Let's talk about Space Sims

[Arachon]

Space Sims, in the past, this genre spawned such classics as Elite, Frontier (coincidentially also known as Elite II) and Freespace. Nowadays the genre is all but dead, bar the occasional half-hearted release (not saying that there are NO good space sims coming out these days, Evochron, for example, seems promising). What are your opinions on Space Sims? Did they deserve "death"? Do you miss them? Have you found undiscovered gems behind all the people screaming "Freelancer"?

Oh, and please don't spam the thread with "Freelancer!", I think most of us has played it already.

 

[geldonyetich]

I love a good Space Sim. Freelancer! Er - actually, I did play a couple of rather cool space sims after Freelancer.

The first being Darkstar One. Very solid production values, and you can play it for cheap [http://www.direct2drive.com/4587/product/Buy-Darkstar-One-Download] these days.

The second being Egosoft's X series, notably X3: Terran Conflict [http://www.egosoft.com/games/x3tc/info_en.php]. It's a very robust take to the genre in that they support everything from tiny fighter drones to giant destroyers, and even let you build your own merchant empire including space stations.

I read a magazine article the other day that suggested that the space sims are on the rebound. There's 3 big products coming up that are apparently quite encouraging along these lines: Miner Wars, Infinity Universe, and Black Prophesy.

 

[Rancid0ffspring]

Hardly a space sim but more of a 3D Space RTS, I was a big fan of the Homeworld series of games. Had quite a full background & believable Universe.

OT: My PC couldn't run X3 so I never got to play it & I couldn't find the previous ones by the time I had heard of the series

 

[Redfefnir]

Homeworld, and Homeword 2 :3

Freespace 2 :3

Right now what we have is EVE Online. Oh I know the responses, blahblahblah'itsucks'blahblahblah, I just don't care any more. EVE Online is interesting and fun from a space combat perspective, as well as an industrial/merchant perspective. Biggest problem is that you're not actually controlling your ship via a joystick. Much to my dismay

Jumpgate - Evolution will be coming out soon enough, which is going to be very nice, joystick control, and feature full on space-like physics. (Compared to normal space games being 'space in a fish tank' physics)


I agree that space-sims have completely fallen out. Right now nobody cares. We've entered the realm of Modern conflicts, gritty, death-dealing shooters that make you feel all is lost. Or dark-stupid humor that tries to make you laugh.

Or it's a game that throws all reality out the window. That is what is popular right now. You just have to wait for space sci-fi to come back into popularity.

It'll get there... eventually.

 

[Arachon]

Homeworld, and Homeword 2 :3

Freespace 2 :3

Right now what we have is EVE Online. Oh I know the responses, blahblahblah'itsucks'blahblahblah, I just don't care any more. EVE Online is interesting and fun from a space combat perspective, as well as an industrial/merchant perspective. Biggest problem is that you're not actually controlling your ship via a joystick. Much to my dismay

Jumpgate - Evolution will be coming out soon enough, which is going to be very nice, joystick control, and feature full on space-like physics. (Compared to normal space games being 'space in a fish tank' physics)


I agree that space-sims have completely fallen out. Right now nobody cares. We've entered the realm of Modern conflicts, gritty, death-dealing shooters that make you feel all is lost. Or dark-stupid humor that tries to make you laugh.

Or it's a game that throws all reality out the window. That is what is popular right now. You just have to wait for space sci-fi to come back into popularity.

It'll get there... eventually.

As an EVE player myself, I won't go on about EVE being boring (can't guarantee the rest of the forum though), and whilst EVE is very much like a multiplayer X3, the lack of joystick controls makes it play more like a point and click RPG, rather than a space sim.

Also, something that I miss is the seamless transitions between planets and space, inbetween sectors etc. Both EVE and X3 lacks that, certain Indie titles such as Evochron as I mentioned in the OP, has it, but they suffer from not being very fleshed-out, and quite frankly, graphically uninteresting (cities being a gray square on a planets surface).

Whilst Black Prophecy looks interesting, it almost seems as if one wants the "perfect" space sim, they'd have to set out and make it themselves.

 

[PxDn Ninja]

I just want a new Wing Commander. That is my hope. My dream. My Fantasy.

 

[tkioz]

I miss my space sims, i've been ranting about it for a while. I grabbed a few games off the XBLA thinking they were space sims, nope 2d shoots like the old 1942 style flight shooters.

I can't honestly think of one that's came out in recent years. When I heard recently the new Wing Commander is going to be a 2d plane shooter I wanted to cry little girl tears.

I miss games like Wing Commander and Freespace.

 

[prinxess]

Meh, I clicked on this thinking there was a new Sims game, in space! xD

 

[Spiner909]

We could do with more, they are pretty fun.

 

[More Fun To Compute]

I don't care about all of those space dogfighting games. I just want an updated version of Frontier and if they can release that before I die without messing it up with things like mutliplayer or dumbing down then I will buy it.

 

[Disaster Button]

God, Freelancer was a glorious game.

Although Jumpgate is coming out soon and that looks like its gonna be pretty damn good.

 

[MR T3D]

None of you appear to have heard of FS2Open
http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php#82
little linky there, several projects including a released, good quality wing commander game, very nice Babylon 5, and currently in development star wars and BSG games.
well, technically stand-alone mods, but they're basically game-quality
and its all FREE.
sorry to sound like an add there, not my intention, but this is one of our last hopes in the genre, well, only prospect of games in the TIE fighter vein.