S&S try something else new...and regret it...
So, it's early 2000 and what is the game on everyone's mind? Interplays
Starfleet Command...
The SFC series of games allowed the modders to build even larger and better
ship types and even design there own completely from scratch, but it was a long
and slow process.
S&S seen the potential in this and decided to base a new game around the
concept that they thought the modders would like...creating new ships.
The idea was good, but the game itself wasn't...
The basic premise of the game is that you can design and crew a Star Trek
ship, and then send it out on missions to evaluate what a spot-on job you did
designing it. Or it could indicate you that you need to go back to the drawing
board and start all over again. Or maybe take up archery. You also have the
ability to script your own missions with the included "SSML" scripting program.
The scripting portion of the game brings me to my first good point, the Mission
Creator.
The Mission Creator allows you to very easily and quickly construct missions
that you can run through or trade to other players. The editor is in reality a
mini "programming language" that uses graphical icons to represent actions or
events that will happen within the framework of the program. Given its graphical
nature, it becomes much more accessible to users, and therefore much more
powerful. The background commands, however, are as arcane as some SQL codes. Not
really the stuff of true gaming. You really don't ever need to go there, unless
there is a real desire to create some intricate mission events, so don't worry.
Just remember that the option for you to design and share missions with your
friends and enemies is there.
The ship design portion is actually the "heart" of this game. Ship design is
based on seven common hull types, which can be modified by the addition of new
saucer, hull and engine pod sections. There are several variables for each
section, so there can be quite a wide range of outward appearances. I cannot
tell for certain if this has any effect on the systems that you include on the
ship, but I don't think it does. The information about each and every system
that you can include in your ship design is simply overwhelming. Want to know
more about the photon torpedo launchers? Just click away. Want to know how much
a shuttle bay costs or how much energy it consumes? Again, it is just a click
away. Information is available on every single system that you can install on
the vessel, whether you wanted to know or not. That in itself should send some
of the more fervent "Trekkies" among us to bolt for the local computer store.
The flexibility of the design for each vessel is also amazing. You can outfit
your ship to be ready for battle, ready for science, or anywhere in between. You
can dump systems that you aren't interested in, in favour of some more firepower
or bigger engines. Whatever you want to do with you ship, you can. Depending on
the expertise level setting you have when you start the game, you will have a
broader selection of subsystems to select from. The lower expertise levels allow
only one or two choices of systems, while the highest level gives you access to
all of the most modern hardware available.
However, the BIGGEST reason most people bought the game was cause of the
impending release of a game called Dominion Wars from S&S. It was promised that
ships created would be able to be exported into this new game, as it turned out
it was so plagued with bugs and bad reviews on its release that Starship creator
was never really considered by most trek fans...
For more details....
NO SITES
Write up by V1ctor1st
13/11/2002
