Misc: From X-Wing to X3: Space Combat Sim Timeline
- Thread starter Greg Tito
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I couldn't even figure out how to cheat in X3. I blindly flew handfuls of random stuff around for hours trying to accomplish something while wishing the NPCs weren't so lifeless. I like to believe I have a decent amount of patience for games, but that was just too much.
You left out Allegiance which was released by Microsoft in 2000. Also Freelancer, which was released by Microsoft in 2003. Freelancer sold decently, but no enough for sequels. Allegiance was also an online only team based game that is now available for free. That said, I never figured out what I was supposed to do in X3. I mean I downloaded it and started the game, but all I saw was a bunch of space with no back story, objective or idea about how to move my ship.
I'm curious: why did you leave out Vendetta Online, the only twitch-based (as opposed to EVE Online's character skill-based and ship stat-based combat) fully open and dynamic space combat sim MMO? It's possibly no other game carries the tradition of Freelancer online and with such adrenaline. A dynamic economy, AI that expands and attempts to seize control of sectors of the galaxy, player-created missions and content, and distributed ship physics make Vendetta Online a great example of a space combat sim combined with a large, open and dynamic galaxy.
I find you lack of Independance War 1&2 as well as Nexus: The Jupiter Incident disturbing.
IW1&2 deserve a mention for being one of the very few space sims that had realistic physics, with things like acceleration and momentum playing an important part.
Nexus deserves a mention for being one of the very few capital ship space sims (instead of the usual fighter sims), and a pretty solid game overall.
IW1&2 deserve a mention for being one of the very few space sims that had realistic physics, with things like acceleration and momentum playing an important part.
Nexus deserves a mention for being one of the very few capital ship space sims (instead of the usual fighter sims), and a pretty solid game overall.
If you're pining for the return of a game like Elite, I highly recommend checking out Infinity: the Quest for Earth [http://www.infinity-universe.com/Infinity/], an MMO in development with newtonian flight, a procedurally-generated galaxy of billions of stars, etc.
It's still a good ways off from release (They're apparently working on commercializing the engine first, and then using the money on the game itself), but it's worth keeping an eye on.
It's still a good ways off from release (They're apparently working on commercializing the engine first, and then using the money on the game itself), but it's worth keeping an eye on.
I noticed X-Wing Alliance wasn't listed (Although this might be the story based game mentioned in the X-Wing Vs TIE Fighter) I loved every one of the X-Wing/TIE Fighter series games and Wing Commander Privateer still ranks among my favorite games (Although I spent hours and hours on Privateer I never did figure out what the point of the game was) I miss this Genre of game and would love to see a HD reboot of any of them!
No Mantis?? (aka XF5700 Mantis Experimental Fighter)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XF5700_Mantis
1992. Got it for Christmas... came on 8 floppy disks lol.
Also, in a similar note, the Rogue Leader games on GameCube were awesome. I really enjoyed them as probably my most recent return to any sort of space flight game.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XF5700_Mantis
1992. Got it for Christmas... came on 8 floppy disks lol.
Also, in a similar note, the Rogue Leader games on GameCube were awesome. I really enjoyed them as probably my most recent return to any sort of space flight game.
Nexus was a Fully 3-dimensional (as opposed to regular single plane 3D RTSes) RTS in the vein of Homeworld. A good game, but not a sim as such.Jandau said:
That said, both Starlancer -and- Freelancer are conspicuously absent, as is Tachyon: The Fringe though I can give that as it is a little obscure and not really the best example despite starring Bruce Campbell.
Although not as high profile as games like Freespace and X-Wing, I think there are others that are worth a mention. Some have already been brought up in the thread, but here are a couple more contributions:
The Star Wraith series [http://www.spacecombat.org/] - This is a long running(since 1989 if you include early 2D iterations) indie series of space combat/trading sims that boast many features(in the later implementations) not really found in other space games, including seamless space/atmosphere transitions. I highly recommend Evochron Mercenary and Arvoch Alliance, the latest two games. As a bonus, all of his games have playable demos available, so there really is no reason not to try them.
The Battlecruiser series and more [http://www.3000ad.com/] - This one is more worth mentioning than playing, so take that for what it's worth. But I'd say it deserves a little recognition for the series' ambitiousness alone, even if it is the sort of ambitiousness that would drive one to try to fly with wings of wax. Here's a blurb on the official site about the first game, Battlecruiser 3000AD:
Another thing that makes this particular game worth mention is that the creator, Derek Smart, managed to spark a flame war [http://flamewarfollies.com/] that lasted 7 years on Usenet. Seriously, the saga of BC3000AD was bad enough that it made Gamespy's 25 Dumbest Moments of Gaming [http://archive.gamespy.com/articles/june03/dumbestmoments/readers/index2.shtml]. Mr. Smart has gone on to make several other games, none of which met with much success, and he is still making them(with plans for a future mmo, aparently). If he ever actually gets it right he will have made the holy grail of space gaming. Until then, he's at least amusing to read about.
Is it bad that the good game series got less words than the bad one?
The Star Wraith series [http://www.spacecombat.org/] - This is a long running(since 1989 if you include early 2D iterations) indie series of space combat/trading sims that boast many features(in the later implementations) not really found in other space games, including seamless space/atmosphere transitions. I highly recommend Evochron Mercenary and Arvoch Alliance, the latest two games. As a bonus, all of his games have playable demos available, so there really is no reason not to try them.
The Battlecruiser series and more [http://www.3000ad.com/] - This one is more worth mentioning than playing, so take that for what it's worth. But I'd say it deserves a little recognition for the series' ambitiousness alone, even if it is the sort of ambitiousness that would drive one to try to fly with wings of wax. Here's a blurb on the official site about the first game, Battlecruiser 3000AD:
Sounds good, right? Especially for 1996? Well. Another thing the site admits to is that the game was "virtually unplayable out of the box." It also admits that the game is really really hard, but doesn't mention that at least part of this is due to the novel sized manual you need to be intimately familiar with in order to accomplish anything in the game.
Another thing that makes this particular game worth mention is that the creator, Derek Smart, managed to spark a flame war [http://flamewarfollies.com/] that lasted 7 years on Usenet. Seriously, the saga of BC3000AD was bad enough that it made Gamespy's 25 Dumbest Moments of Gaming [http://archive.gamespy.com/articles/june03/dumbestmoments/readers/index2.shtml]. Mr. Smart has gone on to make several other games, none of which met with much success, and he is still making them(with plans for a future mmo, aparently). If he ever actually gets it right he will have made the holy grail of space gaming. Until then, he's at least amusing to read about.
Is it bad that the good game series got less words than the bad one?
Respectfully, can you edit the timeline? The Wing Commander Movie (WHICH DID NOT EXIST! LALALALA I CAN'T HEAR YOU!) section ends half-way through a sentence.
Also, the Wing Commander XBLA game and SNL share the same picture.
Also, the Wing Commander XBLA game and SNL share the same picture.
I never percieved Nexus as a pure RTS. It's at most an SpaceSim/RTS hybrid. Not enough strategic elements for a full RTS and too much direct control for it not to be a sim. It's one of the few games that puts you in direct control of a capital ship. Not just in the detached "go there, do that" manner of RTS games, but also in a hands-on approach that is characteristic of space sims.GothmogII said:
For another cap ship space sim, Star Trek: Bridge Commander also deserves a mention. Putting you in direct control of ships from one of the most celebrated Sci-Fi franchises isn't something to be skipped over. And it's a pretty good game.
And yes, the lack of the Lancer games is disappointing as well.
What is this, Mr Tito? Some sort of deliberate effort to twist the knife in my heart left by the downfall of the genre? You're messing with strong nostalgia here. 
I'm cautiously optimistic for the new X game, but in the darkest hour of the night I must admit that I fear the glory days are past.
It's a shame. I'll always think that space is the most awesome setting for games, movies and books. Hell, even music should be about space if I had my way.
I'm cautiously optimistic for the new X game, but in the darkest hour of the night I must admit that I fear the glory days are past.
It's a shame. I'll always think that space is the most awesome setting for games, movies and books. Hell, even music should be about space if I had my way.