Federation Commander

Volvernon · Ensign Joined: 19 Nov 2019 Posts: 1 Location: Spokane, WA

Greetings,
I am looking to dig out my old SFB stuff to begin playing again with friends. Since it has been so long since I have played, I'm hoping that someone out there may have been smart enough to figure out how to digitize the energy allocation form. Is there something that can be used on a phone or tablet for updating the energy allocation form, or am I stuck using the wax pencil or dry erase marker?

Thanks!
Volvernon

Bolo_MK_XL · Posted: Tue Nov 19, 2019 9:59 pm Post subject:

Spreadsheet programs like Excel work, it will do the math for you...
Once you learn the formulas....
Sure there are some for Tablets, don't know about phones.....

Sgt_G · Posted: Sun Nov 24, 2019 6:32 pm Post subject:

At one point in time, I started to create just such a spreadsheet, but then ADB / SVC said: DO NOT PUBLISH THAT! DO NOT SHARE THAT!

I would have been allowed to use it for my own games, but I couldn't even give my opponent a copy. That's one of those items that would do serious damage to ADB sales if they allowed it out in the wild.

That said, the basic form was super easy to make in (at the time) LOTUS 1-2-3. It was when I started to put in the error-checking that the IF-THEN strings got a little messy. It'd be a cool PERSONAL project if you want to learn EXCEL.
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Garth L. Getgen

Master Sgt, US Air Force, Retired -- 1981-2007 -- 1W091A

Steve Cole · Site Admin Joined: 11 Oct 2006 Posts: 3821

It's not just that, but Paramount would be really annoyed and would claim we were sneaking it out the back door without approvals or royalties.
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The Guy Who Designed Fed Commander

Itharus · Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2020 8:54 am Post subject:

Many PDF readers/editors and other pieces of software allow you to markup PDF's directly now. If you've got a touchscreen with a stylus you can literally just write on the thing and erase to your heart's content as if it were a laminated sheet and a dry erase marker.

It's what I do with SSD's and the like. You can copy and paste and have as many of the lil blighters loaded on screen as you'd like. The last 8 years or so have been really good to electronic forms. Also really handy if you have any visual deficiencies, since you can change so much. ST:TNG tech made good, lol Smile

I am curious, how can a little spreadsheet or program a player made and distributed be held against you, ADB?

Good to know though... yikes.

Hargert · Ensign Joined: 22 Jun 2021 Posts: 5

That has to be one of the worst decisions I have heard of. That would only help sell more copies and make more players.

Steve Cole · Site Admin Joined: 11 Oct 2006 Posts: 3821

Because Paramount will hold it against us. They will claim we are trying to sneak it out without their permission, without their approval, and without paying them royalties. It's not my decision.

We could publish & sell such a thing if somebody wanted to do it and make a deal with us. But we cannot just say "go ahead" because it would get us in a whole lot of trouble. Intellectual property licenses are like that.
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The Guy Who Designed Fed Commander

Hargert · Ensign Joined: 22 Jun 2021 Posts: 5

I don't hold it against you but just don't see how an energy allocation sheet would fall under Intellectual property as it is just a part of the game. That said I do know that the paramount folks can be a pain in the backside on very small details.

Steve Cole · Site Admin Joined: 11 Oct 2006 Posts: 3821

I am sure if you pay an IP lawyer what I paid mine he will explain it to you.

That sounds snaky but I am sincere.

A thing that is "for use with any starship game" is one thing. A thing that can only be used for SFB requires consent from the owners of SFB. It's a concept called derivative copyright.

For example, there is a series of doomsday/apocolypse novels I really enjoyed, but the author has a business model of doing exactly three books on a given subject and then moving on to other subjects. (her choice there.) I wrote most of a novel that would be part of that universe but I cannot publish it without her permission. I could post it free somewhere as fan fiction and she might smile and ignore it, but she could also legally demand that I remove it from anything public access. After I retire from SFB I plan to contact her and see if we can reach a deal to print it. But "reach a deal with her" is the key part.
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The Guy Who Designed Fed Commander

pixelgeek · Posted: Tue Jun 29, 2021 4:49 pm Post subject:

Hargert · Ensign Joined: 22 Jun 2021 Posts: 5

Oh, I get it completely and when it comes to lawsuits the only ones who win are the lawyers.

Steve Cole · Site Admin Joined: 11 Oct 2006 Posts: 3821

Like I said, if someone has play aid software we will make a deal to market it. However, APs have to be both Android and iPhone, and iPhone has a problem that you have $100 a year for a store to sell it, and we're not going to do that for something that sells five copies for $3 each.
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The Guy Who Designed Fed Commander

pixelgeek · Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2021 3:50 pm Post subject:

Given that you can create this with a spreadsheet in a few minutes I don't see how there would be a market for it at all.

HappyDaze · Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2021 6:41 pm Post subject: