So, growing up, I played quite a few space sims. They were fantastic IMO, but now, no one seems to make Space combat sims. I played all of the Wing Commander series and both Privateer I and II. I loved the mercenary plot to the Privateer series. And the single player campaign in the Wing Command series was also awesome. But now, it just seems that the last decent game was Starlancer,iirc (which I didn't really care all that much for honestly).

Why hasn't anyone come out with another space sim? Is there one you guys recommend? I played Privateer via dosbox and that was fun, but I want to play something different. A different story line, a game with a slightly different feel. I couldn't get privateer 2 to work with dosbox correctly (unstable, would crash randomly, and the game would speed up, slow down, speed up again, etc...). *le sigh* Anyone know if there are any plans for games like Privateer/WC/Starlancer in the works?

[Edited on August 1, 2008 at 10:08 AM. Reason : .]

8/1/2008 10:08:17 AM

Descent Freespace

8/1/2008 10:09:45 AM

The Wing Commander series is hard to beat

[Edited on August 1, 2008 at 10:16 AM. Reason : that is my personal favorite]

8/1/2008 10:16:45 AM

^^ I never really cared about Descent.



I can't ever find a bug free/ uncorrupt version of Freespace 2. even via torrents.
So I can't really comment on that game

I'm sure there'd be a market for these kind of games, I just don't understand why no one has thought to try to come out with something...


[Edited on August 1, 2008 at 10:22 AM. Reason : .]

8/1/2008 10:19:21 AM

Wing Commander series wins

X-Wing/Tie Fighter/ X-Wing vs. Tie Fighter series comes in second

8/1/2008 11:15:53 AM

Descent Freespace is the shit

8/1/2008 11:21:27 AM

have you not played X3? its the best space sim out there.

8/1/2008 11:28:09 AM

^Actually, no. I've never heard of it, nor have I ever heard of X2 (upon research).

I looked it up. I like it. I must admit I've never seen it in stores. I wonder if I can still find it around... Thanks buddy

More importantly, I meet all the recommended computer specs

[Edited on August 1, 2008 at 11:49 AM. Reason : .]

8/1/2008 11:45:13 AM

How much does the "sim" part matter to you?

I think Freelancer is a lot of fun and has a bunch of great RPG elemnts to it, as well as a ton of mods. The combat however is pretty arcadey.

8/1/2008 11:53:31 AM

X3 looks awesome!

8/1/2008 12:03:27 PM

^^^It is a HUGE game in Europe. Probably the best space sim hands down to them. Sadly space sims don't get as much attention here which is why you probably haven't heard of it. I recommended it to one of my co-workers and they love it. You should be able to find it in a EBgames or maybe even best buy. I found my copy at EBgames when it first came out.

[Edited on August 1, 2008 at 12:03 PM. Reason : ^]

8/1/2008 12:03:33 PM

http://www.gamespot.com/pc/sim/x3reunion/review.html

8/1/2008 12:07:44 PM

^^^^ Freelancer was alright. It was cool and fun, but it's like you said, "bunch of RPG elements to it." I'm all for decking out my fighter/ship, but I want to be able to fly it... I want to be able to sit in the cockpit and pilot my ship from a first person perspective. The 3rd person was different, but not my taste. It was different having "turrets" and stuff. Very unique and a good game (freelancer that is), don't get me wrong on it, however, I'm lookin for something like the WC/Privateer series (I suppose more of the Privateer because I love the whole Merc. thing and being able to buy/customize my own arsenal).

I'm going to look more into x3. Thanks RSXTypeS. I think that's what I am lookin for.

Question on X3...

whats the difference between 2.0 and Reunion? Or are they the same? I guess Reunion came out in ~2005 and (I believe) there is a "new" one called Reunion 2.0 which came out laster year-ish?

Also, in all the SS I've seen, it's all 3rd person. Is it just 3rd person, or is there a 1st person view too RSXTypeS?

[Edited on August 1, 2008 at 12:58 PM. Reason : .]

8/1/2008 12:44:48 PM

I used to love Privateer, and another game I played the hell out of back in the day which was like that was called Escape Velocity. It was a small Mac-only game originally, but they have Windows versions for the sequels; I think the most recent one was Escape Velocity: Nova, but even that one came out years ago. Google it and I think you can still download it; it was put out by Ambrosia Software, and I think they had a demo for free too.

[Edited on August 1, 2008 at 2:26 PM. Reason : Escape Velocity was all 3rd person though, btw]

8/1/2008 2:25:43 PM

I loved all the Wing Commander games, including Privateer (although I thought Academy sucked) and I also 2nd the X-Wing / TIE Fighter games

back when computer games were dope

8/1/2008 2:37:06 PM

Quote :

"back when computer games were dope"

yeah, now they are just super-mega-dope

8/1/2008 2:50:00 PM

well...i guess what i meant was, back when space flight sims were dope and being put out all the time

and plus i've migrated to console games

8/1/2008 2:58:22 PM

^^or more like opium?

^ I hear ya. I totally hear ya. They were classics!

They need to come out with a new Mechwarrior of some sort too... I remember when MWII was the shit yo.



[Edited on August 1, 2008 at 3:01 PM. Reason : .]

8/1/2008 2:59:08 PM

Just to be clear,

Descent <> Descent Freespace

They are absolutely nothing alike.

A lot of people will agree that Freespace (1 and 2) is probably one of the top 5 space sims ever made.

8/1/2008 3:12:29 PM

any decent ones for consoles?

I guess Mass Effect is about the closest thing I've seen, and its almost more of an RPG

8/1/2008 3:19:03 PM

I think the last one in the X-Wing series was X-Wing Alliance, it had the best graphics for it's time (debris, splash damage and laser burns on the hulls, haha and little ejected pilots floating around) and you could fly inside the motherships for docking and all that....

a lot of fond memories from that game

8/1/2008 4:51:41 PM

Just picked up the last copy of X3 Reunion 2.0 in the Raleigh/durham area. Well, at least the last one after I called several game stores. This was "new" for $19.99, and labeled as such. Wierd, because they had resealed the box like it was a used item and there were finger prints all over the cd (no scratches though) when I opened it. False advertising if you ask me, but w/e. I got the game. I shall report back sometime.

8/1/2008 10:37:51 PM

OKAY!

So it took me ~3 hours to figure out 90% of the game (just messing around, haven't looked to find a manual online ...) X3 is REALLY badass. It's like a much improved/sophisticated version of Privateer. The radar is kinda, uh, confusing a little bit. But overall, I'm really enjoying the game Graphics are fantastic.

8/4/2008 8:29:31 AM

Damn I was waiting to see how awesome you thought it was...I might have to pick it up on the cheap.

8/4/2008 8:50:32 AM

There's a lot to figure out and get used to. It's not your old flight sim where you "fly and go." You've actually got to do shit. Targeting is kinda wack. I wish there was a way to select the target under your reticle rather than cycling through them all. I haven't figured that one out yet. I could be overlooking it though... Otherwise, it's really awesome. Definatly worth the $20. Plus I updated to 2.5.

Oh and the flying/sim part is just AWESOME. Almost "real life" physics when it comes to steering/flying the ships. Exactly like in Battlestar Galactica (when the pilots are flying the Raptors...) and modern day space shuttle. Power sliding if FUUUUUNNNNNNNN

[Edited on August 4, 2008 at 9:33 AM. Reason : .]

8/4/2008 9:30:10 AM

I think this really summarizes this game well... Oh, and the manual is on the CD, not online

Review Scoring Details for X3: Reunion 2.0

Gameplay: 8.5
The time to learn and get familiar with controls and overall gameplay is enormous. The tutorial is relatively easy compared the "real" missions that come later on during actual play. The missions are rough and a challenge. You learn how to get information, materials/goods and other tools to get the job done quicker - though that is a relative term. Playing it is going to be different since there are so many ways in which to engage yourself. Fighter or factory mogul, it's going to vary a lot.

Graphics: 10.0
The graphics were better than any sim I have played, though it's an insult to the game to refer to it as simply a "sim." Reunion 2.0 has a tweaked and strong engine that shows off the game in grand fashion. The textures, objects and lighting are inspiring and exactly what I'd expect space to look like. Having seen images from NASA, I think they did an awesome job letting the gamer see the universe as envisioned by Egosoft.

Sound: 8.5
The music is low intensity new age that's easily forgotten. Also, the obligatory chatting with others is not so great. However, what counts is the roar of solid-fuel (or other means of propellant) engines thrusting you through space. That will make your desktop rumble and fighting just makes it even more engaging. There's a nice variety of sounds, which also keeps things fresh and amped up.

Difficulty: Hard
Like any great epic, this is deep and fully involving. The controls alone are more than many people will want to mess with. The 5x7 card enclosed in the case will give you the hot keys - and the combinations are tremendous. You can involve a joystick, as was done in the original X3 review. Once past the keyboard challenge, there is a lot to learn about trading, credits, raids, scouting, building and multitudes of other complex tasks. There are some things easier than others, but none seemed to easy.

Concept: 6.0
The game X3: Reunion 2.0 itself is not very new. It's a compilation of the previous games - with fixes for old issues. The new part is the mission pack and visuals. Otherwise, it's the old game(s) brought back in a single disk that you can load up and not need the DVD to run the game. The improvements are nice, and the game is still the same good fun, but it is not new.

Overall: 8.5
When you get a open playing experience like this, you have to try it out. There isn't a specific target - but many or none. You can run missions or build your credit-fueled empire in the stars. No matter how you make it happen, it will be rewarding. The fun for me is in the exploration and working deals for goods. The art of earning credits and bartering with shady folks - while avoiding being raided yourself. There are the Khaak the worry about, and like any other sim, creating wealth that you can spend in other galaxies. To fully enjoy this game, make sure your system leans more towards the higher-end of the required specs, as it will tax what you have - and then some. It will take a long time, and a lot of playing, to get comfortable with X3, but the payoff is a great experience. If you have experience with the X Universe already, then the learning curve will be short, and you can jump right in to enjoy the visual enhancements and enjoy the newer things. I found a great deal of help using the online forums, as I was new to the X3 Universe and the historical information was helpful to me. That's also a great way to stay up on the bugs, fixes and tips for getting unstuck. The price for this game will mislead a lot of people. That will be their loss, as the game is richly rewarding and will provide an unending experience that's beyond the stars.

[Edited on August 4, 2008 at 10:01 AM. Reason : .]

8/4/2008 9:55:10 AM

No props for Battlecruiser serius?

8/4/2008 12:36:32 PM

Not to be a dick, but aren't these space based games as opposed to sims?
To me something like orbitor, eagle 3d lander and A-OK wings of Mercury are a space simulators.

although there was a game called I-War, where the flight model used Newtonian physics.

BTW, one of my favs was the original wing commander which came on floppies!

8/5/2008 7:14:35 PM

^ I hear what you are saying.

So x3 is totally awesome. I love the game as a whole. I'm quite slow at it (well the economic part), but the dogfighting is AWESOME. OMG, the ability to strafe in an out of situations is just god awesome. The physics engine is incredible, and the graphics are top notch considering the system requirements. I love this game...

RSXTypeS, how do I get my Mercury to start UT? It's been ST for quite a long time, it has a jump drive, trading extension, Trading software III, etc. The pilot is also lvl (10), but I still cannot select UT, only ST. I've tried searching to no avail. Most of my searches via google are for the BMW suv anyways Forums are limited in information. This game needs a better manual too

8/11/2008 12:00:34 PM

I have to give props to X Series as well. Tried out X, and was not very satisfied. It was fairly fun, but I just needed a little more instruction to get in the game.

X2 has been much more fun. Really liking that, and hope to play through that to X3. Thanks for the suggestion!

8/11/2008 12:37:06 PM

I played one game i forgot what it was back in the day that had realistic space physics, ahh now i remember Independace war.

It was fun, buut watchign the comptuer do crazy shit sometimes was just cool

8/11/2008 4:27:06 PM

Do you mean Independence War?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I-War_%28Independence_War%29

[Edited on August 12, 2008 at 6:24 PM. Reason : ]

8/12/2008 6:23:21 PM

I tried the Freespace2 mod Beyond the Red Line this past weekend.

it is hard as hell. I pretty much gave up after 20 mins because I wasn't enjoying it at all.

8/12/2008 11:51:27 PM

Finally got my Mercury L UT (Universe Trading) in x3. After spending a couple hours (at work ) reading on some forums, its crazy amazing what you can do with this game (via mods/scripts) This game is just brilliant. I can't wait to build an armada of war vessels and wipe out an entire race Yeah, sometimes it's fun to play Hitler.

8/13/2008 8:30:25 AM