Firefly (tv show) type games?

Vinda-Lou · Post by **Vinda-Lou** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 7:52 am

My wife and I have started watching Firefly via Netflix and it's pretty good. Too bad it was cut short, although I hear there is a movie coming out.

Anyway, are there any games that are somewhat close to Firefly in spirit? I know Freelancer might be close, but I'm looking for a game that has that spaceship as home type feel. Serenity is almost another character on the show (I'm 5 episodes into the series), but I like the feel of having crew specialists such as doctor, mechanic, soldier, pilot, crazy girl, etc. I also like the walking around a moving ship feel, like going to your personal quarters while the ship flys to a destination. I'm sure nothing exists like this, but are there close matches? Slightly off-topic: Are there books or graphic novels similar to Firefly?

Fitzy · Post by **Fitzy** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 8:14 am

My wife, who is a huge firefly fan, mentioned something about a Firefly game coming out this year. I've never seen any information on it though.

As for books, there are Firefly books starting to come out.

Kasey Chang · Post by **Kasey Chang** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 9:36 am

You'd almost have to go all the way back to Lightspeed/Hyperspeed for that kinda feel, or Starflight series. I can't think of any of the most recent ones.

ChrisGwinn · Post by **ChrisGwinn** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 12:00 pm

Kasey Chang wrote:You'd almost have to go all the way back to Lightspeed/Hyperspeed for that kinda feel, or Starflight series. I can't think of any of the most recent ones.

Starflight's the best example I've seen, and that's ancient.

Quaro · Post by **Quaro** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 12:13 pm

There's a Firefly mod for NWN I think, but that's probably not what you're looking for.

SkyLander · Post by **SkyLander** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 12:20 pm

Quaro wrote:There's a Firefly mod for NWN I think, but that's probably not what you're looking for.

How does that work......

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 2:00 pm

There were a bunch of space rpgs made in the late 80s/early 90s, and as mentioned, the starflights were some of the best.

As to other games, Space Quest 5 featured a space ship with a crew, although it's very heavy with the comedy. Knights of the Old Republic 1 and 2 are the only recent games that I can think of that might be good choices.

Also, If you liked Firefly, you might want to watch Blake's 7, if you get the chance. It's similar, though it's darker and has cheap special effects.

ChrisGwinn · Post by **ChrisGwinn** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 2:41 pm

Nade wrote:Also, If you liked Firefly, you might want to watch Blake's 7, if you get the chance. It's similar, though it's darker and has cheap special effects.

Ugh. I suppose it depends on why you liked Firefly. If you enjoy it for the writing and the acting, stay away from Blake's 7.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 2:46 pm

SkyLander wrote:
Quaro wrote:There's a Firefly mod for NWN I think, but that's probably not what you're looking for.
How does that work......

I'd seen this a long time ago -- all someone did was create new tiles and artwork for a "Firefly" game setting. There wasn't actually an adventure or even a DM run campaign.

Then again, someone might have taken that artwork and made something playable....it was a good 6+ months ago I saw it.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 2:49 pm

And hey, wouldn't you know...someone DID create a Firefly adventure with the NWN tools.

The Hero of Canton -- but it still requires a DM.

Vinda-Lou · Post by **Vinda-Lou** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 3:09 pm

Yeah, Kotor is similar in that you have the ship to stroll around in with something like a crew.

How about IWar2 or X2 in terms of freelancing missions and skipping around out in space? I was also wondering if Bridge Commander is similar to what I'm looking for in commanding a crew. (I know it's rare, but I think my local EB has one.) I mentioned it above, but is Freelancer anywhere in the realm of Firefly? I like how the Serenity crew is nervous to go near Alliance stations as they are smuggling, or the Reavers(?) because of danger.

I'm also pissed that I even got into the show, what with it having only a dozen or so episodes. I guess I can look at it as a long movie.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 3:15 pm

I really think your best bet is to pick up Freelancer and apply some of the fan mods.

Neutral Saved Game starts you off AFTER the game is won (so you don't have to beat it or get roped into quests) with a totally neutral faction standing. So you can do whatever you want -- trade, hunt, explore. Whatever.

OpenSP is like the Neutral Save game MOD, but it really just creates a MP environment for a SP game.

Here's a MOD manager

And the alleged Mother of All Mods that seems to balance and tweak the game.

Good luck.

Kasey Chang · Post by **Kasey Chang** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 5:21 pm

ChrisGwinn wrote:
Kasey Chang wrote:You'd almost have to go all the way back to Lightspeed/Hyperspeed for that kinda feel, or Starflight series. I can't think of any of the most recent ones.
Starflight's the best example I've seen, and that's ancient.

Starflight series kinda lived on with Star Control II, in a in a way, it does live on in games like Elite / Privateer / X2 and such.

Don't forget Space Trader on the Palm.

ChrisGwinn · Post by **ChrisGwinn** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 6:04 pm

Kasey Chang wrote:
ChrisGwinn wrote:
Kasey Chang wrote:You'd almost have to go all the way back to Lightspeed/Hyperspeed for that kinda feel, or Starflight series. I can't think of any of the most recent ones.
Starflight's the best example I've seen, and that's ancient.
Starflight series kinda lived on with Star Control II, in a in a way, it does live on in games like Elite / Privateer / X2 and such.

Hmm... I don't recall being able to recruit a crew in any of the SCs or in Privateer (I never played Elite or X2). Privateer's a pretty lonely game - it doesn't really have the "spaceship as home" feel he's looking for.

The Independence War games might be good. Ditto for Bridge Commander. Some of the Wing Commander games did a pretty good job of letting you feel like a member of the crew.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 9:05 pm

Starlancer - Like Wing Commander you are on a space carrier with buddies.

Independence War 2 - You have your own pirate space station and crew buddies.

Star Wolves - You own a mothership and have a crew you train and outfit for missions.

Nexus - You control a capital ship with boarding parties and such. can reconfigure weapons and systems.

The Freespace games - Again like WC but better.

Padre · Post by **Padre** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 9:49 pm

I seem to recall that one or other of the Imperium Galactica games allowed you to maintain your own ship which it was possible to wander around.....

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 11:14 pm

ChrisGwinn wrote:
Nade wrote:Also, If you liked Firefly, you might want to watch Blake's 7, if you get the chance. It's similar, though it's darker and has cheap special effects.
Ugh. I suppose it depends on why you liked Firefly. If you enjoy it for the writing and the acting, stay away from Blake's 7.

Cause it might ruin you from ever enjoying firefly, again?

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 11:17 pm

Vinda-Lou wrote:I was also wondering if Bridge Commander is similar to what I'm looking for in commanding a crew.

You do command a crew (through a menu system), but the games fast pace detracts from the experience, IMO. Had they made they reduced the pace (maybe focus it a little more on strategy?) it would have done a better job. Silent Hunter 3 did a better job at this, I think (though it's an entirely different setting).

Buatha · Post by **Buatha** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 11:39 pm

How about Planet's Edge? It's an oldie, though.

Kasey Chang · Post by **Kasey Chang** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 12:00 am

You can sorta bring up DS's Battlecruiser franchise... The crew does things and you can even get intruders onboard and watch your marines chase them down... But you don't land on a planet, just dock at space stations. You COULD send landers to various planets and moons though..

Veloxi · Post by **Veloxi** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 12:42 am

Of course Starflight is one of the best of its kind.

Where do you think my name came from? Also, yes, there is a movie coming out this year, on 9/30. My avatar should give a clue as to its name.

The trailer is due out tomorrow. I suppose the closest RECENT game like Firefly might be X2 or Freelancer, not much else. Shame, really, as the FF 'verse would make good fodder for a Privateer style game, IMO.

BTW, if you enjoy FF, come to FireFlyFans, best FF fan site around, IMO.

Vinda-Lou · Post by **Vinda-Lou** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 7:50 am

These are great suggestions, thanks. I think I saw Freelancer also at my local EB for cheap. The battlecruser games from what I hear are very complicated, but it seems that a Firefly mod would fit well into that game. What a great show, though. I just saw the episode where ....

spoiler warning (just encase).....

Mal got married accidentally. What a great episode. And man, what a rack on the "wife."

ChrisGwinn · Post by **ChrisGwinn** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 10:11 am

Nade wrote:
ChrisGwinn wrote:
Nade wrote:Also, If you liked Firefly, you might want to watch Blake's 7, if you get the chance. It's similar, though it's darker and has cheap special effects.
Ugh. I suppose it depends on why you liked Firefly. If you enjoy it for the writing and the acting, stay away from Blake's 7.
Cause it might ruin you from ever enjoying firefly, again?

True. The site of a spaceship set with an ensemble cast may well trigger vomiting after watching Blake's 7.

I wanted to like it. I really did. But it's just bad. It may have been good at the time, it may have sentimental value, it may become interesting after you've watched a lot of it... But if you come into it cold, expecting something that will hold up to recent standards for television SF, I can't see how it does well, unless you really like camp.

Veloxi · Post by **Veloxi** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 11:31 am

Vinda-Lou wrote:These are great suggestions, thanks. I think I saw Freelancer also at my local EB for cheap. The battlecruser games from what I hear are very complicated, but it seems that a Firefly mod would fit well into that game. What a great show, though. I just saw the episode where ....

spoiler warning (just encase).....

Mal got married accidentally. What a great episode. And man, what a rack on the "wife."

Yes, "Our Mrs. Reynolds" is probably my favorite episodes, and shows all that's great about FF in one episode. Humor, action, sexuality, great dialogue, and more. Wonderful episode. Just wait until you get to "Objects in Space" and "Out of Gas"

Freezer-TPF- · Post by **Freezer-TPF-** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 11:51 am

Veloxi wrote:Humor, action, sexuality, great dialogue, and more.

Mal: "Whoa. Good Bible..."

Veloxi · Post by **Veloxi** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 6:38 pm

Freezer-TPF- wrote:
Veloxi wrote:Humor, action, sexuality, great dialogue, and more.
Mal: "Whoa. Good Bible..."

Wash: "Whoa. Good Myth..."

Inverarity · Post by **Inverarity** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 7:54 pm

I'm a big Escape Velocity Nova fan, if you're looking for a space sim. Granted, the graphics leave something to be desired (there's a lot of depth though) and granted, there isn't much crew camaraderie, though I suppose you could pretend

There's a demo (actually the full game, just locked until you register) and the community is pretty good.

http://www.ambrosiasw.com/games/evn