video game space trading combat simulation video game developed published chronological sequel combat flight released game initially announced following production schedule microsoft eventually released march game players roles spacecraft pilots characters fly single ships exploring planets space stations known star systems engage pilots computer controlled protect traders engage piracy player activities include bounty hunting trading single player mode puts player role goes series missions save sector mysterious alien force multiplayer mode players free role explore start originally roberts promised features automated flight maneuvers dynamic economies multiplayer mode host thousands players diminished versions features implemented final release game initial technical demos impressed reviewers microsoft roberts departure critics doubts game reviewers judged final product technically good failing fulfill initial expectations gameplay players roles pilots fly single seat spacecraft trading merchants space stations planets engaging combat vessels starting small spacecraft star system player character explores region opening new systems adventures system provides opportunities increase pilot wealth aside taking jobs ferry goods hunting player character engage trade player character primary goal game accumulate money buy advanced weaponry equipment upgrade ship game played primarily pointing mouse keyboard commands system control spacecraft traditional use space flight observing spacecraft rear players fly ships moving mouse direction want vessels spacecraft follow simplistic flight dynamics dash realism implemented allowing vessels cut power engines turn face direction drifting original path conservation momentum mouse button shoots ship weapons location interface radar display location objects shown screen indicated screen edges targeting communications navigation data displayed information boxes pilot docks space station lands planet screen interface change rendition area visiting player moves pilot different locations certain objects reading bulletin board talking characters graphical representations economy consists buying selling spacecraft armaments components certain goods considered systems smuggled past police patrols buyers computer controlled characters non player characters certain locations planets stations offer quests jobs features multiplayer mode allowing players play game multiplayer games hosted game personal computers meet requirements game act gameplay similar single player mode absent story driven quests keeps individual records players progress resume game log persistent virtual galaxy maintained plot setting events place years video game solar system civil war fought alliance coalition facing defeat alliance placed people sent system settled transformed surrounding space sector region political intrigue opportunity rule sector split houses named sleeper ship brought system house exhibits culture terrestrial ancestor liberty 1920s united_states era united_kingdom era japan second industrial revolution germany fifth sleeper ship suffered malfunction route abandoned deep space alpha system descendants crew pirates bodies space stations lie close single plane system plane ships travel plane known star systems spacecraft travel system passing jump gates systems shown map jump gate mechanism actually provides clear idea close system spatial directions map simplified convention system spacecraft travel trade lanes series gates connect form space highway quickly reach places interest planets space stations mining operations debris fields systems secret valuable items exist deep space merchant ships trade lanes carrying cargo system system occasionally coming attack pirates patrolling systems police large naval warships characters player takes role mercenary single player mode regardless trent background player play different roles trader pirate bounty hunter story trent meets commander professor head secret organization trent relationships pre determined illustrated cutscenes player choice import trent interactions aligned certain faction police pirates company government faction agenda relationships web alliances hostilities player characters anger faction allies destroying ships likewise gain favor faction smaller extent allies attacking enemies player characters bad relationship faction attacked sight forces denied docking stations paying bribes faction improves attitude player character major roles voiced professional voice actors beverly_hills games star trek films excluded multiplayer mode lack campaign story scripted missions story plot single player campaign illustrated hours worth game cutscenes story linear structure player unable effect different storyline broken stages cutscenes inform players background events goals stage stages time limits completion players main story hold taking missions jobs crucial players proceed regions sector advanced ships weaponry equipment obtained completing missions advance story stages introduced character achieved certain level based total worth accumulated possible gain sufficient levels story players spend time missions gain money advance level required stage story necessary stages tough money items collected story starting single player mode shows destruction space station unknown forces leaving trent money ship planet manhattan waiting regain consciousness trent takes employment provides small ship refuses pay trent mysteriously taken away death later announced trent contacted thief reveals mystery party destroyed artifact thief possession officer kills thief shot self defense arrives scene trent flee liberty space traveling approximately half world flight trent expert learn artifact finding additional materials research discover existence alien race empire belonged previous inhabitants sector possess humans slowly houses manner planning civil war weaken humans elimination trent joins order secret organization formed combat helps rescue liberty president aliens research reveals artifact map key hyper gate super jump gate network currently acts source power order launches attack believe aiming activate hyper gates cut power supply activated gates suck unknown location order watches gates return defeat events return normal world trent granted governments trent asked order eyes ears liberty space allowing player continue game story elements development began work vision conceived wing commander wanted realize virtual galaxy systems execute programs regardless players presence cities transports world weather changes time prices star system according activities computer controlled traders import export goods roberts envisioned thousands players simultaneously interacting influencing world unique intuitive user interface seen games player pursue quest set character join players attempt missions needing exit game start new mode play artificial intelligence fly players spacecraft letting concentrate combat tasks roberts intended cutscenes gameplay visuals equal quality players unable distinguish years later project officially announced annual showcase mass media microsoft games media covered event focusing features promised game concerns state graphics promise dynamic economy gaming site gamespot gave roberts company benefit doubts initially roberts announced game available market fall project suffered delays roberts said earliest release game end june microsoft started talks buy roberts admitted team required large sums money huge company provide continue developing wildly ambitious features unpredictable schedule project original development projection years months roberts trusted microsoft compromise vision convinced software giant attempt takeover believe sell copies released roberts left company completion deal assumed creative consultant role release microsoft instructed scale ambitions project focus finishing game based possible team strengths features automated flight control conversations different choices responses sub quests abandoned despite reductions reviewers believed resultant product true robert vision team kept low profile displaying demo latest work international games festival drawing large crowds microsoft announced project schedule added planned content game october beta test approximately conducted main activities left game features fix errors uncovered testing game shipped retailers march later available online service role ended june delivery software patch resolve issues cheating staff departments microsoft accordance year support policy software microsoft stopped supporting game april global managed list multiplayer connection players soundtrack released november composed award winning composer music group musician programmer includes bonus dvd contains game alternative introduction movies concept art scripts deleted content communities players banded produce modified versions game software modifications included new ships including big capital ships players fly new factions join certain modifications allowed players fly ships franchise example star wars versus wing commander communities worked loss global allowing players host modified games continuing multiple player online gaming world reception highly regarded field combat successful wing commander franchise industry learned creating new combat paid close attention public showing roberts won game critics awards including journalists game later minutes catch glimpse half hour demonstration roberts vision named game gaming industry shortly game released ign called game month early game development industry enthusiastic prospect playing world changes player interaction dynamic world caution possibility implementation contemporary technology delays schedule microsoft gave rise speculation roberts promised feature dynamic world cut concerns partially realized features cut reduced leaving virtual world live industry expectations presented static galaxy territories factions change despite groups frequent raids attacks prices remain fixed nonetheless reviewers video game sites eurogamer gamespy accepted limitations focused areas game found lack variety greater game compromised dynamic world excluding single player campaign players meet memorable sounds american according playing character place looked similar extent game makes star trek look like zoo furthermore instead serving entertainment missions pilot fly particular location destroy enemies repetitive reviewers instead graphics software older technology praise game artistic quality beautiful realistic depictions universe impressed reviewers ign particular game graphics describing simply gorgeous best explosions enormous ships mouse keyboard flight control praised industry reviewers found easy shoot enemy ships intuitive controls pointed maneuvers barrel rolls performed reducing overly simplistic repetitive chase chased sequences pale comparison action story reviewers agreed professional actors good job bringing respective characters life criticism placed lone voice voiced generic male encounters delivery making characters sound alike long cutscenes frustrated game journalist wanted skip scenes continue playing instead forced watch story reviewers expressed story forced star system times leaving objective campaign abruptly ended said multiplayer mode best worst game players characters group missions trade ships equipment little virtual galaxy despite limitations said joy playing real life counterparts positive factor pilots human controlled pilots time missions practically ign questioned point playing repeatedly friends furthermore ign thought meaningless wealth higher grade equipment transferred lack substance led gaming site wonder long viable commercial multiplayer product massively multiplayer online games thousands players vast playing area accommodate loneliness playing sparsely populated virtual world gave concern longevity multiplayer mode overall reviewers acknowledged fell short promises initially roberts demonstrated high quality work implemented features concepts form entertaining product broke raised bar genre boasted high production value said worth money game anti climax hooked touted promised initial concepts realized hugely ambitious game admitted company develop necessary capital resources sequels project reports worked sequel called project xbox dissolved star citizen upcoming space trading combat video game considered spiritual successor game designer currently developed cloud games corporation founded roberts previous works include games wing commander wing commander announced persistent world massively multiplayer single player campaign private components players role humans 30th century way centred fictional earth central theme game citizenship lack thereof players automatically granted citizenship earn desire game opportunities influenced strong focus placed player interaction game entered alpha phase
Freelancer (video game)