Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis (known colloquially as 'JP:OG' or 'JPOG') is a video game for the PC, Xbox, and PlayStation 2 based on the novel and film series Jurassic Park.
The main point of the game is to recreate Jurassic Park - building a 5 star theme park with dinosaurs, and turning John Hammond's dream into reality. In the park, the player builds paths, amenities for visitors such as, food and toilets, as well as enclosures and attractions. One must also keep the park safe and secure. For example, during a raptor breakout detected by a security camera, one raptor could run towards the visitors and be quickly taken down by a sentry turret (an automatic heavy machine gun), while the rest could be sedated by the ranger helicopter and moved back into their enclosures. The park can be populated with up to sixty dinosaurs representing twenty-five different species. The player can also add attractions similar to those seen in the film, such as the safari seen in the Jurassic Park film, and additional attractions like a balloon tour and several varieties of viewing platform. The PlayStation 2 version is common, The PC & Xbox versions are considered to be the most rarest and most expensive titles for the systems as they mostly sell for over $100.
Gameplay[ | ]
Objective[ | ]
The main objective is simple, create a theme park/zoo featuring dinosaurs, make it popular, and make it safe. The gameplay functions are very similar to the Simcity and Tycoon game models. You'll need to build feeding stations where herbivores can get bales of plant feed, while carnivores are fed live cows or goats. However, your herbivores become unhappy if they don't have enough trees around them or enough nearby dinosaur friends to socialize with. Likewise, your carnivores have an innate desire to hunt other dinosaurs, so even a constant stream of cows isn't going to keep them happy.[1]
Creating Dinosaurs[ | ]
In the game, in order to create a dinosaur, a significant percentage of the particular dinosaur's DNA is needed. Fifty percent (50%) is needed in order to create a dinosaur; the higher the percentage of DNA, the longer that dinosaur will live unless it is it killed by means other than natural causes (which, in the game, is old age). To gain a dinosaur's DNA, the player must extract it through fossils or amber.
Fossil Hunting[ | ]
Using a fossil hunting team to dig in one of the nine dig sites positioned around the world is the first way to obtain fossils to extract DNA from. Only 5 of the 9 sites can be chosen in the PC and Xbox versions, and only 3 sites can be chosen in the PS2 release, making it impossible to have all dinosaurs in your park without modding the game, which is quite easy due to the games text based data files. Each dig site contains fossils from three certain dinosaurs and some of the dinosaurs, like Brachiosaurus, are available in more than one dig site. The chance of finding fossils in the site depends on the quality of the site. There are 6 classifications on the quality of a dig site. These classifications are excellent, good, average, mediocre, poor, and exhausted (Note:even if a site is exhausted, it is still possible for a dig team to find fossils, amber, and gems, but it is rare). More dig teams can be purchased at an initial cost of $5,000 and the cost doubles for each additional team purchased (1 team=$5,000, 2nd team=$10,000, 3rd team=$20,000 et cetera). After a certain length of time, the dig team will report their findings. When the teams are digging they occasionally will come across gold, silver and/or opals. These precious metals and stones can be sold when collected and can help raise park funds. Additionally, fossils retrieved can be sold, and once the park has 100% of a certain dinosaur's DNA, any more discovered fossils of that dinosaur are automatically sold by the team.
Fossil Market[ | ]
The "Fossil Market" is a place to buy fossils if your dig teams can't find any more fossils due to digging. The fossils can contain small, medium, or high amounts of DNA, and the size increases the price.
Amber[ | ]
Sometimes, when either digging or buying in the market, the player will come across amber, a preserved chunk of hardened treesap. Amber can either be sold, or the player can try to extract DNA from it. While extracting the amber can be a gamble because the DNA's origin is uncertain, amber yields much more DNA than fossils. This gamble often pays off (hence the reason why amber is more expensive and also sells for a higher price than fossils).
Jurassic Park Management Team[ | ]
There is a management team that continuously sends the player mail about the issues of the park and accomplishments that the park has made.
- John Hammond is the CEO of InGen and creator of Jurassic Park. He makes quarterly reports on the status and rating of your park.
- Peter Ludlow is the financial director of InGen. He rarely interferes with the daily running of the park. A player only gets mail from him if there are financial or security issues in the park, at which he can choose to close the park if things are bad enough until the player can improve the park's conditions.
- Dr. Alan Grant is a world-famous paleontologist who oversees all of the fossil-hunting teams. He sends mail to report about finds and the status of the fossil market.
- Dr. Henry Wu is Jurassic Park's head geneticist and the creator of InGen's cloning technology. He sends the player mail about fossil and amber extractions and research programs.
- Dr. Ellie Sattler is the Park's dinosaur manager. She is an expert in dinosaur ecology and paleobotany. She monitors the park's dinosaur population, and she informs the player of the dinosaurs' health, stress levels, or death (except when a dinosaur is retired by a Jurassic Park ranger).
- Ray Arnold is the chief administrator and oversees all maintenance and day-to-day operations of the park. If something gets damaged in a storm or experiences technical problems, the player will be informed by him.
- Robert Muldoon is the park warden and in charge of all the park security systems and rangers. He will inform you if visitors need help, or die, and if there is a dino rampage, but instead of alerting you through the mail an icon will appear on the screen with Muldoon's picture and the text "DINO RAMPAGE!". He also oversees operation of the balloon rides and safari tour.
- Jane Powers is the public relations manager, and will alert the player's attention to visitor and attraction problems (She is also the only in-game staff member that does not appear in the films or novels).
Visitor Types[ | ]
In Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis there are four types of visitors that have different expectations when visiting your Jurassic Park. These visitors are:
- Mainstream
These visitors have no preference in entertainment or authenticity.
- Thrill Seekers
These visitors love to see carnivores hunting, eating, and fighting.
- Fun Lovers
These visitors love the idea of a Dinosaur Zoo and would like to see dinosaurs doing normal stuff like eating, sleeping, and playing. They have a bigger preference to see flocks/herds of herbivores peacefully coexisting with each other.
- Dino Nerd
Usually more difficult to impress, these visitors are college graduates that want to see realism and authenticity in your dinosaur enclosures. They prefer to see dinosaurs from similar time periods and locations inside your enclosures. Furthermore, dino nerds would rather see Paleo Flora in the enclosures rather than hatcheries and feeders (and if there are any, security cameras). If they see a lack of authenticity they will most likely complain to Jane Powers that they feel dissatisfied.
Dinosaurs[ | ]
Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis features twenty-five species of dinosaurs, including thirteen of sixteen that appeared in at least one of the Jurassic Park films. Most of the dinosaurs, however, are based on their look and appearance in The Lost World: Jurassic Park, and Jurassic Park III, even if they were in the 1st film. Each species has its own behavior. Each species is ranked using a star rating (1-5) based on their popularity with the virtual visitors, as well as grouped into one of four major categories based on size and diet (with the exception of the gallimimus, which has been hypothesized to have been an herbivore and an insectivore):
| Dinosaur | Group | Star rating | Film that the coloration is based on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dryosaurus | Small herbivore | 1 | N/A |
| Gallimimus | Small herbivore | 3 | Jurassic Park |
| Homalocephale | Small herbivore | 3 | N/A |
| Kentrosaurus | Small herbivore | 2 | N/A |
| Pachycephalosaurus | Small herbivore | 2 | The Lost World: Jurassic Park |
| Styracosaurus | Small herbivore | 2 | N/A |
| Ankylosaurus | Large herbivore | 4 | Jurassic Park III |
| Brachiosaurus | Large herbivore | 5 | Jurassic Park III |
| Camarasaurus | Large herbivore | 3 | N/A |
| Corythosaurus | Large herbivore | 3 | Jurassic Park III |
| Edmontosaurus | Large herbivore | 3 | N/A |
| Ouranosaurus | Large herbivore | 2 | N/A |
| Parasaurolophus | Large herbivore | 3 | The Lost World: Jurassic Park |
| Stegosaurus | Large herbivore | 4 | The Lost World: Jurassic Park |
| Torosaurus | Large herbivore | 2 | N/A |
| Triceratops | Large herbivore | 5 | Jurassic Park |
| Albertosaurus | Small carnivore | 3 | N/A |
| Ceratosaurus | Small carnivore | 2 | Jurassic Park III |
| Dilophosaurus | Small carnivore | 2 | Jurassic Park |
| Velociraptor | Small carnivore | 5 | Jurassic Park III |
| Acrocanthosaurus | Large carnivore | 4 | N/A |
| Allosaurus | Large carnivore | 4 | N/A |
| Carcharodontosaurus | Large carnivore | 4 | N/A |
| Spinosaurus | Large carnivore | 5 | Jurassic Park III |
| Tyrannosaurus | Large carnivore | 5 | Jurassic Park III |
Dinosaur Types[ | ]
- Small Herbivores
The least popular dinosaur type, ranging from 1-3 stars. They are common prey for predators (especially Dryosaurus, Gallimimus, and Homalocephale, which are defenseless), but Pachycephalosaurus, Styracosaurus, and Kentrosaurus will attack small carnivores, whilst Kentrosaurus can also harm large carnivores by swinging its tail, but at the same time attempts to flee. They like to live in large herds guarded by larger herbivores, but Kentrosaurus is wary of very large herbivores such as the sauropods in the game.
- Large Herbivores
A medium-popular dinosaur, ranging from 2-5 stars. They are challenging for small and large carnivores to take down. Parasaurolophus, Edmontosaurus, Corythosaurus, Camarasaurus, and Ouranosaurus are defenseless, mostly relying on great numbers within their herds, and (with the hadrosaurs in mind) speed. Brachiosaurus is the only herbivore that no carnivore will take down due to its great size. Other herbivores use their tails, horns, and armor as weapons for defense.
- Small Carnivores
A small, carnivorous dinosaur ranges between 2-5 stars. These type of carnivores will attack all kinds of herbivores with the exception of Brachiosaurs, and some of the smaller carnivores will not attack Ankylosaurs. However, the Dilophosaurus (the weakest of the small carnivores) will only attack and kill small herbivores such as Dryosaurus, Homalocephale, and Gallimimus and is unable to take down large or armored small herbivores. The other three carnivores will attack herbivores small and large. The Dilophosaurus can also stay near a raptor pack to scavenge kills, as both species can tolerate each other. The downside of this dinosaur type is that they become easily stressed, an easy choice of prey for large carnivores, and can be killed by aggressive herbivores with just one attack, except Albertosaurus. Unlike the other small carnivores, Velociraptor will rampage when stressed, like the large carnivores do.
- Large Carnivores
Large carnivores are the most popular dinosaur type, ranging from 4-5 stars. These carnivores, like their smaller relatives, will attack all kinds of herbivore (except Brachiosaurus), usually their favored prey, if it is available. Large carnivores fight for territory when they meet and, when stressed, tend to rampage. Surprisingly, Carcharodontosaurus, Allosaurus and Acrocanthosaurus will not fight members of their species unless they're stressed, meaning oddly, they can live together. Spinosaurus and Tyrannosaurus can typically only be kept alone, whilst the other three tolerate others of their own kind.
Scrapped and missing dinosaurs[ | ]
Compsognathus, a major feature in the franchise is notably absent presumably due to its very small size which would have created tremendous logistical problems. Other species missing include two that were shown as embryo species in cold storage in the first film; Metriacanthosaurus and Proceratosaurus, and two others from the Jurassic Park films; Mamenchisaurus and Pteranodon was absent, the latter alongside any flying reptiles and aviaries. Plans for marine reptiles also never made it to fruition.
Revision of the files in the computer game showed that more dinosaur species were planned to be in the game, but got scrapped because of budget constraints and deadlines. Those species are:
- Alioramus
- Apatosaurus
- Baryonyx
- Deinonychus
- Diplodocus
- Iguanodon
- Maiasaura
- Ornithomimus
- Panoplosaurus
- Tenontosaurus
- Thescelosaurus
- Wuerhosaurus
- Yangchuanosaurus
Animations of what appeared to be a Chasmosaurus model could have been seen on the now down Jurassic Park Institute website.
Fighting and Death Duels[ | ]
Some dinosaurs will sometimes fight each other when they meet. However, all small carnivores, except Dilophosaurus, will attempt to attack herbivores of all kinds, except Ankylosaurus, Brachiosaurus, and Camarasaurus, but the raptors are known to attack and eventually take down a Camarasaurus. Certain herbivores can fight back to defend themselves from attack—these include Ankylosaurus, Triceratops, Torosaurus, Styracosaurus, Pachycephalosaurus, Stegosaurus, and Kentrosaurus while other dinosaurs rely on their speed and agility (Dryosaurus and Gallimimus), or their safety in numbers (Parasaurolophus, Corythosaurus, Edmontosaurus, Camarasaurus, and Ouranosaurus) to defend themselves. Brachiosaurus is the only dinosaur carnivores will not attack because of its tremendous size. Most of the larger dinosaurs will take several hits before succumbing, while the smaller dinosaurs may be killed by one attack. Large carnivores can swallow a Dryosaurus, Homalocephale, Gallimimus, Dilophosaurus or Velociraptor whole whereas Ceratosaurus, Albertosaurus, Pachycephalosaurus, Styracosaurus, Kentrosaurus, and large herbivores will only die if they are attacked one or more times, depending on the size (for example, if a Tyrannosaurus attacks a Pachycephalosaurus, the Pachycephalosaurus will die in that single blow, even though the carnivore cannot swallow it whole).
Showdowns only happen with Pachycephalosaurus and Torosaurus. They sometimes fight each other for dominance, ending with one of the two rivals backing down.
Death Duels are fights where two dinosaurs fight dramatically, ending with one killing the other with one blow (in contrast to normal fights where each will usually take several blows before fleeing, dying or counterattacking). Note that Tyrannosaurus can Death Duel with only certain dinosaurs.
Official Death Duels:
- Tyrannosaurus vs Triceratops
- Tyrannosaurus vs Ankylosaurus
- Tyrannosaurus vs Spinosaurus
- Tyrannosaurus vs Stegosaurus
Missions[ | ]
A view of a Carcharodontosaurus from a ranger helicopter
The game has 10 missions the player can complete. In some websites like IGN and Gamespot, early previews indicated that there were originally to be 12 missions. There are about three or four general types of missions, including taking photographs of dinosaurs to try to rack up a certain amount of points from the photos in a Safari mission. Here are all the missions numbered:
- Jurassic Park is being accused of exhibiting fake dinosaurs and the player must help them prove them wrong by taking pictures of a variety of dinosaurs.
- The park's carnivores have gone out of control and the player must retire them before time runs out.
- The player must muster herbivores to the muster area and retire all 4 rampaging Tyrannosaurs (optional) before they kill the herbivores.
- InGen scientists want to conduct further research into dinosaur behavior in weather conditions. The player will need to take photos of different dinosaurs during a heatwave and a thunderstorm.
- The president of Dregovia (fictional country) has arrived at Jurassic Park when a thunderstorm has hit the island. The player must retire all the rampaging carnivores and rescue the president.
- The Danger Club is willing to donate a large amount of money to Jurassic Park if the player can get them photos of dangerous dinosaurs. For example you need to take a picture of a: Spinosaurus, Velociraptor, Carcharodontosaurus, and Tyrannosaurus doing things that please thrillseekers (i.e. things that are gory, like fighting, hunting or eating).
- Hammond has been trapped in a visitor shelter surrounded by large carnivores and the player must get a rifle from the ranger station, retire the attacking dinosaurs (optional), rescue Hammond, and drive him to the park entrance.
- The park's automated hatcheries have gone out of control and the player must destroy the generators and retire all carnivores before the authorities arrive to shut down the park.
- The player must muster the herbivores through a maze of electric fences filled with dangerous carnivores and into the muster area.
- Many Jurassic Park visitors have said they would like to see a calendar featuring all of the park's dinosaurs. The player must drive into the park and take photos of dinosaurs that are exhibiting certain behaviors and doing certain actions.
Site B[ | ]
After all the missions are completed, a Site B option unlocks on the title page which allows the player to build an island without any fences or buildings for people, and no visitors are allowed (meaning no secuity buildings or ranger stations). In it, the player gets to place eight hatcheries and up to sixty dinosaurs (same as the park setting). The dinosaurs will be created and live out their lives on your island without diseases or the possibility of becoming stressed. Weather is not a factor because you don't really need to protect or nurture the dinosaurs during a heatwave or a tornado; as long as they have food, water and living space, the player can sit back and watch.
Attractions[ | ]
Attractions help make the park popular, and increase its rating power and income when correctly configured. Attractions must be researched before they can be constructed, and include the balloon tour, safari adventure, viewing dome, and viewing platforms (there is one attraction [the viewing vents] that does not need to be researched). The Safari Tour and Balloon Tour attractions also allow for the player to "take over" the ride for the purpose of park exploration and photography.
Fan Modification[ | ]
 | This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. (August 2009) |
Thanks to the PC version's modular file structure, the game is very easy to modify with nothing more than a regular text editor. It is possible to create almost completely new missions, exercises, dinosaurs, and play options. They can also edit the TML and DDS file to make a different "skin" of the Dinosaurs and Visitors. Most skins are done on Dinosaurs. Most packs and projects include skins.
Thanks to this open ended design, a small community of fans have come together to work to improve realism, unlock unreleased features, and design new things to be included. A group of people have formed the Community Expansion Project and the Genesis Expansion Project, which takes previous modifications, and designs new ones for release in a patch for the overall community. The team's main aim is to recreate the dinosaurs to be as realistic as possible, mainly expanding and creating new behavior.[2] Two other modification sets are Jurassic Park Legacy's the Film-Canon Mod and Novel-Canon Mod. The "NCM" includes novel-based dinosaur skins and islands, which version 1 has been released, what you can download at Jurassic Park Legacy version 2 is in progress at the time. The "FCM" includes film-based dinosaur skins, music, sounds, and islands.[3]
Bugs[ | ]
There are few bugs in Operation Genesis, but the most concerning one is in Mission 7, Rescue Hammond. After reaching the Ranger Station and collecting the gun, you meet a Spinosaurus. If then you decide to go around the island to reach the Visitor Shelter, you might meet a second Spinosaurus there. It is relatively inescapable and will destroy your car. Instantaneously the game crashes and the computer refuses to respond to mouse or keyboard commands for a while. However, this does not always happen, and it is really very easy to do the mission. Just be sure to retire the spino before it catches wind of you.
Reception[ | ]
 | This section requires expansion. |
| Publication | PC | PlayStation 2 | Xbox |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Gamerankings" | 73% | 74% | 70% |
| "Gamespot" | 7.2 | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| "IGN" | NR | 5.9 | 5.9 |
| "1UP.com" | B+ | A | B+ |
| "Metacritic" | 72/100 | 75/100 | 69/100 |
See also[ | ]
- Jurassic Park video games
- Jurassic Park (film)
- Jurassic Park III
- The Lost World
References[ | ]
- ↑ Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis Review 2. GameSpot (March 20, 2003).
- ↑ Modding Genesis.
- ↑ Jurassic Park Legacy's Film-Canon Mod.
External links[ | ]
fr:Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis