Title says it all.

While I haven't ever played Privateer until last week, I was wondering if there were any slightly more modern games similar to it.

I know there are the remakes/mods for the game, but I don't really want to deal with them at the moment.

Hi, I know of TWO such games

Darkstar One (avalible on GOG)

and

Freelancer

Both are space combat sims with an open ended universe, in the single player campaian you can not advance until you meet the cash/equipment reqierments.

How you get there is up to you, bounty hunting/trading ect.

Also, the Evochron series.

Freelancer, definitely.

Also, there was Privateer 2, which was in a different universe, though I thought it was great. Also stars Clive Owen. I'm unsure of how you can play the latter, though.

I played it, I bought it... and I regret. I'm not recommending this game to anyone.

If somebody want to spend money then could buy [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Force:_Rogue_Universe]Space Force: Rogue Universe[/url]. It was quiet fun.

There is also the X series by Egosoft. Steam sells them all, honestly I'd like to see them here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X_%28game_series%29

There's a few things in game that connect it to the rest of the WC universe, but that doesn't matter since it takes place a hundred years later than everything else anyway.

Still it's not a direct sequel in that it doesn't continue the storyline from Privateer. It has it's own unique setting and story.

— Darkstar One
— Elite (Plus)
— Evochron Mercenary
— Freelancer
— Frontier (Elite 2)
— Frontier: First Encounters (Elite 3)
— Galaxy of Fantabulous Wonderment
— Privateer 2: The Darkening
— Protostar: War on the Frontier
— X: Beyond the Frontier
— X 2: The Threat
— X 3: Albion Prelude

Yep - I only played X: Beyond the Frontier and that game certainly has that Privateer feel - heck you start off only with 100 credits.

There are only a few in game references to things going on outside of the Tri-System that tie back to the main Wing Commander universe. There is one optional mission that involves a hunt for a classic wing commander privateer ship (Talon) that has been spotted around the Tri-System (this ship is mentioned in the manual IIRC).

The Tri-System appears on the galaxy map that was included with Wing Commander V: Prophecy.

I'm not sure if the ingame dates relate to WC Universes regular Gregorian calendar.

IIRC, the humans/humanoids in the Tri-System have been there for at least two thousand years (perhaps more). Humans colonized Anhur first, and spread from there.

In the Tri-System it is 2790. If that is based on the Gregorian calendar that would mean that the earliest planet colonized in the Tri-System; Anhur was colonized by humans in c. 790 AD (or earlier)! Humans didn't have technology back then.

Which either means the Tri-System has its own new calendar system, or it was founded by humans that had been kidnapped and brought to the Tri-System.

Even if humans were brought over in medieval times by aliens and colonized the planets there, they still may not be using a Gregorian calendar, but Julian or something else entirely.

Year 0 may be the date that humans colonized Anhur, and 2790 being the latest date since that event. If so this means that Privateer 2 may occur anywhere in relation to the Confederation timeline.... It could be set before Wing Commander V chronologically (Tri-System is known about in that game), it could be set far in the future, or possibly before or during Privateer 1 (the Talon, a ship common to Privateer I appears in both games).

Note: That several factions are interested in getting there hands on the Talon, having never seen one before. Act like it represents important technology. If its a very old ship, this wouldn't make sense, as their own technology probably surpasses it. If its roughly parallel as in not that old compared to there own ships it might offer something useful (perhaps an independent 'jump drive' which the people of Tri-System appear to lack).

However, there are some weird anomalies too...

For example parallel technology development. Terraforming is invented in both the tri-system CIS scientists (Ernst Kugelbender), and by the Confederation presumably on earth (James Taggert's parents were terraforming engineers for example). IIRC. the artificial jump gates were invented by CIS, while jump drive was invented by Confederation. Jump gates technology are limited and have kept humans confined to the Tri-System region (there are known jumps between Tri-System and outside areas according to the Prophecy map). That being said jump gate technology and the potential to make artificial jump gates is ahead of the CIS in some ways, even if it has limited the people of the tri-system to those systems.

You also find decidedly earth based names, several that are decidedly modern (as in not a couple of hundred year old references earth timeline wise)... "Slade "Tex" Carver". Tex as in 'Texas"?

Greek names are utilized such as Hermes, Hephaestus, Hades and Achilles (and his heel) for examples are mentioned as well. Thus suggesting earth history and culture.

The manual uses the term 'humanoid' for Ser Lev Arris species (suggesting not-quite human background), and humanoid or humanity is used to describe other people including pirates, and people of Anhur..

There are a number of earth animals or meat mentioned including poodles, whales, eagles, bluebirds, 'pork' (and lard), etc.

I'm surprised no-one has mentioned I-War 2. It more pirating than trading but it's still more of a free form game like Privateer.

Mind you, you do have to get used to flying with newtonian physics. ;-)

I thought Escape Velocity was quite good. Which is similar.