I took a break from this one for half a year or so but plan to keep exploring some of the places this program has to offer.
I've been afraid to check for updates, the version I play was updated in early 2019. SIngle player only. The only thing it lacks is the ability to exit your vehicle as an individual. It may pilot like a flight sim but it is very Freelancer like with jobs carrying cargo, passengers, fuel, crew, etc. You can use autopilot or do the flights manually. Its also very "2001: A Space Odyssey" with the circular wheel space stations. Very nice detail with a great deal of accurate topography in some cases (like Mars). For those in need of a little space and new places to explore, this has years worth of area to cover. I've been thinking about seeing how long it takes to get to the other end of the map, around two thousand systems across! Free to download and play. https://pioneerspacesim.net/page/download/
Well its not exactly No Man's Sky, but it is a good free program with 10/10 simulation and educational value. Its realistic physics so its not a FL shoooter type game, but you can do combat, its just insanely difficult.
EDIT: Plus technically that last update definitely put the graphics ahead of Freelancer I'd say.
Still rocking this beautiful update for Pioneer. I've been posting segments of some journeys online. Yes, these videos are boring. If you like exploration games and flight sims though, every second is riveting. I tried combat recently but won't have it online for a few days still, but that was hilarious.
Playlists:
Pioneer - Journey to the Aan System
This is a routine trip to another star system. This is a red giant with a base on an asteroid that is so immersed in red light its like an old VR. That asteroid moon had a lot of cool canyons.
Pioneer - La Voyage Sur La Lune
After returning from the Aan system, I docked at a station at Earth before launching from there to make a trip out to the moon and back to the station. Meet me on the dark side of the moon! This includes a couple of landings.
Pioneer - Exploring the Solar System
Some solar system locations, mostly Mars. Might do a few more of these but will be starting to show some other worlds in other star systems. I just added a hypseronic flight around Mars, and am currently uploading a flyover of Valles Marineris, which will be followed by a trip to a massive temperate world in a nearby star system.
I recently began trying out some other ships, such as the Bluenose light freighter (uploads to come) and this craft called the 'Wave' fighter. This is one of the coolest ships I've ever seen in a space sim/game! I decided to just mess around within our own solar system and practice some realistic scenarios. I bring you, The Secret Space War.
One thing is for sure, this would make for an amazing Starlancer mod using the full scale version of our solar system alone! All it needs is some kind of anti-grav drive to make getting around easier.
I've made the jump to HD wide screen! I've also finished a 'series' that turned out to be a huge trip around the Solar System to sight see some of the more difficult to reach places. I might go back and re-upload a few of the older ones in better quality in the near future.
I have been watching progress of Pioneer for years, it is amazing what a little team of few developers can do , if it is only multiplayer , it wuld be amazing hit.