I Don't Often Play Space Based Games...

[undercovergeek]

watching some lets play rebellion on youtube - it looks pretty cool, it means very little but i like how the capital ships turn sideways to deliver massive broadsides

I'm shallow, that means a lot to me :) Link?

Lol will do tonight - sat in a van driving to London at mo

[republic]

I can echo the others about Eve online.  The corp makes the game, and it requires lots and lots of time commitment.

Eve Online is easily the most amazing MMO I've ever played...but unfortunately it is the game for people who can devote many hours to playing.  I think I started playing in early 2004.  Recently married to an understanding (or maybe patient) wife I sunk hour upon hour into the game.  Later on as a kiddo came along, I just could't (wouldn't) play more than an hour or so a day...and for Eve that isn't enough to do much of anything.

Eve is a game of real life subterfuge and intrigue.  If you have the time...its amazing.  I just don't have the time.  If its still around in 18 years when my youngest is moved out...I'll sign back up.  :)

[Huw the Poo]

Gus, have you played Space Rangers 2?

[Nefaro]

That's the rub - I like to play MMOs casually these days.

Have you tried Guild Wars 2?  It's one of the most casual-friendly MMORPGs I've ever played.

Yes, but I had a few issues with it:

1) My old guild was located on one of the original release servers.  When those got filled up, and they had to start up more servers, they absolutely would not let me transfer to it as my guild's server had been permanently listed as "full" every time I tried.  A CS ticket asking if there's something that could be done resulted in an e-mail that basically told me, "tough shit".  I coughed up the $60 to play with my guild, and cannot do so.

2) I came back to check it out later on and the earl-to-mid levels were a ghost town.  Looks like other people sidled away from it too.

3) Overly restrictive player slots.  I can't even create a character for each class.  I tend to be rather alt-tastic because I enjoy changed the gameplay style up on a regular basis but they're obviously trying to get me to buy one or two more copies of the game to do so.  I suppose it's nice having a (mostly) fully-featured MMO with no extra fees or money unlocks, but they're also essentially asking for over a hundred bucks to use all the classes. 

4) The art style doesn't always sit well with me, for some reason.  I see some Japanese MMO art style influence in places, and I don't like that crap.  Luckily it's not all-pervasive.

I'll check it out again, sometime.  But between being separated from my guild from the start, and some of the other annoyances, my original run left me with a bad taste.

[Gusington]

Have not played Space Rangers 2.

Right now I am considering Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion or Endless Space. I actually own Endless Space.

And honestly I bought the first Sins game too but just couldn't get past the fact that there was no campaign. There is a campaign mode now right?

[Grim.Reaper]

Have not played Space Rangers 2.

Right now I am considering Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion or Endless Space. I actually own Endless Space.

And honestly I bought the first Sins game too but just couldn't get past the fact that there was no campaign. There is a campaign mode now right?

No campaign.

[Anguille]

ORB has a campaign

[son_of_montfort]

Gus, have you played Space Rangers 2?

My caveat on Space Rangers 2 is that an HD version should be out in the near future, all updated and shiny. So I would wait until that release. It is a great game!

Evochron is an interesting game, if you like fighter pilot sims. No carrier control, however. X3 is the best in that regard but too complex and it takes way too long to do anything in the game.

I really like Distant Worlds as well, but it might it might not be what you are looking for at the moment. I could never get into Star Ruler, but I hear it is well worth a try at this stage of updates.

[FarAway Sooner]

SR2 is a great game, but it's more of a Space Strategy RPG than a 4X Space Strategy game.  I love the variety of missions ("I need you to file these forms in triplicate at the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Labor Relations, and the Bureau of Land & Labor Cooperation, and I'll give you 2,000 Credits..." gives you a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach as you realize you'll be dealing with difficult bureaucrats on this mission...).  I love the campaign story.

BUT, I hear reports of a High-Def version of the game that'll be coming out on GOG sometime soon.  Maybe you should wait for that, and wait until you're in more of a Space RPG mood.  One where you end up riding wild beasts of burden or arguing with insolent bike messengers as often as shooting at alien bad guys in the depths of space!

[Nefaro]

I further enjoyed Space Rangers 2 because it is turn-based!  So I don't have to worry about being in a click-fest hurry.  But it's also not a slow TBS-RPG, either, because you can just let it run until something happens, so you don't have to spam 'End Turn' either.  :D

[son_of_montfort]

BUT, I hear reports of a High-Def version of the game that'll be coming out on GOG sometime soon.  Maybe you should wait for that, and wait until you're in more of a Space RPG mood.  One where you end up riding wild beasts of burden or arguing with insolent bike messengers as often as shooting at alien bad guys in the depths of space!

Ahem... read my post above yours...  :P

I did do some digging and they are reporting a Q1 2013 release for the HD version. I will by buying it again, because the only thing that holds be back from playing SR2 is the low resolution. They are also re-translating some of the odd translations for this new version, which is good. I always played the game with the idea that my Universal Translator was on the blink, as the Russian-to-English errors made it sound like the aliens had funny ways of speaking.

Also, the game is set against the backdrop of a gigantic war against these AI-driven robots. I actually managed to win the war, which took massive effort and time (but was very rewarding). I was not crazy about the black-hole mini game, but I eventually became so powerful that it did not matter.

[Gusington]

^Interesting, thanks all. I can't believe there's STILL not campaign in Sins...inconceivable.

[RooksBailey]

^Interesting, thanks all. I can't believe there's STILL not campaign in Sins...inconceivable.

You really don't need a campaign in Sins.  The sandbox play is so engrossing that I find myself agreeing with the devs: a campaign wouldn't really add much to the core gameplay.  I'd rather tell my own story, anyway.   :)

[Nefaro]

BUT, I hear reports of a High-Def version of the game that'll be coming out on GOG sometime soon.  Maybe you should wait for that, and wait until you're in more of a Space RPG mood.  One where you end up riding wild beasts of burden or arguing with insolent bike messengers as often as shooting at alien bad guys in the depths of space!

Ahem... read my post above yours...  :P

I did do some digging and they are reporting a Q1 2013 release for the HD version. I will by buying it again, because the only thing that holds be back from playing SR2 is the low resolution. They are also re-translating some of the odd translations for this new version, which is good. I always played the game with the idea that my Universal Translator was on the blink, as the Russian-to-English errors made it sound like the aliens had funny ways of speaking.

Also, the game is set against the backdrop of a gigantic war against these AI-driven robots. I actually managed to win the war, which took massive effort and time (but was very rewarding). I was not crazy about the black-hole mini game, but I eventually became so powerful that it did not matter.

I didn't like the 'Black Hole' minigame either.  It's real-time clickfest was such a stark contrast to the calculating strategy of it's main turn-based game.  Another odd part was getting tossed in prison for being caught smuggling contraband onto a planet that had banned it (IIRC).  I thought, "Oh cool - this is a Choose Your Own Adventure style text mini-game!" and it was fun for a bit... until you realize how long, hard, and punishing the life of an intergalactic inmate becomes.  One appropriate RPG result of my incarceration -- the G-Men aren't taking me alive, next time!  I'm not goin' back to the slammer!  ;D

Good to hear it's getting a new updated release soon. 

[Gusington]

OK RooksBailey...so is the sandbox play of the newest SoSE better than the original game? I am almost sold :) I will however wait for a price drop. Least expensive I can find Rebellion for is 40.00.