My brother turned me on to Endless Sky, a free and open-source space trading game. It's basically Escape Velocity with updated graphics and some quality-of-life improvements (such as your autopilot being smart enough to jump you from system to system, so you don't have to keep hitting the jump key every time). If you've never played the series, it's a top-down space sim, where you earn money by either trading goods (buy low, sell high) or going on various randomly-generated missions. You can also go the combat route, and either help the powers that be or be a pirate.
Combat is still kind of meh, but you can buy other ships as escorts (and hire crew, although there aren't currently crew stats or anything). If you disable a ship, you can board it and steal their stuff.
Overall it's a fun little game. It's also on Steam, which may make it easier for the non-Windows folks
Liked this game a lot until it got too grindy. I've earned enough hauling stuff presto around the galaxy for a quicker and bigger ship... and then what? So I quit. Did I miss much? One of its advantages is that it's among the few games that have zero problem running on my laptop. I appreciate that about a game.
You missed the entire story element. Its pretty long actually. There is is a whole main story-line string that pretty involved and opens up and even bigger galaxy as well as new ships/weapons and other cool stuff. The idea is to grind up a bit in the beginning and then you can start progressing through the main story Arc till you need to get stronger again and grind up more.
That's a fair criticism -- I'm playing it at work, where grindy is perfect :) There are some story missions you can get into in certain places, but it's a case of being in the right place at the right time (sorta). As I understand it, there's a date before which they won't appear, but not an end date, so even if it takes awhile to find, you don't ever actually miss out. Plus, it's open source...you could always put some of those new programming skills to work and add some missions of your own!
I sure kept a lookout for special missions. Got maybe one in the few days of grind, visiting half the galaxy. That's fair, and it's a good idea. I'm looking for a ready game, though, you know? If I have to sharpen it to my tastes, it's not a game I want to spend time on. I'd rather make one of my own.you could always put some of those new programming skills to work and add some missions of your own!
IMO the game is ready to play without issue. There could be more content and a few bug fixes but its more complete than many games ive bought on steam. You do need to find the main story line to start otherwise I can see why you would think the game is empty .That's fair, and it's a good idea. I'm looking for a ready game, though, you know? If I have to sharpen it to my tastes, it's not a game I want to spend time on. I'd rather make one of my own.
Good to know. I've actually really neglected the missions. Can you tell me, without spoilers, the best way to start one? I try to go into space ports as often as possible, but still haven't managed to trigger anything.
Southern part of the galaxy center left one of the main planets starts the main story. You need to have a few kills under your belt to start. Alburdeen or something like that is one of the main free world planets You should have a ship worth a mil+ to start. I think you could technically do it in a shuttle but the mission rewards aren't well balanced at this point
You'll probably like Endless Sky, then. It's still a tad bit barebones, but it's still growing AFAIK.
