Dudes, Privateer Remake
Edit : I'm in no way affiliated with the devs of the remake by the way. I'm just pimping this because I found it this morning.
<a href='http://priv.solsector.net/' target='_blank'>http://priv.solsector.net/</a>
For those that just aren't cool enough to know : <b>Privateer</b> was a spinoff of the Wing Commander series, utilizing the same universe with its unique mix between being completely tongue-in-cheek and its simple, genuine atmosphere. Its kind of like the newer X-series, except alot less sterile and boring.
The downside is, its still a Wing Commander game and hence utilizes the power of Space GoKarts . The game could be so much more with either a DANCER-like semirealistic engine (Newtonian with drag) or an actual Newtonian model (wouldn't even need a timeskip autopilot then). But this remake is pretty close to the original, short of the idiotic addition of the Shelton Slide (unless I really missed something THAT big in the original - heck knows, I was like 12 at the time). The slide is essentially letting go of the artificial slowdown to your ships top speed - letting you drift indefinitely at your current vector. Which just doesn't fit into a game like that and is the next best thing to cheating if you have any brains at all.
Other deviations from the original include the old cockpits re-rendered (look almost the same though, even the crosshairs and stuff are still chunky as all hell), manual docking at difficultys above normal (not really 'manual', you just need to fly to the actual docking ports and hit d), alot of new types of missions like rescuing and the ability to set captured pilots free. It also now comes with an actual faction-favor system as opposed to the old one-strike-and-you're-out method, along with missions that compliment it (rescuing a pirate will for example **** off some merchants).
Most charmingly, although they could have done with some polishing, the old station screens are still there and all the ship models have been done with a fair amount of adherence to the original (which is also its biggest weakness, because some things are so retro I'd just use an emulator if I wanted that, but whatever).
Anyway, enjoy. Suckers.
<a href='http://priv.solsector.net/' target='_blank'>http://priv.solsector.net/</a>
For those that just aren't cool enough to know : <b>Privateer</b> was a spinoff of the Wing Commander series, utilizing the same universe with its unique mix between being completely tongue-in-cheek and its simple, genuine atmosphere. Its kind of like the newer X-series, except alot less sterile and boring.
The downside is, its still a Wing Commander game and hence utilizes the power of Space GoKarts . The game could be so much more with either a DANCER-like semirealistic engine (Newtonian with drag) or an actual Newtonian model (wouldn't even need a timeskip autopilot then). But this remake is pretty close to the original, short of the idiotic addition of the Shelton Slide (unless I really missed something THAT big in the original - heck knows, I was like 12 at the time). The slide is essentially letting go of the artificial slowdown to your ships top speed - letting you drift indefinitely at your current vector. Which just doesn't fit into a game like that and is the next best thing to cheating if you have any brains at all.
Other deviations from the original include the old cockpits re-rendered (look almost the same though, even the crosshairs and stuff are still chunky as all hell), manual docking at difficultys above normal (not really 'manual', you just need to fly to the actual docking ports and hit d), alot of new types of missions like rescuing and the ability to set captured pilots free. It also now comes with an actual faction-favor system as opposed to the old one-strike-and-you're-out method, along with missions that compliment it (rescuing a pirate will for example **** off some merchants).
Most charmingly, although they could have done with some polishing, the old station screens are still there and all the ship models have been done with a fair amount of adherence to the original (which is also its biggest weakness, because some things are so retro I'd just use an emulator if I wanted that, but whatever).
Anyway, enjoy. Suckers.
Comments
the third screenshot crack me up <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Also, note... space? If you cut thrusters, you shouldn't have a decrease in speed unless you hit a gravity well or object. No atmosphere, remember? What drag? :b
Also, note... space? If you cut thrusters, you shouldn't have a decrease in speed unless you hit a gravity well or object. No atmosphere, remember? What drag? :b <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Oh well, back in the day I never, ever used the Shelton in the original WCs (but then I started playing WC1 with 10 or so). It just seemed painfully stupid - because having just this one specific part of a newtonian model when you can only accelerate to a set speed is just so painfully stupid, it makes my head hurt. Point being, if you were able to do that in the first place, you'd be able to accelerate to any subluminal velocity in the first place - and the entire game of vector management would change totally.
First time I heard about it I took my basic newbie Tarsus with an Afterburner and took out an entire sector full of confeds, merchants and militia by just using the slide - on maximum difficulty. It just seems a tadbit cheap - but then shockingly enough most people can't seem to figure the first thing about the problem with slow-traveling projectiles, target prediction and what goold ol' newton can do for you.
Edit : Tarsus, not Orion. Doh.
@BOZO:
Yes.
is it free?