Discovery Gaming Community

Hi guys - and gals(?),

:)

I am pleased to have found a thriving community of Freelancer players. I bought the game when it was new but actually didn't play it much. Recently though, while searching (hopefully) for some awesome new space sim, I found this and other Freelancer sites.

While I only just read Seth Karlo's excellent Welcome to Discovery post - and its replies - I've actually already been on the server enough to trade up to the ship CO King flies: The Patriot. I'm not sure what type of ship I'll move up to next - tougher fighter or something with more cargo space...

My character name is NocNoc.

I had already scanned the rules so I nearly gave Seth's post a miss but I'm sure glad I didn't. Now I've a better idea about what it means to role play - though I'm sure I'll make some mistakes until I learn to really get into character. Which reminds me...

For how long between logins is my precious NocNoc safe from auto-deletion? I go hot and cold on things, gaming among them, so it would be nice if I don't have to play absolutely every week - or even month.

By the way, before I re-installed Freelancer, I re-installed Eve - after a five year(?) absence; Black Prophecy - which looks promising but is too heavy on instant traveling if you ask me; X3; and finally - Allegiance(?)

Eve is, well, just so overwhelmingly complicated I'm not sure I want to play it even for my 60 day trial period.

Black Prophecy I will probably keep on my drive if only to update it now and then to see if they back off on the easy travel. I'd like to see some docking animation when I dock - or even actually dock!!! Plus I'd like to have to fly away from the stations some small distance before instantly (magically) spawning at my chosen destination. Other than this "Fast Travel" feature it does have a decent feel to it.

X3 (Terran Conflict) is interesting too but, like Eve, intimidatingly complicated - and with no tutorial!

Allegiance I can't remember being impressed with during the few minutes I was logged into it.

Actually my search turned up what looks like the closest thing to my dream space sim that I've seen so far...

MinerWars!

I've tried the demo and, flight wise, it looks and feels pretty good. The flight dynamics remind me of I-War (1 and 2). Six ways of moving is great - as is being able to disable the auto-stop computer control and coast this way and that.

The thing I'm most excited about though is that they don't seem to be trying to be the next big space sim. Of course they hope to be very popular but what I mean is that they're not trying to create a small galaxy or even a cluster of stars (each with planets). Unless I'm mistaken the game will launch with just one planetary system (ours) but without the ability to travel great distances within it - at least not immediately. If I'm right about this, this will keep players - when they launch the MMO version - closer together. Some of you likely know how it can feel very lonely logging into sims like Eve and Black Prophecy.

I hope this is what they intend - and that they'll expand the flyable area as the average number of players, online together, grows.

I also hope, having liked what I read in Seth's post, that most MinerWar fans role play it.

Until we see what it becomes upon "going gold," Freelancer, on your server, will do me quite nicely

Thanks for reading,

jburrowes aka NocNoc:):)

Welcome.

' Wrote:NocNoc:):)

Who's there?

Enjoy your stay and have fun.

And to answer one of those questions; the inactivity wipe is currently at 6 months if your char has at least 1 hour of log in time. And yes, Miner Wars is amazing, too bad they're a bit slow in making it.

please accept my warm Welcome.

hey there welcome to disco

Thanks for the welcomes guys.

Doj, you have the dubious honor of being the first to ask me the obvious.;)Congratulations!

By the way guys I didn't mean to slag Freelancer when saying how much I'm looking forward to what I think MinerWars might be like. Freelancer is actually a lot better than what I realized way back when I bought it. Something must have sidetracked me before I got far enough into it to appreciate its strengths.

I suppose the thing that put me off back then was the kind of arcadish look all the big and bright HUD colors give it. As you all know though, there is a lot to love about it - such as the ability to fly with keyboard and mouse alone. As much as I prefer as-close-to-real-as-possible sims, of all types, I do hate having to plop a joystick down on my desk to use flight sims. If we could roll left/right with the Q and E keys the keyboard/mouse system would be perfect!

Over and Out!

NocNoc

Yo, welcome. Have fun and enjoy yourself.

Hello, enjoy your stay:)

' Wrote:If we could roll left/right with the Q and E keys the keyboard/mouse system would be perfect!

That's possible, you'll just have to map those keys to Q and E in the options, then use first person view or turret view. It doesn't work in free flight 3rd person for some reason, though.