Hmm. I missed the original poll. Haven't hung out in the General Forums since I became unemployed. I always said I would buy a copy of SFC3 when I got a job again just to support Taldren, but never really had an interest in the concept.
That said, GaW is a concept I do have an interest in. To Erik's poll:
For a hypothetical future offering from Taldren:
1) The game be set in the Star Trek TOS setting
5: doesn't matter to me - but see answer to question 3
2) The game be set in the Star Trek TNG setting
5: doesn't matter to me - but see answer to question 3
3) The game be set in the SFB setting
2: important SFB lent a lot to the game that has been missing from most other Trek games. There is a rich and detailed history. I recognize however, that SFB has a limited fan base - even after the SFC series. Because of that, I would very much like to see an 'all eras' game that has something for everyone. Advanced Era in OP was the tip of the iceberg with regard to that - but more work needs to be done in terms of figuring out how to transition from one era to another in the game more smoothly. SFB/SFC1 style refits would go a long way toward fixing that problem. If the only way that the game can be made is to get away from Trek entirely, I would say that this is not important at all - as long as the game is sufficiently moddable that the players can make the setting they want. Make a game set in Weber's Honor Harrington universe, and I'll turn cartwheels.
4) The game have a deep strategic metagame with planets sourcing and sinking supplies, staged ship production, more use of strategic elements
1: most important This is what keeps people's interest when they get tired of blowing up 500 enemy ships in one-on-one contests that have no larger strategic import.
5) The game set in a original universe designed by Taldren
5: doesn't matter to me - as long as the game is moddable enough that we can create our own universes
6) The game be fully modifiable, models, missions, weapons, server controls
1: most important - This is what kept SFC2 going long after many people would have given up if the stock version of the game was all there was. Gameplay evolves over time, and if the game cannot evolve with it, it becomes boring. The more moddable the game is, the longer interest will continue to be high.
7) The game's online feature set be as robust as the highest the industry has achieved
2: important - As with question 4 - online play is what keeps people's interest when they tire of playing the AI. By 'online feature set' I am not sure what is meant - but the game needs to maintain connections as best it can, and have procedures for dealing with a dropped connection in a mission - procedures that do not involve the person who didn't drop being penalized by not getting credit for the mission.
8) The game feature a single player campaign
2: important - many people still do not have internet connections - or don't have ones stable enough to game on. Single player is what lets these people buy and enjoy the game.
9) The game have a detailed grognard type manual
2: important - even if the grognard parts are in electronic format only. Understanding how the game is supposed to work is important to being able to play well - and to figuring out whether the problems you are experiencing are a result of the game behaving as designed or a bug. A detailed manual (at least in electronic format) is particularly important from the server setup side of things.
10) The manual be printed
4: nice to have - but not required. A printed quickstart guide with a detailed manual in electronic format would work fine.
11) Available in a store to be purchased
1: most important - if you expect to get 300,000 units sold, it must be in stores.
12) A demo available to play
2: important - the game industry being what it is, many consumers are getting smarter about what they buy - and will not buy a game they have not tried.
13) Be able to purchase online
4: nice to have - to make some money for Taldren directly, but game must be in stores if it is to sell big.
14) Be able to email a Taldren technical support person
5: doesn't matter to me - these forums have worked well for support.
15) Be able to talk to a Taldren technical support person
5: doesn't matter to me - these forums have worked well for support.
16) Have dockable, transparent UI windows
5: doesn't matter to me - I have no experience with this, so have no opinion.
17) Have seemless in-game flow from 'mission' to mission without going to a menu
4: nice to have - might be nice. Would have to see how well it worked.
18) What is your number of reasonable playable races?
20 or so - with a caveat. Allow servers to be set up with a high number of possible player races - but only some of them active at any given time. Example: Allow the Paravians, ISC, and Borg to be playable races on the same server - but in different eras - this allows server admins to set up as many (or as few) playable races as they want at any point in the server timeline, without restricting themselves (I only allowed 6 races, and now I want to add Borg and can't without removing one of the other races)
19) What amount of money would you be willing to pay for such a game at retail as a product?
$50 seems to be the standard price for games right now - if you want to charge more than that, you will have to sell people on why it is worth more - and many people will not buy regardless. I'd probably pay up to $80 - once I have a job again - but I am a loon.
20) What amount of money would you be willing to pay as a monthly service?
$0 - I don't do monthly services (even when I had money) because I never know when I will be able to play. If I were playing regularly, and I had money - $5 to $10. That is probably as much as I could justify to the wife - if I had money. It would have to be on a pay as you go basis too - no long term contract.
21) How long would you guess you would likely play assuming a monthly subscription with say 2 new models and 2 new missions and a new weapon per month?
The new models, missions, and weapon would not be an enticement for me - a well run server with an interesting long-term campaign is. Given that, years.
22) How would you feel about purchasing an online service like this from Taldren as opposed to buying something from a larger, more established company?
No problem - Taldren has always gone the extra mile to support its end users. Even if they were to go out of business, I am confident that a way would be found to allow continued play.
23) How many people do you personally know that if the game was reasonably robust, and addictively fun would you pass the demo to?
5
24) What fraction of those people would you suppose would buy the game?
Any of them that did not buy it would get it as a gift from me, so all of them.
25) Would you be able to handle a server that had users chatting in different languages or do you need segragation?
Different languages is fine.
26) How important is a live orchestra compared to an electronic recording to you (SFC1 vs. SFC3)
5: doesn't matter to me
27) How important to you is the release of backrgound material such as backstory, weapon information and ship history published on a website?
4: nice to have
Topic: Can I Have GAW Now?....Continued. (Read 11737 times)