Matrix Games Forums

Well, I have visited the StarShatter website, but it does little to inform me about game play. The feature page on the StarShatter site is weak, giving only a brief discription of game play and RTS???

Anyway, I have been a fan of space sim combat games for a long time. Played tons of them (FreeSpace, Wing Commander Series, SFC, etc..) However the liner gameplay always left me wanting more.

I wanted a huge galaxy(s) to explore, the freedom to do what I want, etc. I needed a good back story.

So far the only game that I have played that meets that and more is Indepence War 2 (Edge of Chaos) I-War 2

I have not found anything like it. It has never been popular here in the states, I was hoping for more mods etc....

So....I am always looking for a great new space sim. I-WAR 2 is great (I wish they would update it or release more stuff for it).

So my questions:

Has anyone played I-WAR 2?

If so, how does it compare to StarShatter? (What is better or worse)

Is there any game that you would compare StarShatter too?


Request:

Update the Features section on the StarShatter website with more information about the game. Include bullet points on features, gameplay, etc.


Thanks for any info.

Lionfish,

Have you tried the new Starshatter demo? We'll look into getting some more info on the website, but the demo should help you get a feel for it.

Regards,

- Erik

Yes...I have downloaded it, but have not played it yet. I am one of those who download to many demos and just don't get around to playing to many of them.

I was hoping for a more detailed features page, maybe with some screenshots and explanations.

I am happy to see such a quick response.


More questions:

Is StarShatter open-ended or linear?

Does it offer an online universe play or is it more a multiplyer (FPS type server)?

Thanks.

Overall, the actual play of the game (mission structure) is more like WC or FS than IW2.
Having said that, the missions are generated dynamically based on how well you and allied AI did during the previous round of missions. There are several turning points within the campaigns where things happen automatically and alter the mission objectives regardless of how well you do. Other than that, the precise missions you fly could vary tremendously between two times you fight through a given campaign. The cool thing, is that since you choose which ship type you fly and get to pick from a selection of missions, if you don't want to fly a strike mission against an enemy frigate, you don't have to. Switch to the intercept squadron and fly a sweep, letting the allied AI take care of the strike mission.
As you progress in rank (you have to start as a fighter pilot) you can move from commanding a flight of 2-4 fighters/attack craft to effectively being in command of an entire battle group when you command a carrier. As a carrier, cruiser, or destroyer captain, you have HW-type control over the other ships in your squadron. You can tell them to attack targets, to travel on a particular heading, escort certain craft etc. As a command of a ship with fighter bays, you are in control of fighter launches, what weapons loadouts they have, what they attack and where they go.
As a starship captain you generally 'set a course' and designate targets and then let the AI actually fire the weapons. (You can, however, 'pull a riker' and fly the capship as though it were a very sluggish figther...gotta love barrel rolls in a carrier!) This makes the actual gameplay different than the IW/IW2 games, even though SS has many things (newtonian physics, ability to command wide range of ship classes) with them.
The multiplayer is, as you put it, more like a FPS game. Unfortunately it is a tad rocky atm, but it's being worked on, along with a spiffy new DX9 powered graphics engine ([:D])
Thats another thing you have to realize about SS that really adds to it: The 'dev team' (milo) is very open to community suggestions. A long time ago, it was 'pressure' from the community, on the previous generation boards back at www.starshatter.com that influenced milo to really open up the game for mod creation. Similarly, it was pressure from modders that got milo to add many things, two-part articulated turrets, ways to mess with shield settings and many more things that I can't recall at the moment. If you have a tech support question, often it is the game dev himself who'll get back to you. Who better to answer questions about the game?

ya I annoyed him day in day out for spec and bump maps

over and over

non stop

I swear he wants me dead


lol

It's an awesome game, with so much possibilities... you need to have this one if you are a fan of the "genre".

=S=

Overall, the actual play of the game (mission structure) is more like WC or FS than IW2.

I'd say more like Starfleet Command.

What comes to quality of the game, it offers a lot of possibilites and good modding. But AI = Artificial Irrationality and for example strategy aspect of the game isn't very detailed. As someone put it:

Jack of all trades but master of none

Many people consider this good game anyway and I'm going to buy it some day.