Space Sims/Strategy Games Catch-All

I'm in for VR, the campaign, and the ability to play all the multiplayer stuff against the AI -- though I may end up liking the multiplayer, I assumed I'd spend all my time in the Arcade mode in Battlefront 2 but ended up quite enjoying my time in multiplayer there. Gonna have to either buy a headset or steal the one my coworker has sitting in a box by his desk.

Sorbicol wrote:
b12n11w00t wrote:
Sorbicol wrote:

although they've gone out of their way to say loot-boxes are not pay-to-win they're still in there.

They absolutely said nothing about loot boxes in that trailer. They said that cosmetics and components will be earned in game.

In a separate press release they clarified that "progression will rely on levels and that players will earn ship parts that let them upgrade weapons, hulls, engines and shields"

I am cautiously optimistic about it, but like a lot of you how it 'feels' to fly around will be the decider.

Do you really not think how those cosmetic options are delivered won’t be via loot box mechanics?

Not until they say the word loot box or I see a screenshot of a lootbox. Those lootboxes is what got them in deep sh*t in battlefront 2 so I fully expect them to stay away from that model.

From the press release "Star Wars: Squadrons will offer rich cosmetic and gameplay customization options with rewards and bonuses that are earned solely through gameplay. As players move up the ranks, they’ll earn components such as weapons, hulls, engines and shields to customize the performance of their starfighters; and gain cosmetic items to customize their cockpit, ship exteriors, and appearance of their pilot." it seems to indicate that each level will have an unlock just like how Call of Duty does it. Perhaps unlocks for ships will be behind challenges for kills and things of that nature.

Here is some Space Crew gameplay, including the tutorial and an excellent example of how not to play through your first mission.

b12n11w00t wrote:

They absolutely said nothing about loot boxes in that trailer. They said that cosmetics and components will be earned in game.

From Engadget:

'Star Wars: Squadrons' won't have microtransactions or constant add-ons

Hrdina wrote:
b12n11w00t wrote:

They absolutely said nothing about loot boxes in that trailer. They said that cosmetics and components will be earned in game.

From Engadget:

'Star Wars: Squadrons' won't have microtransactions or constant add-ons

Yes Eurogamer. had a similar article on the same feedback so I take it back. I’m honestly surprised, but in a good way! My interest grows.

Hmmm...

$40 price tag is probably because they are using all the assets and stuff from BF2 so they cut out a lot of development.

Probably also a reflection of how big they think the market is for this sort of game, and hoping that the lower price point will get some more people to buy who wouldn't at $60.

Your top 5 under the radar space games. Go.

Space Haven. I've put over 100 hours into this thing. You build your ship, you build your resource engines. You fight off pirates and board their ships. It is so, so good!

It's on my wishlist, probably from here. But early access... I tend to wait for full release. Too many other games in the pile.

Intergalactic Fishing - Great fishing mechanics combined with an SF storyline and teleportation and exploration.

Star Traders: Frontiers - Sooooo good. Try to keep yourself and your crew financially and physically alive in a time of crisis and change in the galaxy. Space and ground combat, rich story, individual personal interactions, detailed economy and factions, Trese Brothers have polished this to a high sheen.

Shadow Empires - Planet-based combat, politics, diplomacy, exploration, resource exploitation, tech research... CK2 and a 4X game mashed into a strong wargame with immense replayability.

Space Rangers HD - A wild mix of various genres and pure fun. Captain your spaceship and do whatever you want. Even includes text games inside the story.

I have Star Traders and I'm just in awe of how they keep updating and adding to that game. I don't think I've ever seen a game more fully supported for free than that game.

It is a gem indeed, Budo.

Just back to Squadrons for a sec, this text from the Steam Store page about pre-order bonuses I think makes it clear there will be 'loot box' style cosmetic unlocks.

Squadrons Pre Order wrote:

Pre-order* STAR WARS™: Squadrons now to get cosmetic items for your New Republic and Imperial pilots and starfighters:

NEW REPUBLIC RECRUIT ITEMS

New Republic Recruit Flight Suit (Epic)
New Republic Recruit Starfighter Skins (Rare)
New Republic Recruit Decal (Common)

I dont know why they don't just take it out of a box, post-game-reward style thing. You could tie it to killing a big-bad... Oh right to sell keys. This is the first EA game I'm going to buy in like 18+ years (seriously, I think it was NHL 2003 maybe?) and I already know Im gonna get annoyed by the EA-ness of it.

Edit: There's another bit of strangeness on the Steam page.

The VR mode for this game requires the use of a gamepad or a keyboard and mouse.

Whut? So no joystick/hotas in VR mode? Why?

Aren’t HOTAS systems generally just using keypresses and mouse input? I would guess they’d work...

The VR mode for this game requires the use of a gamepad or a keyboard and mouse.

IMAGE(https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/facebook/000/762/009/74d.jpg)

I don't know if it counts, but Cloudpunk is still on sale for a few more hours. You play the driver of a flying taxi delivery service in a floating cyberpunk city. As you make deliveries you interact with the cities denizens, learn its secrets and reveal interesting stuff.
It looks beautiful, too.

Cloudpunk is awesome. Great story, fantastic visuals (an entire voxel-based city) and the voice work is earnest and well done. Totally recommended. There’s nothing else like it.

What's the point of the voxel city? Is it simulated in some way or is it just for visuals?

It's a VERY lively city with cars and people all over the place. It feels VERY alive, especially with the new first-person mode.

Middcore wrote:
The VR mode for this game requires the use of a gamepad or a keyboard and mouse.

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Wait... Wait wait wait... Could this just mean you need some other input to navigate game menus and stuff because HOTAS can't do that? Maybe it doesn't meant HOTAS and VR are mutually exclusive.

How does VR and Hotas work in Elite Dangerous? Couldn't the star wars thingy work like that?

Garion, it's a delivery game, and you have to learn the city and navigate it by flying car and on foot. It's got a real atmosphere to it. Tons of places and people to interact with.

I realize now my question came off kinda harsh. I think it looks awesome, but wanted to know if the voxel aspect has any simulation tied to it. There's not enough voxel sim games in the world. We've got Noita and.... It's so lonely!

Yes. People go on about their business on their schedules. Sometimes, you’ll go somewhere, like a person’s house, and they will be at work or asleep. Vehicle traffic has origins and destinations. It’s really quite remarkable.

Honestly, I can’t think of another game like it. Maybe it’s like a 1000x richer 3D version of the old Neuromancer? Maybe? But it’s really, really worth the experience, the stories alone are immersive and emotionally affecting.

This is not Cyberpunk like an action game. This is Cyberpunk where you are one of the little people, trying to keep from falling through the bottom of the economy. You don’t have hidden tasers in your forearms or half-orc ancestry or even a rich uncle. You left your home in the countryside and had to move to the city and take a truly desperate, semi-legal job, and it’s starting to close on you. At the start of the game, you can’t even afford a decent processor for your AI assistant that you’ve had since childhood! And now the Authorities have your eyes on you and your boss, but for what? Why? How will you keep paying for your tiny apartment if you lose this job?

It’s remarkable.

Note that it’s not a physical shooty-breaky sim like Noita. It’s a story and world simulator.

Can you live in the world, or is there a pressure to keep moving through the storyline?

The storyline is the game, as far as I can tell. It's not open-world survival.