Kevin Trotter

I swear , the next time I read a review slamming the SC as some type of Megalomaniac, so wrapped up in his own sh-t and being dismissive of his competitors work(Truly, does he really have any?) I going to Fatal a crapload of Vagrants right up thier collective asses. I am new to this gaming community and I have noticed the SC only flames those in need of flaming. I have read him raving about other games and development teams WHEN THE WORK WAS WORTHY!.I think a true sign of genius is when you can validate someone elses work with noe fear of diminihing your own and Derek you do that man. I guess when you know you are without peer it is easy to be magnanomous. In the best review I read on BC3000ad the reviwer stated more reviewers would think this game rocks if it was Sid Meier's BC300ad. For all it's worth we appreciate your contribution.

I thonk you guys are missing the point on Tyr. The Nietchians(awful spelling) on the whole are grandiose , dramatic people. Hunt's original second in command had a similar presence and it would'nt do to have a more laid back approach. I mean their kind of klingons with good manners and thier culture is one the most interesting aspects of the show. I think it is important to remember it takes time for writers to get a feel for the characters and to write scripts that take advantage of that knowledge. Really , did anyone think ST/TNG would be great after " Encounter at Farpoint" ? I didn't watch it again for a couple of months , and some of season ones episodes were real dogs. It wasn't until Ryker got a beard and Data got laid that things really took off. Give Andromeda a chance and keep who ever screwed up Earth Final Conflict far , far away and it will be okay. Now that was a show with promise that relly bites the big one now,no matter how hot Renee Palmer is( and she is HOT!)

WeeGee , I've dabbled with Everquest and unfortunately you are screwed! The only addictions worse are BC , Halo and crack. I have bed space available at my facillity if your insurance checks out. My condolences.

Hopefully this will be my last post in BC legacy. Without refinancing my home or forfieting my marriage I have managed to arrange for some new hardware(1.3ghz amd processor 128mb memory 340w max pwer source Geforce 3ti graphics for $575.00) from my company's IT mgr who dabbles on the side. Having played countless hours on his system my faith in mankind is restored.Even better I got my copy of BCM 5 Feb 02 and after reading the SC's harsh warning regarding Sys Req's didn't even attempt to install it on ole'Betsy(533mz Celaron 32mbRAM) and now sit salivating for delivery of the new girl in town. I no longer suffer from the BC Legacy blues. So long suckers!

While reading the post about the new Ranger movie I began to think about Sci Fi on tv and just where the B5 franchise stood. I remember my sister in law a few years ago telling me about a new series that rivaled ST and was better than STTNG. I tuned in and watched B5(year one) and after I stopped laughing quickly began work on my sister in law's commitment papers. The lead actor was so stiff I thought he'd break everytime moved, the guy with the crew cut was worse and the costumes belonged on a 50's saturday kiddie show. I did'nt watch again and made quite a bit of sport of my sister in law. This show wouldn't last a season! It wasn't until the final year of the series that a took a second look and discovered my sister in law was right (ouch!) I have since come to the following conclusions B5 had far superior character development. The growth and change in G'Kar and Londo was subtle and gradual but real. Garibaldi's struggle with the bottle , Stephen's addiction to "stims" and the unrequited love between Ivanova and Marcus ring a little more true than TNG's issue of the week approach. B5 influenced Deep Space Nine Is it me or did it seem that the grand space battles between the Federation and the Founders owe something to the Shadow wars? ST franchises prevoius approaches to warfare on that level always seemed so small. Also it seemed that B5's characterization of political intrigue and the difficulty involved in diplomacy seemed to rub off on DS9. Kirk vs Sheridan Okay I know I'm out on a limb but here me out. Hands down Kirk is the most heroic figure in Sci Fi tv history but Sheridan's pretty cool too. We all think of Kirk as a rebel who flouts the rules and tramples on the Prime Directive , but truth be told he always toed the line and backed the federation. Sheridan basically attempted (sucessfuly) a coup of a corrupt government and was branded a traitor , he bullied , cojoled , browbeat other races to fall in line with what he knew was the greater good. His character seemed more human to me and when fell in love , died and left Delenn as a widow (Sleeping in Light, as good as any episode ST has produced) It felt like a friend had passed. In closing ,in many ways B5 is every bit as good as anything ST ever produced. Maybe even better. "We Live for the One, we die for the One" Ranger proverb (Sounds like us talking about the SC)

Lately during the most inopportune times, my ships,(Interceptors ,shuttles and even my baby the Valiant Victorious) simply stop moving. The hyperdrive and thrusters will not engage. As we approach a planetwe here planetfall signal but are still clearly outside the planets atmosphere. After checking for power allocation and damaged systems with everything checking out, nothing functions. Can anyone hepl me out there?

I was fortunate enough to get an XBox for my 42nd birthday (no laughing) As consoles go this is the Bentley. From the ability to record your own tracks to accompany your favorite titles to the cavernous hard drive(no more memory cards)it is state of the art. Although it looks unwieldly the controller is ergonomically sound as easy to manipulate. Among the few drawbacks are the $30.00 remote required to playback DVD's , the July 2002 target date for broadband to come online and sadly, one very bad football title which is thankfully, an xbox x-clusive, NFL Fever 2002. Where do I start? How about being limited to five minute quarters even in the All-Pro difficulty setting. Another faux pas is the ability of nearly every QB to toss 70 yd bombs. Add to this almost no ability to stop the other teams passing game and you're in for some frustrating games. In the dynasty modes where you negotiate with free agents you can't control the salary offered and apparently what ever you offer other teams free agents , they accept . Compare this Madden 2001 for PS1 where you bid and counterbid as well as speak with the players agent and NFL fever comes up short. The Stats engine is impressive but doesn't list League Leaders in a compelling fashion or allow you to track pro bowl votes for top performers. The game play stats of your human controlled teams don't jibe with the CPU teams stats at all. Foe example for my Steelers K.Stewart had only 221 attempts but 43 td's while K.Warner had 4200 yds in 478 attempts for 21 td's go figure. Atlanta led the league in rushing with 3200 yds while Green bay was second with 1986. huh? Ad to this Ron Pitts sorry play by play banter and you get me searching for the store receipt and return policy. My dear wife claims Halo and Madden2002 were sold out so until payday here I sit with an aspirin NFL Anthrax 2002

Sc , add these two gems to your must see list ,Gosford Park directed by Robert Altman ,Monster's Ball with Billy Bob Thornton and Halle Berry. I ,ahem ,was blessed with a reviewers copy of GP and was blown away. The cast alone is worth the price of admission It's being favorably compared to the classic "Rules of the Game" Check it out!

SC this a the movie I wanted to see while my wife dragged me to Ali (still worthwile) I am currently in my office at work concocting an imaginary illness so I can see it tomorrow. The scene with Gwyneth Paltrow and the hickory log was a classic (LOL) Let that be a cautionary tale for those adopted children seeking their biological parents (joke)

SC, did I miss something or did you not see ALI ? you have impressed me with not only your game design brilliance , but also with an unexpected flair for reviewing films. However , if you haven't already done so , see "Ali" I went with my wife (well actually was dragged by her) expecting to see a made for TV biopic that would disgrace the champs awesome memory and was suprisingly captivated by the scope and tone of the film. Will Smith (with those big ears pinned back) convinced me he was'nt the Fresh prince of Louisville with a solid performance. Jon Voight was brilliant as Howard Cosell , sucessfully showing a side of the man that most folks had never seen , Ali's friend. Whether you loved or hated Ali , do yourself a favor and see this film

$ilk , you and I sit at opposite ends of the political spectrum , but I respect your adherence to a strict code of what you belive is right. Because of that I would suggest you opt out of your enlistment. Not because of the other reasons people have listed ( family , money etc...) but because of your political beliefs. As a professional soldier it would be your job to support the government and it's commander in chief regardless of your feelings. If you have any doubt about your ability to do that quit now! Please do not allow anyone to guilt you into anything you cannot support wholeheartedly. For my money I feel based on your writing style , you are a very intelligent young man (albeit a very opinionated one) and as such , I believe in the greatness of our country and the belief that people with your brains and balls will always be able to provide for thier families. Stick out the college , whether it seems to make sense or not , if you still feel the need to serve your country you would do so as an officer. Though I disagree with you on a number of issues , you present yourself as a person of character , something rare these days , so stand by your beliefs and don't put yourself in a position where you'd have to comprimise them one iota.

I appreciate both of your posts and your willingness to stand up for your beliefs.However,nowhere in my reply did I state I was in favor of banning the ownership of all firearms. I am in favor of tighter gun control. I favor a waiting period and thorough background checks to prevent any future Charles Whitmans. I feel assault type weapons should be limited to police forces and the military.I feel mandatory thorough wet and dry fire training for anyone who purchases a hand gun. I believe that certain types of ammunition and body armor should be restricted for police and military use only. I feel that shotguns and hunting rifles are acceptable and that any law abiding citizen who wishes to own one should be able to do so , after a cooling off period and background check. Please do not label me as a dove because I'm LIBERAL(and d--n proud) I served my country proudly and would do so again. As a security policeman I wore a weapon everyday I was on duty.I respected that weapon and by the grace of God never had to draw it. What bristles me is the thought that anyone in favor of gun control is painted with the same broad brush. What I am opposed to are the people who feel that any "control " spells the end of the world as we know it. What is so hard to accept about a reasonable waiting period? What is unreasonable about the general public not being permitted to use weapons capable of killing dozens of people in the wrong hands? You're argument that such weapons are needed to thwart a tyrannical US gov't are well, silly. They may have applied when state militias were the first line of defense and muzzle loaders were the weapon of choice , but having seen first hand the weapons we use against our enemies , any small arms as a defense against them would prove futile. As far as your argument that "hammers" kill people and people drowning that is simply beneath the intelligence of the $ilk i have come to respect. Hammers were designed primarily to pound nails. A handgun can pound nails too but was designed to kill people period! Is there no room for moderate under that great big tent of yours? It reminds me of my Pro life friends who tout the same line of thought. As a Catholic , I'm against abortion and view it as sin. But I consider myself pro choice because as a man I don't feel I have the right to dictate what a woman should do with her body if the victim of rape or incest. In the same way I belive there must be some middle ground. As a former hunter I would have liked to have joined the NRA but can't stand the idea of all or nothing thinking that pervades the leadership. As for the scary part rest assured I fear no man. I also crossed the line for that remark and apologize. However I feel your remark grouping liberals and criminals was equally insensitive. I hope this clarifies my position. Lastly regarding my trip to the morgue , I work everyday with the "scumbags you so casually speak of in your reply. Some of these scumbags actually recover from thier addiction and become very productive people and I am saddened this young man will never be one of them. " What so ever you do to the least of my brothers , that you do unto me " JC

There are some very scary people in this community and I don't think I'm endearing myself to any of them by replying to this thread. Lord knows no one's mind is going to be changed as a result of this "debate" but our British comrade brings up a good point when he alludes to the low number of homicides in GB. More than that there are too many scary people with access to guns remember Charly Whitman? he was wee "trained" and showed it in a little tower in Texas. What about those amiable fellows in Caly robbing banks with automatic weapons and body armor? they appeared to be trained as well but nonetheless they were deranged. I'm sure someone will point out that the cops took them down by running to the local gun shop and borrowing some AR-15's but did occur to you they would not have needed them if more effective controls were in place. What about the numerous law enforcement organizations that support gun control ? they too are well trained and obviously feel we've gone too far. I almost didn't reply to this thread willing to chalk it up as another one of $ilk's right winged diatribes and I must respect his willingness to speak about hot button issues and not bite his tongue, but this Sunday morning I had the good fortune to be paged by my exec director to go down to the local morgue and identify one of our clients ; a young man who had a bad drug habit and the bad fortune to not be trained when the dealer he owed money to walked up and shot him point blank in the face and chest. Have any of you afficianados of Gun and Ammo ever seen what a bullet does to human flesh? I had not and the image will never leave my mind. So while you compare caliber and barrel length and muzzle velocity like you're talking about cars remember what those things were designed for. Anyone who hasn't seen what a gun can do mosey on down to Rotten.com and peruse the gunshot victims. I realize that none of this will change how $ilk feels and will probably result in a another, laborious monologue, but after what I saw Sunday "Frankly Scarlett I don't give a d--n"

I hope everyone noticed my tongue firmly planted in cheek in my newbie blues. The questions were questions I,ve seen asked and asked myself when I first started playing. I was simply trying to portray the feeling of standing outside the toy store window with no loot to buy the shiny new baubles. I've since been cursed with a ship and support craft that get stuck and will not maneuver. After about an hour playing time I'm unable to jump or use thrusters to move.I've also had shuttles indicate that plantefall has been reached but appear to still be in orbit. All this without any damage to my systems...any help out there?

At the risk of sounding like a dullard , please give this topic it's well deserved burial. Both Linclon and Jeff Davis lie molding in thier graves. You are all clearly intelligent people with strong opinions and apparently a lot of free time. I suggest you use some of it at a strip club or Dave and Buster's or working at a shelter or anywhere but at your keyboards hurling barbs at each other. As a proud black LIBERAL ,I see scholarly merit in each of your arguments as well as room for debate. However what I have just read has surpassed the bounds of debate. Remember , we are all different and have varying political beliefs but this game and this community is whay draws and keeps us together. Just a thought.

Whew, I guess I 'm not as conservative on military issues as I thought I was. I think some of you are missing the point of living in a free society. Some of Ideas I heard passed around reminded me of the kind of countries we are always coming to rescue. I do believe in mandatory service to our country , but not military service. Everyone isn't cut out to serve and protect.The most dangerous attitude that can creep into a fighting force is the idea that " I don't belong here" Having served my country in USAF for 5 years , the last person I want watching my back is the guy or girl forced to be there. I enlisted ! I accepted that I may not come home and was resigned to it. I also knew I might be called to kill or be killed and I was okay with that to . It was a privlege to serve my counrty , not a responsibility. The world needs ditchdiggers too. As well as cooks , socialworkers,plumbers and landscapers. There are plenty of ways we can serve this country and earn our citizenship. Peacecorps , a rejuvinated Civilian Concservation Corps and vollunteers to work with those less fortunate than ourselves are all honorable ways to pay the price for freedom. I laud $ilk for enlisting and for taking a strong stand on being a citizen of this country , but we must also allow for the dissident who doesn't share our patriotism because that what separates us from Bin Ladens of the world

Alas fellow travellers , I have an underpowered computer with the world infamous celeron processor. I am , it seems , relagated to patrol the lonely world of BC legacy(unsupported and unloved)I read with baited breath the adventures of my brethren with 1.5 Ghz processors the wonderful world of BCM! only to sigh and say why not me? Well I know why not , given the choice of a new computer(this one is 8 months old) and a mortgage payment, I punked out and paid the house note. While I cut my teeth on 2.09 and quietly grumble under my breath..( Who's Resnig my wife asked after a particularly tough bout of sleeptalking), the only ray of hope is the occassional nugget of wisdom from the brass. Yes we newbies are dumb (why do they keep stealing my shuttles) and clueless( I just bought BCM and whats the diff from BC2.09?) we are brave enough not to mask our massive ignorance! Just remember us toiling in obscurity and favor us from time to time and consider it charity.

First ,read the manual! appendices included. I know it's long but as a fellow newbie I'm warning you, redundancy is not a virtue. Second , when intruders enter the ship, disable launch control at the power prompt, set your marines to search mode until the intruders are caught. Check the personnel comp to find where your intruders are good luck

I've been unable deactivate launch control from the tactical computer or from tacops. Any suggestions? Also is there any way to replace lost shuttles or ,egads! fighters? My mining ops have given me a cash surplus but as yet I've been unable to find replacements. Thanks in advance , Ive tried to post on other sites before and have been put off by smarmy remarks regarding my lack of computer savvy. I appreciate the feeling of camraderie and look forward to becoming more apart of Galcom and the BC community

I've just started playing in freeflight mode last week after devouring the manual and I constantly have intruders aboard who invariably steal shuttles. I've assigned marines to the shuttles and had them stolen with the marines aboard. I've tried traveling through hostile areas while cloaked but have to be careful not to deplete iridium. I'm open to any sugestions to increase marine unit response times or increase security lockout AI