[Polpolion]

I got Freespace because it was awesome.

[Jeff Vader]

In my case it all happened almost exactly a year ago. The only Finnish gaming site that I check out daily had an article about FS2. I read it, followed the link to HotU, downloaded (on my scale) the huge file, acquired a RAR-capable extraction program, fought fierce battles with my firewall, and eventually got to play the game.

Six months later the need to get the cutscenes, mods and graphical enhancements to work encouraged me to familiarize myself with SCP.

I think that's pretty much it.

[Mathwiz6]

Downloaded the FS1 demo for reasons I can't recally, played it, liked it.
Downloaded FS2 demo, thought it was really good.
A while later...

FS2: Colossus came free with a joystick.

Much later:

Wondered whatever happened to that game when I decided to check up on it. Searched, found HoTU and HLP, Dl'd HoTU, looked closer at the HLP (forums). Dl'd MediaVP's and SCP.

Eventually, I borked the game, created an account, and asked about derelict.

[Topgun]

I was searching for descent 3 on gamespot and found freespace 1.

[Gamma_Draconis]

I played Darkness Rising when my bro who worked at a computer assembly company bought it home. I beat the game 3 times before I realize it was only a demo, even though it was a really long, fun and excellent demo. Anyone else agree with me with that Darkness Rising is the perfect demo? It lasted just long enough for you understand the plot, the gameplay, but not the entire story.

[Snail]

I agree.

[Bloodstorm]

FS1 came free with my old p3 back in the day. after that i had to have FS2

[TrashMan]

Forced myself to play the Demo (cause: sheer boredom) after running away from it like a vampire from the sun.

And thus I have indeed seen the Light and mended my ways. From that day on there was to be only 1 space shooter in my shirne - thine holy maginfisence [gregorian chant]FREESAPCE[/gregorian chant]

[Shining_Saber]

Darkness Rising is the perfect demo?

I agree.  It was a very nice demo that showed off a good part of the game.

[foolfromhell]

Whats darkness rising?
Google shows nothing.

[Mad Bomber]

My dad's boss's... nephew? gave a burned copy of FS1 to me, since he had played through it and was pretty much done with it at that point. I played through the training and the first five missions on his laptop in the basement, and I was hooked.

Later, I bought a legit copy and gave the burned ones to a friend to play.

A few years later -- after a somewhat lengthy dark age in which I was stuck on a vintage '93 Mac -- I ran across FS2 in the store. My "MUST HAVE!!" instinct popped up. I bought it and had no regrets.

[jr2]

Whats darkness rising?
Google shows nothing.

* jr2 wants to know, also.

*cool, /me switch works in forums, too!  XD

[foolfromhell]

Whats darkness rising?
Google shows nothing.

* jr2 wants to know, also.

*cool, /me switch works in forums, too!  XD

http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?action=search2
Nothing that explains WHAT Darkness Rising is.

[jr2]

Click here, then use the search.  Search results vary depending on what thread you're on.

EDIT:  And Google, like this.  Apparently, Darkness Rising is the OEM version of FS1, like FS2 Collossus.

[Shining_Saber]

Apparently, Darkness Rising is the OEM version of FS1, like FS2 Collossus.

Yeah, it basically follows the campaign up to the capture of the Taranis, so you get hooked on the story and want to know more.