game.
-August/September 1990: Advertisements first ran promoting the ST version as 'coming shortly'.
-October 1990: The rescheduled ST release date.


For Further Information on this title see:
Wikipedia
Cinemaware Homepage

Notes:
  1. 'It Came From The Desert 2: Antheads' was an expansion disk for the original game (i.e. not standalone) and so was not a sequel in the truest sense.  Unsurprisingly, given the non-appearance of ICFTD on the Atari ST, this expansion disk never made it either.
  2. Earlier adverts for ICFTD only mentioned the games availabilty for the Amiga (i.e. no reference was made to an ST version).
  3. Cinemaware went bankrupt in 1991.

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