Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri is a 1996 tactical first-person shooter video game developed and published by Looking Glass Technologies. Set in the 24th century, the game follows a faction of humans who colonize the Alpha Centauri star system to escape from a totalitarian Earth government. The player assumes the role of Nikola ap Io, the leader of an Alpha Centauri military unit, and undertakes missions against pirates and the Hegemony. Terra Nova has been cited as one of the first squad-oriented games with 3D graphics. Conceived by Looking Glass after the completion of their first game, Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss, Terra Nova had a long and difficult development process. Critical reception was highly positive. Reviewers praised its tactical elements, and several compared it to the 1995 video game MechWarrior 2: 31st Century Combat. However, reception of its graphics was mixed, and many noted the game's steep system requirements. Despite critical acclaim and sales above 100,000 units, the game was a commercial failure as it did not recoup its development costs, and the company cancelled plans for a sequel.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terra_Nova:_Strike_Force_Centauri

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1496:

King Henry VII of England issued letters patent to John Cabot and his sons, authorising them to explore unknown lands. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Cabot

1616:

Nicolaus Copernicus's De revolutionibus orbium coelestium, describing his heliocentric theory of the Solar System, was prohibited by the Roman Catholic Church. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_revolutionibus_orbium_coelestium

1811:

Peninsular War: In the Battle of Barrosa, an Anglo-Spanish- Portuguese force trying to lift the Siege of Cádiz was able to defeat a French attack, although they were ultimately unable to break the siege itself. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Barrosa

1943:

The Gloster Meteor (pictured), the first operational jet fighter for the Allied Powers, had its first flight. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloster_Meteor

1981:

The ZX81, a pioneering British home computer, was launched by Sinclair Research and went on to sell over 1.5 million units around the world. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZX81

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

Tinker to Evers to Chance: (US, idiomatic) A task accomplished quickly by well-executed teamwork; those involved in the teamwork. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Tinker_to_Evers_to_Chance

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

 I do not own an inch of land, But all I see is mine.   --Lucy Larcom https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Lucy_Larcom