Oolite Bulletins

I don't know how many of my fellow geriatrics out there remember Laser Squad, but if you do there's a free Java version of it available online here.

It's squad-level, turn-based, tactical combat with big pixels! And you don't have to wait six minutes for it to load!

Edit: or even here – also includes a level editor and a downloadable version of the even-more-retro Rebelstar ...

Disembodied wrote:

It's squad-level, turn-based, tactical combat with big pixels! And you don't have to wait six minutes for it to load!

This sounds pretty much like a more simple version of the UFO/X-Com games. If you did like those, there's a really nice free version, although far from finished. The latest release (one year old or so) is pretty well playable and did prove to be more fun than the original. Sadly, the development version had too many bugs to be playable when I tried it a few days ago:

http://ufoai.sourceforge.net/

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I tried playing UFO:AI a few days ago. It's very nice-looking but for me there's just too much micromanagement. Like the X series, I suspect it was made by people who kept saying, "Ooh, I want to be able to do that!", and "Wouldn't it be great if you could do this?", with the result that everything and the kitchen sink is in there and there's just too much. It's a bit ... well ... dim, e.g. your new recruits will show up, but if you don't dress each and every one of them – up to and including specifying what's in their backpacks, on their belts and in their holsters – then they'll merrily wander off into combat against the alien threat wielding no weapons at all. I can forgive that kind of thing in a 48K game from 20+ years ago, but not now. A shame, because I really miss X-COM ...

They are working on JUST that issue, Disembodied. Plans are for you to be able to store equipment profiles for soldiers at several levels. Don't ask me for details, as I worked more on the sounds than on anything else when I was contributing.

Reminds me, I need to get back to work on those sometime soon... Maybe after SysRedux 2.

Excellent! That's another great feature of these fan-made games: they're always getting better and better. I'll keep an eye out!

52% done with the download of UFO: AI. Looking forward to sinking my teeth into it. I remember wasting many long hours playing X-COM when I was younger.

Before investing too much time in UFO:AI, its worth checking how complete it is. I played for several hours before I realised that, at least at that time, it wasnt really possible to get anywhere, as not enough of the game was implemented. I think at the moment you can play for something like 30 game years, then it kind of runs out, as the end mission isnt built.

Cmdr James wrote:

Before investing too much time in UFO:AI, its worth checking how complete it is. I played for several hours before I realised that, at least at that time, it wasnt really possible to get anywhere, as not enough of the game was implemented. I think at the moment you can play for something like 30 game years, then it kind of runs out, as the end mission isnt built.

I really had much fun with the stable release...there were many different maps and things to be researched & used already. However, the alien bases were missing and after running a mission against a very large and new UFO, the game was over. It was really much fun, though, for many more hours of playtime than modern games like Crysis or Command & Conquer would provide!

However, I recently tried the development build as many new things have been implemented and that version was pretty much unplayable: sometimes crashes instead of map loading and in some UFOs the stairs were not usable, thus making it impossible to complete the map. I hope that this will be better soon...as I'm up to another time of playing through and seeing what changed

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Wanted to add, UFO:AI is really seriously supercool. It has the potential, and dont hate me for saying this, but it has the potential to be a much more engrossing fun game than oolite.

But right now it isnt enough, and it is taking a long time to get there, but once it does. Oh yeah, its going to be so good.

Gave it a try, and it's every bit as entertaining as I remember X-COM being. Still obviously incomplete, but stable, playable, and enjoyable.

Annoys me you can only take 8 troopers on a mission, though. Even the smallest transport in the original game could hold 12.

If anyone really like Laser Squad, take a look at Stellar Forces. It started out as a remake but has lots of nice extra features and is multi-player PBEM style with a great community. X-Com without the boring micromanagement!

Welcome SteveSmith to the Friendliest board this side of Riedquat(tm).

Thanks for the suggestion - I used to play a lot of PBM and then PBEM in my "youff" - and I still get the odd hankering for those good old days...

SteveSmith wrote:

If anyone really like Laser Squad, take a look at Stellar Forces. It started out as a remake but has lots of nice extra features and is multi-player PBEM style with a great community. X-Com without the boring micromanagement!

Unfortunately, as far as I can see, its PC only.

Thanks for the kind welcome.

Yes, it's PC Windows/Linux (and Mac I think) only. What platform were you looking for? iPod or similar?

Before UFO there was Laser Squad.

But before Laser Squad there was....

REBEL STAR!

Julian Gollop's original turn based space opera.

GASP in amazement at the monochrome graphics!!

WRING YOUR HANDS in trepidation as the droids surround you!

LEAP FOR JOY as Captain Krenon and Kurt Levine KICK ROBOT ASS at YOUR command!!



Great times. Me and a mate actually wrote FAN FICTION about this game. Sad, huh?

Of course, there's a java version to play. You think I'd leave you hanging on like that?