Home World Forum: The Bar

Home » Stars! 2.6/7 » The Bar » Stars 3

Show: Today's Messages :: Show Polls :: Message Navigator
E-mail to friend

Stars 3

Thu, 24 April 2014 12:02

platon79

Chief Warrant Officer 3

Messages: 185
Registered: February 2004
Location: Norway

As most people know, the sequel to Stars 2, Stars Supernova Genesis, died and never hit the shelves.
As some people know, Jim Lane, one of the main members on the supernova team, and Jeff continued development on a low-graphics stars 3.0 after the fall of supernova. You can read about it in the old rec.games.computer.stars thread "Stars Supernova Genesis Beta", at https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/rec.games.compute r.stars/stars$20supernova$20genesis$20beta/rec.games.compute r.stars/Ib3WDthwZDg/kywf5-bAtggJ
As you can see in this thread from august 2006 at https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/rec.games.compute r.stars/jim$20lane/rec.games.computer.stars/aW7Sm670jgI/pszT i47pxOUJ the stars 3 project was still alive at that time.
This made me wonder if there was still some hope of it having continued as a hobby project, and maybe entered some sort of playable state after all these years, or just died? I didn't find any other threads about this project, and decided to do some digging. What had happened to the stars3 project? Was it still alive?
I did a lot of digging, and actually managed to get in touch with Lim Lane. This was my question:

To Jim:
Me and some fellow norwegians have recently begun playing the good old
masterpiece stars 2 again. (Which I have played a lot over the years) I long
ago learned of the tragic fate of the sequel, stars supernova Genesis, but
only recently read about your hobby project, stars 3, which looked really
promising and exiting. But the last i read about it was from 2006, so I
became really curious; Is the project still alive? Is it long dead and
buried? Do you still tinker on it now and then? Is it finished but not
released to the public? I would really like to know.

Yours sincerly
Runar Holen

And I received this response from Jim:

Greetings, Runar:

Stars 3 unfortunately died a long time ago. Jeff McBride and I worked on it
for a few months, but the need to earn a living interfered with both of us.

I doubt that any project of that scope would be noticed on desktop platforms
any more. The features that made Stars! 2 so good were about depth of game
play. Supernova had deeper game play than S!2, and also had the publisher
backing needed to do the kind of graphics essential for all but casual games
anymore. Stars! 3's game play would have been even better than Supernova's,
but we never had any budget for outside art - we were going to reuse the S!2
art with a few small new things added by volunteers / friends. Even in
2005/2006 or so, that probably wouldn't have been enough. We had hoped that
the former S!2 community would be interested enough to keep S!3 afloat, even
with bad art. Today, that community has long since moved on to other things.

A project of that scale would be better suited to Android today than to
desktops, but it doesn't look possible to earn a living with it there,
either.

I'm afraid that unless either Jeff or I wins a lottery or one/both of us
inherit from rich relatives that we don't know we have, Stars! is gone. A
shame; I joined the Supernova project because S!2 was one of the very few
computer games that I've ever enjoyed playing more than a few times.

-James Lane

So that is it I guess. I am really hoping that he or Jeff wins the lottery.

Report message to a moderator

[Message index]

		Stars 3 By: platon79 on Thu, 24 April 2014 12:02
		Re: Stars 3 By: Inquisitor80 on Thu, 24 April 2014 12:24
		Re: Stars 3 By: platon79 on Thu, 24 April 2014 16:40
		Re: Stars 3 By: Altruist on Thu, 24 April 2014 17:58
		Re: Stars 3 By: Inquisitor80 on Thu, 24 April 2014 19:58
		Re: Stars 3 By: magic9mushroom on Sun, 25 May 2014 21:13
		Re: Stars 3 By: iztok on Mon, 26 May 2014 04:08
		Re: Stars 3 By: magic9mushroom on Tue, 27 May 2014 10:10
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Tue, 27 May 2014 15:24
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Wed, 28 May 2014 06:17
		Re: Stars 3 By: XAPBob on Wed, 28 May 2014 06:37
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Wed, 28 May 2014 11:26
		Re: Stars 3 By: XAPBob on Wed, 28 May 2014 12:57
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Wed, 28 May 2014 14:42
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Wed, 28 May 2014 14:33
		Re: Stars 3 By: theval on Sat, 24 May 2014 08:49
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Sat, 24 May 2014 15:09
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Sat, 24 May 2014 19:12
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Sun, 25 May 2014 06:26
		Re: Stars 3 By: theval on Sun, 25 May 2014 08:22
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Mon, 26 May 2014 03:55
		Re: Stars 3 By: theval on Mon, 26 May 2014 05:28
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Mon, 26 May 2014 14:59
		Re: Stars 3 By: theval on Tue, 27 May 2014 04:46
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Wed, 28 May 2014 06:19
		Re: Stars 3 By: theval on Sun, 25 May 2014 06:06
		Re: Stars 3 By: XAPBob on Tue, 27 May 2014 05:27
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Wed, 28 May 2014 06:08
		Re: Stars 3 By: LittleEddie on Wed, 28 May 2014 15:41
		Re: Stars 3 By: XAPBob on Wed, 28 May 2014 15:51
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Wed, 28 May 2014 16:09
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Thu, 29 May 2014 04:22
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Thu, 29 May 2014 04:54
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Fri, 30 May 2014 06:37
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Fri, 30 May 2014 07:59
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Fri, 30 May 2014 14:30
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Fri, 30 May 2014 18:26
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Sat, 31 May 2014 03:38
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Sat, 31 May 2014 15:29
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Sat, 31 May 2014 17:30
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Sat, 31 May 2014 20:04
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Sun, 01 June 2014 06:26
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Sun, 01 June 2014 08:57
		Re: Stars 3 By: XAPBob on Sun, 01 June 2014 10:24
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Sun, 01 June 2014 11:20
		Re: Stars 3 By: XAPBob on Sun, 01 June 2014 13:18
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Sun, 01 June 2014 13:22
		Re: Stars 3 By: XAPBob on Sun, 01 June 2014 13:32
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Sun, 01 June 2014 13:02
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Sun, 01 June 2014 13:18
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Sun, 01 June 2014 13:41
		Re: Stars 3 By: XAPBob on Sun, 01 June 2014 13:50
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Sun, 01 June 2014 13:59
		Re: Stars 3 By: XAPBob on Sun, 01 June 2014 14:37
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Sun, 01 June 2014 14:59
		Re: Stars 3 By: XAPBob on Mon, 02 June 2014 04:35
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Mon, 02 June 2014 07:13
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Mon, 02 June 2014 10:45
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Sun, 01 June 2014 16:00
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Sun, 01 June 2014 18:07
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Sun, 01 June 2014 18:26
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Mon, 02 June 2014 04:10
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Sun, 01 June 2014 14:53
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Sun, 01 June 2014 13:16
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Thu, 29 May 2014 04:18
		Re: Stars 3 By: Inquisitor80 on Sat, 31 May 2014 22:35
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Sun, 01 June 2014 05:51
		Re: Stars 3 By: XAPBob on Sun, 01 June 2014 14:40
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Sun, 01 June 2014 15:02
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Sun, 01 June 2014 15:43
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Sun, 01 June 2014 17:36
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Sun, 01 June 2014 17:49
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Sun, 01 June 2014 18:14
		Re: Stars 3 By: XAPBob on Sun, 01 June 2014 17:40
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Sun, 01 June 2014 17:51
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Sun, 01 June 2014 18:11
		Re: Stars 3 By: platon79 on Mon, 02 June 2014 12:25
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Mon, 02 June 2014 12:41
		Re: Stars 3 By: XAPBob on Mon, 02 June 2014 13:25
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Mon, 02 June 2014 13:45
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Mon, 02 June 2014 14:18
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Mon, 02 June 2014 13:46
		Re: Stars 3 By: XAPBob on Mon, 02 June 2014 19:12
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Mon, 02 June 2014 21:27
		Re: Stars 3 By: XAPBob on Tue, 03 June 2014 04:29
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Tue, 03 June 2014 04:38
		Re: Stars 3 By: neilhoward on Tue, 03 June 2014 06:44
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Tue, 03 June 2014 07:12
		Re: Stars 3 By: neilhoward on Tue, 03 June 2014 07:38
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Tue, 03 June 2014 12:59
		Re: Stars 3 By: XAPBob on Tue, 03 June 2014 13:15
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Tue, 03 June 2014 14:56
		Re: Stars 3 By: XAPBob on Tue, 03 June 2014 16:40
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Wed, 04 June 2014 03:53
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Tue, 03 June 2014 04:29
		Re: Stars 3 By: XAPBob on Tue, 03 June 2014 04:34
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Tue, 03 June 2014 04:45
		Re: Stars 3 By: XAPBob on Tue, 03 June 2014 04:54
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Tue, 03 June 2014 04:57
		Re: Stars 3 By: XAPBob on Tue, 03 June 2014 05:39
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Mon, 02 June 2014 14:13
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Mon, 02 June 2014 14:31
		Re: Stars 3 By: XAPBob on Mon, 02 June 2014 15:08
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Mon, 02 June 2014 15:45
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Mon, 02 June 2014 15:51
		Re: Stars 3 By: XAPBob on Mon, 02 June 2014 17:04
		Re: Stars 3 By: LittleEddie on Mon, 02 June 2014 21:35
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Tue, 03 June 2014 01:47
		Re: Stars 3 By: XAPBob on Tue, 03 June 2014 02:27
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Tue, 03 June 2014 04:31
		Re: Stars 3 By: LittleEddie on Wed, 04 June 2014 11:56
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Wed, 04 June 2014 14:00
		Re: Stars 3 By: LittleEddie on Wed, 04 June 2014 20:37
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Thu, 05 June 2014 04:15
		Re: Stars 3 By: XAPBob on Thu, 05 June 2014 05:03
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Thu, 05 June 2014 06:36
		Re: Stars 3 By: theval on Thu, 05 June 2014 07:13
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Thu, 05 June 2014 07:28
		Re: Stars 3 By: theval on Thu, 05 June 2014 07:52
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Thu, 05 June 2014 07:55
		Re: Stars 3 By: theval on Thu, 05 June 2014 08:12
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Thu, 05 June 2014 08:23
		Re: Stars 3 By: XAPBob on Thu, 05 June 2014 09:00
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Thu, 05 June 2014 10:10
		Re: Stars 3 By: theval on Thu, 05 June 2014 10:15
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Thu, 05 June 2014 10:40
		Re: Stars 3 By: theval on Thu, 05 June 2014 11:12
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Thu, 05 June 2014 11:37
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Thu, 05 June 2014 12:17
		Re: Stars 3 By: theval on Thu, 05 June 2014 14:36
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Thu, 05 June 2014 14:50
		Re: Stars 3 By: theval on Thu, 05 June 2014 15:05
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Thu, 05 June 2014 15:15
		Re: Stars 3 By: theval on Thu, 05 June 2014 15:37
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Thu, 05 June 2014 16:23
		Re: Stars 3 By: theval on Thu, 05 June 2014 16:30
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Thu, 05 June 2014 16:38
		Re: Stars 3 By: theval on Thu, 05 June 2014 16:43
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Thu, 05 June 2014 17:08
		Re: Stars 3 By: theval on Thu, 05 June 2014 17:15
		Re: Stars 3 By: theval on Fri, 06 June 2014 13:37
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Fri, 06 June 2014 15:32
		Re: Stars 3 By: theval on Fri, 06 June 2014 15:46
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Fri, 06 June 2014 18:19
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Sat, 07 June 2014 04:38
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Sat, 07 June 2014 05:18
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Sat, 07 June 2014 08:07
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Thu, 05 June 2014 18:43
		Re: Stars 3 By: theval on Sat, 07 June 2014 07:47
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Sat, 07 June 2014 08:19
		Re: Stars 3 By: theval on Sat, 07 June 2014 08:26
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Thu, 05 June 2014 07:40
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Thu, 05 June 2014 05:50
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Thu, 05 June 2014 06:34
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Thu, 05 June 2014 07:07
		Re: Stars 3 By: XAPBob on Thu, 05 June 2014 05:04
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Thu, 05 June 2014 05:52
		Re: Stars 3 By: theval on Thu, 05 June 2014 14:48
		Re: Stars 3 By: LittleEddie on Thu, 05 June 2014 15:26
		Re: Stars 3 By: theval on Thu, 05 June 2014 15:40
		Re: Stars 3 By: XAPBob on Sat, 07 June 2014 06:04
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Sat, 07 June 2014 06:13
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Sat, 07 June 2014 07:20
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Sat, 07 June 2014 08:18
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Sat, 07 June 2014 09:00
		Re: Stars 3 By: XAPBob on Sat, 07 June 2014 09:29
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Sat, 07 June 2014 09:33
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Sat, 07 June 2014 18:39
		Re: Stars 3 By: skoormit on Sat, 07 June 2014 22:59
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Sun, 08 June 2014 04:41
		Re: Stars 3 By: XAPBob on Sun, 08 June 2014 04:57
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Sun, 08 June 2014 05:14
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Sun, 08 June 2014 06:01
		Re: Stars 3 By: XAPBob on Sun, 08 June 2014 09:24
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Sun, 08 June 2014 10:35
		Re: Stars 3 By: XAPBob on Sun, 08 June 2014 14:20
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Sun, 08 June 2014 14:25
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Sun, 08 June 2014 14:57
		Re: Stars 3 By: XAPBob on Sun, 08 June 2014 14:57
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Sun, 08 June 2014 15:11
		Re: Stars 3 By: XAPBob on Sun, 08 June 2014 15:34
		Re: Stars 3 By: mrvan on Sun, 08 June 2014 15:40
		Re: Stars 3 By: XAPBob on Sun, 08 June 2014 15:49
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Mon, 09 June 2014 07:38
		Re: Stars 3 By: skoormit on Sun, 08 June 2014 11:33
		Re: Stars 3 By: Shadow Whist on Sat, 19 July 2014 18:55
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Sat, 19 July 2014 20:08
		Re: Stars 3 By: Shadow Whist on Mon, 21 July 2014 02:00
		Re: Stars 3 By: m.a@stars on Mon, 21 July 2014 12:22

Previous Topic:	Stars! on a tablet ??
Next Topic:	Replacement needed.

Goto Forum:

-=] Back to Top [=-

Current Time: Tue May 07 17:05:50 EDT 2024