Outspoken developer Derek Smart has promised that anybody who is dissatisfied with his latest effort, the first episode of Galactic Command: Echo Squad SE, is eligible for a full refund.

The 3000AD founder made mention of the refund in a comment on Blue's News last week. "If you're a space sim fan, can't wait for the demo and you buy the game... but think its crap, I'm tits up and talking trash, I'll personally refund your money," Smart wrote on the site. He noted that those who pursued a refund would not have their license keys disabled, though he failed to detail the specifics of the refund process.

"I'm quite certain that there may be other takers," Smart wrote MTV Multiplayer regarding possible exploitation of the offer. "Who knows. But regardless... Read more

GameTap will no longer be publishing Derek Smart's episodic game series, the company revealed to Gamasutra.

Announced in early 2007, Galactic Command: Echo Squad was originally slated to be a four-part space-sim series created by Battlecruiser designer Derek Smart. Much like Telltale's Sam & Max games and American McGee's Grimm, it was to be released through GameTap's digital distribution platform as part of the company's Originals line.

"It was a good game, it was very solid, but as we were going through, it ended up not being the right title for our audience," explained GameTap content VP Ricardo Sanchez. "We thought it would succeed better with Derek's core base."

Despite the termination of the publishing agreement, Sanchez remained extremely positive about the project, and noted that Smart is still planning to release. According to the game's dev blog, all four episodes of Echo Squad were completed and delivered to GameTap owner Turner in June 2007.

"It was a tough call. I think it's one of the strongest games ever made," Sanchez noted. "I honestly think it's one of Derek's strongest games."

After the completion of Bravo Squad, developer 3000AD then began work on Galactic Command: Talon Elite, a fleshed-out sequel Smart claimed would "re-invent the space sim genre." A third Galactic Command game, Bravo Team, is planned to arrive in late 2009.

Having established a presence in the brave new world of episodic adventure games with its investment in Telltale's Sam & Max games, online subscription-based gaming service GameTap is looking to bring the episodic model to other PC genres. Today, the company announced an episodic development deal with 3000AD, the developer headed up by long time industry figure Derek Smart, remembered most famously for his Battlecruiser games.

Smart's new effort is Galactic Command -- Echo Squad, a four-episode space-set shooter series to be released on a monthly basis. Each episode will consist of sixteen missions as well as multiple possible endings, and will also include sixteen-player online deathmatch, team deathmatch, and cooperative play.

"Thanks to GameTap and its commitment to episodic games, we now have a great opportunity for Galactic Command to reach a larger audience," said Smart, known as a vigorous internet poster. "We're excited to be on board with a company that has a clear vision for broadening the PC gaming market."

Galactic Command will join the GameTap Originals program, of which Sam & Max is also a part. "The addition of Galactic Command -- Echo Squad to GameTap's growing library of new and original games further proves our commitment to offering subscribers content they can't get anywhere else," said content VP Ricardo Sanchez. "We are pleased to be partnering with 3000AD, and feel this partnership strengthens our role as a leader in both episodic gaming and the broadband entertainment market."

Galactic Command -- Echo Squad is set to begin for GameTap users this spring. No non-GameTap release was discussed in today's announcement.

The Adrenaline Vault forums have a post by 3000AD's Derek Smart, who reveals he's looking into acquiring the Freespace franchise from Interplay. "Discuss. Rave. Rant. Argue. But this is something I am seriously considering, given that it looks like Interplay has started off loading properties (starting with Fallout3) ...". Thanks Blues News.

Derek Smart has posted a new message on the 3000AD forums, announcing that the company was not succesful in getting an injunction against DreamCatcher Interactive. This means the publisher can now sell Universal Combat for $19.99. 3000AD can however still sue for damages if the game does not do as well as anticipated by DreamCatcher.

Voodoo Extreme has posted an interview with Derek Smart, the guy behind the Battlecruiser games. They talk to him about Battlecruiser Millennium, the problems with Battlecruiser 3000 AD, his EB distribution deal and other things related to game development.