The complete reference guide to the Battlestar Galactica game

While the Battlestar Galactica game was created to feature a prequel plotline to the Sci-Fi Channel's 2003 Galactica mini-series, my brief on the script was to work toward embracing references from this version as well as touching on the 'classic' Galactica series from 1978; as such, I tied in numerous name-checks and elements from both sources.

Direct character references include Adama (as played by Lorne Greene in the original series and Edward James Olmos in the remake) and Cain (played in his older incarnation by Lloyd Bridges, in the two-part episode 'The Living Legend'). Adama echoes his future sons Apollo and Zac in some lines of dialogue ("Right here, you creeps!"). There's also a very sly reference I kept in from the original development script about the fate of Starbuck in Galactica 1980...

As well as the Battlestar Galactica herself, the script also mentions four other Battlestars from both 1978 and 2003 series continuity; the Atlantia, the Pegasus, the Columbia and the Rycon. The Atlantia is seen on screen in episode 'Saga of a Star World', and the Pegasus in 'The Living Legend', while the Colombia and the Rycon are mentioned during the original series.

Places and figures from the Galactica universe; the Quotara Cluster, where the liner Rising Star used to fly; Kobol, birthplace of the 13 Tribes of humanity; Cyranus, the home of the Colonies; the Hasari, an never-seen alien race who fought the Cylons, and Caprica, Adama's homeworld.

Items and things from the Galactica universe; the elements Tylium, Solenite and Solium; the Colonial's highest commendation, the Golden Cluster medal; Triad, the Colonial contact sport; Starbuck's favourite tipple, Ambrosa; and Hydronic Mushies, the most tasty of Colonial foodstuffs.

Several of Battlestar Galactica's cast had names that drew from mythological and astronomical sources, and the game script has several too; Erebus, the villain (the place of darkness between Earth and Hades), Viper pilots Persephone (the goddess of spring), Lethe (the 'river of forgetfulness' in the underworld), Auriga (the northern constellation of the Charioteer, between Perseus and Gemini), Deimos (one of the moons of Mars), Corvus (the constellation of the Crow, the pet of Apollo) and Nova (also named after the characters from Star Blazers and Planet of the Apes). There's also the planet Golem 5 (the clay man of Hebrew legend), the Hades Nebula (another name for Pluto or hell) and the Tiamat Comet (a multi-headed monster that will be familiar to Dungeons & Dragons players).

The Colonial flyers of the ill-fated Red Wing from the opening cutscene are Lukas (a character from my Sundowners novels), Shane (named after another SF fighter pilot, Shane Vansen from Space: Above and Beyond), Tybalt (from Romeo & Juliet) and Rylo (named after my friend and long-time Galactica fan Steve Riley). Steve insists that Rylo isn't dead, and would like everyone to know that he survived his crash on the ice moon...

Other in-jokes include nods to Space: Above and Beyond, Star Wars, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Colossus: The Forbin Project and Top Gun. Some of the spatial co-ordinates given during the game include my birthdate and references to Star Trek: Voyager's Seven of Nine.

Several new ships and variants of familiar designs appear in the game; among the Colonial forces are versions of the classic Viper starfighter and a new heavy bomber called the Cobra. The Strike Viper that appears in the later missions went through a number of name changes, from simply Mark III to Scorpion Viper and others. I did briefly consider using the 'Starhound' designation for one of the ships, but instead elected to go with the naming from the TV series. The Cylons also have a number of Raider variants, with Standard and Advanced versions, the deadly Crimson Elite-class, and the prototype Imperium-class; the game also introduces the Cylon Marauder-class bombers.

The cast of voice actors in the game feature a whole cadre of genre veterans; first and foremost are Dirk Benedict and Richard Hatch, who starred as hotshot Viper pilots Starbuck and Apollo in the original television series; Robin Atkin Downes of Babylon 5 fame is the young Adama; Dwight Schultz, known for his roles as 'Howling Mad' Murdock on The A-Team and Lieutenant Barclay on Star Trek: The Next Generation plays Erebus; Kristanna Loken, who appeared in Star Trek: Voyager and as the T-X in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines is Iphigenia.

THE GAME / THE LOST MISSION / CHEAT CODES

© J.Swallow, 2003. All images © their original copyright holders.

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