Starfire/FT

On Fri, 16 May 1997, Ground Zero Games wrote:

> I think I've mentioned before that I have never played Starfire, and
> haven't actually even got a copy. Possibly a good thing, because from
> reading the books I realise some of the concepts are so much like FT
that
> if I'd been familiar with Starfire first then FT might never have come
out
> like it did - I'd have been too worried about accusations of
plagiarism...

I don't think so, really. OK, both are simple 2D space combat games, but
the games mechanics are really quite different from each other. Starfire
has tech development more or less built into even the tactical rules,
and
there are more different tech toys (which FT rationalize as "beams" or
similar :); but it is much harder to adapt to other SF backgrounds. (OK;

in a Starfire campaign you write up your own background, but it's a lot
harder doing, eg, B5 battles in Starfire than in Full Thrust.) The
mechanics also forces some... interesting... new sets of physics onto
the
players (and game designers :/ ), which FT doesn't (not nearly to the
same
extent, at least). 

And, of course, Starfire isn't intended for use with models :)

> Now that FT is well enough established that this isn't a problem,
however,
> the lack of a Starfire copy is a big hole in my games collection - I
think
> I ought to have one. Is it still in print in the US? 

I don't think so (since TFG has sold the rights to Marvin), but TFG may 
have some copies of the -92 edition left. There will be a 4th edition 
eventually, but it'll take a llloooonnnnngggg time 'til it is ready for 
electronic distribution, and even longer before it can be made available

in printed form.

Later,

Oerjan Ohlson

"Life is like a sewer.
 What you get out of it, depends on what you put into it."
 -Hen3ry