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Author Topic:   Birth of the Federation any good?

spgfcs posted 05-28-99 12:59 PM ET
Has anyone gotten Birth of the Federation yet or know of any reviews on it? I saw it on the racks yesterday at CompUSA.

Darkstar posted 05-28-99 01:04 PM ET
Dang! Its out? Got to go by my software shop and take a look. Haven't heard squat about it other than its MOO in the Star Trek universe (this is from the two previews [One at Gamespot and I forget about the other]). Humm... SMAC might have to wait on the new toy in town...
-Darkstar
Gixxer posted 05-28-99 01:50 PM ET
I got it last night. I didn't get much further past loading it. I started a game and browsed the interface. It looks cool and there are a bit of voiceovers.
There are 5 playable factions...um, races. Those of you who were looking forward to playing as the Borg will be disappointed as they are not one of them. They will play a part in there somewhere. I think in the manual it says that you may end up joining with an enemy to counter the Borg. The parallels are creepy.
Morgan Industries - Ferengi
Peacekeepers - United Federation
Klingons, - Spartans, Believers, Hive
Cardassians
Romulans
Another feature to spice it up, is there are 30 non playable races who, I'm guessing, play a role in trade. So far they have been from the NG episodes and diplomatic relations are accompanied by a photograph. So far I've met the Sheliac, and the Binars.
I can't give an accurate assessment yet, but I will let you know after the weekend.
PS SMAC ruined me. It is my basis for comparision. I've come back to it after playing 5 games I bought since getting SMAC.
tfs99 posted 05-28-99 02:50 PM ET
As long as they have the _PAKLIDS_, I'll be satisfied.
"You are smart. You can make us go. We are not smart."
PAKLIDS: My favorite minor race
For now ...
SMAC n ... Ted S.
Gixxer posted 05-28-99 03:02 PM ET
I'll look for them tfs. I'll think of you when/if I find them.
Matt Blackwell posted 05-28-99 06:08 PM ET
The Pakleds? They're in there. I've encountered them a few times now.
As for the game itself, I'm enjoying it. Other people have griped about the interface, which is a bit awkward, and the combat effects not being 3d enhanced (sigh), and the tech level names are a bit unoriginal but overall, I like it so far. Of course, your mileage may vary.
tfs99 posted 05-28-99 07:38 PM ET
Pakleds!!!! Yes!
SO that is how they spell their name? Cool.
Do they speak or anything? That would be the best:
"Geordi can make us go. He is smart."
SMAC n ... Ted S.
Jimmy posted 05-29-99 10:10 PM ET
Just got Botf and I love it. It rocks!
The 3d combat is pretty cool. after the cbattle is over, you can watch a replay from any angle with rewind, pause, fastforward button... The diplomacy is excellent. Treaties have conditions like how long it will last, exchange of territory, tribute etc... You send a proposal and wait the next turns for a response. My favorite aspect of diplomacy is that you get to set the tone of your proposal which actually changes your message (ie "The Federation wishes to end this war", click to change the tone and the message you send with your proposal might read "Sign this treaty if you really want peace") When you make first contact with a major race you hear a greeting from the race. Those are just some of the things that caught my eye.
You gotta love micromanagement though.
If you love empire building games and Star Trek, Botf is a must !
HolyWarrior posted 05-30-99 01:50 AM ET
One question: BotF is turn-based, right? None of that real-time crap?
Darkstar posted 05-30-99 03:25 AM ET
Go BotF...
Its graphics rock. Especially the alternate skins. Its Turn Based, HW, so don't sweat it being RTS.
I have yanked it off my system already. I'll drop it back on after a while, but after diving in at everyone at 1 for tech level, I find the computer reliably rolls over me with 12 super ships to every one of my 2nd level ships. Considering I was using classic resource/infrastructure improvement techniques, I am wondering if Microprose has repeated the MOO2 release bug... had tuturial/easiest level set at what Impossible is now. They had to patch MOO2 before you could play it and survive, and had to back it down a SECOND time to make it winable.
So, maybe I have killed too many brain cells, but I am going to have to read the stupid manual to see if there is something I am missing. They are only using a classic food/industry/energy for local resources and intel/labs for global level though. Sigh. I must be losing it.
But I had a great deal of fun exploring, playing at its diplomacy, and building and expanding my empire... until I get squashed, anyways. Which is why I'm going to read the manual and then try again...
Wonder when the first patch is out though... I have found 2 bugs already, thanks to being the newbie idiot at the game and trying something that a KNOWLEDGABLE player wouldn't do. I know better now, of course, but it STILL should have handled it. But that is less than the amount of bugs that I had ran across in SMAC US 1.0 for the same amount of time playing it when it was released.
And it has a KILLER screen saver. Yeah!
-Darkstar
StargazerBC posted 05-30-99 03:52 PM ET
Just got BoF yesterday. The interfance is more daunting than MOOII. No Ship design or any heros (that I've seen). Sorta different (space is divided into sectors so you can move to areas w/o stars, 4 other races to compete with, galaxy has a shape, etc.) but not a quantum leap. . . ::Goes back to BoF before he gets withdrawal::
Allod posted 06-01-99 05:18 AM ET
Darkstar:
I got the very first version of MoO2 as a direct import from the US.
Now THAT was the reason why it was so hard. I managed to become a master in that game anyway...
Xuenay posted 06-02-99 07:39 AM ET
There is another thread of this in the Non-SMAC related forum.
To close this thread, click here (moderator or admin only).


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Author	Topic: Birth of the Federation any good?
spgfcs	posted 05-28-99 12:59 PM ET Has anyone gotten Birth of the Federation yet or know of any reviews on it? I saw it on the racks yesterday at CompUSA.
Darkstar	posted 05-28-99 01:04 PM ET Dang! Its out? Got to go by my software shop and take a look. Haven't heard squat about it other than its MOO in the Star Trek universe (this is from the two previews [One at Gamespot and I forget about the other]). Humm... SMAC might have to wait on the new toy in town... -Darkstar
Gixxer	posted 05-28-99 01:50 PM ET I got it last night. I didn't get much further past loading it. I started a game and browsed the interface. It looks cool and there are a bit of voiceovers. There are 5 playable factions...um, races. Those of you who were looking forward to playing as the Borg will be disappointed as they are not one of them. They will play a part in there somewhere. I think in the manual it says that you may end up joining with an enemy to counter the Borg. The parallels are creepy. Morgan Industries - Ferengi Peacekeepers - United Federation Klingons, - Spartans, Believers, Hive Cardassians Romulans Another feature to spice it up, is there are 30 non playable races who, I'm guessing, play a role in trade. So far they have been from the NG episodes and diplomatic relations are accompanied by a photograph. So far I've met the Sheliac, and the Binars. I can't give an accurate assessment yet, but I will let you know after the weekend. PS SMAC ruined me. It is my basis for comparision. I've come back to it after playing 5 games I bought since getting SMAC.
tfs99	posted 05-28-99 02:50 PM ET As long as they have the _PAKLIDS_, I'll be satisfied. "You are smart. You can make us go. We are not smart." PAKLIDS: My favorite minor race For now ... SMAC n ... Ted S.
Gixxer	posted 05-28-99 03:02 PM ET I'll look for them tfs. I'll think of you when/if I find them.
Matt Blackwell	posted 05-28-99 06:08 PM ET The Pakleds? They're in there. I've encountered them a few times now. As for the game itself, I'm enjoying it. Other people have griped about the interface, which is a bit awkward, and the combat effects not being 3d enhanced (sigh), and the tech level names are a bit unoriginal but overall, I like it so far. Of course, your mileage may vary.
tfs99	posted 05-28-99 07:38 PM ET Pakleds!!!! Yes! SO that is how they spell their name? Cool. Do they speak or anything? That would be the best: "Geordi can make us go. He is smart." SMAC n ... Ted S.
Jimmy	posted 05-29-99 10:10 PM ET Just got Botf and I love it. It rocks! The 3d combat is pretty cool. after the cbattle is over, you can watch a replay from any angle with rewind, pause, fastforward button... The diplomacy is excellent. Treaties have conditions like how long it will last, exchange of territory, tribute etc... You send a proposal and wait the next turns for a response. My favorite aspect of diplomacy is that you get to set the tone of your proposal which actually changes your message (ie "The Federation wishes to end this war", click to change the tone and the message you send with your proposal might read "Sign this treaty if you really want peace") When you make first contact with a major race you hear a greeting from the race. Those are just some of the things that caught my eye. You gotta love micromanagement though. If you love empire building games and Star Trek, Botf is a must !
HolyWarrior	posted 05-30-99 01:50 AM ET One question: BotF is turn-based, right? None of that real-time crap?
Darkstar	posted 05-30-99 03:25 AM ET Go BotF... Its graphics rock. Especially the alternate skins. Its Turn Based, HW, so don't sweat it being RTS. I have yanked it off my system already. I'll drop it back on after a while, but after diving in at everyone at 1 for tech level, I find the computer reliably rolls over me with 12 super ships to every one of my 2nd level ships. Considering I was using classic resource/infrastructure improvement techniques, I am wondering if Microprose has repeated the MOO2 release bug... had tuturial/easiest level set at what Impossible is now. They had to patch MOO2 before you could play it and survive, and had to back it down a SECOND time to make it winable. So, maybe I have killed too many brain cells, but I am going to have to read the stupid manual to see if there is something I am missing. They are only using a classic food/industry/energy for local resources and intel/labs for global level though. Sigh. I must be losing it. But I had a great deal of fun exploring, playing at its diplomacy, and building and expanding my empire... until I get squashed, anyways. Which is why I'm going to read the manual and then try again... Wonder when the first patch is out though... I have found 2 bugs already, thanks to being the newbie idiot at the game and trying something that a KNOWLEDGABLE player wouldn't do. I know better now, of course, but it STILL should have handled it. But that is less than the amount of bugs that I had ran across in SMAC US 1.0 for the same amount of time playing it when it was released. And it has a KILLER screen saver. Yeah! -Darkstar
StargazerBC	posted 05-30-99 03:52 PM ET Just got BoF yesterday. The interfance is more daunting than MOOII. No Ship design or any heros (that I've seen). Sorta different (space is divided into sectors so you can move to areas w/o stars, 4 other races to compete with, galaxy has a shape, etc.) but not a quantum leap. . . ::Goes back to BoF before he gets withdrawal::
Allod	posted 06-01-99 05:18 AM ET Darkstar: I got the very first version of MoO2 as a direct import from the US. Now THAT was the reason why it was so hard. I managed to become a master in that game anyway...
Xuenay	posted 06-02-99 07:39 AM ET There is another thread of this in the Non-SMAC related forum.