By Captain Starkiller for BlackOps Station, 2001-02-05

From Fleet Dock 13

(Interview conducted over Hotmail)

Captain Starkiller: Where are you located in the UK and is there anyone in your local community that you LAN with?

Ghost: Colchester,Essex (oldest town in the UK), yes I have a group of friends
in Colchester who I play against, we also war game and play SFB.

Captain Starkiller: What kind of a system do you have?

Ghost: My main system sports an ATHLON (600mhz+) plus Voodoo 4 (getting a
geforce soon), Dvd Drive, 256mb ram ,Sonic storm A3d Sound card, CDRW.
I say main as I have 3 others of lesser power..

Captain Starkiller: Would you consider yourself a player, a modeler, or both? Why?

Ghost: Both I make the models I want to use, They're all based on my miniatures collection of about 500 models that I have built over the years, I have every ship from SFB AND the FASA STS bar 3 (which I'm sure I can find soon) I also have a lot I have built from my own molds to fill in the missing gaps.. fact is if I didn't play SFB the models that came IN SFC I would probably have been fine , however I do play SFB and wanted the ships I was fighting to look more like the Ideas and art from SFB..

Captain Starkiller: You seem to have a talent for The Original Series Era models, is that
because you have played SFB?

Ghost: I sort of answered that one but yes I have played SFB for many years , Since it came out in the first pocket box( which I still have along with every supplement produced since, one other preference for me is TMP (FASA STS) as far as Star Trek goes it self I think it lost Interest for me Mid way through the Next-Gen , I just prefer the old series and first few movies, the Wrath of Khan is probably the Best battle In any Star Trek movie or episode to date..

Captain Starkiller: Favorite Race?

Ghost: Klingons and Lyrans

Captain Starkiller: What is your feeling on the second installment of the Star Fleet
Command
series?

Ghost: Its poor (65% overall as an rating IMHO) when compared to SFC Mainly due to the bugs ,lack of online support (for the UK) and the lack of Skirmish missions , I think I personally would have been Happier if they had waited another 3 months before release and got it right.. I've played it but have yet to produce any models for it, although the
current mods will work Ok if the Ambiant lighting is altered to make them less dark I will get round to Sfc2 versions as soon as the Online Support for the Uk arrives..

Captain Starkiller: I know you have a history with SFB2SFC's AGT Mod, are you still
working with them on the SFB conversion for SFC?

Ghost: Yes, AS far as I know the project is still on going , I'm concentrating on producing models An SFB Style TC . As far as I know Lansing Is building the More accurate TOS FED ships Based more on TOS data as SFB descriptions and art ar a bit contradictory to say the Least.. I personally wanted to see a crossover TOS/TMP style as WELL hence the Phase 2 refits.

Captain Starkiller: I have to admit that you have been one of my favorite modelers for a
long time now, since I found SFC back in the day... do you have a favorite Modeler?

Ghost: I think Every modeler In the community shines in there own way and all make a valid contribution, Presently I'm using (other then my own) the best mods I find, Mostly By Moon, p81,Cleeve,Lansing, Firehawk and others..

Captain Starkiller: What is the model you are most proud of?

Ghost: Klingon B10 1st ship I built (from the Keel up)

Captain Starkiller: How do you feel about the current situation involving Modeler's
Inferred Copyright? By that I am referring to the situation at Sci-Fi Arts, and even
our own community's Cleeve (the models "swiped" for use in KA)

Ghost: Copy right is difficult, You should ask to use Mods or textures first how many people do?? I do, and won't use another's work without there ok and a credit for them ..
On the other hand all Star trek models technically become the Property of paramount... way to big an Issue to go into.. I say just give credit were its due "Live and let live"..
I must say the guys who ripped Cleeve's mods were a bit low but the did state in there posts they had ripped them from the SFC community, they just should have asked and credited , I'm sure Cleeve would have been happy to let them use them If THEY had done the polite and correct thing in the 1st place..

Captain Starkiller: Speaking of Klingon Academy, have you played the other Star Trek
titles?

Ghost: Ask me what I haven't played! Everything published I think, from console to Pc to Gameboy titles!

Captain Starkiller: What do you think of Taldren's handling of SFC2?

Ghost: Taldren seem to be producing the support promised but I have yet to see the patch that fix's Uk online support, When that appears I will be Happy..

Captain Starkiller: Being in the UK... what has been your experience with support for
the game?

Ghost: Minimal ,I've had replies from Taldren but No results on the Issues Of online support as a patch yet.

Captain Starkiller: Now, as a player, do you have any great gaming experiences you
would like to share?

Ghost: During the Doomsday attack on earth in the fed Campaign figuring
out a tactic that resulted in a DDM following my ship and crashing head on into another DDM killing Both, very Difficult but it could be done!

Getting Enough prestige in the Klingon campaign (without cheating) to buy 3 B10s (on hard difficulty).

Captain Starkiller: As a modeler, do you plan to branch into any other gaming venues?
If so, which?

Ghost: I'm currently Also Working on an Idea Of turning a table top Pre-dreadnought Naval War game Myself and My Brother developed years ago Into a Pc Game..

Captain Starkiller: Again, as a modeler, how do you feel about people who use other
peoples models and then retexture them? Do you see this as an issue?

Ghost: Not if the Mesh creator gives his Ok and gets a credit..

Captain Starkiller: All in all, what has been your favorite Star Trek experience? Do
you go to conventions? Are you a Trekkie?

Ghost: Watching The Wrath of Khan ! STILL the Best Star trek has to
offer.. I have been to conventions And still go when I get A chance, I'm An avid Fan Of Star trek but Wouldn't class myself as a Trekkie As such I just think Its Pretty good entertainment..

Captain Starkiller: Ghost, please add anything you would like me to post with the
interview.

Ghost: I would like to say a BIG THANK YOU to all the Members of the
modeling
community who have Helped me Over the last
year and answered some of my Dumb Questions, offered help and let me Use
what I have Of there work..

They are Noah Wallace ,Moon, Lansing, Firehawk, Cleeve, Rick Knox(p81)
and
Brian Zinkle for meshes ,textures and Simple Guidance in What I was
Botching..

Thanks To Brad Barr and all the Guys from SFB2SFC for posting my mods
and
form most Importantly SCME ..

And Thanks To Wicked Zombie for helping set up Fleetdock13..

Thanks Ghost (aka Ghostfox ,GHOSTFOX2, and of course Andrew C
Lawton)

And be sure to check out Ghost's incredible model page, Fleet Dock 13,

associated with Wicked Zombie's Omega Sector