Space Sims - Discuss

[rockyrocket]

So recently I have been playing a lot of space sims (ok nothing much else), to the point where I outed how much elite dangerous I have been playing lately.

I know some of you can not get into ed but with mysteries such as the Unknown Artefact to solve I am hooked.

But this is not meant to just be about elite but the whole genre, although I did want to highlight oolite a remake of the original 1984 game for those that remember.

Playing a bit of star citizen aswell, but so far am waiting for it to flesh out a bit.

So come on guys what are your thoughts on this type of stuff?, are sims your thing are do you prefer more arcadie games like the upcoming Everspace?.

[Draco1962]

One of the first space sims I ever played was with my sons. It was Buzz Aldrin's Race Into Space. I have always liked a good sim, but as of late, have had as much time to spend as I would like gaming.

[rockyrocket]

One of the first space sims I ever played was with my sons. It was Buzz Aldrin's Race Into Space. I have always liked a good sim, but as of late, have had as much time to spend as I would like gaming.

Never played that when it came out (had other more pressing interests then), but I did see that it has had a refresh.

Looks like it could be a great phone/tablet game someday?.

[stigzler]

Played Eve online for a bit. Great atmosphere and presentation. However, for some reason, I just get bored of highly open world games. Likewise, I also get bored of being led-by-the-nose story driven games (Final Fantasy 10, anyone?).

These games are fab, but I just cant seem to get on with them. I did like the way Eve left you skilling up when you're not playing. But, dunno - hard to explain, but it's just for stuff that everyone else can get given the time and playing.

Thinking about it, I think the chief driver for me is difference and change. For example, whilst Skyrim and Fallout 4 are fantastic games, I just remember feeling really bored at points - bored of the grays and greens - the best moment in fallout 4 being the exploding hotel and finding that Oasis place (the graphics style changed largely). Think with these games, you tend to get too much of the same. Discovering or earning something different is what keeps me hooked in games.

Won't ask how many hours you've put into the new Elite, Rocky!

[hansolo77]

I used to love space sim games, until my system couldn't handle them anymore. I played through most (if not all) of the LucasArt's games (X-Wing, Tie Fighter, X-Wing VS TieFighter), and then all of Wing Commander, part of Wing Commander 2, all of Wing Commander 3 (amazing cast btw), and all the juicy bits I could get my hands on playing Star Wars Galaxies (Jump to Lightspeed expansion). This new stuff like EVE, Star Trek Online, Elite Dangerous, etc. They're all pretty to look at, but I miss the old mission driven story based atmosphere. I've yet to try these new games because my system is incapable of providing me a good experience.

[Draco1962]

I am also a big fan of the Lucas Arts games Han mentioned as well as Wing Commander series. Loved the Atari 8 bit games Rescue on Fractulus and Star Raiders.

[RIP-Felix]

I'm a big fan of the Descent series and fan made levels. I haven't had much time to play them as would like. I would like a remake of the originals, but there is nostalgia in the 32-bit era graphics. Love the soundtrack too, Descent 2 especially.

[tthurman]

Tom Mix Software, shuttle simulator (I'm not kidding)

I was a huge fan of the X-Wing and Tie Fighter series. Based solely on the legions of fans these games had, Disney would be smart to reboot this series (or license it to someone that will).

I played a bit of Freelancer, and while it was cool and all, it got a bit draggy at times. Elite Dangerous looks cool, as does Star Citizen, but I struggle to get into games with economies. Just seems to make the game more like work to me, perhaps I haven't given it a fair shake.

What about Galaxy of Fire2?

[stigzler]

Does Mercenary count? You start in space and have to get back there... :/

[rockyrocket]

Guess I was a little surprised you guys are not gushing about the genre more, but now I think about it that is just because I an SO in to it everyone else`s response seems mooted.

That is cool though it is something I can work through :- ).

I did though watch a video today that made me start star citizen and not play elite for once....

Wish I still had the reflexes of the young pups.

[nullPointer]

I have to admit that while it's not a genre I go totally gaga for, I am pretty excited about No Man's Sky. Granted it's not necessarily a pure Space Sim in terms of singular focus, but I really like the idea of seamlessly going from the macrocosm of interstellar travel and space battles clear down to the microcosm of planet level exploration on a small scale.

[rockyrocket]

I have to admit that while it's not a genre I go totally gaga for, I am pretty excited about No Man's Sky. Granted it's not necessarily a pure Space Sim in terms of singular focus, but I really like the idea of seamlessly going from the macrocosm of interstellar travel and space battles clear down to the microcosm of planet level exploration on a small scale.

Yep no man`s sky is pretty exciting if not just for the size of the map, heard you may go a long while without seeing another player if you leave the main areas.

Personally sometimes I find the imagery too stylized and wonder if being color blind would help matters, although once actually playing probably wont even notice.

A colleague has a dev build of Eve Valkyrie to test on the rift but has not had time to even try it yet - servers only on at the weekend, note to self pop round.

Limit theory will also one day hopefully be great.

[Draco1962]

Take On Mars which is in beta through Steam looks interesting.

As for enthusiasm, mine is somewhat muted for almost all things gaming ATM due to real life events with work and home. I love to game and it is relaxing, but it has been hard as of late to spend more than 10 to 15 minutes to do so.

[hansolo77]

A colleague has a dev build of Eve Valkyrie to test on the rift but has not had time to even try it yet - servers only on at the weekend, note to self pop round.

Limit theory will also one day hopefully be great.

Now, THAT, looks fun. Is the whole VR thing a reality yet, or are they still in prototypes? If they're in production now, and people can buy them, I'd bet they're ridiculously expensive!

[rockyrocket]

Now, THAT, looks fun. Is the whole VR thing a reality yet, or are they still in prototypes? If they're in production now, and people can buy them, I'd bet they're ridiculously expensive!

The full consumer version of the rift is due Q1 2016, but many people are using the dev models right now, I can not wait!.

[RIP-Felix]

Now, THAT, looks fun. Is the whole VR thing a reality yet, or are they still in prototypes? If they're in production now, and people can buy them, I'd bet they're ridiculously expensive!

$350 for the Rift dev kit 2 on their website. There are cheaper options, including just folding some cardboard to hold your phone rinning an app that splits the screen for each eye's perspective (See Google Cardboard). However, the Rift is supported by the most game ATM including DolphinVR! Apparently you can play Windwaker in VR, your head controls the Camera. Looks immersive. Of course the point of VR in not only perspective and panoramic viewing, it's also sterioscopic 3D, which Dolphin VR now nativly supports. Dolphin rocks!

[rockyrocket]

Now, THAT, looks fun. Is the whole VR thing a reality yet, or are they still in prototypes? If they're in production now, and people can buy them, I'd bet they're ridiculously expensive!

Fun and scary anyone?.

[tthurman]

It will be interesting to see how this all shakes out. Personally, I doubt I'll be an early adopter of this (although I'd love to try it) because I can see this being one of those products that evolves quite quickly, i,e, resolution improvements, or for some reason doesn't attract mainstream adoption, and therefore never establishes solid footing. These videos, while cool looking and all, obviously can't really provide what it feels like to experience it firsthand. Best Buy, etc., kiosks would seem in order to let the masses experience what's like. "eweh, did you rift at that one in the mall?"

It seems poised to explode with success, and the units a few years down the road seem likely to benefit greatly from this if it becomes wildly succesful. I guess it just remains to be seen if it shoots straight to the moon, or if it becomes one of those great technologies that for some reason doesn't see mainstream success.

[hansolo77]

Looks really fun. Could you imagine seeing a virtual reality movie? Being able to watch the movie, but control the camera yourself!

[stigzler]

This is just begging for another retro-conversion-hack:


Mind you, it is all getting a bit:



(Sorry - just made my own dropbox-type-thingy for use with my home server, so testing out the image right-click-get image url function - it works!! )

[Draco1962]

Stigz - You'll want to read this.

[rockyrocket]

Looks really fun. Could you imagine seeing a virtual reality movie? Being able to watch the movie, but control the camera yourself!

[stigzler]

Buggers - they had to get there first!

[tthurman]

Amazing

[hansolo77]

OOH OOH OOH!! THIS THIS THIS!!!

Now.. imagine a VR chat room! Like at the end of that 2nd clip. Man.. pipe dreams. Boot up your computer, login to some star wars game, sit and chill in the Mos Eisley Cantina waiting for my friends to log in, we all "meet at the usual spot (table)" then head out on a speeder across town to go kill some Tusken Raiders. Awww man. That would be so killer awesome. Why can't the awesomeness be here already!