What is it about space sims?
- Thread starter Lelapinmechant
- Start date
well actually there is one space sim in development.
It's called HomePlanet(relax, it has nothing to do with Homeworld). It's a 100% space sim with a newtonian flight engine.
Check it out over there
it's really looking cool and let's hope that it's as cool as the screenshots
btw i'm new here, so ...hello to all of you!
It's called HomePlanet(relax, it has nothing to do with Homeworld). It's a 100% space sim with a newtonian flight engine.
Check it out over there
it's really looking cool and let's hope that it's as cool as the screenshots
btw i'm new here, so ...hello to all of you!
Lelapinmechant
Spaceman
Originally posted by Marty
well actually there is one space sim in development.
It's called HomePlanet(relax, it has nothing to do with Homeworld). It's a 100% space sim with a newtonian flight engine.
Check it out over there
it's really looking cool and let's hope that it's as cool as the screenshots
btw i'm new here, so ...hello to all of you!
Hi Marty! An old friend named Marty has a brother named Tomas, and he's actually the one who introduced me to WC3. HomePlanet looks awesome, welcome aboard.
Ladiesman^
Spaceman
Really? If they're medival type fantasy or anime influenced, they're already off the list.....and that's most of them....Though I did like the old old old game "Mines of Titan", and i'm pretty sure that counted as an RPG, so I guess there was *one*.
Several, actually.
Upcoming single-player space sims include:
* Freelancer
* Elite 4
* Battlecruiser (whatever the next one is called)
* Babylon 5: I've Found Her (freeware)
* Starshatter
Space sim / tactical / strategy games include:
* Starfleet Command 3
* Imperium Galactica 3
* Hegemonia: Legions of Iron
Massively multiplayer space-sims / RPGs include:
* Earth and Beyond
* EVE: The Second Genesis
* Ace of Angels
* Jumpgate Episode 2
* Eschaton Online
But, to the original poster's point:
I think space sims just hit a "dry spell." The best / most popular / most enjoyable sims of the past few years were, in no particular order: WC Prophecy, Freespace 1 and 2, Tachyon, and XWing Alliance. Most of them fell into the broad category of "just like the last game only better." The only real stand-out in terms of trying something new was I-War, and it was extremely difficult and not terribly well marketed.
In any case, the market collapsed. Each game sold worse than the one before, and the major studios and publishers learned not to pour enormous production budgets into a stagnant genre.
I think that gamers are, to some extent, waiting for a space sim that is really fun without being really derivative to come along. Digital Anvil thinks that game is going to be Freelancer, and with Microsoft behind them, they could be right. But I kind of doubt it.
Ladiesman^
Spaceman
Originally posted by milo
That's a bit like saying, "It's a shame that there is no really good music being made these days. I mean really unique and satisfying stuff like early thirteenth century pre-instrumental motets."
No...it's like me saying "I don't like medival fantasy or anime".....
what I really meant with my previous statement was more that no one has made a MMO space flight sim game PURELY multiplayer and online based on an already well known series. Where is privateer 3? where is freespace online? ace of WHAT? all the games that are coming out as MMO space flight sims are based on new universes. What I and I suspect a lot of other people want is games where we've already met the universe, and have now added multiplayer elements.
The Adrenaline Vault announced today that another space combat mmorpg called "Hostile Space" just entered closed beta. I don't know a thing about it, but I thought I'd mention it, since its missing from your list.
Darkmage - there's no Privateer 3 because EA is concerned about the viability of the genre. I suspect that the only reason that Earth & Beyond is getting the green light from EA is because Westwood has a pretty good history of success to date. Of course, if E&B does well, and the WC TV show does well, we might just see Privateer 3 get revived. If there's one thing that EA is aware of, its how profitable an MMOG can be.
Freespace is dead because Volition was acquired by a company other than Interplay, and Interplay holds the rights. At any rate, given how buggy many Interplay titles have been (Freespace being a very notable exception), I don't know that I'd trust an MMOG released by them.
Ladiesman - Torment may be fantasy, and it is based on the D&D rules, but believe me - it is NOT medieval.
*chuckle*
Actually, I've heard that Anachronox is pretty good, although I haven't played it myself. Its a sci-fi RPG that was released not too long ago. And Star Wars: KotR should be out before too long.
Ladiesman^
Spaceman
The game does look intresting, but I generally don't even like the whole setup of RPG's. But, i'll give it a try and see how it is.
Thanks, I hadn't heard of it either. It turns out not to be much of a space sim though. It's a top down 2D game, sort of like Subspace. And many of the screenshots show big steel walls all over the place. Must have been inside a space station or something...
Anyway, the rest of your comments on MMO space sims were right on.
Earth and Beyond seems to be targeted at people who enjoy Everquest, but would like a change of clothes and a change of scenery. It will probably sell better than Jumpgate, but I doubt it will really take off. They seem to be rushing it to market in order to get the jump on Star Wars Galaxies.