Star Trek: The Rebel Universe
| Star Trek: The Rebel Universe | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Developer(s) | Firebird Software |
| Publisher(s) | Simon & Schuster Interactive |
| Designer(s) | Mike Singleton |
| Platform(s) | Atari ST, IBM PC, Commodore 64 |
| Release | 1987 |
| Genre(s) | Action-adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Star Trek: The Rebel Universe is an action-adventure computer game written by Firebird Software and published by Simon & Schuster Interactive. It was originally released for the Atari ST in 1987, and was followed the next year with versions for the Commodore 64 and IBM PC.
The game places the user in control of the bridge crew of the Enterprise while they explore an area of space attempting to understand why all previous Federation ships that entered the region have mutinied. Each member of the bridge crew is in control of certain aspects of ship operations, allowing the player to control the mission through their stations. The user can also orbit above planets and beam down selected members in order to find devices or clues that can solve the mystery of the "Quarantine Zone".
When the game starts the player is placed in the game's "Multivision" display that shows an oblique view of the Enterprise bridge taking up the majority of upper left portion of the screen. Running down the right side and across the bottom of this display are individual portraits of each of the bridge crew. By clicking on a person in either display, the main display is replaced by a view of the controls that crewmember operated.
For instance, clicking on Sulu replaced the main display with a new view showing Sulu and the controls he operated. From there the user could click into a 3D star map where they could select a destination star system. Backing out from that display, they could move to the warp engine controls to set their speed and start the journey. While the player operated Sulu's station, the image of Sulu on the bottom of the screen was replaced by a smaller image of the bridge, clicking there returned the user back to the main bridge display.
On the Atari version, as the user clicked through the crewmember displays their icons in the control bar would update with any useful information. For instance, if Spock was asked to scan a planet, when the user entered Sulu's screen and Spock's returned to the icon view, information about the planet would be rendered into the smaller display.
The game normally opened with the user selecting a star system to warp to. Each of the star systems was affiliated with the Federation, Klingons, Romulans or was neutral. Depending on their capabilities, friendly systems will re-fuel, repair and re-arm the Enterprise. When the Enterprise entered an enemy system there was a chance it would be defended by one or more Klingon or Romulan warships, which you could fight by moving to Chekov's station. Renegade Federation ships would also occasionally crop up as enemies. Combat took place in a 3D wireframe view, allowing the user to click on vulnerable locations on the enemy ship for maximum effect.
...
Wikipedia