• Registered: 2008-05-16
  • Posts: 76

Re: Brainstorming: Federation Commander: Admiralty Edition

falstaffe wrote:

Don't want to spoil your day, but that topic has already been settled from the top dogs. It has been explicity stated that the Starmada version of SFB will try to duplicate the system's features, fighters, warts and all.

Like you, I would prefer the Starmada version of SFB to veer towards TOS, or the *flavor* of combat established in movies: "ships of sail on the high seas" kind of feeling. To me, drones and fighters undercut the difference between Trek and Star Wars.

(And before someone replies--I understand you can't write up ships of the movie or TNG era. However, you absolutely could go for the same kind of tactical feeling--sailing ships--and still stay safely within licence).

Such a product would fit right in with the new Trek movie coming out which I think will be shown as an "alternate universe" to TOS. I think there's more money to be made in expanding the market, than selling to a base that already plays SFB.

But, as I said, it's been decided otherwise.

It may have been decided but one of the best features of games like Starmada is you can very easily dump what you don't like without crippling the game.  SFB has so much hard wired into the system it is very difficult to cut out the cancer without loosing the patient  :wink:

I'd love to see a SFB/SFU conversion for Starmada and while I have an opinion on what I'd like to see, the inclusion of them things isn't a show stopper.  I'll just ignore what I don't like.

  • Registered: 2008-05-16
  • Posts: 76

Re: Brainstorming: Federation Commander: Admiralty Edition

Ken_Burnside wrote:
Spence wrote:

 

No fighters, none, nada, not even included in the glossary.

If fighters had JUST remained a Hydran-only thing, I'd've been fine with it.

Me personally, I think that there is a role for fighters on Federation ships.  After all, it's really hard to play a good D&D game on the rec decks if nobody's allowed to have a fighter. wink

I guess we will just have to agree to agree on that :twisted:

  • Registered: 2008-05-16
  • Posts: 76

Re: Brainstorming: Federation Commander: Admiralty Edition

zyphyr wrote:
Spence wrote:

I'd love to see a conversion of SFB in it's earlier version with a shift toward TOS canon.

Something to keep in mind - there was very little actual ship-to-ship combat in TOS, and what there was was almost entirely shown from the perspective of the bridge crew. We didn't get to see much of the fights.

As such, much of the "TOS canon" in regards to the ship combat is purely speculation.

To me TOS cannon is anything in TOS plus anything GR authorized right up to his lapse into insanity, also know as TNG..... :shock:





:wink:

  • Registered: 2008-03-15
  • Posts: 70

Re: Brainstorming: Federation Commander: Admiralty Edition

I've heard that the new movie will be an alternate-universe, which suits me fine. Seems like every incarnation of Trek that comes along is a slightly different version of the same beast. The movies don't fit the series (or each other!) "Enterprise" seemed completely out of step with TOS. The longest run on consistency was TNG/DS9/Voyager.

Just thinking about Trek, I'd say my three favorite starship battles:

"Best of Both Worlds" otherwise known as the Battle of Wolf 359. And it was, minute for minute, the best of all Trek worlds.

the Doomsday Machine: with a great 3-way cat-and-mouse game between the crippled Constellation, the Enterprise and the unicorn horn from hell.

The Wrath of Khan: just a perfect movie on so many levels. A great reboot to the film series.

  • Registered: 2008-05-16
  • Posts: 76

Re: Brainstorming: Federation Commander: Admiralty Edition

falstaffe wrote:

I've heard that the new movie will be an alternate-universe, which suits me fine. Seems like every incarnation of Trek that comes along is a slightly different version of the same beast. The movies don't fit the series (or each other!) "Enterprise" seemed completely out of step with TOS. The longest run on consistency was TNG/DS9/Voyager.

Just thinking about Trek, I'd say my three favorite starship battles:

"Best of Both Worlds" otherwise known as the Battle of Wolf 359. And it was, minute for minute, the best of all Trek worlds.

the Doomsday Machine: with a great 3-way cat-and-mouse game between the crippled Constellation, the Enterprise and the unicorn horn from hell.

The Wrath of Khan: just a perfect movie on so many levels. A great reboot to the film series.

The only thing I see in the pics that bothers me are the bridge shots.   It's might just be me but the look too futuristic slick.   I fully understand the wish to reboot and have absolutely no problem with it.  But military and scientific special purpose ships, especially warships, are 'rough' compared to civilian ships.    Early starships wouldn't have everything in a nice smooth fancy casings and consoles, there would be exposed cabling everywhere to allow easy access for repair.   Things don't get fancy and slick until they become really known and proven tech.

As for favorite movies I'd add 'Balance of Terror',.... Run Silent, Run Deep  baby  :wink:

  • Registered: 2008-03-15
  • Posts: 70

Re: Brainstorming: Federation Commander: Admiralty Edition

Speaking of Balance of Terror (again, Trek at its best with a suspensfull story, great actors/script and a super tactical scenario), has anyone introduced any *simple* rules into Starmada that address detection/evasion, ecm, etc.?

  • Registered: 2008-05-16
  • Posts: 76

Re: Brainstorming: Federation Commander: Admiralty Edition

falstaffe wrote:

Speaking of Balance of Terror (again, Trek at its best with a suspensfull story, great actors/script and a super tactical scenario), has anyone introduced any *simple* rules into Starmada that address detection/evasion, ecm, etc.?

That is one thing I have always found to be pretty much useless.  While all of us will try to act as if the enemy is hidden, in the end we all react to seeing them and will maneuver accordingly.   Number shifts on the die rolls to take in account ECM is cool, but a modifier or chart driven attempt to 'simulate non-detection/invisibility' ala BoT and the Klingon/Romulan cloak is a bust.

The only game I ever played that worked and was probably one of the most fun ever was the double blind.  We played it with SFB as well as WW2 submarines.  The way you do it is to have three identical tables with numbered hexes.  Each was hidden from the other by a curtain.  One board for each player side and one for the ref.  The ref's board had all the game pieces and ships.  Each sides only showed their own and what they could see.    When each side moved the ref mirrored their move on his board and then let them know what they saw/detected.  If for instance Rom warbird decloaked, he would place  marker on your board and then the ship figure as required. 

It does make the game slower, but you actually get secrecy of movement.

  • Registered: 2006-08-07
  • Posts: 161

Re: Brainstorming: Federation Commander: Admiralty Edition

falstaffe wrote:

But, as I said, it's been decided otherwise.

And, as I've said before, it's not exactly going to keep folks from doing their own conversions, anyway.

  • Registered: 2005-04-05
  • Posts: 1

Re: Brainstorming: Federation Commander: Admiralty Edition

falstaffe wrote:

I've heard that the new movie will be an alternate-universe, which suits me fine. Seems like every incarnation of Trek that comes along is a slightly different version of the same beast. The movies don't fit the series (or each other!) "Enterprise" seemed completely out of step with TOS. The longest run on consistency was TNG/DS9/Voyager.

Just thinking about Trek, I'd say my three favorite starship battles:

"Best of Both Worlds" otherwise known as the Battle of Wolf 359. And it was, minute for minute, the best of all Trek worlds.

the Doomsday Machine: with a great 3-way cat-and-mouse game between the crippled Constellation, the Enterprise and the unicorn horn from hell.

The Wrath of Khan: just a perfect movie on so many levels. A great reboot to the film series.

The new movie (Trek XI) is not alternate universe, it is officially a "reboot"... very much like the last James Bond movie. It doesn't disavow canon per se, but the story & action will be the most important. Its not a movie for Trek fans (and SFB fanatics, not one and the same I would say since none of FB is Trek nor canon.. yes, I feel the outrage, but hey, I play SFB and FC, so I am a fan), but it is for the casual movie fan that we want to get them hot for Star Trek again.

Thank God Shatner isn't in this movie.

  • Registered: 2008-03-15
  • Posts: 70

Re: Brainstorming: Federation Commander: Admiralty Edition

I think the whole idea of "canon" is pretty suspect. To me, TOS, ST:TMP, Movie Treks II-V, TNG/DS9/Voyager and Enterprise all represent slightly different universes, alternate realities. I think the new movie is going to be different enough that it's going to be hard to shoehorn it into the established continuity. (And, saying that it *doesn't* fit, that it's a "reboot," doesn't that automatically make it an alternate universe from the accepted one?)

My main concern is that they have a plan of some sort of where they're going to go with this if it's successful. Are they going to do a series of original movies? A tv show? How will the original material fit in? (People love to hate Berman and Braga, but they did oversee more hours of Trek, good and bad, than anyone else. Managing these franchises is almost as important as the individual films. Need proof? Look at the Alien series.)

J MIchael Straczinzki had a plan where they would reboot trek, featuring a blend of classic stories retold along with new scripts. (Good plan, tho' he is not involved in this project at all.) Personally, I got no problem with that. That kind of treatment is ok for Shakespeare...

  • Registered: 2022-11-15
  • Posts: 1,424

Re: Brainstorming: Federation Commander: Admiralty Edition

Wow, NINE pages - that's gotta be a record.

I'm wondering if there's been any progress ala Steve and Dan....

  • Registered: 2008-05-16
  • Posts: 76

Re: Brainstorming: Federation Commander: Admiralty Edition

Not Nine....

TEN  wink

  • Registered: 2022-11-15
  • Posts: 1,424

Re: Brainstorming: Federation Commander: Admiralty Edition

How was i supposed to know I'd be sending it over the edge?

I usually end up killing threads... :roll:

  • Registered: 2008-05-16
  • Posts: 76

Re: Brainstorming: Federation Commander: Admiralty Edition

thedugan wrote:

How was i supposed to know I'd be sending it over the edge?

I usually end up killing threads... :roll:


This one seems to have gotten quiet recently..........

  • From: Denver, CO
  • Registered: 2005-03-27
  • Posts: 3,578

Re: Brainstorming: Federation Commander: Admiralty Edition

Only because discussion moved over to the Klingon Armada thread once it was released.

Daniel Kast
Majestic Twelve Games
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