Wed Feb 19, 2003 4:13 am
I just realized what was so great about Privateer 2 - relate
Reading that "Will Freelancer be TAME?" brought up thoughts about Privateer 2, which I still consider to be the best space game I've ever played.
Now some of this is definitely due to nostalgia, I was about 14-15 when I played it and furthermore it was probably the first 'real' PC game I played on the first PC I alone owned (my parents recognizing my interest and skill with their PC were nice enough to purchase one specifically for me).
However, I realized that what really made the game great beyond the obvious pleasures of a freeform game is that it was in part an adventure game. In I-War 2 and Freelancer (both freeform games of course) the story is handed to you through missions. E.G. you don't really have to do anything to move it along except for meet the requirement for the next little bit of story to be presented. The story basically motivates itself and just brings you along for the ride. However, Privateer 2 was different, you had to work to get parts of the story. There was a mystery and you actually had to apply some reason and figure things out before getting the next bit of story. E.G. you have to find something out about some cryo-pod, but you're not told by anyone or direct by any objective where to look. Instead you yourself had to go to an info terminal and look for where the company that made you cryopod was based, then you flew there went to cryo plant and progressed through a few dialogue trees to find your next clue. In fact the story wasn't really mission based, it was always there, presenting itself little by little through the clues you found. Though I love Freelancer, I wish it could be a little more like that.
Man I wish I could still play Priv2 (system is too advanced to get it to run) and discover if my love of it is warranted or really just nostalgia.
Now some of this is definitely due to nostalgia, I was about 14-15 when I played it and furthermore it was probably the first 'real' PC game I played on the first PC I alone owned (my parents recognizing my interest and skill with their PC were nice enough to purchase one specifically for me).
However, I realized that what really made the game great beyond the obvious pleasures of a freeform game is that it was in part an adventure game. In I-War 2 and Freelancer (both freeform games of course) the story is handed to you through missions. E.G. you don't really have to do anything to move it along except for meet the requirement for the next little bit of story to be presented. The story basically motivates itself and just brings you along for the ride. However, Privateer 2 was different, you had to work to get parts of the story. There was a mystery and you actually had to apply some reason and figure things out before getting the next bit of story. E.G. you have to find something out about some cryo-pod, but you're not told by anyone or direct by any objective where to look. Instead you yourself had to go to an info terminal and look for where the company that made you cryopod was based, then you flew there went to cryo plant and progressed through a few dialogue trees to find your next clue. In fact the story wasn't really mission based, it was always there, presenting itself little by little through the clues you found. Though I love Freelancer, I wish it could be a little more like that.
Man I wish I could still play Priv2 (system is too advanced to get it to run) and discover if my love of it is warranted or really just nostalgia.
Priv 2 shouldn't even been called Priv 2, because everything about the game was waaaaay of from the original. I had played Privateer for a very long time and I must say that I was pretty disappointed when I bought Priv 2, expecting a sequel.
