Wing Commander - An incredible space sim gets a BIG Cola Powered Gamer review

When talking about space sims, sooner or later someone will mention Wing Commander. Developed by Origin Systems, Wing Commander can be considered one of the best and influential space sim ever created.

Wing Commander had a different take on the then established space sim formula, bringing the game and space combat to the levels of Hollywood blockbusters. The game is set in 2654 and follows the Terran Confederation and the ongoing war against a predatory feline race called the Kilrathi (they were inspired by Kzinti of Larry Niven’s “Know Space” series). In Chris Roberts words the game is inspired by WW2, especially the Pacific War. When you start a game you have just finished a training sim session, and you must enter your name and callsign. The player character has no name, but internally in Origin, he was nicknamed “BlueHair”, because his hair although black, had highlights of blue (due to a limited color palette), which was what probably the reason they named him Blair in the later games.

No Man's Sky - Move over Elite here comes a new jaw dropping Space Sim

Game Type : Space Sim
Developer :  Hello Games
Game Info : Developed by Hello Games is a new Space Sim set to take the world by storm, atleast going by the trailer anyway. This is a science fiction game, set in an infinite, procedural universe. You'll be exploring the stars in your space ship, visiting many unique planets and battling against fleets of ships all in a universe that is never the same. If the video is anything to go by, it's a game with plenty of eye candy and all this developed by a small indie company which is very impressive. Let's hope the final lives up to the hype!

Release : TBA
Systems : PC, Other(?)

Elite: Dangerous - A drool worthy trailer for an epic looking Space Game!

Game Type : Action, Space Simulator
Developer : David Braben
Trailer Quote :  Here is the capital ship battle video used as part of the composer selection process for Elite: Dangerous. The video contains the music created for the pitch by the winning composer Erasmus Talbot.
Developer Game Quote : The next game in the Elite series - an amazing space epic with stunning visuals, incredible gameplay, breath-taking scope and fully multi-player. Carve your own path through the richest, largest gaming sandbox ever created, set against a backdrop of raw anarchy, galactic powerplays and intrigue. Do whatever it takes to upgrade your ship’s hull, engines, weapons, defences, cargo hold; constantly improve your capabilities and influence on your journey towards the most coveted rank in the history of gaming - ‘Elite’.
Release : TBA
Systems : PC

Elite : Dangerous - Space Sim ( kickstarter Update)

Remember that huge article I wrote about Elite Dangerous and the original Elite? Well if you haven't check out the article here. But enough about that it's time for the update.

Elite : Dangerous - Space Sim Dev Diary 1 ( kickstarter Update )

Another day another update and today it's for Elite : Dangerous! the Action, Trade, Space sim created by David Braben. If you want to know more about this awesome upcoming game on kickstarter which seriously needs more pledges for a success, then check out the recent article on Indie Retro News. However back to today, it's video time showing off Gameplay footage with Dev Diary Day 1 from Elite : Dangerous

Star Citizen / Squadron 42 - Space Sim/Combat/Trader : (The History Then and Now)

Good morning viewers today we have a big article about Star Citizen/Squadron 42 and the comparisons between the Wing Commander series and now. Star Citizen/Squadron 42 is being developed by the Legendary Chris Roberts the developer of Wing Commander, Strike Commander and the concept behind Privateer. The Wing Commander series were truly Epic games for there time and still highly regarded today, especially when the live action FMV's came into play and far higher graphical possibilities.  I remember playing Wing Commander 1 in the very early 90's on my Amiga 500 it was so involved, you felt very much in the story and a love and respect for all the characters in the game let alone the combat gameplay!.

Elite & Frontier: Elite II - PC Playable Amiga Remakes ( Space Sim )

I know it's late but I can't believe after talking about Elite I completely forgot about the PC playable Amiga versions that were released. Although released some time ago, it did fit with the previous article * silly me *. Rather than explain the entire game(s) again here is the link with all the information you need Elite Previous Article + Kickstarter

Regarding these remakes/remasters, you can now enjoy Elite, Elite Advanced and Frontier Elite II in a Compilation Elite Trilogy!. All three games use an inbuilt emulator but have a much nicer graphical filter and it's so easy to load. All you have to do is download, run the exe, select the game you want to play, while in game press F12 to set up settings.

ELITE

Elite : Dangerous - Space Sim ( kickstarter ) and Original, remakes article

I thought to myself tonight that it was time to write up a small article about Elite, the Elite remakes and the new Dangerous kickstarter project. With regards to my play time of Elite it was very brief as I was well into FOFT(Federation of Free Traders) which was a similar game of trading/battles in space and on the planet surface (Frontier: Elite II). Elite was originally on the BBC and Acorn Systems released in 1984 at which time I was 5yrs old, by two developers David Braben and Ian Bell.

Millennium 2.2 - Another great Amiga space strategy with two great remakes!

In the game, humanity has colonized the Moon and Mars. However a 20 trillion ton asteroid has collided with Earth, making it uninhabitable. All that is left of humanity is a small, self-sufficient colony on the surface of the Moon, and a race of mutant humans on Mars. As the commander of Moonbase, it is your job to ensure the survival of humankind by exploring the Solar System for other habitable planets and moons, and ultimately re-establish life on Earth. However, the Martian mutants consider themselves the superior race and want Earth for themselves. A war is inevitable. The core of the game is spent in resource management and researching new technologies for space ships and base improvements. A typical game involves manufacturing probes, managing each colony's solar power energy generation, and mining for resources on various planets and their moons.

Amiga Version

The player needs to balance manufacturing output with the available solar power, and many minerals are only available from certain planets or asteroids. Depending on planetary orbits, colony ships and probes can take longer to reach their destinations. As time progresses, colonists will adapt to different atmospheres, and after Earth is terraformed, secede from the player's control, stranding any ships that may be docked. Each game begins with the planets in the same orbital positions, and the types of resource were always the same for each planet. A certain hard to find mineral is always on the same planet, and that planet only. The only break from the resource management simulation comes when the player is under attack by Martians

Millennium 2.2 is the prequel to the also amazing Deuteros, both generally feel the same but of cause differ graphically. Whereas in Deuteros you have drones, in Millennium 2.2 when defending it turns into a Space Simulator which involves what look to be triangles shooting at you in space, think of it as an elite control scheme. In regards to the remake of Millennium 2.2 the Space Action Simulator is replaced by enemy dots i mean err space ships attacking from all sides, which is so much easier than the original.

We have two versions for you to enjoy, the original Amiga version which had been remade using an inbuilt emulator and extra graphical filters. Download, Run Game, Press F12 in game for extra settings.  The other version is a full remake it doesn't have any inbuilt emulators and most of the screens look completely different however not distracting from that Millennium 2.2 feel which made it so amazing.

Myself, I've played the original when it was first released in 1989 and spent many weeks trying to finish it... The Amiga playable pc version which again I completed and the remake again, completed.  I'll say this you will love both the original amiga-pc remake and the full remake.

AMIGA-PC VERSION
FULL REMAKE
MIRROR 2 (Working )

Elite : Dangerous - An epic return for an old fav but there are concerns!

“Elite: Dangerous is the game I have wanted Frontier to make for a very long time. The next game in the Elite series – an amazing space epic with stunning visuals, incredible gameplay and breath-taking scope, but this time you can play with your friends too. I want a game that feels more like the original Elite to fly, and with more rapid travel (to allow for the multi-player nature of the game) – so you travel quickly using local ‘hyperspace’ travel rather than by fast-forwarding time – but with the rich galaxy of Frontier – and more, so much more.”
“Up to now “Elite” has been worked upon by a small team as a ‘skunk-works’ activity in the background as availability permits. Nevertheless, we have been preparing; laying the technology and design foundations for when the time is right. And that time is now.”

As some of you well know Elite:Dangerous was announced via kickstarter the other day with a renowned sense of joy however there are some concerns amongst the gaming community. One such follower melnificent from rockpapershotgun  has said.

I love elite, but I want to raise some concerns about this kickstarter and the company behind it. It’s been in development for over 10 years (14 years at present), like duke nukem forever. It is being made by a proper commercial entity, like duke nukem forever.
The company has produced a couple of good hits (lost winds) amongst a sea of mediocrity (generic kinect stuff), like duke nukem forevers parent company.
There are no screenshots, concept art or any assets at all. Unlike Duke nukem Forever, which did have concept art and a trailer video.
As it stands at the moment it’s on course to be even more vapour like than DNF. It’s already past the same timescale.
Ask yourself, why would a company that has been around for years suddenly need money upfront without proof of anything. Especially, after promising the game from as far back as 1998.
http://uk.gamespot.com/news/qanda-david-braben-from-elite-to-today-6162140
This is a cash grab to keep the studio going for a few more months. Traded on the back of a promise, looking at nostalgia.
The company accounts show that from 2009 they have blown through almost £5m in 2 years (down to £1m) and at that rate will be bankrupt by next year.
The shares have dropped £4m in a year. And the liabilities have more than doubled.
This £1.2m kickstarter is to make sure they can get through to the next financial year. Nothing more. The expected delivery date is AFTER they have run out of cash even with kickstarter backing.
http://companycheck.co.uk/company/02892559
Most damning of all their last game (announced 2008) has yet to materialise. Beyond a trailer from a few years back.
I really do want to be proven wrong as I’d love another elite, but I’m afraid the writing is on the wall. This will most likely be a high profile kickstarter failure. And the collapse of a company to boot.

Will you risk pledging to get this possibly amazing game off the ground or will it all end in a failure of lies?