Cabela's Big Game Hunter 2005 Adventures

Cabela's Big Game Hunter 2005 Adventures
North American Windows cover art
Developer(s)	Magic Wand Productions (PC and GC), FUN Labs (Xbox), Sand Grain Studios (PS2), Torus Games (GBA)
Publisher(s)	Activision Value, Zoo Digital Publishing
Platform(s)	Microsoft Windows, Xbox, PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube, Game Boy Advance
Release	September 6, 2004 Windows [1] NA: September 6, 2004 PlayStation 2[2] NA: November 10, 2004 PAL: November 10, 2004 Game Boy Advance[3] NA: November 10, 2004 PAL: October 14, 2005 Xbox[4] NA: November 23, 2004 PAL: October 14, 2005 GameCube[5] NA: December 9, 2004
Genre(s)	Action, sports
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer

Cabela's Big Game Hunter 2005 Adventures is a 2004 hunting video game published by Activision Value for Microsoft Windows, Xbox, GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Game Boy Advance.

Gameplay

In the Career mode, players progress through six geographical regions, each with several sub-levels. The regions are: Forest, Marsh, Desert, Prairie, Mountain, and Tundra. Each sublevel has a specific animal to hunt, though some animals are hunted multiple times on separate occasions, and occasionally the player will encounter other objectives within a level. Money is earned along the way, which can be spent on more-advanced firearms and other equipment. A few opportunities will arise for the player to win a gun by completing certain tasks. Some animals include: white-tail deer, timberwolves and peccary.

Other play modes include Quick Hunt, starting with one sublevel per region; other levels become available as they are completed in the Career mode, and Tournaments, including skeet shooting.

PC Version

The PC version operates much differently, and allows the player to select locations and unlock them upon their completion. It operates exactly like its predecessor, Cabela's Big Game Hunter: 2004 Season. The game includes 10 maps located across North America. The maps are much more diverse and unique than those of the 2004 Season. Unlike the previous game, each map can only be played in two seasons. The seasons in question depend on the map. Each season features different game from the other one, requiring the player to play each map, except one, twice in order to complete the game. The game also imposes firearm restrictions based on each season in each map. The most prevalent restrictions are those that allow either rifles and shotguns or those that allow and weapon of choice. Other locations include bow-only seasons, and one includes a shotgun-only season. The player may only carry two weapons on each hunt. There are 36 game mammals.

Locations

• South Dakota - Located in the Black Hills National Forest, this map features thick pine forests, a winding river, and steep hills. Travel by ATV is practical on the trails, but the drastically-changing temperatures would effect the player's hunt based on the time of the day. Game here in the summer is cougar, mountain goat, and mule deer. Game in the autumn is cougar, mountain goat, and pronghorn.
• Idaho - Taking place in the Coeur d'Alene National Forest in the panhandle of the state, this map features densely thick forests, with little open areas. A large plain is accessible when spawning at "Whispering Falls", but clearings throughout the forest are rare. The pickup truck makes travel difficult, and walking through the trees obscures the player's vision. Game in the autumn is woodland caribou, shiras moose, and mule deer. In the winter, game is shiras moose, mule deer, and grizzly. The grizzly makes a difficult hunt in a difficult location.
• Kentucky - This map resembles the southern part of Kentucky, the Pennyroyal Region, near the Mammoth Cave. Thick forest, unstable foothills, small, winding paths, and a river bisecting the main trail, Kentucky is one of the most difficult locations in the game. At the top of the map, in the mountains, at the end of the trail, the player can find a small log cabin. Game in the autumn is wild boar, coyote, elk, and whitetail. Hunting in the winter is not necessary, as the elk is not prevalent, but all other animals are available game. Winter is also especially difficult as it is a shotgun-only season.
• Michigan - Located on the Upper Peninsula, this map features thick pockets of trees laid out among large plains. Trails are scarce, but can be followed to reach remote corners of the map. On the shore of what is most likely Lake Superior, a cabin and dock can be found. In the winter, ice forms over and the player can walk (or drive) to the small island off of the shore. Game in the winter is wolf, elk, and whitetail. Game in the autumn is black bear, wolf, and whitetail.
• Nevada - A map made of a vast plains, massive slopes, and deathly temperatures, this virtual map of Death Valley makes a difficult hunt. Although the smallest map in the game, Nevada's temperatures can reach above 100° Fahrenheit. Quick game is also a determining factor in the player's completion of the hunt. Game in the summer is coyote, mountain goat, and bighorn sheep. In the autumn, game is coyote, bighorn, and pronghorn.
• Nunavut - Canada's largest and most sparsely-populated territory, Nunavut makes for a brutal expedition. The map is set in exiled Victoria Island In the autumn, temperatures can be mild, making traveling on foot easier. But in the winter, temperatures are constantly below 0°. Trails lead around the map, but most of the map is covered in small rock clusters and foliage. In the autumn, the game is Labrador caribou, polar bear, and musk ox. In the winter, game is polar bear, Labrador caribou, and wolf.
• Sonora - One of Mexico's northernmost states, Sonora is a simple hunt. In the spring, temperatures are moderate and game is not entirely dangerous. Sonora is a relatively small map. A favourable route would be for the player to spawn at "Salt Pool" and travel up the trail to the cabin at the other end of the map. Game in the spring is cougar, javelina, and Coues deer. In the autumn, a bow-only season, game is Coues deer, javelina, and bighorn.
• Utah - Utah is the most difficult map to travel in. Set in a desert gorge, the player will find difficulty in maneuvering the terrain. Steep slopes, large canyon walls, and a narrow river that bisects the map makes this a formidable hunt. A boat spawns at the region "Blade Arch" and can be used to navigate to the other end of the map, "Thunder Fall." The only connection between the two halves of the map is a cast iron bridge. There is another region of the map, but the player go to the boat spawn, swim across and navigate up a steep hill in order to access the other region. Game in the autumn is elk, shiras moose, and pronghorn. Game in the winter is black bear, shiras moose, and elk.
• Vermont - One of the smallest maps in the game, Vermont features thick forests of maple trees, a small pond in the direct centre, and minimal trails. The winter features black bear, coyote, and whitetail. Game in the autumn is Canadian moose, black bear, and whitetail. Autumn is a bow-only season.
• Yukon Territory - A large map that spawns the player without a vehicle. Because of its setting in the Klondike Valley, made famous for the Klondike Gold Rush, temperatures are formidably cold. A boat does spawn at the far end of the map, but spawning at a location near it entails a long walk. A river does make every region accessible via boat. Trails reach all around the map. It is also the map with largest variety of game. The spring entails brown bear, Alaskan moose, Sitka black-tailed deer, and barren-ground caribou. The winter, a bow-only season, allows the player to hunt sitka blacktail, dall sheep, and stone sheep. <Cabela's Big Game Hunter 2005 Adventures></Activision>

Controls

• W - accelerate/walk forward
• S - decelerate/reverse/walk backward
• A - strafe left/turn left
• D - strafe right/turn right
• E - Analyze track/claim trophy/exit bullet camera/exit trophy camera/mount vehicle/dismount vehicle/toggle x-ray vision/stop sleeping
• Mouse 1 - Fire weapon/select item
• Mouse 2 - Zoom scope/aim down sight
• Left Shift - Toggle or Hold Run/vehicle horn
• Left Control - Toggle or Hold Crouch
• X - Tracking Camera
• Space - Inventory
• Escape - Pause and Menu
• Q - Cycle last-selected weapon
• C - Change perspective (first and third person)
• ~ - Console
• Mouse Wheel - Scroll items when in backpack, store, or menu
• F1-10 - Use/Activate respective inventory item

Game Animals

Game animals have rather generic behaviours. Non-hostile animals, such as deer, moose, elk, sheep, goat, antelope, and caribou will run at different speeds depending on their respective species. Upon approaching an animal, either stealthily or loudly, the animal will react and run in the opposite direction, given there is no map border hindering it. The animals will also sense the player if they are downwind of them. Vehicles produce more noise, but the animals cannot outrun them. However, the player will receive a penalty for striking an animal, game or non-game, with their vehicle.

Animals of different variations of a species will look identical to each other, and operate the same way. For example, a mule deer and a whitetail deer will look the same, respond to stimuli similarly, will give the same calls, and will run as fast as each other. This is where the game lacks realism, and it is also one of the many critical points of the developers.

Hostile animals share the same properties. For example, all bears, except the polar bear, look, sound, and usually weigh the same amount. The only difference is their colour. Wolves and coyotes look and sound considerably different. Javelina and wild boar are also different from one another. Hostile will often run from the player when approached, or when the player is sensed. The animal could also charge and attack the player, making them lose a considerable amount of health, or kill them. <Cabela's Big Game Hunter 2005 Adventures></Activision>

Restrictions

Upon breaking the rules of the game, which are explained in the career mode tab labelled "guide," the player will receive warnings, fines, and eventual eviction from the warden of their respective area. The player can achieve these penalties by:

• Firing the weapon after hunting hours: one half-hour after sunset to one half-hour before sunrise. This can be a challenging rule to comply to, as the time restrictions will change based on the area. For example, hunting hours usually begin at six o'clock in the morning and end at around eight o'clock at night on most maps, like South Dakota, Nevada, and Sonora. However, other maps require different hunting hours, like the Yukon or Nunavut, where morning begins at eleven o'clock and end at around six o'clock in the evening.
• Shooting animals that the player is not legally allowed to hunt. This includes animals the player has already claimed, did not purchase a tag for before starting the hunt, or shooting non-game animals. This excludes animals that the player is required to bag multiple of, such as coyote (four tags), wolf (four tags), and barren-ground caribou (two tags). When the player has bagged all multiples, the tags will become invalid.
• Firing a weapon in the perimeter (fifty yards) of an inhabited building. Only four maps include buildings. Kentucky, which has a small cabin located at the top of the map, hidden in a mountain. Michigan contains a small cabin with a dock on the shore of what is probably Lake Superior. Nunavut features an Eskimo village at the top. However, the player cannot access the grounds due to a chain fence hindering the player and game. Sonora has a small cabin on the far side of the map, surrounded by mesas. The other maps either contain trails, or no trails at all. Nevada and Utah are the only maps that do not have trails. This rule can be disputed, as there is no evidence that these buildings are inhabited. If the player's target, is around the building, the player can move back beyond the restricted point, and fire a shot near, or even directly at the building(s), and they will not be charged.
• Failing to claim a dead trophy. If the player chooses to use the trophy beacon option, the red dot of their dead target will turn blue. If the player fails to claim it, they will receive a penalty. <Cabela's Big Game Hunter 2005></Activision>

Trivia

• The loading screens shown with the name and screenshot of the location also show the times of sunrise and sunset in the area (based on season), as well the latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates.
• The GPS when opened in game will show the player's global coordinates.
• Only two maps in this game do not share geographical borders with maps from the Cabela's Big Game Hunter: 2004 Season: Kentucky and Michigan. The only map in the 2004 Season that does not border a map from its own game or this game is Texas.
• The game’s guides to each game mammal are identical to the guides in the 2004 Season.
• Upon installing the game, the main menu’s movie library contains two demos: one of a hunt in Nevada by a female avatar, and one of a hunt in South Dakota by a male avatar.
• Upon loading, watermarks for Activision and Magic Wand are shown. A short compilation of in-game footage is shown to rock music.
• Upon completing the career hunt, the player will be shown compilation footage set to the theme music.
• In the game's location guide, South Dakota's description mentions Mount Rushmore, given that the map is modeled after the National Black Hills Forest.
• The game features seven US States, two Canadian territories, and one Mexican state.
• Between the 2004 Season and 2005 Adventures, this game is the only one to feature a Mexican state/territory.
• Map borders in this game are defined by steep mountains, ocean, lakes, and fences. Some collision meshes do exist, giving the maps an endless feel, but also taking away from the realism.
• Only two maps do not contain trails of any type: Nevada and Utah
• Only four maps contain buildings: Michigan (a cabin on the lake), Kentucky (a small cabin at the end of a small and tortuous trail), Nunavut (a village behind a chain-link fence at the end of the trail), and Sonora (a small cabin at the end of the trail).
• South Dakota is the one of two maps in which all trails do not connect with one another. There are two separate trails that never intersect. The player must walk short distances between them. The other map is Vermont: a small trail is placed ahead of the spawn point "Frozen Brook." The trail does not connect the player with the rest of map, as it only connects an off-centre patch of woods to the northwestern map boundary. The rest of the trails are tortuous, but navigate through the rest of the map.
• South Dakota is featured prominently in the intro video the to game, and video shown upon completion of the career hunt.
• Idaho is the most densely-forested map.
• Due to the dense nature of Idaho, the map will often have lower framerates on older machines and operating systems.
• Given that the location for Idaho is based on the Couer d’Alene National Forest in the panhandle, Idaho is the northernmost US state featured in this game.
• Kentucky’s trail is bisected by a river, across which the player cannot drive. This makes travel to the isolated part of the map via vehicle incredibly challenging.
• Kentucky is the only map with a shotgun-only season. However, this hunt is not necessary, as only the elk does not appear in the winter. All game mammals for the map appear in the autumn.
• In Michigan, a small island lies off the shore of the lake by the cabin. In autumn, the player can swim to it. In winter, ice forms so that the player may walk or drive to it.
• Both seasons (autumn and winter) in Michigan will provide the player with an ATV.
• Nevada is the hottest map in the game, nearing temperatures of 110°F in the summer.
• Nevada is the only map with no signs of civilization. Every other map has fences, trails, or buildings.
• Nevada is the only map in which all of the water present is shallow enough for the player to wade through.
• In Nevada, if the player dismounts the ATV or pitches a tent in the shallow water, they will not be able to leave their tent or re-mount their vehicle.
• Nevada is the smallest map, with Sonora, Michigan, and Vermont being some of the smallest.
• In the autumn season in Nunavut, temperatures do not exceed 32°F (0°C), yet it will still rain.
• Nunavut is the coldest map in the game, nearing temperatures of -40°F in the winter.
• Nunavut is the only map with multiple buildings.
• Icebergs can be seen from the shores of Nunavut.
• Nunavut is the northernmost map in this game.
• Given that Nunavut was admitted as a Canadian territory in 1999, Nunavut is the most recently-incorporated map in the game. When the game was developed in 2004, the territory was only five years old.
• Sonora is the southernmost map in the game.
• Sonora is the only Mexican map between the 2004 Season and the 2005 Adventures.
• Sonora is referred to as the “Sonoran Desert in the game guide. This would possibly make this map part of Arizona or another Mexican state.
• In the location guide for Sonora, the Mexican Wolf and the Sonoran Pronghorn are mentioned, but do not appear in the game. The message in the guide is followed by information regarding their endangerment and preservation efforts.
• The map of Utah is bisected by a gorge river, allowing the player exit from the river (via docking the boat or walking out) at very few points. This can prove fatal to the hunter if they should fall in the river far from a point of exit. Because of the steep slopes, the second half of the map is accessible by swimming across the gorge, and carefully finding the points that player is able to trek. From there, the player can continue, but must gain access to that same point again if they wish to return to the other half of the map. Game rarely spawns on this side of the map. Another point of entry is on the southwestern side of the map, accessible by boat or bridge. The player will notice a gap in the canyon wall with one tree in it. The player can drive up to this point and carefully navigate down through the gorge, placing them on the other side of the map. This is only accessible by vehicle.
• While on the remote side of the map, the player can disembark their vehicle, but will be spawned on the other side of the water deposit there. They will still remain on the remote half of the map, but will not dismount next to their vehicle.
• On this remote side of the map, some instances can allow the player to stand on top of their vehicle when disembarking.
• Some points in Utah are accessible only by vehicle.
• Utah's autumn loading screen is the only loading screen that shows a vehicle. An ATV parked on a slope is visible in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
• Utah is the only map with a bridge.
• If each map is played in order, Utah’s game is not original to the player at all. At this point, the player will have bagged pronghorn from South Dakota and Nevada, Shiras Moose from Idaho, Elk from Michigan and Kentucky, and black bear from Michigan. However, each mammal is required to be bagged from Utah to allow the player to unlock the next location.
• Vermont is the easternmost US state featured in this game. It is also more easterly than any of the other US states in the 2004 Season.
• Vermont is the smallest US state featured between the 2004 and 2005 games. Vermont also has the smallest area of any of the other real-life locations in this game.
• Vermont is the only map in which a river is featured that the player can walk through unhindered. Despite the icy river moving noticeably fast, the player can walk through and stand in it unaffected.
• The player does not receive a vehicle in either season in Yukon Territory.
• At the location menu and the for both loading screens, Yukon Territory is labelled as such. However, when the player is selecting a location to unlock, it is referred to simply as "Yukon."
• Utah and Yukon Territory are the only maps in the game that provide the player with a boat.
• Yukon Territory features the most varied and exclusive game of all the locations. It features six animals, all of which are exclusive to the location.
• Sonora and Yukon Territory are the only maps that offer spring seasons.
• South Dakota and Nevada are the only maps that offer summer seasons.
• 15 of 36 game mammals appear in only one season in one location.
• Coyote, whitetail, elk, black bear, pronghorn, and Shiras moose are the most prevalent game. They make three appearances each throughout the maps.
• There only three bow-only season: autumn in Sonora, autumn in Vermont, and winter in Yukon Territory.
• It is impossible for Canadian moose, Dall sheep, or stone sheep to be bagged with a firearm, as all three species appear exclusively in bow-only seasons.
• It is impossible for musk ox, grizzly, polar bear, and Labrador caribou to be bagged with a bow.
• Nunavut is the only location to have firearms restricted to rifles and shotguns only in both seasons.
• A cougar cannot be bagged with a bow in Sonora; the spring season is restricted to rifles and shotguns.
• Animals have been known to die spontaneously, although rarely. This is likely due to a bug in the game.
• The player can spawn next to an animal. This can sometimes result in the player being attacked by a hostile animal upon spawning.
• Coyotes and wolves must be hunted in instances of four. The store will automatically provide the player with four tags when equipping.
• There are three species of caribou in the game, but only the barren-ground caribou must be hunted in instances of two. The store will automatically provide the player with two tags when equipping.
• Animals killed and bagged by the player, animals that die of wounds, or animals that die due to the environment, have a chance of spawning within close proximity of the player. Any time this occurs, the player will hear the noise the animal in question emits, and may possibly be attacked if the animal is hostile.
• There are four types of deer, four types of bear, three types of moose, three types of sheep, and three types of caribou.
• A player can increase their tracking skill by pressing the track key during hunts. Crouching and examining tracks allow the player’s perception of tracks within a certain radius to increase.
• Although Lynx are not game mammals, therefore they are not marked, the player can still track them and be attacked by them.
• Animal droppings can be found with animal tracks.
• A glitch has been known to make hostile animals attack the player's tent while sleeping. The player will not take damage, but the animal will remain outside the tent and likely growling or making an aggravated noise. The player will have to shoot them upon leaving the tent. This glitch has most notably happened with black bears in Vermont.
• Moose are not hostile in this game.
• The target range in this game is identical to the target range in the 2004 Season.
• In the career hunt menu, the button is labeled "Target Range," but the loading screen is labelled "Shooting Range."
• The terrain and nature of the target range is most similar to that of South Dakota.
• In the target range, the player can only bring two weapons. The player is not affected by temperature, and the player's health and stealth HUD does not appear. The player does not need to rest from running.
• While the player cannot bring a tent to the target range, they can stay in the range indefinitely, even through the night. However, time moves at a normal pace.
• The shooting range offers multiple targets and posts, as well as decoys. There are several decoys on moving tracks, while most others are freestanding. The player can practice on decoys of pronghorn, wild boar, deer, lynx, and fox.
• Yukon Territory, South Dakota, and Idaho are among the largest maps. <Cabela's Big Game Hunter 2005 Adventures></Activision>
• Nevada, Sonora, and Vermont are the smallest maps.
• South Dakota, Michigan, Nevada, Utah, and Vermont are the only maps without unique game. All game featured in these locations appear at least twice each in the game overall.

References

External links

• Cabela's Big Game Hunter 2005 Adventures at MobyGames