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General FreeSpace => FreeSpace Discussion => Topic started by: Satellight on August 31, 2010, 11:41:59 am

Title: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: Satellight on August 31, 2010, 11:41:59 am
When did you play FreeSpace the first time ? What was your first impression about this game ?

For me, it was in June 1998, when I bought the first PC MAX, a french magazine, now dead  :( . It contained a CD with the demo of FS1, and when I tried this demo, I was just amazed by the beauty of these mother****ing explosions... And then I thought that having twenty fingers surely would be useful, when I saw how many keys were used  :D

And You ?
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: Snail on August 31, 2010, 12:05:09 pm
Got the OEM version of FreeSpace 1 (Descent: FreeSpace - Darkness Rising, which contained only the first Act) along with a Dell computer and a Sidewinder joystick. Got bored with the training missions at first, but after skipping them found the rest of the campaign thrilling.
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: Mobius on August 31, 2010, 12:13:23 pm
Same thing for me, except I got the OEM version of FreeSpace 2 (FreeSpace 2: Colossus, featured all missions from the main campaign until "Feint! Parry! Riposte!") and a Logitech joystick. The training missions were boring, but the rest of the Demo was superb... I played it a zillion times until I got a copy of Retail FS2. :)
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: Scotty on August 31, 2010, 12:22:39 pm
^^^

Although, it had all the missions through Feint! Parry! Riposte!, not until.

I played it enough to have two pilots with triple ace pins.
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: NGTM-1R on August 31, 2010, 12:27:28 pm
About the time it was released, I recall reading the FS1 strategy guide about the Plato mission in a store somewhere; I think it might have been a CompUSA.

Several years after it was released, I noticed a 3-disc set at the checkout counter at Fry's Electronics. FS1 and Silent Threat. Bought it because I remembered the guide (and was going through one of my temporary blackouts about my memories of the lies the Outpost strategy guide told).

I honestly don't remember that first playthrough.
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: Mobius on August 31, 2010, 12:34:01 pm
Quote from: Scotty on August 31, 2010, 12:22:39 pm
Although, it had all the missions through Feint! Parry! Riposte!, not until.

The government language barrier. :nervous:
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: Bob-san on August 31, 2010, 12:47:08 pm
Quote from: Mobius on August 31, 2010, 12:13:23 pm
Same thing for me, except I got the OEM version of FreeSpace 2 (FreeSpace 2: Colossus, featured all missions from the main campaign until "Feint! Parry! Riposte!") and a Logitech joystick. The training missions were boring, but the rest of the Demo was superb... I played it a zillion times until I got a copy of Retail FS2. :)
Ditto. I figured out that I could play "online" without any voices to complete the campaign.
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: castor on August 31, 2010, 01:17:05 pm
Quote from: Satellight on August 31, 2010, 11:41:59 am
When did you play FreeSpace the first time ? What was your first impression about this game ?
Somewhere late 1998, hooked from the first training mission. Thought it pretty much a flawless product. The dark, no nonsense military setting really appealed to me, I guess.
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: Bob-san on August 31, 2010, 02:06:49 pm
On a side-note, I first played around 2003 I think. I got the FS2:C disc with a Logitech Wingman Force 3D joystick. I must have played it half a dozen times before finding out about multiplayer mode and then doing some of the later missions. I downloaded FSO around then and "borrowed" it until I bought a copy of it and FS1 from GOG.
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: Mobius on August 31, 2010, 02:09:50 pm
Quote from: Bob-san on August 31, 2010, 02:06:49 pm
On a side-note, I first played around 2003 I think. I got the FS2:C disc with a Logitech Wingman Force 3D joystick.

Yeah, now I remember the joystick's name. I got pretty much the same year, or in 2002. :)
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: BlackDove on August 31, 2010, 02:10:45 pm
I was a big Wing Commander fan, and after Prophecy, and that paltry expansion it had, I read in a gaming magazine that FS1 cleaned the floor with it.

So I got it on release, which IIRC was spring 1998.
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: Droid803 on August 31, 2010, 02:21:34 pm
March, 2 years ago (2008!)
Got it cause it was free (GoG didn't start up yet), and I saw some screenshots from Celebration of FS posted on another forum when someone asked for space sim games.
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: MatthTheGeek on August 31, 2010, 02:22:11 pm
I know of FS for about a year now, when looking for free and linux-compatible games - and it's now on the top of my favourite games.
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: Trivial Psychic on August 31, 2010, 09:13:57 pm
Quote from: Mobius on August 31, 2010, 12:13:23 pm
Same thing for me, except I got the OEM version of FreeSpace 2 (FreeSpace 2: Colossus, featured all missions from the main campaign until "Feint! Parry! Riposte!") and a Logitech joystick. The training missions were boring, but the rest of the Demo was superb... I played it a zillion times until I got a copy of Retail FS2. :)
Same for me except I soon found the FS1+ST at a future shop.  After that, I tried downloading a copy of FS2 off a P2P program, and then HOTU, until I just borrowed a CD copy from a friend and made a copy.  I bought the FS2:C around Xmas 2002 at a Costoc.  It should be noted that at the end of the following month, my current wife and I began dating, so I've been involved in FS for as long as we've been an item.  I was introduced to FS some time before that, by the same friend that I borrowed FS2 off for copying.  He introduced me to FS1 originally, then bought ST, then FS2, but he PC was slow at the time and the were all quite jerky and aiming with a keyboard.  It wasn't until I got into playing it myself on my own PC that I began to really enjoy it.
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: Solatar on August 31, 2010, 09:39:30 pm
Freespace 1 was on a demo disk - along with several others games, a lot of them terrible - that came with a Gateway PC back in like...1999/2000-ish.  Took me awhile, and I figured out Freespace 2 existed.  Managed to get a boxed copy at a game store, played it for awhile.  I've been hooked ever since.

EDIT:  And the first time I saw this thread was in the 'recently posted threads' thing on the right side, it was just cut off as Re: Your first time . . .  thought I'd share.
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: Galemp on August 31, 2010, 11:52:20 pm
OEM DVD that came with my Pentium III in 98/99. I was addicted to X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter at the time. FreeSpace grabbed me and has never let go.
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: FreeSpaceFreak on September 01, 2010, 02:31:36 am
Got FS2 OEM with a Logitech joystick, which I actually got for playing Flight Sim 2004. So it took me a while before I installed and played the demo. But then, yeah... I just kept playing it. After a couple years I found out that there was a free download of the full game here (before GoG, that was) and, because I didn't get FSO to work at first, played the main campaign on retail about eight times over a couple years. Then I finally figured out that I had to install OpenAL, and well, I've been into FS ever since.
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: Satellight on September 01, 2010, 05:26:32 am
Quote from: Solatar on August 31, 2010, 09:39:30 pm
Freespace 1 was on a demo disk - along with several others games, a lot of them terrible - that came with a Gateway PC back in like...1999/2000-ish.  Took me awhile, and I figured out Freespace 2 existed.  Managed to get a boxed copy at a game store, played it for awhile.  I've been hooked ever since.

EDIT:  And the first time I saw this thread was in the 'recently posted threads' thing on the right side, it was just cut off as Re: Your first time . . .  thought I'd share.

 :lol: Maybe a little bit confusing...

BTW, I discovered Freespace 2 late 2004, and because there was no marketing for it, it was totally a chance. I had no Internet connection in these days, so I didn't know about the release... Such a pity ! I thought I became crazy when I saw that box  :eek2: !
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: Wobble73 on September 01, 2010, 05:50:15 am
I also got the Colossus edition of FS2 first, my first play through I thought, that seems a bit complicated and I was really into FPSes, (DOOM, Quake style games etc.). So I just uninstalled it. Years later I was looking for something new, was bored of FPSes and remembered FS2, (after finding a demo of it on an old PCGamer demo disc I had). Searched and found the Collosus edition, played it through, got hooked! This is like 6-7 years ago now! Finally obtained the full version from a friend after finding this site (since bought from GOG) and played through countless mods! :)
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: AlienTermite on September 01, 2010, 12:29:54 pm
Ahh... good memories. I got my copy of FS1 bundled with a joystick I bought back in 1998. I think I was in the 5th grade... I remember playing the training missions and marveling at the graphics as I blew up all those cargo containers lol. The gameplay, the story, everything was so great! I had a friend who got FS2 as a birthday present and he let me borrow it. After that I never played the game again until  7-8 years later when I heard about the source code project, and the rest is history!
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: Roanoke on September 01, 2010, 01:04:39 pm
I got it after seeing FS2 made no2 in PCZone's top10 space shooters and couldn't find X3....
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: QuantumDelta on September 01, 2010, 01:28:13 pm
Those two games should not be mentioned in the same sentence!
FS is FAR to Awesome(with a capital A) to be associated with the X series.

As for me.....demo disk, before FS1s release, picked FS1 up on release immediately.
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: Klaustrophobia on September 01, 2010, 05:59:24 pm
i don't really remember how i heard about it or when it was, only that i first played fs1 after fs2 was already out of print, and couldn't figure out why the hell i couldn't find FS2 anywhere.  and i thought FS1 was supposed to be a descent sequel.
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: Starkweather on September 01, 2010, 06:49:41 pm
My grandpa got the FS1 demo disk with a joystick that he bought for MS Flight Simulator, I was really into flying games; I must have played it about 50 times. I always loved going to his house to play it, I didn't play FS2 until 2006, played as much as I could with the SCP (computer was aging) until my joystick went kaput. Recently got a laptop with a decent gaming card and joystick specifically for the SCP, glad to be back.
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: Mongoose on September 01, 2010, 09:56:47 pm
I'm amazed how many people remember what years they first purchased/played particular games.  I couldn't pin it down if you paid me to. :p

I first saw the box for FS1 at the house of a friend who introduced me to the Descent series, but I thought it was just some weird spinoff thing, so I didn't look into it.  Later on, I saw the ad for FS2 that was on the Descent 3 CD sleeve and thought it sounded kind of interesting, but I still didn't know much about it.  (It's weird to think of a time when "Vasudan" and "Shivan" were strange words. :p) I eventually learned more about the series and tracked down a copy of FS1, which I loved from the moment I started playing; I later bought another copy with the Silent Threat pack-in.  As for FS2, I had to content myself with replaying the demo to death until Interplay had that limited-run 20th anniversary edition, which I snapped up as soon as I heard about it.  Granted, it was $50 to the current GOG $6, but it was obviously more than worth it.
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: Klaustrophobia on September 01, 2010, 11:34:33 pm
20th anniversary? o.0

you did better than me, i got the "sci-fi sim of the year" edition on ebay for $80.  i was under the impression the extra content was NOT available freely on the internet.  :ick:
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: Polpolion on September 02, 2010, 06:36:30 am
My brother borrowed it from a friend in 2000 and I in turn borrowed it from him and played it. I loved it, but then my brother had to give it back. Then in 2005 or around then I found the HoTU version of the game (anyone still remember that?) and played it about a million times without the voice files and stuff. Eventually, I got all of the files from someone's FTP server and had the full game.
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: Mongoose on September 02, 2010, 04:11:32 pm
Quote from: Klaustrophobia on September 01, 2010, 11:34:33 pm
20th anniversary? o.0
The 20th anniversary of Interplay, not FS.  It's an odd naming scheme. :p
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: headdie on September 02, 2010, 04:14:55 pm
first played FS when i bought a copy of PC format with the demo on the cover disk and a lengthy (p)review in the mag.  I had to play on my sisters computer as at the time my video card wasn't supported by the game, its amazing how long it takes to get bored of defending the Orff
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: Delta_V on September 02, 2010, 05:06:38 pm
I discovered FreeSpace when I found an FS2 set at a second hand store for about $2 back around 2004.  I never found an FS1 disc, but I played FS2 for years, back before I had high-speed internet and had nothing to do on the computer.
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: wolfen on September 02, 2010, 06:41:37 pm
I joined on here July 2 2006, which means I started playing Freespace in June of 2006 ( apx) I had no mods back then, just the retail games, it was fun as H***, and STILL the best game around, the graphics in Freespace are better than ANY modern game.
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: Klaustrophobia on September 02, 2010, 08:39:43 pm
i played retail from the time i got it until january of this year. 
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: Timerlane on September 02, 2010, 08:46:59 pm
I vaguely remember the day I got FS1(holding and looking over the Typhoon box with the fold-out flap, and finally deciding to get it, partly due to the 'Descent' name), and FS2(Oh, a sequel. ~grab~). Both were totally previously-uninformed purchases I happened upon at CompUSA(IIRC).

I had been a fan of the X-Wing/TIE Fighter games; the FS ETS system was a good bit more logical than the X-Wing energy systems(My X-Wing has to drop from 100 MGLT to 88, just to trickle-charge my lasers?), and afterburners made for much more dynamic combat(the TF Missile Boat did have the SLAM system, but that was the only thing remotely comparable). Those were the things I recall striking me first(obviously, the SW universe had more narrative to draw from).
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: Dark RevenantX on September 03, 2010, 02:22:35 am
Hooked from the latter FS2 demo mission.  Two cruisers, a corvette, and a destroyer (all three races), and all four ships' beam weapons, with a fair bit of explosions while both assaulting a capship and escorting a transport from fighters and bombers, complete with all of the beam weapon colors flying around.  You're even dropped in the mission right as two fat terran beams light it up.  It was the finest demo mission I had ever played.  A perfect showcase of the game.
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: X3N0-Life-Form on September 05, 2010, 04:56:44 am
Actually, I had never played the full game until 2007. And it was my brother who acquired it (he never finished the game btw).

We had the demo back in 1998, so I was able to identify the game.
/* Childhood memory MODE : ON */
Spoiler:
I remembered  :
     the shape of the mara & the herc 2 ;
     that there was a nice nebula ;
     that there were flak gun on capital ships ;
     that the good guys' beam were blue, whereas the bad guys' were red ; (SGreen : fires once every two months :P)
     blue beams shooting down torpedos ;
     the name Gamma Draconnis ;
     the two types of missiles ;
     the two types of primaries ;
     that there was a big ship at the end of the second mission, with big orange beams ;
     and of course, the name of the game : freespace 2 (but I don't think I had realized that the universe had nothing to do with Descent) ;
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: QuantumDelta on September 05, 2010, 04:58:46 am
FS2s Demo in '98? I'd be impressed!
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: Satellight on September 05, 2010, 08:16:18 am
Confusing with FS1, childhood memories are sometimes a little bit strange  :D

OR it is a very special edition  :lol:
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: X3N0-Life-Form on September 05, 2010, 08:29:27 am
Yeah, I've never been very good with time location.
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: DOCTOR DOOM!!! on September 07, 2010, 08:38:05 am
My Auntie got a Freespace 2 "demo" back in 1999ish with a gateway PC.  Also came with a star trek game that I couldn't even get to install!  The disk for Freespace said "DEMO" but it was the full game!  I was awestruck by how realistic the graphics were and the explosions!  However I didn't play it very often cause it was hard to get used to all the controls.  Couldn't get past the 3rd training mission so after eventually skipping it, i got stuck on Field of battle not knowing how to find any Vasudans.  A couple of times I got labeled a traitor for blowing up my wingman so they blew me up a couple of times.  After that one time without being a traitor, I jumped out and was able to continue the game until I got stuck on Clash of the Titans for YEARS!  Used to start over the Campaign and play to that point and eventually I beat it and the game!

Eventually I found out about Silent Threat and Freespace 2 prolly while searching for help to beat Clash of the Titans.  I seen the 3 disk set for Freespace and Silent threat in a Gamestop (I think it was a Babbages at the time) and in about 2005-2006ish after NEVER finding a Freespace 2, I ordered one off Ebay!   
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: Drogoth on December 26, 2010, 01:30:45 am
My dad got the demo when I was 5, back in '98. We played it together, he bought the full game shortly thereafter.

I played FS1 for 7 years before discovering FS2 (weak marketing, plus the fact that I didnt use the internet much) but when i was twelve I found a copy of FS2 and played it

I discovered the SCP about 3 years ago, despaired in the lack of FS 3, and didnt really pay attention to any mods. I've been lurking on the forums for years though >.> <.<

Started playing through mods a few months ago. Brilliant stuff. Brought whole new life to the game... plus mediavps makes it look just amazing.
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: Mars on December 26, 2010, 02:00:41 am
I think I played the FS demo around 10 in 2000 or so. Maybe a little earlier.

I thought the hornets were awesome
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: 666maslo666 on December 26, 2010, 05:18:41 am
Me and my twin were about 9 back in 2000, and we were huge sci-fi fans already, growing up on Star Trek and Babylon 5. There was this kiosk on our way to school where all the boys used to look at porn magazines displayed there.  ;7 We did not have a computer then, but parents promised us that they will buy one soon.  Once when we were looking at those porn magazines with friends, something other caught my interest - fancy Conflict: Freespace CD with a picture of Faustus under attack included in one of game magazines. I bought it the other day, and just when I came home there was new computer waiting for me. After a little trouble with installation and controls, both me and my twin were hooked ever since. A few years later when I got an internet connection I downloaded Freespace 2 and discovered SCP.
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: peterv on December 26, 2010, 02:40:54 pm
Around April 2008 i was looking for a Space Combat Simulator to inspire me for a movie script i was working on. Among many many others I found the HLP community and played the SCP versions of the retail campaigns. Never managed to leave.  :doubt:
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: Mobius on December 26, 2010, 02:43:38 pm
Why the ":doubt:"?
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: Satellight on December 26, 2010, 03:09:10 pm
Quote from: Mobius on December 26, 2010, 02:43:38 pm
Why the ":doubt:"?

Quote from: peterv on December 26, 2010, 02:40:54 pm
Around April 2008 i was looking for a Space Combat Simulator to inspire me for a movie script i was working on. Among many many others I found the HLP community and played the SCP versions of the retail campaigns. Never managed to leave.  :doubt:

Maybe because he wanted at first only a source of inspiration, and then he was trapped in a FreeSpace Addiction ©
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: Nohiki on December 26, 2010, 03:27:04 pm
the first time i played Freespace (set the difficulty to more than easy :lol: ) and... DIVE DIVE DIVE HITCHA BURNERZ PILOTZ!
Me thinking: SCREW YOU SNIPES! *smack*

Couldn't be better moment :lol:
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: peterv on December 26, 2010, 03:28:08 pm
Quote from: Satellight on December 26, 2010, 03:09:10 pm
Maybe because he wanted at first only a source of inspiration, and then he was trapped in a FreeSpace Addiction ©

Precisely  :lol:
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: Mobius on December 27, 2010, 11:36:42 am
That explains it. Otherwise, linchage would have been a reasonable solution. :p
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: AugustusVarius on December 27, 2010, 03:38:16 pm
I came to FreeSpace kinda oddly.  I was on a Babylon 5 binge last year and wanted to know if there was a game set in the B5 universe.  I stumbled upon TBP, and stuck with that for a time.  My bookmark for HLP was actually the TBP forum for a time.  I eventually pir- I mean, tested FreeSpace 2 about the beginning of the year.  Enthralled, I proceeded to buy it off GOG in July, I think.
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: Astronomiya on December 27, 2010, 07:17:20 pm
I got FS1 as a Christmas or birthday gift back when it was first released.  I had so much fun with it on my Sidewinder joystick.  I remember being scared as hell about Playing Judas for some reason (I was 10 at the time, and easily scared I guess).  Although I saw FS2 in stores around the time it came out, we never ended up getting it.  I think I finally played the full game in 2004 or something, and loved the **** out of it.  I found HLP soon after (or maybe even before then), but didn't join until relatively recently.
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: Hades on December 27, 2010, 07:31:31 pm
Quote from: Astronomiya on December 27, 2010, 07:17:20 pm
I got FS1 as a Christmas or birthday gift back when it was first released.  I had so much fun with it on my Sidewinder joystick.  I remember being scared as hell about Playing Judas for some reason
I was six when my dad bought two joysticks, each had a cd of the FS2 oem demo, I played that for a while before making my mom buy me FreeSpace 1 (wanted to go in chronological order) and I loved it (I even got it from the old Interplay site, and I still have the CDs). I played the FreeSpace 1 campaign at least 30 times before I got FS2 at the age of ten.

Why did I quote that part? Well, on my first playthrough, I had quite some trouble with that mission. Once I beat it, it became as easy as breathing to me afterward.
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: Snail on December 28, 2010, 05:59:09 am
I got the FS1 OEM demo with a Dell computer. The version with planet bitmaps and afterburner trails.
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: QuantumDelta on December 28, 2010, 05:17:56 pm
Is that the one where you're defending a convoy in an asteroid field? I can't remember..
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: Belisarius on December 28, 2010, 06:56:34 pm
First time I played Freespace was in 1998, don't know when exactly anymore. I was 11 years young and got FS1 from a friend who had it from a computer games magazine. I played it and was fascinated. There a very long time of playing followed annoying my parents to death, because it was in the year when I got my first computer. And luckily this one couldn't handle it, because it was an old C64 from my uncle. -.- But lucky me my parents had a computer that could handle it. It was my first real space shooter and it still iy my favourited game from all I've played. In 1999 I got FS2 for 90 bucks to my birthday or christmas. Not sure anymore. Back then I thought it wasn't that good than its predecessor, but was fun never the less. Later with the SCP and all its improvements I learned to love it more than FS1.
Title: Re: Your first time playing FreeSpace...
Post by: Unknown Target on December 29, 2010, 04:20:15 am
Played FS1 on a Maximum PC demo disk ages ago, didn't even know the name of the game.

Got FS2 from my dad's computer shop when it came out in 1999. Hooked ever since. Found out later that that game I had played a year or so prior was Freespace 1.