[LoneKnight]

Title says it all. FRED 1 was released with Freespace 1 in 1998. Did a strong modding community develop prior to Freespace 2, or did things mostly take off following FS2?

[Snail]

It existed but it wasn't as big as it is now. There are actually a huge number of old FreeSpace 1 campaigns out there, but none of them were really anywhere near retail-quality. There were a couple highlights, like Destiny of Peace and Awakenings, which are the only ones really remembered. Modding-wise, there were a couple new models for FreeSpace (almost all of them by a guy called "Dark"), but most mods were just reskins.

[Trivial Psychic]

I wonder, if  had known back then how much longevity their platform and story would have, would they have abandoned it?

[0rph3u5]

I wonder, if  had known back then how much longevity their platform and story would have, would they have abandoned it?

never abandoned FS... there was an interview earlier this year with folks from during which a line dropped like: "It [FS2] was the greatest game we ever made, but it was only marginally profitable"
They simply had to bow before the imperatives coming from the market at that time - and Interplay as publisher ... well Interplay...


However it makes me wonder if the state of affairs isn't one of the things responsible for growing this community to what it is now...

[Unknown Target]

I honestly think it would be best if V started a new space combat IP. I don't see why they have to stick with FS, in all honesty I think it'd be better if there never was an FS3.

[Dragon]

Indeed, I think that some sort of indirect continuation to the story would be a great idea. They can't outright state the new title takes place in FS universe, but they can drop enough hints and fit it into continuity well enough that everybody will assume this anyway.

[Sushi]

There most definitely was a modding community. The first version of the Velocity Mod was for FS1...

I honestly think it would be best if V started a new space combat IP. I don't see why they have to stick with FS, in all honesty I think it'd be better if there never was an FS3.

Agreed 100%/

Indeed, I think that some sort of indirect continuation to the story would be a great idea. They can't outright state the new title takes place in FS universe, but they can drop enough hints and fit it into continuity well enough that everybody will assume this anyway.

Why bother, though? Why limit your story options when you're starting fresh?

[Dragon]

I meant something like references to FS in Red Faction, or how Pathways Into Darkness, Marathon and Halo tie into each other (though maybe with less mind screw, considering the last Matrathon...).
This shouldn't really limit storyline possiblities too much.

[LoneKnight]

Well, V does seem to include Ultor as antagonists in most of their games. Are they mentioned anywhere in FS? Maybe as a developing company for ships?

[Bobboau]

no, Ultor was first mentioned in RF

and yeah, FS1 is where the modding community started, it flowed fluidly into FS2. part of the reason FS2 had such a modding kick to it was all of the tools were already well developed for FS1, it took about a year for them all to get ported over the FS2, but it would have taken twice as long had the work not started with FS1.

[MatthTheGeek]

The fact that the FS2 engine is mostly an upgraded FS1 engine is the main reason the FS1 modding community moved directly to FS2 when it came out. You can't say the same, for example, for HW1 and HW2.