Following a brief gap in
Star Trek video games being released, newly assigned gaming licensee
Bethesda Softworks recently announced two new titles scheduled to hit the shelves in September of this year: "Star Trek: Legacy" for Xbox 360 and "Star Trek: Tactical Assault" for Nintendo DS and Sony PSP. (For complete press release, see below.)
These new titles will no doubt be a welcome return to Star Trek gaming, and to get some additional insight on the production of video games, we talked with Dr. Ian Davis, founder of Mad Doc Software and Creative Director for Star Trek®: Legacy.
Will there be any new Starfleet ships designed for these games?
Absolutely! Although we're being careful to make sure all of the key ships from Trek canon are included in "Star Trek: Legacy," we're fleshing out each race's fleet with some new designs. Over here at Mad Doc we've got a lot of experience with new Trek ship design (I'm a big fan of our Borg Fusion Cube?well, maybe I like that one 'cause it was my idea).
In "Legacy," do you get to choose your era, i.e. TNG, DS9, TOS... ?
The Single Player campaign spans all of the Trek eras, but in Skirmish Campaigns (Tug-of-War and MP) you can choose your starting era (and the rate at which you progress through the timeline).
Will there be any actor voices used for either of these games?
We're working on this now! Like so many of you, we know how exciting this would be. We'll see how the details and schedules work out.
Will there be more video games to follow in 2007?
Our focus right now is on doing Star Trek: Legacy and making it the best game possible. We'll talk about what's next after we get this one done.
How long does it take to develop games like these, from concept to release?
It really depends on the title, what you're starting with, and obviously, the teams you've got in place and their core experience. In general, a decent development cycle for a major title should run around 2-3 years, give or take a bit. Parts of the "Legacy" graphics technology have been in the works for almost four years (see below).
Are either of these games built around existing gaming engines?
In developing "Star Trek: Legacy," although we're capitalizing on our years of experience with Star Trek games, we've actually been working on the core brand new graphics engine since 2002! At last we have the platforms powerful enough to give us a result that looks downright cinematic — it's why we're doing such a big push on this game and game engine now!
PRESS RELEASE FROM BETHESDA
BETHESDA SOFTWORKS OBTAINS STAR TREK LICENSE
AND ANNOUNCES TWO GAMES
Legacy and Tactical Assault to be Released
on Next-Gen Consoles, Handhelds, and PC
(Rockville, MD) January 24, 2006 - Bethesda Softworks® today announced it has secured the rights from CBS Consumer Products to publish a series of Star Trek games on all gaming consoles, handhelds and PCs. Bethesda has two titles slated for release this year to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the epic series –
Star Trek®: Legacy for Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PC, and
Star Trek®: Tactical Assault for Nintendo DS™ and Sony PSP™ (PlayStation® Portable). Bethesda's rights cover the entire Star Trek series and are exclusive to all consoles, handhelds, and the PC.
Star Trek: Legacy places you in the role of the Admiral of a task force of warships, which you control in small and large-scale battles. Test your strategic and tactical skills in real-time combat featuring authentic spaceships, full damage modeling, and spectacular visual effects. The storyline in Legacy spans the entire Star Trek Universe, including the Original Series, Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise eras. Star Trek: Legacy will be released on Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PC this September.
Taking advantage of next-generation consoles, Star Trek: Legacy features dynamic three-dimensional battlefields with graphically stunning space environments filled with fully realized nebulas, wormholes, planets, and stars. With full multiplayer support, you will be able to choose from small-scale engagements to all-out war involving multiple star systems in addition to tracking stats and player rankings. Star Trek: Legacy is being developed at the studios of Mad Doc Software, creators of the highly successful and critically acclaimed Star Trek Armada II.
"Being able to work with the entire universe of this beloved series is an incredibly exciting opportunity for us," said Todd Vaughn, vice president of development for Bethesda Softworks. "We have some great ideas about where we want to go with this license and having the exclusive right to develop and publish Star Trek games across all platforms ensures that every Star Trek game will be a quality game worthy of its name.
Star Trek®: Tactical Assault, in development for handheld gaming systems, features real-time spaceship combat from the universe of the original Star Trek series. With a wide array of authentic Star Trek races, ships, and weaponry, you can engage in single-player battle through either the Federation or Klingon campaigns or in head-to-head wireless multiplayer combat. Star Trek: Tactical Assault is being developed in the studios of Quicksilver Software, creators of the highly popular Star Trek: Starfleet Command.
Both the Federation and Klingon campaign modes feature real-time combat with branching missions and multiple outcomes. With a multitude of paths to choose from, you will decide the ultimate outcome of your campaign. Wireless multiplayer mode allows you to test your skills and tactical maneuvers against those of your friends. Successful gameplay relies on strategic movement and effective use of a ship's weapons and shields. Star Trek: Tactical Assault is slated for release on Nintendo DS™ and PSP™ this September.
About Mad Doc® Software, LLC
Mad Doc® Software, LLC (maddocsoftware.com) consists of game industry veterans with experience in every aspect of game development. An emerging force in the industry, Mad Doc was founded in 1999 by Dr. Ian Davis with the goal of developing AAA titles that expand the game playing experience and broaden the market through creative use of new Networking, Graphics, and AI technologies, Massachusetts-based Mad Doc team members are responsible for over ten million units in the game market worldwide, earning the acclaim of players, critics, and publishers alike. Copyright 2005 Mad Doc® Software, LLC. All rights reserved. MadAI is a trademark of Mad Doc® Software, LLC. All rights reserved.
About Quicksilver Software, Inc.
Quicksilver Software, Inc. is a developer of premium software products for PCs, handheld and mobile platforms. The company has developed many top-selling PC game titles, including Castles™, Conquest of the New World™, Star Trek®: Starfleet Command™. The company is also active in the mobile gaming market, and recently released a licensed sports title for 3D-enabled phones. Quicksilver was founded in 1984 by a team of former Mattel Electronics game developers.
About CBS Consumer Products
CBS Consumer Products, a unit of CBS Enterprises, manages the worldwide licensing, merchandising and video activities for a diverse slate of properties owned or controlled by the CBS Corporation. Additional information is available by visiting CBS.Com.
