Star Control:The Urquan masters

montypython · Post by **montypython** » 2005-10-07 05:28pm

Curiously, has anyone tried the new freeware version of Star Control II? This old game was one of the best sci-fi rpg games I've ever played, and 13 years later is still one of the best sci-fi stories I've ever seen, especially compared to a lot of modern stuff.

Arthur_Tuxedo · Post by **Arthur_Tuxedo** » 2005-10-07 09:52pm

I never played the game in its original form, but I can say that the freeware game is a great experience that everyone should try.

Post by **Ghost Rider** » 2005-10-07 10:20pm

The freeware is the 3DO version. The speech isn't bad but can get annoying at times.

Still fantastic game, though fore knowledge of what to do can ruin a bit after a while(loooky all the Rainbow Planet, supe up ship of doom....die Kor-Ah pussies!!!!)

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2005-10-07 11:02pm

Dude, turn the speech off. Don't complain about features that are switchable in that way.

It's a great game.

Lord of the Abyss · Post by **Lord of the Abyss** » 2005-10-07 11:42pm

I love it ! I never played anything but the 3DO version, so it's a real trip down memory lane.

Cyborg Stan · Post by **Cyborg Stan** » 2005-10-08 12:38am

I have the PC version. It came with a hyperspace map that showed all the spheres of influence and all the interesting sites in the game so that was a bit spoilerish. To hear the voices in this version was an oddity for me. (Notable example - the Orz) Did they ever stick in the openings and endings back?

Off the top of my head, few games were like this - maybe the Starflight series and Protostar. Don't know any others.

Arthur_Tuxedo · Post by **Arthur_Tuxedo** » 2005-10-08 12:58am

Everybody complains about the voices, but I thought they were quite well done. Especially the Spathi.

Duckie · Post by **Duckie** » 2005-10-08 01:07am

Arthur_Tuxedo wrote:Everybody complains about the voices, but I thought they were quite well done. Especially the Spathi.

Excepting the Dynarri, of course. And the Utwig.

Now, the Ur-Quan, those were masterful voices. Reverberating, Low, and Feral-sounding.

So, the offspring has returned to its nest?
And therefore [you] have been deemed... 'independant'. This is unacceptable. Only subservience shall be tolerated.

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2005-10-08 01:43am

Starflight was a cool game - it's a shame games of that vintage are overcomplicated, ugly and virtually inaccessible now.

SyntaxVorlon · Post by **SyntaxVorlon** » 2005-10-08 11:32am

It's incredible fun to play that game. It really is.

montypython · Post by **montypython** » 2005-10-08 01:32pm

Stark wrote:Starflight was a cool game - it's a shame games of that vintage are overcomplicated, ugly and virtually inaccessible now.

The depth of gameplay was what I always considered to be the strong points of those old games, especially compared to a lot of modern games. How many modern space games are as interesting or open ended?

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2005-10-08 08:38pm

Oh Im not disagreeing... I played Starfight in the Genesis version first (why they thought your average 12yo would want to play such a staggeringly difficult game is beyond me) and while I can go back and play MoO2 or something of that era, the CGA graphics, terrible interface and other design elements of SF can even push ME away. SF2 (which I finished in the PC version) was less, but still excellent.

Goddamn it. Firefox is doing the apostrophe thing again. Im starting a goddamn thread.

Trogdor · Post by **Trogdor** » 2005-10-08 11:53pm

I saw this thread and then went to google to go get it. I'd never played it before, but I'd heard a lot about it. So far I'm enjoying it quite a bit.

A question, if I may, for all you SC vets. How do I put in more thrusters? I've only been able to find slots for the turning jets, weapons, and the main dynamo/crew/fuel storage spots when I go to upgrade my flagship at the space station. Being so damned slow sucks.

Duckie · Post by **Duckie** » 2005-10-09 12:04am

Trogdor wrote:I saw this thread and then went to google to go get it. I'd never played it before, but I'd heard a lot about it. So far I'm enjoying it quite a bit.

A question, if I may, for all you SC vets. How do I put in more thrusters? I've only been able to find slots for the turning jets, weapons, and the main dynamo/crew/fuel storage spots when I go to upgrade my flagship at the space station. Being so damned slow sucks.

Sell your weapons, first. Flagship sucks unless you have uber Delta-Tauri-20k-In-Exotics-Funded resources.

The outside pylons are the thrusters, the inside ones are manuevering. All Thrusters and 4 Turning is good, but try for all Turning so that you can navigate easily. Saves fuel and time.

Cyborg Stan · Post by **Cyborg Stan** » 2005-10-09 12:06am

Huh? I really don't see how you can't get any more fusion thrusts... it's just either up or down from the main modules or the turning jets, then left or right to find an empty slot, then enter.

Trogdor · Post by **Trogdor** » 2005-10-09 12:09am

Thank you.

Sharpshooter · Post by **Sharpshooter** » 2005-10-09 03:02am

Rather neat - it's sort of helping me out with the whole open-ended space exploration resource-gathering ship-twinking thing I've been wanting lately. And I honestly have to say I can't see what the big fuss about the VAs are, as they seem pretty decent and all.

Spyder wrote:The name makes me think of a race of Urkel.

Seeing as how we've got talking springs and psychic ducks, it wouldn't be much of a stretch to imagine a race of Uber-Nerds flying around in tricked-out BMW Isettas...

Spyder · Post by **Spyder** » 2005-10-09 05:57am

The name makes me think of a race of Urkel.

Duckie · Post by **Duckie** » 2005-10-09 12:09pm

Spyder wrote:The name makes me think of a race of Urkel.

If Urkel were a 10m long bladed caterpillar with a voice like a Remix of James Earl Jones under Reverb, he'd be pretty cool too.

Alyeska · Post by **Alyeska** » 2005-10-09 02:28pm

Classic game. I played this game back on the PC way back when some of you members here couldn't yet read. Good game. Nice to see some classics released for modern play.

X-Com (its a free and legal download)
Privateer Remake
Star Control 2

SyntaxVorlon · Post by **SyntaxVorlon** » 2005-10-09 03:50pm

Star Control: Urquan Masters == SC2, just under a different name because of copyright concerns.

Arthur_Tuxedo · Post by **Arthur_Tuxedo** » 2005-10-09 04:55pm

Alyeska wrote:Classic game. I played this game back on the PC way back when some of you members here couldn't yet read. Good game. Nice to see some classics released for modern play.

X-Com (its a free and legal download)
Privateer Remake
Star Control 2

X-Com is freeware now? Has anyone made it so you don't have to re-equip your squad by hand at the start of each mission, or has nobody really touched it yet?

Alyeska · Post by **Alyeska** » 2005-10-09 05:01pm

Arthur_Tuxedo wrote:
Alyeska wrote:Classic game. I played this game back on the PC way back when some of you members here couldn't yet read. Good game. Nice to see some classics released for modern play.

X-Com (its a free and legal download)
Privateer Remake
Star Control 2
X-Com is freeware now? Has anyone made it so you don't have to re-equip your squad by hand at the start of each mission, or has nobody really touched it yet?

Yes X-Com is freeware now. It was released for free on a PC-Gamer CD several years ago (along with the original Wing Commander). There are some modifications for the game out there, though it is mostly for more hardcore gamers who want to prolong the game. Some of the mods including taking advantage of captured Alien engineers and scientists and using them to aid your own science and production.

Don't know about the equip issue. I just wish ammo requiping was auomatic so I didn't have to keep extra plasma rifles and clips on my transports just incase the Heavy Plasmas didn't have enough to requip.

KHL · Post by **KHL** » 2005-10-10 02:10pm

X-com, SCII, and SF will always rank up there on my list of all time great games.

I remember when I picked up X-com. I had gone and bought a different game and a magazine that had X-com on the cover. We'd stopped at a store and I read the magazine while waiting in the car. The general consensus in the magazine was that this game was kick ass. I quickly returned the game I had brought previously in exchange for X-com. It did not disapoint in the least. Sadly, the sequels though were HIGHLY disappointing. I recently picked up the original, and after downloading a few utility programs, got it working on my Win2k Box.

Starflight is another great game. Did anybody else remember encountering the ships that were shapped like the TOS Enterprise? They never answered hails and had class 10 shields but no weapons... All I seem to recall is that their ships exploded rather easily

. Anyone know anything more about them?

Star Control II reminded me quite a bit of the Starflight series and it carried over many of the more enjoyable elements. As a bit of history, this game came out before soundcards were standard fair. Without them, you didn't hear any speach, decent music, or sound effects. Yet somehow they managed to get full sound and music out of a regular PC speaker.