A Hardtalk special interview, in association with www.trek-online.com

Interview arranged by AcidRain

1. Game Engine, what can you tell us about what type of Engine this will be. Currently there isn’t much info as it relates to that very question. We know that it is a real-time tactical game, which will focus on a strategy element based around the ability to defend and attack multiple targets in a system but what does all that mean?

The game engine being used is Mad Doc’s very own, built from the ground up to support full 3D, drool-inducing environments. In an effort to better explain the gameplay that our engine can afford, here is a brief visual:

There is a battle raging around you. You pan the camera around to look above you and see your Galaxy class engaged with 3 huge Klingon battleships -- shields on the brink of collapse, in a desperate fight to keep the aggressors at bay. Thinking fast, you switch to direct control of your Defiant class, de-cloak, and move in to engage an outlying battleship to attempt to draw fire. Switching to a high level strategic view, you then issue a command to your 2 Sovereign class battleships, telling them to warp in directly on top of the Klingon force. While you are deftly piloting the defiant (using it’s natural maneuverability to survive) the Sovereigns have arrived and are relentlessly pummeling the Klingon force. You see that the closest Neg’Var’s shields have collapsed, so you rake the stern with pulse phaser fire. While pulling up and out of the fray, you let loose 2 upgraded photon torpedoes, knocking a hole in the side of the ship. The hull vents plasma and fire where your well-aimed shots land. Chunks and debris from the ship fill the space around you as the other ships in your task force mop up the remaining Klingons unlucky enough to have been trapped in your grip.

2. The in game environment as it relates to the Universe as a whole, is it endless in way of being open in the view of being able to warp to another system to get to that enemies territory and capturing there bases? Example of Open Universe, Freelancer and Eve-Online?

A large focus in the development of Legacy has been creating a strong storyline. The player will be taking part in an epic, sweeping story that will span all the eras of Trek canon. To this end, we have built the game environment and mission structure to progress linearly.

3. There are a lot of questions relating to what the type of restrictions on the story lines really will be in the sense that you can really alter the story line or will one be stuck in that story line and if they aren’t will you be able to expand that story line? (Note: Is this only Single Player Mode, I presume so)

As I mentioned, the nature of the storyline is that the player will follow a linear path, experiencing hundreds of years of Trek history along the way.

4. There has been some talk and articles relating to controlling systems, stations, and planets there is no apparent indication if one will be able to benefit from the resources of those assets or if when that group/fleet of people will benefit from it, can you expand on how that will work exactly? (Note: Is this Tug a War, Capture the flag?)

The ownership of objects such as planets and stations will provide benefits to the player depending on the situation. For example, in the single player campaign, having the might of the Deep Space 9’s considerable armament on your side will be nothing to scoff at when those pesky Romulans come knockin’. In multiplayer, a win condition may be to control a certain planet for the longest amount of time.

5. Will this game not only include canon ships and such, will we see Shuttles, Runabouts (Delta Flyer), such as for the starships and will they be able to battle, deploy, or travel to a station or near by planet?

As a captain in Legacy, you can order away teams to objectives and destinations – but you won’t be focusing on this for too long - you’ll be too busy commanding massive warships and vessels of extraordinary firepower to be bothered with micromanaging shuttles and the like.

6. With regard to ships, we have been told that there are approximately 60 ships per era, what is the compliment of ships that we will see as a non-playable race as there are many out there? Also, we have seen in an article that there is going to be a secret race, will it be playable or not?

Legacy will feature a total of over 60 ships, both from canon and some original designs mixed in. These 60 ships will be spread across the 4 playable races: Federation, Klingon, Romulan, and the almighty Borg.

7. If one is in a battle can someone request assistance from others battle groups outside of you system? Will there be some sort of communications system so that we can request assistance, ship repairs or ask for some type of tow to the nearest shipyard for repairs?

You will be able to issue orders to other ships in your fleet, and in some cases request the aid of allies in-system. Don’t forget however, just like in the series, sometimes you’re on your own out there.

8. PC Specs, Could you tell us what type of PC specs we should expect to see for Legacy? How much of your decision making of Legacy has been put into a realistic minimum PC specs while leaving a good condition of graphics?

The PC min-specs for Legacy haven’t finalized yet. We’ve  been pushing hard to make sure this game looks hot and next-gen, but not at the expense of those of you who don’t own an uber-PC. You’ll have the option of turning down some of the PC game’s amazing visuals… but remember, the game will always look amazing on the Xbox 360!

9. In past games there have been many different setups, what do you anticipate will be the included within the game of Servers? Will you be providing a Server kits, with the CD or will they be hosted though Game-Spy, if so will the community to be able to host on there own, could you expand on this question?

No news to announce on this front yet. It is very safe to say that Legacy will support full online play on the PC and Xbox 360, and that you won’t be disappointed in the replay value of blasting those pesky gamers who claim that Picard was always a better captain than Kirk. To them I say, bring it on!