Space Cowboy Online

[Sim9]

As originally shown to me by Sir_Kero (http://forums.editingarchive.com/member.php?u=2545), Space Cowboy Online (http://sco.gpotato.com/) is a freeware massively multiplayer 3d space shooter. Here are the key features of the game, as reported by their about page:

[quote=Space Cowboy Online About Page]
SpaceCowboy Online is an action based Massive Multiplayer Online (MMO) 3D Space Shooter. In SpaceCowboy Online, players can pilot their own space fighter ships (Gears) on an imaginary planet and upgrade skills or the Gear itself.

[Google]

[Walrii]

It looks REALLY cool. I just hope that they have enough servers to meet demand. Where are they getting the money to release it for free?

[Sim9]

I don't know; I think it may be based off the Torque engine, which would make development costs much lower than purchasing Unreal or such. Maybe they'll offer addons for a price, or take donations.

[Walrii]

I found out that through the publisher (I think) you can "donate" money and get points basically, to spend on upgrades / customizations in several games including Space Cowboy. Most of the upgrades they said, would be available in game anyways... but I still hate the idea of someone buying a good ship.

[Sim9]

Hmm, I don't as long as it's reasonably possible to invest time to get the same. Even paid-only expansions are fine if they don't give an unfair combat advantage (instead they could open exclusive new cool areas, new ship designs, or in this case, shortcut you to the existing power-ups). I'm still a firm believer that donators should get something good for their donations.

[Amnistar]

I understand both sides to this argument, but side with sim on this one. Donation for free games should be rewarded somehow, as long as the reward is attainable without donating.

[Walrii]

Eh, I dunno. For normal games, donating and getting things is okay. But for an MMO, this is likely HOURS of gameplay the donator is bypassing. I kind of associate it with people who buy their maxed out characters in say, World of Warcraft. They don't do any work.

It's not that extreme but still...

[Insane2757]

Hey, people who are donating are making that game possible. Give them a shortcut, because as we all know: the higher levels of MMOs are more fun than the lower levels.

World of Warcraft sucks pre-60. That's just the way it is.

[Sim9]

I've always thought MMO-level treadmills were not worth my time in the first place and were probably bad gameplay elements in general. <_<

[Insane2757]

They are pretty bad, in my opinion.

[Walrii]

I dunno, I don't think they're bad if done right. Most games follow the same exact path, so it sucks reaching level 60 for example.

Morrowind though... levelling up in that game was fun. Just run off somewhere and adventure! Every time you could play the game differently and end up with different things.

[AP-H2M]

Woa this looks kool. i think when it comes out im guna Dl it and play + the add on on voice is somthing that most MMO's dont have such as guild wars and WOW

[Sim9]

Morrowind / oblivion is pretty fun... in part because you can wreak havok on the game world, which you just can't do in a shared mmo setting.

[Amnistar]

I enjoyed the game, but i wouldn't buy it, because there so much leveling up you'd have to do to get to the exciting stuff.

[neozf]

ive played some space cowboy today, and its fun :D
although it seems loads of people have been getting disconnect, including me, think someone said it was because too many people trying to connect, but otherwise its fun to play, flying around shooting missiles at stuff :D

[Walrii]

Disconnects? too many people on the servers? Sounds like a pretty standard MMO launch :)

I'm off to download it now!

EDIT: At 983megs... I might not have it for a very long time...

[neozf]

managed to play it some more, level 17, A.N.I, i play on the server that beings with "J" and i use the name Hanabi on it, :D, i might go to sleep soon, seems my friends mum stoped the download while he was downloading it lol

edit: now im level 25 :D, money is easy to get, after a while, had a PVP with some guy, who died almost instantly, i also set up a brigade (which is like a clan) so if any one wants an invite tell me

[neozf]

wooo, im now level 40 :D

[neozf]

level 45, is anyone besides me, CDead and soon thundercross playing?

[Walrii]

Yes?

I can't really play (modem right now) and besides, I just got a DS lite. (YAY!)

[Sim9]

Space Cowboy Online supports HOTAS, right? I don't have nearly enough time to play an MMO, but I'd give it a quick download if only to get to use my HOTAS. :D

[Thundercross]

Okay. Just so you know, I AM playing Space Cowboy. I am now LVL 11 and pretty much ready to switch over to ANI. Although I had a bit of an attachment to BCU, I'm switching over so that Hanabi and I can be on the same side. The handle I'm using is Thundercross, and I'm a B Gear. I've only been so slow because at the time I first downloaded it, registration was only at the beginning of it's downtime. And afterwards, I was engrossed in troubleshooting my Windows services to reduce my Winsock errors to a managable level. Now that that's out of the way, it's finally time to switch over! I hope I can still give my gear a blue trim over there. I wouldn't be too pleased if the only colors available are white, red, green and standard.

[Sim9]

I tried Space Cowboy today, and it's generally pretty neat, with one big flaw. I'm annoyed how anybody can make a space sim / aircraft game and not include joystick support. It seems like it would be the number one required feature.