Greetings

HueijRevisited · Post by **HueijRevisited** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 11:11 pm

I'm also not much of a gamer. "Wasted"away a couple of my years playing Elite on the C64. Then I got a PC and discovered adventure games. Text adventures at first and later on point & click. After the demise of the adventure genre all I had left was Civilization and Civ 2. I could never get into Civ 3 and 4. Every couple of months I download a game from AGS (an amateur adventure creators community, or Indie as they like to call themselves

) but that's it

So every now and then I start up Oolite and dream of the the days I still was young and full of ideals.

Post by **Disembodied** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 11:15 pm

HueijRevisited wrote:
I'm also not much of a gamer. "Wasted"away a couple of my years playing Elite on the C64. Then I got a PC and discovered adventure games. Text adventures at first and later on point & click. After the demise of the adventure genre all I had left was Civilization and Civ 2. I could never get into Civ 3 and 4. Every couple of months I download a game from AGS (an amateur adventure creators community, or Indie as they like to call themselves ) but that's it

So every now and then I start up Oolite and dream of the the days I still was young and full of ideals.

Then from what I understand, you should really get a kick out of the Assassins OXP. I haven't played it myself (still poking around in Galaxy 2) but it's got a text adventure in it...

Star Gazer · Post by **Star Gazer** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 9:42 am

HueijRevisited wrote:
...After the demise of the adventure genre...

...have you encountered the 'Avernum', and 'Geneforge' games from Spiderweb Software? Or the open-source game 'Battle for Wesnoth'...?

HueijRevisited · Post by **HueijRevisited** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 11:02 am

Star Gazer wrote:
HueijRevisited wrote:
...After the demise of the adventure genre...
...have you encountered the 'Avernum', and 'Geneforge' games from Spiderweb Software? Or the open-source game 'Battle for Wesnoth'...?

I looked at Spiderweb's website but it seems those games are RPG's. And frankly, Those are not my cup of tea. I was thinking more like the Monkey Island series, Grim Fandango and stuff. But thanks anyway.

@ Disembodied: I actually started Assassins about 8 months ago but Real Life kicked in. I haven't played since but I read on these boards about the text part. Sounds exciting!

But now I'm 3 weeks off and started a new commander. Still in Galaxy 1 with about a 100 kills.

SgtSchultz · Post by **SgtSchultz** » Sat Sep 01, 2007 9:41 am

Here's some of my favorite games out of the past and present - with emphasis on those that involve some sort of space combat and/or trading:

- Classic "Star Trek"
The Granddaddy of all space combat computer games.

- Original Elite (on C64 & C128)
What can I say? The meter-stick by which all other space combat games are measured against.

- Sentinel (C64)
Based on the classic "Star Trek"-like premise, with real-time combat

- Wing Commander series, esp. WC: Prophecy
Easy aircraft-like flight model, one of the first major game (series) to introduce a full storyline behind the gameplay.

- Civilization
Not in the same category as the others, a turn-based strategy game. But worth mentioning as a favorite, a classic in it's own genre.

- Hardwar
Not really a space combat game, as the craft you fly are atmospheric , albeit based on Saturn's moon Titan. Still, has many Elite-like aspects - combat and trade, ship/weapons/equipment upgrades, and mostly freeform gameplay. One of the most "atmospheric" combat games I've ever played - you really get the sense that you're operating in a degenerate, run-down, cutthroat old mining installation. The hard-techno soundtrack (played via CD-audio from artists featured on the Warp Records label) adds to the game's gritty atmosphere.

- The "X" series (e.g X: Beyond the Frontier, X-Tension, etc.)
A more or less worthy attempt to modernize the Elite concept - mostly unscripted, freeform gameplay. Trading model a bit more advanced, and player has ability to build and manage their own space stations.

- Escape Velocity (esp. EV: Nova)
A series of space combat/trading games made by a small independent, Mac-centric (but not exclusively so) software company Ambrosia. Somewhat retrograde in the sense that it's based on a 2-D flight/view model, but quite enjoyable nonetheless. Includes some scripted missions (w/ability for players to create their own) but still playable in a pure free-form manner.

- OOlite
Can't forget to mention this one. Gotta suck up to the brass, y'know

There are many other games that have been made that have borrowed gameplay aspects from Elite that I've not bothered to mention, simply because there are so many of them, and none of them - at least in my mind - are only pale imitations of the classics I've mentioned above. Just the same, I would welcome the opinions of others as to games they've played that they think are worthy of sitting on the shelf next to Elite.

Robbeasy · Post by **Robbeasy** » Sat Sep 01, 2007 7:02 pm

Sgt Schultz - nice choices....

Being a mostly PC man, I have to stick Freelancer in there as a modern tribute to Elite...

Also - just for the general atmosphere and well done storyline - Freespace 2. A quality title still going strong with many Mods keeping it fresh.

Old School - bit off the wall here, anyone remember Starflight by EA, for the Megadrive (Genesis)?? Grahically inept, but loads to do.....aaah, happy days

Helvellyn · Post by **Helvellyn** » Sat Sep 01, 2007 8:15 pm

The only non-Elite series space game I've ever spent a lot of time on, and will happily go back to, is TIE Fighter.

SgtSchultz · Post by **SgtSchultz** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 10:05 am

Robbeasy said wrote:
Being a mostly PC man, I have to stick Freelancer in there as a modern tribute to Elite...

Hmm. Back when Freelancer came out the reviews it got were rather mixed; I guess that's part of why I never tried playing it. Was I wrong? Is it worth a second look?

Robbeasy said wrote:
Also - just for the general atmosphere and well done storyline - Freespace 2. A quality title still going strong with many Mods keeping it fresh.

I think I have a copy of that stashed away somewhere... perhaps I'll dig it out and give it another look.

Robbeasy said wrote:
Old School - bit off the wall here, anyone remember Starflight by EA, for the Megadrive (Genesis)?? Grahically inept, but loads to do.....aaah, happy days

Sure do! Played both the original Starflight and the sequel (on the PC) to completion. Perhaps I was remiss in not mentioning this one in my list of favorites. No other game could induce quite the state of mild atraxia that this one could.

Post by **Disembodied** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 3:42 pm

Helvellyn wrote:
The only non-Elite series space game I've ever spent a lot of time on, and will happily go back to, is TIE Fighter.

Ahh, I forgot about TIE Fighter! A classic, and no mistake. The elegant energy-management system, shunting power back and forth between engines, weapons and shields, was a brilliant game mechanism and really added to the experience.

Robbeasy · Post by **Robbeasy** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 6:56 pm

Ahhhh!!

Tie Fighter!! And X-Wing!!

If you are a PC person, you can now play these old classics with shiny 3D graphics - EA released a version not long back which was enabled to work with the newer versions of Windows and Graphics....

I'll never forget playing X-wing for the first time, and when you shot a Tie fighter...you could see bits of it disintegrate, and fly off into the ether!!

awesome.......

Captain Hesperus · Post by **Captain Hesperus** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 6:59 pm

Robbeasy wrote:
Ahhhh!!

Tie Fighter!! And X-Wing!!

If you are a PC person, you can now play these old classics with shiny 3D graphics - EA released a version not long back which was enabled to work with the newer versions of Windows and Graphics....

I'll never forget playing X-wing for the first time, and when you shot a Tie fighter...you could see bits of it disintegrate, and fly off into the ether!!

awesome.......

I'm sure that if you downloaded the Star Wars OXP and fiddled with the shipdata, you could make frangible TIE-fighters.....

Captain Hesperus

Helvellyn · Post by **Helvellyn** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 10:44 pm

Robbeasy wrote:
Ahhhh!!

Tie Fighter!! And X-Wing!!

If you are a PC person, you can now play these old classics with shiny 3D graphics - EA released a version not long back which was enabled to work with the newer versions of Windows and Graphics....

There was one updated version I got a few years back, but it's still not exactly modern (it doesn't work perfectly on > Win 95, but is still an improvement). I've no idea where the CD is

Or was there another, newer, version...? I'm off to see if I can find it if there is! Did it bring the responding music back, or just stick to the playing samples of the film soundtracks?

I'll never forget playing X-wing for the first time, and when you shot a Tie fighter...you could see bits of it disintegrate, and fly off into the ether!!

awesome.......

Grr, that bit. Made shooting a shuttle in an unshielded craft from close range very dangerous, because the bits inevitably stopped moving and you crashed into them and died.

nijineko · Post by **nijineko** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 1:28 am

Robbeasy wrote:
Also - just for the general atmosphere and well done storyline - Freespace 2. A quality title still going strong with many Mods keeping it fresh.

Old School - bit off the wall here, anyone remember Starflight by EA, for the Megadrive (Genesis)?? Grahically inept, but loads to do.....aaah, happy days

woot! i'm fond of the entire descent series, still working my way through freespace 1, so i haven't tackeled 2 yet.

you mean the one with the irritating wheel code unlock device? i loved that game! still trying to find an intact copy of it. ^^

SgtSchultz · Post by **SgtSchultz** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 11:40 am

you mean the one with the irritating wheel code unlock device? i loved that game! still trying to find an intact copy of it. ^^

I really wish I could help you out on this one... but unfortunately I was the victim of a fire a few years ago that took out a chunk of my lab/workroom. I lost a lot of irreplacable stuff in that damned fire - including most of my "classic computer" docs, manuals and games

Among the causalties were most of my older game and software originals, including Starflight (yes, the one with the annoying code-wheel).

Robbeasy · Post by **Robbeasy** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 8:05 pm

Best way to enjoy any old Genesis / Snes game is via an emulator and Roms. Helps if you are on a Windows PC, but I believe there are emulators out there for most systems..

Grey area legally for the Roms , but so very easy to find.

Emulators

Genesis/Megadrive, get KFusion

SNES, get ZSNES.

Wont tell you where Roms are, as thats possibly infringing rules, but a quick search should bear fruit. I was happily plinking away on Starflight only a few nights ago, on this very PC.

So unashamedly retro, I have been caught playing many an old Speccy game on my speccy emulator as well....

Oolite Bulletins

Greetings

These are a few of my favorite games