Hello, I've been wanting to play a space sim for some time now, but I've been postponing it because this kind of game seems to take some getting used to.

Having made up my mind to persevere into one of these games, I would like to ask you guys which one would be easier to get into, gameplay-wise: WC: Privateer or Freespace 2. I picked these two because they seem to be the most popular ones on GOG.com, but other suggestions are welcome.

If it is of any help, the only similar game I've ever played and really got into was Escape Velocity: Nova (which, apparently, is more similar to Privateer).

Depends. Freespace is newer by about a decade so will be visually more appealing. Comparing gameplay styles Privateer is like Morrowind, and Freespace is DOOM 3. One is an open world, the other is a directed series of levels.

Gotta be Freespace2. Or even Freespace. Wing Commander games are classics, but the Freespace series is STILL the pinnacle of space sims, even now........some people actually blame the games for the death of the space sim genre - no one thought they could be bettered, so no one bothered.

I-War did it better but then I love the newtonian physics better.

I have to agree with Robbeasy that while Privateer is a great classic, Freespace 2 remains one of the top space sims out there. Additionally, FreeSpace Open and the large mod community give FS2 significantly more content. Overall if you have to choose just one space sim game then it should be FS2, no contest.

If you looking for a mission based space-dogfight-simulator, I suppose you should take Freescape 2.

If you're looking for an open free roaming space exploration adventure with an unmatched atmosphere then Privateer is for you.


Honestly, take both. They cost less than a McDonald's Happy Meal.

As Patryn said: they are two different games that happen to be both set in a sci-fi setting with spaceships.
Freespace 2 is a (great) space-dogfighter with a linear campaign and with almost no player input: you get a mission, you fly the mission.
Privateer is a (great) sandbox-style game with a storyline that you can ignore if you want to, and you can do whatever you want in a setting that is loved by many. As an aside, I loved that game.

That may be so, but imagine how many people would argue that the game is broken because of the Newtonian physics... a lot of younger players think that every game should fit a narrow template in its design or is basically faulty.

Newtonian physics can be hard to accept and play in and for many this means that their perceived "awesomeness" in the games that fit a particular template suddenly got nerfed. And like I have said before... young generation of players does not like that.

That being said I would love to see a space warship simulator, a child of i-war and harpoon perhaps? :)

There was one, I have it, but I forget the name at the moment... Starshatter I think, or for a really good old game, Rules of Engagement 2 (with obligatory Breach 2 and 3 link ins).

If eve-online is internet spreadsheets, ROE is single player Lotus 1-2-3.

Also most youngins think Justin Bieber is the best recoding artist of all time... or that the 4 food groups include coke, pizza, potatoe chips and twinkies.

Starshatter is right. It's not supported anymore (the developer, one guy, vanished), though, and you can't buy it anywhere. You could probably still find it if you knew where to look. You go from being a fighter-pilot to Carrier Battle Group Commander.

It's great fun, if a bit rough around the edges.

TIE Fighter still holds that honour, I'm afriad. Of course it's not available here :(

^^Agreed. Loved that one and Xwing vs. TF for multiplayer.

Get both games though, they're genre-defining classics!

I love TIe Fighter, but i not agree its better than Freespace Series, probably is the best after it.

if we are talking Space games, there is only one daddy of them all and that is.

ELITE

Yeah, when I initially played the first one, I didn't see anything that I felt was revolutionary per say, but they tweaked every aspect the game (ships, armament, physics, graphics, sound, control, HUD, etc) to be just right.

Its almost as if someone did a Phd on space sims, figured out where all previous space sims went wrong and fixed it.

The degree of polish and refinement that went into this game just blew my mind.

And they somehow managed to make the second one better.

In terms of open-handed sandbox space sims, Egosoft's X series has been the pinnacle for me so far.

Wing Commander I-IV and Privateer still hold a special place for people who were around when they came out (heck, I'm playing the third one right now), but recently playing them made me realize how obsolete those games have become (beyond a nostalgia trip).

Some older games are so uniquely good that they haven't been bettered yet (ex: Master of Orion 1&2), but Wing Commander & Privateer, as good as they were at the time, have been bettered.

So I think people who have never played them at this point probably shouldn't bother unless they're really into the history of space sims.