To this end Taldren have been reworking the interface, simplifying the layout and arranging things more coherently so you can see at a glance the ships vitals. Instead of having six shield points arranged in a hexagon, this has now been reduced to just four: fore, aft, left and right. This will make it easier than before to blast through to start taking out the enemy ships systems, but of course also easier for them. Another element that has had a refit is the Dynaverse system. This is their term for the dynamic universe that the players inhabit, either in single or multiplayer, and it creates random missions based on the current state of play. In it will allow players to team up and move as a fleet to help each other out in major battles. The system itself should now seem more real, with patrols along borders, scouts jumping through the neutral zone and convoys moving supplies from base to base.

One welcome re-addition to the game is the crew system that was in the original. You can transfer officers to your command that will be responsible for various aspects of the ship, from science to engineering. Each will have a different rating, so you may start out with a rookie engineer but after a few missions he could become a regular miracle worker. The down side is that they can be killed in combat so be careful not give them too many bumps. The ships themselves will be highly customisable thanks to a clever system involving hardpoints, weapon arcs and power output. So for those of you that want to vary the standard weapons layout for a Galaxy class ship and add some more power to its shields, you can do so.

The number of different ship types that will be available is still unknown, but players can expect to see many of the familiar ships from the series from Federation, Klingon, Romulan and even a borg cube as well as some original designs. Taldren have also gained a huge following from the mod community so if you fancy taking Homer's head into battle against the Borg you shouldn't have to wait too long. One of the weaker points of the previous games has been the main campaigns. This time around Taldren have put a lot more effort into setting up an intriguing story involving a joint Federation and Klingon starbase called Unity One that is actually a covert cloak detection device. Once the Romulans find out they are none too pleased. Despite the principles of peace that supposedly uphold the Federation, the tagline for the game is "Sometimes, the only way to restore peace is to wage war." There will be three main campaigns, one for each major race.

With an immersive storyline and gameplay that's firmly rooted in the Trek universe, tactical depth and an elegant interface, perhaps Starfleet Command III will be able to boldly go where few developers have gone before. To succeed in pleasing the hardcore fans and also appealing to the more mainstream gamers who just want a great game. When it launches this November we will see if Taldren can beat that Kobayashi Maru scenario. Engage.

By Richard Clifford