Thu Apr 17, 2003 2:23 am
For folks experienced with this style of computer game, the space-trading sim, the idea of a SP campaign is almost secondary. I was kind of annoyed there wasn't an option to just start flying and exploring (an option in Terminus - a game hardcores should experiment with but it has all the features and then some, if tragically none of the atmosphere, of Freelancer).
I sat through the SP campaign, which wasn't bad if you like that sort of thing, so I could get into the exploration. I could go into all the ways Freelancer needs to upgrade and overhaul gameplay* but I have to give Freelancer its due - if you're a patient fellow with even a glimmer of a sense of wonder you definitely get your money's worth.
Discovering trade routes, secret wormholes, odd wrecks, the details of the setting by associating with factions and hearing rumors, visiting visually and aurally exotic realms and occasionally getting inspired to plot a big heist ("So, Planetform's base is selling Alien Organisms is it? Now, how do I get it to 'X' without hitting opposition? What factions do I need to get in good with? Are there hidden wormholes I can use to avoid gates?"
or wreak vengence against a particular faction ("Bretonnia Go Home - You Poofters! Molly's Rule Dublin!" is all good stuff.
It would be better stuff if one could actually affect something other than static relationships with the factions and money could be spent on something other than just better factional relations or the occasional new ship or weapon. I'd like to be able to really disrupt an enemy's trade. I'd also like to see a more balanced galaxy in which particular factions aren't always complete pushovers. How Liberty manages to fend off its much more powerful (in ship classes) neighbors I'll never know.
Continuity and suspension of disbelief suffer as a result of power inflationary systems - like those in old school RPGs and in Freelancer. Zero sum, balanced systems, are a much better way to go. Sure, more money = better gear, to an extent, but there should always be a trade off. Maybe that much better gear is also much less reliable, much more expensive and much more fragile. There should always be a reason not to automatically upgrade because eventually you end up with what Freelancer has - one or two ship types with optimal loadouts that everyone will fly (if they're sane). Good balancers are fuel and energy consumption as well as flight, target and stealth profiles. Only energy is modelled in Freelancer and only half-heartedly at that. You'll never really find yourself sweating over which weapon to pick up and put in which ship - the right answer is always 'get me the biggest gun I can afford/qualify for based on my level.'
Okay, back to the good stuff. I really like the idea of keeping track of NPCs. Reminds me of my own flightsim habits of taking down diary notes when playing dynamic campaigns. For all my issues with Freelancer's gameplay and the lack of vision therein, I can't fault it with a lack of visual and conceptual design. At first it seemed, and to an extent still does, very derivative of settings I know from elsewhere - Fading Suns comes to mind with it's Earth culture derived noble houses, trading and specialist guilds, mysterious artifacts, jump gates, etc., and others have done it before as well. Still, over time it really grew on me as I began to understand the nuances of both factions and economies. Combined with the brilliantly realized visuals I found myself really drawn into everything.
If I can keep myself entertained enough with exploration and unravelling the setting I might not notice how bored I'm getting of repetative, redundant and retreaded dogfights and missions.
This does lead me into another issue with Freelancer. Multiplayer. If the only really meaty thing about this game, IMHO, is exploring the setting then why would I want to play Multiplayer? I've tried it a few times and it tends to consist of folks telling me where the best trade routes are or occasionally running them with others (which tends to involve alot of waiting around to 'meet up'). I'll confess it was fun for a little while but I don't want people telling me all the secrets and I can dogfight just fine on my own. If factions can't actually be employed as strategic proxies for player factions to war on each other, meaningfully, then what's there to keep players interested in MP?
* (including balanced and player-skill oriented ship design and operation rather than power-levelling ship, more realistic AI behavior (morale, avoidance, and surrender) and better dogfighting skills (teamwork and employment of tactics/weaponry/systems), wingmen, dynamic economies, dynamic factional interrelations, more varied mission types for players and encountered NPCs - *especially* faction specific missions and rewards, more special locations and/or randomized special events/encounters etc...)
Alright, longer than the original post but wanted to get it all in there.
I sat through the SP campaign, which wasn't bad if you like that sort of thing, so I could get into the exploration. I could go into all the ways Freelancer needs to upgrade and overhaul gameplay* but I have to give Freelancer its due - if you're a patient fellow with even a glimmer of a sense of wonder you definitely get your money's worth.
Discovering trade routes, secret wormholes, odd wrecks, the details of the setting by associating with factions and hearing rumors, visiting visually and aurally exotic realms and occasionally getting inspired to plot a big heist ("So, Planetform's base is selling Alien Organisms is it? Now, how do I get it to 'X' without hitting opposition? What factions do I need to get in good with? Are there hidden wormholes I can use to avoid gates?"
or wreak vengence against a particular faction ("Bretonnia Go Home - You Poofters! Molly's Rule Dublin!" is all good stuff.
It would be better stuff if one could actually affect something other than static relationships with the factions and money could be spent on something other than just better factional relations or the occasional new ship or weapon. I'd like to be able to really disrupt an enemy's trade. I'd also like to see a more balanced galaxy in which particular factions aren't always complete pushovers. How Liberty manages to fend off its much more powerful (in ship classes) neighbors I'll never know.
Continuity and suspension of disbelief suffer as a result of power inflationary systems - like those in old school RPGs and in Freelancer. Zero sum, balanced systems, are a much better way to go. Sure, more money = better gear, to an extent, but there should always be a trade off. Maybe that much better gear is also much less reliable, much more expensive and much more fragile. There should always be a reason not to automatically upgrade because eventually you end up with what Freelancer has - one or two ship types with optimal loadouts that everyone will fly (if they're sane). Good balancers are fuel and energy consumption as well as flight, target and stealth profiles. Only energy is modelled in Freelancer and only half-heartedly at that. You'll never really find yourself sweating over which weapon to pick up and put in which ship - the right answer is always 'get me the biggest gun I can afford/qualify for based on my level.'
Okay, back to the good stuff. I really like the idea of keeping track of NPCs. Reminds me of my own flightsim habits of taking down diary notes when playing dynamic campaigns. For all my issues with Freelancer's gameplay and the lack of vision therein, I can't fault it with a lack of visual and conceptual design. At first it seemed, and to an extent still does, very derivative of settings I know from elsewhere - Fading Suns comes to mind with it's Earth culture derived noble houses, trading and specialist guilds, mysterious artifacts, jump gates, etc., and others have done it before as well. Still, over time it really grew on me as I began to understand the nuances of both factions and economies. Combined with the brilliantly realized visuals I found myself really drawn into everything.
If I can keep myself entertained enough with exploration and unravelling the setting I might not notice how bored I'm getting of repetative, redundant and retreaded dogfights and missions.
This does lead me into another issue with Freelancer. Multiplayer. If the only really meaty thing about this game, IMHO, is exploring the setting then why would I want to play Multiplayer? I've tried it a few times and it tends to consist of folks telling me where the best trade routes are or occasionally running them with others (which tends to involve alot of waiting around to 'meet up'). I'll confess it was fun for a little while but I don't want people telling me all the secrets and I can dogfight just fine on my own. If factions can't actually be employed as strategic proxies for player factions to war on each other, meaningfully, then what's there to keep players interested in MP?
* (including balanced and player-skill oriented ship design and operation rather than power-levelling ship, more realistic AI behavior (morale, avoidance, and surrender) and better dogfighting skills (teamwork and employment of tactics/weaponry/systems), wingmen, dynamic economies, dynamic factional interrelations, more varied mission types for players and encountered NPCs - *especially* faction specific missions and rewards, more special locations and/or randomized special events/encounters etc...)
Alright, longer than the original post but wanted to get it all in there.