computer games

Richard Johnson writes:

> Anyone out there care to comment on existing space-oriented computer
> games?  I have two: "Star Command" and "Sentinel Worlds".  Both seem
> kind of fun, but I can't play them without thinking what fun it would
> be to have a real MT-type space game.

Have you ever seen "Elite"?  Originally written for the British BBC Micro, this
game has been converted for a range of machines, including IBM PC, C-64 and
Atari ST.  You are the pilot of a small starship; your objective is to go
around trading in various commodities (some illegal), make money, and upgrade
your ship.  You also get attacked by various bad guys, namely pirates and the
alien Thargoids.  There are missions to accomplish, which you are given as the
game progresses.  The trading, and some of the planetary data, bears some
resemblance to Traveller.

Another such game is "Federation Of Free Traders", written for the Atari ST and
Amiga.  I don't know if it's available in the U.S.A.  Like "Elite", you are a
space trader out to make money and kill things.  The planetary data is pure
Traveller format, though the galaxies supplied bear no resemblance to any
published Traveller sectors.  This game isn't as good as "Elite", as the prices
of goods don't change much between planets, even very different planets; and
the opposition doesn't act as intelligently.

Both these games are more "arcadish" than the ones Richard mentioned, in that
they involve more shooting and less strategy.  But they feature some nice solid
3-D graphics, and involve a lot more than just going around shooting things.

 "Keyboard? How quaint!" - M. Scott

 Adrian Hurt			     |	JANET:  [email removed]
 UUCP: ..!ukc!cs.hw.ac.uk!adrian     |  ARPA:   [email removed]

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[Whole pile of included header lines from Adrian's message deleted - James]

>Richard Johnson writes:

>> Anyone out there care to comment on existing space-oriented computer
>> games?  I have two: "Star Command" and "Sentinel Worlds".  Both seem
>> kind of fun, but I can't play them without thinking what fun it would
>> be to have a real MT-type space game.

Adrian Hurt writes:

>Have you ever seen "Elite"?  Originally written for the British BBC Micro, this
>game has been converted for a range of machines, including IBM PC, C-64 and
>Atari ST.  You are the pilot of a small starship; your objective is to go

It is also now out for the Amiga, although I have not seen it.

>Both these games are more "arcadish" than the ones Richard mentioned, in that
>they involve more shooting and less strategy.  But they feature some nice solid
>3-D graphics, and involve a lot more than just going around shooting things.

I have the 64 version, and it is what I consider a "shoot 'em up" Arcade game.
It is tough, in that you start with no money and are a real easy target.

I do like how the ship handles it is like a real space ship. You have yaw and
pitch. So it takes some getting used to. The thing I hate the most is the
docking. You have this space station that spins on you have to match its
rotation and then get in the damn bay entrance cleanly or you die. Nothing
worse than fighting of all these pirates just to blow up trying to dock.

Greg

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All opinions and material above is the responsibility of the originator.
Submissions: [email removed], or [email removed]
Administrator: [email removed] (James Perkins)
The TML is made possible by facilities provided by Tektronix, Inc.