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Taldrenites => Dynaverse II Experiences => Topic started by: FPF-DieHard on August 05, 2013, 01:04:07 pm

Title: So anyone still play?
Post by: FPF-DieHard on August 05, 2013, 01:04:07 pm
Just curious.

If so, where?
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on August 05, 2013, 05:31:34 pm
I wish we could find at least six people with stable XP machines to play OP again. CE still needs too much work IMO.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Captain Adam on August 05, 2013, 06:16:53 pm
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Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Czar Mohab on August 05, 2013, 07:25:10 pm
I wish we could find at least six people with stable XP machines to play OP again. CE still needs too much work IMO.

*Looks over at ancient Dell Laptop* Define stable...

The Czar
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on August 06, 2013, 09:24:38 am
I wish we could find at least six people with stable XP machines to play OP again. CE still needs too much work IMO.

*Looks over at ancient Dell Laptop* Define stable...

The Czar


It runs well and doesn't crash out of the game everytime someone drafts you.

I bet you could get XP for really cheap at this point. It's a shame dual boots are such a PITA.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Age on August 08, 2013, 08:04:05 pm
I still load up single player campaign once in while.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: FPF-Paladin on August 09, 2013, 11:54:21 am
I have to get another copy of whatever everyone is playing nowadays, but I still have an XP machine stored away for just this community.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: FPF-DieHard on August 12, 2013, 09:59:46 am
I have XP dual-boot that I sign into once ever 6 months to update Windows and AV.

So CE's a flop isn't it?  OP's what we have to work with?
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: FPF-Paladin on August 12, 2013, 10:08:19 am
I didn't get a chance to read through the CE sections, although I got pretty excited to see the headline postings.

So is that where things are at right now?  CE not up to the task, so OP instead?

Man I feel a serious need to whack someone with overloaded photons, if anyone actually allows that setup and engagement range to happen anymore :P

Really good to see everyone too :D
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on August 12, 2013, 10:14:22 am
I wouldn't call it a flop as it did achieve its intended purpose (mostly). It seems to be suffering from lack of support, at least publicly, and a rudderless helm. OP is still the superior product, except that we can't play D2. CE still needs a lot of patching IMO or it probably isn't worth the effort to try a campaign.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: FPF-Paladin on August 12, 2013, 10:17:05 am
Understood... damn it.  Just like the other thread title, this one hasn't ever gotten old for me.  I'll set aside some free time and get caught up here.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Mazeppa on August 16, 2013, 01:07:47 am
I wish we could find at least six people with stable XP machines to play OP again. CE still needs too much work IMO.

<----- Has a stable XP Rig.  That's One.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Mazeppa on August 16, 2013, 01:09:46 am
I wish we could find at least six people with stable XP machines to play OP again. CE still needs too much work IMO.

<----- Has a stable XP Rig.  That's One.

Actually, I may have 2. 
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: FPF-Tobin Dax on August 16, 2013, 07:34:10 am
1 XP rig and 1 win 7 rig here.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on August 16, 2013, 10:28:15 am
Hmmm, with DH and me, that makes four. We might have something here, assuming anyone still has the server kit and Bonk's DB editor still around. To run a true camapaign with a small number of people we need to be willing to play many races over a long period of time. The server wouldn't be up all the time, only when we had a game planned, so moves would be planned and then executed based on strategic movement, sort of like a SFB game, but resolved with SFC. We tried something like this before and found a show stopping bug, but that was when we were trying to get around using D2. We never tried to do it using D2 (which requires the XP set-up) so we don't know if the problem exists there. Even so we may be able to make a compromise that everyone is happy with. That was another problem with our other group, we rarely agreed on anything.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Age on August 16, 2013, 03:46:42 pm
I would hate to open up my ports but would I have to if I went on my XP drive and hopefully my gs accout still works.It would be nice if it could be pulled from Dyna play.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Dizzy on August 21, 2013, 11:45:14 pm
Im reloading sfcop right now. I thought this sh*t worked on win7? Got an older XP laptop thats great for this, but I can get my local laptop corner ripoff store to setup dual boot on my current rig as well.

I just kinda want to do some fun ip games again. Server would be nice, but I hate testing missions. I hate player drops...;.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Age on August 22, 2013, 02:32:12 am
Dizzy you can play ip games with 7 just not on the dyna.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: knightstorm on August 22, 2013, 12:35:09 pm
I wish we could find at least six people with stable XP machines to play OP again. CE still needs too much work IMO.

A server with six people would only work if the six chose to go a week of foresaking any sort of social life, sleeping two hours a day, and eating pre-packaged foods, and like any real gamers they would need to do their business in a coffee can while playing.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: FPF-Tobin Dax on August 22, 2013, 12:45:20 pm
I'll be using an empty water bottle. :D
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Evil Kraven on November 05, 2013, 03:48:58 pm
Still have an old dell XP machine, but was never able to get into D2 . Miss the game actually, used to have a lot of fun flying and dying.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: benbean on November 06, 2013, 03:00:10 am
Still have an old dell XP machine, but was never able to get into D2 . Miss the game actually, used to have a lot of fun flying and dying.

Yeah I still remember your howls of laughter  ;)
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: FPF-DieHard on November 06, 2013, 12:48:16 pm
There is no other game out there with this level of tactical depth, even if the strategic layer that was D2 was a joke.

it's a friggin shame nobody else is running with the SFB IP.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Age on November 08, 2013, 08:41:19 pm
What makes this game so great DH is the campaign map of the Dyna the rest are just ip games except Star Trek Online.This is so close to an MMO just a different kind MMORTSG.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Kruk on November 28, 2013, 07:01:36 pm
I will consider myself lucky enough to have been part, from the beggining, of the mother of all servers.

ArticFires.

This server started it all.

The hype, storylines, organisation, recruiting, the lead up to the majestic final battle that unfortunatly wasn't met to be. It would have been glorious. I will cherish these memories until I die. Best gaming experience ever.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Lepton on December 02, 2013, 09:07:37 pm
I just bought SFC:CE recently.  Not sure I consider it a flop since it was built from source (which is f*cking amazing) and runs great on my 7 year old Windows 8.1 PC without having to change color depth.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: FPF-DieHard on December 10, 2013, 12:34:45 pm

The hype, storylines, organisation, recruiting, the lead up to the majestic final battle that unfortunatly wasn't met to be. It would have been glorious. I will cherish these memories until I die. Best gaming experience ever.

Even though D2 in essence was a very stupid game with only the illusion of real strategy (hexx-flipping) it was still fun as hell.  And the tactical depth . . . nothing has come close.

I really wish a real company would make a real game with the SFB IP, but after seeing how some other games have bastardized IP (you should see what DDO did with the D&D IP . . .) I think any game now would be terrible.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: OlBuzzard on December 26, 2013, 02:51:05 pm
Ya know what's even funnier (in an odd sort of way) is that most did not realize just how good we had it .....  until it all went away.
I've always said that my idea of the perfect SFC-4 game was an updated version of OP with some of the newer ships from TNG and maybe even a few post TNG ideas/ships in it.  SFC-3 was OK ... but was never as much fun as OP and some of the mega missions that were available from time to time.  Add to that a good stable draft, squash a few bugs ...  and the way OP was in it's hay-day was unquestionably the best  (even with all of it's short comings) I would have loved to have seen the GAW MOD that my son did released in the OP version of the game instead of SFC-3.
I would have loved to have seen the kind of support for the game as we see today in other games ....

Yes, I would gladly spring 15-20 a month to pay for stable servers that reflect different style of play:  PVP only; PVP/PVE combo; RP; SFB (RP).  In ALL cases the Dynaverse campaign maps would still be the basic format used.  It did work.  (Just needed a little love here and there).

I hope this makes sense.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Captain Adam on December 26, 2013, 05:35:11 pm
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Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: OlBuzzard on December 27, 2013, 09:43:28 am
Trust me it does.
I rather play OP with mods then ever touch SFC3. It's horrible. They should have just added to OP instead.
I'm trying to make a mod myself but I don't have the time I once had. It's a shame bc with the right mod I can see a lot of us returning and having fun.

Adam
At best there were some "interesting" features about SFC-3...  However, the  mission drafting alone (never could draft team mates on most missions) left a bad taste in my mouth right up front!  Over all I agree....   squash a few of the old bugs in OP ...  use the original ship list ...  update it with a few more from the TNG and possibly post TNG ..  some new mission scripts, mix thoroughly, bake until done !
The end result should be a new game with some really nice features.  Individual servers supported by a monthly donation (somewhat like current MMO's) that could specialize for certain interest as mentioned earlier should also provide enough variety to keep a larger audience happier.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Captain Adam on December 27, 2013, 12:02:03 pm
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Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: OlBuzzard on December 27, 2013, 12:30:41 pm
Trust me !  I know exactly where you are coming.  My son is Nannerslug!  He was the one primarily behind the SFC MOD:  GAW.  It was originally going to be done as an OP MOD.  But (for what ever reason) ...  he went with SFC-3.  As you say ...  not to dwell on some of the old community negativity back then.
IMHO a lot of the differences could have been resolved with multiple servers with more "options" (such as we have mentioned). 

I personally loved the ship lists that OP came out with ... and even after some of the official patches were done it was better.   Some folks loved the extended SFB releases ...  those were not for me personally.  I respect those who feel differently.  Hence, my desire to have seen multiple servers with differing themes.

A lot of things have changed since then in the way of technology that I believe would make for a more stable system and better overall game play.  Goodness ... my old system that I used back in those days was only a small fraction of the DDR3, 64 bit, two HD's with 1 TB each, system I have today.  I even dabble in some 3-D models from time to time.  (I have a star base that makes the Fed SB777 look like an antique!).  The old X-CLC that we developed went on to be renamed and given some more practical features.  It's now the Seawolf  class (or Sea Wolf ) and is late or post TNG design  (it's predecessor still remains in archive as a test platform design for Starfleet ).
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: FPF-DieHard on December 27, 2013, 01:53:10 pm
Trust me it does.
I rather play OP with mods then ever touch SFC3. It's horrible. They should have just added to OP instead.
I'm trying to make a mod myself but I don't have the time I once had. It's a shame bc with the right mod I can see a lot of us returning and having fun.

Adam

Sorry, the game is dead because it doesn't work with modern operating systems (cannot draft with Windows 7 or Vista).  And nothing can fix this, I was one of the last people hosting servers and saw this game die kicking and screaming.

We'd only need 50-100 active players for a great D2 campaign, but with the game not running on new OSes and XP being retired in 2014 it's just plain old done.

What we either need is a "real" game based on the SFB IP or something modern that can be modded into an SFCish game.

let's face it . . . Trek games suck.  I've played them all, they are all horrible.  SFC was awesome because it was based on SFB and not retricted to the Trek stuff which was never meant to be a game.  Trek games are all full of fanboi bullsh*t and "ubber-ships" and crap that should never be playable like the Borg.  SFC/SFB weren't perfect but man, it was a hell of a lot better than anything else.

I'm dreaming, I know it'll never happen, but it would fill the void as there is no game out there that is as good as this was.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on December 27, 2013, 02:16:12 pm
I first played SFB when it was sold in a "baggie" and no one would have ever thought it would be a full on computer game one day.  Utilities for things like rolling damage sure but not an SFC.  But it was.  It has happened and can happen again.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on December 27, 2013, 02:27:05 pm
DH, it's funny how you deride Trek games but still play that abomination they made of D&D. Have you been banned from the forums again? I went on awhile ago to see if things were different (they weren't) and saw no postings from you in a search.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: FPF-DieHard on December 27, 2013, 02:48:44 pm
DH, it's funny how you deride Trek games but still play that abomination they made of D&D. Have you been banned from the forums again? I went on awhile ago to see if things were different (they weren't) and saw no postings from you in a search.

Not sure where the contradiction is. 

SFC is a hell of a lot closer to SFB than DDO is to D&D.  We're talking by an order of magnitude.

SFC is the superior game, by far.  It's staying closer to the source material is a huge part of it.   

Still not banned, I'm not sure how as my forum persona over there makes "DieHard" look like a timid puppy.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: FPF-DieHard on December 27, 2013, 02:52:17 pm
I first played SFB when it was sold in a "baggie" and no one would have ever thought it would be a full on computer game one day.  Utilities for things like rolling damage sure but not an SFC.  But it was.  It has happened and can happen again.

My brothers and I played SFB in grade school and due to the complexity we all agreed "this would make a great computer game."  We were right.

Can it happen again?  I'm not sure, the ADB/Paramount legal thing is a bucket of silliness that who knows if it'll ever happen.  The IP would have to not be a hot item, maybe if the next Trek movie sucks as much as Into Dumbness.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on December 27, 2013, 03:15:30 pm
There is a way to make it more likely.  Just use the SFB rules (no deal for Trek itself) leave out the explicitly Trek stuff which is names, background and images.  Calling things "The Federation" predates Trek so that is Okay, Lyrans, Hydrans, ISC are fine too.  Done right allowing modding and fan mods make it into Trek (many fan mods for Trek in other games Galciv II for example). 
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: FPF-DieHard on December 27, 2013, 03:22:41 pm
There is a way to make it more likely.  Just use the SFB rules (no deal for Trek itself) leave out the explicitly Trek stuff which is names, background and images.  Calling things "The Federation" predates Trek so that is Okay, Lyrans, Hydrans, ISC are fine too.  Done right allowing modding and fan mods make it into Trek (many fan mods for Trek in other games Galciv II for example).

ADB is NOT allowed to make a video game and there's no gaming company that'll make an "SFB" game without the more marketable "Trek" references.  You gotta have Klingons and Romulans.

Though with the alternate timelines being "in" now the "SFB" timeline as difinately sellable.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on December 27, 2013, 03:27:50 pm
Well, as a profitable venture I'd say it is out of the realm of possibility, but if some rich fanboi wants to spend it, there is no problem here that money cannot solve. Has anyone considered Kickstarter?
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Age on December 27, 2013, 03:29:55 pm


Sorry, the game is dead because it doesn't work with modern operating systems (cannot draft with Windows 7 or Vista).  And nothing can fix this, I was one of the last people hosting servers and saw this game die kicking and screaming.

We'd only need 50-100 active players for a great D2 campaign, but with the game not running on new OSes and XP being retired in 2014 it's just plain old done.

What we either need is a "real" game based on the SFB IP or something modern that can be modded into an SFCish game.

let's face it . . . Trek games suck.  I've played them all, they are all horrible.  SFC was awesome because it was based on SFB and not retricted to the Trek stuff which was never meant to be a game.  Trek games are all full of fanboi bullsh*t and "ubber-ships" and crap that should never be playable like the Borg.  SFC/SFB weren't perfect but man, it was a hell of a lot better than anything else.

I'm dreaming, I know it'll never happen, but it would fill the void as there is no game out there that is as good as this was.

I wouldn't say they are all bad if you are a Trek Fan then you will like all of them errr STO has few things to be desired but it is not bad.It certianly feels when you play Klingon that you are actually playing it and I hate to say unlike SFC.There would be NO SFB without Star Trek and none of those ships in Star Trek had drones or fighters.

I am wanting to get Bridge Commander becasue of this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_weqld7Z0hs (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_weqld7Z0hs)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_weqld7Z0hs (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_weqld7Z0hs)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MF4nM1anUzI (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MF4nM1anUzI)

To Adam you may say that about STFC 3 but which mods did you play as all of them are good especially the big 3.That is if you can tell me thier names which we over at STG hosted 2 of them.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: FPF-DieHard on December 27, 2013, 03:32:23 pm
Well, as a profitable venture I'd say it is out of the realm of possibility, but if some rich fanboi wants to spend it, there is no problem here that money cannot solve. Has anyone considered Kickstarter?

I remember getting threatened by SVC over the use of his IP profitable or not.  I'm not lawyer so I don't know what can or cannot be done legally but doing this without ADB and Paramounts permission is just asking for litigation.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on December 27, 2013, 03:34:02 pm
I wouldn't say they are all bad if you are a Trek Fan then you will like all of them errr STO has few things to be desired but it is not bad.It certianly feels when you play Klingon that you are actually playing it and I hate to say unlike SFC.There would be NO SFB without Star Trek and none of those ships in Star Trek had drones or fighters.


They had fighters in DS9 during the Dominion War and misslies were shot at the Enterprise in TOS on at least two occasions IIRC: Patters of Force and one other episode I can't remember right off hand.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Age on December 27, 2013, 03:34:15 pm
There is a way to make it more likely.  Just use the SFB rules (no deal for Trek itself) leave out the explicitly Trek stuff which is names, background and images.  Calling things "The Federation" predates Trek so that is Okay, Lyrans, Hydrans, ISC are fine too.  Done right allowing modding and fan mods make it into Trek (many fan mods for Trek in other games Galciv II for example). 
CBS wouldn't allow for them to use the Licensing of the Ships no K D7s or BoP as well as those for the romulans and Federation Models.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on December 27, 2013, 03:34:54 pm
Well, as a profitable venture I'd say it is out of the realm of possibility, but if some rich fanboi wants to spend it, there is no problem here that money cannot solve. Has anyone considered Kickstarter?

I remember getting threatened by SVC over the use of his IP profitable or not.  I'm not lawyer so I don't know what can or cannot be done legally but doing this without ADB and Paramounts permission is just asking for litigation.

As I said, permission just costs money.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Age on December 27, 2013, 03:37:18 pm
I wouldn't say they are all bad if you are a Trek Fan then you will like all of them errr STO has few things to be desired but it is not bad.It certianly feels when you play Klingon that you are actually playing it and I hate to say unlike SFC.There would be NO SFB without Star Trek and none of those ships in Star Trek had drones or fighters.


They had fighters in DS9 during the Dominion War and misslies were shot at the Enterprise in TOS on at least two occasions IIRC: Patters of Force and one other episode I can't remember right off hand.
Yes they shot from an astroid not a ship and yes they had small fighters which the maquie used but that was in TNG not in TOS time period.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on December 27, 2013, 03:38:43 pm
There is a way to make it more likely.  Just use the SFB rules (no deal for Trek itself) leave out the explicitly Trek stuff which is names, background and images.  Calling things "The Federation" predates Trek so that is Okay, Lyrans, Hydrans, ISC are fine too.  Done right allowing modding and fan mods make it into Trek (many fan mods for Trek in other games Galciv II for example). 

CBS wouldn't allow for thme to use the Licensing of the Ship no K D7s or BoP as well as those for the romulans and Federation Models.

Which does not contradict what I said.  No explicit Trek in the game.  Explicit Trek as after market fan mods. 
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on December 27, 2013, 03:41:34 pm
In TOS relatively few ships were seen and their capabilities are poorly defined.  There is nothing in TOS that says fighters and missiles weren't in use.

The Tholian ships appeared once what capabilities did they actually show?
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Age on December 27, 2013, 03:42:03 pm
There is a way to make it more likely.  Just use the SFB rules (no deal for Trek itself) leave out the explicitly Trek stuff which is names, background and images.  Calling things "The Federation" predates Trek so that is Okay, Lyrans, Hydrans, ISC are fine too.  Done right allowing modding and fan mods make it into Trek (many fan mods for Trek in other games Galciv II for example). 

CBS wouldn't allow for thme to use the Licensing of the Ship no K D7s or BoP as well as those for the romulans and Federation Models.

Which does not contradict what I said.  No explicit Trek in the game.  Explicit Trek as after market fan mods. 
It would still have to be abroved by CBS or looked at.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on December 27, 2013, 03:45:04 pm
They had fighters in DS9 during the Dominion War and misslies were shot at the Enterprise in TOS on at least two occasions IIRC: Patters of Force and one other episode I can't remember right off hand.
Yes they shot from an astroid not a ship and yes they had small fighters which the maquie used but that was in TNG not in TOS time period.


No, the Feds used them to great effect in Sacrifice of Angels. Just because we never see fighters in TOS (mostly because they were not a war and had no need for them) doesn't mean they can't or don't exist.


EDIT: Nem beat me to it and to add to his example, the Gorn were never shown to use plasma, but that's what we have for them.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Age on December 27, 2013, 03:45:42 pm
I wouldn't say they are poorly defined and they may have used fighter and missles or they may not have.I would think the later aa phasers,disruptors and torpedoes were good enough.


You know they Saying Corb. if not seen on screen it is not real.

Nemisis I am not taking my time to do that.CBS wants any cent they make from Star Trek which is why.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on December 27, 2013, 03:47:11 pm
It would still have to be abroved by CBS or looked at.

Please provide evidence that they did so for VegaTrek or the GalCiv II Trek mod. 
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: OlBuzzard on December 27, 2013, 03:50:10 pm
I've actually stopped ...  tried to think of a delicate way to say this without starting something.  After all these years ...  I'd love to be able to NOT cause trouble.

Actually when OP was released it was based on SFB ideas:  not a strict interpretation of SFB.  This one particular idea was probably one of the most consistently contested discussions (aside from the magic photon).  I know since my son was a close friends with a member of the development team.

That said I mean no disrespect to those who enjoy SFB.   However, if this sort of game were ever revisited it would probably be closer to OP than SFB. There is always room for speculation and dreaming.  I would love to see another OP based game come to life.  It was FUN !!  And now that I actually could make more of a genuine contribution (something besides flipping hexes) ...  it really gets the old adrenalin going !

EDIT...  and yes ..  anything that would be done on a large enough scale to warrant public use would probably have to be approved by CBS  (as I understand it).  STO license / development group  (whom ever that is) ..  might  have a few words to say as well  (just a guess).
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on December 27, 2013, 03:57:07 pm
Of course it wasn't strictly true to SFB.  Given that one was a turn based board game and the other a real time computer game it couldn't be.  But it was based as closely on SFB as practical.  It was where they broke that connection (non SFB ships and non Eschelon ISC) that the game had playability issues.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: OlBuzzard on December 27, 2013, 04:08:16 pm
Of course it wasn't strictly true to SFB.  Given that one was a turn based board game and the other a real time computer game it couldn't be.  But it was based as closely on SFB as practical.  It was where they broke that connection (non SFB ships and non Eschelon ISC) that the game had playability issues.
agreed...  however, there were some folks who made endless argumentation and even spent a lot of time developing some of the SFB ship lists.  Again:  nothing wrong with that sort of thing if that is the style you prefer.

IMHO that was one of the weaknesses ...  If we had it to do again today I would suggest more than one server:   PVP only; PVP/PVE combo; RP; SFB (RP). 
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on December 27, 2013, 04:31:10 pm
For me the SFB rule set was its greatest strength it had more years of play testing than any complex computer game ever has had or will have.  There was more balance outside of the ISC and X-Ships than any other game that begins to rival its complexity. 

Are there places where SFB went wrong?  Absolutely.  Creating weapons whose features were designed to give an over whelming advantage against their enemy (Hydran Hellbore vs Early Klingons).  Designing ships to avoid the DAC issue with forward hull by using central hull is another (there was no real reason Hydrans shouldn't have had fore and aft hull).  Some are perfectly legitimate like developing ADD, dogfight drones and strengthening those rear shields to defend better vs Hellbore for example. 
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: OlBuzzard on December 27, 2013, 04:41:56 pm
For me the SFB rule set was its greatest strength it had more years of play testing than any complex computer game ever has had or will have.  There was more balance outside of the ISC and X-Ships than any other game that begins to rival its complexity. 

Are there places where SFB went wrong?  Absolutely.  Creating weapons whose features were designed to give an over whelming advantage against their enemy (Hydran Hellbore vs Early Klingons).  Designing ships to avoid the DAC issue with forward hull by using central hull is another (there was no real reason Hydrans shouldn't have had fore and aft hull).  Some are perfectly legitimate like developing ADD, dogfight drones and strengthening those rear shields to defend better vs Hellbore for example.

IMHO there were some balance issues ...  (as you have pointed out) ..  BUT nothing that could not be fixed.  Unfortunately some folks were never satisfied unless some of those items were basically nerfed.  Let me hasten to say that I really would prefer to not go there out of respect to everyone here and out of respect to where this thread started.  Let's just say that I agree with you in some areas! 
However, I still love the "X" ships !   ;)  One of my favorite designs was a modified CLC that was done for a MOD.  I loved the extra Gatling phasers on it... it was a great ship to fly wing in.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on December 27, 2013, 04:52:47 pm
A lot of the "nerfing" was fantasy.  My (now ex)brother-in-law said at one point there was no reason to play Romulan as they had been nerfed.  So I told him I'd practice with them for the week and the next weekend I'd teach him the plasma ballet.  In the first battlefest he played Fed and I started with the "nerfed" warbird+.  I took his FF, DD and NCL without taking a scratch (then it crashed I always wondered if he did it on purpose).  He shut up about nerfing after that.  :)
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: FPF-DieHard on December 27, 2013, 04:53:44 pm
I've actually stopped ...  tried to think of a delicate way to say this without starting something.  After all these years ...  I'd love to be able to NOT cause trouble.

Actually when OP was released it was based on SFB ideas:  not a strict interpretation of SFB.  This one particular idea was probably one of the most consistently contested discussions (aside from the magic photon).  I know since my son was a close friends with a member of the development team.

That said I mean no disrespect to those who enjoy SFB.   However, if this sort of game were ever revisited it would probably be closer to OP than SFB. There is always room for speculation and dreaming.  I would love to see another OP based game come to life.  It was FUN !!  And now that I actually could make more of a genuine contribution (something besides flipping hexes) ...  it really gets the old adrenalin going !

EDIT...  and yes ..  anything that would be done on a large enough scale to warrant public use would probably have to be approved by CBS  (as I understand it).  STO license / development group  (whom ever that is) ..  might  have a few words to say as well  (just a guess).

It was 90% SFB and 7% of the other 10% was crap.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: FPF-DieHard on December 27, 2013, 04:56:16 pm
For me the SFB rule set was its greatest strength it had more years of play testing than any complex computer game ever has had or will have.  There was more balance outside of the ISC and X-Ships than any other game that begins to rival its complexity. 

Are there places where SFB went wrong?  Absolutely.  Creating weapons whose features were designed to give an over whelming advantage against their enemy (Hydran Hellbore vs Early Klingons).  Designing ships to avoid the DAC issue with forward hull by using central hull is another (there was no real reason Hydrans shouldn't have had fore and aft hull).  Some are perfectly legitimate like developing ADD, dogfight drones and strengthening those rear shields to defend better vs Hellbore for example.

IMHO there were some balance issues ...  (as you have pointed out) ..  BUT nothing that could not be fixed.  Unfortunately some folks were never satisfied unless some of those items were basically nerfed.  Let me hasten to say that I really would prefer to not go there out of respect to everyone here and out of respect to where this thread started.  Let's just say that I agree with you in some areas! 
However, I still love the "X" ships !   ;)  One of my favorite designs was a modified CLC that was done for a MOD.  I loved the extra Gatling phasers on it... it was a great ship to fly wing in.

I have to say . . . one of the best moment in SFC was when you and your son left.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: OlBuzzard on December 27, 2013, 05:49:07 pm
For me the SFB rule set was its greatest strength it had more years of play testing than any complex computer game ever has had or will have.  There was more balance outside of the ISC and X-Ships than any other game that begins to rival its complexity. 

Are there places where SFB went wrong?  Absolutely.  Creating weapons whose features were designed to give an over whelming advantage against their enemy (Hydran Hellbore vs Early Klingons).  Designing ships to avoid the DAC issue with forward hull by using central hull is another (there was no real reason Hydrans shouldn't have had fore and aft hull).  Some are perfectly legitimate like developing ADD, dogfight drones and strengthening those rear shields to defend better vs Hellbore for example.

IMHO there were some balance issues ...  (as you have pointed out) ..  BUT nothing that could not be fixed.  Unfortunately some folks were never satisfied unless some of those items were basically nerfed.  Let me hasten to say that I really would prefer to not go there out of respect to everyone here and out of respect to where this thread started.  Let's just say that I agree with you in some areas! 
However, I still love the "X" ships !   ;)  One of my favorite designs was a modified CLC that was done for a MOD.  I loved the extra Gatling phasers on it... it was a great ship to fly wing in.

I have to say . . . one of the best moment in SFC was when you and your son left.

Ahhh ...  your way or the highway ...  eh Diehard !
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on December 27, 2013, 06:02:17 pm
Ahhh ...  your way or the highway ...  eh Diehard !

Oh, come on now Buzzy, you have to admit that Nannerslug was just as stubborn in his own way. IIRC you ended up smoothing out more than one skirmish that he sort of let escalate out of hand.

Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: OlBuzzard on December 27, 2013, 06:50:28 pm
Ahhh ...  your way or the highway ...  eh Diehard !

Oh, come on now Buzzy, you have to admit that Nannerslug was just as stubborn in his own way. IIRC you ended up smoothing out more than one skirmish that he sort of let escalate out of hand.
shhhh  ... don't let that out ..  you'll ruin my reputation  !

 :laugh:

Truth is ... I made my own share of mistakes back then.  I wanted to so make a difference in the right way...  but flatly screwed up!  Part of that was due to listening to entirely too many who were as opposite as night and day!  Part of it was being such a gullible nooooob ...  BIG TIME !  And yes ...  my son led me into a trap or two as a result of my total lack of understanding of the game itself ...  let alone of an entire community.

However, in the end  as things began to erode away ..  I saw that it was time to leave.  In my old age I understand a lot more.  My desire is to find the best way I can serve and do that to the best of my ability.  In the case of the OP game I did have some contact with a member of the original development team, though more indirect ... and I understand better why certain things were done the way that they were.  NO ... the game was not perfect.  Yes ... going to either extreme was not in the best interest for the over all game.  (though sometimes that meant giving up a few things that I thoughtwere a must  in order to have what I thought was a better, more balanced game.

In short ...  I took the time to learn a few things from my mistakes.   LOL !
The OP game was some of the best times we had...  and I wish there was a way to see another one come along !
At any rate ...  I'll still keep in touch!  And yes!  I'm still messin' around with a few more models !
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on December 27, 2013, 06:55:45 pm
I have to say . . . one of the best moment in SFC was when you and your son left.

No need for that DieHard.    :police: Hint  :police:
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Captain Adam on December 27, 2013, 07:08:03 pm
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Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: OlBuzzard on December 27, 2013, 07:32:27 pm
Holy moly. Nannerslug's your son. Had no idea. Yup I remember his mods. It was him and Chris Jones that made me so passionate about SFC. I wish we could do more.

Adam

hehehe ... yup !  We did manage to do a few small things right.  I had a little input on some of the ship lists, some other minor items not worth mentioning ... and I wrote the stories for the GAW MOD.

Somewhere around here I have the "Dynageeser" award ...  the oldest member playing SFC !   LOL !

I still remember the prize too !  a 1957 Corvette ...  Unfortunately the only thing left was one of the handles ...
 :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
I will NEVER forget that one !
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: TopMoxie on December 27, 2013, 08:17:41 pm
I'll play, I would prefer Sfc3 but OP is good
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Captain Adam on December 28, 2013, 09:48:42 am
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Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on December 28, 2013, 10:30:43 am
There was one other game that did use SFB rules but they were not authorized to do so and were forced off the market.  Warp Factor, written in interpreted basic for the original PC.  I had it then and have the source code still.  I'd be tempted to try and upgrade it to the more modern FreeBasic if I had the skills. 
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Captain Adam on December 28, 2013, 10:53:31 am
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Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on December 28, 2013, 11:16:28 am
I don't have a basic that will run the old PC Basic games so I can't actually play it.   As I recall conceptually it was more like SFC but without the graphics.  The races I recall were Alliance, Remans and Klargons.  I'm sure you can identify their originals.

Link to a review (http://www.retroreviews.org/Computer%20Games/SSI/WarpFactor.html)

Link to youtube video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7ZMoMj9XBA#)
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: FPF-DieHard on December 29, 2013, 10:54:56 am
There was one other game that did use SFB rules but they were not authorized to do so and were forced off the market.  Warp Factor, written in interpreted basic for the original PC.  I had it then and have the source code still.  I'd be tempted to try and upgrade it to the more modern FreeBasic if I had the skills.

Only to be sued and shut down again?  :)

The Trek games without the SFB rules all suck, it's a shame but it's true.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on December 29, 2013, 11:01:40 am
There was one other game that did use SFB rules but they were not authorized to do so and were forced off the market.  Warp Factor, written in interpreted basic for the original PC.  I had it then and have the source code still.  I'd be tempted to try and upgrade it to the more modern FreeBasic if I had the skills.

Only to be sued and shut down again?  :)

The Trek games without the SFB rules all suck, it's a shame but it's true.

I didn't say anything about distributing it.  Done for myself they would neither know nor care. 

I wouldn't go so far as to say that all non SFB based Trek computer games suck mainly because I've played relatively few of them (and those were disappointing) but there may well be some that do have fans who like them.  Sucking is at least partly opinion and I dare say that there are those for whom SFC "sucks" because it is too complex for them. 
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on December 29, 2013, 11:08:01 am
I wouldn't go so far as to say that all non SFB based Trek computer games suck mainly because I've played relatively few of them (and those were disappointing) but there may well be some that do have fans who like them.  Sucking is at least partly opinion and I dare say that there are those for whom SFC "sucks" because it is too complex for them.


This is essentially the core of the issue with any multi-layered game. Some people enjoy the act of playing and the execution of tasks or strategies to an intended goal; some people just like to win and they don't really care how they do it. It's the deep tactical camp vs arcade shooter camp or the people who make up or ignore the rules in Monopoly vs the rules lawyers.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Captain Adam on December 29, 2013, 11:40:58 am
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Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on December 29, 2013, 01:07:00 pm
I'm definitely in the "deep" tactical/strategy side over the reflex shooters myself.  But that doesn't mean the reflex shooters inherently suck, just that they don't match what entertains me.  SFC 3 didn't appeal to me but it definitely had its fans who preferred it to the earlier models.

There are games whose rules are not that complex but do have deep strategy, chess for example.  They don't suck.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: OlBuzzard on December 29, 2013, 01:47:11 pm
Like any game that is out there:  There has to be a foundation to build on.  The tactical moves, etc. from SFB gave things a good platform to build on. 
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Age on December 29, 2013, 05:05:48 pm
For me the SFB rule set was its greatest strength it had more years of play testing than any complex computer game ever has had or will have.  There was more balance outside of the ISC and X-Ships than any other game that begins to rival its complexity. 

Are there places where SFB went wrong?  Absolutely.  Creating weapons whose features were designed to give an over whelming advantage against their enemy (Hydran Hellbore vs Early Klingons).  Designing ships to avoid the DAC issue with forward hull by using central hull is another (there was no real reason Hydrans shouldn't have had fore and aft hull).  Some are perfectly legitimate like developing ADD, dogfight drones and strengthening those rear shields to defend better vs Hellbore for example.


And that is so true! The SFB rules, is the greatest strength of the game. Whether or not people want to believe it or not. It's definitely what separates SFC from all the other crap. Someone mentioned BC. I play BC. It's not balanced at all. After 10 min it gets ridiculously boring. Just like STO.

There's no rules in place. People add as many weapons, all this technology that hasn't been tested for balancing, in the end its overkill. SFC remains the best game IMHO. OP on the top, SFC3 on the bottom of the SFC series. Between OP and 3. 3 is like watching Star Trek the Animated Series. Cartoonish, kind of cheesy, trying to hold on to Star Trek but in the end poorly executed. SFC has most of SFB, and even though I never played SFB I have to agree you can definitely see the difference btwn SFC and every other Star Trek Game. I have them all and they all turn out the same. But if it weren't for the SFB veterans around here; I don't think I would of fell in love with the game.

Adam

How can you say this since you never played one campaign on Dyna 2 server.You think BC is bad so is SFC2 if not patched and modded like all the rest of the Trek games.You don't know the community like you think you do as Raven Night one of the biggest modelers out there would take offence of what you just said about BC.You wouldn't want to say that about his community when he had his on board.Raven Night BC Universe (http://archive.kontek.net/bridgecommander.3dactionplanet.gamespy.com/phpBB/viewforum814c.html?f=29)

You think you know SFC3 you don't half as well as you think as you never played on any dyna 3 server or I would know as STGD back then did race registration for it.You can't even name name 3 of the biggest mods out there as we hosted 2 of them on old STGD.

When to comes to thins game you don't know as much as you think know if played on a General War server or Slave Girls server and have your rear handed back to you.You just don't the community here well enough to even talk about the game like you think you know.I leanred about it the hard way and gained respect for those here seeing as great as they were.

The only thing good about SFC is the dyna campaign map other than thet from the tactical pov it is like all others no diggerence and those other games use the right weapons.I wouldn't go and bash them as this game has it faults as well.

I do work on the Olldest Trek gaming fansite on the net.

This is what we said about SFB the board game more so than SFC.
Quote
     
Name: Star Fleet Battles

Any Star Trek fan worth their salt would have at least heard of this game.

Any Star Trek fan who loves board/card games would have played this game at one point in their life or seen someone playing it.

Star Fleet Battles is the most recognised board game for Star Trek on the planet and is the game which gave Interplay the idea to make Star Trek: Starfleet Command back in the 90's (heck the original interplay manual even credits Amarillo Design).

Even though Star Fleet Battles is a VAST game with LOADS of expansion sets and a massive rule set book the game itself is easy to get into.

With tournaments, official discussion groups and online support and play it's the corner stone of Amarillo Design and was the corner stone for Interplays most successful series of Star Trek games before they held the franchise over to Activision in 2000.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on December 29, 2013, 05:32:02 pm
I believe that Adam was talking of the single player versions not the online.  I seem to recall Age that there was a time when you were here and only playing single player SFC yourself.  Single player vs multiplayer vs Dynaverse are all significantly different experiences. 
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Age on December 29, 2013, 05:41:24 pm
That was on the Old Taldren boards when I was playing SP here I started playing on the Dyna then GSA.Tracey figured out my GSA name which I used to log on the dyna with and it became widely known.Then I was everyone target on the coalition.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Captain Adam on December 29, 2013, 06:33:11 pm
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Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Age on January 07, 2014, 06:03:05 pm
I am not dramatic just pointong out the facts and OP is balanced only to those who like the way it is only for those who know STB so well.It is best to those who play /ed the board game for the pure Star Trek fan it is not as balanced as it could be.Thee are lots of useless ships in the shiplist and the fighters are no where to be balanced
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Sirgod on January 07, 2014, 08:13:32 pm
Hey guys, w all get impassioned  at times, esp. over our games .  Hell, we wouldn't be here, if we where not the ubber fans we are. Let us just agree to disagree at times, and move on.

as far as balance, well, it is what it is, that's the great thing about our community, is that someone may be able to note a fault, and we as a community can fix it, if need be. It's one of the reasons I love you guys, and reading through these threads.

anyways, have a great week everyone.

Stephen
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: KBF-Crim on January 08, 2014, 03:23:15 am
That was on the Old Taldren boards when I was playing SP here I started playing on the Dyna then GSA.Tracey figured out my GSA name which I used to log on the dyna with and it became widely known.Then I was everyone target on the coalition.

Good times.... :coolsmiley:
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: FPF-DieHard on January 08, 2014, 12:26:45 pm
I am not dramatic just pointong out the facts and OP is balanced only to those who like the way it is only for those who know STB so well.It is best to those who play /ed the board game for the pure Star Trek fan it is not as balanced as it could be.Thee are lots of useless ships in the shiplist and the fighters are no where to be balanced

So it was balanced from people who were good at playing games . . . but not for fanbois who thought Photons should never miss?

Pretty much the truth.

But games, especially PvP games, need to be balanced on what great players can do in the ships.  If you balance from the un-skilled you see massive imbalances when you add skill the the equation.  Sure, Photons hitting through a 2 Shift of EW didn't matter when it was two newbies or AI was involved . . . but give that advantages to Ghish or Fox and it's ridiculous.

Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: knightstorm on January 08, 2014, 04:37:44 pm
SFC 1, EAW, and OP each retained the feel of a table top wargame.  That's what made the games unique and fun to play.  SFC 3 moved away from that, and while canon Star Trek is fun to watch, its not conducive to good gameplay.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: OlBuzzard on January 09, 2014, 08:19:35 am
SFC-3 was unique and offered a lot of good ideas.  Some of the later developed MODS were even better.  Where SFC-3 and BC went wrong were the way the missions were set up:  "drafting", the game maps.  What some use to call "hex flipping" while not always the "best" idea ..  was one of the most affective as far as multiplayer games at that point in time of PC gaming development.
Unfortunately some of those ideas that should have carried over to the next game level did not.  Equally as unfortunate some of the same arguments that wen on 10 years ago still persist leaving any doubt as to some of the darkest times in the community.  Me personally:  I've learned to try to grow with new ideas.  I see some of the benefits of BC  (yes BC) as well as SFC-3.

IMHO:  take OP (hex flipping):  tweak some of the balance issues (some will never agree with this ....  and that is fine)  and it's Dynaverse concept in drafting other players  (both friend and enemy alike) .  Actually there was a LOT of OP that was good as it was (even the magic photon).   ;)
..  add some of the 3-D benefits of BC  and maybe a couple more,
.. most of the ship list of SFC-3  (eliminate the Borg except for joint team missions) . ..  along with a couple more benefits from the game.  Yes there are very clear benefits of joint team missions.
..  add all of it together???   (just saying the possibilities). 
When developing a game we must look at the bigger picture.  I did not care for BC in it's entirety ...  yet if I were to build a new game (call it SFC-4 or 5 if needed) ...  I would seriously consider a few of the aspects that BC made available to the consumer to see what merits it might bring to the game table.  I would definitely want at it's core SFC-OP as an OS of sorts  (if that makes sense).

This is not fan-boy crap.  This is looking at what is best for getting larger groups of todays players involved and keeping them.

Having multiple servers with differing themes:  SFB only, role play  (yes I now know what that means), "big screen" ( possibly movie related) and possibly others ideas ... (again just more thoughts to consider).

Look folks:  I know that some of you are not only going to disagree ... but you would rather I simply move on!  And in time I probably will.  That's OK too.

I know what this game meant to me and to Nanner.  I know what changed (and why).   Just the same I will always appreciate those experiences, what we learned, the mistakes we made (and what we learned from those) ...  and the friends we made literally around the world  (some just across the big pond ...  and some from as far away as Australia).  Back in my high school days ..  playing games with friends around the world !  WOW !  That was just another crazy  dream.  Yet I not only lived to see it happen, I was there! 

Even still the possibilities of the above game would not make everyone happy.  Some would no doubt get mad if it DID happened ...just because it did.  You can't please everyone.  I guess that is just the way some folks are wired  (bless their hearts).

I'll still be around. 

And yes I still appreciate each of you !  (for whatever that is worth)
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: FPF-DieHard on January 09, 2014, 08:54:49 am

This is not fan-boy crap.

Yes it is.

It is far more important that a game is balanced than matches  what we "see on the screen."  Especially with Trek as it's all over the place and contradictory, not to mention all the ubber-ship trope bullsh*t that simple never should be in a PvP game.

Borg as a playable race?  Really?  Terrible idea.

This is why the stuff based on SFB is seuperior.  SFB is not perfect, not is it's translation into SFC, but it's a hell of a lot better than what some dumb video game developer pulls out of his ass.

And regarding mods and sh*t I always saw SFB as a guideline, not a gospel.  In the SGO mod we did go off script, but when we did we'd test the f*ck out of it to make sure we didn't break something worse than we fixed it.


Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: FPF-DieHard on January 09, 2014, 09:00:11 am
Stupid question mooks . . .

Do you guys think if OP Dyna works on modern OS's this game would still be active?

I'm gonna go with a "yes" on this.  I mean you really only need 50-100 people for a decent D2 server . . . but the bugs of this game are worse than a Jersey Girl's crotch.

Flamewars, magic-photons . ..  all that bullsh*t wouldn't have mattered if this was a better working game under the hood.  I mean modern games just work . . . just click on an instance, it opens you play.  The bullsh*t we had with the poorly designed drafting system in SFC . . . nobody would tolerate in these days. 

Not eveyone's able to make a dual-boot system either. 

I'm gonna go on record with saying the Vista thing is what killed SFC worse than any Magic Photon even could have.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Captain Adam on January 09, 2014, 09:18:49 am
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Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: OlBuzzard on January 09, 2014, 09:40:39 am
No kidding Adam ..  WOW!  Some people listen... other do not.
Here is one example.  I suggested that the Borg would only be used in "fleet" or team play ..  I NEVER have or would ever suggest that it should be a "playable faction" ...  *UGH* ...  no way at all !  Yet Diehard seems to take what I DID say ...  and suggest that ..  oh well!  Enough.

I did not return here to get into it with any one!  OP ... was and still is a fun game.  And if some of us had OUR dream ..   we would take the BEST ideas of game we have played ...  shake 'um up and have a grand time like you would not believe!
 
My only regret is that I do not have the tech savy or $$$$  (and LOTS of $$$$$$$$$$$$ ) to make it happen.

Sorry Diehard .. I'm not trying to flame ya bud!  You just don't have room in your heart or mind for different ideas!  (or at least you come across that way !) That's all.  No anger here!  None at all! 

(edited for minor correction)
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: FPF-DieHard on January 09, 2014, 09:51:03 am


Sorry Diehard .. I'm not trying to flame ya bud!  You just don't have room in your heart or mind for different ideas!  (or at least you come across that way !) That's all.  No anger here!  None at all!

Oh flame away, at this point in time I consider it a good natured sport.

If I had a heart, it wouldn't have room for BAD ideas.  Different ideas are fine and I've even changed my mind at least 3 times in my life.  Bad idea . . . ain't got time for that.

This is all academic at this point unless somebody with a bunch of money gets a new game going (sorry, CE don't cut it).
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Rainmaker on January 10, 2014, 12:25:06 am
Stupid question mooks . . .

Do you guys think if OP Dyna works on modern OS's this game would still be active?

I'm gonna go with a "yes" on this.  I mean you really only need 50-100 people for a decent D2 server . . . but the bugs of this game are worse than a Jersey Girl's crotch.

Flamewars, magic-photons . ..  all that bullsh*t wouldn't have mattered if this was a better working game under the hood.  I mean modern games just work . . . just click on an instance, it opens you play.  The bullsh*t we had with the poorly designed drafting system in SFC . . . nobody would tolerate in these days. 

Not eveyone's able to make a dual-boot system either. 

I'm gonna go on record with saying the Vista thing is what killed SFC worse than any Magic Photon even could have.



I have to say you may be wrong . On the Vista issue Gmax and SFC all games work on it.  Moding and Single play is good can also link via lan but not fixed to finish the game. The dynaverse  is broken but the games work. Blame MICROSOFT and APPLE and who ever else that cant make a system that is not working after release!
Blame the lazy techs AT MICROSOFT that dont want backwards compaible !!!!!!!!!!!

Now

Win crap 7 and 8 its total frack that they said Dnet team would fix and sell . I have ce but on vista I will have to try it on my 7 and new 8 Win crapers but I bet it wont work. Dont matter tech has changed to APP    Hell why is there not a SFC  app the tech is low and stock models and low ???? The game cant be that painfull to make a app for other than $$$ or the Legal bullcrap! ?
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Javora on January 10, 2014, 10:29:35 pm
And if some of us had OUR dream ..   we would take the BEST ideas of game we have played ...  shake 'um up and have a grand time like you would not believe!
 
My only regret is that I do not have the tech savy or $$$$  (and LOTS of $$$$$$$$$$$$ ) to make it happen.

Well we do have someone trying to create a SFC IV, suggestions are always welcome.  I try to add my two cents when I can then sit back and wait and see what happens.

One other thing, someone here has suggested that SFC OP Dynaverse might work if you first install the game on a WinXP box then transfer the files to a Win 7 box.  I actually think this might work, certainly worth a try.  If it does work the question I have is can you change the login information once the files are transferred to the Win 7 OS.

Why is this important you ask??!?  If both of those conditions are true then it would be possible for someone to install SFC OP on to their WinXP system, login to Dyna, then afterward change the login information to something random.  Then copy those files to this server for people to download.  From there anyone could download the files on to their system and login to Dyna themselves from there.

Otherwise people would need a dual boot system.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: TopMoxie on January 11, 2014, 02:57:30 pm
not just admit no one wants to play, why worry about wether or not it plays on 7 or 8 get and old computer whch are available at every second hand shop in a america you can get xp for a song and a dance and run returnel if your worried about viruses. You can get some good second hand computers around here for 10 bucks, yeh yeh its not fancy but you can play the game. NBo one wants to.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: TopMoxie on January 11, 2014, 03:55:16 pm
does anyone have a link to down load the access server patch
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: KBF-Korgal on January 11, 2014, 04:33:12 pm
not just admit no one wants to play, why worry about wether or not it plays on 7 or 8 get and old computer whch are available at every second hand shop in a america you can get xp for a song and a dance and run returnel if your worried about viruses. You can get some good second hand computers around here for 10 bucks, yeh yeh its not fancy but you can play the game. NBo one wants to.

Nonsense. If nobody wanted to, these forums would be 100% dead. Instead, there's actually a remarkable level of activity... looks like every few days, someone's popping in to see if the game's still playable and if there's an online gathering place for PvP. For example, this week it's me, after being absent for like 7 or 8 years.

I really wanna play, but not so bad that I'm gonna go screw with a cranky old computer that I use for nothing else, especially when space and money are tight in my world. *Especially* when XP's just going end of life in a few months, shortly after which it'll be riddled with malware if it's connected to the internet.

No, the game is dead because for most of us, the inconvenience of making the damn thing work outweighs even a strong desire to play it.

SFC4, maybe, seems like it offers some small hope of a path forward, but one with a damn big pile of ifs attached -- most notably the IP questions, I think, but I'm only just starting to get oriented around here.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Javora on January 11, 2014, 09:16:40 pm
If we can find someone with a dual boot system that is willing to test my theroy, we may find that WinXP isn't an issue afterall.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: FPF-DieHard on January 13, 2014, 08:25:30 am

No, the game is dead because for most of us, the inconvenience of making the damn thing work outweighs even a strong desire to play it.


Yup.  This is exactly it.

Newer games are just easier to play.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: FPF-DieHard on January 13, 2014, 08:27:46 am
If we can find someone with a dual boot system that is willing to test my theroy, we may find that WinXP isn't an issue afterall.

It's the direct play stuff in the OS.  And it's a moot point anyway with XP going EoL in a few months.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on January 13, 2014, 09:46:23 am
I don't really understand the problem with XP going "EoL". It's not like it will stop working or something. Besides, if you are only using it for a game computer who cares if it gets infected with something. Just wipe, reinstall and load up the files from a saved directory.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on January 13, 2014, 10:25:35 am
I don't really understand the problem with XP going "EoL". It's not like it will stop working or something. Besides, if you are only using it for a game computer who cares if it gets infected with something. Just wipe, reinstall and load up the files from a saved directory.

Install, configure, backup with clonezilla.  Restore from backup as needed. 
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on January 13, 2014, 10:27:10 am
I wonder if it would run under Steam OS and its version of wine?
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: FPF-DieHard on January 13, 2014, 03:07:59 pm
I don't really understand the problem with XP going "EoL". It's not like it will stop working or something. Besides, if you are only using it for a game computer who cares if it gets infected with something. Just wipe, reinstall and load up the files from a saved directory.

How many people will really do this?
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on January 13, 2014, 04:49:38 pm
I don't really understand the problem with XP going "EoL". It's not like it will stop working or something. Besides, if you are only using it for a game computer who cares if it gets infected with something. Just wipe, reinstall and load up the files from a saved directory.

How many people will really do this?


How many people really want to play? Just by asking how many have a viable XP machine right now got some positive response.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Javora on January 13, 2014, 09:18:48 pm
I have a copy of Win XP around here somewhere.  just not exactly sure where the moment, things got kinda crazy after we moved.  I was really hoping someone with a dual boot system can test that theroy I have.  it would be much easier for me to have this working on my Win 7 box.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: KBF-Korgal on January 15, 2014, 06:01:39 pm
I don't really understand the problem with XP going "EoL". It's not like it will stop working or something. Besides, if you are only using it for a game computer who cares if it gets infected with something. Just wipe, reinstall and load up the files from a saved directory.

How many people will really do this?

Yeah, see, that's just it. I get paid good money to wrestle with ridiculous headaches like that. I'll be damned if I'm gonna do it in my free time. That there are a dozen or so people here who will countenance the effort doesn't render the problem moot -- it is still obstacle enough to dissuade many (most?) people who might actually pick up and play this game.

So, I shall wait patiently, and watch to see if SFC4 reaches a point where my skills might be of use. But I do hope I've done at least something to disabuse you of the notion that "everyone should just get a spare computer and get a copy of XP and install OP and install a custom shiplist and clone it all and reimage it weekly (while preserving palettes, saves, etc.)" is a reasonable solution for all but a few.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: TAnimaL on January 16, 2014, 02:09:30 pm

Yeah, see, that's just it. I get paid good money to wrestle with ridiculous headaches like that. I'll be damned if I'm gonna do it in my free time. That there are a dozen or so people here who will countenance the effort doesn't render the problem moot -- it is still obstacle enough to dissuade many (most?) people who might actually pick up and play this game.

So, I shall wait patiently, and watch to see if SFC4 reaches a point where my skills might be of use. But I do hope I've done at least something to disabuse you of the notion that "everyone should just get a spare computer and get a copy of XP and install OP and install a custom shiplist and clone it all and reimage it weekly (while preserving palettes, saves, etc.)" is a reasonable solution for all but a few.

I kinda second Korgal here; my own computer skills are enough to keep my XP box running but if too many hardware breakdowns happen it'll die.

Has anyone had any luck running XP in VM on 7 or 8? I have a friend that promised to loan me a copy of XP so I could try that on my brand new 8 box  but he keeps forgetting the disk...
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Captain Adam on January 16, 2014, 02:15:37 pm
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Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Age on January 17, 2014, 08:41:51 pm
I am not dramatic just pointong out the facts and OP is balanced only to those who like the way it is only for those who know STB so well.It is best to those who play /ed the board game for the pure Star Trek fan it is not as balanced as it could be.Thee are lots of useless ships in the shiplist and the fighters are no where to be balanced

So it was balanced from people who were good at playing games . . . but not for fanbois who thought Photons should never miss?

Pretty much the truth.

But games, especially PvP games, need to be balanced on what great players can do in the ships.  If you balance from the un-skilled you see massive imbalances when you add skill the the equation.  Sure, Photons hitting through a 2 Shift of EW didn't matter when it was two newbies or AI was involved . . . but give that advantages to Ghish or Fox and it's ridiculous.


Games aren't balanced for the great players but for everyone and you should know that by now playing DDO online.Phasers and photons should use sec instead of turns as it related more to PvP in PC games.Photons Torps like Submarine Torps don't recharge they reload.

It all depends on who you are fighting you maybe great fighting Rom pilots unlike some of us but if this were another game anyone could take them out.

Yes Crim the memories I still owe you a kill.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: knightstorm on January 18, 2014, 01:33:15 am

Photons Torps like Submarine Torps don't recharge they reload.


SFC IS NOT BASED ON CANON STAR TREK!!  The first reference to photon torpedoes as physical objects was in a schematic in TMP.  By then, SFB had already been built around photons as an energy weapon.  As for gameplay balance, we got magic photons.  The do alleviate some of the problems of flying feds in single ship cruiser duels which are the bread and butter of SFC, although I will concede that they make multiple feds, or fed DNs too powerful.  Perhaps some sort of system where the proxy bonus shuts off if one side has more than four photons would have worked better.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Age on January 18, 2014, 02:38:07 am

Photons Torps like Submarine Torps don't recharge they reload.


SFC IS NOT BASED ON CANON STAR TREK!!  The first reference to photon torpedoes as physical objects was in a schematic in TMP.  By then, SFB had already been built around photons as an energy weapon.  As for gameplay balance, we got magic photons.  The do alleviate some of the problems of flying feds in single ship cruiser duels which are the bread and butter of SFC, although I will concede that they make multiple feds, or fed DNs too powerful.  Perhaps some sort of system where the proxy bonus shuts off if one side has more than four photons would have worked better.
Notice how I said submarine torpedo you don't charge those up much the same as in Star Trek TOS.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: knightstorm on January 18, 2014, 03:03:50 am
It was never specified in TOS.  The mechanism of preparing photon torpedoes to fire wasn't seen until TWOK.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on January 18, 2014, 09:18:01 am
I can't remember where I read it , but I seem to recall that the original concept for the Photon Torpedo called for a small amount of matter and anti-matter to be placed into a magnetic bottle and combined at the point of impact (or proximity) to create an explosion. They never really discussed the delivery system, but it seems likely that some form of mechanism would be required to create and maintain the magnetic bottle until the elements needed to be combined. In this way it is both an energy and conventional weapon.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Captain Adam on January 18, 2014, 09:41:36 am
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Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on January 18, 2014, 10:46:10 am
It's from the book The Making of Star Trek. I thought that it was decades ago (long before the internet) that I read that. Here is the relevant passage from Memory Alpha with more info for context:



*The 1968 reference book The Making of Star Trek (page 194), gave this early description of the photon torpedo: "...photon torpedoes, which are energy pods of matter and anti-matter contained and held temporarily separated in a magno-photon force field. These can be used as torpedoes or depth charges, and can be set with electrochemical, proximity, and a variety of other fuses. Photon torpedoes can be fired directly at a target, laid out as a minefield, or scattered in an attacker's path as depth charges." However, the earlier 1967 episode "Obsession" seemed to contradict the whole notion that there was antimatter in these photon torpedoes. In the story, the Enterprise crew attempt to destroy the Dikironium cloud creature by exploding photon torpedoes inside it, when that had no effect, they turn to the most powerful weapon available at that time: an ounce of antimatter to produce a matter-antimatter blast to destroy the creature.

The idea that the photon torpedoes themselves had physical missile-like casing was never confirmed on screen during The Original Series. The idea of distinct "launchers" (or "tubes") for the torpedoes was first introduced in the second season episode, "The Changeling", as "torpedo number 2" was fired instead of just a "torpedo bank being discharged". Even as late as Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Andrew Probert did not envision the photon torpedo to be a capsule, as he says in his 2005 Trekplace interview: "I envisioned them as what we saw during the TV era, they were glowing globs of plasma or some sort of energy. They weren't giant capsules. I envision them as big, glowy, dangerous blobs of... scariness."

Photon torpedoes were definitely weapons with physical missile casings by the time of the 1982 feature film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Furthermore, the special effect of a torpedo launched with a warhead and one launched as a coffin was completely different in the film. The first on-screen connection between photon torpedoes and antimatter came in 1989, in the second season episode "Samaritan Snare" of Star Trek: The Next Generation and it was not established until 1991, in the fourth season episode "Half a Life", that photon torpedoes had in fact deflector shields of their own.*





That example they sight as an indication that there is no anti-matter in a photon because they used anti-matter to kill the cloud creature in Obsession is bogus. They couldn't kill it in space because the creature knew they were attacking it and changed its form to be unharmed by the weapons. On the planet when it went for the bait it had to change to a form that could interact with material objects and was then vulnerable to the explosion.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Age on January 18, 2014, 05:33:57 pm
It was never specified in TOS.  The mechanism of preparing photon torpedoes to fire wasn't seen until TWOK.
It is just assumbed they would load them in the same way after all they torpedos same as Sub.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on January 18, 2014, 05:53:26 pm
It was never specified in TOS.  The mechanism of preparing photon torpedoes to fire wasn't seen until TWOK.

It is just assumbed they would load them in the same way after all they torpedos same as Sub.

Slow missiles fired on a straight line course?  Ballistic drones in other words.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: knightstorm on January 19, 2014, 09:39:23 am
It was never specified in TOS.  The mechanism of preparing photon torpedoes to fire wasn't seen until TWOK.
It is just assumbed they would load them in the same way after all they torpedos same as Sub.

They look like balls of light, so before TWOK, everyone assumed that they were energy weapons.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Age on January 19, 2014, 05:49:49 pm
It was never specified in TOS.  The mechanism of preparing photon torpedoes to fire wasn't seen until TWOK.

It is just assumbed they would load them in the same way after all they torpedos same as Sub.

Slow missiles fired on a straight line course?  Ballistic drones in other words.
They didn't use missles though.

@kightstrom
I took them to be just like torpedos aboard a submarine when I first heard about them way back in 1971 in syndication.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: knightstorm on January 20, 2014, 02:56:35 pm

@kightstrom
I took them to be just like torpedos aboard a submarine when I first heard about them way back in 1971 in syndication.

160 years ago, a torpedo was an explosive on the end of a stick.  Definitions change through time.  The photon torpedoes looked like balls of light, and alot of the licensed materials of the time like technical guides described them as energy weapons.


They didn't use missles though.


By definition, photon torpedoes as they eventually appeared in canon are a type of guided missile.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Age on January 20, 2014, 05:57:51 pm
Whatever it is still a torpedo that reqiures no energy to arm.Missles aren't torps buy why.

It is just in game an S plama torp desn't need the amount of time to charge/load compared to photons.It doesn't have the holding cost of that of photon or disruptor.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: knightstorm on January 21, 2014, 10:52:08 am
Whatever it is still a torpedo that reqiures no energy to arm

And like I stated, before TWOK, licensed publications described photon torpedoes as energy weapons, which do require ships energy to manufacture and maintain.  SFB adopted that concept, which is how it ended up in SFC.  Why can't you get that?

Missles aren't torps buy why.


Can you rephrase that?  I don't understand what you're trying to say here.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: TAnimaL on January 21, 2014, 01:39:27 pm
um, I'm not really understanding how whether torpedoes are missiles or missiles are energy or plasmas are photons can affect whether or not someone still plays these games or not. I tried rereading parts of this thread but my head started hurting and watching the snow collect out my window became more interesting ::)

I'm sure the end of life for XP will have long-term repercussions for these games but it seems the passions that still are carried over trivialities by the peoples on this forum show that we still play, and care, about SFC, and where there's a will, there's a way to keep it going. After all, weren't SFC1-OP all written for Windows 2000?
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Age on January 21, 2014, 05:10:08 pm
Whatever it is still a torpedo that reqiures no energy to arm


And like I stated, before TWOK, licensed publications described photon torpedoes as energy weapons, which do require ships energy to manufacture and maintain.  SFB adopted that concept, which is how it ended up in SFC.  Why can't you get that?

Missles aren't torps buy why.



Can you rephrase that?  I don't understand what you're trying to say here.


In part you are right.
This is what this says.
http://www.st-intelligence.com/tech_database/dom/photon.php (http://www.st-intelligence.com/tech_database/dom/photon.php)

Would you say this are the same.
Star Trek Phase 2: "Kitumba" - Episode 4x08 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=419hNYe2OaY#ws)
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Captain Adam on January 21, 2014, 05:39:33 pm
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Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: TAnimaL on January 22, 2014, 10:48:10 am
It"s definitely a fan-boy site, but the tech it states is the same as the TNG/DS9 tech manuals, so it depends how you feel about them. As far as canon goes, the debate over photorps are "energy or missile" can be never-ending because one can find evidence to support either contention. In TOS, they didn't really pay much attention to the tech, and post-TMP they had cool physical props to play with. It comes down to what the individual player's preference, imo.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Captain Adam on January 22, 2014, 11:40:24 am
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Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: TAnimaL on January 22, 2014, 04:10:12 pm
I don't want to say that you don't make sense, Captain Adam, but... I thi!nk it'd be safer to say, I have no clue as to what the question was anymore! :D
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Captain Adam on January 22, 2014, 04:21:42 pm
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Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Age on January 22, 2014, 07:04:02 pm
There can't be photons because.

http://bigthink.com/videos/why-we-cant-fire-the-photon-torpedoes (http://bigthink.com/videos/why-we-cant-fire-the-photon-torpedoes)

Missles are chemicaly fueled warhead that travel well under impluse speeds.That any phaser or even laser could shoot down.

tor·pe·do  (tôr-pd)
n. pl. tor·pe·does
1. A cigar-shaped, self-propelled underwater projectile launched from a submarine, aircraft, or ship and designed to detonate on contact with or in the vicinity of a target.
2. Any of various submarine explosive devices, especially a submarine mine.
3. A small explosive placed on a railroad track that is fired by the weight of the train to sound a warning of an approaching hazard.
4. An explosive fired in an oil or gas well to begin or increase the flow.
5. A small firework consisting of gravel wrapped in tissue paper with a percussion cap that explodes when thrown against a hard surface.
6. See electric ray.
7. Slang A professional assassin or thug.
8. Chiefly New Jersey See submarine. See Regional Note at submarine.
tr.v. tor·pe·doed, tor·pe·do·ing, tor·pe·does
1. To attack, strike, or sink with a torpedo.
2. To destroy decisively; wreck: torpedo efforts at reform.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/torpedo (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/torpedo)

This if we really want to get techical.I maybe fanboy which is why I play why do you?
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Captain Adam on January 22, 2014, 07:28:11 pm
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Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: knightstorm on January 22, 2014, 07:46:37 pm
There can't be photons because.



Missles are chemicaly fueled warhead that travel well under impluse speeds.That any phaser or even laser could shoot down.



A missile is a projectile that moves through air or space.  There is no speed limit on what can be considered a missile.  Photon torpedoes are guided missiles.

Even the Klingon/federation emissary traveled in a photon torpedo tube at warp in one of the episodes.
It was a high speed probe in emmisary.  For the record, while its never been stated on screen, and thus is not canon, an issue of Star Trek magazine in the late 90s stated that photon torpedoes are sub-light weapons.  While they have a theoretical top speed of warp one, they have a limited quantity of anti-matter which is used for both propulsion, and detonation.  The faster they go, the lower their yield.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Captain Adam on January 22, 2014, 07:55:49 pm
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Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Captain Adam on January 22, 2014, 08:26:40 pm
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Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: TAnimaL on January 23, 2014, 09:19:34 am
By your own admission Knightstorm, that tech on photorps in that ST mag was not canon, so we can consider it not true, especially when you consider how many examples in TNG/DSP/Voy of the torps being warp speed, from "Encounter at Farpoint" on. While I can't think of an actual moment when a character flatly states "torpedoes are ftl/sublight," the obvious conclusion, based on everything we've seen, is that the photon torpedoes are physical objects (TWOK onward) that require energy to fire. (TNG, S1ep5 "The Last Outpost," Lt. Yar says "We have energy to arm the photons but none to fire them.") The TNG Tech Manual, written by those who provided the science/technical advising for the show, says that photon torpedoes can be both sublight and FTL, depending on how they are launched, which is the same as what the "Daystrom Institute" site you provided Capt Adam (see footnotes there). So I'd say it's as "accurate" as you can get.

You sure are right about the "SFX" people, Capt Adam, but not their fault ;) - it's always plot driven, which is why this is such a muddled topic. The "swooping seeking" photorp looked cool in ST6, and they could use it to comedic effect in "Message in a Bottle," so they did.

Look, to try to "agree to disagree," let's reiterate - it's a TV show/movie series of 738 episodes. Yes we all love it but it can be maddening contradictory. Yes, overall Michio Kaku is right, it's not the best name for a weapon. In TOS they loked like blobs of light and they never said what thet were. "They" gave more detail as the movies and new shows came out, which is what we're stuck with. In any event, as with most of the technology, it's usually plot-driven how and when things work they way they do.


You're right, Captain Adam, in SFB the missiles (called "drones") required zero energy to arm and launch (exception: antimatter warhead drones that the Feds had access to). These came totally from the makers of SFB, not canon. SFB also used the concept common in the 70s that phasers were "warp-accelerated" and were FTL weapons. Also, in SFB, combat is FTL (low, below WF3), where in SFC they used the TNG et. al. concept that combat was almost entirely subllight and that phasers don't work in warp. While I can think of an exception or two (Voyager firing phasers as point defense "Basics, pt 1"), most of the TV and movies followed this case. Unless the plot-of-the-week required otherwise. ;)

Personally, I prefer the "sublight combat" idea of SFC/TNG as opposed to the SFB model. The SFB rules had to jump through hoops about warp combat to cover the "examples" in TOS "Balance of Terror" AND "Elaan of Troyus." I can't resist posting this - here's the description of warp combat from SFB, Basic Set:
"Movement at a speed of one hex per turn equals movement at the speed of light.
Thus, each turn represents 1/30 of a second of subjective time. However, using relativistic
variable time distortion, the time elapsed during a turn appears to the crew
inside the ship to be about a minute"

Now, really, does that make any real sense??
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Captain Adam on January 23, 2014, 09:42:44 am
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Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: knightstorm on January 23, 2014, 10:01:20 am
The magazine is not canon, but it was using information from the producers of the show, so its a bit more authoritative than some random website.  Theoretically, phasers should not be capable of being fired forward by a ship moving at warp, yet we've seen that many times in canon also.  I can only assume that the traveling ship is somehow carrying the phaser or torpedo into warp with it.

As far as rules are conerned, I tend to look at the media for what its intended to be rather than arguing that one is better than the other.  Canon is intended for viewing.  It is superior for viewing.  SFB is intended for gameplay, Making the gameplay enjoyable trumps reality, or fidelity to canon, and we should leave it at that.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: TAnimaL on January 23, 2014, 10:25:10 am
LOL, I'm sure you're right Captain Adam...

Since you've got no reference/link, and if we were reading the same ST mags in the 90s Knightstorm, I willing to bet you're mis-remebering. The TNG manual makes it a point that photorps can't make the jump to warp on their own, but they are indeed the weapon to use while at warp, as opposed to phasers, which are "sublight" (technically, the beam moves at c, so neither "sub" or "FTL").

True, gameplay should trump media viewing for playing a game; I think we all just wish a "game" can do what we "see" in the media.

Thanks for the tip Captain Adam; I had forgotten about the Daystrom Institute site. I'm lovin' it!
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on January 23, 2014, 11:10:34 am
I think we all just wish a "game" can do what we "see" in the media.


Loosely and inconsistantly follow an ever changing source that allows me to make things up as I go to satisfy the needs of the situation in order to achieve victory every time I play? That sounds great for me, but the rest of you are going to hate the game pretty fast.


It is true that they show both photons and phasers firing a warp speeds (right from the very first production episode of TOS where they destroy the cube in The Corbomite Maneuver at warp three) and that they have been inconsistant about it as they made it up and as plots required clever fixes to problems to move along. I'll just use their own technobabble approach and say that the phasing part in "phaser" that blends plasma into a laser also phases the beam partly into a sub-space domain that allows it to seem to go FTL when at warp due to the relativistic speed differential. As for photons; since they have a hard candy coating encasing all that sweet goodness, it isn't hard to assume that they fit them with small warp boosters that allow them to maintain a high warp speed (approaching the assigned limit of warp ten set in TNG before achieving trans-warp).

Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: knightstorm on January 23, 2014, 12:31:49 pm
LOL, I'm sure you're right Captain Adam...

Since you've got no reference/link, and if we were reading the same ST mags in the 90s Knightstorm, I willing to bet you're mis-remebering. The TNG manual makes it a point that photorps can't make the jump to warp on their own, but they are indeed the weapon to use while at warp, as opposed to phasers, which are "sublight" (technically, the beam moves at c, so neither "sub" or "FTL").

True, gameplay should trump media viewing for playing a game; I think we all just wish a "game" can do what we "see" in the media.

Thanks for the tip Captain Adam; I had forgotten about the Daystrom Institute site. I'm lovin' it!

Those technical manuals aren't canon either, but they're more authoritative than other sources, because of who's writing them, but the same could be said about that magazine article.  I'm going to have to look, but I might still have it packed away somewhere.  These magazines were high quality, and I didn't get many of them since they were over $7 per issue which was a bit over budget for a high school student to spend on a magazine in the late 90s.  That said, there were episodes where forward phasers were fired by ships moving at warp.


It is true that they show both photons and phasers firing a warp speeds (right from the very first production episode of TOS where they destroy the cube in The Corbomite Maneuver at warp three) and that they have been inconsistant about it as they made it up and as plots required clever fixes to problems to move along. I'll just use their own technobabble approach and say that the phasing part in "phaser" that blends plasma into a laser also phases the beam partly into a sub-space domain that allows it to seem to go FTL when at warp due to the relativistic speed differential. As for photons; since they have a hard candy coating encasing all that sweet goodness, it isn't hard to assume that they fit them with small warp boosters that allow them to maintain a high warp speed (approaching the assigned limit of warp ten set in TNG before achieving trans-warp).



We're really arguing about non canon tech sources published by the production staff.  They don't need clever treknobabble to fix things, because these limitations were never explicitly stated in canon.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: TAnimaL on January 23, 2014, 02:37:38 pm

Those technical manuals aren't canon either, but they're more authoritative than other sources, because of who's writing them, but the same could be said about that magazine article.  I'm going to have to look, but I might still have it packed away somewhere.  These magazines were high quality, and I didn't get many of them since they were over $7 per issue which was a bit over budget for a high school student to spend on a magazine in the late 90s.

Like I said, I believe you've misremebered those mags, since they say the same thing as those manuals.

Star Trek -The Magazine. Volume 1, issue 3, p.60:
"The photon torpedo was developed as a tactical weapon that could be used while a starship travelled at warp - a situation in which phasers are useless."

It's a retcon to the early TOS, but it's beome the accepted norm in ST.

Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on January 23, 2014, 03:08:13 pm
Like I said, I believe you've misremebered those mags, since they say the same thing as those manuals.

Star Trek -The Magazine. Volume 1, issue 3, p.60:
"The photon torpedo was developed as a tactical weapon that could be used while a starship travelled at warp - a situation in which phasers are useless."

It's a retcon to the early TOS, but it's beome the accepted norm in ST.

Balderdash. In one of the very last episodes of the second season, The Ultimate Computer, when both phasers and photons had been both firmly established, the Enterprise fires both weapons at speeds of warp four and greater.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: OlBuzzard on January 23, 2014, 03:47:17 pm
[/plops down in easy chair]

anyone care for some pop corn ?

 :popcorn: :drink:
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Captain Adam on January 23, 2014, 04:27:14 pm
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Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Lieutenant_Q on January 23, 2014, 05:09:50 pm
I was really hoping that, during the Enterprise Season 1 Episode: Fallen Hero, when Lt. Reed stated that they couldn't fire the Phase Cannons at Warp, that we were going to get an explanation that would have put this issue to bed once and for all.  Unfortunately, all we got was: It would disrupt the warp field (plot device) and that he'd have the problem fixed soon enough (leaving it open so that someone else could write a script, possibly even the next episode, where they worked just fine at warp).

Technically, (And I'm throwing out anything pre-TMP as the concept of Warp changes with the advent of The Motion Picture.  TOS and TAS had starships maneuvering and fighting while at warp, almost all the time, anytime they had to fight at sublight, it was stated that they were clearly at a disadvantage because of it)  The only way to have combat at Warp is if the ships involved in the fighting share a Warp Field.  At which point, since they are in the same area of subspace, they can exchange fire with each other as if they were at sub-light.  With all the maneuvering restrictions of being at warp.  I can't think of a single instance (Outside of SFC3) where a ship at warp, exchanged fire with a ship at sub-light after the Warp Concept change.  Mostly because of the logic of trying to hit something at FTL speeds leaves a firing window of only a few milliseconds.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on January 23, 2014, 05:42:03 pm
Technically, (And I'm throwing out anything pre-TMP as the concept of Warp changes with the advent of The Motion Picture.  TOS and TAS had starships maneuvering and fighting while at warp, almost all the time, anytime they had to fight at sublight, it was stated that they were clearly at a disadvantage because of it)  The only way to have combat at Warp is if the ships involved in the fighting share a Warp Field.  At which point, since they are in the same area of subspace, they can exchange fire with each other as if they were at sub-light.  With all the maneuvering restrictions of being at warp.  I can't think of a single instance (Outside of SFC3) where a ship at warp, exchanged fire with a ship at sub-light after the Warp Concept change.  Mostly because of the logic of trying to hit something at FTL speeds leaves a firing window of only a few milliseconds.


Ermmm,  :huh: While it wasn't a ship, in TMP they fired a photon at an asteroid while in the wormhole caused by the engine imbalance near the start of the movie. They were definitely at warp (even though it was a warped warp) and I'm pretty sure asteroids don't move at FTL speeds.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on January 23, 2014, 06:40:56 pm
Even the Klingon/federation emissary traveled in a photon torpedo tube at warp in one of the episodes. I'm still fuzzy about what you are trying to say. Can you explain it again.

If you are referring to Worfs girl friend she traveled in a probe. 
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Captain Adam on January 23, 2014, 06:45:26 pm
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Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on January 23, 2014, 06:58:09 pm
Yes but aren't the casing identical.
Don't they even state several times that you can remove the internal mechanisms and alter it to be uses as weapons or sensor eq. Or in that case a make shift environmental unit for her to travel.

I would doubt that the casing of a Klingon probe was the same as that of a Federation photon torpedo.

Consider the minimum space required for K'Ehleyr (6' 1/2" in height) plus life support plus propulsion.  Much bigger than the expected size of a photon torp. 
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: knightstorm on January 23, 2014, 07:01:19 pm

Those technical manuals aren't canon either, but they're more authoritative than other sources, because of who's writing them, but the same could be said about that magazine article.  I'm going to have to look, but I might still have it packed away somewhere.  These magazines were high quality, and I didn't get many of them since they were over $7 per issue which was a bit over budget for a high school student to spend on a magazine in the late 90s.

Like I said, I believe you've misremebered those mags, since they say the same thing as those manuals.

Star Trek -The Magazine. Volume 1, issue 3, p.60:
"The photon torpedo was developed as a tactical weapon that could be used while a starship travelled at warp - a situation in which phasers are useless."

It's a retcon to the early TOS, but it's beome the accepted norm in ST.

Phasers and other beam weapons were fired during warp during the course of both Voyager and Enterprise.  I'm not sure, but I think its also happened during DS9.

BTW.  I still haven't found my copy of that magazine, but I found a different issue which has an interview with Erik Bethke about the upcoming SFC1.  I remember reading it at the time, and thinking the game sounded odd, and that I probably wouldn't want to play it. ;D
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on January 23, 2014, 07:02:57 pm
Corbomite maneuver TOS during warp reverse fired at the buoy with phasers.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on January 23, 2014, 07:08:11 pm
Lol Nem! I sighted that example about ten posts ago.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on January 23, 2014, 07:10:36 pm
Lol Nem! I sighted that example about ten posts ago.

So you have independent confirmation.  :)
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: knightstorm on January 23, 2014, 07:18:57 pm
We're talking TNG and later.  TOS made less effort towards consistency as far as technology was concerned.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on January 23, 2014, 07:29:13 pm
I don't see any inconsistancies on this point. They have fired at warp and they have fired at impulse in just about every incarnation. It doesn't matter what the fans, manuals or "actual scientists" say. It's the frickin' 23rd-24th century; if you see it on screen, they have figured out a way to do it even if you can't!
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: knightstorm on January 23, 2014, 07:34:11 pm
Yeah, and they also did an episode where they made a big to do about the Enterprise not being able to fire with its shields up, and lets not forget the Romulan Bird of Prey's "power is simple impulse."
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on January 23, 2014, 08:12:35 pm
Yeah, and they also did an episode where they made a big to do about the Enterprise not being able to fire with its shields up,


When did they do that?



and lets not forget the Romulan Bird of Prey's "power is simple impulse."


I always assumed that it meant that they were running on simple impulse at that time due to the cost of the cloak and the plasma torpedo. Realistically, there is no way they could have made it into deep space on impulse alone. The Romulans probably had a limited warp ability that they only used to get from place to place and when confronted by a ship with a superior ability on that regard, the Romulan commander tried to use the advantages that the situation presented since he knew he couldn't out run the Enterprise as he was low on fuel.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: knightstorm on January 23, 2014, 08:19:19 pm
Yeah, and they also did an episode where they made a big to do about the Enterprise not being able to fire with its shields up,


When did they do that?



It was the episode where the planet was fighting a computerized war, and the Enterprise had been marked as a casualty.  When they refused to self destruct, the race fired on the Enterprise, and the ship couldn't fire back because its shields were up.


I always assumed that it meant that they were running on simple impulse at that time due to the cost of the cloak and the plasma torpedo. Realistically, there is no way they could have made it into deep space on impulse alone. The Romulans probably had a limited warp ability that they only used to get from place to place and when confronted by a ship with a superior ability on that regard, the Romulan commander tried to use the advantages that the situation presented since he knew he couldn't out run the Enterprise as he was low on fuel.

Or, this was an early episode before it had been decided that impulse would solely be a method of sublight propulsion.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Lieutenant_Q on January 23, 2014, 08:35:58 pm
Technically, (And I'm throwing out anything pre-TMP as the concept of Warp changes with the advent of The Motion Picture.  TOS and TAS had starships maneuvering and fighting while at warp, almost all the time, anytime they had to fight at sublight, it was stated that they were clearly at a disadvantage because of it)  The only way to have combat at Warp is if the ships involved in the fighting share a Warp Field.  At which point, since they are in the same area of subspace, they can exchange fire with each other as if they were at sub-light.  With all the maneuvering restrictions of being at warp.  I can't think of a single instance (Outside of SFC3) where a ship at warp, exchanged fire with a ship at sub-light after the Warp Concept change.  Mostly because of the logic of trying to hit something at FTL speeds leaves a firing window of only a few milliseconds.


Ermmm,  :huh: While it wasn't a ship, in TMP they fired a photon at an asteroid while in the wormhole caused by the engine imbalance near the start of the movie. They were definitely at warp (even though it was a warped warp) and I'm pretty sure asteroids don't move at FTL speeds.

The Asteroid was pulled into the wormhole with them, it was in their warp field, therefore they could fire at it.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on January 23, 2014, 08:38:39 pm
It was the episode where the planet was fighting a computerized war, and the Enterprise had been marked as a casualty.  When they refused to self destruct, the race fired on the Enterprise, and the ship couldn't fire back because its shields were up.


Ahh, well then I see your confusion. Scotty never said that they couldn't fire with the shields up. What he said was:

"We can't fire full  phasers with our screens up, and we can't lower our screens with their disruptors on us. Of course, I could treat them to a few dozen photon torpedoes."


Which I take to mean that with full power to the deflectors to ward off the planetary assault, the phasers would have less power and would be unable to dent the planet's defenses, whereas the photons would have no problem since they are self powered.




Or, this was an early episode before it had been decided that impulse would solely be a method of sublight propulsion.


Well, as a viewer, I have to fill the gaps they leave out due to that factor if I wish to inhabit their universe enough to buy it.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Captain Adam on January 23, 2014, 08:45:42 pm
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Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on January 23, 2014, 08:46:54 pm
The Asteroid was pulled into the wormhole with them, it was in their warp field, therefore they could fire at it.

In their warp field? From trillions of miles away? Remember it took forever to get to the point where they saw the rock, targeted it and then fired. Seriously, it was like a five minute sequence. Even at warp one that rock had to be about a solar system away when they went to warp. Since there are aboslutely no experts on earth that could rationally discuss the effects of a warp field on a self generated wormhole and whether or not said wormhole would in some way amplify the warp field to the size of a solar system, I'm not even going to go there.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Lieutenant_Q on January 23, 2014, 08:54:44 pm
How else do you explain the line from Ilia?  "Unidentified small object has been pulled into the wormhole with us, directly ahead!"  As for time, it took almost three of those minutes just for this part of it:

Kirk: "Time to Impact?"
Ilia: "Twenty Seconds..."
Kirk: "Mr. Chekov, Stand by on Phasers..."

....

Decker: "Fire Torpedo!"
Chekov: "....Torpedo Away!" (Chekov said something at the beginning of this, but after watching it repeatedly, I still don't quite know what he said)
Ilia: "Four...." (still in the countdown)
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on January 23, 2014, 09:00:27 pm
Pulled in to the wormhole, yes I agree, but I don't see how that wormhole equates to warp field even if the imbalance in the field created and is sustaining that wormhole. In any case the rock wasn't moving even if it was in a warp field, unless you are saying that it was being pulled along?
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on January 23, 2014, 09:03:43 pm

That's federation writing on the probe.
schematics/starfleet_probes.htm[/url]

This site usually is very good with canon sources. Don't quote it or me but the class 8 probe is suppose to be a modified photon. Don't tell at me if I'm wrong. Lol

Adam

Been a long time since I watched any TNG.  The probe came from a Federation Starbase so it was a Federation probe (my mistake).  Since there was an absolute minimum of space not occupied by the passenger the Feds must have been using Normans walnut sized warp drives.  Warp 9 capable probe over interstellar distances.  It was 2 meters long. 
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Lieutenant_Q on January 23, 2014, 09:06:15 pm
Well, given that the engine imbalance created the wormhole, its probably safe to assume that their warp field improperly formed and that the wormhole WAS their warp field.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on January 23, 2014, 09:10:26 pm
That still doesn't mean that the rock was moving at all. All we know is that it was apparently moving slower than the ship and that we have no idea what the relative speed of the ship to the rock was.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Lieutenant_Q on January 23, 2014, 09:20:52 pm
No, the rock certainly wasn't moving as fast as the Enterprise was, otherwise there wouldn't have been any risk of collision.  I maintain that since it was in the wormhole, it was in the Enterprise's mis-formed Warp Field, as you say, being dragged along for the ride.  It's not an example of Warp firing on non-warp.

From a strategic standpoint, if it was possible for Warp to fire on non-warp, it makes defensive scenarios an absolute nightmare.  How are you going to defend a planet or installation from an attack if the enemy fleet doesn't even have to slow down to engage your defenders?  Just have a fleet fire as many torpedoes as they can in that narrow window of at most a couple of seconds and watch the planet or station be bombarded with no chance of retaliation.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on January 23, 2014, 09:41:07 pm
Sensors seem to go light years instantly and report in real time (explain that one! ;)), so it is hard to surprise attack an advanced system. I agree hitting anything, even for the attackers, would be difficult, but given the distances involved and the implied range of the weapons and computer assistance, not impossible.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: TAnimaL on January 24, 2014, 04:25:57 pm

BTW.  I still haven't found my copy of that magazine...
if you hadn't noticed, I was quoting directly from that magazine,  pulled right off my shelf, so don't bother. ;)

I'm still reeling from seeing this phaser/photorp, sublight/warp combat go on and on, only to spill right into the TMP wormhole AND Romulan "impulse" debates... LMFAO. All this "citing" episodes and "canon/non-canon tech manuals" is just obscuring the one thing we actually all agree on here - that ST has a LOT of contradictions in its technology. So, you'll usually find something in ST that will back up whatever precept you're putting forward.

Going back a few entries, for the record, I think knighstorm is more right than Corbomite is (that TOS was rather inconsistent weapon/tech wise) but I'm sure Corbo will probably find an example of someone in DS9 firing phasers at warp or something; and while I enjoy throwing my knowledge of  trek around as much as the rest of you do, I'm still left wondering... what is really being asked here? ABout still playing this game? Is this a discussion about what sort of "new" weapons that could be add to SFC:CE if it becomes possible? Is this a list of what we don't like about EAW, or OP, or CE? 'Cause, to me, "we" lost our way in the forest seeing only trees a few months back on this thread.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on January 24, 2014, 04:38:51 pm
We let Age side track us and just went with it. Of course TOS is more inconsistant than TMP-TNG stuff. They had ten years of fans asking questions and retconning everything before the movies started. By then they knew to pay better attention, but never let it get in the way of plot, which turned out to be a double edged sword as it created its own problems when they would stray from the "path".
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Captain Adam on January 24, 2014, 04:59:08 pm
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Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Age on January 24, 2014, 06:06:35 pm
Missiles are chemically fueled warheads that travel well under impluse speeds.That any phaser or even laser could shoot them down.

Age, where did you come up with this conclusion?
I just want to understand where you are coming from. What possess you to think you can redefine someone else's artistic vision, clearly someone from the Trek World made it this way bc that's what they believed a photon torpedo was to be. They even stated that it could travel warp speeds. Even the Klingon/federation emissary traveled in a photon torpedo tube at warp in one of the episodes. I'm still fuzzy about what you are trying to say. Can you explain it again.
Because they are like sidwinder on a  F18 Hornet.What I am trying to say is that photons travel at warp speeds missles don't as phaser can't fired at warp.The missles you saw were fired from an asteroid.

I don't kmnd me asking but where did you and knightstrom come from as I never seen you post a few years ago and I know everyone in Trek gaming.

@knightstrom
Quote
A missile is a projectile that moves through air or space.  There is no speed limit on what can be considered a missile.  Photon torpedoes are guided missiles.
There is a speed limit on missles as they no more that a small version of a rocket.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Captain Adam on January 24, 2014, 06:24:31 pm
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Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on January 24, 2014, 06:41:56 pm
Of course TOS is more inconsistant than TMP-TNG stuff. They had ten years of fans asking questions and retconning everything before the movies started. By then they knew to pay better attention, but never let it get in the way of plot, which turned out to be a double edged sword as it created its own problems when they would stray from the "path".

Different eras.  in the TOS era what TV show had a consistent on going story line?  Soap operas.  By TNG others had been added (BSG for example).  By Enterprise even more like Stargate and Babylon 5, Firefly.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: knightstorm on January 24, 2014, 06:43:41 pm
Missiles are chemically fueled warheads that travel well under impluse speeds.That any phaser or even laser could shoot them down.

Age, where did you come up with this conclusion?
I just want to understand where you are coming from. What possess you to think you can redefine someone else's artistic vision, clearly someone from the Trek World made it this way bc that's what they believed a photon torpedo was to be. They even stated that it could travel warp speeds. Even the Klingon/federation emissary traveled in a photon torpedo tube at warp in one of the episodes. I'm still fuzzy about what you are trying to say. Can you explain it again.
Because they are like sidwinder on a  F18 Hornet.What I am trying to say is that photons travel at warp speeds missles don't as phaser can't fired at warp.The missles you saw were fired from an asteroid.

I don't kmnd me asking but where did you and knightstrom come from as I never seen you post a few years ago and I know everyone in Trek gaming.

@knightstrom
Quote
A missile is a projectile that moves through air or space.  There is no speed limit on what can be considered a missile.  Photon torpedoes are guided missiles.
There is a speed limit on missles as they no more that a small version of a rocket.

First off, there is no speed limit on missiles, yes a sidewinder is a missile, but so is the rock I throw at someone, or a photon.  Also, speed 31 in SFC is supposed to be around warp 3 Corbo, or Tanimal can probably give you the speciics.

Finally, I don't know how where I come from is relevant to this debate but I'll bite.  I was regurgitated by a giant sewer gator in 1982, I started playing SFC in single player around 2001, but I really didn't get into multiplayer gaming until 2006, which is when I joined the community.  I subsequently proclaimed myself Norton II Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico around 2010.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on January 24, 2014, 06:54:26 pm
Different eras.  in the TOS era what TV show had a consistent on going story line?  Soap operas.  By TNG others had been added (BSG for example).  By Enterprise even more like Stargate and Babylon 5, Firefly.


No Star Trek show had a consistant on going storyline until DS9 began emulating B5. In the '60's, Lost in Space had an on going storyline, sidetracked quite a bit, but always returned to consistantly.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Age on January 24, 2014, 07:54:48 pm
Missiles are chemically fueled warheads that travel well under impluse speeds.That any phaser or even laser could shoot them down.

Age, where did you come up with this conclusion?
I just want to understand where you are coming from. What possess you to think you can redefine someone else's artistic vision, clearly someone from the Trek World made it this way bc that's what they believed a photon torpedo was to be. They even stated that it could travel warp speeds. Even the Klingon/federation emissary traveled in a photon torpedo tube at warp in one of the episodes. I'm still fuzzy about what you are trying to say. Can you explain it again.

Because they are like sidwinder on a  F18 Hornet.What I am trying to say is that photons travel at warp speeds missles don't as phaser can't fired at warp.The missles you saw were fired from an asteroid.

I don't kmnd me asking but where did you and knightstrom come from as I never seen you post a few years ago and I know everyone in Trek gaming.

@knightstrom
Quote
A missile is a projectile that moves through air or space.  There is no speed limit on what can be considered a missile.  Photon torpedoes are guided missiles.

There is a speed limit on missles as they no more that a small version of a rocket.


First off, there is no speed limit on missiles, yes a sidewinder is a missile,


There are top speed limits on a missle.
http://www.bga-aeroweb.com/Defense/Sidewinder.html (http://www.bga-aeroweb.com/Defense/Sidewinder.html)
Sidewinder supersonic is its top speed much like that of a car.

Quote
The Asteroid was pulled into the wormhole with them, it was in their warp field, therefore they could fire at it.

That was in TMP which they fire a torpedo as the phaser were tied into the warp core.They would have to come out of warp to fire phasers.

OK Adam.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: knightstorm on January 24, 2014, 08:00:54 pm
Missiles are chemically fueled warheads that travel well under impluse speeds.That any phaser or even laser could shoot them down.

Age, where did you come up with this conclusion?
I just want to understand where you are coming from. What possess you to think you can redefine someone else's artistic vision, clearly someone from the Trek World made it this way bc that's what they believed a photon torpedo was to be. They even stated that it could travel warp speeds. Even the Klingon/federation emissary traveled in a photon torpedo tube at warp in one of the episodes. I'm still fuzzy about what you are trying to say. Can you explain it again.

Because they are like sidwinder on a  F18 Hornet.What I am trying to say is that photons travel at warp speeds missles don't as phaser can't fired at warp.The missles you saw were fired from an asteroid.

I don't kmnd me asking but where did you and knightstrom come from as I never seen you post a few years ago and I know everyone in Trek gaming.

@knightstrom
Quote
A missile is a projectile that moves through air or space.  There is no speed limit on what can be considered a missile.  Photon torpedoes are guided missiles.

There is a speed limit on missles as they no more that a small version of a rocket.


First off, there is no speed limit on missiles, yes a sidewinder is a missile,


There are top speed limits on a missle.
[url]http://www.bga-aeroweb.com/Defense/Sidewinder.html[/url] ([url]http://www.bga-aeroweb.com/Defense/Sidewinder.html[/url])
Sidewinder supersonic is its top speed much like that of a car.




I meant there are no speed limits to what can be considered a missile.  You're putting down arbitrary rules because you don't want to call photon torpedoes missiles.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: TAnimaL on January 25, 2014, 10:51:29 am
Also, speed 31 in SFC is supposed to be around warp 3 Corbo, or Tanimal can probably give you the speciics.


speeds in SFC are left vague, probably intentionally. Since the ranges stated are in the "1" unit = 10,000 km format (e.g. The OP manual, pg. 8) we should assume SFC is sublight combat. In SFB, yes, speeds are FTL; speed 1 is c, so WF 2 would be speed 8 (2^3), warp 3 would be speed 27 (3^3), and the top game speed was 32 (WF3.17) because of the "impulse movement chart" that game uses. (As I always like to point out, plasmas in SFB travel at speed 32, not 36 like in EAW & OP...) "Later," post-Commander's edition (late 80s), a race was introduced that used "hyperdrones" that moved at speed 64; this topic was wildly debated, argued and playtested in the SFB community, after attempts to write rules that covered trans-32 movements like 48 led to many problems. (The "hyperdrones" are used by a "simulator" race that individual playgroups can decide to use/ignore.)

Personally, I like the combat = sublight/ escape = warp premise in SFC, since it reflects most combat seen on screen post-1980 (Yes, yes, I know, there are contradictions that can be cited.) As I quoted from the SFB manual, the workaround to use a map scale that included planets while keeping turns to a minute were just gobbledeegook to me.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: knightstorm on January 25, 2014, 02:11:03 pm
As I quoted from the SFB manual, the workaround to use a map scale that included planets while keeping turns to a minute were just gobbledeegook to me.

In other words, gameplay trumps reality.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Age on January 25, 2014, 04:10:22 pm
Missiles are chemically fueled warheads that travel well under impluse speeds.That any phaser or even laser could shoot them down.

Age, where did you come up with this conclusion?
I just want to understand where you are coming from. What possess you to think you can redefine someone else's artistic vision, clearly someone from the Trek World made it this way bc that's what they believed a photon torpedo was to be. They even stated that it could travel warp speeds. Even the Klingon/federation emissary traveled in a photon torpedo tube at warp in one of the episodes. I'm still fuzzy about what you are trying to say. Can you explain it again.

Because they are like sidwinder on a  F18 Hornet.What I am trying to say is that photons travel at warp speeds missles don't as phaser can't fired at warp.The missles you saw were fired from an asteroid.

I don't kmnd me asking but where did you and knightstrom come from as I never seen you post a few years ago and I know everyone in Trek gaming.

@knightstrom
Quote
A missile is a projectile that moves through air or space.  There is no speed limit on what can be considered a missile.  Photon torpedoes are guided missiles.

There is a speed limit on missles as they no more that a small version of a rocket.


First off, there is no speed limit on missiles, yes a sidewinder is a missile,


There are top speed limits on a missle.
[url]http://www.bga-aeroweb.com/Defense/Sidewinder.html[/url] ([url]http://www.bga-aeroweb.com/Defense/Sidewinder.html[/url])
Sidewinder supersonic is its top speed much like that of a car.




I meant there are no speed limits to what can be considered a missile.  You're putting down arbitrary rules because you don't want to call photon torpedoes missiles.

There are speed limits tough and you just refuse to aknowledge it.Appolo 11 is rocket missle with a top speed which is where you are getting confused.Photon torp is not a missle it is torpedo plain and simple if this is the case then Submarines are only carrying missles I don't think so.
http://hnsa.org/doc/jolie/index.htm (http://hnsa.org/doc/jolie/index.htm)

You just want to think you know everything about Trek if this was on any other board you would be laughed at as well as presented with a debate you would not win.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: knightstorm on January 25, 2014, 04:26:00 pm

There are speed limits tough and you just refuse to aknowledge it.Appolo 11 is rocket missle with a top speed which is where you are getting confused.


What does that have to do with whether a photon torpedo is a type of missile?  Its a physical projectile that is launched through air or space.  The only reason you're being obstinate is because of its name.


You just want to think you know everything about Trek if this was on any other board you would be laughed at as well as presented with a debate you would not win.

Have you read any of your own posts?
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: TAnimaL on January 25, 2014, 04:29:33 pm
In other words, gameplay trumps reality.

yeah, in SFB, it's reality that the game is trying to trump. The hexes are 10000 kilometers across so that a planet like Earth fits in one, and the turns are about one minute. At warp 2, a ship would cover 14389 hexes a turn, or 450 an impulse. Rather impractical for gameplay ::) So, either hexes would have to be much bigger, or the game's designers say it's "relativistic variable time distortion." Yeah, rriiiggghhhhttttt....
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: TAnimaL on January 25, 2014, 04:31:11 pm
Frankly, I have trouble reading Age's posts. Is English his second language? Maybe it sounds better in the original Klingon...
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: FPF-DieHard on January 27, 2014, 09:53:31 am
Hory clap . . . .

I need to know, can Mighty Mouse beat up Superman?
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: FPF-DieHard on January 27, 2014, 09:54:06 am
Frankly, I have trouble reading Age's posts. Is English his second language? Maybe it sounds better in the original Klingon...

Set your uninversal translator to 'retard' and his posts might make sense.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: FPF-DieHard on January 27, 2014, 09:56:58 am

In other words, gameplay trumps reality.

Yes.

In SFC/SFB a Photon Torp is a direct-fire energy weapon.  End of discussion.  Anything else some hack Trek-writer comes up with afterwards doesn't matter.

I always saw it as a weapon with a casing, basically an anti-matter bomb hurled via a rail-gun.  it rationalizes the power usage, the fact that it can miss, and the concept of the casing.

Seriously, trying to balance a game on Trek "cannon" is retarded as it's all over the place.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on January 27, 2014, 10:06:45 am
Who's trying to balance anything? We just like telling people that they are wrong about completely unimportant and made up stuff!
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: knightstorm on January 27, 2014, 11:27:51 am
Hory clap . . . .

I need to know, can Mighty Mouse beat up Superman?

It depends on the actor.  I think he could probably take down Brandon Roth.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Captain Adam on January 27, 2014, 11:34:15 am
.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on January 27, 2014, 11:52:35 am
Set your uninversal translator to 'retard' and his posts might make sense.


 :police: Knock it off  :police:

2. Messages should always maintain a respectful, civil tone towards one another. Name-calling, personal attacks, baiting of others, and abuse is not allowed.

If you can't be civil don't post. 
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on January 27, 2014, 12:00:32 pm
I need to know, can Mighty Mouse beat up Superman?


Completely irrelevant. The real question is whether Lurch could take Herman Munster.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on January 27, 2014, 12:29:40 pm
Did Lurch ever demonstrate superhuman strenght?  Herman did. 
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: knightstorm on January 27, 2014, 12:33:28 pm
Before we get into this debate, someone has to explain to me how Herman, a Frankenstein, can marry a Lily vampire and with her produce Eddie, a werewolf.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: TAnimaL on January 27, 2014, 12:54:14 pm
I always saw it as a weapon with a casing, basically an anti-matter bomb hurled via a rail-gun.


So, you saw it as a physical object too. Pretty much what everyone has been arguing about. Just like what we saw on screen TWOK-on. Therefore, "canon" resolved!

A "cannon" is a heavy piec of artillery.   :D
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Captain Adam on January 27, 2014, 01:44:22 pm
.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on January 27, 2014, 02:15:27 pm
Did Lurch ever demonstrate superhuman strenght?  Herman did.


Well, he did used to pick people up by the scruff of the neck a lot. Besides, Lurch was in a movie with Paul Newman and  Robert Redford at the same time! Herman only managed to get into a movie with Joe Pesci and Ralph Macchio, so I think Lurch has him beat.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on January 27, 2014, 02:19:32 pm
Before we get into this debate, someone has to explain to me how Herman, a Frankenstein, can marry a Lily vampire and with her produce Eddie, a werewolf.

Lilly's father was a Vampire not Lily herself.  He might have been converted at any time after her conception.  The same for Eddie becoming a werewolf, he need not have been born that way.   Also of course no one knows the origin of the gonads for Herman, they could have come from anything. 
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on January 27, 2014, 02:27:37 pm
Did Lurch ever demonstrate superhuman strenght?  Herman did.


Well, he did used to pick people up by the scruff of the neck a lot. Besides, Lurch was in a movie with Paul Newman and  Robert Redford at the same time! Herman only managed to get into a movie with Joe Pesci and Ralph Macchio, so I think Lurch has him beat.

Who the actor starred with does not make him super strong. 

Herman as I recall acted as a car jack with one hand while changing a tire with the other.  Significantly stronger. 
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on January 27, 2014, 02:27:56 pm
Didn't they state, or heavily imply, that Grandpa was Dracula?
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on January 27, 2014, 02:30:28 pm
Did Lurch ever demonstrate superhuman strenght?  Herman did.


Well, he did used to pick people up by the scruff of the neck a lot. Besides, Lurch was in a movie with Paul Newman and  Robert Redford at the same time! Herman only managed to get into a movie with Joe Pesci and Ralph Macchio, so I think Lurch has him beat.

Who the actor starred with does not make him super strong. 

Herman as I recall acted as a car jack with one hand while changing a tire with the other.  Significantly stronger.



 :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

I cannot belive that you actually answered an internet argument with a reasoned response.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on January 27, 2014, 02:36:46 pm
Didn't they state, or heavily imply, that Grandpa was Dracula?

As I recall no.  Just a vampire (and magician). 

Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on January 27, 2014, 03:03:32 pm
Didn't they state, or heavily imply, that Grandpa was Dracula?

As I recall no.  Just a vampire (and magician).


This is from Wikipedia, so take it for what it's worth, but I though t I remembered this stuff:


*Grandpa's identity as Count Dracula is also alluded to in both the original series and The Munsters Today. In the 1965 episode "The Musician", Mr. Gateman refers to him as "Count Dracula" when he comes to dinner. In "The Fregosi Emerald", Grandpa refers to himself as Count Dracula to an operator in Transylvania. He is also referred to "The Count" various times in The Munsters Today, most notably in the season one episode "Farewell Grandpa" when the family find out he isn't an American citizen, with the threat of being deported back to Transylvania by the US Government. In the episode, and throughout The Munsters Today series Grandpa is referred to as 'Vladimir Dracula'.*

Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on January 27, 2014, 03:29:55 pm
Identity theft.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on January 27, 2014, 08:13:05 pm
No Star Trek show had a consistant on going storyline until DS9 began emulating B5. In the '60's, Lost in Space had an on going storyline, sidetracked quite a bit, but always returned to consistantly.

Must admit that I haven't watched more than scattered episodes since I was a kid.  Even then I don't think that I saw them sequentially so any ongoing storyline was either not noticed by me or forgotten (beyond the get to Alpha Centauri bit). 

I am now watching it sequentially.  Interestingly Alpha and Proxima Centauri are referred to as a Binary Star when it is in fact a Trinary with Beta Centauri.

I'm watching episode 8 now and Professor Robinson is using a very modern looking headset to operate the chariots loud speaker, very slim and trim in design. 
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on January 28, 2014, 08:34:41 am
No Star Trek show had a consistant on going storyline until DS9 began emulating B5. In the '60's, Lost in Space had an on going storyline, sidetracked quite a bit, but always returned to consistantly.

Must admit that I haven't watched more than scattered episodes since I was a kid.  Even then I don't think that I saw them sequentially so any ongoing storyline was either not noticed by me or forgotten (beyond the get to Alpha Centauri bit). 

I am now watching it sequentially.  Interestingly Alpha and Proxima Centauri are referred to as a Binary Star when it is in fact a Trinary with Beta Centauri.

I'm watching episode 8 now and Professor Robinson is using a very modern looking headset to operate the chariots loud speaker, very slim and trim in design.


They drifted away a lot more as the show went on, but the mission to get back home was about as cohesive as the mission to find Earth in the original BSG. It was there, but didn't factor into everything they did. A far as the headset mic, those or similar ones were invented for the space race (by Plantronics I believe?), so I'm not surprised they used what fancy new gadgets they could to make it look futuristic. IIRC the Proxima system was thought only to be a binary until not to long ago. Beta was known, but not as orbiting its brothers. Didn't the Hubble help with determining that?
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on January 28, 2014, 09:20:07 am
I thought it was known to be a trinary further back than that. I don't remember ever hearing before that it was a binary. 
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on January 28, 2014, 09:44:16 am
OK, I did some reading and I was mixed up. Alpha and Beta are the close binary system and Proxima (apparently) has yet to be closely defined as to its gravitational association with A&B. They are sure that it is a trinary system, but Proxima seems to be barely involved in it, at least until they can build a better device to measure the system. In the '60's they may not have been able to see A&B as separate, so Proxima became the companion star in a binary.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: OlBuzzard on January 28, 2014, 10:05:12 am
OK, I did some reading and I was mixed up. Alpha and Beta are the close binary system and Proxima (apparently) has yet to be closely defined as to its gravitational association with A&B. They are sure that it is a trinary system, but Proxima seems to be barely involved in it, at least until they can build a better device to measure the system. In the '60's they may not have been able to see A&B as separate, so Proxima became the companion star in a binary.

Yeah ...  I think you're right there Corb...  back in those days a lot of technology was really just making a break through. 
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on January 28, 2014, 11:05:49 am
OK, still wrong!  :D

Beta Centauri is a completely different star system (also a binary which was firmly confirmed in 1999, which is probably what I am remembering as "recently"). Alpha Centauri's two close stars are simply refered to a Alpha Centauri A and Alpha Centauri B. They can easily be distingished through good binoculars or a small telescope, so I don't know why they said it was a binary system even back then.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: OlBuzzard on January 28, 2014, 12:29:10 pm
Probably the key would be:  What was referred to as Alpha Centauri back in those days .. early 60's?  A ?  Was there an Alpha B back then?  Or is this just another writer's "liberty" at work?
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on January 28, 2014, 12:54:56 pm
Could be just simple ignorance. In the TOS episode The Gamesters of Triskelion, Uhura is worried about how the Enterprise would find them since they had been whisked away from the star system they had been in and Kirk says "This system has a trinary sun. That limits it a bit." We now know that binary and trinary systems are more the rule than the exception and that single systems, like ours, are the odd man out in the galaxy.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Verroc on January 28, 2014, 07:04:10 pm
So without reading 11 pages, does anyone still play? I got SFC up and going on the new comp and already blasted through the one player. Anyone fancy an IP game, 230 late of course :P
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on January 28, 2014, 08:28:35 pm
Probably the key would be:  What was referred to as Alpha Centauri back in those days .. early 60's?  A ?  Was there an Alpha B back then?  Or is this just another writer's "liberty" at work?

Alpha and Beta Centauri were among the first stars found to be "binary".  Proxima wasn't found until the early 20th century. 
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: OlBuzzard on January 29, 2014, 07:30:58 am
Probably the key would be:  What was referred to as Alpha Centauri back in those days .. early 60's?  A ?  Was there an Alpha B back then?  Or is this just another writer's "liberty" at work?

Alpha and Beta Centauri were among the first stars found to be "binary".  Proxima wasn't found until the early 20th century.

yeah ...  that was kind of what I was alluding to with " writers liberty" ...  A lot of that back in those days was still a very gray area ...   sooooo  the writer would use a part of fact ( or theory ) and still mix it with sci-fi stuff.  Unfortunately, a lot of that fiction turned out to be more humor today than anything else.

Let's face it:  even warp drive (while a good "theory") ...  is still very impractical as far as a means of actual space travel unless the rest of technology is developed to support it!  IMHO it was not so much a case of "this is really that badly written" as it was based on using only a smaller part of the known "facts" or "theories"  at that time.   (Some stuff is really that badly done ...  but not what we are discussing at this point of the thread).

 If someone were to do a reboot of the entire series  I'm sure that there would be several items updated to better reflect what is "known" and what might suspect as only theory in that part of the galaxy.  ( I hope this makes sense).
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: TAnimaL on January 29, 2014, 10:15:22 am
And if we're talking "Lost In Space," then, yeah, a lot of scientific liberties were taken, as well as dramatic and literary ones as well. Even in it's first season they didn't pay much attention to that stuff - it was an family-friendly action show that they just stocked with scifi cliches, and Alpha Centauri was the closest "star," so, done. It was an Irwin Allen production, after all, but then, all sci fi suffers from using whatever theories are "current" which then get outdated by newer dicoveries, or just the passing of time. "2001: A Space Odyssey" is still a great movie even if moonbases, AI and the return of Nehru jackets didn't happen in 2001.

Anyone want to buy some PanAm stock I have?
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: OlBuzzard on January 29, 2014, 10:23:53 am
Nehru shirts ..  LOL !  I forgot about those !!  I was a junior in high school when those things came out  ('69).
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: knightstorm on January 29, 2014, 10:32:14 am
Enough with the science, lets get back to debating the important stuff.  Who's more awesome,

Williams Shatner
(http://static3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20070608212833/uncyclopedia/images/3/37/Kirk_awesome.jpg)

or David Hasselhoff

(http://static3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20060823031443/uncyclopedia/images/8/8f/Dave.gif)
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: TAnimaL on January 29, 2014, 12:37:52 pm
  I was a junior in high school when those things came out  ('69).

Man, and I thought I was old...

knightstorm must be trolling - it's obviously Shatner.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on January 29, 2014, 01:11:22 pm
If the question were who thinks he is more awesome it would be a toss up.  (I am going to forward the Hasselhof picture to my youngest sister, she used to be quite a fan of his).
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: TAnimaL on January 29, 2014, 03:15:53 pm
Now, that is one for the philosophers and may never be quantifiable....
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: OlBuzzard on January 29, 2014, 03:25:50 pm
Now, that is one for the philosophers and may never be quantifiable....

 :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Bro ...  you just said a mouthful !!

(considering he is up against Shatner)
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: knightstorm on January 29, 2014, 04:28:40 pm
Hasselhoff bought the rights to Baywatch which had been cancelled after its first season, revived the show in syndication, and added slow motion footage of Pamela Anderson's bouncing fake tits, earning himself a fortune.  That has to get him awesomeness points.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: OlBuzzard on January 29, 2014, 05:30:15 pm
And Bill took a toupee to where no other has gone before  ....
 ;D

Is there a pattern of "fake" parts here?
 :o
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: TAnimaL on January 30, 2014, 11:17:03 am
so if we combine those aspects it should be unbeatable... someone with fake boobs and hair....

(shudder)
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: OlBuzzard on January 30, 2014, 11:33:23 am
so if we combine those aspects it should be unbeatable... someone with fake boobs and hair....

(shudder)

YIKES !!!

 :o :o :o

.... [/stops to think a second ...  gets vivid picture ... ]

 :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on January 30, 2014, 11:34:14 am
So if Donald Trump gets a boob job we've all had it?
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: OlBuzzard on January 30, 2014, 11:42:10 am
So if Donald Trump gets a boob job we've all had it?

Now THAT would could present some real issues!  Let's face it I doubt Hasselhoff could handle the competition ...  and if he did Trump would "fire" him !

 ;D
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: KAT Chuut-Ritt on February 12, 2014, 04:55:02 am
Hory clap . . . .

I need to know, can Mighty Mouse beat up Superman?

I think we already know the answer to that as of the day that Soreyes blew up tools Hydran Heavy battle Cruiser with a Z-DF
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: FVA_C_ Blade_ XC on February 25, 2014, 07:48:50 am
Chutt you deep striking bastard!
Lol t00l always did explode nicely...And the cries of cheese...
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: FPF-DieHard on February 26, 2014, 12:15:28 pm
My biggest regret is not collecting more Hexx snuff-films.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: SBORanger on April 27, 2014, 04:59:59 pm
ROFLCOPTER Good to see the SFC community hasn't changed in the slightest. 12 pages of trolling and arguments about some of the most unimportant fluff. Yet I really struggled to find a definitive answer to the OP's question.



IS ANYBODY STILL PLAYING?



Let's see if we can get 2 pages of answers on topic lol, I know I'm asking the impossible but I thought I'd try.  :crazy2:
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: TAnimaL on April 27, 2014, 08:05:01 pm
but it's so fun to get carried away!

To answer briefly - I still play, on gameranger. others have asked this ame question of late=
http://www.dynaverse.net/forum/index.php/topic,163393836.0.html (http://www.dynaverse.net/forum/index.php/topic,163393836.0.html)
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on April 27, 2014, 08:42:11 pm
No Star Trek show had a consistant on going storyline until DS9 began emulating B5. In the '60's, Lost in Space had an on going storyline, sidetracked quite a bit, but always returned to consistantly.

Must admit that I haven't watched more than scattered episodes since I was a kid.  Even then I don't think that I saw them sequentially so any ongoing storyline was either not noticed by me or forgotten (beyond the get to Alpha Centauri bit). 

I am now watching it sequentially.  Interestingly Alpha and Proxima Centauri are referred to as a Binary Star when it is in fact a Trinary with Beta Centauri.

I'm watching episode 8 now and Professor Robinson is using a very modern looking headset to operate the chariots loud speaker, very slim and trim in design.


They drifted away a lot more as the show went on, but the mission to get back home was about as cohesive as the mission to find Earth in the original BSG. It was there, but didn't factor into everything they did. A far as the headset mic, those or similar ones were invented for the space race (by Plantronics I believe?), so I'm not surprised they used what fancy new gadgets they could to make it look futuristic. IIRC the Proxima system was thought only to be a binary until not to long ago. Beta was known, but not as orbiting its brothers. Didn't the Hubble help with determining that?

I've watched most of the series sequentially now.  There was very little consistency.  Yes they were always trying to get to Alpha Centaurii.   The Enterprise always had exploration as their mission too (sometimes sidetracked but always there).  How did the robot from his "university" education have knowledge of intergalactic law when Earth had no contact with ETs?  Lots of little inconsistencies.  They even had all their weapons taken away from them at least once but they had them replaced without comment next time they needed them. 

By comparison B5 when Commander Ivanova had her leg injured had it carry on between episodes.  I think the repairs to B5 after the one battle were background in the next episode.  The alien machine to save her life wasn't just pulled out of the air it had a backstory of use in two other episodes (with June Lockhart being its first user).  Even Garibaldi losing his hair and going grey between seasons was explained. 
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on April 27, 2014, 09:01:23 pm
Ivanova's injury was a necessary evil. Claudia Christian really did hurt herself badly enough to need crutches and they worked it into the show. B5 was a very cohesive show. JMS put things in the first season that didn't pay off until the fourth and fifth seasons.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on April 27, 2014, 10:07:18 pm
Other shows would have just written her out or showed her only sitting or standing.  They made it part of the continuity.   
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: knightstorm on April 28, 2014, 01:53:33 am
Other shows would have just written her out or showed her only sitting or standing.  They made it part of the continuity.

When Siddig El Fadil knocked up Nana Visitor, DS9 had Keiko O'Brien's baby transferred to Major Kira. 
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on April 28, 2014, 02:19:28 am
Following in Babylon 5s footsteps. 
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: TAnimaL on April 28, 2014, 05:00:22 am
 ::)   oh, riiigghhhttt... 'cause B5 is the only show that ever had to deal with somethign happening to an actress in real life,

Ever heard of a show called "I Love Lucy"?
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on April 28, 2014, 07:00:14 am
You do realize that was just one example.  B5 is full of continuity where things in earlier episodes link to later ones.  Earlier shows lacked that to a great degree.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on April 28, 2014, 09:48:37 am
That's because B5 was conceived as a concept show. JMS had a hard time selling the idea for years because no one at a network would believe that people would watch a show that was not episodic in nature, especially a sci-fi show. It was also planned as a finite story that had a definite conclusion, so the networks also couldn't wrap their heads around the idea that JMS only needed five years to finish the whole series. Who starts a TV show and knows its life span? If it doesn't catch on it is gone before anyone knew it was there and if it gets popular you try to keep it on the air as long as you can. Only that surge of new networks popping up in the early '90's got that show its chance to see the light of day, and even then JMS couldn't get the measly five years he needed until TNT stepped in to save the last season.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: knightstorm on April 28, 2014, 09:54:35 am
That's because B5 was conceived as a concept show. JMS had a hard time selling the idea for years because no one at a network would believe that people would watch a show that was not episodic in nature, especially a sci-fi show. It was also planned as a finite story that had a definite conclusion, so the networks also couldn't wrap their heads around the idea that JMS only needed five years to finish the whole series. Who starts a TV show and knows its life span? If it doesn't catch on it is gone before anyone knew it was there and if it gets popular you try to keep it on the air as long as you can. Only that surge of new networks popping up in the early '90's got that show its chance to see the light of day, and even then JMS couldn't get the measly five years he needed until TNT stepped in to save the last season.

I've never bought that idea.  Season one just doesn't fit into the series arc that well.  One thing I so have to give JMS credit for though, is that he had the foresight to film the series in wide screen.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on April 28, 2014, 10:04:05 am
Yes it does. The only big anomaly is Sinclair leaving because the netork wanted a bigger name in the lead, hence Bruce Boxleitner and the command change, which they handled rather deftly I think. The minute details were not all set in stone, it is a TV show after all and JMS was writing the scripts as they went, but the main story and all the broad strokes were already in place. Garibaldi's decent back into alchoholism was made more pronounced because Jerry Doyle told JMS that if they were going to do it then they should do it properly. Alchoholism is a real problem and Doyle didn't want it to become a throw away reason for his character's problems.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on April 28, 2014, 11:19:58 am
Link (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0641365/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm)

Quote
By the time O'Hare passed away in September 2012, he hadn't had a role in over a decade, nor had he been seen out in public for years, fueling speculation he was gravely ill for the last several years of his life. Only upon O'Hare's death (and at his request) did close friend and Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski confirm that he had, in fact, been battling an increasing debilitating case of schizophrenia. Straczynski also confirmed that O'Hare's difficulty with the illness was the primary reason he was forced to leave Babylon 5 at the end of the first season, a decision which was mutual and very amicable. JMS even went so far as to delay the filming of the series several months to try and accommodate his condition, but O'Hare declined, citing that the delay would adversely affect the rest of the cast & crew, and insisted that they should continue without him. O'Hare would eventually return for a brief cameo in the second season, as well as a guest role in the third season that concluded his character's story in the series.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on April 28, 2014, 11:26:01 am
That's because B5 was conceived as a concept show. JMS had a hard time selling the idea for years because no one at a network would believe that people would watch a show that was not episodic in nature, especially a sci-fi show. It was also planned as a finite story that had a definite conclusion, so the networks also couldn't wrap their heads around the idea that JMS only needed five years to finish the whole series. Who starts a TV show and knows its life span? If it doesn't catch on it is gone before anyone knew it was there and if it gets popular you try to keep it on the air as long as you can. Only that surge of new networks popping up in the early '90's got that show its chance to see the light of day, and even then JMS couldn't get the measly five years he needed until TNT stepped in to save the last season.

Which doesn't conflict with what I said. 

JMS had a hard time selling it because it was not "the way things are done".  Until it is of course. 

Just because the studio knows the planned life doesn't mean the audience needs to be told.  Things can also be stretched or compressed or sequels/spinoffs planned in if the show is sufficiently (or insufficiently) successful.  Consider Stargate SG1 from the beginning it was the threat of Apophis that the fought, until it wasn't but a new threat was created to continue the series.  Then another etc.  I myself thought of two different spin off concepts they could have used when SG1 ended.  No reason Babylon 5 couldn't have done the same (in fact they tried but poorly). 
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: knightstorm on April 28, 2014, 11:31:31 am
Yes it does. The only big anomaly is Sinclair leaving because the netork wanted a bigger name in the lead, hence Bruce Boxleitner and the command change, which they handled rather deftly I think. The minute details were not all set in stone, it is a TV show after all and JMS was writing the scripts as they went, but the main story and all the broad strokes were already in place. Garibaldi's decent back into alchoholism was made more pronounced because Jerry Doyle told JMS that if they were going to do it then they should do it properly. Alchoholism is a real problem and Doyle didn't want it to become a throw away reason for his character's problems.

No.  The first season was definitely more episodic in nature.  There were a few episodes which indicated he intended to have a few smaller storylines, but nothing like the sweeping four year arc which characterized the series.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: knightstorm on April 28, 2014, 11:42:32 am
You do realize that was just one example.  B5 is full of continuity where things in earlier episodes link to later ones.  Earlier shows lacked that to a great degree.

Soap operas did it all the time.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on April 28, 2014, 11:52:13 am
Lets assume that your argument that he planned fewer story lines is correct.  That does not preclude a 4 year arc.   The initial concept could easily have included the idea that he would be expanding on it as he went.

If the claims are accurate however wouldn't you expect the first season to be more episodic as the arcs had yet to begin converging?  It would show the arcs and stage by stage they would coalesce.  New arcs could be inspired and added in by the way in which things were implemented.  Sinclairs fiancée could easily have been intended for the role played by Sheridans wife, with the departure of Sinclair the wife was no longer usable for that role so Sheridans was cast for it. 

Babylon Squared in the first season set the stage for the 3rd season theft of Babylon 4 and the explanations as to how and why the first 3 Babylon stations were destroyed by the Shadows or their agents. 

The Soul Hunter previews the rise in significance of Delenn.  Infection the first indicator of the prior Shadow war.  Mind war the future evolution of man and the existence of the First Ones. Sinclairs kidnapping to find out what happened on the line is part of his future importance. 

Those are just major arcs in the first ten episodes.  Minor arcs exist and help form background. 

You do realize that was just one example.  B5 is full of continuity where things in earlier episodes link to later ones.  Earlier shows lacked that to a great degree.


Soap operas did it all the time.

Which I referenced. 

Different eras.  in the TOS era what TV show had a consistent on going story line?  Soap operas.  By TNG others had been added (BSG for example).  By Enterprise even more like Stargate and Babylon 5, Firefly.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on April 28, 2014, 11:56:21 am
Link ([url]http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0641365/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm[/url])

Quote
By the time O'Hare passed away in September 2012, he hadn't had a role in over a decade, nor had he been seen out in public for years, fueling speculation he was gravely ill for the last several years of his life. Only upon O'Hare's death (and at his request) did close friend and Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski confirm that he had, in fact, been battling an increasing debilitating case of schizophrenia. Straczynski also confirmed that O'Hare's difficulty with the illness was the primary reason he was forced to leave Babylon 5 at the end of the first season, a decision which was mutual and very amicable. JMS even went so far as to delay the filming of the series several months to try and accommodate his condition, but O'Hare declined, citing that the delay would adversely affect the rest of the cast & crew, and insisted that they should continue without him. O'Hare would eventually return for a brief cameo in the second season, as well as a guest role in the third season that concluded his character's story in the series.




Thank you for this. I hadn't heard about that at all. My info was from the DVD commentary by JMS on the subject, which in light of what it says here makes sense that he would fib at that time.




That's because B5 was conceived as a concept show. JMS had a hard time selling the idea for years because no one at a network would believe that people would watch a show that was not episodic in nature, especially a sci-fi show. It was also planned as a finite story that had a definite conclusion, so the networks also couldn't wrap their heads around the idea that JMS only needed five years to finish the whole series. Who starts a TV show and knows its life span? If it doesn't catch on it is gone before anyone knew it was there and if it gets popular you try to keep it on the air as long as you can. Only that surge of new networks popping up in the early '90's got that show its chance to see the light of day, and even then JMS couldn't get the measly five years he needed until TNT stepped in to save the last season.


Which doesn't conflict with what I said. 

JMS had a hard time selling it because it was not "the way things are done".  Until it is of course. 

Just because the studio knows the planned life doesn't mean the audience needs to be told.  Things can also be stretched or compressed or sequels/spinoffs planned in if the show is sufficiently (or insufficiently) successful.  Consider Stargate SG1 from the beginning it was the threat of Apophis that the fought, until it wasn't but a new threat was created to continue the series.  Then another etc.  I myself thought of two different spin off concepts they could have used when SG1 ended.  No reason Babylon 5 couldn't have done the same (in fact they tried but poorly).



I liked Excaliber and wish it had had more time to grow. The Ranger movie pilot was pretty weak though. Both suffered from a lack of budget and the strange place the future of TV was in at that point.

I never got into SG. The movie was OK, but the series never grabbed my attention.





Yes it does. The only big anomaly is Sinclair leaving because the netork wanted a bigger name in the lead, hence Bruce Boxleitner and the command change, which they handled rather deftly I think. The minute details were not all set in stone, it is a TV show after all and JMS was writing the scripts as they went, but the main story and all the broad strokes were already in place. Garibaldi's decent back into alchoholism was made more pronounced because Jerry Doyle told JMS that if they were going to do it then they should do it properly. Alchoholism is a real problem and Doyle didn't want it to become a throw away reason for his character's problems.


No.  The first season was definitely more episodic in nature.  There were a few episodes which indicated he intended to have a few smaller storylines, but nothing like the sweeping four year arc which characterized the series.



The first season would be more episodic in nature by default if you have many story lines to start and the payoffs are years away. Many of those first season stories are introductions the universe itself, so don't have a major plot role other than to make you not go "WTF?" later on. JMS set up the whole thing with the Vorlons (why they couldn't show themselves) in the pilot movie and didn't pay that one off until season 3(?).
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: knightstorm on April 28, 2014, 12:09:30 pm

I liked Excaliber and wish it had had more time to grow. The Ranger movie pilot was pretty weak though. Both suffered from a lack of budget and the strange place the future of TV was in at that point.



Both were pretty much DOA.  TNT made the decision to cancel Excaliber before the first episode aired, and looking at the series on DVD, some of the special effects shots actually appear to be unfinished.  As for Legend of the Rangers, Sci-fi had no intention of picking it up.  They aired the movie at the same time as the AFC championship to make sure that it wouldn't get the ratings to justify developing the series.  Also, a B5 spin-shouldn't need a huge budget.  The original series had a shoe string budget.  The reason they used CGI before everyone else was because they didn't have the budget to use physical models, and considering the capabilities of the computers then, the effects of B5 can easily be surpassed on even the most limited effects budgets.  The Omega class destroyer had a 250K poly count.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on April 28, 2014, 12:25:47 pm

I liked Excaliber and wish it had had more time to grow. The Ranger movie pilot was pretty weak though. Both suffered from a lack of budget and the strange place the future of TV was in at that point.



Both were pretty much DOA.  TNT made the decision to cancel Excaliber before the first episode aired, and looking at the series on DVD, some of the special effects shots actually appear to be unfinished.  As for Legend of the Rangers, Sci-fi had no intention of picking it up.  They aired the movie at the same time as the AFC championship to make sure that it wouldn't get the ratings to justify developing the series.


Yeah, Excaliber got the rug pulled out from under it. You'd think TNT would have realized the budget necessary to make a show like that after doing it for a year and making several movies about the show. The show had a good rhythm and a ticking clock that kept things moving and on focus, plus I liked the actors and characters they played.

Legend of the Rangers was just bad. On all counts. I don't think that even the people that made it wanted it to be picked up.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Nemesis on April 28, 2014, 12:46:23 pm
JMS set up the whole thing with the Vorlons (why they couldn't show themselves) in the pilot movie and didn't pay that one off until season 3(?).

Season 2, Episode 22: The Fall of Night
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: knightstorm on April 28, 2014, 12:55:30 pm

Yeah, Excaliber got the rug pulled out from under it. You'd think TNT would have realized the budget necessary to make a show like that after doing it for a year and making several movies about the show.

From what I've read, the decision had nothing to do with budget.  TNT did a study of the viewer demographics, and decided that B5 hadn't been a good fit for the station, and that producing a B5 spinoff was not desirable.
Title: Re: So anyone still play?
Post by: Corbomite on April 28, 2014, 04:59:51 pm
That doesn't sound right. How do you get through a year of a show and, what, four movies, plus thirteen episodes into a new spinoff series and not know who your audience is? It really doesn't matter, the coda they did in 2007 was enough for me.