AnubisArc999
02-15-2011, 08:20 AM
This might be old news to some, but I wanted to mainly comment on the "reason" for Volition being hestitant about making FreeSpace 3.
http://www.bluesnews.com/cgi-bin/board.pl?action=viewthread&boardid=1&threadid=118478
Volition producer Jim Boone tells them: "There is a group of people that would commit murder to do that game.
I can’t even tell you. The problem we had was Freescape [sic] 2 didn’t sell as well…" He shares his theory that in the days following QUAKE, more players turned to mouse controls, and fewer owned joysticks, and says he "feels like there's an opportunity" to make a space sim for console controllers, but he has "no data to support that."
I only today read this after rediscovering Bluenews the other day (after not using it since its origins during Quake 1 days [was surprised it was still around even]).
Anyways, I have to say I agree with the "no joysticks" theory.
I, for one, started my PC gaming (coming out of C64s) with Mircosoft Flight Simulator 4.0.
After which, I moved over Falcon 3.0.
Later then onto to Wing Commander 1 and 2.
I used to be pretty damn hardcore about flying/space sims, so much so I got Thrustmaster gear, and even was planning on joining the USAF.
Then something happened!
Quake 1!
Ever since Quake 1, FPS games have become my favorite genre and pulled me out of the simulation craze.
Over the years since Quake 1, I have returned to flying/space sims on occassion to "remember how it was". At which times, I found myself having to go out and buy a joystick. I did this a number of times over the years, because I move around a lot (in country and around the world), and I usually just throw away even perfectly good stuff instead of moving it around with me.
Over the years since Quake 1 and going back to stores to buy new joysticks, I have found it harder and harder to find joysticks for sale for the PC, especially simple 2/4 button joysticks.
Coming from a flying/space sim background, I, like Volition, realize you MUST play such games with a joystick.
Yet for PCs, they are no more joysticks, mainly because of how FPS genre (using the mouse) has dominated the gaming market since Quake 1. Another testament to how much Quake 1 has changed the gaming industry (although so few people realize how much).
I guess that is all I really wanted to say, any other thoughts would be nice to hear.
I will end off with I was really bothered with the mention by Volition that they are even considering going to consoles for FreeSpace 3, just because PC don't have joysticks anymore. And it wouldn't be a very smart move business wise either I think because, even though PC gamers have become a lot more casual (then compared to back in the day), console gamers are even more casual and even less likely to get "deeply involved" in a space sim.
http://www.bluesnews.com/cgi-bin/board.pl?action=viewthread&boardid=1&threadid=118478
Volition producer Jim Boone tells them: "There is a group of people that would commit murder to do that game.
I can’t even tell you. The problem we had was Freescape [sic] 2 didn’t sell as well…" He shares his theory that in the days following QUAKE, more players turned to mouse controls, and fewer owned joysticks, and says he "feels like there's an opportunity" to make a space sim for console controllers, but he has "no data to support that."
I only today read this after rediscovering Bluenews the other day (after not using it since its origins during Quake 1 days [was surprised it was still around even]).
Anyways, I have to say I agree with the "no joysticks" theory.
I, for one, started my PC gaming (coming out of C64s) with Mircosoft Flight Simulator 4.0.
After which, I moved over Falcon 3.0.
Later then onto to Wing Commander 1 and 2.
I used to be pretty damn hardcore about flying/space sims, so much so I got Thrustmaster gear, and even was planning on joining the USAF.
Then something happened!
Quake 1!
Ever since Quake 1, FPS games have become my favorite genre and pulled me out of the simulation craze.
Over the years since Quake 1, I have returned to flying/space sims on occassion to "remember how it was". At which times, I found myself having to go out and buy a joystick. I did this a number of times over the years, because I move around a lot (in country and around the world), and I usually just throw away even perfectly good stuff instead of moving it around with me.
Over the years since Quake 1 and going back to stores to buy new joysticks, I have found it harder and harder to find joysticks for sale for the PC, especially simple 2/4 button joysticks.
Coming from a flying/space sim background, I, like Volition, realize you MUST play such games with a joystick.
Yet for PCs, they are no more joysticks, mainly because of how FPS genre (using the mouse) has dominated the gaming market since Quake 1. Another testament to how much Quake 1 has changed the gaming industry (although so few people realize how much).
I guess that is all I really wanted to say, any other thoughts would be nice to hear.
I will end off with I was really bothered with the mention by Volition that they are even considering going to consoles for FreeSpace 3, just because PC don't have joysticks anymore. And it wouldn't be a very smart move business wise either I think because, even though PC gamers have become a lot more casual (then compared to back in the day), console gamers are even more casual and even less likely to get "deeply involved" in a space sim.