Any one remember Starflight?? Well, any one want to help me design a game after Starflight. I personally think Starflight was the best game of the decade or more. The copyright protection was the best idea I''ve ever seen. Well, If any of you remember, rip me to pieces. Please, you know you want too. End of Program c:\>

Starflight was, to put it mildly,, "da bomb!!!!!"

200 worlds, 800 star systems, 7 alien races, NPC conversation, space combat, planetary exploration, cool story... all on 2 5-1/4 floppies... never seen a game that could touch it...

I''vee been designing what will ultimately be a freeware/shareware RPG in the spirit of Starflight, so I''d be share ideas with you. I''m trying to merge elements from some other games, so I may be waaaaay out in left field, but here''s a sample:

* Randomly generate universe to make the game more playable.

* Change the universe as you play. What would it look like if the Thrynn actually invaded the Elowan? Wouldn''t it be neat to choose sides and help?

* Add cities to inhabited planets

* Exit terrain vehicle. Enter ruins, cities, space stations. Board other ships (even enemy ones) (Like Sentinel Worlds)

* Add party based combat. Add Star Control 2 space combat.

* Randomly generate aliens from a predesigned set of characteristics. How ''bout Veloxi-Spemin, or Uhlek-Thrynn combos?

* Beef up ship upgrade. Upgrade character stats, buy equipment. Upgrade terrain vehicle.

* Add some RTS elements. As in Escape Velocity, hire ships to help you out.

... anyway, that''s some of what I have. Be happy to help! Oh, you may want to check out: "http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Station/2571/SF3main.htm" These guys are hard core, and have even gotten permission from Binary Systems to do Starflight 3. I think they''re looking for people still, too...



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Just waiting for the mothership...

I''m glad someone remembers. I was only 8 when our copy stopped working. Its been awhile.

Now, that I found another working version, I can design a game using some of the same aspects of play. If you want to find a working version just goto the yahoo RPG page and it should be in that list.

I''m still in the idea phase. Randomly thinking about what I could do with it. EV is a good game to, wish it was for PC.

I heard that Starflight was such a good game because of the plot, I didn''t really care when I was 8. It was just fun to drive the ship around, so whatever I do design I need to put a large, intellegant, ineractive plot in my game. I hope you don''t forget that, a good game needs plot.

Other games suck because their plot is way to complex, so I''m planning to make an AI generated plot. As you play the game the plot takes shape. When you first started out in Starflight I think you had a mission just like Star Treak(Spelling it off a bit. At least I think it is.). A basic Exploring mission. Or maybe I could take it and let you design the plot. Who your at war with. HMMMMM............

Well my game is still in my head and I am wondering if anyone would like to design, and construct this complex game.



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Like you kd7ike, I''m trying to figure out if an AI generated plot is possible. I initially thought no, and that doomed the game to being non-replayable. But I''ve come across a way that you might generate story:

First you have to define a bunch of interesting plot actions. I''m working on this right now, and it''s looking like a cross between a random event generator and a rules system. I''m finding this easier at the species level than at the character level. (Gonna seek help here in the group soon.)

Once I''ve got the rules and events, I need a backstory to set the stage. This, then, implies abstractly running the game over few iterations. Who invaded who? Who killed who? Who stold what from who and where did they hide it? Once this is run, it sets present day events in motion.

So, when you start the game, the making the story dynamic may just be a case of letting the AI run it''s course in real time. I don''t think there''s any plot point from Starflight that can''t be simulated: The Thrynn-Elowan conflict (and why), the Crystal Planet''s insane defense, the rise and fall of the Terrans and thus the creation of Arth.

What''s going to be tricky are things like balance and pacing. Suppose you restart the game and Arth is gone? Or suppose the Uhlek rule the galaxy? What if the AI locks up in a stalemate and nothing interesting happens? In the design notes, Binary Systems said that it took months just to get their world generators right... I don''t expect my plot generator to be any easier.




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Just waiting for the mothership...

Sounds like fun. Do you think I could help? I would love to help design it.




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Cool, any help would be awesome! I'm going to be posting publicly about a few things, but if you'd like to brainstorm off-line that's cool too.

I'm in between ISPs (getting cable modem), but as soon as I get it working (day or so) I'll be wavinator@home.com.

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Just waiting for the mothership...

Edited by - Wavinator on August 17, 2000 9:39:25 PM

Yes, I own starflight for my Sega Genesis. It is quite a coincedence since I was looking for my old Coleco yesterday and ran into this game.

I had proposed to make a game like this a few years ago, but never got around to it. It would definitely be worth it. I wish you the best of luck.. If you need minor help, I might be able to contribute, but most of the work will be for artists.

Best
President