Topic: If Trek Liscense is Split Up Again, What Happens to SFC Series?

[Davey E]

I 1st bought SFC1 back in 99 and did,nt like it,
Problem was it seemed far to complicated for someone like me who liked to shoot things up (1st person shooters anyone)

I,d never heard of SFB,
I was however eagerly awaiting KA (Klingon Academy) with baited breath, It looked tremendous, and it was for about 4 weeks, Nice shiny ships and brilliant explosions etc - But that was it - It was strategically and tactically crap

I then bought SFC2 EAW and sort of liked it,
I did,nt really understand the complexities that went behind such a simulation (not a game IMHO)
Then i saw my 1st SFB material and that was it - HOOKED, In my ignorance i cried "Oh if i could only play this on the PC)  

When i realised i could - That was it - I fell in love with SFC, and everything to do with it (Yea, even the bugs  )
This to me is what makes ST real, If the televsion series had used this material (SFB) as a perameter to work off, Then ST combat would of been brilliant, and not the at best above average fire and hope its ok material that it is
I bought SFC OP and the love story continued - This is amazing i told my friends, and many of them went on to purchase the game,
I looked for a clan/team that would enable me to takle part in a full scale scenario (eg: General War) We call ours the VG (Virtual Galaxy) and its great, I also thought the Dynaverse was very special as well

In my 2 years now in STOC (Starfleet Tactical Operation Command) or TOC for short,
I have realised now what a fantastic simulation the SFC series is and have spent many a late hour playing with my USA and european buddies etc

When SFC 3 came out, i like most people waited with baited breath,
When it was released and i played it for the 1st tiem,  i was confused, There seemed nothing to base the movement, turn rates etc, It seemed like an unfinished product - More like a shoot em up with big spaceships, The more and more i played it, the more and more bored i became,
I found the combat sterile and uninspiring compared to SFC EAW and OP, and thus deleted it off my hard drive - What a dissapointment  

IMHO,
SFC is SFB or it don,t work
You can call SFC TNG what you want, but its not a patch (and you ain,t even got one of those yet  ) on 1 & 2

Look at the numbers in the Gamespy lobby and se how many are on EAW compered to SFC3 now,
1 & 2 will be played a long time after SFC3 is dead,

I bought SFC3 because i wanted to help Taldren in the long run as they are the only chance we have of SFC GAW, However

I will NOT buy another SFC type of game that is not SFB based  

Thats my Opinion - I take it i am entitled to it  


   

[RazalYllib]

Back on topic...

My take on the whole ST license thing was decided some time ago.

(btw 1984 was a good year for SFB)

When the first movies were made and the TNG series on the air,
I thought it was a shame that ADB material didnt make in.

(Imagine the replacement of the TNG background with the ADB material- Picard piloting CA at the beginning of
the General War before the Klingons invade, which happens at the end of Season #3
Season #4 ending the Romulan Invasion, Heck they could even be Present in Operation Calvery, or present
when the Macarthur crashes into to Remus...ah, what could have been)

The ADB Star Fleet Universe, is a unique version of the ST universe
and is a much more interesting place.
It should be kept pure and uncorrupted, and I hope this does not mean that
the movies and series would impact on indepedent ADB universe that
just happens to have the name Star Trek.

I belive that a legal point could be made, only by ADB btw, that all materials
produced by ADB under the name SFB,
is an original work eligiable for
award of  a derivitive copyright.

SFB material is based soley on some not all material from TOS, and the work done by Franz Joseph
Designs.  ADB bought the rights for that material-no doubt there, which they still have, and then developed
and invented original material from that point on.  This occurred before the 1st ST movie was even contemplated.

You can look at as two independent time lines, the only simularities are a few names here and there; Taken
as a whole, there are more differences than simularitys.  All ADB has to do is convince a Judge.

Then, the GAW folks will be in a much better position to get their hearts desire as far as licenseing issues are
concerned.  Someone is bound to finance it.  

I dont mind the "Official Star Trek Universe", it just seems a little bland for my tastes.
SFC3 is not all that bad, bit arcadey for my personal preferances, but overall a good job
especially the innate flexibilty in re: to player mods.
But I prefer OP.

I hope the legal wranglings do not impact on the potential for GAW should someone with the cash to pay for its developement and distribution costs comes forth out of the wilderness.  They would probably have to grovel
and cough up unnessarry cash if they were not affiliated with Viacom and/or Activision.  Which is quite a shame.

Majority of the  ST fans I have encountered over the years have never heard of a Hydran or Lyran or Kzinti (cept for the Niven Fans)  I related a couple storys, showed off a captains log with some good fiction in it.  Like the one with the Klingon Vandel...been awhile.  They were pleasantly surprised at how rich and detailed this little indepedent ST universe was.

If ADB had full rights to what I feel is their original material, despite was Viacom says, it would a good thing for all involved.



 

[David Ferrell]

Post deleted by David Ferrell

[Mr. Hypergol]

Blasphemy!!!!!..........Guards!!!........Guards!!!!!.......silence that man!!!!!  

[Rod O'neal]

Dear Dave,
Thanks for enlightening us on this a bit. I appreciate hearing from someone who has a better understanding on the two sides of the licensing argument between ADB and Paramount. Now if we could get the whole PC game licensing situation for Trek settled quickly that would be wonderful. I hope that when you used past tense to describe your love for SFB it wasn't intentional. I'm one of those still holding on to the thinnest of straws for a continuation of the SFB theme from Taldren.  

BTW, the support that you at Taldren have continued to show us is commendable and appreciated beyond any words that I can find. Thanks again for the OP patch, and everything else you all have done.  

[olbuzzard]

I kinda like the idea of the X-phasrs and G phasers Nanner...  Not all of the stuff found on all X-ships ...  as we stated before There was just too much opposition to them over all  (especially some of the XCA classed ships.

Over I agee with the idea of a class of ship that has access to some of the srtonger weapons between TOS and TNG.  Once you get to TNG I think it is a good idea to be able to have a limited carry over from the past genereations as a type of refit that is still being used.

Heck we do that in RW in the Air Force and Naval aircraft.  We just now retired the Battleship Missouri a few years ago.  Soooo in my estimation it would not be unlikely to take some of the more popular ships and use them as a refit class ship (like the CLC for example) ...  just another thought..  (BTW..  there are some Klingon, Rommie and other classics that would be available as well.  That was just one example that I'm personally acquainted with)

As well ...  returning to more that 4 races is a good idea.   Klingon, Romulan, ISC, Gorn (just for example) with some from TNG woukld help move things in the right direction as well.

[David Ferrell]

Sorry about my previous post, my Tourette's syndrome was acting up again.

Thanks,

Dave  

[EmeraldEdge]

I think that was one of the biggest objections I've heard to the x-ships (other than the "speed 31 weapons charged=bad, crew).  In one fell swoop a complete line of ships comes on the scene that not only makes the previous ones obsolete, but a small ship can sweep a BB.  There is no phase in of technology or anything, and I think that urks people. " Why should I buy a BB when an x-ship is just going to come along in a few days and every joe on the server is going to be able to blow me out of the water" type of thing.  There are other reasons, but I think the sudden implementation really hurt.  

[Mr. Hypergol]

Quote:
 Sorry about my previous post, my Tourette's syndrome was acting up again.
 

I saw nothing wrong with that post......it was totally on topic.  Or perhaps your boss thought it was TOO on topic.  

[olbuzzard]

I agree ..  (more or less )  concerning  the power of the X-ships...  I like the ability to charge at a faster rate..  but I also think there should have been an advanced BB available that matched that erra...  either that or tone down the X-ships.  BTW  I'v been working on a Klingon BB and a Fed BB that just might do the trick.  (they are not 3-d yet...  need to find someone who has the program, for that.....   but nearly have top... bottom,  rear..  right side views done.  The specs are kinda interesting..  but cant decide wheather or not to set up for sfc-3  (which does not use phaser "g" nor drones)  or to set up for OP... Either way it's fund to do these kind of projects.

funny thing..  this 40g had drive is almost full...  found a great buy on a 120g by a major player in the industry for $125.  Soooooo  looks like we spend a little more cash in the next week or so.

Man i love this game !!!   LOL !!!!!!

[EmeraldEdge]

not to get off topic, but I've seen Western Digital and Maxtor 120gig Drives for $80 with rebate.  They have that frequently here.  Might want to check some adds and see if any have rebates, assuming those brands are fine with you.  

[olbuzzard]

Western Digital...  120g for $80 ....  cool  That looks promsiing !!  thanks for the tip EE ...  (we now return you to the regularly schedueled programming of the Future of SFC...  in living color !!!!