[RZetlin]

Wing Commander Privateer...I had a lot of great fond memories playing this game.

Privateer was one of the best space flight simulations I have played along with Wing Commander II.

In the Privateer game you could be anything you wanted: Pirate, Merchant, Mercenary, or Drug Runner.

Sadly, the original Privateer doesn’t run very well on these newer systems even with the DOS emulator like DOSbox.

Luckily for all those Wing Commander fans that want to relive the experience of being a space privateer now have the Privateer Remake 1.0.

With the remake, the ships’ and planets graphics are now in 3D, but that’s not all. The game didn’t just get a face-lift but a total revamp of the system and interface. It's different enough from the original you might have to read the new manual

The new commerce interface allows you to distinguish whether or not you will make a profit when you try and sell an item. You can even buy/sell star ships!

The mission computer is packed with more information like the news, and your faction standings with other groups. The missions are more varied compared to the original. Along with the cargo runs, patrols, and mercenary missions, there are escort missions and wingman missions.

As for ships, you can own more than one ship in this game. So its possible to own a Centurion, Galaxy, Orion and Tarsus ship at the same time and switch between them. Plus I believe you can buy and pilot a Talon ship as well. There are also new item like a cloaking device, which I haven’t tired yet. Unlike the original Privateer where you ship just blew up when the ship received too many hits, you can now eject from an escape pod and limp back to a base.

Now there a few shortcomings with this remake, there are no cuts scenes like the original (E.g. No intro, No docking, and No take off scene). I also find that the new nav map is chunky and difficult to read compared to the original. We can also hope for version 2.0 to improve on these flaws.

Overall this is a solid remake with new features added to it.

The best of all this game is FREE!

 

[Talbain]

Needs more X-Wing.

 

[RZetlin]

Needs more X-Wing.

X-Wing? Talbain you gotta stop playing with your Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker action figures. The Star Wars movie isn't out yet, so you have to clear your mind.

 

[sights]

Privateer was one of the best space flight simulations I have played along with Wing Commander II.

...amen.

Nice shots, and thanks for that link. I'll be trying the remake ASAP.

 

[Valcrist]

Needs more X-Wing.

/signed

 

[Mad]

Seems cool...
Freelancer seemed cool at beggining, but it got boring after a day or two.....

 

[RZetlin]

Seems cool...
Freelancer seemed cool at beggining, but it got boring after a day or two.....

Privateer is better than Freelancer.

One shortcomings of Freelancer was all the missions were the same. (Eg. Kill x person)

The missions in Privateer has more variety.

From what I understand the remake as has the Righteous fire expansion missions as well.

 

[Talbain]

I'm just joking Zetlin. I most likely won't even go to see Star Wars III. If I had money, I wouldn't spend it on that. I'd spend it on more video games (Must... have... Guild Wars...). Gotta feed the right addictions. =)

 

[permethium]

This is great news! thanks. I am a mega-WC junkie.

Freelancer seemed cool at beggining, but it got boring after a day or two....

Yeah. freelancer was good.....for about a day or so. It's way too shallow. Good graphics though. Playing privateer2 ATM. it's also good.

I just wish they made more WC games. Prochecy was just so much fun.
I miss that.........

 

[RZetlin]

The universe visual effects look beautiful to gaze at.

There are some nice detailing on the space stations.

I also found the colour coding for the radar doesn't work properly yet.

Yeah. freelancer was good.....for about a day or so. It's way too shallow. Good graphics though. Playing privateer2 ATM. it's also good.

I just wish they made more WC games. Prochecy was just so much fun.
I miss that.........

How is Privateer 2? I heard the game doesn't live up to the original.

 

[permethium]

How is Privateer 2? I heard the game doesn't live up to the original.

Privateer2 is more linear, but still with some degree of freedom. Graphicwise it's about identical to WC3 and WC4. This remake looks awesome tho!

I've been playing WC prophecy again - and I hafta say, nothing beats that game in respect to HUGE battles. It's was a masterpiece.

Bought "X2 The threat" last week, Haven't gotten around to trying it out yet - hope it's at least half as good as WC.....

 

[RZetlin]

Privateer2 is more linear, but still with some degree of freedom. Graphicwise it's about identical to WC3 and WC4. This remake looks awesome tho!

I've been playing WC prophecy again - and I hafta say, nothing beats that game in respect to HUGE battles. It's was a masterpiece.

Bought "X2 The threat" last week, Haven't gotten around to trying it out yet - hope it's at least half as good as WC.....

I played the X2 demo and there are some good ideas in the game.

-Great graphics
-Soild economics
-The ability own several different ships and stations.

At the same time there are several improvements I would like to see with the upcoming X3: Reunion.

I think the developers should take some ideas from games like Freelancer and Wing Commander Privateer.

Simple and user friendly mouse drive menus: This is X2 largest drawback. The menus in X2 were very cumbersome to use with too many sub-menus to flip through. I like to see a streamline and mouse driven menu. The menu system in Freelancer was easy and intuitive to use. Most of the actions in Freelander could be access on their iconic menus on the top of the screen. As the old design rules goes: Keep it simple!

Better HUD: The X2 flight HUB was somewhat cryptic to fight out. The ships were represented by a bunch of colour squares which is hard to tell apart. Personally I would like to see a "Wing Commander" style hub where an image of the targeted ship (damages, shield, disatnce) would be displayed on the ship's screen.

Better targeting system: Personally I would like to see a hotkey button to select the nearest enemy instead of recycling though each target.

The ability to walk around in a space station: In the X2 demo, I was disappointed that after docking on the space station I was still stuck on my ship. I would like to see a Privateer interface where I could go to a bar and talk to NPCs. This interaction would help make the world seem real.

 

[permethium]

-The ability own several different ships and stations.

Stations? Cool. That's going to be a first for me.
*btw. I read on the back of the cover that you can also take charge of destroyers. Though I'm thinking it works in a strategy/tactical kind of way ( Like homeworld )

At the same time there are several improvements I would like to see with the upcoming X3: Reunion.

Improvements ( In the next space sim/shooter ) that I would like to see ( I might be a little demanding here / but it has been done before ):

* Bigger Capital ships and bigger space battles.

* more Wingmen!!!

* Sub storylines that developes with related missions - depending on alliances

* I liked the Freelancer control system/nav system and interface - so if they stick to something like that I'll be okay with it.

* I would like them to go back to the system where one can interact with wingmen to give them orders [ not just: "What's your status?" ]-something like the WC3 system will do nicely here. and I would also like some enemy taunts.

* Graphics wize I'm not so much interested in seeing vast improvements. Anything Freelancer or better will be satisfactory.

* Personal touches such as Wingmen with different personalities and lots of voice interaction/battle chatter and taunts

*WC prochecy-type classical music will work for me.

* Call me old fashioned, but I loved the Bar - NPC - FMV style. The fact that freelancer was totally animated put me off somewhat. But I understand that it costs a helluva lot more to use real actors but yeah...

The ability to walk around in a space station: In the X2 demo, I was disappointed that after docking on the space station I was still stuck on my ship. I would like to see a Privateer interface where I could go to a bar and talk to NPCs. This interaction would help make the world seem real.

Damnit - that's going to be a let-down for me.

So - in a nutshell - It will be something like a Wing commander prophecy meets freelancer + privateer hybrid

maybe someday......

 

[Melhisedek]

You guys seem like you know your way around space sims So I wonder is there a sim that will let me have "armada"... Like 20-50 ships that I can command to follow me and clear the space of bad guys
This is inspired by Babylon 5 battles in season 3 and 4 I always wanted to relive them in game. I don't mind graphics or mods as long as I get to do those things X2 sounds pretty nice and close with those Khaak stuff but what about armada

 

[RZetlin]

You guys seem like you know your way around space sims So I wonder is there a sim that will let me have "armada"... Like 20-50 ships that I can command to follow me and clear the space of bad guys
This is inspired by Babylon 5 battles in season 3 and 4 I always wanted to relive them in game. I don't mind graphics or mods as long as I get to do those things X2 sounds pretty nice and close with those Khaak stuff but what about armada

Try playing Homeworld 1 & 2. It's a RTS game with ships.

Stations? Cool. That's going to be a first for me.
*btw. I read on the back of the cover that you can also take charge of destroyers. Though I'm thinking it works in a strategy/tactical kind of way ( Like homeworld )

That's correct. In the demo I was piloting a captial ship, but it was disappointing that you didn't any of the crew. The large ship was completely empty!

As I mentioned before the interface menu was difficult to use since there were to many of them. My capital ship got detroyed by smaller ships because I was trying to figure out which menu to use! I couldn't command my ship to fire back.

In the end, this disadvantage turned me off from X2.

 

[silent1]

You guys seem like you know your way around space sims So I wonder is there a sim that will let me have "armada"... Like 20-50 ships that I can command to follow me and clear the space of bad guys
This is inspired by Babylon 5 battles in season 3 and 4 I always wanted to relive them in game. I don't mind graphics or mods as long as I get to do those things X2 sounds pretty nice and close with those Khaak stuff but what about armada

You can build armada if you want... But believe me - one M2 (destoyer class) or M6 (corvette class) and even M3 (heavy fighter class) will do in most cases. And this game is DEMANDING on your system, so having 50 ships with guns blazing on screen can be more anoying than satisfactory. And it will take you much time to build such thing - no less than a week of gameplay time (without guides & faqs). And because AI could be a lot better, it is generally better attack enemy alone, so not to loose precious investments. Money is not easy gained here and you will think a lot to get it. Basically it is more of an economy sim than space flight & fight sim.

 

[permethium]

In the demo I was piloting a captial ship, but it was disappointing that you didn't any of the crew. The large ship was completely empty!

As I mentioned before the interface menu was difficult to use since there were to many of them. My capital ship got detroyed by smaller ships because I was trying to figure out which menu to use! I couldn't command my ship to fire back.

That's great! So you actually get to PILOT the destroyer. I'll hafta read up on key functions before I try it

You can build armada if you want...

And it will take you much time to build such thing - no less than a week of gameplay time (without guides & faqs).

Hehe. my favourite tactic with Homeworld ( since you get to keep what you build and carry it over to the next stage ) was to lure some of their frigates and carriers/destroyers away from the main force and then salvage them. - it takes some patience to get it right but it worked like a charm for me and also made the game so much easier to beat.

 

[Melhisedek]

Money is not easy gained here and you will think a lot to get it. Basically it is more of an economy sim than space flight & fight sim.

Those words made me very sad I thought it was the other way around But homeworld part sounds promissing. Especially because I can find it here for like 5 bucks Like such prices if games is good !

Back to X2... I've done some reading about Khaak... So do they respawn when you kill them or do they stay dead ? (you clear area of them and their bases it stays clear? )

 

[silent1]

Back to X2... I've done some reading about Khaak... So do they respawn when you kill them or do they stay dead ? (you clear area of them and their bases it stays clear? )

They will spawn randomly all over the place all the time in small clusters (like 1 heavy M3 fighter and some light M5 fighters) and depending on your difficulty setting will attack your stations and transports more or less frequent. Khaak stations (its destruction didn' t give anything) are rare, i have seen one so far and it was in story mission in remote khaak sector which you can' t discover by 'normal' means. Khaak is a constant threat which you must take into consideration and plan more profitable sector defences ahead, and sadly but you can't 'wipe them off the face of universe'. They are always there, always watching, always praying. :evil:

P.S. Same goes for pirates, but they are a lot less harmfull and sometimes even profitable.

 

[Melhisedek]

Khaak is a constant threat which you must take into consideration and plan more profitable sector defences ahead, and sadly but you can't 'wipe them off the face of universe'.

LOL you read my mind mate That's exactly what I wanted to do, at least for a short while, they can respawn all they want later