''Mad TV'' is a
television station
A television station is a set of equipment managed by a business, organisation or other entity, such as an amateur television (ATV) operator, that transmits video content and audio content via radio waves directly from a transmitter on the eart ...
management simulation
video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...
published in 1991 by
Rainbow Arts
Rainbow Arts Software GmbH was a German video game publisher based in Gütersloh. The company was founded in 1984 by Marc Ullrich and Thomas Meiertoberens and acquired by Rushware in 1986. The company's decline began in the early 1990s: The dist ...
. The game puts the player in the role of a new
program director for a TV station. The player is in charge of selecting programming and earning advertising for the station, while simultaneously trying to marry Betty, an attractive woman working in the building.
Gameplay
The main interface of the game involves moving a thin man through a multistory building via mouse clicks. By clicking on various doors, the player's character can enter other locations, which are portrayed in
cut scene
A cutscene or event scene (sometimes in-game cinematic or in-game movie) is a sequence in a video game that is not interactive, interrupting the gameplay. Such scenes are used to show conversations between characters, set the mood, reward the ...
s. Each day is timed, and after eight game hours the day of programming ends.
For each day, the player must program seven hours of television and provide an advertisement block for each of those programs. The game offers many options to fill programming, such as purchasing the rights to classic movies and shows, or by producing your own shows. However, programming must be regularly cycled, otherwise it gets stale with the audience and produces low ratings.
Advertising is also offered via
contracts, which require certain rating marks to pay out. For example, a contract for
Nike
Nike often refers to:
* Nike (mythology), a Greek goddess who personifies victory
* Nike, Inc., a major American producer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment
Nike may also refer to:
People
* Nike (name), a surname and feminine give ...
might pay better than one for a local business, but the Nike contract will require substantially more viewers. Access to more viewers can be achieved by buying more transmitters and satellites.
The player competes against two other television stations, run by computer-controlled program directors, in the same building. These program directors inhabit the same space and locations as the player, and they can directly influence the game by outbidding the player for certain movies or sabotaging programming lineups.
The eventual goal of the game is to win Betty's love. She is a cultural reporter who works on the top floor of the building. The other television station directors are also competing for Betty. Her affection rises when the player airs her culture program or buys her gifts, ranging from
fur coats
Fur clothing is clothing made from the preserved skins of mammals. Fur is one of the oldest forms of clothing, and is thought to have been widely used by people for at least 120,000 years. The term 'fur' is often used to refer to a specific i ...
to
diamond
Diamond is a solid form of the element carbon with its atoms arranged in a crystal structure called diamond cubic. Another solid form of carbon known as graphite is the chemically stable form of carbon at room temperature and pressure, ...
rings. Furthermore, Betty's love depends indirectly on the reputation the player has (which in turn depends on several factors such as ratings). Her affection level will never outrun the player's reputation level, so there is no use in simply pleasing her and neglecting the audience.
Unfortunately cultural programs are not popular; airing only Betty's favorites will cause bankruptcy. The player has to balance his budget.
The game suffers from text translation issues, resulting from its origin as a game originally produced in
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
. Much of the in-game text features typos and
Denglisch
Denglisch is a term describing the increased use of anglicisms and pseudo-anglicisms in the German language. It is a portmanteau of the German words german: Deutsch, label=none (''German'') and german: Englisch, label=none. The term is first ...
.
Legacy
The sequel,''Mad TV 2'', was only released in Germany. In 2001 ''Mad TV'' and also ''Mad TV 2'' were released as
freeware
Freeware is software, most often proprietary, that is distributed at no monetary cost to the end user. There is no agreed-upon set of rights, license, or EULA that defines ''freeware'' unambiguously; every publisher defines its own rules for t ...
.
Mad TV
on chip.de
''Chip'' is a computer and communications magazine published by CHIP Holding (formerly Vogel Burda Holding GmbH) in several countries of Europe and Asia. The German edition of ''CHIP'' was launched in September 1978 and is one of Germany's oldest ...
See also
* '' M.U.D. TV'', another television station simulation game
References
{{reflist
External links
''Mad TV''
at Lemon Amiga
1991 video games
Amiga games
Business simulation games
DOS games
Europe-exclusive video games
Video games developed in Germany
Rainbow Arts games
Single-player video games