Introduction

In the late 1990's you couldn't go into a software store without running into several Star Trek games but since Activision cancelled their license to make Trek games a few years ago there has been no new Trek games. That will change in September with Star Trek: Legacy, the space based action-strategy game from developer Mad Doc Software and publisher Bethesda Softworks. FiringSquad got a chance to ask some questions to Mad Doc's leader Dr. Ian Lane Davis to find out more about their plans for Star Trek: Legacy.


FiringSquad: First, Star Trek not only has a long running TV and movie franchise but also has had tons of games released for the franchise as well. How did the long history of Star Trek games influence how Mad Doc designed Star Trek: Legacy?

Dr. Ian Lane Davis: The rich history of the series had an enormous impact on our core game design decisions. Star Trek has resonated so deeply with fans because it’s about things we can all identify with: friendship, loyalty, bravery, adversity, life and death, good vs evil, the things that bind us, that weave the human thread. When we began the development process, we realized early on that we wanted Legacy to focus on the most riveting moments in the history of the series: the ship-to-ship battles. As a result, we’ve immersed players in the very heart of Star Trek’s most defining, compelling question: ‘To live or die in battle?’…We think fans are going to have a great deal of fun answering this one with Legacy.

FiringSquad: The storyline will encompass a large portion of the Star Trek chronology. How hard was it to pick which events would be selected for the single portion of the game?

Dr. Ian Lane Davis: We don’t want to give away too much detail on the story just yet, you’ll have to wait on this one!


FiringSquad: How easy or hard will it be for gamers to control their starships and put them into combat?

Dr. Ian Lane Davis: It’s easy to just jump right in and start playing, and then there’s a lot of depth to explore for the more experienced player, too. We’ve mixed elements from RTS, squad shooter, and strategy games when it comes to controls in Legacy. With Mad Doc’s top-notch AI, you don’t need to constantly micro-manage your ships. You can hop into any pilot’s seat when you want while using special attacks, allocating energy, pulling off maneuvers, and orchestrating tactics with your entire fleet.


FiringSquad: What are some of your favorite ships to control in the game?

Dr. Ian Lane Davis: In Legacy, we’re finding the balance between “Trek realism” and fun gameplay. That said, you’ll find that big, bad battleships move like hulking, fully armed juggernauts – and scouts and destroyers use their maneuverability as an advantage. Personally, at the end of a long day, there’s nothing more enjoyable than taking the Defiant out for a spin. Firepower, speed, tight turns… that ship has it all. Sisko was a lucky man. Worf too. But he was a Klingon.