The BBC and Master Computer Public Domain Library

STAR FORCE SEVEN

Professional, Originally Released On Cassette Only

Game Type          : Strategy; Space Game

Authors            : Ian Souter

Standalone Release(s)   : 1986: STAR FORCE SEVEN, Bug Byte, £2.99

Compilation Release(s) : None

Stated compatibility    : Electron Side A, BBC Side B

Actual compatibility    : As stated

Supplier            : BUG BYTE, Liberty House, 222 Regent Street, LONDON W1R 7DB

Disc compatibility     : ADFS 1D00, CDFS 1D00, DFS 1D00

Instructions

"You are the last Star Fleet Commander deep in space battling for 25 planets. Navigational and battle options, spyships, ground forces, fighters and a range of weapons. Stop the invasion of Earth and destroy the Battleglom from Vragus IV."

You beat the Zurgs by destroying their home planet or by capturing and keeping 25 other planets.

You lose points by destroying enslaved planets and losing your own ships. Don't lose your command ship.

Navigational controls are Star Jumping, Orbiting and Attacking. Battle options are Break-off (f0), dense fire (f5), dispersed fire (f6). Battles start with a dispersed ire pattern, the concentrated fire pattern allows you to fire at a ship of your choice. Breaking off the action creates an emergency star jump to a random planet. Displays show energy levels; the screen turns blue when the Zurgs are firing back.

In orbit around a planet options are Bombard, Assault, Retire. Remember using up all your energy has its drawbacks. Assaults are started by an air attack followed by a land battle. If the planet if friendly it can supply recruits and fighters etc. Garrisons are essential if you are to hold the planets captured. They will also need changing.

Status reports include information on energy and force deployment. Scouts can operate independently of the main fleet. Intelligence is vital. The Zurg fleet has heavy and light cruisers and they seldom operate with more than 20 ships. You will need an industrial base to build fighters and watch the energy levels.

The best of luck.

Instructions' Source   : STAR FORCE SEVEN (Bug Byte) Back and Inner Inlay

Review (Electron User)

STAR FORCE SEVEN is a military strategy game set in a futuristic space context. You take the part of the space fleet commander, battling for 25 planets and trying to prevent the marauding Zurgs from invading Earth. Your first task is to decide how many of the various types of spacecraft you require. You have a limited number of points and must choose carefully between cruisers, transporters, spy ships and so on. Having made your decision, you decide which star to visit first.

There are 26 stars and, to make life easy, each starts with a different letter.
When you reach a star, your main options begin. You can get intelligence reports on the size and population of the various planets. You may move into orbit around a planet and assault it or bombard it. If there are any enemy space fleets around you can attack them either in a random way or by picking off individual craft. If the pressure gets too much for you, you can do a star jump and hope to find somewhere safer and quieter.

This is not an arcade type of game so there is no graphic action which you control. You make general decisions and the computer then carries out the action.

When you are battling to win a planet the display consists of the numbers of troops remaining, both your own and those of the enemy. I found this game rather dull to play. It looks like the kind of game that we had five or six years ago when computers had limited graphics capabilities. It does not offer a real chance to use your own skills and relies too much on random happenings.

Another factor I disliked was that on being destroyed, I had to reload data to be able to play again. I'm afraid I even found the rather limited sound an irritant. Thankfully this can be switched out.

There are five difficulty levels ranging from easy to difficult, but even level one was too hard for me. If you like this kind of strategy game no doubt you would be pleased to add this to your collection. I'd prefer to invest my money elsewhere.

Sound ........................... 3
Graphics ........................ 4
Playability ..................... 4
Value for money ................. 6
Overall ......................... 4

Rog Frost, ELECTRON USER 3.11