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Revision as of 22:40, 7 October 2005 by 70.146.99.132 (talk) (→Published Products)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Derek Smart is a software designer and Internet personality living in Florida. He is best known as the eccentric creator of the Battlecruiser 3000AD video game series, recently renamed Universal Combat.
Smart is arguably better known for his online presence and self-commentary than he is for the games that he makes, due in large part to participation in a number of high-profile public discussions on the internet and Usenet. Characterized by high levels of controversy, rhetoric and personal attack, these flame wars have been recorded and immortalized in numerous annals of internet and gaming culture.
Smart is devoted to and protective of his work, and is likely to find and participate in discussions of his games on the Internet. In the past, heated discussions have led supporters and detractors of Smart's work to join online communities they were not previously involved in for the express purpose of engaging in combative argument. These sudden increases in population and posting can elicit anything from amusement to hostility, depending on the community involved.
3000AD Games
Frequent criticism of Smart's games include claims that they are "over-hyped", or are the subject of unrealistic and hyperbolic publicity prior to their release, that they are often bug-ridden, and having frustratingly complicated interfaces which require very large basic operating manuals. A frequent counter to these criticisms is the assertion that the games are meant to be played by those who want a deep and complicated game.
During production of Smart's first game, Battlecruiser 3000AD, he made bold claims as to its features, including references to a neural net used by the AI, and support for multiplayer. The game was released by publisher Take Two Interactive before it was finished, and contained many bugs that made it very difficult to play. It also had what many believed to be an exceedingly complex interface and gameplay. The manual that shipped with the game was criticized as inadequate, outdated, and poorly written. For these and other reasons, the game was publicly lambasted and Smart voiced his opinions on the premature release frequently and strongly. A constant stream of patches and upgrades were released for the product over the next year and, eventually, a patch (v2.0) was released to fix most of the major bugs. Interplay published this version in 1998 as Battlecruiser 3000 AD 2.0.
Smart's 2004 game, Universal Combat, received average to mediocre reviews in online game magazine reviews. The game's premise was changed near the (again) premature release of the game. Initially, the game was to be titled "Battlecruiser Next Generation", however, the publisher had discussions with Smart that resulted in a decision to change the premise to be more action-based and less intricate than the Battlecruiser series, and the name was changed to Universal Combat. Derek Smart went to court with the publisher, Dreamcatcher Games, to stop the premature release of the game, but failed to obtain a temporary restraining order because the publisher had already released the game into the retail channel.
Smart's 2005 game, Universal Combat A World Apart, is basically a Graphics Update to Universal Combat that was to include the ability to control Naval Assets on the planet (a feature missing from 2004's UC Title), but instead shipped with limited Naval Asset control, and due to additional logic added to handle the FPS aspect of the game, you most likely need a computer with DOUBLE the processing power listed in the manual. Also new to 2005, is the fact that the game only ships via online resellers, and is no longer sold via brick and mortar retail channels.
Other Issues
Another flashpoint among followers of Smart's work and online activities has been controversy over Smart's alleged doctoral-degree (all public messages by him are signed as "Derek Smart, PhD"). A number of individuals have claimed that the degree either does not exist, or is the product of a diploma mill and have challenged Smart to provide authoritative documentation or further information on the degree, but has thus far failed to do so to the satisfaction of these critics.
Well-traveled online legends also claim Smart attacked a Coca-Cola vending machine in the offices of publisher Take Two during talks with them. The original report of this event has since been retracted by the same publication (Computer Gaming World issue #201) that ran the original story in 1996.
Published Products
- Universal Combat - A World Apart (2005)
- Universal Combat Gold (2005)
- Universal Combat (2004)
- Battlecruiser Millennium: Gold Edition' (2003)
- Battlecruiser Millennium (2001)
- Battlecruiser 3000AD (v2.0) (1998)
- Battlecruiser 3000AD (1996)