Site of the Week -- Jan. 11, 1999
here's something odd about the town of Billingdon. There's a "long man" carved into the side of a hill, a couple of guys are pirating satellite television from around the world, and Ken is running about in a Viking helm, muttering prophetic warnings. The Giant Steps Web site chronicles these and other fictional oddities as it follows in the footsteps of the British radio classic The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
The site is made up of Real Audio episodes that tell the story of entrepreneurs Gary and Tim as they make bootleg satellite TV videotapes. Meanwhile the space station Zeus suffers a mishap, and its owners determine the cause originated in the boys' hometown. From there, things get weirder. Augmenting the site's audio clips are image maps that provide highlights and memorable quotes from the episodes. This site's a great stop for fans of British science fiction, as well as anyone else looking for a good laugh.
-- Kenneth Newquist
Site of the Week -- Jan. 4, 1999
hese are the voyages of the Starship Alliance. Its ongoing mission is to explore strange new worlds, seek out alien civilizations, and provide a night of fun for its crew members. This Excelsior class vessel is one of dozens of virtual Star Trek starships operated by members of the Federation Sim Group. The group organizes online role-playing and simulation sessions that let members serve as crew members, officers or even captains aboard ships like the Alliance. Games are played live using chats, in turns using e-mail, or by using a combination of the two.
The Federation Sim Group explores universes outside of the Star Trek domain as well--it has sessions for Men in Black and seaQuest DSV. For Star Trek simulations, the group acts as an online starbase, providing write-ups about starships, an academy for new recruits learning how to play, and a library of sim and Federation information. While the site could use a FAQ list, all in all it's a good starting point for those who are interested in simming.
-- Kenneth Newquist
Site of the Week -- Dec. 21, 1998
ike cosmic locomotives run by schizophrenic engineers, the fiction of The Interplanetary Railroad provides a jarring, but fun, ride through a communal science fiction landscape. The site's focus is on group-written stories that include such works as the Time Bandits-meets-Sliders story "Window," the interplanetary intrigue of "Hunter's World," and the nicely twisted "Aliens, Zombies and Clones, Oh My!"
On the known-universe front, there are stories dedicated to Star Trek and The X-Files. Readers and writers can also help build two alien races and discuss their creations--and other science fiction topics--on a bulletin board. Rounding out the site are a Star Wars rant, a science fiction time line, a short quotes section and a links area.
Most of the stories here are at their best when they deal with original settings rather than commercial ones. While fans might enjoy writing the Trek pieces, it's hard for them to capture the "feel" of the series. In the end, The Interplanetary Railroad's stories are fun to read for the same reason Ad Lib's are fun to read: visitors never know what's going to happen next.
-- Kenneth Newquist
