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Future of Battlecruiser


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"Future of Battlecruiser games or the future Battlecruiser games to come down the pipe."

Having played BC since 1999 after searching for 'free form space game" or some such thing on the internet to find my be all end all space game, one could safely say I am a vetern bcer.

Here are the games I bought.

Bc3000ad v.208 (interplay)

BCM Beta cd

BCM Full

UC

UC:AWA

UC:CE

Ive played most of the campaigns as of a year ago.

Recently picked up UC:CE so I could endear BC some more. Ive found that surprisingly the most enjoyable aspect of BC for me has been the ACM. Well crafted, introduced, and clever mission briefing which set the stage allows for this.

It surprises me because you think ROAM would be more fun.

However, even though ROAM and BC is the perfect simulation, i.e anything with your alter ego or your space craft can be done, as it or you can go anywhere in the gameworld, and do anything, it eventually wears off. Unless you have a uber involved imagination ROAM will not be able to hold your attention for very long. I wonder what the latest date is in a save game for UC.

UC is the perfect template for any game, I am saddened that Derek, for whatever reason chose to go with the episodic games and not develop BC after UC was retired. I guess it has to do with money, turntap is more profitable or maybe its simplicity, being that developing a BC title again would be too much headache and too time consuming for too little profit.

UC already has the ability to do anything you could ever want in this type of simulation. Since nobody could probably make heads or tales of Derek's code, theres no way to licence the UC engine for someone to create the next uber space sim.

However after saying all that, and noting the problems I have with roam, and why I enjoyed ACM much more (as it gave you tasks to do) and tasks that were very involved intriguing, fun and all with just a simple cleverly written mission briefing to set the stage, I feel that ROAM, or BC as we know it needs to include the following, to push it over the edge in addictive gameplay.

Mission System either for npc's on planets, Bulletin Board or both

Maybe a form of quest system (add some sort of RP layer over UC) to give purpose to the gameplay capable or a method to the madness if you will.

Detailed and highly interactive NPC system, with NPCs on planets, and other ships. Not just either friendly or enemy, or shoot at you or dont shoot at you.

Political system, and the ability to be aware of it, between empires, wars, territorial control/wars by the NPC factions against each other.

I guess in the end it will be only said that not being able to do this stuff is due to budget, but bleh... so close but yet so far.

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UC is the perfect template for any game, I am saddened that Derek, for whatever reason chose to go with the episodic games and not develop BC after UC was retired. I guess it has to do with money, turntap is more profitable or maybe its simplicity, being that developing a BC title again would be too much headache and too time consuming for too little profit.

uhm, I think my dev blogs clearly list the reasons I decided to do some lighter games instead of moving forward with the next Battlecruiser game (which was aptly named Battlecruiser Next Generation).

The bottom line is that any future BC game would require a major re-write because I've got far too many legacy (but working) technology lurking in my engines. Even with GCES, it took the better part of a year due to the ripping out of legacy stuff, adding new stuff...which broke what once worked...etc etc

It would take at least two years and upwards of about $1.5m to do another game in the BC/UC vein. Given the current industry climate, we won't have a revenue stream during that period. So it is a huge risk.

With the lighter fare GALCOM games, they are quicker to do, far less complex and I can rip stuff out in bite sized chunks and still be able to release a new game without betting the farm and something goes wrong down the road.

So, for now I don't have any plans for a new title in the BC/UC realm. Its just too risk.

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honestly from the heart if I had 2million to give you, I'd do it.

And a bonus because if I had 2 million Id obviously have alot more!

Im intriged by Knightblade. I know the reason you never did inside craft stuff up to now was because its way too much for all the ships in game, so how about just like knightblade, you give us a Commander version, where you have no choice to be the knightblade carrier and therefore can have the walk around inside ship feature since its already done. :birthday:

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  • 4 weeks later...

Ah well, but that would kind of complex things alot.

I like the Commander Idea but there has to be more than that, but less than Commander And universal combat combined.

Universal Combat needs like some boarding action, launch some shuttles, board the enemy ship, and hope to take it intact, something like that.

But still, i dont think Derek would want to do it because

A. It would take too long, especially with the programming and scripts, and making a new game.

B.We're in an economic crisis right now, so spending money is not smart at all.

C. It would again, cost money. Unless he can make a very successful space simulation, like UC, then it's a good idea,

3000ad isn't commercially marketed as much or anymore so you gotta go to a nerd convention and make a fundraiser :P

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There is no way you could take donations? I'm sure there are very many people that would really like to see another BC/UC game with some of the things Cruise mentioned.

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There is no way you could take donations? I'm sure there are very many people that would really like to see another BC/UC game with some of the things Cruise mentioned.

Apart from the fact that I simply woulnd't do that (for business reasons), if you knew what it cost to develop one of these games, you'd also know that donations would never cover it.

From my estimation - as I've said before - UCCE is the last of its kind.

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Apart from the fact that I simply woulnd't do that (for business reasons), if you knew what it cost to develop one of these games, you'd also know that donations would never cover it.

From my estimation - as I've said before - UCCE is the last of its kind.

Pretty sad to hear :wavey:

Hey!

Lets all hope you win the lottery :D

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I'm not sure why space sims in general are given an unfair review by reviewers and gamers, while fighter jet sims are taken more seriously. It's not just UC that's has its idea that is shot down before they even play it. Starshatter is an excellent space sim with a Falcon 4.0 like campaign that is also a must for a space sim collection to alternate with UC in a gamer's library. Gamespot won't even review the new Universal Combat games or the new version of Starshatter.

UC and Starshatter give a scientific simulation of space combat. Not sure why more flightsim players or reviewers don't give space combat simulations a chance.

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Reviews or lackof having nothing to do with the decline of space sim gaming. If people like those type of games, they will buy them - or at the very least - try the demos. The reviews are meaningless.

e.g. The June issue of PC Gamer (UK) gave GCES a 48%. The gist of the review focused on the fact that it was only for hardcore fans - like it was a bad thing.

Hardcore fans: wipe the foam off your chin

Really, this whole review just needs one sentence. Echo Squad is a Derek Smart game set in the Battlecruiser 3000AD universe. Whether those words make you shiver in orgasmicecstasy, or shudder like you just walked in on Boris Johnson experiencing the same, they say it all. The BC3000 series is simultaneously a glorious example of one manÆs desire to make the perfect game, and as much fun for the average mortal as having your toenails ripped out. The original premise: control every system on a huge spaceship.

Echo Squad is little different, meant as the dashing wingman to BC3000Æs stern uncle. Even so, itÆs hard to think of a more player-hostile shooter. Jump into the campaign and you just get dumped in deep space, with a million keys, abbreviations, pop-up menus and trips to the manual between you and a good scrap. Stumble around and instead of

taking pity on you, the game berates you for not following orders and fires your incompetent ass.

ThereÆs a tutorial, but donÆt expect much help. ItÆs staggeringly dull, to the point that one objective û remember, this is an action game û is æLeave the controls alone and for about five minutes watch as the fighter performs an escort flight profile around the carrier.Æ Christ. It gets worse: showing you the ropes simply consists of a computer

voice rattling off quickfire instructions without bothering to check you caught them.After slogging through all this, your rewards are a military campaign filled with vague

instructions that leave you constantly flicking through the manual, incredibly dark graphics, and combat that starts off difficult and wastes little time getting harder.

The most satisfying bit is the the gameÆs core idea: the command system, which hooks into your shipÆs autopilot, and can automatically handle everything

from dogfighting to navigation. Yes, technically, youÆre letting the computer do your dirty work, but the feeling of control can still be very enjoyable.

If youÆre a hardcore BC3000 fanû and is there any other kind? û wipe the foam off your chin. YouÆll likely love this stripped-down, more focused tour of duty. Everyone else: Freespace 2. eBay. Now. ItÆs the game Echo Squad so badly needed to emulate, and even idiots like us could enjoy it. And thereÆs still more of us out there than the grognards.

RICHARD COBBETT

Same old niche, now with less freedom

ITÆS

- Bloated

- Darker than space

-For Battlecruiser 3000 fans

ITÆS NOT

- Very exciting

- Approachable

- On your six

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Wow.

The guy is shallow. He can't even appreciate the works. stupid fatso.

Anyways

I played starshatter since like last year and i have to say that UC is alot better because controls are simplier and its more spcae-simmy than it. A-lot more.

Thats what i like about UC. I cant play Battlecruiser Millinium and i bet the whole other series because it crashes when something blows up. So UC is da bomb :D

I hope somebody can send me a full version of UC or UCCE >.> asking for shippin details :wavey:

And the fact that the first 2 BC's can't run on my '08 vista because its "Inadeqaute".

:)

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