Star Trek writer signs on for Bethesda games

Original series scribe DC Fontana providing scripts for upcoming Legacy for PC and 360, as well as Tactical Assault for PSP and DS.

When publishers working on a licensed game want to provide a bit of authenticity to the final product, from time to time they'll attach one of the license's original creators to the project. Atari picked up frequent Forgotten Realms author RA Salvatore to contribute the story for its game set in that fantasy universe, Demon Stone. For 24: The Game, Sony Europe based the story on a script from one of the TV series' screenwriters.

Bethesda Softworks is taking a similar approach for its upcoming Star Trek games, Legacy and Tactical Assault. The developer of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion announced today that it has secured the talents of Dorothy "DC" Fontana to help write the scripts for the two games.

Fontana has deep roots in the Trek universe, having provided stories for the original TV series, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: The Animated Adventures, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and even the unofficial fan-made spin-off Star Trek: New Voyages. The rest of her career is dotted with work for other sci-fi TV series, including The Six Million Dollar Man, Logan's Run, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Babylon 5, and Earth: Final Conflict.

Fontana's familiarity with the Trek mythos should come in handy particularly with Star Trek: Legacy, as the PC and Xbox 360 game is set across every era of the Trek TV shows, from the prequel series Enterprise up through Voyager. As for the game itself, it will have players assuming the role of a Starfleet admiral charged with commanding a task force of Enterprise-esque starships through large- and small-scale battles.

On the other hand, the PlayStation Portable and Nintendo DS game Star Trek: Tactical Assault will be set exclusively in the original-series setting. Focusing on real-time ship combat, Tactical Assault's single-player campaign will let players assume the role of a Starfleet or Klingon commander, and its Fontana-penned story will have branching paths and multiple outcomes.

Both games are set for release by the end of the year.

31 Comments

  • TheRussianRoket

    Posted Aug 9, 2006 6:43 pm GMT

    See, the thing i worry about is that writing Star Trek episodes was the responsibility of a lot of people. Maybe this guy was the one who sat in the meeting and went " Yea!!! THAT"S A GREAT IDEA!!! ", and that is all.

    Not knocking the writer in this article. I love TNG passionately and i would hate to have this game ruined. However, it is better than having some random person writing.

  • DeusExMathias

    Posted Aug 7, 2006 9:29 am GMT

    The only Star Trek writer I know by name is David Gerrold. He wrote "The Trouble with Tribbles" episode. He has a great sci/fi book series called "The War Against the Chtorr." Really good. I wish they'd asked him, too - I enjoy his work.

    ::EDIT::
    Check this out! It's the Trouble with Tribbles script! (plus a 4-chapter plug for one of this new books) and it's free! (free is good)

    http://www.benbellabooks.com/gerrold/Tribbles.pdf

  • evilyoda861

    Posted Aug 6, 2006 2:32 pm GMT

    Dont care just want more screen/vids/demo or better the game itself sooner than later. They have had more the the time needed to complete this by now. Slackers!

  • -o-o-o-o-o-o-ox

    Posted Aug 6, 2006 1:58 pm GMT

    I don't know...maybe I'll try it.

  • Maquis_UK

    Posted Aug 6, 2006 9:54 am GMT

    excellent news, welcome to DC. her work was impportant to the Trek canon, I would say that I'm looking forward to the DS version even more now, but as a complete Trek on dvd owner, I couldnt have possibly looked forward to it more anyway. When the DS first launched, i thought a Trek game with a LCARS-style touch interface would be mana from heaven. Praise the Gods!! also, Khhhhaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnn!!!!!

  • jmaster_111

    Posted Aug 6, 2006 5:42 am GMT

    the psp will look better, the DS will be funner cause of that little drawing pad thingy... dang i forget the name of it lol

  • CLDragonCL

    Posted Aug 5, 2006 6:27 pm GMT

    sales figures speaks for itself...

    Nintendo DS - sold more than 21 Million world wide

    Sony's PSP havn't even shipped that many units...

    while I think each handheld have their strengths, these stats can tell you which one is winning the war..

  • sSubZerOo

    Posted Aug 5, 2006 1:11 pm GMT

    Well seeing how bad the story was in Oblivion hopefully this will make their plots better..

  • grnidbandit

    Posted Aug 5, 2006 4:53 am GMT

    trekkerguy
    "if the PSP and DS get the same game it will most likely turn out better on the PSP."

    Now that is a joke. Most the time the PSP versions suck because of lousy controls vs the DS, yeah the graphics will be slightly more polished but the DS version will always play better. Can't wait to play TA(Tactical Assault) on DS.
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Does this guy know what he is talking about??? the only game where the controls suck on the PSP is probably coded arms, and slightly better than the DS in graphics??? PSP blows DS out the water when it comes to it graphics, I will give mario kart DS its props, but thats where it ends unfortunatley

  • alpha_company

    Posted Aug 5, 2006 3:18 am GMT

    Woohoo! Duh

  • HarlockJC Site moderator

    Posted Aug 4, 2006 8:17 pm GMT

    I can't wait for a new Star Trek game, I wish they would make more. I would also like to see a new B5 game and Farscate game.

  • DS_fan_atic

    Posted Aug 4, 2006 7:55 pm GMT

    hmmm I wish Tactical Assault was set in the 24th century...oh well

  • jrett

    Posted Aug 4, 2006 7:13 pm GMT

    blackIceJoe, why? Who asked for your opinion on ds vs psp? Please submit your opinion on the game, not ....

    Oh nevermind. Someday, after puberty, you may start to get the idea.

  • chikahiro94

    Posted Aug 4, 2006 6:36 pm GMT

    Could be cool. I'd like to see her do more Babylon 5 related stuff, though (which would require a B5 game, I know - darn Sierra).

  • bildo2020

    Posted Aug 4, 2006 6:29 pm GMT

    who knows if the game will even be good? before everyone goes and argues about what handheld it wil be better on why, you should wait until the game comes out and see if it even merits an argument!

    Back on topic though, with the star trek writer on board the story should be very well written. However, along with the story (if there is one) you have to have soild graphics, gameplay and controls to make an excellent game. Having DC Fontana is just fulfiling one of those points. I hope these will be very good in the end as Star Trek was a great show.

  • trekkerguy

    Posted Aug 4, 2006 3:47 pm GMT

    "if the PSP and DS get the same game it will most likely turn out better on the PSP."

    Now that is a joke. Most the time the PSP versions suck because of lousy controls vs the DS, yeah the graphics will be slightly more polished but the DS version will always play better. Can't wait to play TA(Tactical Assault) on DS.

  • blackIceJoe

    Posted Aug 4, 2006 3:33 pm GMT

    I never said the DS was bad I own a DS all I am saying is that ports of the same game end up better on the PSP over the DS.So to think I do not like the DS is wrong.So I am sorry if it sounded like I made the DS sound bad all I was saying is if the PSP and DS get the same game it will most likely turn out better on the PSP.I am just looking at past history no thing more.Its not like I said the DS was bad I was just looking at past port history.Plus the DS is a great system if it was not it would not be selling like how it is.Like I said I hope it turns out good.Sorry if it sounded like I do not like the DS. I do
    If I did not like it I would not have bought it.

  • bulldog7

    Posted Aug 4, 2006 2:50 pm GMT

    can't wait for Legacy, PLZ make it good and not suck like other ST games. oh plz i'm such a huge fan of ST and the developer.

  • ReaperXxxx

    Posted Aug 4, 2006 2:44 pm GMT

    Legacy looks amazing! Although this is old news as the developers have said before that they had actual Star Trek series writers on board.

  • phSychO_AtDawn

    Posted Aug 4, 2006 2:44 pm GMT

    DS star trek looks enticing.

  • Geo115

    Posted Aug 4, 2006 2:44 pm GMT

    The story for BC was really good, i hope legacys one live up to expectations

  • teknocack

    Posted Aug 4, 2006 2:38 pm GMT

    blackiceJoe strikes again with cutting insight into the world of games, this week a senseless and out of the blue stab at the DS. Why even make a comparison? The article isn't even about the psp vs the DS, it's about one of the most storied Star Trek authors lending her talents to make all the games better.

  • acamike

    Posted Aug 4, 2006 2:28 pm GMT

    BlackIceJoe

  • BuzzBoy

    Posted Aug 4, 2006 2:18 pm GMT

    I hope these games are good, they might be the last hope for the star trek franchise.

  • Enterprise-E

    Posted Aug 4, 2006 2:01 pm GMT

    I am happy. She did the story for Bridge Commander.

  • blackIceJoe

    Posted Aug 4, 2006 1:56 pm GMT

    Star Trek will be great on the PSP.It will be better then the DS one.I am not trying to start a war.I have seen Burnout Legends,Pirates and other games come out on the DS and PSP. The PSP one comes out better.If you do not believe me go to the pages about those games and you see I will be right. Plus if you want to look at other games that the PSP and DS got it will be the same.But I am hoping the game will be good for the DS too.So do not get mad at me.

  • HyperMetaDragon

    Posted Aug 4, 2006 1:54 pm GMT

    K...

  • ExcAREentric

    Posted Aug 4, 2006 1:38 pm GMT

    Hmm Looks to be interesting.

  • bryehngeocef

    Posted Aug 4, 2006 1:33 pm GMT

    I can't wait for Tactical Assault

  • bigbadshamoo

    Posted Aug 4, 2006 1:30 pm GMT

    Woo! Second. PSP Star Trek looks fun.

  • 980658965659865

    Posted Aug 4, 2006 1:29 pm GMT

    Woo! First. DS Star Trek looks fun.

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