List of Current Space Sim / Space 4x Games

[Hertston]

ORIGINAL: Unhappy

I apologize if someone already mentioned this but if you are looking for a space combat simulation (ie. space ship vs spaceship) then I would recommend http://www.freeallegiance.org/ I haven't played recently but it is a fun/intense game.  It is a bit complex though, so it takes a while to get into it.

Actually the best team online game ever; and I'm not kidding. It just arrived a few years before it's time. I keep meaning to try it again, it's one of the very few games where I ever got into the squad/clan thing. I see they are still around (Steel Fury), but I only recognise one name from the old days.

[Perturabo]

ORIGINAL: SireChaos

Oh my, yes. The Mech Commander games in particular were fun, but they weren´t really BattleTech any more. The Crescent Hawks´ Inception and the original MechWarrior at least tried, but the later games...

I have to agree. Actually, I like the The Crescent Hawks´ Inception the best from all the BattleTech "official" interpretations on computer. Too bad that its infantry combat system is pretty horrible.

[MVMASOFT.COM]

I can thank this thread for my compulsive buy of MOO2 from the local half price bookstore. Luckily it seems to run perfect as the windows 95 version in vista 64 bit. I might report back, but so far what I see is pretty darn cool.

[Jeffrey H.]

That one has quite a fan following. I know one guy who plays and plays and plays it even though he's never even connected to the internet to patch it.

[SireChaos]

ORIGINAL: Perturabo

ORIGINAL: SireChaos

Oh my, yes. The Mech Commander games in particular were fun, but they weren´t really BattleTech any more. The Crescent Hawks´ Inception and the original MechWarrior at least tried, but the later games...

I have to agree. Actually, I like the The Crescent Hawks´ Inception the best from all the BattleTech "official" interpretations on computer. Too bad that its infantry combat system is pretty horrible.

And too bad that - as far as I ever discovered - it only includes very light ´Mechs, except for the early training sim part.

[Perturabo]

So, my Chameleon is the heaviest mech in game XD ?

Anyway, there are some more things that piss me off:
The game is a SFLfest thanks to the random encounter spam. I mean...
What's the deal with these old "RPGs" and the compulsion to have a combat encounter every 15 seconds? Especially when not-avoided encounter results in certain heavy wounds because there's no possibility of quickly killing opponents even when the character is a marksman?
It's just avoid avoid avoid fight avoid avoid go to hospital avoid avoid fight fight avoid go to hospital, etc. And it's just crossing a town. And... Kuritans with longbows? shortbows?! swords?!!
WHAT WERE THEY THINKING???!!!

Anyway, the game is horribly addictive - I just sit for a moment and find myself playing it for 2 hours, non-stop.
It would be nice if there was a remake that would have high resolution graphics, better infantry combat system, more mechs, better vehicle combat system, no random encounter spam, and improved economy.

[pvthudson01]

I hate to necro bump a really old thread, but I gotta ask:

Do I spend my money on Gal Civ II expansions or dig in and get Sword of The Stars complete edition.

I want good combat (NOT RTS like Command and Conquer though) the ability to customize ships, take over planets, etc etc.

Which would you get if you have like 40 bucks?

Armada 2526 does not interest me.

[Zakhal]

If you want good combat and ship customizing go for SOTS. Galciv2 ship battles are pretty poor and the ship customizing is just skin deep - mostly just visual.

BTW SOTS2 is in the works release is one year away. I can hardly wait it.

[Terl]

ORIGINAL: Hertston

I don't have the problem, so haven't needed a workaround! I don't know how many others have; it's not something I play a lot so don't tend to visit the forums. I'm running 1.77 on a Vista 32 bit system with no trouble, and 1.74 was OK as well.

I can't say about Vista but I am running it on 64bit Windows 7 without an issue.

[sabre1]

I never could get into the RT space combat of Swords of the Stars, but YMMV.

I enjoyed GalCiv2, but ship combat is skin deep like Zakhal said, and again YMMV.

If you don't have Sins of a Solar Empire you really should check that one out, but again many liked it, and some didn't. I enjoy SOASE, and frequently go back to it.

Space Empires IV is highly regarded, but really dated graphics.

Space Empires V is flaky on Vista 64 machines, but there are work arounds, but I'm not sure if it's worth the effort.

You could wait for Distant Worlds, or go for Armada, which from reading the posts, seems to be mixed.

I just haven't found that 4x game that just hooks me for that "just one more turn" feeling. I have hopes for DW, and Armada I'm waiting to see how that one develops. I am not a first adapter type.

Don't you just love indecisiveness.

[killroyishere]

ORIGINAL: sabre1

I am in the mood for some space sims / space empire games. I would appreciate a list from the guys here of the most current, and worth playing games out.

I currently own Gal Civ 2, Sins of a Solar Empire, and Swords of the Stars / Born of the Blood. I picked up Space Rangers 2 Complete for $4.00. It's alright, but something is missing that is not drawing me in.

I am curious about Matrix's offerings, games like X3: Terran Conflict, or anything else you would recommend.

Thanks for the help.

I have a game of X3:Terran Conflict going now and it's by far my favorite space sim next to Freelancer. There's more action in this version from several enemy sources, Pirates, Khaaks, Xenons and Unknowns. I have made nearly my first billion credits and it took at least a weekend of solid 10x playing to get that far. (10x is playing the game at the 10th power of speed in real time). I lost a whole fleet of medium fighters to one Xenon ship 30mil credits down the tubes in a heartbeat. [:'(]
I spoke of Freelancer and this is another very good sim but the storyline is over pretty quickly and there's no flucuating economy like in X3 series. Lots of good combat action though if you prefer that over trading space sims. It's still a great sim even if the story seems over too quickly.

Older DOS games like Privateer and Privateer II are great sims also.
Best 4x turn based space game is still Master of Orion II and I think GalCiv II comes in a close 2nd now.
A really really old DOS game called Sentinel is an excellent rpg space sim game one of the few that allow you to actually target different parts of enemy ships instead of blast em all to pieces and let god sort em out.

[martok]

ORIGINAL: pvthudson01

I hate to necro bump a really old thread, but I gotta ask:

Do I spend my money on Gal Civ II expansions or dig in and get Sword of The Stars complete edition.

I want good combat (NOT RTS like Command and Conquer though) the ability to customize ships, take over planets, etc etc.

Which would you get if you have like 40 bucks?

Armada 2526 does not interest me.

If you want a space 4x game with decent combat, then get Sword of the Stars.


GalCiv2 is a great game. However, its battles are completely automated, and they don't exactly boast eye-popping visuals.

SotS, on the other hand, has very good looking battles, but is a bit light on the strategy side. As other folks have said, planets are little more than victory points and don't have much "personality".


Truth be told, I've enjoyed both games. If you're wanting a visual spectacle, though (combat-wise), then SotS is the one you want.

[Nawshad007]

I am waiting for Star Quest 2: United Galaxies. Maybe this one will be a good games for space games lover.

[Perturabo]

Has anyone here played Pioneer?

[shunwick]

Guys,

Just a quick note. X-Rebirth has been out for a couple of weeks. It is very buggy. It will be awesome but it is not that at the moment. Might be worth looking at in a few months to a years time when Egosoft have fixed the bugs and the modders have worked their magic.

Best wishes,
Steve

[Agathosdaimon]

space empires iv and v were really cheap as a bundle on steam last i checked - got them as well as a number of other space 4x and rts games to satisfy my desire for some off world stuff - plus distant worlds and starships unlimited now

[Hertston]

ORIGINAL: shunwick

Just a quick note. X-Rebirth has been out for a couple of weeks. It is very buggy. It will be awesome but it is not that at the moment. Might be worth looking at in a few months to a years time when Egosoft have fixed the bugs and the modders have worked their magic.

You think anyone will bother with Elite Dangerous and Star Citizen inbound? Egosoft's past record at tidying up release messes noted, but at least they a) didn't chuck away most of what made 'X' unique and b) weren't ports of abandoned hexbox games.

Just thinking through the space games I've played since 2010, Matrix releases aside; there have been an awful lot of duds in that time. Endless Space is pretty good, now it's matured a bit.

[aaatoysandmore]

I think the space sim made wherby you can land on planets and then move around ala StarFlight I & II will be grand. Only this time I hope for 3d graphics and places to explore and search once on land...you know like caves and things so one can find artifacts for the story and uroniam for energy resources and metals to build all kinds of weapons and research to disover those weapons. Almost like a SMAC and Pandoria but more graphical an adventerous...not just one planet but 100's to 1000's depending on the power of your computer.

[Gilmer]

Playing X3 Reunion. I thought about Rebirth, but just cannot justify 49.99 or so on a game right now, unless I really like it. Albion prelude/terran conflict are on sale, not sure if I want to get them, though.

[shunwick]

ORIGINAL: Hertston

ORIGINAL: shunwick

Just a quick note. X-Rebirth has been out for a couple of weeks. It is very buggy. It will be awesome but it is not that at the moment. Might be worth looking at in a few months to a years time when Egosoft have fixed the bugs and the modders have worked their magic.

You think anyone will bother with Elite Dangerous and Star Citizen inbound? Egosoft's past record at tidying up release messes noted, but at least they a) didn't chuck away most of what made 'X' unique and b) weren't ports of abandoned hexbox games.

Just thinking through the space games I've played since 2010, Matrix releases aside; there have been an awful lot of duds in that time. Endless Space is pretty good, now it's matured a bit.

Hertson,

Like I said, "Might be worth looking at in a few months to a years time...."

Looking forward to Elite Dangerous. Not so much Star Citizen as not online gamer.

Don't be fooled by some of the reviews of X-Rebirth that are floating around at the moment. a) They chucked away the cumbersome menu and so far limited it to one ship to fly. Everything else as deep and a complex as X3 - maybe more so. The UI has been designed with the possibility of porting it to a console in the future. Maybe a mistake. It has certainly led some people to believe that the game is "dumbed down". Which is strange really because they are also they ones complaining that they don't know how to play it. b) Not a port of a failed console game. See a).

Best wishes,
Steve