It's probably the last answer. The game was in development for like 5 years, until
Microsoft stepped in and fired Chris Robberts. Chris was the main developer & designer I think.

The reason that he got fired? The game had been in development for too long according to Microsoft and they wanted the game to be released.

So what we got is a game that is ok, but doesn't have the real depth like Privateer or the old Elite.

Plus, the game still has several weird bugs and errors.

Microsoft just wants easy games, not too complex. For example Mechwarrior, while Mechwarrior 3 was a complex game that had something "realistic", MW 4 was a massmarket product that was just worth playing it one time through.

I wish that they would have held on for awhile. This game has the most potential of any game I've played; and I've played way more games than I'd like to admit. I think we'll all be modding it for awhile.

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Always to the left of the enemy.

Oh I think MS will publish at least one expansion for Freelancer. Being a top 10 selling game 2 months in a row is not too shabby. Mechwarrior 4 sold just as well and it got about 4 expansions.

I really hope so. I don't mind the exploration as long as there's something to find when I get out to the middle of no where.

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Always to the left of the enemy.

Let's slow down a bit. The game is still relatively new for most. Games are often left open-ended to create the possibility of expansions. Also, DA wants gamers to explore the universe and use the MP to keep things alive. One more thing, DA is still learning. They will learn from mistakes and improve the product. Besides, mods are a natural evolution of good games.

I came. I saw. I conquered. And sometimes get conquered.
"I'm Natrunner, I don't really run TLR but I do have an understanding with those that do."

Yes very true, also Expansion are usually released when a games sales are slowing down. That way they release the expansion and not only does it sell but it forces others who dont own the original to go out and buy it. Warcraft, Starcraft, Diablo 2 ect. All their expansions were released about a year after the original product. So dont expect anything till at least christmas this year.

Let's see...where to begin to set the record straight....

@Silver71880
Chris Roberts was not fired from Digital Anvil, he left on his own to pursue other projects (such as movie making which he's still doing). I think you do need to get your facts verifed before posting untruths...that's all I'm saying.

@Deimos
If you were in the business to sell games and you have a choice of making them so complex no one would have the patience to really get into them or a choice to make games people can catch onto fairly easily? Then, what would you suspect would produce the best dollar bottom line?

@Natrunner
Bingo, Digital Anvil is still learning and will continue to learn as long as they receive desernable feedback from their customers.

@Kodakmoment
I'd agree with your assessment to a point. Most of the time, yep you're right on the money but there are exceptions.

Rob "Stinger" Lordier
Moderator - Lancers Reactor
Creator Privateer FAQ
no good deed will ever go unpunished

But what do i do now that i've played every angle form only working for the navy to being a trader to being a pirate. I have been every where and found everything. I am playing through single player again for the 9th time. This time never taking sheild batteries.

If Your Trading Your Cheating. Cause Real Men Make Money Killing.

I would check out the modding community. I know of a few things that are going on; the most ambitious being a Star Wars mod. Just search the internet for different mods; they should keep you busy until the expansion comes out. Maybe you could try modding it yourself. That will definitely keep you busy until the expansion comes out.

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Always to the left of the enemy.

nail on the head greywolf
fingers crossed for the lvl2 mod tomorrow! Terra empire is the one I'm most looking forward too personally, atm I'm replaying the sp campaign for the 3rd time with the latest addition of rebalance mod. Reynen mod and boba fett are sitting on my harddisk awaiting action along with babylon5 and a host of others, there's plenty to play!

Stinger wrote: : "If you were in the business to sell games and you have a choice of making them so complex no one would have the patience to really get into them or a choice to make games people can catch onto fairly easily? Then, what would you suspect would produce the best dollar bottom line?"

That's a sad fact about most games these days; creativity is sacrificed for decisions that affect how well the game will sell, and games are dumbed down as a result. Only a few games houses (Valve, Epic, Blizzard and DICE immediately spring to mind) seem to put out games where creativity is what actually makes a game good and helps to sell it.

Having said that, it's a small miracle that Freelancer turned as good as it did. Sure, it could be improved in many ways, but considering that the game took five years to make, survived an acquisition by MS and had one of its chief visionaries (Chris Roberts) leave halfway through, it turned out to be pretty good.



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/707th/ Zaccix
Member of the 707th Silver Dragons.

I maintain that a company's first game is always their best effort, because they're really trying to impress people and get their name out there.

Reaper: $200,000,000.
Rockets: $100,000
The look on that pilot's face when you launch a full pod of screamers up his tailpipe: priceless

Ah, mech 3... That game rocked! I've always thought that it was rather easy to play actually, the interface made a lot more sense than mech 4s.