no worries my sad space cadet, universe of starcraft is coming, prepare to
colonize the galaxy, and then have the zerg attempt to colonize you!

rts games will be killed by mmo's, their spiritual successors, and blizzard is
taking them to space!

Like the original author I am a big space sim nut. I miss games like Wing
Commander.

X3 went someway towards resolving that, but to be honest the storyline was so
short and thin it wasn't much fun.

I also tried Eve online but the graphics seem really dated and there's way too
much time just going from A to B with nothing else happening.

In summary, there's still nothing around like Wing Commander any more.

I still play X-Wing Alliance with mods and Ultima VII will never die in my
opinion. But I haven't found a new game I've liked in a long time. Oblivion
caught me for a while, but I couldn't stick it out till the end like I used to.
I like RTS and MMO's in concept, but they aren't as entralling as the original
RPGs and space sims. Bring back X-Wing.

There are several free remakes of Privateer (Gemini Gold, Privateer Remake for
those long winter nights). More recent games : Freelancer, DarkStar One (had
problems with it so I can't say what it's like, but looks like fun).

Nothing new comes close to the classics IMHO : Diablo, Wing Commander and
Privateer, X-Wing, TIE Figher

The MMO style of gameplay has taken a lot of the need for good singleplayer game
modes ...

I think one of the best stories, admittedly not in graphics, was Freespace 2. It
was the best way for me to unwind during university studies.

There are some awsome (I'm using this word in the correct form here) OpenGL
variations of FS2 that work in Windows and Linux.

I'm with you man... I really miss those sapce sim games...
I just finished playing an old copy of Tachyon but I really want to play other,
better games. I still have X-Wing Alliance but unfortunately my DVD ROM drive
won't read it for some reason.

I couldnt agree with you more, I just purchased X3 and its a nice visual
experience to kinda bring things up to date but I miss wing commander and
freespace type action into the picture...It would be amazing to take the crysis
engine and make a bad a$$ space sim from hell... lets hope they come to their
senses and feed that market which is definitely there

I loved Freespace 2! Of Course it looks pretty chunky now buy it was fun! So
was Tachyon with Bruce what-is-name doing the voice acting! Imagine a great
space sim now with the graphics capabilities of PCs or XBox 360 or PS3! Now
that would really rock! My first gamne at home ever was Red Baron. I wouldn't
even recognize it now but it sure had the spirit that captured my imagination.

Freespace 2 source code was released to the public several years ago. The
original game is avaliable here: rel="nofollow">http://scp.indiegames.us/news.php

Also versions in the BSG,Babylon Project, and even wing commander universes are
available:
http://www.game-
warden.com/bsg/

http://babylon.hard-
light.net/

http://wcsaga.hard-
light.net/

All running on an extremely updated FS2 engine. The BSG demo that is available
now is awesome.

Most importantly everything I've just listed is free!

If you are looking for a curent, online, and fierce space sim, go no further
than Allegiance my friend. You can download and play for free - forever.

rel="nofollow">http://www.freeallegiance.org/

It is not just space sims or space based video games. There has been a lack of
really good epic space adventures (ones that don't consistantly include any
present day world stuff - like Stargate).

Every time somebody tries either the fans are with it or the studeios are behind
it (like firefly). I believe it would have been a great Space base Series had
fox put its whole heart into it. The DVD set sold really well and I believe the
Movie Serenity would have done better had Universal been more supportive - like
not pulling the movie from smaller towns around the US during its opening. By
the time we all got it the movie was long forgotten and stayed only one week.

I miss space base anything. Sad that I have to watch reruns of Star Trek NG and
Orginal. Sad that I have to resort to OLD sims to get a truly Space base Sim.

I was a big fan of the Freespace series and I still load them up and play every
now and then. I was kinda disappointed with X2 and X3 because I wanted to fly
and battle, not run a fuggin business! I can do that in RL(real life for the
non-gamers). X3 graphics are great though and it has a depth of gameplay not
easily matched.

All I want is a no-nonsense space sim that involves nothing but shooting up
enemy human factions and dumbassed aliens that think they can hang with us
superior humans. I miss the good ole days of FREESPACE!

I don't suppose you've heard of EVE then. check it out. online.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.eve-online.com/

I suggest the author (and anyone who holds the same opinion as the one portrayed
in the article) to try Eve.
I felt the same way as the author until I discovered that game.

Startrek Starfleet command II and III are space sims. You battle in 3d space and
navigate the universe on a hex grid. Bridge commmander plays alot like wing
commander, as you set destinations and warp to them and manuever the gi-normous
ship in 3d space sim style play. Hope that gives ppl and idea just dont touch
leagacy =D

One space sim I've just recently started is rel="nofollow">http://www.jossh.com . The graphics are a bit dated, but at
least I don't have to worry about my computer being able to handle it. The only
bad part is that it is an online game which means that there is no real story or
plot, but at least I can use my joystick.

Wow. Lots of love for space sims. So what the hell, someone make a new one
already! I agree with you guys. Give me Crysis graphics with starships and
dog-fighting in nebulas and orbiting planets and I'll pay whatever it cost.

As far as the FreeSpace 2 mods go, I'm going to be looking at those for an
upcoming article. I also found some hi-res patches for old Mechwarrior games
(not space but still sim) and I'm dying to try those out.

imagine this, MMO based on the Wing Commander Universe... need i say more?... :D

Just go to www.eve-online.com and let wing commander rest in peace...

EVE is no substitute for any of the old space games. You need a huge alliance to
do anything and most common tasks seem more like a chore than a game. You can't
even control your own ship in dogfights! Been there, done that, it can't even
hold my attention for the 2 week free trial.

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Freelancer. Anyway it's pretty sad that no
small developers have the resources to put together a decent space sim nowadays
and the big studios are only willing to put out the most profitable games able
to sweep as much of the market as possible (the Sims, MMOs, FPS, console games)..

I also want something like Privateer.

I tried Freelancer, but flying ship with mouse is really stupid. Joystick is for
flying!

I too am a huge fan of the space sims. With my first computer I ever bought
(way back in 1997) I bought two games right away. NHL 97 and Wing Commander
Prophecy. Let's just say that Hockey had to wait. Since then I have tried to
get my hands on every Space sim I could. I admit I am not a big fan of the
games you have to perform trade in. I like my war based space sims. So I was a
bit dissapointed after Freelancer.

Then came Darkstar One and Star Trek Legacy. Both were released with many many
bugs. Darkstar eventually patched things so I could play with no issues and did
I love this game!! Hope they make a sequel. Legacy never really worked
properly, but I did my best to ignore the bugs because I loved that game too.

But if there was another Wing Commander created then I would be all over it. To
me the Wing Commander Series is the best of the best. I have played every
version I have been able to get my hands on. From Wing Commander on my old SNES
to Prophecy and Secret Ops on the PC. It is a fantastic series to play!!

If I mention the new Wing Commander: Arena coming to Xbox Live will you guys
throw me to the wolves? Those of us who are space sim fans and 360 owners,
don't we have to buy it? I know it isn't a WC game per se, but I feel like it
may be a test case for future development of a WC game. If Arena does well,
someone at EA could make a case for a full blown sequel.

I'm just surprised noone have mentioned ( or remembers, at all ) Westwood's
"Earth & Beyond"

Freelancer was great. I enjoyed it so much I dug up Starlancer out of a bargain
bin and played it. Too bad the multiplayer was buggier than an antbed in
Starlancer.

The market is overripe for a new space sim, and NO, Eve does not count. It just
lacks the action that I crave. And quite frankly, I'm not a big fan of PVP
which is all Eve really excells at.

Yeah, I remember that game. I played the beta and the combat was much more Star
Trek than Star Wars. It was OK, though (what little I played). I believe it
was the first MMO to completely close the doors and shut down the servers.

Freelancer was indeed a great space sim. I to was a bit skeptical of the mouse
flight but adjusted very quickly. The cut scenes and the commerce were weak but
that is typical of an underdeveloped game. I am sure Microsoft just walked in
with their big checkbook and said “how much”. I wish they had invested a little
more to develop the game. Nevertheless, the flight sequences and combat were
great. I added some voice command software for keyboard functions and man
“bring it on”.

That was one of the best Sims ever back in the day

rel="nofollow">http://www.hammiestudios.com
Free Full Album MP3 Download!

Not dead yet! A little digging will reveal that space sims aren't quite a thing
of the past. Haven't played it myself, but IGN gave a favorable review of the
quite recent Darkstar One.

rel="nofollow">http://pc.ign.com/articles/727/727537p1.html

I saw someone mention WC: Arena. While that is quite obviously a space sim, it
is only offered for the 360 (at the moment anyways). While I would go and buy
any WC game that was released I won't buy a new console just to play it. To me
just releasing it for the xbox is a bit of an unfairness to us PC gamers. But
then again I feel that about every game I want to play that is only being
offered for a console system. I know there are a number of people out there who
play only consoles, but I personally cannot bring myself to purchase both a
console and build a PC. And since I am a PC gamer through and through I guess
it is my loss then.

oh well... sigh.. maybe they will take pity on us and port it to PC. Though
that usually opens a hole new can of worms... umm bugs.

It's easy

The newer games actually suck in comparrison to the older ones in terms of
gameplay.

I'm still looking for a space "sim" that is better then Wing Commander: Secret
Missions expansion for PC.

The newer games got far more "arcadey" and less "simey" in terms of speed and
suspension of disbelief.

What? Only 20 enemy fighters at this way point.!?!?! Wow, they sure are zig
zaggy, this might take 10 minutes ot hunt them all down and kill them.

They care crap now
'Nuff said

PLEASE stop mentioning EVE as a replacement for the old Wing Commander games...
it can't even begin to compete. I played for nearly a year, and all I have to
say is... SAVE YOUR MONEY!

I love X-Wing series. Indeed it is my top favorite. Hope Luacsart will remake it
in full DirectX 10 glory

Meanwhile, Indie games like Starshatter may be the best we can have.

We still have a few hundred people playing Starfleet Command: Orion pirates.
The game has been modded as much as we can without the source code and is still
the most tacticly-deep game I've ever seen. Information can be found at href="http://www.dynaverse.net" rel="nofollow">http://www.dynaverse.net as
the developers are no longer in busniess.

The best SpaceSim I have found is the Crossfire Mod version of Freelancer,
especially the MP version. It has a good community of palyers, plenty of sytems,
ships, upgrades and the opportunity to play as a freelancer or join an exsisting
server clan....all this adds up to GREAT FUN!!

In Q2 Jowood is gonna release a game called "Spaceforce - Rogue Universe", which is going to be very much like Darkstar One and my all-time-favourite Freelancer according to their webpage.

http://www.spaceforce-game.com

I loved Wing Commander and was a bit disappointed to DS1, but this one actually looks quite promising.

Aaaaaaah....my people!!!!! I didn't think anyone but me understood the sheer joy of flying through a Kilrathi hangar bay and laying waste to the un-launched fighters!!! Or how about the smug feeling in Privateer when you finally got your Tarsus outfitted to them max, damn Fanatical Retros...still hate them!!! WIng Commander or Privateer...I even liked I-WAR anyone play that...nice ship controls and loadouts with a decent storyline. I had a full joystick pedals and throttle just to play I-WAR and I did!!! I've been stuck here on Earth since then way too long. BattleCruiser 3000 promised a lot but did it ever work? I never got it up and running. Well I'm not a bachelor anymore so I can't sit around all weekend playing sims. I don't think back then I even knew there were gamers I recall trying to explain to people and they just smiled. If only if only!!!!!!!!!