The name "space sim" has really been opened up lately. Many games are being called space sims even though they do not go by the classic definition of one. I just thought id like to point that out cuz all the "space" games coming out are not the true space sims we've played in the past.

EVE is an MMOG coming out.
Elite 4 possibly.

There should be some more.

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<-- Jacko's impression of a Nomad

I mean a real simulation (or as real as you can get with space travel), not RPGs.

If you want "real" you should go look for a game called Orbiter, or something similiar. It's free, and it's more of a simulation than a game, but it's VERY challenging and as realistic as they come

Check out Homeplanet. You can get the demo from fileplanet. It is a russian created space sim. I have not finished downloading the demo yet, but it looks promising.

Parsec (parsec.org) is a good looking open source space sim. It is nowhere near finished, though. A new release is coming out in May, so it may be worth a look then.

I spend a lot of my time playing mods to Freespace 2. While not as good as a whole new game, the recent release of the source code has really made the mod scene flourish.

If you are looking for a space combat simulation, as opposed to a civillian space travel simulation, I would like to recommend my game Starshatter. The game includes your choice of arcade and newtonian physics models, plus you get to fly both fighters and big starships. There are also several mods in development already. See my sig for the link.

Another game that hasn't been mentioned yet is IWar 2: Edge of Chaos. You may be able to find it hiding in a bargain bin somewhere, as it came out early last year.

--milo
www.starshatter.com

Just a comment on I war2, I like open ended games and tend to get quite bored quite quickly with titles like freespace and starlancer "IE story based - mission based games" : I war 2 is the execption to this rule, basically all though it is a story based shooter it has a free element to it and deffo works as a game. I loved Iwar2 you should deffo check it out... the only the=ing that occasionally makes people not like it is the realistic physics model... for what its worth that what i liked most about the game.

Solo--

Ps : - i wrote a brief review / thought on I war ages ago - you can find them here.

http://www.atomicrain.net/html/iwar2.html

Im curious to know what the classic definition of a Space-sim is?

You guys bring that up alot, what does it mean.

In my view a space-sim, meaning the imitation of flying a spacecraft through space.

That fits all the games of this genre. I dont understand how it could not be. If the argument is solely on the control device of this game mentioned by someone before, its irrelevant. The real controls are unknown of the simulated spacecraft, because it doesn't exist. If it was the argument of actual space physics, then that could be valid. But then almost all the games of this genre could be taken off the list. But then again this simulated spacecraft does not exist, it could have a means of defying the laws of physics as we know them.

Theres alot of be said about classifying space-sims.

To me freelancer is just another space-sim, although it looks to be one helleva good one.

check out Milod's game, Starshatter, it's very topnotch, has some great options, and of course, it's free! At least, at last check it was. It has some great graphics too.

"We're almost there." - Jorg

I got Starfleet Command 3 a while back. It's pretty cool if you're into Star Trek. You guys who keep asking about flying a capship in FL might check it out. You can even be the Borg. I don't know if there's a demo for it.

Let's get those missiles ready to destroy the universe!!

Milrod,
Interesting game you have. Can't wait to download it!

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Would you care to follow me... --DEATH

"Im curious to know what the classic definition of a Space-sim is?"

I don't know if there is a "classic definition" of any game genre.

For me, the test of a space sim has two main criteria -

1. The game must represent the activities of the pilot or commander of a real or imagined space vessel. If the space craft is from a known fictional tradition (e.g. an X-Wing fighter) the game must represent a large fraction of the activities known to be in that tradition. If the space craft is from a wholly new fictional universe, the game must provide some coherent model of the pilot's activities and then seek to simulate those.

(Practically all classic space sims such as Wing Commander pass the first test.)

2. The purpose of the game's design must be primarily about the business of piloting or commanding a spacecraft.

(Most space based arcade games such as Jedi Fighter at least pass the second test.)

I have not played Freelancer in any form, I have only read the accounts of others who have played it. From those accounts, Freelancer clearly fails to meet the first test described above. People who have played the game usually say that it feels more like playing a first person shooter than flying a space ship.

I don't know whether or not FL meets the second test. It probably does. However, some descriptions of the game make it sound more like a classic action/adventure game in which the point is to buff your inventory and solve some mystery.

So to me, it sounds like Freelancer is more of a hybrid of several game genres than it is a pure space combat or trading simulation.

I'm not trying to sound like some kind of Elitist (pun intended ) snob; Freelancer may well be a better game for integrating design influences from different kinds of games. Space sims have gotten a little stale of late.

But at the same time, I must confess I am a little disappointed. I just really like the simulation aspects of space sims, and much of the simulation seems to have been abstracted away from Freelancer. Oh, I'm still going to buy it and play it. But where once I was eager to do so, now I am merely curious to see how it all turned out.

--milo
www.starshatter.com

That's the trouble the developers have. What one person finds exciting, other people may find boring. I guess they gotta find a compromise that satisfies the most people.

Let's get those missiles ready to destroy the universe!!

Tried your game, milo. Very cool program, you made it alone?
Never even though I'll see a game with controlable capitol ships.
*Clap clap clap*

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Would you care to follow me... --DEATH

Im finding the view of some quite baffling when they say that FL has been toned down to accomodate for the average player. If you will let your minds drift back to 6-10 months ago, when there was a different type of Neuronet, instead of being used for storage of data, it was used as a combat auto pilot and the player was basically just a turret gunner. You could tell the Neuronet what to do but not do any actual piloting yourself.

Combat auto pilot had been in Freelancer from pretty well much the get go. So it's pretty difficult to say that the pilot controls in Freelancer have been toned down, when there were no pilot controls to begin with.

Still either way I think DA have been pretty open about the fact theat Freelancer is not and has never been a hardcore space sim. Even Roberts said he was looking design something for the average player at Freelancers inception.