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Anyone here have Klingon Academy (KA) ?


Its a very old game,ten years old now, but very ahead of its time.

It didn't really have multiplayer in the modern sense, you had to know the IP of the other computer which means you could really only play it over a lan.

If anyone else has this, I'd love to try to get a game going.

Perhaps we can use LogMeIn's Hamachi ?


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klingon_Academy


http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/Star_Trek:_Klingon_Academy

I had it once and it was a nice game. It was also imho a good example why the tactical depth of starfleet command didn't marry well with an action packed 3d enviroment. Beeing forced through 7-8 menues with supoptions etc. wasn't fun just to activate system x, while trying to avoid the next asteroid. Also, the radar was suboptimal, keeping track of an engagement with 10 ships skattered around one solar system while sitting in a Wing commander like cockpit did need of getting used to. If you memorized that your tractor beam activated via pressing 1-1-1-4 and diverting power to shields is 6-1-1-2 (iirc the menu had a depth of 4-5 levels) etc. etc. etc. and got the hang of the radar it was fun.

BUT it really had nice features never before and never since seen, like the detailed damage model for the ships they had and the great planetary systems where you could enter the atmosphere of a planet, fly through planetary rings etc. and basically use quite a few tricks with the terrain. It was just imho an unlucky marriage between starfleet acadamy and starfleet command which did not quite work out imho. They made the movement of the big ships very realistically, meaning they turned rather slow and not like a fighter, which meant that it was rather hard to keep your enemy in front of you....which in starfleet command isn't an issue......in a 3d wing commander shooter.....it is. (Well you could move the camera around to keep track of enemies behind, above, below you etc. just not when using the great terrain option and risking flying against a rock)

Also, a good joystick is pretty much needed to play it in any meaningful way...I guess you "could" play it with mouse and keyboard......but none should.

I loved the demo version when i had it, but none of my computers seem to run it anymore. Win7 doesnt seem to like it, even in compatability mode.

Atekimogus wrote:I had it once and it was a nice game. It was also imho a good example why the tactical depth of starfleet command didn't marry well with an action packed 3d enviroment. Beeing forced through 7-8 menues with supoptions etc. wasn't fun just to activate system x, while trying to avoid the next asteroid. Also, the radar was suboptimal, keeping track of an engagement with 10 ships skattered around one solar system while sitting in a Wing commander like cockpit did need of getting used to. If you memorized that your tractor beam activated via pressing 1-1-1-4 and diverting power to shields is 6-1-1-2 (iirc the menu had a depth of 4-5 levels) etc. etc. etc. and got the hang of the radar it was fun.

I don't mind it that much, but I have slipped up more than once so ya I guess some more simplification was in order.

Hm. I guess I don't really pay attention to the radar that much. I always just hit 8-4 for nearest enemy than follow the arrow. Also I use emergency turn a LOT (2-5-1).

BUT it really had nice features never before and never since seen, like the detailed damage model for the ships they had and the great planetary systems where you could enter the atmosphere of a planet, fly through planetary rings etc. and basically use quite a few tricks with the terrain. It was just imho an unlucky marriage between starfleet acadamy and starfleet command which did not quite work out imho. They made the movement of the big ships very realistically, meaning they turned rather slow and not like a fighter, which meant that it was rather hard to keep your enemy in front of you....which in starfleet command isn't an issue......in a 3d wing commander shooter.....it is. (Well you could move the camera around to keep track of enemies behind, above, below you etc. just not when using the great terrain option and risking flying against a rock)

Odd. I never thought of it as having Starfleet Command features. But then I never played SFC.

But yeah, it is really sad that no game since has modeled damage the way KA has done.

I can only imagine graphics cards nowadays could do.

Have you heard of Infinity: The Quest for Earth ?

It uses a procedural system to model entire galaxies. With that kind of tech the entire Star Trek galaxy could be modeled !

Also, a good joystick is pretty much needed to play it in any meaningful way...I guess you "could" play it with mouse and keyboard......but none should.

Define "good." Its perfectly playable on my crappy Logitech Attack 3, which I bought without realizing it had no yaw control.

Reliant121 wrote:I loved the demo version when i had it, but none of my computers seem to run it anymore. Win7 doesnt seem to like it, even in compatability mode.

That's weird, because I can play it well enough on my windows box, and I'm running Win 7 Pro 64 bit. Granted, there are glitches, mostly graphics related, such as flashing textures, CONSTANTLY, and the occasional crash. But for being incompatible with the hardware I'd say it runs pretty well.

Probably the best thing to do if you want to play it decently would be to get 32 bit XP and some 2000s ish hardware if possible.

Unfortunately, I am dictated by the will of my rent masters. IE my parents. Besides, I'm still saving for my first car (UK expenditure for a car is INSANE) so I virtually never spend money,

God I loved this game. Once you got the hang of being in charge of a capital ship A La Battlecruiser, and not merely piloting a Heavy Fighter, there was quite a lot of fun to be had, even in 1 on 1 duels. Trying to recreate Khan's feat of defeating the Enterprise (a Command Heavy Cruiser) with the Reliant (a Light Cruiser) was quite the challenge.

The story was also interesting and insightful on Klingon politics/military protocol. I liked the fact that you had to betray your commanding officer in order to properly Serve the Empire. It really tied in importantly into the Klingon psyche.


I just can't run this game on my Windows XP I tried compatibility mode, but to no effect. I'd love to see other games using the same combat engine. Hell, if we could have some Voice Command recognition for some macro, it would be neat. Like turning hard to port, changing shield power to favor the Starboard side and engaging the Tractor beam to immobilise the ennemy on this side.

Yhea, there would be a lot gained from this game if we could write a few "maoeuver macro", so do you don't always have to give (1-4-5-2). every (3-5-2-1). single (1-3-3-1). order (8-1). It would add a big insight into what is "Attack Pattern Solka-4" if I happen to have created the Solka-4 ship setup.

That way, every captain would have their officers drilled with pre-made macros. You could even add a small roleplay part where you have to manage the officer on your bridge for weapon precision and speed of command execution.