Artemis: Rock Band for Trekkies

[drake113]

Have you guys seen this:

http://artemis.eochu.com/

It's a multiplayer cooperative starship bridge simulator.  Every player runs a bridge station-- Helm, Weapons, Engineering, etc.  The graphics aren't great, but it has a ton of potential if the game's designer can expand on it a bit.

[raydude]

The concept is way cool. I wish he had more documentation though. What's the point of setting both impulse and warp power, for example? Does impulse help turn rate while warp controls the speed?

[drake113]

Well, it's very similar to Star Trek in that warp is much, much faster than impulse and is the best way to get around the map, but it's impractical for combat.  At impulse, your turn rate increases as speed decreases, so you're more maneuverable when moving slowly.

[Blackjack]

Read about this on Penny Arcade Report:

Artemis allows six people take the bridge of a starship, and tell their own story

Lets plug the web site again.  

Official Artemis site:
http://www.artemis.eochu.com/

Artemis is a multiplayer, multi-computer networked game for Windows computers.

Artemis simulates a spaceship bridge by networking several computers together. One computer runs the simulation and the "main screen", while the others serve as workstations for the normal jobs a bridge officer might do, like Helm, Communication, Engineering, and Weapon Control.

Artemis is a social game where several players are together in one room ("bridge") , and while they all work together, one player plays the Captain, a person who sits in the middle, doesn't have a workstation, and tells everyone what to do.

Artemis is a software game for Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7.

*Although the column pushes the LAN/bridge in one room aspect, the comments threads suggest it's a real blast online as well, using some sort of virtual LAN stuff, and indicate it's fun even with just two people. The FAQ notes he optimized it for online play.

I think all the people who yapped about STO not being like Bridge Commander should look into this.   I'd love to give it a whirl some day.

The game's $40, and apparently gives you the right to copy and install the game onto every computer of your bridge (up to 6). Supposedly runs well on just about anything that can run Windows XP, including netbooks.

I guess I could buy a copy, burn some copies (within the limit, I'm a boy scout   ) and mail them to anyone willing to nerd out with me. 

[Harkonis]

I would definitely find this entertaining.  Though it seems like being in charge would be awfully stressful.  I think I'd prefer the weapon station 

[Vidiot]

We tried this in our lab conference room at work today.  It is pretty awesome so far.

The first mission was on super easy and was pretty easy once we figured out we should raise shields.  Engineering is definitely the highest stress job in the group of new players as they have the ability ruin pretty much anything.

For example one of the best moments was when another ship was under attack.  Science reported the heading, I called it out and ordered warp 4.  The helm repeated the order locked it in.  "Engage!" ...  ... We sit there a second everyone looking around.  Engineering goes "Oh!" hits a button and WHAM we launch into warp 4.  Turns out the warp engines don't work without power.

We are already making plans to challenge other sites to PVP matches.

[Harkonis]

interesting, I would think the helm controls would auto power engines in that type of non-emergency

[Vidiot]

interesting, I would think the helm controls would auto power engines in that type of non-emergency

Helm doesn't know if the warp drive is about to explode from over heating.  Engineering gets full control over the power systems.

What I need to figure out tonight is what are the options for the main screen, because the two they kept showing me were not so hot.