GenghisK
...
Yum yum! I'm going to test this hehe... It only looks good. No other word.
Freelancer is out!
- Thread starter GenghisK
- Start date
philippe
FYI, I chase trains.
MY friends say its to easy you get rich in 2 hours...
Leonel
Breakfast Connoisseur
LIES! Freelancer is NOT out! It's coming out sometime on like the 4th of March.
I was playing with the demo and it is the best game I have ever played. Freelancer is the game Escape Velocity (Mac Shareware game of similar theme) could have been but never was...
I was playing with the demo and it is the best game I have ever played. Freelancer is the game Escape Velocity (Mac Shareware game of similar theme) could have been but never was...
Akka
Moody old mage.
Just finished it yesterday.
The graphics are AWESOME (space has never been that beautiful, even in the fabulous Homeworld) with superb special effects, and still at the same time it runs extremely smoothly on a medium/low computer (Athlon 1200 with GF2). All thumbs up for the technical prowess.
The SP campaign is not very interesting. Scenario is awfully previsible (I was able to guess what was happening and what was the main plot while I was between the first and second mission
), and the storyline is straightforward. Still, the characters are sympathic. A good moment, but too linear, and anyway much too short (about 10 hours if you don't rush it).
Sound ambiance is very good (pleasant musics, good voices, communications of other ships in the background), the universe is huge (several tens of systems, each one having its own graphics, its own stations, planets, secret locations and so on), there is dozens of factions with interlinked relationships.
There is a really impressive variety in the systems, and I must applause the designers that were able to put so much different landscape and hazardous fields of various objects without the player feeling any repetitivity in them. Each planet has its own landing zone (a fully different 3-D scene with building and landscape that stretch for kilometres), its own bar, its own buildings, etc., that is totally different than the others. A truly impressive work.
One of the best thing is how the game allows to travel and move fast between "place of interest", while still keeping an incredibly well done illusion of moving into a real-scaled space (trade lines, making the planets/stars real space objects while warping the distances, etc.).
This game could have been really a masterpiece, a mix of adventure, exploration, space-opera, allowing to have a free open-ended experience while flying through an extremely varied universe.
But...
Well, sadly, the general direction that took the game design shot this great potential.
This game is AWFULLY too "arcade". It's more an arcade game than a space-simulator, and the bad thing is that this arcade spirit expand on all level, from fighting to outfitting via commerce...
First, there is some annoying little things, as the design for ship being ugly or ridiculous for the most part, and not being on par with the supposed caracteristic of the ship itself (ie : the first ship is supposed to have a 20 tons cargo bay, while it's barely bigger than the hero himself ; and on the other hand, the cargo ship just aside is only 80 tons, despite being as big as the 275-tons transporting ship you can buy later...). But that is a not that bad, just a cosmetic detail.
Then there is the really serious flaws of this arcade spirit...
First, fight is overly important. It's just impossible to travel more than three or four trade lines without being attacked. That is true even in the core systems, where police force is supposed to be overwhelming. It's just a miracle that any lone transport can make it to its destination...
This emphasis on fight is also present in the random-generated missions. They are of four types : destroy ships, destroy installation, assassinate, and destroy a ship then capture its cargo.
As you can see, a whole variety of missions
It's really sad, as there is not any transport, escort, spying, exploring or delivering mission. In the end, it's no more "freelancer" but "freeshooter", as the only career decision you can really make is just choosing who you will shoot at.
Another extremely annoying design decision caused by the arcade spirit is the "console RPG" feeling. The game is divided in several different political areas ("nations"), which is good. But the stupid part is that they act as a difficulty level. In other words : in the first area (Liberty, the American-like nation), there is only lousy ships and small guns to buy. The pirates fly low-end ships, as the police. If you go in Bretonia, there is better ships to buy, and pirates with better equipment, etc.
That is unrealistic, and you wonder why the pirates of Rheinland or Malta just don't come in Liberty, as their ships could tore apart the whole military fleet you can find it.
It also severely limit the real liberty of exploration, as you are certain to be reduced to shred by pirates of border worlds if you ever go in their systems with a liberty ship.
This "difficulty by areas" just look identical to the ones in the Final Fantasy, where monsters just were stronger as you went further in the game.
Likewise, the ships of the "last" areas are just stronger than the ones of the first. There is no trade-off (bigger armor but less handling). They are just stronger, because they are in a "higher level" zone. It's perhaps good on the side of difficulty curve, but for an open-ended game it's plain dumb.
On the same line of idea, you need to be of a certain "level" to buy stuff. You increase in level by getting money. Don't understand where they get this idea, but it's really ridiculous. They could have used a much better way to limit the player option than this arbitrary "level" system (like, let's say, the most powerful guns are only sold by military or some other "closed" organisation, and they will sell you only if you join them and get a high enough rank).
All in all, there is really too much arcade in this game, that kick out the immersion and give you the feeling you're in Final Fantasy in Space and not in Elite. Console-like restrictions and difficulty areas, repetitivity of the random missions that are restricted to "shoot them", lack of dynamism in the world (you can't join any faction, though you can be friendly, neutral or enemy with them ; they don't grow or shrink, they can't die or flourish, all is just static) and lack of real possibility of career, hamper the fabulous potential of the game.
In conclusion, I'll say this game is extremely frustrating. It could have been THE game of the year, but due to some design concepts it's only a above-average one.
The graphics are AWESOME (space has never been that beautiful, even in the fabulous Homeworld) with superb special effects, and still at the same time it runs extremely smoothly on a medium/low computer (Athlon 1200 with GF2). All thumbs up for the technical prowess.
The SP campaign is not very interesting. Scenario is awfully previsible (I was able to guess what was happening and what was the main plot while I was between the first and second mission
), and the storyline is straightforward. Still, the characters are sympathic. A good moment, but too linear, and anyway much too short (about 10 hours if you don't rush it).Sound ambiance is very good (pleasant musics, good voices, communications of other ships in the background), the universe is huge (several tens of systems, each one having its own graphics, its own stations, planets, secret locations and so on), there is dozens of factions with interlinked relationships.
There is a really impressive variety in the systems, and I must applause the designers that were able to put so much different landscape and hazardous fields of various objects without the player feeling any repetitivity in them. Each planet has its own landing zone (a fully different 3-D scene with building and landscape that stretch for kilometres), its own bar, its own buildings, etc., that is totally different than the others. A truly impressive work.
One of the best thing is how the game allows to travel and move fast between "place of interest", while still keeping an incredibly well done illusion of moving into a real-scaled space (trade lines, making the planets/stars real space objects while warping the distances, etc.).
This game could have been really a masterpiece, a mix of adventure, exploration, space-opera, allowing to have a free open-ended experience while flying through an extremely varied universe.
But...
Well, sadly, the general direction that took the game design shot this great potential.
This game is AWFULLY too "arcade". It's more an arcade game than a space-simulator, and the bad thing is that this arcade spirit expand on all level, from fighting to outfitting via commerce...
First, there is some annoying little things, as the design for ship being ugly or ridiculous for the most part, and not being on par with the supposed caracteristic of the ship itself (ie : the first ship is supposed to have a 20 tons cargo bay, while it's barely bigger than the hero himself ; and on the other hand, the cargo ship just aside is only 80 tons, despite being as big as the 275-tons transporting ship you can buy later...). But that is a not that bad, just a cosmetic detail.
Then there is the really serious flaws of this arcade spirit...
First, fight is overly important. It's just impossible to travel more than three or four trade lines without being attacked. That is true even in the core systems, where police force is supposed to be overwhelming. It's just a miracle that any lone transport can make it to its destination...
This emphasis on fight is also present in the random-generated missions. They are of four types : destroy ships, destroy installation, assassinate, and destroy a ship then capture its cargo.
As you can see, a whole variety of missions
It's really sad, as there is not any transport, escort, spying, exploring or delivering mission. In the end, it's no more "freelancer" but "freeshooter", as the only career decision you can really make is just choosing who you will shoot at.
Another extremely annoying design decision caused by the arcade spirit is the "console RPG" feeling. The game is divided in several different political areas ("nations"), which is good. But the stupid part is that they act as a difficulty level. In other words : in the first area (Liberty, the American-like nation), there is only lousy ships and small guns to buy. The pirates fly low-end ships, as the police. If you go in Bretonia, there is better ships to buy, and pirates with better equipment, etc.
That is unrealistic, and you wonder why the pirates of Rheinland or Malta just don't come in Liberty, as their ships could tore apart the whole military fleet you can find it.
It also severely limit the real liberty of exploration, as you are certain to be reduced to shred by pirates of border worlds if you ever go in their systems with a liberty ship.
This "difficulty by areas" just look identical to the ones in the Final Fantasy, where monsters just were stronger as you went further in the game.
Likewise, the ships of the "last" areas are just stronger than the ones of the first. There is no trade-off (bigger armor but less handling). They are just stronger, because they are in a "higher level" zone. It's perhaps good on the side of difficulty curve, but for an open-ended game it's plain dumb.
On the same line of idea, you need to be of a certain "level" to buy stuff. You increase in level by getting money. Don't understand where they get this idea, but it's really ridiculous. They could have used a much better way to limit the player option than this arbitrary "level" system (like, let's say, the most powerful guns are only sold by military or some other "closed" organisation, and they will sell you only if you join them and get a high enough rank).
All in all, there is really too much arcade in this game, that kick out the immersion and give you the feeling you're in Final Fantasy in Space and not in Elite. Console-like restrictions and difficulty areas, repetitivity of the random missions that are restricted to "shoot them", lack of dynamism in the world (you can't join any faction, though you can be friendly, neutral or enemy with them ; they don't grow or shrink, they can't die or flourish, all is just static) and lack of real possibility of career, hamper the fabulous potential of the game.
In conclusion, I'll say this game is extremely frustrating. It could have been THE game of the year, but due to some design concepts it's only a above-average one.
Why was it out in Australia and America a month before being released in the UK and it seems the rest of Europe? Anyway its pretty good although it seems that you definately need to buy a new ship as soon as possible.
Nice to see you back Phil!
Nice to see you back Phil!
Akka,
I thought after playing the demo that Freelancer was like Privateer (in the Wing Commander series), which I found the best of the series (I haven't played Prophecy though).
I don't want to start a comparison between the games, just a confirmation (if you know Privateer of course) that it is the same kind of idea...
I thought after playing the demo that Freelancer was like Privateer (in the Wing Commander series), which I found the best of the series (I haven't played Prophecy though).
I don't want to start a comparison between the games, just a confirmation (if you know Privateer of course) that it is the same kind of idea...
Akka
Moody old mage.
It really looks like Privateer 3, yes.
But it lacks the "go wherever you want" that Privateer has (due to the "difficulty areas" system).
It also has very few upgrade options for your ship.
But the kind of idea is the same, yes
But it lacks the "go wherever you want" that Privateer has (due to the "difficulty areas" system).
It also has very few upgrade options for your ship.
But the kind of idea is the same, yes
So far its been pretty good to play although there are some problems, especially on the longer missions where you can use up all your equipment in the first part and then struggle to survive the second or third part. Could anyone tell me how far I gone in the game? I am currently on level 10 and have returned to Leeds after going to Spargel.
TrailblazingScot
I was kittenOFchaos
Originally posted by Akka
Just finished it yesterday.
The graphics are AWESOME (space has never been that beautiful, even in the fabulous Homeworld) with superb special effects, and still at the same time it runs extremely smoothly on a medium/low computer (Athlon 1200 with GF2). All thumbs up for the technical prowess.
The SP campaign is not very interesting. Scenario is awfully previsible (I was able to guess what was happening and what was the main plot while I was between the first and second mission
Sound ambiance is very good (pleasant musics, good voices, communications of other ships in the background), the universe is huge (several tens of systems, each one having its own graphics, its own stations, planets, secret locations and so on), there is dozens of factions with interlinked relationships.
There is a really impressive variety in the systems, and I must applause the designers that were able to put so much different landscape and hazardous fields of various objects without the player feeling any repetitivity in them. Each planet has its own landing zone (a fully different 3-D scene with building and landscape that stretch for kilometres), its own bar, its own buildings, etc., that is totally different than the others. A truly impressive work.
One of the best thing is how the game allows to travel and move fast between "place of interest", while still keeping an incredibly well done illusion of moving into a real-scaled space (trade lines, making the planets/stars real space objects while warping the distances, etc.).
This game could have been really a masterpiece, a mix of adventure, exploration, space-opera, allowing to have a free open-ended experience while flying through an extremely varied universe.
But...
Well, sadly, the general direction that took the game design shot this great potential.
This game is AWFULLY too "arcade". It's more an arcade game than a space-simulator, and the bad thing is that this arcade spirit expand on all level, from fighting to outfitting via commerce...
First, there is some annoying little things, as the design for ship being ugly or ridiculous for the most part, and not being on par with the supposed caracteristic of the ship itself (ie : the first ship is supposed to have a 20 tons cargo bay, while it's barely bigger than the hero himself ; and on the other hand, the cargo ship just aside is only 80 tons, despite being as big as the 275-tons transporting ship you can buy later...). But that is a not that bad, just a cosmetic detail.
Then there is the really serious flaws of this arcade spirit...
First, fight is overly important. It's just impossible to travel more than three or four trade lines without being attacked. That is true even in the core systems, where police force is supposed to be overwhelming. It's just a miracle that any lone transport can make it to its destination...
This emphasis on fight is also present in the random-generated missions. They are of four types : destroy ships, destroy installation, assassinate, and destroy a ship then capture its cargo.
As you can see, a whole variety of missions
It's really sad, as there is not any transport, escort, spying, exploring or delivering mission. In the end, it's no more "freelancer" but "freeshooter", as the only career decision you can really make is just choosing who you will shoot at.
Another extremely annoying design decision caused by the arcade spirit is the "console RPG" feeling. The game is divided in several different political areas ("nations"), which is good. But the stupid part is that they act as a difficulty level. In other words : in the first area (Liberty, the American-like nation), there is only lousy ships and small guns to buy. The pirates fly low-end ships, as the police. If you go in Bretonia, there is better ships to buy, and pirates with better equipment, etc.
That is unrealistic, and you wonder why the pirates of Rheinland or Malta just don't come in Liberty, as their ships could tore apart the whole military fleet you can find it.
It also severely limit the real liberty of exploration, as you are certain to be reduced to shred by pirates of border worlds if you ever go in their systems with a liberty ship.
This "difficulty by areas" just look identical to the ones in the Final Fantasy, where monsters just were stronger as you went further in the game.
Likewise, the ships of the "last" areas are just stronger than the ones of the first. There is no trade-off (bigger armor but less handling). They are just stronger, because they are in a "higher level" zone. It's perhaps good on the side of difficulty curve, but for an open-ended game it's plain dumb.
On the same line of idea, you need to be of a certain "level" to buy stuff. You increase in level by getting money. Don't understand where they get this idea, but it's really ridiculous. They could have used a much better way to limit the player option than this arbitrary "level" system (like, let's say, the most powerful guns are only sold by military or some other "closed" organisation, and they will sell you only if you join them and get a high enough rank).
All in all, there is really too much arcade in this game, that kick out the immersion and give you the feeling you're in Final Fantasy in Space and not in Elite. Console-like restrictions and difficulty areas, repetitivity of the random missions that are restricted to "shoot them", lack of dynamism in the world (you can't join any faction, though you can be friendly, neutral or enemy with them ; they don't grow or shrink, they can't die or flourish, all is just static) and lack of real possibility of career, hamper the fabulous potential of the game.
In conclusion, I'll say this game is extremely frustrating. It could have been THE game of the year, but due to some design concepts it's only a above-average one.
Wish I had read this prior to spending my hard earned money...I curse the PCGAMER UK review I read for deceiving me. The still screenies make it look far better that reality and the moronic bar conversations have driven me crazy..."We don't actually run this base, but we have an understanding with those that do."
Give me Frontier First Encounters anyday, bugs and all
The game lacks a believeable atmosphere...from the laughable game concept, the appalling "landpad" of New York which is cartoony in presentation GRRR!!!
The Alliance VS The Coalition...who is who again? and does it matter
My advise is if you are a "serious" gamer who likes to be able to at some level associate with your character and believe in the Universe you are in, then don't buy this game, save your pennies. Hardly a in depth review, but one to get the basics out, this game is an arcady shoot-em up with flash graphics, but with daft combat and very little variety.
Good money for bloody rubbish
Akka
Moody old mage.
Darn, I was too late to save you !Originally posted by kittenOFchaos
Wish I had read this prior to spending my hard earned money...I curse the PCGAMER UK review I read for deceiving me. The still screenies make it look far better that reality and the moronic bar conversations have driven me crazy..."We don't actually run this base, but we have an understanding with those that do."
Give me Frontier First Encounters anyday, bugs and all
The game lacks a believeable atmosphere...from the laughable game concept, the appalling "landpad" of New York which is cartoony in presentation GRRR!!!
The Alliance VS The Coalition...who is who again? and does it matter
My advise is if you are a "serious" gamer who likes to be able to at some level associate with your character and believe in the Universe you are in, then don't buy this game, save your pennies. Hardly a in depth review, but one to get the basics out, this game is an arcady shoot-em up with flash graphics, but with daft combat and very little variety.
Good money for bloody rubbish
^^
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