5 replies to this topic

[Wyrdsmith]

After a break of about a year, I had some time to dive back into UC/CE once again. Last year I played it quite a bit, until a big HD crash ended an otherwise promising career. Been playing these games since Millenium, since the BC/UC series is really the only real starship sim since Dr Trevor Sorensen made the old Star Fleet series (anyone play those -great games!)

So, tonight, I installed the game and downloaded the new 2.0 patch. I have this to say:

God DAMN did this get an upgrade! Everytime I pop in on these forums, I've read how Derek is moving on towards more action based games, and leaving the now unprofitable starship sim genre to rust in peace, and yet, each time I come back, there is yet another awesome update to this wonderful series. One might almost think the man, you know, likes the game or something...

This time, however, I was just blown away. I've always thought the UC games graphics were serviceable to good, not that it mattered given the scale of the game, but now ... wow, UC/CE is just jaw dropping.

So I decided to log in and post to say ... thank you. I don't know any other developer who has stuck by a game regardless of bad press, reviews, criticism, slander and an obviously dwindling niche market like Derek has. No developer cares that much. Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to command my own starship. These games scratch that itch like nothing else ever has. The unbelievable scale, detail, and vast scope is like nothing else I've ever experienced. UC is obviously a labor of love, and it shows.

Version 2.0 of the final release of Universal Combat is one hell of a swan song, sir. My hat is off to you. You're a dying breed, a developer that actually cares about they games they make past the initial profit.

By way of thanks, I ordered Galactic Command, even if I have no idea when I'll get to it though. I'll be far to busy commanding a carrier to bother with fighter patrols, however pretty, for some time.

Thanks for letting the few of us who care explore the final frontier in style and extraordinary beauty, one last, glorious time.

*whoops, just realized I posted this in tech support -could I get a move to the general discussion forum? That's what I get for posting past my bedtime...*

[Supreme Cmdr]

You're welcome

And we haven't completely abandoned the genre. Just taking a break to shore up the coffers.

The upcoming KnightBlade takes place inside a carrier and is a space game. Though not the same scope as UC - since you only get to command one carrier and four fighters - it is the same (but different graphics, assets etc) world you've come to know and love.

After that, comes Galactic Command Online which again takes place in the game world but is an MMO.

[Wyrdsmith]

Knightblade, huh? I think I remember reading one of the preliminary posts about that a year or two ago. Forgot it was on the 360. Playing something even remotely like UC on a 50' plasma tv .... you can well believe I'll have it on launch day.

Thanks again. I've been tapping my fingers at work all day to get home and wreck yet another expensive carrier on yet another ill conceived (yet fun) jaunt into some sector I have no business being in, only to remember I forgot to read the sticky on the engineering panel that reads:'NOTE TO SELF ---> BUY FUEL BEFORE LEAVING'.

I've got a leg up this time. I've gone back to UC enough times now that I remeber what all the three letter acronyms are for, what most of the keyboard shortcuts do, and more importantly, my traditional first 'get my feet wet' cruiser, the (usually) aptly named "Falling Brick" managed to kick ass without getting so much as a scratch (with me shouting orders at it via tacops from an ill conceived safari on earth due to my forgetting about the VTOL down key while getting in some shuttle practice).

Tonight, though, it's a BC Mk III and an Insurrectionist base. I like to do the big coordinated marine strikes on them, which always result in lots of screaming, and my calling the carrier down from orbit in a panic, so it's point defense can lay waste to the base. An awesome sight, to be sure, which almost makes up for for the gazillions of dollars of replacements I have to buy to replace all the marines and tanks.

And they keep giving me carriers.

[ShoHashi]

Quote

And they keep giving me carriers

LOL!

-Sho

[gdwnet]

My copy of UCCE arrived in the week and I've been waiting for the weekend to be able to spend some time exploring. Wow, The shield and hyperspace effects are amazing and still the NPC's have surprises.

Waiting for my mining drones to do their work I parked my MkII BC off the Pluto jumppoint when an insurgent LRT pops into range, a few main cannon shots and there is wreckage, I don't think they even knew I was there, so sitting there feeling very pleased with myself ANOTHER LRT-15 jumps in (but this one is netural), clips the top of my ship damaging the PTA turret, sits there for a minute before jumping into Hyperspace.........

Resnig thinks the navigation officer is his brother.

All in all, it's a bloody good upgrade and I'm having some fun.

[Smyrnian]

Wyrdsmith, on Jun 12 2009, 01:22 AM, said:

...
So I decided to log in and post to say ... thank you. I don't know any other developer who has stuck by a game regardless of bad press, reviews, criticism, slander and an obviously dwindling niche market like Derek has. No developer cares that much. Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to command my own starship. These games scratch that itch like nothing else ever has. The unbelievable scale, detail, and vast scope is like nothing else I've ever experienced. UC is obviously a labor of love, and it shows.
...

Couldn't have summed up my feelings about Derek Smart and BattleCruiser any better than that

I remember the first time I found this game online (BC3k)...it was around 2000 or 2001 I think (I remember that BCM was either just coming out or just about to come out). When I like a program a lot I usually look into it's history for curiosity's sake. I remember reading about the fiasco with the one release and I was very impressed with how Derek stuck to his guns and defended his game and went even further than that by sticking to the game and bringing about further improved releases and patches (I think I even wrote a letter or something...it really impressed me at the time, as it still does).

As someone who always daydreamed of being a starship captain growing up, I salute you Derek Smart, Supreme Commander, and I'm very glad I stumbled upon BattleCruiser again.