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The Space Sim Megathread | Getting a Barbarosa from the Vigor Syndicate is Hard
TychoCelchuuu
PIGEONRegistered User regular
PIGEONRegistered User regular
Art by John Berkey
Space sims aren't dead. If anything, they are undergoing a renaissance right now. This thread is for discussion of space sims. Transfer power to weapons, set your shields double forward, order your squadron to form up, target the nearest enemy, and switch to your missiles, pilot!
Space sims are one of the most venerable genres of games. In fact, Spacewar, from 1962, is one of the first video games ever made in the history of the universe. We've come far since then, but we never want to forget our roots, so this thread is dedicated to those classic sims that formed the groundwork of the genre. Read about them below.
This thread is always a work in progress. As certain sims, like Enemy Starfighter and Squadron 42 grow more exciting, they get their own threads (usually posted by me because SPACE OWNS). Until then, feel free to come to this thread to point out new space sims we might not have heard of, or just to talk about ones that are already out, including the classics.
Guidelines: this thread is for space sims, very broadly construed. It is not for space games, generally, so if there's a sweet 2D space shooter or 4X space strategy game you want to talk about, find another thread. I love Gimbal and Escape Velocity and Endless Space and Sins of a Solar Empire too, but this thread is for people with joysticks. If you can't play the game with a joystick, it probably doesn't belong here.
Art by Ralph McQuarrie
X-Wing / TIE Fighter Series
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puvD_FDS_jE
X-Wing on GOG.com | TIE Fighter on GOG.com
X-Wing Series on Steam
If the only thing the games in the X-Wing series had ever done was let us fly around in the Star Wars universe shooting at people, they would probably still have been a hit. But they were so much more. X-Wing was one of the most innovative flight sims of its time, with full 3D graphics (compared to its 2D sprite based competitors, including Wing Commander) and its dynamic music system. TIE Fighter pushed things further, with its intricate story that let you be the bad guy and its unforgiving and authentic modeling of TIE Fighter resiliency - get hit more than a couple times, and you will explode. These games are some of the most immersive space sims ever made. If your shields are down, laser impacts will knock out parts of your cockpit, leaving your shield readout or radar just a sparking pile of wires.
Wing Commander Series
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFb_q2Q5iiI
Wing Commander 1 and 2 on GOG.com
The epic Wing Commander saga spreads across five games, a number of spinoffs (including the excellent Privateer series, the shitty Freelancer, and the shittier movie) and deserves credit not just for its focus on narrative and Mark Hammill's continued employment but also the many hours of fun its dogfights provided to space sim fans.
Elite Series
Frontier: Elite II Download
One of the grandfathers of the space sim genre, Elite was released in 1984 and followed by a couple of sequels. Elite was a free roaming space sim: instead of being locked into missions, it basically gave you a space ship and let you do whatever you wanted. It featured a massive galaxy, larger than most galaxies in most space sims since, and it inspired generations of traders, pirates, explorers, miners, and dogfighters. The game was as detailed and intricate as it was vast. Fuel management, proper docking procedure, and Elite II's Newtonian physics are all features that led to a believable universe. The sequel is shareware and free to download.
Independence War Series
Independence War on GOG.com | Independence War 2 on GOG.com
Independence War on Steam | Independence War 2 on Steam
Independence War and its sequel, I-War 2, feature Newtonian flight mechanics and allow players to take control of corvettes, as opposed to the more usual small snub fighters that most space sims feature. They are both pretty great space sims. They're showing their age a bit so they sit up here, in the history section, but don't let that scare you away.
Allegiance
Download Allegiance
It is hard to overstate how ahead of its time Allegiance is. Allegiance is a multiplayer space sim where two teams fight each other. It is extremely strategic: scouting is crucial, which means some players will load their ships up with beacons and fly around the battlefield, dropping them in key positions and replacing them when they are destroyed. Attacking as a team is crucial - some players fly support ships to heal the bombers, while others fly cover for the bombers. No space sims have pushed teamwork or provided such an intricate setting for it as much as Allegiance. The game is now free and people still play.
Descent Series
Descent and Descent 2 on GOG.com | Descent 3 on GOG.com
Descent is a 6 degrees of freedom (6DOF) game, which means it places a large emphasis on constantly reorienting yourself in all directions inside a confined environment, setting apart from most space sims, which focus on ships that fly more like airplanes and which are usually set in open space. Confusingly Freespace was named "Descent: Freespace," which is mostly a sign that Descent was so successful that they decided slapping its name on any old sim was probably a good idea (not like Freespace needed the help).
Starshatter: The Gathering Storm
Starshatter Source Code Port Forums | Alternate Starshatter Download Link | Alternate Sharshatter Download Link
Starshatter stands out for two reasons. Unlike most space sims, which take their dogfighting cues from World War II, Starshatter pairs its Newtonian flight model with a combat system based more on modern jet combat - missiles, speed, and evasion are key. Second, the game features a dynamic campaign that you can control, meaning you can work your way up to controlling capital ships and making strategic decisions. Think of it like the Falcon 4.0 of space sims. @Archonex wrote a very helpful review of the game if you are curious.
Dogfight Chaos by TK769
Some of these games are out. Some of them are works in progress with alpha demos. All of them are SPACE SIMS. They're arranged vaguely in the order of how much shit I give about them, with a slight preference towards games that are complete.
Freespace Series
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6VhyMzu12c
Freespace 2 on GOG.com | Descent: Freespace on Steam | Freespace 2 on Steam
Freespace 2 Source Code Project | Freespace 2 Community Forums
Unless their nostalgia for the X-Wing or Wing Commander series wins out, most space sim fans would agree that Freespace 2 is the greatest space sim ever made. The amazing campaign, with its exciting scenarios and intriguing story are only the beginning. The game is now open source, which means the original Freespace (which is in a few ways better) has been ported to Freespace 2, but that is just the beginning. Fans have reworked every aspect of the game, from the HUD to the graphics, and have created a number of amazing mods and even standalone games. The Babylon Project is a standalone Babylon 5 game. The Wing Commander Saga recreates the Wing Commander games in the Freespace engine. Diaspora is a Battlestar Galactical total conversion. Blue Planet is a fan campaign for Freespace 2, as is Inferno. If there is one space sim that I can recommend to everyone, veterans and newcomers alike, it is Freespace 2.
Elite Dangerous
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44K9bnjcUScWebsite | twitter | YouTube | Facebook | Completed Elite Dangerous Kickstarter | Steam page
A new Elite game!
X Series
X3 Goldbox on Steam | X Superbox on Steam | X Rebirth on Steam
The X series is one of the modern day heirs to the throne Elite built. Fly around the galaxy, establishing a trading empire or blowing people up or doing whatever else you want. The game is gorgeous and also has devoured @tube's life on more than one occasion, I think.
Strike Suit Zero / Strike Suit Infinity
Steam page
Pilot a Macross-style transformable space fighter/robot and fire a billion missiles.
Evochron Legacy
Steam page
The latest entry in a long-running series of games under the Starwraith, Arvoch and Evochron names, developed mostly by a one-man team since 2000. From the Steam page: "The environment setting is a vast seamless style universe where you can perform many activities including buying, trading, spying, racing, escorting, delivering, emergency responding, mining, exploring, weapon/equipment crafting, cleaning solar panels, clearing paths through asteroid fields, recruiting, protecting, hiring crew members, fuel harvesting, building stations/cities, and designing/selling ships."
House of the Dying Sun
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56fCuO7JEy4
Steam page
PA Forum Thread | Website | twitter | YouTube
The emperor is dead, the royal guard is scattered, and a false king sits on the throne. Execute the emperor's final edict: hunt the traitor lords, and bring ruin to their people.
Everspace
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItPzK4dzVKUSteam page
A Roguelike space shooter featuring loot and crafting, optimized for KBAM.
Eterium
Steam page
Air force by FotoN-3
The future of space sims is looking brighter than the explosion of an enemy freighter carrying munitions that you've just torpedoed.
Star Citizen/Squadron 42
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1Zc2oxijVY
PA Forum Thread | Website | Tumblr | twitter | Facebook | Completed Star Citizen Kickstarter
Chris Roberts, the man behind the Wing Commander franchise is back, and he's crowdfunding his fuckawesome PC only next-gen space sim that looks as gorgeous as it is ambitions. Squadron 42 is a single player/coop campaign where you earn your citizenship in the space empire by fighting in the military. Upon completing it, or whenever you want, you can jump into Star Citizen, the persistent universe Guild Wars 2-esque quasi-MMO portion of the game, where you can be a miner or a trader or a pirate or whatever you want, and fly with friends in your ships, all of which have fully detailed interiors, including working cockpits, and you can board enemy ships and be boarded. Just like Freelancer, the game will also allow players to run their own private servers and mod the game. This will either be the most amazing space sim in history or a spectacular failure.
X4: Foundations
Steam page
Wings of St. Nazaire
Website
Starway Fleet
Steam page
Space Rift - Episode 1 (non-VR)
Steam page
Distribution by Talros
The Logitech Extreme 3D Pro is a tremendous joystick. It has a Z axis for yaw control, 12 buttons, a throttle, and a hat. It's durable and cheap. The only real downside is that it only fights right-handed people, and some have reported that its calibration gets out of whack after years of heavy use. Mine has been fine for 6 years although I don't use it every day, so your mileage may vary.
(Image goes here)
The Thrustmaster T.16000M is a well-regarded budget HOTAS (Hands On Throttle And Stick) package that currently (Sept 2017) runs about $120 US, with a rudder bundle available for about $60 more. The stick is supposed to have good sensitivity thanks to its Hall sensors.
Manufacturers:
CH Products: Website
Thrustmaster: Website
Saitek: Website
VKB: Website
Games with VR support
Eve Valkyrie - Steam page
Star Trek Bridge Crew - Steam page
House of the Dying Sun - Steam page
Elite: Dangerous - Steam page
Everspace - Steam page
Space Rift - Episode 1 - Steam page
X Rebirth VR Edition - Steam page
6DOF Shooters
Overload - Steam page
Sublevel Zero Redux - Steam page
Descent: Underground - Steam page
Space Fight by John Berkey
Space Game Junkie is the best website for people who enjoy space sims, or any space games. It is updated all the time with new, it has its own podcast, it often has reviews and previews, and so on. Check it out.
Concept Ships is a site that posts sweet drawings of space ships, often from video game concept art.
TychoCelchuuu on
+6
Posts
XBL:Phenyhelm - 3DS:Phenyhelm
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
Anyway! Space sims!
Anyone played CDF Starfighter yet? What about Astrokill? Both are out on Steam.
I played Astrokill for a bit, and it seems pretty alright... bit early in development perhaps. The first mission I did after running through the tutorial twice is an escort/defend one, which I failed, and then quit. Weapons feel pretty meaty, and the graphics are decent enough.
Trailer:
CDF Starfighter is in my "yet to play" VR games list, but I know some of the people who work on it, and they seem to have their head on straight. Trailer is a bit cheesy though:
Unreal Engine 4 Developers Community.
I'm working on a cute little video game! Here's a link for you.
I need to pickup the newer version of elite eventually. I was kinda miffed about it at first because a few months after I got a little bored with vanilla dangerous they put out horizons and charged a ton for it.
I kinda wish a space sim would come out that has a better pricing model.
Vendetta is a classic; I've been a player for 13 years today. It follows Newtonian mechanics within a certain sphere of velocity (around 65 m/s), above which there is a fictional frictional force. It allows players to add their own peer-reviewed content: a process that I've avidly used. I believe it is one of the only games that permits players on mobile devices to directly interact with PC users in a fully 3D environment, and is also an early pioneer of current-gen Virtual Reality.
I've written a blog on this title, and am working on a follow-up.
I'm sure some of the props crew "stored" it properly.
The newer Saitek sticks have a very different feel to them, compared to the x52 variants, and are also moar spensive. An x52 is still a great entry hotas. (Pro is love. It is obviously plastic but I find the build quality solid enough and it feels nice to handle.)
I don't much like the new ones when it comes to ye basic space games. My x52 Pro requires much less force to use, and is smooth in ways I'm fond of. No sharp edges, there. For performing absolutely impossible manoeuvres all the time without things like gravity getting in your way, low resistance is a nice thing to have.
The new lot let you fly helicopters and bombers like a proper grownup, though. There is that.
Rogue System hit Steam Early Access a few weeks ago. I was snoozing and missed it. If you have already grabbed the core module package you can grab a steam key from the Rogue System web page. Specific details can be found on Rogue Systems shiny new steam forums.
If you are at all interested in a realistic depiction of what space ship combat may look like some day in the far flung future of mankind this is it.
Nicknamed DCS Starfighter by the spacesim community this game is all about fidelity and realism. That doesn't mean it is going to be as dense as DCS. At least not on the surface. All of the checklists and systems simulation is there in a physical, mechanical simulation. And you can control every aspect of it manually. But since this is the future there will be a Ship AI that will handle delegated tasks while you handle high level piloting, navigation and combat.
There will be three squadrons to fly in which will boil down to space superiority wing, bomber wing and an engineering/support role wing. It's that last one that has me really interested because the developer has extensive plans for Search and Rescue, Static Defense operations (mines, sensor networks, orbital gun platforms etc), recon missions and more.
All of this is delivered in an already functional First Person view where you can move around your ship and eventually make manual repairs while in-mission, including EVA.
As much as I love Elite: Dangerous and what they are doing, Rogue System tickles my fancy in a way I never thought I'd see. If they manage to accomplish their basic design goals for this game, it'll probably end up being my Best Damn Space Sim Ever. So hey, the next time you feel the need to throw some money at computer spaceships why not take a break from some of those other guys and throw Michael J over at Digits Crossed some support.
Starsector! Good man.
You probably want Starsector Plus for quality of life, and Diable Avionics is the faction mod you're after. My personal favorites remain SCY Nation and Blackrock Drive Yards.
Diable Avionics
You may also want the mod, Nexerelin, which makes it even more of a Mount and Blade experience. A radar mod, too. I picked up Common Radar. The default radar is largely useless. The Console Commands mod can also be helpful for the sake of getting things going the way you want.
Check the Starsector Plus thread op for compatibility and the library packages you'll need. Twiglib and Lazylib were the two when I last checked in.
It's quite a bit of fun but be warned the gameplay is also still pretty skeletal from a "things to do" perspective. You can do mining but it's not super interesting, there's boarding and salvaging to unlocks new ship pieces to research and use and there is an almost intimidating shipbuilding/modifying system that's largely in place. I've put about 30 hours into it and I think it still has quite a ways to go before it's going to feel like a fully fleshed out game but if it keeps getting content updates it could end up as something amazing.
Mod Index Thread - Official Forum
Here you go.
You'll need to navigate some for the experience I had, seems that Starsector+ has since split into a couple different projects, for one. Not sure what takes what nowdays. The faction threads should list what they require.
There's just so /much/ mod content of such high quality that the vanilla offering seems a little bit sad.
On the other hand, a great deal of those mods are only possible in their current state because the author has been building the game for that stuff to work in the first place, so good on them. I think it is a hobby game, at this point.
Unreal Engine 4 Developers Community.
I'm working on a cute little video game! Here's a link for you.
I was super hyped but I just read this on the website (dyingsungame.com/) for the game:
Which is a bit of a bummer; for some reason I thought it was going to be a rogue-like? I think that's what I like about Everspace, is that it's truly randomized each play through.
Oh I agree on both points, I think it'll be a fine game. And ~20 bucks for 14 well-designed missions (in VR!) will be well worth it. I'm still going to buy it. But I'm not the type of person who replays games over and over, like TIE fighter for example. I played the game for the first time in 1996 and didn't play it again till it landed on GOG (and didn't finish it again).
I can't seem to find any sources to say whether there will be anything like a horde mode (a la Wing Commander Academy) or a mission builder of any sort, or if there will be any paid DLC missions. Even that would, I think, make it have longer legs.
They're still good!
Derelict and War in Heaven are up next.
It's really good for a mobile game.
It feels like freelancer
Derelict was REALLY good.
Never played War in Heaven though so will need to check that out.
Um...holy crap.
It is confusing, a little newbie-unfriendly...but feels so GOOD when I figure out something! I have NO idea what I'm doing, except that apparently I'm some sort of broke bounty hunter. I randomly took patrol and kill missions and suddenly one of my targets jumped out of his cargo hauler and now I suddenly have two ships???
What the hell???
I did some googling and saw a glimpse of the rabbit-hole...this isn't going to end well, is it?
I wouldn't call it a rabbit hole, so much as a mass grave.
On the bright side, there are some lovely tutorials on youtube you might like to follow along with.
And here's the annoying part...
House of the Dying Sun and now X3:AP are making me SERIOUSLY look at and consider X:Rebirth (I know, I know, I've read recent and old reviews) as well as Elite. It's awoken that old itch. I'm much more likely to buy No Man's Sky now...
I never got Freespace 2 either when the world was young. I'm going to have to correct that now, I believe. I think I've got my old HOTAS around here somewhere...
Derelict scared the hell out of me back in the day. Most creepy.
X: Rebirth has been hugely improved since launch and is worth checking out
Yeah, I got that feeling. I'm not sure that the wide-open style of X3:AP will hold me for long, but it might entice me enough to give Rebirth a shot. Which is just insidious.
Not to say that you can't go on adventures in X3, but it is a different sort of beast.