[FlamingCobra]

One time somebody said FreeSpace 3 would never be made because space combat simulators aren't commercially viable anymore.

That's complete bogus. If space combat sims aren't commercially viable, then why was Aces of the Galaxy even made?

[QuantumDelta]

Rail shooter (Not space flight sim).
Console (later ported to PC = zzz).
Digital Download only (= not major release).
No sales stats (= not important game).
Never heard of it (= I'm even less impressed).
Good argument.
Stop making these bloody threads.

[Flipside]

I did smirk when the bumph stated it had 'Temporal Shift', which 'slows down hordes of enemies' and the first thought that went through my mind was 'That's what we call lag'

There's a difference between 'good' and 'commercially viable', small companies can go off and do their own thing and take a few risks, because the initial outlay is lower and they need to make a lower profit in order to draw even. Every so often something pops up, like DarkStar 1 or Rogue Universe, some are good, some are bad, and most of them are Freelancer rip-offs, but all of them have sales numbers that are too low in the short term to be considered 'worth it' for production by larger companies. Volition themselves would love to return to the genre, but it's the projections that do the talking, not the coders.

[General Battuta]

That's complete bogus. If space combat sims aren't commercially viable, then why was Aces of the Galaxy even made?

Given that the tragedy of the commons creates inescapable tension between private welfare and the resource demands of mass projects, why are vertical stripes such a fashion disaster

[Droid803]

because dudebros don't have the brains required to play real games. everything must be stripped down to buttonmashing and explosions with the occasional naked chick.

because games that require thinking can't be played while drunk at a frat party.

[Axem]

I can't wait for FreeSpace 3: The FPS.

(Syndicate fans know what I'm talking about)

(Too bad I'm not a Syndicate fan, or that comment would be a lot more zinging)

[Droid803]

With quicktime events!

REPEATEDLY JAM "A" TO NOT DIE.

[Axem]

A SHIVAN HAS TACKLED YOU!

PRESS L1 X A B TO KNIFE IT

Oh too late, you're dead.

[Enigmatic Entity]

lol knife vs Shivan?

[Klaustrophobia]

everyone runs faster with a knife.

[SypheDMar]

*boom* HEADSHOT!

[mjn.mixael]

Fixed that for you.

[LoneKnight]

Rail shooter (Not space flight sim).
Console (later ported to PC = zzz).
Digital Download only (= not major release).
No sales stats (= not important game).
Never heard of it (= I'm even less impressed).
Good argument.
Stop making these bloody threads.

+1

Don't forget that certain game genres go in and out of style, just like with certain movie genres. I'm sure that one day Space Sims will be hot again.

Until then, the closest AAA title coming out that is somewhat relateable to a to flying a ship in space would be the new Ace Combat: Assault Horizon. Consider Aces and HAWX, I'd still say there's somewhat of a market for Flight-based games, it's just nowhere near large right now.

[Mort]

We just need to wait for the fps genre to go the way of guitar hero

[headdie]

We just need to wait for the fps genre to go the way of guitar hero

  ever since wolfwenstine 3D and Doom the fps genre has been the staple of the gaming industry, it might wax and wane a little but I seriously doubt it will ever be budged as a cornerstone sector of the gaming market

[jr2]

  ever since wolfwenstine 3D and Doom the fps genre has been the staple of the gaming industry,

Ya because the gaming industry pumps $$$$$$$$ into advertising FPS games, because they were successful, hence, they continue to be successful...  Sometimes you have to stop and wonder if the marketing department ever thinks these types of things through.

"Space combat sims don't produce revenue, so we won't make / promote them!"

"Have they ever been really promoted currently or in the past the way FPSes are now?"

"Well... umm... no."

"I rest my case."

[Deathsnake]

Ya because the gaming industry pumps $$$$$$$$ into advertising FPS games, because they were successful, hence, they continue to be successful...  Sometimes you have to stop and wonder if the marketing department ever thinks these types of things through.

sadly true

[Sushi]

  ever since wolfwenstine 3D and Doom the fps genre has been the staple of the gaming industry,

Ya because the gaming industry pumps $$$$$$$$ into advertising FPS games, because they were successful, hence, they continue to be successful...  Sometimes you have to stop and wonder if the marketing department ever thinks these types of things through.

It's not just marketing. FPS games are also extremely accessible (they all have basically the same control scheme and core mechanics: learn one, you've learned them all) and simply appeal to more people than simulators do.

[jr2]

Yeah, but actually, most of the FPS controls will work with simulators.  WASD (thrust & sliding) + mouse (pitch & yaw & click/right-click for primary/secondary fire) will cover most controls, and you can use Q and E for rolling (banking).  Anything else can be readily mapped to keys around WASD for ease of access.

A controller can do this too... left analog for WASD, right analog for mouse, upper left & right buttons above the triggers for roll, and ofc the trigger & secondary trigger are the primary left & right triggers.

[QuantumDelta]

That control system is horrific for simulators.

Can you name a good space flight sim that used it?