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it has come to an abrupt conclusion

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There is the biggest flaw in your post, the game never comes to a conclusion. This game was not designed for people to rush through it as fast as they could not bothering to even explore anything and then ask "now what?" This game is designed for patient people who like to explore the huge number of system there are, like run trade routes hauling commodities, aligning with factions of your choice at any time, etc. This game is not just about the main story line and then being over after it's done like so many other games out there, if you can't see beyond that I pity you.

Zero... I like this game. But only because I see potential in a sequel, MODS, and perhaps an expansion pack. The exploration is hardly worth it. There is nothing so spectacular in this game that you are rewarded with by having curiosity. The ships are nothing great at all. The warships themselves are rather tiny compared to a vast majority of other space games. I don't even feel threatened by them. The single player campaign is not that long even for people who take their time. The freelance missions are repetitive and group affiliation is not dynamic at all. The only good thing that comes from being on good terms with a certain group is that they won't attack you when they are nearby. Big deal. Do they ever come to your rescue when you're not in their territory? Can you get a group of them together through a good word and go do something either destructive or constructive? No. Before you go saying "that's why the call it FREELANCER", I hate to burst your bubble but even freelancers need allies and help once in awhile. This game is really nothing more than "look at the pretty stars and nebula.. then go blow something up in randomly generated jobs that have you doing remarkably the same thing but with a higher degree of difficulty depending on where you're at." There is no need to pity someone who can't see something that isn't even there. You need to pity yourself for believing that there is.

Well, that's around $4.50 an hour (depending on purchase price) that's still better value than going to the movies and that's playing it at break-neck speed.

Not really that expensive, even if you don't see everything you can in the game.

I dont like these flame-wars all over the gaff, I'm lookin forward to the game over in the UK but people who are over-simplifying it and pointing out its flaws instead of it strengths are getting me down...

It's giving the game a bad vibe to the people who are waiting to play it, this is a bit like the Wing Commander Movie with all the WC fans. I found that if you try to like it for what it is, you probably will... same with Freelancer I hope. If you dont like it, then fine

Negative comments are more powerful than positive ones I think, and because of this I'll stay off here until I get the game or for good, and play it without lots of negative comments in my head which will destract me from playing the game and enjoying it to my fullest. See you all laters

I expect posts with "bye...whoever you are" or "nice to know", grow out of your childish shell... really.

I'm going to take some middle ground here. I don't believe this game is for everyone, and unfortunately, bershe, from the sound of it, you're one of the people who it just won't appeal to longterm (I don't mean at all - I mean enough to justify it's purchase).

I agree with most of what ZeroGravity said (as I've mentioned in a few other posts). I think this is a game for patient explorers, not people wanting a long campaign. That's in no way a flame and there's nothing wrong with the fact you're disappointed - games just appeal to different people, and I just think you thought maybe there was more fit here than there actually was.

I do agree that having more varied random missions would have really boosted the longevity of the game and it's too bad there are not more types (hoping for a patch or expansion pack), but by the same token, between all the systems, all the stations to visit and land on, all the anomalies, and all the abandoned ships to loot, not to mention all the ships, weapons, etc. to find and try (and yes, the ships are somewhat similar, but they do have different weapon configurations, etc.), I think this game can keep the right type of person occupied for a while.

Anyways, just my opinion, but some expectations seem too high. The game's not perfect, no, but I think people are being a bit harsh too. Though I can understand that - if I'm disappointed I might be too.

Like I said above Dont play the game hoping for things, play it and like it for what the game is...

Guarenteed enjoyment most of the time

I have to say I would say the ending was lack luster. I mean I expected a
lot more after all that build up to the end.

Two comments.

Vyse: I agree what you say, especially: " I like this game. But only because I see potential in a sequel, MODS, and perhaps an expansion pack".

guptasa1: Expectations are not too high. This game has been hyped and hyped and overhyped by the gaming industry for years, and in its conception it was much more ambitious than what the release product has lived up to. The game has been stripped down and simplified, and while the game universe is very broad, it is incredibly shallow.

You must get dissapointed an aweful lot bersche, in case you haven't noticed 13 hours of gameplay is about average these days. Still I know you haven't even seen half of what's in this game. It took me 20 hours to find and see everything in the demo, granted I was doing a fair amount of stuffing around but that was just one system. All you have done is played through the story line and that is only part of what the game has to offer, go out and explore a bit.

Part of my problem with the analysis above is I remember hearing briefly about Freelancer years ago, but just recently got interested with the demo's release, so I'm not familiar with all the hype and such. Therefore, I really had no expectations going into this and was very much surprised.

I think a lot of time hype works AGAINST products. I've found personally I enjoy things that come out of the blue and surpise me much more than things I've been anticipating for a long time, as they generally disappoint in one way or another. If I had anticipated it as the next Privateer and read and researched on all of the cool features that didn't make it in the game or were watered down, I'd probably be disappointed. But this game kinda hit me in the face and pleasantly surprised me, so I guess I was fortunate that I didn't get involved in the hype.

One good thing you and Vyse pointed out - even if it's not the game you wanted, the engine seems very nicely done, and perhaps Digital Anvil will read this board and make their next version with some of the suggestions.

I some how thing that game was always meant to be something eles, the vision that was related to us WC,Privateer fans was freelancer is the be all and end all of the privateer line of games we have come to love from Origin. There had to be alot of inhouse politics at play when microsoft bought out Digital Anvil(the people behind the WC games from Origin). Enought so to make Chris roberts quit his job at DA. Remember from what i have read from the press, i could be wrong but Chris has never given a reason for quitting DA to the public.
Noone can say to me that the release product of freelancer has had no input in terms of game content from the billy.G big M company. I mean sure noone from micrsoft was standing looking over the shoulders of the dev team in DA, they don't have to. Microsoft has its thumb on it, you can be sure of that. Never in the WC line and Privateer line of games gone out of its way to make it easy for the masses to play. That to me is microsoft sales machine written all over it.
As for begin disapointed, yes and no. Yes that the game was released at the stage of "good enought to sale". NO in that the system coded in this game and the Mod comunity could do wonders with it .
Overall i now expect to buy this game as "something to take the edge off". It will be fun for the 20 or so hours and i'm no lonnger have the high expectations i had when Chris released the details on this game back all these years ago. So having these post about the game isn't harming the game for other people, it opened my mind on what the game is really like and buy it for what it is and not waht i wanted it to be.

"Enought so to make Chris roberts quit his job at DA. Remember from what i have read from the press, i could be wrong but Chris has never given a reason for quitting DA to the public."

I was under the impression that Chris Roberts left the gaming industry for Hollywood?

Yeah thats what his doing now. Did he give that out as a reason? I mean i could be wrong. But i saw nothing out of the game mags, sites about him other than the freelancer related news -( him quiting) than a long slience followed by the "his at hollywood now". Anyone eles know any details they like to share? I mean when it comes down to it the order of events that i saw was Micrsoft moved in and chris moved out, one right after the other. I could be wrong?!@

Chris left to persue a movie career, that was always the case. I believe that DA were in some financial trouble prior to the Microsoft buyout though.
That's why I really dislike Microsoft bashing around here, if it wasn't for Microsoft you'd be playing nothing at all.