Blueprint by Tim Still

Tested on:

O/S:            Win95/Dos7 or Dos6.2
Processor:      Intel Pentium75
RAM:            32meg
Graphics:       2meg Orchid (Cirrus Logic chipset)
CD-ROM: Quad-speed
Soundcard:      Sound-Blaster 16 ASP
Controls:       Std 2-button mouse, MS Sidewinder Pro

BattleCruiser 3000AD Beta - v1.01c(4)

Now, we all know what Star Trek is all about, don't we? Well, imagine being in Jean-Luc Picards' or James T. Kirks' position. I don't just mean sitting in a big comfy chair or saying things like "Make it so, Number one" or even going thousands of light years away from Earth, finding a planet inhabited by aliens that just happen to look like human female catwalk models, and then going to bed with them 'in order to promote friendship between our peoples' (yeah, right).

No, imagine you're the commander in charge of a bloody great big spacecraft, hurtling around the known galaxy, with a crew consisting of engineers, officers, marines, pilots, plus, on occasion, guests or prisoners. You've got to travel around the known galaxy trying to follow orders issued to you by the Galactic Command (or GALCOM), managing resources such as power and supplies to maintain operational efficiency, or at least to make sure you survive.

Of course, you can't run an operation of this size single handed. That's where the crew come in, and a jolly nice bunch they are too. First of all there's the Chief Engineer, then the Flight Officer, the Communication Officer, Navigation Officer, Combat Officer, Medical Officer, Research Officer and the Tactical Officer. All these people mostly do their work automatically, and require no intervention from you, unless they are incapacitated or killed. If they're unable to do their work, sometimes you have to do the work for them, such as allocate flight engineers to repair and service the Interceptors, shuttles and ATV's after a mission. If crew members are wounded, they have to be assigned to the medibay, where (of course) there is a compliment of medical personnel, under the instruction of the medical officer. Of course, if it's more serious than this (He's dead, Jim), you'll have to replace him. If it's a senior personnel member, you can clone them with on-board equipment. Crewmen (or women) such as flight engineers or marines can be replaced by picking up trained personnel at various starbases, where you may sometimes see personnel available for hire.

When you want a crewman to do a certain job, usually either a marine or flight or systems engineer, you just assign them the job, and then they go off and do it. The thing is, this is where the realism comes into the game. For example, you want to use some marines to go and blow something up on the surface of a planet. They have to be transported down to the surface in a shuttle, or possibly in an All Terrain Vehicle, loaded in a shuttle. So you have to order the marines to prepare for combat, which takes a few minutes. When this is ready, you can order them on board the ATV or shuttle, and this also takes time, as the marines you've detailed to make the assault have to move from their quarters on DECK 2, along the corridor, up in the turboshaft to the deployment area, and from there clamber aboard the ATV. This real-time movement effects all things on the ship, and all personnel. Crew assigned to the medibay have to get to it, and you can also have the scenario of prisoners escaping from the detention bay if it becomes damaged during combat. If this is the case, you then have to assign teams of marines to search the ship to find the prisoners!

I've already mentioned the auxiliary craft on board your ship, and they too have varied roles to play. First there are the interceptors. Fighter craft that can be used either as atmospheric or space-based craft, these can be launched and ordered to attack or defend a particular object or target, suppress air defences, and just fly around the BattleCruiser in a standard patrol, attacking anything that comes too close. The pilots are all different, with difference skills and abilities, and can also be wounded or killed. Each Interceptor has a pilot and co-pilot, and these can be changed around as you see fit, possibly if your best pilot is in a damaged interceptor that can't be repaired until you get the right parts, then you can transfer him to another craft that is still flightworthy. The Shuttles can be used to ferry cargo or personnel to and from planets and also to deploy ATV's, rescue downed craft, tow back disabled enemy of friendly craft, plus more. These craft don't have a generic crew, and you have to assign a crew from your stock of flight engineers, and of course they take time to get to the shuttle, moving from one part of the ship to the other.

You are also responsible for the stores aboard the BattleCruiser. You can carry several different classes of stores, such as minerals, either repair or miscellaneous, weapons for use on your crafts, spare parts for all vehicles and illegal items, to name but a few. All of these items can be carried for your personnel to use, or for trading to bolster your cash reserve, which you need to buy more stocks to replace or repair damaged craft. If whole vehicles get destroyed, such as an interceptor, you can buy a whole new unit, but of course the cost is a little high to say the least. It also depends on what you buy from where. Some planets are specialised in industry, some in technical items, and others in minerals. Each planet also has it's own inflation rate and technology level which affects prices. So to make a successful trade, buy goods that the planet specialises in, preferably with a low inflation rate and high technology level, then sell it at another planet that doesn't specialise in that type of goods and also has a low technology level and high inflation rate; and make a quick killing.

There are three main modes of play when you start a new game. One is a free flight mode, where you just swan around the galaxy in this huge command ship, trading, upgrading, and of course, destroying. (Elite, anyone?). Another way to play is Extreme Carnage mode, which is basically just an intense combat simulation, where you can set up different combat situations involving a variety of craft. But the cherry on the cake is the Campaign Mode, where you are given a huge variety of missions to complete by Galactic Command, and when (if) you complete them, you can earn medals, promotion, and money. Some of the scenarios you face are unusual due to the fact that they are unwinnable. In this game, it is important to realise your own mortality, and know that it is better to flee, and save your ship and crew, than fight an unwinnable battle.

The interface takes a little getting used to, but once you're there, you'll find yourself selecting the right options quite quickly, and the menu system for computer interface is very slick. The only down? side to this game is the size of it. This Blueprint article has only really brushed over the surface of the game, and not gone into details such as dogfighting with the interceptors, piloting a shuttle down to a planet's surface, and taking control of marines running around on the ground. If you don't like complex games, then this will not appeal to you, as there is a lot to learn. But if you enjoy taking part in what seems more like real life, albeit one set in the distant future, then I'd recommend you give this a go.

On a final note, there has been a lot of bad press about this game after it's release in the US. I'm not going to point fingers, but basically the game was released before it was ready, and shipped with insufficient documentation and testing, and what hit the shelves was more like an early beta release than a final version. Saying this, Derek Smart (the author) is currently working hard with a group of dedicated beta testers (I know, I've seen all the messages!), and he promises that the game will not be released in the UK until it ready. There's still quite a few bugs to go, both major and minor ones, and some parts of the game are still not even available, but when it is released, I guarantee it will be worth the wait.

BC 3000AD is scheduled for release in Europe towards the end of February.