In a huge surprise, GOG has obtained the rights to publish Star Trek: Bridge Commander. This game has been unavailable to purchase since its initial release in 2002. As a result, players can experience one of the best Star Trek games ever made (especially given that no new non-mobile Star Trek games are being made), updated with tweaks to work on Windows 10. One of the best aspects of Star Trek: Bridge Commander is that it has enjoyed a lively mod scene over the years, and some of the best mods are still readily available and work with the GOG version of the game.
What are the best mods for Star Trek: Bridge Commander?
While the mod scene for Star Trek: Bridge Commander isn’t very active these days, they left behind some fantastic projects for us to enjoy. Base Bridge Commander is an excellent game with a great story, but some of the mods turn it into a galaxy and time spanning Star Trek adventure. Unfortunately, many mods have been lost to the sands of time. Old file hosts have gone offline, and forums have been shut down. However, some of the best mods have persisted and are still available for download.
Quincentennial MOD 2_0
The Quincentennial MOD combines a host of mods to create a comprehensive Star Trek experience with ships spanning over five centuries of the franchise. With this mod, the game becomes a semi-open world experience essentially, and players can visit some of the most iconic locations in the Star Trek universe. It also adds new functions to ships and new time period correct bridges for players to command from.
Kobayashi Maru
Like the Quincentennial MOD, Kobayashi Maru is a mod pack that combines a host of fanmade additions to Star Trek: Bridge Commander. However, it’s firmly set in the late 24th century and focuses more on improving the graphics and adding simulation elements. Unfortunately, Kobayashi Maru isn’t compatible with the Quincentennial MOD, so players will have to try both out and see which one they prefer.
Delta Quadrant Pack for Kobayashi Maru
Years after development on the Kobayashi Maru was halted, another modder stepped in to expand the Delta Quadrant content. This pack includes 44 new ships, 20 new star systems, and Delta Quadrant mechanics like the Caretaker graviton catapult and the Borg transwarp conduit system. Now players can undertake Voyager’s journey or just go sightseeing.
Galaxy Charts 2.0
This mod brings the galaxy to life. Galaxy Charts 2.0 turns Bridge Commander into a simulation of the galaxy. There’s a galactic economy, a full war simulator, diplomacy, star system ownership and development, and more. However, users should make sure to pick up the fix below to avoid a major bug.
Galaxy Charts Warp AI Fix
Unfortunately, Galaxy Charts included a major bug that was wasn’t addressed by the mod’s developer. The command “Warp Out AI” was bugged. As a result, AI ships could get stuck in a star system. This fix prevents that and restores correct functionality to the mod.
Bridge Commander Universal Tool (BCUT) V.1.8.1
BCUT isn’t a mod itself. Instead, it’s a tool used to make, tweak, and install mods. Some mods require a tool like this to install them (like the Delta Quadrant addition to Kobayashi Maru above). It’s a relatively recent program, so it’s easier to use than some of the older mod managers for Bridge Commander. Also, those that are interested in modeling and inserting their own ships into the game or creating new mods will find the process much streamlined by BCUT.
