Aha, Balgin, so that got to you, too? (The backwards Star Trek names). Well, it's well known that most of the game designers at NWC are Tekkie "geeks." If it's any consolation, Wizardry treats the sci-fi element a lot better than "here's some blasters, now that's all you can use." You can get through the whole game (Wiz 7) with nothing but normal "medieval" weapons. I was not insulted by the presence of sci-fi elements; they downplayed them and just used it as an explanation for some of the events that occurred. Wiz 8 will probably be similar in its scope, especially since all the same classes are being used. It's still a medieval fantasy milieu, just set in a different world with some technology.
And, yes, I fairly hated the blasters, and was rather insulted at the idea of "Star Trek" names in MM6. I mean, you'd think they'd have been more original. After I found two of the name codes, I figured out the others without having to go over that ridiculously huge dungeon (VARN, I think?) to find the others.
Well, that's why I'll always prefer Wizardry over anything NWC puts out.
-Sazerac