History VideoGame / StarTrekTextGame

BASIC was a very common programming language in the '70s, so the game was ported to minicomputers, and distributed in books and magazines as a type-in program. Later versions deepened the gameplay with exploration, mining missions, and (in some cases) "real time" play where the Klingons acted once every few seconds instead of once per turn.[[note]]A TRS80 adaptation named ''Graphictrek 2000'' even included steerable torpedoes[[/note]] It became one of the most popular games of the pre-PC college minicomputer era. In 1978, it was ported to Microsoft BASIC, the emerging standard for microcomputers. Versions appeared for the AppleII, TRS80, and IBMPersonalComputer, and it was one of the most popular games on those platforms too. Derivatives with graphics and sound started appearing, in particular ''VideoGame/StarRaiders'', and the original faded into history.

** ''Supertrek'' also had Romulans that were more of a nuisance than a threat. If you entered a Romulan quadrant, they'd simply politely ask you to leave. They didn't attack unless you attacked them first.

* CaptainErsatz: Since the ''Franchise/StarTrek'' franchise was copyrighted and trademarked, any company that wants to sell a variant of the game has to [[SerialNumbersFiledOff file all the serial numbers off]]. For example, when Radio Shack wanted to sell the Sol-20 variant "TREK 80" for its TRS80 microcomputer, they renamed it "Invasion Force", and had it feature the starship ''U.S.S. Hephaestus'' firing its masers and triton missiles at Jovian warships. Similarly, ''EGA Trek'' went with "Mongols".

** DeathOrGloryAttack: One frequent addition to the game is to equip a superweapon on the player's ship, like the DeathRay from ''EGA Trek''. If it worked, it killed every enemy in a sector. When it didn't work, it could do enough damage to destroy the player's ship, or (in ''EGA Trek'') mutate your crew and have them [[InterfaceScrew draw smiley faces on the interface]].

* InvisibleWall: You'll run into one of these if you try to leave the playfield.

BASIC was a very common programming language in the '70s, so the game was ported to minicomputers, and distributed in books and magazines as a type-in program. Later versions deepened the gameplay with exploration, mining missions, and (in some cases) "real time" play where the Klingons acted once every few seconds instead of once per turn.[[note]]A [[TRS-80]] adaptation named ''Graphictrek 2000'' even included steerable torpedoes[[/note]] It became one of the most popular games of the pre-PC college minicomputer era. In 1978, it was ported to Microsoft BASIC, the emerging standard for microcomputers. Versions appeared for the AppleII, TRS80, and IBMPersonalComputer, and it was one of the most popular games on those platforms too. Derivatives with graphics and sound started appearing, in particular ''VideoGame/StarRaiders'', and the original faded into history.

BASIC was a very common programming language in the '70s, so the game was ported to minicomputers, and distributed in books and magazines as a type-in program. Later versions deepened the gameplay with exploration, mining missions, and (in some cases) "real time" play where the Klingons acted once every few seconds instead of once per turn. It became one of the most popular games of the pre-PC college minicomputer era. In 1978, it was ported to Microsoft BASIC, the emerging standard for microcomputers. Versions appeared for the AppleII, TRS80, and IBMPersonalComputer, and it was one of the most popular games on those platforms too. Derivatives with graphics and sound started appearing, in particular ''VideoGame/StarRaiders'', and the original faded into history.

Combat is turn-based. You have phasers and photon torpedoes, and the Klingons have phasers. Your phasers automatically target the enemy, but may take several shots to destroy them. Torpedoes will kill an enemy in one shot, but you have to aim them by typing in a shot angle. The ship's computer (usually) includes a calculator to help you set up the shot. You can also maneuver using impulse drive. Meanwhile, the Klingons are shooting at you and moving around, and stars can get in the way of the fighting. The Enterprise takes SubsystemDamage, so a lucky shot can cripple you until repairs are made.

->I've seen the sources to dozens of ''Star Trek'' computer games that various people have written, and I have to believe it's some kind of law. In all of these games, for many different systems, written in many different computer programming languages, and all written independently of each other, all have one thing in common. The variable used to count the number of remaining Klingons - the enemy - that haven't been killed yet, is ''always'' '''K9'''.
->- Paul Robinson

* CaptainErsatz: Since the ''Franchise/StarTrek'' franchise was copyrighted and trademarked, any company that wanted to sell a variant of the game had to [[SerialNumbersFiledOff file all the serial numbers off]]. For example, when Radio Shack wanted to sell the Sol-20 variant "TREK 80" for its TRS80 microcomputer, they renamed it "Invasion Force", and had it feature the starship ''U.S.S. Hephaestus'' firing its masers and triton missiles at Jovian warships.

BASIC was a very common programming language in the '70s, so the game was ported to minicomputers, and distributed in books and magazines as a type-in program. Later versions deepened the gameplay with exploration, mining missions, and (in some cases) "real time" play where the Klingons acted once every few seconds instead of once per turn. It became one of the most popular games of the pre-PC college minicomputer era. In 1978, it was ported to Microsoft BASIC, the emerging standard for microcomputers. Versions appeared for the AppleII, TRS80, and IBMPersonalComputer, and it was one of the most popular games on those platforms too. Derivatives with graphics and sound started appearing, in particular ''StarRaiders'', and the original faded into history.

* ThatOneRule: Aiming torpedoes.

The first ''Franchise/StarTrek'' computer game [[hottip:*:The original version used teletype for output, so it was a few years before it became a "video game"!]] is a TurnBasedStrategy game written by Mike Mayfield in 1971 on a [[MainframesAndMinicomputers Sigma 7 mainframe]], using the BASIC programming language. It became one of the big hits of the early home computer era in the late [[TheSeventies 1970s]] and early [[TheEighties 1980s]].

* PressXToDie: You can shoot your own starbases! Another probable UrExample.

BASIC was a very common programming language in the '70s, so the game was ported to minicomputers, and distributed in books and magazines as a type-in program. Later versions deepened the gameplay with exploration, mining missions, and (in some cases) "real time" play where the Klingons acted once every few seconds instead of once per turn. It became one of the most popular games of the pre-PC college minicomputer era. In 1978, it was ported to Microsoft BASIC, the emerging standard for microcomputers. Versions appeared for the AppleII and IBMPersonalComputer, and it was one of the most popular games on those platforms too. Derivatives with graphics and sound started appearing, in particular ''StarRaiders'', and the original faded into history.

Combat is turn-based. You have phasers and photon torpedoes, and the Klingons have phasers. Your phasers automatically target the enemy, but may take several shots to destroy them. Torpedoes will kill an enemy in one shot, but you have to aim them by typing in a shot angle. The ship's computer (usually) includes a calculator to help you set up the shot. If not, you can maneuver using impulse drive. Meanwhile, the Klingons are shooting at you and moving around, and stars can get in the way of the fighting. The Enterprise takes SubsystemDamage, so a lucky shot can cripple you until repairs are made.

Combat is turn-based. You have phasers and photon torpedoes, and the Klingons have phasers. Your phasers automatically target the enemy, but may take several shots to destroy them. Torpedoes will kill an enemy in one shot, but you have to aim them by typing in a shot angle. The ship's computer includes a calculator to help you set up the shot. Meanwhile, the Klingons are shooting at you and moving around, and stars can get in the way of the fighting. The Enterprise takes SubsystemDamage, so a lucky shot can cripple you until repairs are made.

The first ''StarTrek'' computer game [[hottip:*:The original version used teletype for output, so it was a few years before it became a "video game"!]] is a TurnBasedStrategy game written by Mike Mayfield in 1971 on a [[MainframesAndMinicomputers Sigma 7 mainframe]], using the BASIC programming language. It became one of the big hits of the early home computer era in the late [[TheSeventies 1970s]] and early [[TheEighties 1980s]].

* CaptainErsatz: Since the ''StarTrek'' franchise was copyrighted and trademarked, any company that wanted to sell a variant of the game had to [[SerialNumbersFiledOff file all the serial numbers off]]. For example, when Radio Shack wanted to sell the Sol-20 variant "TREK 80" for its TRS80 microcomputer, they renamed it "Invasion Force", and had it feature the starship ''U.S.S. Hephaestus'' firing its masers and triton missiles at Jovian warships.

* CaptainErsatz: Since the ''StarTrek'' franchise was copyrighted and trademarked, any company that wanted to sell a variant of the game had to file all the serial numbers off. For example, when Radio Shack wanted to sell the Sol-20 variant "TREK 80" for its TRS80 microcomputer, they renamed it "Invasion Force", and had it feature the starship ''U.S.S. Hephaestus'' firing its masers and triton missiles at Jovian warships.

* CaptainErsatz: Since the ''StarTrek'' franchise was copyrighted and trademarked, any company that wanted to sell a variant of the game had to file all the serial numbers off. For example, when Radio Shack wanted to sell the Sol-20 variant "TREK 80" for its TRS-80 microcomputer, they called it "Invasion Force", which featured the starship ''U.S.S. Hephaestus'' firing its masers and triton missiles at Jovian warships.

BASIC was a very common programming language in the '70s, so the game was ported to minicomputers, and distributed in books and magazines as a type-in program. Later versions deepened the gameplay with exploration and mining missions. It became one of the most popular games of the pre-PC college minicomputer era. In 1978, it was ported to Microsoft BASIC, the emerging standard for microcomputers. Versions appeared for the AppleII and IBMPersonalComputer, and it was one of the most popular games on those platforms too. Derivatives with graphics and sound started appearing, in particular ''StarRaiders'', and the original faded into history.

* CaptainErsatz: Since the ''StarTrek'' franchise was copyrighted and trademarked, any company that wanted to sell a variant of the game had to file all the serial numbers off. The variant that Radio Shack sold for its TRS-80 microcomputer, for example, was called "Invasion Force", and featured the starship ''U.S.S. Hephaestus'' firing its masers at Jovian warships.

[[caption-width-right:236:A stunning "Full Screen Display" of a quadrant, not available in the original teletype version]]

* EnemyDetectingRadar: Long-range scanners. Possibly the UrExample in video games.

The Enterprise runs on a PowerSource of energy units. Warp drive, shields, and phasers all cost energy. Dock at a starbase to replenish your energy and torpedoes.