This game is really great!!! Instead of just being a load of nice graphics like most Trek games, we finally get a game which is genuinely a classic. There are a few problems with it, but it is far superior to the game it will be compared to- Star Wars Supremacy. The graphics aren't the best thing ever, but then they don't have to be. Battles with a lot of different ships look quite impressive. Oh yeah and two great reasons to buy this game: IT HAS THE DEFIANT AND THE ENTERPRISE-E!!!!!! They only got the rights to use them at the last minute, but luckily they did!!!!

Hehe, nothing can top my fleets at one point. I had a battle with 227 Klingon vessels, and I had 3 Soverigns, 10 Defiants, 36 Destroyers (both types), 3 Galaxy's, 5 Galaxy-X's, and 17 Ambassadors. After the battle I was left with only 6 ships... and that was only about 1/10 of my entire fleet... ;)

I really enjoy this game. Like Ed said, it's definitely a classic, true to the TNG universe. I like how you can basically control any aspect of your scenario, from the types of ships you build to the size and shape of the galaxy you are in. There are some accuracy things wrong with it though, such as the ineffectiveness of the Defiant against the Borg (I sent a fleet of twenty-seven of them in and they all were toasted—18 Sovereigns and Galaxys, on the other hand, didn't give the cube a chance to fire back). Also, the Husnock raider looks nothing like it did on TV. The appearance of the Chodak was fun though. Is this how they linked this game to ones in the past?

I got this game for $10 at Toys R Us just on a whim. I'd always liked the idea that you can control the universe. When I first started playing it, I was very confused; I didn't know how to do anything! But gradually I figured it out. Turns out it's one of those games where you actually have to read the book that came with it. :-)
I think it's a great game so far. The only problem I have is with the amount of credits you get each time you "turn". Why did they do it so that sometimes you lose credits instead?

I love this game! It reminds me of Master of Orion. I really hope they make a sequel that's a little more advanced.

I also got this game at a bargin price but $20!

I played it for the first time and I am so confused. Like Trekker said you need to read the manuel. But then I just got more confuse. So , I got the hang of it later on. This is just a cool TNG game. I also wouldn't mind if they make a sequel!

So, I will explain how to play this oh-so-awesome game so that, if someone in the future needs it, they know how also.

Install the program.

Fire it up.

Drool.

Ok, so now, for beginning, start a new game and it will ask the tech levels for you to start with. Your first game (and first game only), you should decide your race and put the tech level at 5, and all others at 1. This will stop the other people from romping you early on. Next, choose to play the race you put at 5.

When the game starts, you will have a science vessel, and two terraformers. The name depends on the race you choose. Move the science vessel by directly clicking on it. Notice that as you move your cursor, the path will show up. You can only move as far as the border that shows while you are doing this. Pick a corner and click so that you 'lay a course' to that corner. Now, do the same for your two terraformers, but choose star systems NEARBY instead. Now, right click, and choose the icon with the star system. You will see your homeword. For now, just click on the word MANUAL until it says automatic. Everytime you get a new star system, repeat this proceedure. Click on the star system and set it to automatic. For reference, on new systems, you will also want to move one unit into production. You will understand more as you explore this screen. You cannot make a bad choice in this area, so come here often and check in on it.

Now, right click and choose the top icon. You are back at the main screen.
Click on the TURN symbol, and a turn will run. If you are federation, you can even say 'Make it so' if that suits you.

Your ships will move. For the science vessel, just always keep it moving, so that you can see what is going on. For the terraformers, when they reach a star system, click on them, and go to orders. Choose terraform and then click on one of the planets that you can now see. You cannot terraform gaseous planets. You know that you have done this correctly if half the planets becomes wireframe. Run your first twenty turns this way.

After all that, you probably ran into a race, p**d them off and have the entire galaxy against you. Do not worry, you are superior to them at tech 5. If you do find a race, determine if it a major or minor race. If it is a major race (Klingon, Cardassian, Romular, Federation, or Ferengi), try a no war treaty, unless you are Klingon, see race strategies below. Do not give anyone with lower than a receptive rating a bribe or a tribute, even when they demand it. If you do, you are only weakening yourself.

After owning two or three star systems, you will want to make more colonization ships and a few ships which build outposts. (Normally, they are names after troops).

You can build outposts in empty space and they will expand your sensor range. One you build one, fly another troop transport over and upgrade it to a star base. You will thank yourself later.

Finally, as you engage in war, look at the maintenance cost of the vehicles you are using. If they add to more than that of those which you fight, you will probably win, if they are less, you probably will loose.

Enjoy.

For race strategies:

Klingons (my favorite in this game).
War War War. Always attack. Build all the ships you can, because they cost less than any other race. Also, upgrade weapons and propulsion first. If you sign any treaty other than a war pact, your morale WILL drop. If you declare war, it will go up. If your people become unhappy, declare a police state and leave it until it ends all by itself. (Probably about 40 turns, if you take much less than 40, you are probably using it too early).

Romulans.
I do not enjoy this race too much, so I have little info for you. I have noticed that breaking treaties has little (or no) efect on morale for these people. Use this advantage.

Federation.
Opposite the Klingons. Peace is your way. Propose reaties, try to make affiliations, and even give in to bribes a little more. Your advantage is that you upgrade your research and farms faster. Stay on top by building an economy where food is abundant, people are happy, and establish trade.

Ferengi.
Money money Money. Geld Geld Geld. You want all the cash that you can get. Perhaps the easiest for morale of all races, if you are making money, people are happy, if you are loosing money, they get upset. This is the only race that should trade goods on a regular basis. Make sure that you also build your task force, becuase you are also the enemy of the Cardassians in alot of cases.

Cardassians.
You should be similar to the Klingons. You do not get the war and ship bonuses, but you get espionage bonuses, and your ships tend to be tougher. These people are the most unaffected by anything for morale.

Enjoy the game most of all, and play it once or twice BEFORE reading the manual. Once you do, the manual makes much more sense.

-Keith Ratliff
lordrat@dragon-entertainment.com

Energy tech Level 7 is Ultraconductors which are described as conductors which add energy to currents. Nit, that's impossible. (First law of thermodynamics.) If You had an ultraconductor, You could build a perpetuum mobile.

Sorry, it's not Level 7, but it's Level 9. My mistake.

Very funny: Pluto's climate changed to oceanic!!

Romulan strategys:

1.) Make use of the Tal'Shiar.
2.) Peace is good, war is better. If You're playing a vendetta game, try to make peace with the Klingon Empire.
3.) Cloaked ships can be used to build mousetraps: Build an outpost *very* close to the enemy border and protect it with 5 or more cloaked ships. The enemy will try to destroy the otpost sooner or later and run into the trap.
4.) Use cloaked scouts to watch enemy space. Make sure that the scouts will AVOID battles.
5.) Build singularity plants (? German: Singularitätsanlage) in energy-rich(!! needs 800 energy) systems to gain more dilitium.
6.) Have fun!