Almost three years ago we talked about Artemis, a game whose goal is to simulate a command bridge in the style of Star Trek, connecting six computers under the direct control of the crew. The “problem” with Artemis is that it is Windows-only. Programmer Stephen Cameron came across this game and decided to do something similar for Linux, called Space Nerds In Space. The project has been in development for over three years, is completely open source, and has incorporated some great details, like voice recognition.
Everything seems ready for a new Star Trek series to begin next year, though before that we’ll see “Beyond,” the third installment of the reboot, hitting theaters starting July 22. Personally, I’m not very excited about Beyond. The second trailer was much better than the first, however, I can’t shake the feeling that they created a hybrid between “The Fast and the Furious” and “Mission Impossible” aboard the Enterprise. Now… some of our readers might not know this, but it is possible to recreate an experience similar to a command bridge on a Federation ship thanks to games like Artemis. Artemis’s priority in terms of compatibility is Windows, although its developer also offers apps for Android and iOS. The big question is whether something similar to Artemis exists on Linux. The answer is Space Nerds In Space.
Development and Features
If you head to the YouTube channel of its lead developer, Stephen Cameron, you can see the evolution of Space Nerds In Space up close. What started as a strictly 2D game is now a 3D title with rendered planets, space monsters, and other kinds of elements the “game master” can throw into the game. This gives Space Nerds In Space a much deeper “role-playing factor,” but the technical details aren’t far behind. One of the latest videos shows implemented voice recognition, so a crew member can give direct orders to the ship’s computer.
Installation
Needless to say, Space Nerds In Space is not a title for those who expect an .exe file and an installation reduced to a couple of clicks. In simple terms, the user must compile their own ISO image from the repository, create several copies, and boot the image as a Live DVD or Live USB on all systems that will be used in the game. There is no official plan to create a Windows-compatible version of Space Nerds In Space, but since it’s open source, I suppose someone could do that work in the future.
