Neo Software

Neo Software Produktions was an Austrian PC game development studio based in Vienna. Founded on January 4, 1993 by Peter Baustädter, Niki Laber, and Hannes Seifert, the company was best known for its two best-sellers, The Clue! (1994) and Alien Nations (1999). After a succession of acquisitions by Computec Media and Gameplay.com, it was acquired by Take-Two Interactive Software in 2001 for €18.1 million, while working on the Xbox port of Max Payne.

In January 2003, during the company's tenth anniversary, Neo Software was brought under Take-Two's Rockstar brand as "Rockstar Vienna", and continued making Xbox ports of their games. They also began development on a sequel to Manhunt, however in 2006, Rockstar closed the studio abruptly during development (when the game was completed by Rockstar London, all Vienna studio credits were removed).

Animated Logos

Contents

1st Logo (February 1993)	2nd Logo (1995)

Print Logos

Contents

1st Logo (February 1993-December 12, 2001)	2nd Logo (February 1993-1996)	3rd Logo (May 11, 1999-July 19, 2001)

Animated Logos

1st Logo (February 1993)

Visuals: An outlined rounded rectangle with "neo" inside is revealed by the shining light over a black background. After a while, the actual logo fades in on a white background, where the rectangle and the letters are black, and the inside of the rectangle is colored in yellow.

Technique: Sprite-based animation.

Audio: A five-note synthesized hit with a deep choir in the background, ending with a timpani hit.

Availability

Edit Table

Media Title	Platform	Date of Release	Additional Notes
Whale's Voyage OSCA MobyGames	Amiga	February 1993	Only appearance

2nd Logo (1995)

Visuals: The camera pans and rotates through the heating machine in a factory. As the camera pans, it is revealed that a gold ingot is inside of the machine. A machine saw then cuts a piece of the ingot, causing the piece to land on a conveyor belt. Another machine then covers the ingot piece, as a press comes to it and creates the Neo Software logo onto it. As both machines go off, the ingot piece continues to go through the conveyor belt before it finally falls at the end of the belt, which reveals the darkened logo. The scene then fades into the actual logo on a black background, as the camera slowly focuses on it and the yellow copyright notice fades in on the bottom-right corner of the screen.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: An electronic tune with violin synths playing in the background. Accompanying sound effects include the sound of fire burning, machinery noises and a sound of a heavy object falling onto the floor. Crowd cheering and applauding can also be heard at the end of the logo.

Availability

Edit Table

Media Title	Platform	Date of Release	Additional Notes
Whale's Voyage II OSCA MobyGames	DOS	1995

Print Logos

1st Logo (February 1993-December 12, 2001)

Visuals: A simple gold and black banner is seen, with "neo" inside.

Technique: A still, computerized graphic.

Audio: None.

Availability

Edit Table

Media Title	Platform	Date of Release	Additional Notes
Whale's Voyage OSCA MobyGames	DOS	February 1993	White background variant
Max Payne OSCA MobyGames	Xbox	December 12, 2001	Black background variant

2nd Logo (February 1993-1996)

Visuals: The gold-black "neo" shield is seen, crossed with light stripes.

Later Variant: In 1995, the logo was redone with more accurate 3D effects.

Other Variants:

On The Clue!, the logo is on a white background with the black "presents" and "a game by..." below the logo.
On Cedric and the Lost Sceptre, the logo slides up and fades in with the white "PRESENTS" below the logo, and disappears in an opposite transition.
On Whale's Voyage II for Amiga, the logo is floating above the water.
On games developed by Light Shock Software, which is Black Viper and Fightin' Spirit, the logo fades in on a black background, followed by "Presents" in a yellow gothic font flashing in below the logo. The entire logo fades out, as the stacked text "A Game By" in the same font as "Presents" fades in.

Technique: A still, sprite-based graphic.

Audio: None.

Audio Variants:

On The Clue!, a bell ringing is heard.
On Cedric and the Lost Sceptre and Whale's Voyage II, the opening theme of the game is heard.
On games developed by Light Shock Software, a synthesized hit is heard with a man saying "Presents..." in a deep voice. This is followed by a three-note synthesized hit and a man saying "A game by...", which segues into the Light Shock Software logo.

Availability

Edit Table

Media Title	Platform	Date of Release	Additional Notes
Whale's Voyage OSCA MobyGames	Amiga CD32	February 1993	Debut appearance
The Clue! (Der Clou) OSCA MobyGames	Amiga, Amiga CD32, DOS	1994
Cedric and the Lost Sceptre OSCA MobyGames	Amiga	1995	Final appearance of early variant
Dark Universe: Hüter des Friedens OSCA MobyGames	DOS	1995	Debut of later variant
Prototype OSCA MobyGames	DOS	1995
Whale's Voyage II OSCA MobyGames	Amiga	1995
Black Viper OSCA MobyGames	Amiga, Amiga CD32	1996	Light Shock Software developed variant
Fightin' Spirit OSCA MobyGames	Amiga, Amiga CD32	1996	Light Shock Software developed variant

3rd Logo (May 11, 1999-July 19, 2001)

Visuals: There is the shield from before redone in 3D, lit from below and with a byline reading "...online with the future...".

Technique: A still, CGI graphic.

Audio: None.

Availability

Edit Table

Media Title	Platform	Date of Release	Additional Notes
Alien Nations OSCA MobyGames	macOS, Windows	May 11, 1999	Debut appearance
The Sting! (Der Clou 2) OSCA MobyGames	Windows	July 19, 2001	Final appearance

External Links