Space combat simulator

"Space combat" redirects here. For hypothetical combat in space, see Space warfare."

Such games generally place the player into the controls of small, one-person dogfighting craft and bombers in a military force of similar and larger spaceships. The prominent "Wing Commander", ' and ' series all use this approach. Exceptions include the first "Independence War" and the "" series, which models the larger craft of "Star Trek" in a more tactical fashion.

Examples

*""
*""
*"Independence War"
*"Wing Commander" series
*"Allegiance (computer game)"
*"X (computer game series)"
*"Starlancer"
*""
*""
*"Freelancer"
*"DarkStar One"

pace trading and combat simulators

Popular examples include "Elite", "", "Freelancer" and the "X" series.

Overview

The space trading and combat simulation genre is a sub-genre of space simulation. The general formula for the genre, which has changed little since its genesis, is for the player to begin in a small, outdated ship with little money or status and for the player to work his way up, gaining in status and power through trading, exploration, combat or a mix of different methods. Plot tends to play only a limited role and only a loose narrative framework tends to be provided (in certain titles of the "X" series, for instance, players may ignore the plot as long as they like and are even given the option to disable the plot completely and instead play in "sandbox" mode).

Games of this type often allow the player to choose among multiple roles to play and multiple paths to victory. This aspect of the genre is very popular, and some people have complained that, in some titles, the leeway given to the player too often is only superficial, and that, in reality, the roles offered to players are very similar, and open-ended play too frequently restricted by scripted sequences. As an example, "Freelancer" has been criticised for being too rigid in its narrative structure, being in one case compared negatively with "Grand Theft Auto"cite web | last = Fahey | first = Rob | title = Freelancer Review | publisher = Eurogamer | date = April 11, 2003 | url = http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=4589 | accessdate = 2008-06-19] , another series heralded for its open-ended play.cite web | last = Whitehead | first = Dan | title = Born Free: the History of the Openworld Game | publisher = Eurogamer | date = February 4, 2008 | url = http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=91968 | accessdate = 2008-06-20]

All space trading and combat games feature the core gameplay elements of directly controlling the flight of some sort of space vessel, generally armed, and of navigating from one area to another for a variety of reasons. As technology has improved it has been possible to implement a number of extensions to gameplay, such as dynamic economies, cooperative online play and realistic flight models based on Newtonian physics, but the core gameplay has changed little over the years. Some recent games have expanded the scope of the experience by including thousands of simultaneous online players in what is commonly referred to as a "living universe"cite web | last = Brenesal | first = Barry | title = IGN: X3: Reunion Review | publisher = IGN | date = December 6, 2005 | url = http://pc.ign.com/articles/673/673886p1.html | accessdate = 2008-05-20] cite web | title = X2 The Threat | publisher = GameInfoWire | url = http://gameinfowire.com/game.asp?gid=1014 | accessdate = 2008-06-20] . This is a dream some have held since the genre's early beginnings.cite web | last = Carless | first = Simon | title = GDC: Game Designers Rant On Making Games That Matter | publisher = GameSetWatch | date = March 5, 2008 | url = http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2008/03/gdc_game_designers_rant_on_mak.php | accessdate = 2008-06-20]

Control systems

Most modern space trading and combat games on the PC allow a player to utilise a combination of the WASD keys of the keyboard and mouse as a means of controlling the game (games such as Microsoft's "Freelancer" use this control system exclusively). By far the most popular control system among genre enthusiasts, however, is the joystick.cite web |last=LaMosca |first=Adam |title=Lost in the Void |publisher=The Escapist |date=July 18, 2006 |url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_54/324-Lost-in-the-Void |format=HTML |accessdate=2007-11-17] Most fans prefer to use this input method whenever possible, but expense and practicality mean that many are forced to use the keyboard and mouse combination (or gamepad if such is the case). The lack of uptake among the majority of modern gamers has also made joysticks a sort of an anachronism, though some new controller designs and simplification of controls offer the promise that space sims may be playable in their full capacity on gaming consoles at some time in the future. In fact, "", part of one of the more cumbersome and difficult series of space simulationscite web | last = Peckham | first = Matt | title = Flatspace II: The Rise of the Scarrid | publisher = SciFi.com | date = March 7, 2006 | url = http://www.scifi.com/sfw/games/sfw12312.html | accessdate = 2008-06-20] , was initially planned for the Xbox but later cancelled.cite web | title = X3: Reunion for Xbox | publisher = GameSpot | url = http://www.gamespot.com/xbox/sim/x3reunion/index.html | accessdate = 2008-06-20]

History

"Elite" has made a lasting impression on developers, worldwide, even into different genres. In interviews, senior producers of CCP Games cited "Elite" as one of the inspirations for their acclaimed "EVE Online" MMORPG. [cite web | url=http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20050923/rossignol_01.shtml | title=Evolution and Risk: CCP on the Freedoms of EVE Online | publisher=Gamasutra | accessdate=2007-08-05] Both Thorolfur Beck and Reynir Petursson have said that it was the prime motivator behind the gamecite web | first = Richard | last= Aihoshi | title = EVE Interview | publisher = RPGVault | date = August 1, 2000 | url = http://rpgvaultarchive.ign.com/features/interviews/eve.shtml | accessdate = 2008-06-19] cite web | last = Breeden II | first = John | title = Keep Looking Up: Space-based Eve Online Enjoys Success | publisher = GamesIndustry | url = http://www.gameindustry.com/interview/item.asp?id=39 | accessdate = 2008-06-20] , and Thorolfur Beck credits "Elite" as the game that impacted him most on the Commodore 64. Developers of "Jumpgate Evolution", "Battlecruiser 3000AD", ', ' and "Flatspace" all claim "Elite" as a source of inspiration.cite web | last = Johnson | first = Joe | title = Infinity: Quest for the Earth | publisher = ModDB | date = February 9, 2006 | url = http://www.moddb.com/features/23760/infinity-quest-for-the-earth | accessdate = 2008-06-20] cite web | title = Hard Truck: Apocalyptic Wars interview | publisher = Duck and Cover | date = April 25, 2005 | url = http://www.duckandcover.cx/content.php?id=79 | accessdate = 2008-06-20] cite web | last = Carroll | first = Russell | title = Chat with Cornutopia about FLATSPACE by Game Tunnel | publisher = Game Tunnel | date = October 27, 2003 | url = http://www.gametunnel.com/articles.php?id=329 | accessdate = 2008-06-20] cite web | last = Bergman | first = Jason | title = Serious Brass Ones (A peek inside the world of Derek Smart) | publisher = looneygames | url = http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.27/feat/ | accessdate = 2008-06-20] "Elite" was named one of the sixteen most influential games in history at Telespiele, a German technology and games trade showcite web | last = Plunkett | first = Luke | title = German Journos Pick Their Most Important Games Of All Time | publisher = Kotaku | date = August 27, 2007 | url = http://kotaku.com/gaming/notag/german-journos-pick-their-most-important-games-of-all-time-293565.php | accessdate = 2008-06-20] , and was exhibited as one of the twenty-five best video games ever at the Science Museum in Londoncite web | title = What makes a true gaming classic? | publisher = Edge | date = October, 2006 | url = http://www.edge-online.co.uk/archives/2006/10/what_makes_a_tr.php | accessdate = 2008-06-20] . "Elite" was also named #12 on IGN's 2000 "Top 25 PC Games of All Time" listcite web | title = The Top 25 PC Games of All Time | publisher = IGN | date = July 24, 2000 | url = http://pc.ign.com/articles/082/082486p1.html | accessdate = 2008-06-20] , the #3 most influential video game ever by the Times Online in 2007cite web | last = Moran | first = Michael | title = The ten most influential video games ever | publisher = Times Online | date = September 20, 2007 | url = http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/gadgets_and_gaming/article2455080.ece | accessdate = 2008-06-20] , and "best game ever" for the BBC Micro by Beebug Magazine in 1984Citation | last = Fell | first = David | title = Elite - An Outstanding New Game from Acornsoft | newspaper = Beebug Magazine | year = 1984 | date = November 1984 | url = http://home.clara.net/iancgbell/elite/archive/a4110020.htm] . Elite's sequel, "", was named #77 on PC Zone's "101 Best PC Games Ever"cite web | title = The 101 best PC games ever | publisher = PC Zone | date = May 12, 2007 | url = http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=163783 | accessdate = 2008-06-20] list in 2007. "Elite" has been credited as opening the door for future online persistent worlds, such as "Second Life" and "World of Warcraft", and as being the first truly open-ended gamecite web | title = The complete history of open-world games | publisher = Computer and Video Games | date = May 24, 2008 | url = http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=189591 | accessdate = 2008-06-20] . Similar praise has been bestowed elsewhere in the media from time to time.cite web | title = THE HOT 100 GAME DEVELOPERS OF 2007 | publisher = GamesIndustry.biz | date = March 3, 2007 | url = http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4859&Itemid=2&limit=1&limitstart=2 | accessdate = 2008-06-20 | quote = David Braben is one of the old-time legends of British computer gaming – along with Ian Bell, he co-wrote the space simulator Elite, a hugely influential game often earmarked as one of the best ever made.] cite web | first = Asterick | title = Presented in Retrovision: Elite | publisher = Gay Gamer | date = May 29, 2008 | url = http://gaygamer.net/2008/05/presented_in_retrovision_elite.html | accessdate = 2008-06-20 | quote = Elite is still one of the most influential games to date, having inspired EVE Online, Freespace, Jumpgate, Homeworld and a handful of other space titles.] cite web | last = Barrat | first = Andy | title = Racing Into The Future | publisher = G4techTV Canada | date = January 30, 2008 | url = http://www.g4techtv.ca/technews/AB/AB_20080130_racingintothefuture.shtml | accessdate = 2008-06-20 | quote = But [the BBC Micros] weren't just for learning on, a handful of games were actually released for the Beeb - two of the most influential games ever in fact – one of which was Revs. (...) The other super influential game [besides Revs] by the way, was Elite.] cite web | last = Shoemaker | first = Richie | title = PC Review: X - Beyond the Frontier | publisher = Computer and Video Games | date = August 13, 2001 | url = http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=3667 | accessdate = 2008-06-20 | quote = If, however - like me - you consider Elite to be the best game ever made, X - Beyond The Frontier is by far its closest relation.] Citation | last = Karlsson | first = Peter | title = Classic Commodore games on the web | newspaper = Commodore World | year = 2000 | date = Issue 8 | url = http://www.softwolves.pp.se/cbm/artiklar/gameweb | quote = In 1984, Ian Bell was the one of the authors of a game that by many still is regarded as the best game ever written, Elite (the other author was David Braben).]

Some tabletop and board games, such as "Traveller" or "Merchant of Venus", also feature themes of space combat and trade. "Traveller" influenced the development of "Elite"cite web | last =Hooper | first =George | title =Elite Trivia | publisher =George Hooper | url =http://www.hooplah.com/encounters/trivia.htm | format =HTML | accessdate =2007-11-26 ] (the main character in "Traveller" is named "Jamison"; the main character in "Elite" is named "Jameson") and "Jumpgate Evolution". "Trade Wars" and "TradeWars 2002" were early BBS door games that featured trading and combat set in outer space, and were influential in their own rightcite web | last = Rector | first = Charles | title = Interviews: Werner Bayer aka Bladefist of Pardus | publisher = Online Multiplayer Games Network | date = July 27, 2007 | url = http://www.omgn.com/interviews.php?Item_ID=32 | accessdate = 2008-06-20] cite web | title = Classic BBS Game “Trade Wars®” Reborn (Press Release) | publisher = GameZone | date = May 4, 2006 | url = http://pc.gamezone.com/news/05_04_06_10_36AM.htm | accessdate = 2008-06-21] .

The seeming decline of the space trading and combat simulator in the late '90s coincided with the rise of the RTS, FPS and RPG game genres, with such examples as "Doom", "" and "Diablo". The very things that made these games classics, such as their lack of a directed plot, powerful controls and attention to detail, have been cited as reasons for this decline. Some recent franchises such as the "X" series and "EVE Online", however, appear to have broken this mold. The open source community has also been active, with recent projects such as "FS2 Open" and "Vega Strike" serving as platforms for nonprofessional efforts.cite web | last = Wen | first = Howard | title = What Happened To The Last Starfighters? | publisher = The Escapist | date = February 12, 2008 | url = http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_136/2918-What-Happened-To-The-Last-Starfighters | accessdate = 2008-06-20] In an odd twist of fate, remakes of "Elite" and "Privateer"cite web | title = Privateer Gemini Gold 1.02a Review | publisher = Macworld | date = January 9, 2008 | url = http://www.macworld.co.uk/macsoftware/reviews/index.cfm?reviewid=2417 | accessdate = 2008-06-20] are being made using the "Vega Strike" engine.

Examples

*"Battlecruiser" series (1996-2003)
*"DarkStar One" (2006)
*"Elite" series (1984-1995)
*"Escape Velocity" series (1996-2002)
*"" MMO (2001-present)
*"Evochron" series (2005-2007)
*"Flatspace" series (2003-2006)
*"Freelancer" (2003)
*"" (in development)
*"" (2007)
*"Space Rangers" series (2002-2004)
*"" (1984)
*"" (2000)
*"Trade Wars" series (1984-present)
*"" (1993)
*"X" series (1999-2007)

ee also

*Space flight simulator game
*List of space flight simulator games

References

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