Podcast # 401 - Trek Games

Rico · September 09, 2012, 06:18:16 AM

This week, Joe sits in to do a cool guest cast on a couple classic Trek games. Definitely a cool cast and Joe also shares some Trek news too (since we finally have some good stuff this week to talk about). So sit back and enjoy the podcast! (Thanks Joe!)

Podcast Notes: http://treksinscifi.com/podcast_notes/?p=2564

http://www.treksinscifi.com/podcasts/TreksinSciFi_401_Trek_Games.mp3

billybob476 · September 09, 2012, 06:44:41 AM

Thanks for the opportunity Rico! Not every day I get to do a podcast where I get to choose from 15 TOS "episodes" that many people have never seen or heard of before :)

Dangelus · September 09, 2012, 08:31:58 AM

Looking forward to it :)

moyer777 · September 09, 2012, 08:54:50 AM

I can hardly wait! LOVED those games!

davekill · September 09, 2012, 11:13:54 PM

Good show!
After listening I brought my old tower computer up from the garage, dusted it off and it fired right up :)
...no video though - (sigh) another project.

billybob476 · September 10, 2012, 03:49:25 AM

Quote from: davekill on September 09, 2012, 11:13:54 PM
Good show!
After listening I brought my old tower computer up from the garage, dusted it off and it fired right up :)
...no video though - (sigh) another project.

Thanks!

I was able to get an old Riva TNT2 card off of eBay for around 10 bucks for my "retro gaming" rig. If you check out http://www.dosbox.com/ you can get old stuff running on a DOS virtual machione, it's free and if you download a front end like D-Fend it's pretty easy to get up an rolling.

saunders · September 10, 2012, 07:31:03 AM

Thanks for doing this topic. This podcast was fun and very nostalgic. I fondly remember both of these games. As much as I loved the movies and TNG, my favorite Trek was TOS and this was a fun return to those uniforms, sets, music, etc. I remember I didn't have a computer when they first came out so I got them a few years later. When I did get them my computer was too advanced to play them (and that was only '95 or so). I was so angry when I got them home and they didn't work. I had to research on the internet how to create a special boot disk to change the memory around and was finally able to play...oh it was frustrating. I also remember not being able to finish "25th Anniversary". I played it through several times but could never beat the ship in that last battle. It'd be neat if someone took the voice audio out and made animated episodes out of these.

I loved all the trivia you had for these. I had no idea that the star chart was a way to stop people from copying it. I always found it frustrating and stupid and knew that I better not lose my instructions or I'd never be able to play again.

I remember Interplay also did an NES "25th Anniversary" game that was similar in style but the graphics weren't as good and it didn't have voices. It was also really short. If I remember correctly one of the episodes was a sequel to "A Piece of the Action".

I went to see a Leonard Nimoy presentation back in the 90's. I wanted to bring something for him to sign in case we got the opportunity. We did. I wanted to bring something unique and brought the CD insert for "25th Anniversary", so I have a signed version of the game. Pretty cool.

The biggest tragedy was that the 3rd game, "The Secret of Vulcan Fury" was cancelled before release. I remember seeing the trailers for it (which you can still find on youtube) and it looked so good. The graphics were much better. I followed it in computer game mags and then it was cancelled. DC Fontana wrote the story and John Meredyth Lucas directed. It's my understanding that all the voice work was recorded, so somewhere out there is some unreleased TOS audio stories with DeForest Kelley and James Doohan. That would be another good candidate for animated episodes.

billybob476 · September 10, 2012, 07:34:25 AM

Yeah, I forgot to mention the cancelled Secret of Vulcan Fury. Here's the trailer...looks like it would have been awesome.

Star Trek: Secret of Vulcan Fury

moyer777 · September 10, 2012, 12:07:15 PM

just loved this podcast, so many great memories!
Thanks Joe!

billybob476 · September 10, 2012, 12:10:41 PM

Thanks Rick! Also, some people (still looking at you Mr. Moyer) might get a kick out of this. All the little music snippets I played on the show were recorded directly off of a combination of my Roland MT-32 and SC-55 MIDI synth modules :)

ChrisMC · September 10, 2012, 12:24:25 PM

Good one, Joe. Great memories of playing these way back when I was a teenager. Love the MIDI music, that just plops me right back at my old computer desk playing games instead of doing homework.

Dangelus · September 10, 2012, 12:39:56 PM

Quote from: billybob476 on September 10, 2012, 07:34:25 AM
Yeah, I forgot to mention the cancelled Secret of Vulcan Fury. Here's the trailer...looks like it would have been awesome.

Star Trek: Secret of Vulcan Fury

I had a game at the time that came with this trailer. I was sorely disappointed it got cancelled.

Bromptonboy · September 10, 2012, 12:51:13 PM

Great stuff, thanks for doing this.

M-5 · September 11, 2012, 01:16:59 AM

Great podcast, Joe!

billybob476 · September 11, 2012, 05:44:57 AM

Thanks guys, it was a lot of fun doing this. I remember enjoying these games, but they really are even cooler then I remember.