Reading through the counterclaim I came upon this bit:
“the main character is called Commander Hayes, just like in Reiche and Ford’s Star Control Games.”
I of course knew they were planning to use the alien names and cultures (just with different colors so as not to infringe, wink wink) but even down to copying the PC’s name?
They really are going out of their way to make absolutely sure they create another SC3 rather than create new IP that can stand on its own. I just can’t understand how they consider this a wise plan. If they were afraid that after P&F’s announcement their game would suffer since it would be seen as a pale imitator to the original creator’s work, they are now in the 11th hour wedging in the classic races seemingly in an effort to make absolutely sure it has all the appearances of a pale imitator.
Unless they really were planning to and working towards including them all along I can’t even imagine what a huge disruption to the production schedule the decision to add the classic races at this late stage must be.