The Ur-Quan Masters Discussion Forum

The Ur-Quan Masters Re-Release => General UQM Discussion => Topic started by: johnathonm on February 27, 2004, 01:51:17 am



Title: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: johnathonm on February 27, 2004, 01:51:17 am
Anyone know if Reiche and Ford are still around? i.e. Alive?  If so what are they doing these days?  Has anyone contacted or tried to locate them? Has anyone contacted them about maybe getting them involved with the project and/or in the development of a true SC3?

Just curious.
-J


Title: Re: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: Culture20 on February 27, 2004, 02:36:23 am
As far as I know they started UQM by giving the partially ported source to the UQM team, and Fred has shown up here on occasion.  Maybe check out TFB's website to see what they might be working on.


Title: Re: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: Michael Martin on February 27, 2004, 04:35:40 am
They're alive.  They're based in Novato, CA (north of San Francisco).  They've been doing continuous game development since Star Control 2, but mostly as a subsidiary developer.  They contacted us and kicked off the UQM project to begin with.  They won't really be contributing development time to UQM beyond what they did at the start before giving it to us.  I would not lay heavy odds on a "true" sequel to SC2.


Title: Re: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: Shiver on February 28, 2004, 12:36:14 am
If you must know, they're currently serving as indentured slaves to the Japanese.


Title: Re: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: johnathonm on February 28, 2004, 03:48:29 am
Whew...I thought it was just me....
:o

::)


Title: Re: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: johnathonm on February 28, 2004, 04:03:13 am
Further SC2 questions :

What was the development time of SC2?

What was the operating and development budget of the SC2 Project?

What was the grand total expended before marketing and manufacturing expenses on SC2?

How large was the original team that developed SC2, not including music makers?



Title: Re: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: Michael Martin on February 28, 2004, 04:26:39 am
We're really more of a development/testing site, here.

Much of the information you seek is likely available at The Pages of Now and Forever (http://www.star-control.com/).


Title: Re: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: Terminator on February 28, 2004, 05:26:16 am
Question: Why Was The Copy-Protection on Star Control 2 so lax?
Most Dos games of the day had stuff from the manual
(ie. What word appears on page 36  first column, thrid paragraph fifth line sixth word). If u bootleged u had to copy the manual.
here u would only have to xerox the starmap 2 pages tops.


Title: Re: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: biclops on February 28, 2004, 08:54:13 pm
that map was a mostly black background with small coloured dots representing systems, too large to fit on 2 pages, probably 4 or 6. Not the easiest xerox


Title: Re: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: johnathonm on February 29, 2004, 03:40:33 am
Well I have legit questions here.  I'm wondering how much capital we'd need to raise to pull something off similar to SC2, what size team we'd need etc.  By comparing the scale of SC2 it would be possible to extrapolate and develop a nice prediction model of time, money etc needed to make an independent SC3 a reality.

-J


Title: Re: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: Chrispy on February 29, 2004, 04:19:15 am
I'm guessing that sc2 wasn't made over the internet. The team would have been working toghether in person.


Title: Re: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: Shiver on February 29, 2004, 08:43:12 am
The institution known as NASA should make Star Control 3. To get a handle on how the game should play, I suggest they start by reinacting the entire Hierarchy War in space.


Title: Re: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: Terminator on February 29, 2004, 02:35:12 pm
Quote
that map was a mostly black background with small coloured dots representing systems, too large to fit on 2 pages, probably 4 or 6. Not the easiest xerox


It's easier than a 50 page manual, trust me remember Prince of Persia? and not legal-sized paper I used to have it maybe 8 1/2x 18 or 21.


Title: Re: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: FalconMWC on February 29, 2004, 09:40:47 pm
I remember hearing that some of the "reworking" that was done to the game (Not involving Paul or Fred) was over the internet. Can on of the team verify this for me please? As I am 90% sure.....  :-/


Title: Re: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: Rib Rdb on February 29, 2004, 11:43:34 pm
Quote
that map was a mostly black background with small coloured dots representing systems, too large to fit on 2 pages, probably 4 or 6. Not the easiest xerox

I have this "friend" who had the starmap on one page. Of course it was nearly impossible to read, so you had to keep trying until it asked for one that was legible.


Title: Re: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: Terminator on March 01, 2004, 02:36:03 am
Seriously, How many people still have an original starmap I would guess the scanned verison of it on PNF is proably one one the very few left. Amazing is the fact that there are no creases bends or rips in the page which all scanners will pick up especially with the black background.


Title: Re: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: Michael Martin on March 01, 2004, 12:28:24 pm
I still have my starmap.  It's hanging on the wall of my office.


Title: Re: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: Krulle on March 01, 2004, 07:03:09 pm
I still have my (yes, read it out loud!) 4 (!) unused (!) Starmaps (color on black) and 2 Starmaps (black on white, also unused, was in bundle with SC2/SC and SC3/SC2/SC), and my only used Starmap (color on black) is still in quite a good shape.

And, no, they are not for sale. As birthday/christmas present one day some my friends will each receive their personal copy of UQM in self-made gameboxes and one of of the starmaps.

Enjoy!
 Krulle


Title: Re: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: Deep-Jiffa on March 01, 2004, 11:45:58 pm
Quote
I still have my (yes, read it out loud!) 4 (!) unused (!) Starmaps (color on black) and 2 Starmaps (black on white, also unused, was in bundle with SC2/SC and SC3/SC2/SC), and my only used Starmap (color on black) is still in quite a good shape.

And, no, they are not for sale. As birthday/christmas present one day some my friends will each receive their personal copy of UQM in self-made gameboxes and one of of the starmaps.

Enjoy!
 Krulle


If I pay you 10$ on Ebay, will you send me an early Cristmas gift? (Hmmm, to be more correct, Hanuka's gift?) ;)


Title: Re: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: Fsi-Dib on March 02, 2004, 12:03:09 pm
My bro (or I, the map is at my home, though it's his) has one starmap, and it's in a VERY bad shape, because of very frequent use...


Title: Re: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: Krulle on March 02, 2004, 03:51:45 pm
No, as written, my maps are not for sale.

A friend of mine still does not know of UQM (although he was a great fan of SC2 back then). He will receive one of the maps, together with a copy of UQM in a self-made box with printed manual and such stuff as a Hanuka present.
The other maps/boxes are for friends who did not play SC2 before.

But i guess, it will be birthday 2005 or even Hanuka/Christmas 2005 (if lucky, easter 2005).


(BTW: why do i have so many copies of the map: 1. i bought SC2, SC2/SC1 combo (1 Deutschmark at that time), SC1/SC2/SC3 combo (5 Deutschmark) plus i collected the other maps before friends threw the games away. Now it's woth far more than i paid, lucky me...)


Title: Re: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: scirmast on March 04, 2004, 02:45:31 am
Speaking of those contents that came with the original SC2, what contents there were, and is there any possibility to ditribute them in electronic format with the game?

Another thing -<Spoiler Warning!>-


I played SC2 back then (maybe about 5 years ago). It was a great adventure, but I never finished it. The Ur-Quans turned mad and started destroying their slave races, which in turn destroyed my interest. But my question is: is there really some things that, if done wrong, will prevent you from beating the game? My friend always told me that "yes there is, if you bought the game legally you would know what to do in those occasions, as they are told in the manual" (I never bought the game :(  ).

One of those occasions was the saving of the final living Softfixti.

Now, I don't want to hear any spoilers from you about those occasions (I will return to the game again!), but I'd just like if there actually were those occasions. Also, should I have all the content that came with the box to really proceed in this game?

Thank you.


Title: Re: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: Sage on March 04, 2004, 07:41:45 am
All of my replies will have something or other spoilerish in it. Be warned.

Quote
I played SC2 back then (maybe about 5 years ago). It was a great adventure, but I never finished it. The Ur-Quans turned mad and started destroying their slave races, which in turn destroyed my interest.

<SPOILER>The way you're putting it, the Kzer-Za are going around destroying their own slaves. However this is not the case. It's the Kohr-Ah doing all that. And unfortunately for you, it has to happen after a set amount of time. You can extend the time it takes to happen, or you can preempt the event by beating the game.

Make note: The Kohr-Ah don't believe in keeping slaves, they just kill everyone not of their species. The Kzer-Za won't kill any of their slaves unless they become too unruly (from what I remember they haven't resorted to it, but I might be wrong on that).</SPOILER>

Quote
But my question is: is there really some things that, if done wrong, will prevent you from beating the game? My friend always told me that "yes there is, if you bought the game legally you would know what to do in those occasions, as they are told in the manual" (I never bought the game :(  ).

One of those occasions was the saving of the final living Softfixti.

<NOT A SPOILER>Since I never have dealt with the PC SC2, I cannot really speak from experience on this subject. I'm guessing perhaps your friend was referring to whatever copy-protection is present. I gather this involves retrieving star names from the paper Hyperspace map.</NOT A SPOILER>

<SPOILER>The Shofixti side quest is not necessary to beat the game. It's just that, a side quest.

I really can't think of any events in the game that would prevent you from completing it, short of Earth being obliterated by the Kohr-Ah. If the Kohr-Ah were able to destroy the Chmmr before you got to them, that would block your ability to finish the game. However, I don't know if this is possible within the confines of the game, as I have never encountered it, and have never tested for it.</SPOILER>


Title: Re: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: Terminator on March 04, 2004, 02:22:42 pm
u can find the manuls here http://www.classicgaming.com/starcontrol/files/sc2.shtml
keep in mind they r pdf format if u don't have Acrobat you're SOL.


Title: Re: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: Deep-Jiffa on March 04, 2004, 08:34:05 pm
Nope. There isn't an event that can stop you from winning.

<spoiler>












That is from the simple fact that the koar-ah kills all! If you make some race angry who has an important item, you still can take it after the Koar-Ah defeat it.





</spoiler>


Title: Re: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: meep-eep on March 05, 2004, 02:37:30 am
spoiler space
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There are a couple of things that can prevent you from being able to finish the game. However, you'll know immediately, so you know when to load.
More details after more spoiler space.
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- Don't lose a fight with the main starship.
- Don't surrender.
- Don't blow up the Utwig Bomb.
That's all I can think of right now.
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Title: Re: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: Death 999 on March 05, 2004, 07:52:39 pm
Also, you can be too far behind to be able to finish in time, at which point you're screwed but the game does not immediately terminate.


This subject reminds me of the gray screen one could get in SC3:

"You join the Ploxis. Then you die."

That was IT.


Title: Re: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: Tiberian on March 05, 2004, 08:39:03 pm
*** spoilers again ***

I have a faint rememberance that I would somewhat 10 years ago been dumb enough to make the Utwig angry and then I didn't have a chance to give them the ultron anymore. Therefore I could not get the bomb.

Of couse I could have waited for the Kohr-Ah to kill everyone and get it then... But I find that way of completing the quests "not really completing them" and therefore I couldn't 'really' complete the game anymore.


Title: Re: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: Michael Martin on March 06, 2004, 04:00:02 am
Quote
Also, you can be too far behind to be able to finish in time, at which point you're screwed but the game does not immediately terminate.



S
P
O
I
L
E
R
S


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Once you get the Portal Spawner you can beat the game in months.  It's very hard to run out of time once you have an accurate QuasiSpace map.


Title: Re: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: scirmast on March 16, 2004, 01:57:45 am
Thank you very much for the manual. I'm reading the story and I love it. Also thanks for those spoiler warnings :)

But so if I just concentrate on killing ships in the hyperspace, in some point of the game I can't beat it anymore (I was doing that a bit in my last game. At one point I decided to invade a mycoon planet I thought was full of minerals [I believe the one who sold info and tech hinted me there] only to find it was empty. Well, I had lots of cash after that  :))?


Title: Re: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: FalconMWC on March 16, 2004, 02:10:23 am
You talking about the melnorme? As far as I have see all their info is correct - you get the correct planet?


Title: Re: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: Deep-Jiffa on March 16, 2004, 02:37:02 am
Quote
Thank you very much for the manual. I'm reading the story and I love it. Also thanks for those spoiler warnings :)

But so if I just concentrate on killing ships in the hyperspace, in some point of the game I can't beat it anymore (I was doing that a bit in my last game. At one point I decided to invade a mycoon planet I thought was full of minerals [I believe the one who sold info and tech hinted me there] only to find it was empty. Well, I had lots of cash after that  :))?


They\he\she\it didn't sell, they\he\she\it gave it away.


Spoiler..........................










Yehat







<..spoiler>
<Big spoiler>










That planet isn't empty, it has a device in it.






</big spoiler>
<Huge spoiler>















That device is the Sun Device, which is vital to complete the game. If you want to know how to get it....









</huge spoiler>




<ffs it can't be bigger spoiler!>










Do the Syreen task by... That's enough ;D








</ffs it can't be bigger spoiler!>


edit: sorry about the colors,something is wrong in this forum... I wroth it properly and it is still messed up. :\


Title: Re: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: FalconMWC on March 16, 2004, 02:48:30 am
Did you remember to press [/color] at the end?


Title: Re: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: scirmast on March 16, 2004, 05:32:33 pm
Quote
You talking about the melnorme? As far as I have see all their info is correct - you get the correct planet?


I think ot was Melnorme, but it may also been Yehats.




Title: Re: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: FalconMWC on March 16, 2004, 06:03:33 pm
Oh - That planet - make sure to look carefully - It is needed later in the game.


Title: Re: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: Terminator on March 16, 2004, 08:26:26 pm
Quote


I think ot was Melnorme, but it may also been Yehats.




It was the Yehat telling u of a strange world in Mycon space that the Yehat could never break through. Beta Brahe I believe.

TERMINATOR - the obnoxious one


Title: Re: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: FalconMWC on March 16, 2004, 08:27:57 pm
SPOILER

....and you wont either if you don't do something...

/SPOILER


Title: Re: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: Yukki on March 21, 2004, 12:48:22 am
Quote
Anyone know if Reiche and Ford are still around? i.e. Alive?  If so what are they doing these days?  Has anyone contacted or tried to locate them? Has anyone contacted them about maybe getting them involved with the project and/or in the development of a true SC3?
Hi. Though belatedly, I met them last October. So I believe they are still alive -- Paul is tall and a cheerful man, while Fred is sturdy and a calm and kind person, and both of them are funny like SC2 aliens:p  My site has a couple of their pictures, so if you are interested in them, please pay a visit:)
http://home.att.ne.jp/wave/rainbow/Toys_for_Bob/indexE.htm
Btw, currently I think they are making their next game related a movie and I'm looking forward to it anyway though it's a license based game and unfortunately not a SC.  


Title: Re: Paul Reiche and Fred Ford (Question)
Post by: Captain Smith on March 21, 2004, 07:10:10 am
Actually if you bring the Ultron back to them they make nice with you like nothing ever happened...if you look on here, there's a thread where I post how to make everything in the game angry and what happens when you do.

Quote
*** spoilers again ***

I have a faint rememberance that I would somewhat 10 years ago been dumb enough to make the Utwig angry and then I didn't have a chance to give them the ultron anymore. Therefore I could not get the bomb.