I know somebody's probably going to shut me down, but earlier, we were talking about starfighters in the Star Trek Universe (for a possible Star Trek TC) and I mentioned an upcoming video game.
Well, I just picked up a copy of Star Tek: The Magazine, and found:
(Quotes are from: Star Trek: The Magazine, Vol. 1 Issue 16 (August 2000), P. 87-89)
Star Trek: Invasion from Activision for the Sony PlayStation. This really bugs me, 'cause I don't have a PlayStation, and am not going to waste money on getting one (I'm saving up to upgrade my 'puter and get an apartment), and especially not for just one game, no matter how good.
With any luck, there'll be a novel, comic book, or a PC version (a TV miniseries would be too much to hope for
http://www.xwingalliance.com/forums/frown.gif) ). Personally, I'd prefer a text version; I already have enough games waiting to go on my machine (Infernal Machine [the Indy game; not a personal commentary
http://www.xwingalliance.com/forums/wink.gif) ], Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force, Star Wars: Obi-Wan, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, plus assorted JK/MotS/XWA mods/patches).
Besides, this game apparently has killer graphics: dozens of ships on screen, all stunningly detailed, with complex lighting effects (shield flare, phaser & disrupter barrages, photon and quantum torpedoes, ship explosions, spatial phenomena, and the HUD), and relies on being able to hold a steady 30 fps. Watch some of the space battles on DS9, and you'll see what this game entails; about five different things happening onscreen at once.
*DS9 SERIES FINALE SPOILERS*
The game's set after the Dominion War, so Worf is now the Federation Ambassador to Qo'nos, Earth is being rebuilt, the Dominion is gone, the Cardassians aren't a threat, the Breen are as enigmatic as ever, and the galaxy is digging out of the rubble and rebuilding.
*STAR TREK: INVASION SPOILERS*
The player takes the role of Ensign Ryan Cooper, a newly-graduated Starfleet officer and member of the notorious Red Squad. At the beginning of the game he is under the command of Lieutenant Commander Worf, on a mission to protect the Federation from a potential Borg invasion, but, as the game unfolds, Cooper discovers that another threat is lurking in deep space --an ancient enemy that has been reawakened and is searching for vengeance: a deadly race of ravagers known as the Kam'Jahtae.
The Kam'Jahtae aren't related to the Jem'Hadar, BTW. The "Kams" are insectoid, and use organic tech.
The game's being made by the same team that made Colony Wars, Colony Wars: Vengeance (both for PlayStation arcade), Lander, and F-16 Aggressor (both for PC).
It sounds like its just an excuse to have a Star Trek title for PlayStation (most of the crew aren't even Trek fans --but nobody's perfect
http://www.xwingalliance.com/forums/wink.gif) ), and it plays fast and loose with the conventions of the sub-genre.
Many Trek fans won't like it, because it has everyone using snubfighters. Not just the Kam'Jahtae, but even the classic Trek races, like Klingons and Romulans are fielding their own snubbies --and even the Borg!
. . . He also mentions one of the two-player missions, which allows players to fly head-to-head, piloting Klingon and Romulan fighters-- "We have two battle-hardened squadrons coming together, with a Klingon Bird-of-Prey and a Romulan Warbird backing them up" --and promises a hard-fought skirmish for any contenders.
On one hand, Activision's doing something creative which (despite the possibility of releasing cr@p) I applaud because the Star Trek franchise has plenty of unexploited story potential (DS9 ended just when things got interesting). On the other hand, as I've said, many Trekkies will be disappointed by the uncharacteristic reliance on starfighters.
On the third hand (this always happens when I do SF
http://www.xwingalliance.com/forums/tongue.gif) ) I can actually believe this idea. Think about it. In the Dominion War, Starfleet pretty much got its ass handed to it by Jem'Hadar and Cardassians in small, fast, manoeuvrable, combat craft with small crews. The day was saved by Starfleet's Defiant-class, civillian combat craft (formerly used by the Maquis) and Klingon Birds-of-Prey, all of which were also small, fast, manoeuvrable, and had small crews. I think the population of the Alpha & Beta Quadrants are learning that bigger isn't always better, and will be designing "combat shuttles" to fill the niche.
. . .Eventually, the Valkyrie (the class of fighter that Starfleet uses) adopted elements of the scoutship, shuttlecraft, and Captain's yacht from Star Trek: Insurrection and grew into its finished form. "We didn't want to make it look aggressive, like a conventional jet fighter --Starfleet is a peacekeeper, so the design reflects that."
Actually, the picture they have in the magazine of the finished model looks like a cross between the Bearcat and the Panther from the Wing Commander series.
I don't have access to a scanner right now, but I'll post pics ASAP. Keep the thread alive, folks.
I'd just like to point out, judging by Worf's involvement, the timeline, and the presence of Romulans and Klingons, the rumours I'd heard months ago about the Kam'Jahtae invasion occuring in Klingon space seem pretty accurate. No word yet on whether the game will include the feature that really intrigued me: Being prototypes, the Valkyries were supposed to be continually modified as the game progressed; eventually "assimilating" technology from other forces; like a Romulan cloaking device, or a Borg transwarp coil, or a Kam'Jahtae manoeuvring system.
It's about time Starfleet started learning from their betters: Resistance, after all, is futile.
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Comments?
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