Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, June 6, 1995 TAG: 9506070005
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: IAN SPELLING
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
But thanks to the impending arrival of ``A Final Unity,'' a new interactive CD-ROM game from Spectrum HoloByte, fans can beam a fresh ``Next Gen'' mission onto their personal-computer screens.
The game, featuring the voices of the entire ``Next Gen'' cast, will be available at computer stores nationwide in late June at the suggested retail price of $69.95.
``Unity'' offers players the opportunity to put Picard, Riker, Crusher and the other crew members through their paces as they try solving an intergalactic mystery that will transport them to three distinct worlds.
Though fans can fire photon torpedoes and engage in colorful phaser battles, ``Unity'' demands that users think and strategize while surmounting Romulan, Ferengi and Garidian threats and saving the universe.
Mat Genser, who executive-produced ``Unity,'' says the game is full of technical innovations. The CD-ROM features high-resolution graphics (some of them in 3-D), digitized sound and state-of-the-art movie-like footage that makes the images look almost as sharp as television visuals.
``The most significant element is how loaded the CD-ROM is,'' Genser says by phone from his office in Alameda, Calif. ``There are 15,000 lines of dialogue, nearly 30 minutes of `movie' footage and 100 backgrounds - plus all of the other parts of the game.
``Managing so much information and getting it on one disk was a huge task.''
Though ``Unity'' comes with three difficulty levels, making the game accessible even to non-Trekkers, ardent fans will, of course, love hearing the voices of their favorite stars. Each actor recorded at least an hour of dialogue - more than some of the characters delivered in an entire season's worth of ``Next Gen'' episodes.
``The actors had a little break after finishing the series and doing the movie, so I think they enjoyed this because they'd been away from their characters for a few weeks or months,'' notes 34-year-old Genser, an avowed fan. ``We asked for and got their input on the dialogue.
``They'd played their characters for seven years and knew them better than anyone, so we took all of their suggestions.''
Spectrum HoloByte is currently creating a CD-ROM version of ``Generations,'' which is scheduled to include the voices of the ``Next Gen'' cast, as well as William Shatner, Malcolm McDowell, James Doohan and Walter Koenig. If all goes as planned it should be out early next year.
Looking to the future of interactive games, Genser notes that both demand and technology are growing in leaps and bounds. At some point, however, he believes the development of the technology will plateau.
``Everyone will achieve the same basic level of technology,'' he says. ``So I think very soon the major distinction between CD-ROMs will be the content.
``That's why working with a `Star Trek' CD-ROM is so exciting. It's got built-in quality, familiarity and a huge audience that sets it apart.''
TREK SPECS|
Season one of ``Voyager'' ended the week of May 22 with ``Learning Curves,'' while season three of ``DS9,'' as previously noted, concludes June 19 with ``The Adversary,'' a semi-cliffhanger in which a Changeling remains aboard the space station as the credits roll. ... Several ``Voyager'' episodes filmed this spring, among them one directed by Jonathan Frakes and another in which the crew encounters Amelia Earhart, will air as season-two episodes in the fall. ... ``Star Trek Generations'' from Paramount Home Video warps into video stores July 18. ... William Shatner reads the audio version of ``Ashes of Eden,'' his pre-``Generations'' Kirk-themed novel. It's available on cassette from Simon & Schuster Audio for $18.
TREK/SCI-FI ALERT
If you have Trek or science-fiction news or trivia to share - or if you have questions relating to ``Star Trek'' - write to Ian Spelling, in care of the features department, Roanoke Times & World-News, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke, Va. 24010-2491. Be sure to enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope if you would like a reply.
by CNB