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Starfleet Deluxe: FAQ

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GENERAL QUESTIONS

1. When was Star Trek Starfleet Deluxe released?
2. What inspired the development of this game?
3. Who made this great game?
4. Is there a demo for Starfleet Deluxe?

GAME QUESTIONS

1. How is the universe mapped out?
2. Will I have a choice of ships to command?
3. Who are the Krellans?
4. Who are the Zaldrons?
5. Does my character develop in the game?
6. Do I begin the game commanding a ship?
7. How do I earn awards?
8. How do I obtain the Honorary Rank of Admiral Emeritus?

GENERAL QUESTIONS ANSWERS

	1. When was Starfleet Deluxe released? 2005.

	2. What inspired the development of this game? In 1998 Brett Keeton suggested to me that it was about time that the world was offered an updated Star Fleet game, this time to be run in MS Windows and sold as shareware over the Internet. Brett and a fellow programmer, Mike Hartman, initially rewrote SFI in 1998 to improve the graphics and sound. However, it was realized that the game itself was too shallow for today's more sophisticated market, so we decided to go back into my archives, dust off the documentation, and revive the X Version. Starfleet Deluxe and Extra Strength Software are the results of this effort. SFD has similarities to SFI, but that is because they both have the common source, Starfleet (see above). SFD is actually a derivative of the X Version, with some improvements and simplifications to enhance game play. If the response to this game is good enough, we might convert SFII to graphics, add sound, and release a Star Fleet II Deluxe. If you would like this to happen, then be sure to tell all your friends about SFD and this web site, but please, please do not give away copies of the full version of this game. We have to make some money to make it worthwhile to put the many hundreds of hours of effort into the development of a SFII Deluxe. However, please feel free distribute the demo version of SFD as much as you like.

	3. Who made this great game? The game was programmed by Dr. Trevor Sorensen, and developed by Extra Strength Software.

	4. Is there a demo for Starfleet Deluxe? No. The Beta version of the full game is available for download here.

GAME QUESTIONS ANSWERS

	1. How is the universe mapped out? Your assigned region consists of 100 quadrants in a 10 by 10 quadrant grid. Its grid coordinates (row, column) give the location and identity of each quadrant. Thus Quadrant 4,6 is in the fourth row, sixth column. Similarly, each quadrant consists of 100 sectors in a 10 by 10 grid with the same labeling convention. Each object (your ship, planet, star, other ships, starbase, mine) occupies one sector. Two objects cannot occupy the same sector except for when your ship is docked with starbase or in orbit around a planet or colony. In these cases your ship will have the same coordinates as the starbase or planetary body, and due to their much larger size, only their symbol will appear on the quadrant map or Tactical Display. The region to which you are assigned is divided into three zones. The upper three rows of quadrants are in the Exploration Zone (the region in which Star Fleet I was set), the middle five rows of quadrants are the Defensive Zone, and the last two rows are the Colonial Zone. More about these various zones later.

	2. Will I have a choice of ships to command? No. You will be in command of a UGA Invincible-class heavy cruiser. These cruisers are designed and equipped to be either exploration vessels or the capital ships of the fleet in wartime. They are very powerful, self-sufficient, and expected to be able to handle any situation likely to be encountered during the exploration of space.

	3. Who are the Krellans? The Krellans have a society that is built around their military-industrial complex. Members of their military forces have the highest status in their society, and the military’s primary purpose is not defense of the Empire, but instead is to conquer and achieve new glories for themselves and the Empire. As a result, their forces have received the benefit of almost unlimited budgets and the cream of the crop in scientists and engineers to make their forces as invincible as possible. For hundreds of years the Krellan Imperial Forces had never suffered a defeat in a major battle, which is why they took their defeat in the war with the UGA so hard and are burning with revenge. In the intervening years they have concentrated their efforts in building up their military forces, concentrating on larger numbers of starships using existing, proven technology, rather than fewer numbers of costlier, newer technology starships. That is why on a one-on-one basis the Krellan ships are no match for the UGA Invincible-class heavy cruiser, but they can overcome the superior technology of the heavy cruiser by sheer numbers of destroyers. The Krellans did have one surprise in store for the Alliance. During the attacks depicted in SFD, the Krellans revealed their new, powerful Klagar-class battlecruiser, which made use of the latest technology. These battlecruisers are almost a match for the heavy cruisers, and when you add in their destroyer escorts, it is a real contest that is usually won by superior tactics.

	4. Who are the Zaldrons? Zaldrons are reptiloids that are very intelligent, but not as aggressive as the Krellans. Their principal tactical advantage is that their ships are equipped with an invisibility screen, which makes them virtual invisible to your short range sensors. They are also protected by defensive energy shields. The main offensive weapon of a Zaldron is a plasma beam, which is similar to a phaser beam in being able to shoot past any objects between them and their target. However, plasma beams are like torpedoes in that they do not use the ship’s power. One weakness of the Zaldron ships is that their invisibility screen consumes vast amounts of power from the ship’s energy reserves. If they engage in combat with you long enough, they will soon have to turn off their invisibility screen because of lack of power. Zaldron ships operate independently and alone. There can only be one hostile Zaldron in your local quadrant at a time. If you capture a Zaldron, then another Zaldron can arrive while the captured one is still present.

	5. Does my character develop in the game? Your promotion history and any awards or decorations you receive are contained in your personal service record. Your service record is updated automatically by SFD at the end of each mission. With the service record and the ability to view it using the Sign-On Options, you can watch yourself and other members of the fleet proceed up through the ranks.

	6. Do I begin the game commanding a ship? Your training will be as a cadet (Mission Level 1) in Star Fleet Officers’ Academy, where you will command only simulated computer training missions aboard the cadet training ship UGAS Republic. The Krellans will not move tactically, but only strategically (i.e., they will move from quadrant to quadrant but not around in your local quadrant except on the way in or out of the quadrant). There will also be no Zaldrons or ion storms, and life in general will not be as hectic as at higher levels. After you have successfully complete the second mission at this level you will graduate from the Academy and be promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade (Lt. JG) and given your first real command at Mission Level 2. From then on you may choose any mission level up to that for which you are qualified, but only those missions at your maximum level will count towards your promotion or for awards. For a list of the ranks and mission levels, see Table XV. To be promoted from Lt. JG you must complete at least three missions at Level 2 with an overall mission efficiency rating of 75%. From then on, to be promoted you must successfully complete five missions at your maximum level with an overall mission efficiency rating of 75%. If you have not been promoted after five missions, each new mission will count as 20% of your overall rating while all previous missions count as the remaining 80%. Thus, each mission will have the same effect on your rating as if it was one of the original five. There are no promotions from Level 10 missions, although once the reach the point at which you would normally be promoted, you will receive the honorary rank of Admiral Emeritus. You will not be promoted after a failed mission, even if your overall mission efficiency rating is above 75%. You must successfully complete your last mission in order to be promoted.

	7. How do I earn awards? Officers are awarded decorations for individual outstanding missions, and awards for certain other exceptional events. All decorations and awards are presented at the end of the mission and become a part of your permanent service record. They can be viewed at any time using the Sign-on Options Menu. The decorations are awarded based on individual mission ratings and the mission rank. They are only earned for missions at your maximum level. The decorations and their award levels and criteria are shown in Table XV. All awards are presented in succession within each level. For example, your first Level IV award will be the Iron Cross, the second will be the Medal of Honor, etc. Likewise, your third Level VI award will be the Hero of the Alliance Gold Star with Meteors and Diamonds. If you receive all the decorations for a particular level, the sequence starts over, e.g., your fourth Level I decoration will be the Star Fleet Citation for Gallantry (you will now have two). There is no limit to the number of decorations and awards you can receive. However, there are no awards for Level 1 or 2 missions.

	8. How do I obtain the Honorary Rank of Admiral Emeritus? This is awarded to officers who complete at least five missions at Level 10 (Admiral) with an overall efficiency rating of 75%. It is at this point that you would normally be promoted if there was a rank beyond Admiral. Once awarded, your Admiral Emeritus rank will never be taken away, even if your overall mission efficiency rating falls below 75%. As far as the game play and everything is concerned, you are treated as an Admiral (Level 10).