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Derek Smart

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Derek Smart is an independent software designer who created the Battlecruiser 3000AD and Universal Combat video game series. He is the President/Lead Developer of 3000AD, Inc., a Florida corporation.

Game industry history

Pre-1996

Smart envisioned a space craft (Battlecruiser) simulation which would encompass various game types with features ranging from space and planetary air combat to ground combat and strategy elements. His game development efforts center on realizing this vision.

1996 - 1997

Smart's first game, Battlecruiser 3000AD, was marketed by then publisher Take Two Interactive as "The last thing you will ever desire" and released unfinished by Take Two Interactive in 1996 after seven years of development. The product release contained many bugs that made it largely unplayable.

The initial release of the game was "a train wreck", according to a reviewer who later commented that "Smart consistently overrates his own products and his own abilities."

In early 1997, Smart sued Take Two in relation to its release of the game in its then unfinished form. The lawsuit was later settled out of court. In late 1998 in a statement released by both parties, the then Take Two president Ryan Brant lauded Smart's work and efforts and further announced that the matter had been resolved. Take Two later went public and in its SEC filings listed Smart's first game as accounting for 14.2% of its yearly earnings.

Patches and upgrades were later released for the product over the next few months and, eventually, a final patch was released to fix some of the major bugs. Smart then later released the game for free on the Internet and hosted on popular download sites.

1998

In 1998 Smart, who had continued to develop the game, announced a deal with Interplay. Interplay would distribute an improved version of the original game (dubbed BC3K v2.0) through its Value Product Division. After its retail run, Smart also released that product on the Internet for free.

2001

Smart continued to work on selling his product and later entered into an exclusive distribution deal] with Electronics Boutique for his next game, Battlecruiser Millennium, which his company 3000AD, Inc self-published and released later that year.

Asked by the media about his thoughts on the deal, Smart stated "I'm paying for everything. I bear all the risk. I pay for the cost of goods, including the boxes and manuals."

The game was reviewed and rated in several print and online game magazines.

After its retail run, Smart also released the product on the Internet for free. He has mentioned that he intends to keep up this practice of releasing his products for free once their shell life expires.

2003 - 2004

In 2003 Smart signed a two product deal with Dreamcatcher Games for Battlecruiser Millennium Gold and Battlecruiser Generations, the latter being a brand new addition to the series, with newer technologies than its predecessors. A few months later, the publisher had discussions with Smart that resulted in a decision to change the premise to be more action-based than the Battlecruiser series had been known for. The name was changed to Universal Combat.

The game was not ready in time for the 2003 holidays and was shipped in early 2004 at half of the originally announced price. Smart took legal action against the publisher to stop shipment of the game which was still in final Beta stages, but failed to obtain a temporary restraining order to prevent the publisher from releasing the unfinished game.

The game was reviewed and rated in several print and online game magazines. Gamespot, in its 59% review score, summarized its experience with the game by saying "This wildly ambitious simulation is torpedoed by an almost incomprehensible interface, the absence of a tutorial, numerous bugs, and many fit and finish issues, including dated production values." PC Gamer, in its 75% review of its experience with the game said "...for the latter niche of hardcore space-simmers, Derek Smart's Battlecruiser series has been going strong for eight solid years. Over that time, the idiosyncratic space-combat franchise has transformed itself from a bug-ridden lemon to a respected genre contender. Universal Combat is the latest chapter in this recently rebranded series (with new publisher Dreamcatcher), and though the game remains an acquired taste, it's better than ever."

2005 - 2006

Despite an earlier 2005 announcement by Dreamcatcher Games to publish Smart's next sequel, Smart later terminated his publishing deal with the publisher and severed all ties with Dreamcatcher Games. Smart's 2005 game, Universal Combat: A World Apart is a full sequel to the original Universal Combat with a variety of revisions and enhancements, especially to the graphics engine.

The game was also reviewed and rated in several print and online game magazines.

Smart also released Universal Combat Gold in 2005. This is an updated version of the original Universal Combat with new scenarios and graphics enhancements. Both of the 2005 games can currently only be purchased via online resellers.

In late 2006 Smart released Universal Combat: Special Edition for online purchase only through retailers.

Online controversy

Derek Smart has engaged in various controversial discussions on Usenet and game forums. His notoriety for this was such that Gamespy lampooned him for it in its Daily Victim column.

In an interview about his online persona featured on the cover page of Computer Gaming World, Smart said: "Sometimes when I get online, and it's quiet, and I see something that attracts my attention, I'll post just to piss these guys off. That's why I do it. Because I'm in a good mood that day, I go in there and I start trouble."

Smart was reported to be seeking to license the Freespace IP to develop a game based on the popular space-sim previously published by the ailing Interplay. This sparked a controversy between both Smart's supporters and detractors in which the rumor was further debunked by Yahoo video game news: "Following Bethesda Softworks' acquisition of the Fallout license earlier this week, word spread that cash-strapped publisher Interplay is having a franchise fire sale. So the rumors started a-flyin' when Smart posed the question, "Would you buy Freespace 3 if I made it?" However, those who took the effort to look at the next paragraph would have seen that Smart is still only "seriously considering" licensing the space sim. However, the very possibility of Smart taking over the series has generated a strong reaction, prompting him to post a typically verbose response to his critics." The controversy was discussed in a Slashdot article

Published games

Title Released Publisher
Battlecruiser 3000AD (U.S.) 1996 Take Two Software
Battlecruiser 3000AD (UK) 1997 GameTek
Battlecruiser 3000AD v2.0 1999 Interplay
Battlecruiser Millennium 2001 3000AD
Battlecruiser Millennium Gold 2003 Dreamcatcher Games
Universal Combat 2004 Dreamcatcher Games
Universal Combat Gold 2005 3000AD
Universal Combat: A World Apart 2005 3000AD
Universal Combat: Special Edition 2006 3000AD

References

  1. ^ "loonygames' Guest Editorial: Derek Smart". Retrieved 2006-10-20.
  2. "Get in the Game: Battlecruiser Millennium". Retrieved 2006-10-20.
  3. "Battlecruiser 3000 A.D. for PC Review - PC Battlecruiser 3000 A.D. Review". Retrieved 2006-10-20.
  4. "GameSpy.com - Article: The 25 Dumbest Moments in Gaming". Retrieved 2006-10-20.
  5. "GameSpy.com - Gaming's Homepage. "The 25 Most Overrated Games Of All Time"". Retrieved 2006-10-20.
  6. "Smart, Take-Two Settle differences - News at GameSpot". Retrieved 2006-10-21.
  7. "www.sec.gov archives Take Two Interactive Software Inc". Retrieved 2006-10-21.
  8. "Battlecruiser 3000 A.D. Set Free - News at GameSpot".
  9. "Press Release: Interplay Value Products Division to distribute Battlecruiser 3000AD v2.0". Interplay. August 5, 1998.
  10. ^ "Battlecruiser series". Retrieved 2006-10-21.
  11. "IGN: EB Signs Pact with Derek Smart". Retrieved 2006-10-27.
  12. "GameSpy.com - GameSpin: Volume 2 -- Battlecruiser Millennium, Tropico and Anarchy Online". Retrieved 2006-10-20.
  13. "Battlecruiser Millennium Reviews". Retrieved 2006-10-20.
  14. "Battlecruiser Millennium (pc: 2001): Reviews". Retrieved 2006-10-20.
  15. "AusGamers.com - Australia's Games Community: Battlecruiser Millenium Now Freeware". Retrieved 2006-10-21.
  16. "DREAMCATCHER INTERACTIVE MAKES 'SMART' MOVE". Retrieved 2006-10-21.
  17. "UC Version Control". Retrieved 2006-10-21.
  18. "Battlecruiser Generations rechristened - PC News at GameSpot". Retrieved 2006-10-21.
  19. "Battlecruiser Online: UC Dev Status - Ship it or give it another month?". Retrieved 2006-10-20.
  20. "Universal Combat Reviews". Retrieved 2006-10-20.
  21. "Universal Combat for PC Review - PC Universal Combat Review". Retrieved 2006-10-20.
  22. "PC Gamer review of Universal Combat" (PDF). Retrieved 2006-10-20.
  23. "DreamCatcher to publish another 3000AD title - PC News at GameSpot". Retrieved 2006-10-20.
  24. "3000AD announces trio of new titles, breaks ties with publisher - PC News at GameSpot". Retrieved 2006-10-20.
  25. "UCAWA Dev Version Control". Retrieved 2006-10-20.
  26. "Universal Combat: A World Apart (pc: 2005): Reviews". Retrieved 2006-10-20.
  27. GameRankings.com aggregate review of Universal Combat: A World Apart
  28. ^ "BATTLECRUISER Online - Sales and Order Information". Retrieved 2006-10-20.
  29. "GameSpy.com - Daily Victim: A tribute to online gaming dementia". Retrieved 2006-10-16.
  30. "Computer Gaming World Interview". Retrieved 2006-10-20.
  31. "Rumor Control: $179 DS in November and $29.99 GameCube games - PC News at GameSpot". Retrieved 2006-10-20.
  32. "Rumor Control: $179 DS in November and $29.99 GameCube games - Video Game News - Yahoo! Video Games". Retrieved 2006-10-20.
  33. "Slashdot - Derek Smart Lusting Rights to Freespace?". Retrieved 2006-10-20.

External links

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