GAMEHELPER | Bethesda/Star Trek questions<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Dr. Ian Davis, Mad Doc® Software

Creative Director, Star Trek®: Legacy

1. <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Bethesda is well known and much loved for the Elder Scroll series. Morrowind was a huge hit, and Oblivion is arguably the most-eagerly anticipated game for the 360. Is there any chance of a Star Trek-themed RPG in your future?

Anything is possible, but right now our focus is on the titles we're working on for this year: Legacy and Tactical Assault.

2. Star Trek®: Legacy spans the entire Star Trek mythology, from Enterprise to Voyager. Do players pick which flavor of Trek they want to use, or does the game follow chronologically?

In Legacy, the Single Player campaign spans all of the Trek eras, so you'll see the history of the series from the beginning and move through its evolution chronologically. You can choose your starting era in the Skirmish campaigns (Tug-of-War and MP). In fact, you can also choose how quickly you move through the timeline.

1. Do the ships/enemies/weapons vary depending on which part of the Trek lineage is being used?

Yes!

3. Did/Will any of the original cast members from any of the series add their voices or likenesses to the game(s)?

We're working on this one. We'd all love to see this happen, I know I would! We'll have to see how schedules and details work out. Keep your fingers crossed!

4. Will players bump into the likes of Picard, Janeway, or Sisko?

We're working to get as many of the key characters involved in the game as possible. Again, we'll have to see how details work out on this one.

5. What will the online features of Legacy be? (Number of players, game types, etc.)

Star Trek: Legacy lets players command the fleets of the Federation, Klingon, Romulan and Borg races. From small scouts and light cruisers to fearsome battleships, there will be over sixty ships and four playable races to choose from. The game will offer a robust multiplayer experience with full Xbox Live support as well. From small-scale engagements to all-out war involving multiple systems – it's all beautifully rendered with the latest technology. There will of course be matchmaking, stat tracking, and player rankings on Xbox Live.

We're still finalizing player numbers, modes, and a few other core concepts. When we're ready, we'll let you know!

6. Can players choose their race? Must they be part of the Federation, or can they play as Kazon, Klingons, Borg, Jem'Hadar, etc?

You'll see familiar faces like the Romulans, Klingons, and the Borg – who'll be ready to take you on as evil foes. They also act as playable races in multiplayer and in the Tug-of-War skirmish campaigns. There will be other special races in the game as well, but we're not giving out the juicy details yet!

NOTE: The next three questions are about Star Trek: Tactical Assault

(answered by Bethesda internal)

7. How difficult was it adapting what, to this point, has been a PC series to the DS and the PSP? Was one system easier to work with than the other?

It's less of an adaptation and more of a total redesign. We take the core concept of being a starship captain and explore it in all new ways.

You are the captain, you command your officers and your ship. You make the decisions that determine the fate of your entire crew. Players will be faced with making critical decisions with imperfect information. The right path will not always be the obvious one.

Platform wise, the PSP offers more muscle in the graphics department, but the DS has the dual screen and the stylus.

(Bethesda)

8. Will the DS' touch screen be used in Tactical Assault at all?

The entire lower screen is a virtual command console. Fully interactive control panels give the player complete access to the various systems on his starship. It works wonderfully.

(Bethesda)

9. In the Klingon campaign, is it possible to crush the puny humans once and for all? They have no honor, and today is a good day to die. Ka'Pla!

In the Klingon campaign, you get to crush everything in your path. Seriously.

(Bethesda)

Thanks Guys!

-Maj1013