Ho-ho-ho!

More games, you ask? You know it; more games! You folk don't know how
lucky you are. Not because of the games, though. No, because
originally my goal was to make multiple posts if I gave away more than
one per day. Fortunately, laziness ensured that I just gave away two
games per post. You all dodged a bullet with that one.

Celebrate your good fortune with some more games!

* Rebel Galaxy
https://store.steampowered.com/app/290300/Rebel_Galaxy/
This one is a sort of simplified "Elite"; a space-trader35QII
game with the usual mix of combat and piracy. It's not the
sort of game that's gonna set the world on fire, but if 9WXD9
you want yourself some space-sim action, it's more than
passable. It's got nice graphics, a unique vibe and fun
-if a little bit grindy- gameplay. It's worth a look.A87MQ

* GRIP: Combat Racing
https://store.steampowered.com/app/396900/GRIP_Combat_Racing/
This is a game that I don't expect to be quickly pickedNRNDA
up, not because I don't think it's good, but because it's
one of those I've given away in past give-aways and y'all
turned your noses up at it then. Personally, I think it's
a fun game; it's a sci-fi combat racer in the style ofAN224
"Rollcage", "Wipeout" or "POD". It's got equal parts visual
pizazz and adrenaline-pumping action. It's not the deepest
of games, no, but it's a fun and quick racer. So even if
you rejected in the past, maybe consider it today.886GB

So, whaddaya think; should I divide the give-aways in multiple posts
per day? Personally, I think the poor ol' newsgroup already has more
of me than it can stand. ;-)

Ho-ho-ho!

On Thu, 12 Dec 2024 17:56:54 -0500, Spalls Hurgenson
<spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

>* Rebel Galaxy
>https://store.steampowered.com/app/290300/Rebel_Galaxy/
> This one is a sort of simplified "Elite"; a space-trader35QII
> game with the usual mix of combat and piracy. It's not the
> sort of game that's gonna set the world on fire, but if 9WXD9
> you want yourself some space-sim action, it's more than
> passable. It's got nice graphics, a unique vibe and fun
> -if a little bit grindy- gameplay. It's worth a look.A87MQ

I own this one already.
>
>* GRIP: Combat Racing
>https://store.steampowered.com/app/396900/GRIP_Combat_Racing/
> This is a game that I don't expect to be quickly pickedNRNDA
> up, not because I don't think it's good, but because it's
> one of those I've given away in past give-aways and y'all
> turned your noses up at it then. Personally, I think it's
> a fun game; it's a sci-fi combat racer in the style ofAN224
> "Rollcage", "Wipeout" or "POD". It's got equal parts visual
> pizazz and adrenaline-pumping action. It's not the deepest
> of games, no, but it's a fun and quick racer. So even if
> you rejected in the past, maybe consider it today.886GB

Racing games are not my thing. Someone else can have it.

>So, whaddaya think; should I divide the give-aways in multiple posts
>per day? Personally, I think the poor ol' newsgroup already has more
>of me than it can stand. ;-)

I prefer fewer posts with more games.

On Thu, 12 Dec 2024 18:01:45 -0500, Mike S. <Mike_S@nowhere.com>
wrote:

>I prefer fewer posts with more games.

As casual observer with no actual interest in the games, I'd be
content with less zeros in the titles ;)

Mike S. <Mike_S@nowhere.com> wrote:
> On Thu, 12 Dec 2024 17:56:54 -0500, Spalls Hurgenson
> <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

> >* Rebel Galaxy
> >https://store.steampowered.com/app/290300/Rebel_Galaxy/
> > This one is a sort of simplified "Elite"; a space-trader35QII
> > game with the usual mix of combat and piracy. It's not the
> > sort of game that's gonna set the world on fire, but if 9WXD9
> > you want yourself some space-sim action, it's more than
> > passable. It's got nice graphics, a unique vibe and fun
> > -if a little bit grindy- gameplay. It's worth a look.A87MQ

> I own this one already.

What did you think of it? I took it. Elite is way too advanced. I hope I
will like this clone.

> >* GRIP: Combat Racing
> >https://store.steampowered.com/app/396900/GRIP_Combat_Racing/
> > This is a game that I don't expect to be quickly pickedNRNDA
> > up, not because I don't think it's good, but because it's
> > one of those I've given away in past give-aways and y'all
> > turned your noses up at it then. Personally, I think it's
> > a fun game; it's a sci-fi combat racer in the style ofAN224
> > "Rollcage", "Wipeout" or "POD". It's got equal parts visual
> > pizazz and adrenaline-pumping action. It's not the deepest
> > of games, no, but it's a fun and quick racer. So even if
> > you rejected in the past, maybe consider it today.886GB

> Racing games are not my thing. Someone else can have it.

Not me since Steam says I already have it.

> >So, whaddaya think; should I divide the give-aways in multiple posts
> >per day? Personally, I think the poor ol' newsgroup already has more
> >of me than it can stand. ;-)

> I prefer fewer posts with more games.

I don't care either way. I thought I miss them since I just got back from a busy day! :P

--
"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." --Romans 12:12. Time 2 fast 4 da annual lab tests & physical exam.
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Rin Stowleigh <rstowleigh@x-nospam-x.com> wrote:
> On Thu, 12 Dec 2024 18:01:45 -0500, Mike S. <Mike_S@nowhere.com>
> wrote:

> >I prefer fewer posts with more games.

> As casual observer with no actual interest in the games, I'd be
> content with less zeros in the titles ;)

I think he want to cause a overflow and crash the usenet. :P
--
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On Thu, 12 Dec 2024 18:51:54 -0500, Rin Stowleigh
<rstowleigh@x-nospam-x.com> wrote:

>As casual observer with no actual interest in the games, I'd be
>content with less zeros in the titles ;)

Heh :) I just figured he had his reasons for that.

On Thu, 12 Dec 2024 23:55:37 +0000, ant@zimage.comANT (Ant) wrote:

>What did you think of it? I took it. Elite is way too advanced. I hope I
>will like this clone.

95%-99% of my Steam games are unplayed including this one.

Mike S. <Mike_S@nowhere.com> wrote:
> On Thu, 12 Dec 2024 23:55:37 +0000, ant@zimage.comANT (Ant) wrote:

> >What did you think of it? I took it. Elite is way too advanced. I hope I
> >will like this clone.

> 95%-99% of my Steam games are unplayed including this one.

Like me! ;)
--
"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." --Romans 12:12. Time 2 fast 4 da annual lab tests & physical exam.
Note: A fixed width font (Courier, Monospace, etc.) is required to see this signature correctly.
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On Fri, 13 Dec 2024 00:41:03 +0000, ant@zimage.comANT (Ant) wrote:

>Like me! ;)

:-P

On Thu, 12 Dec 2024 19:43:16 -0500, Mike S. <Mike_S@nowhere.com>
wrote:
>On Fri, 13 Dec 2024 00:41:03 +0000, ant@zimage.comANT (Ant) wrote:

>>Like me! ;)

>:-P

I don't divide up by platform, but my 'unplayed'* for my total library
rests comfortably at 56.62%. (I have a spreadsheet!** ;-). That number
has been going up, however. I'm pretty sure that just two or three
years ago it was down around 20%.

I refuse to take the blame, however. There's only so many hours in the
day and I can't keep up with the sheer influx of of freebies
(especially on Epic, which I'll happily Numerate*** but stubbornly
won't play on that platform). Especially since games keep getting
longer and longer.

That said, the number of games I get through has definitely declined
over the years (guess how I know? It involves my catch-phrase!). Back
in 2007, my average games played per month was 10 titles. In 2023, it
was 3.75. In fairness, I had a much higher abandonment rate back then
too (on average, five of the games I played in 2007 were abandoned
before I finished them; in 2023, that number was 0.6).

Still, while I undeniably am playing video games less than I did 17
years ago, I still feel that overall I'm spending a lot of times in
front of the video-screen. So why is my game-count so decreased?

It's probably that damn Truck Simulator game.

* but, remember, my definition of 'played' may differ from most. A
ten-or-twenty minute look-see doesn't cut it for me (although it would
according to Steam). I only consider a game 'played' if I feel I've
gotten a good appreciation as to what the game is really about.

** I've decided this is my new catch-phrase! Everyone needs a
catch-prhase!;-)

*** Numerate: verb. A new definition added in 2024 meaning 'to add to
a collection solely to make the total number of items go up'. All
praise The Number. ;-)

On 12/13/2024 7:53 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
> On Thu, 12 Dec 2024 19:43:16 -0500, Mike S. <Mike_S@nowhere.com>
> wrote:
>> On Fri, 13 Dec 2024 00:41:03 +0000, ant@zimage.comANT (Ant) wrote:
>
>>> Like me! ;)
>
>> :-P
>
> I don't divide up by platform, but my 'unplayed'* for my total library
> rests comfortably at 56.62%. (I have a spreadsheet!** ;-). That number
> has been going up, however. I'm pretty sure that just two or three
> years ago it was down around 20%.
>
> I refuse to take the blame, however. There's only so many hours in the
> day and I can't keep up with the sheer influx of of freebies
> (especially on Epic, which I'll happily Numerate*** but stubbornly
> won't play on that platform). Especially since games keep getting
> longer and longer.
>
> That said, the number of games I get through has definitely declined
> over the years (guess how I know? It involves my catch-phrase!). Back
> in 2007, my average games played per month was 10 titles. In 2023, it
> was 3.75. In fairness, I had a much higher abandonment rate back then
> too (on average, five of the games I played in 2007 were abandoned
> before I finished them; in 2023, that number was 0.6).
>
I just want to know how you managed to abandon 0.6 of a game....

--
I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
dirty old man.

On 12/12/2024 3:55 PM, Ant wrote:
> Mike S. <Mike_S@nowhere.com> wrote:
>> On Thu, 12 Dec 2024 17:56:54 -0500, Spalls Hurgenson
>> <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>> * Rebel Galaxy
>>> https://store.steampowered.com/app/290300/Rebel_Galaxy/
>>> This one is a sort of simplified "Elite"; a space-trader35QII
>>> game with the usual mix of combat and piracy. It's not the
>>> sort of game that's gonna set the world on fire, but if 9WXD9
>>> you want yourself some space-sim action, it's more than
>>> passable. It's got nice graphics, a unique vibe and fun
>>> -if a little bit grindy- gameplay. It's worth a look.A87MQ
>
>> I own this one already.
>
> What did you think of it? I took it. Elite is way too advanced. I hope I
> will like this clone.

Rebel Galaxy is o.k. It's pretty old and feels it, you basically play a
capital ship, and it goes on a bit, kind of endlessly but gets grindy.

Rebel Galaxy Outlaw on the other hand is an excellent game more like
privateer but with better characters and more modern.

--
-Justisaur

ø-ø
(\_/)\
`-'\ `--.___,
¶¬'\( ,_.-'
\\
^'

On 13/12/2024 00:20, Mike S. wrote:
> On Thu, 12 Dec 2024 18:51:54 -0500, Rin Stowleigh
> <rstowleigh@x-nospam-x.com> wrote:
>
>> As casual observer with no actual interest in the games, I'd be
>> content with less zeros in the titles ;)
>
> Heh :) I just figured he had his reasons for that.

I did see that but then thought, ah yeh it's how 'numbers' are sorted in
text.

Justisaur <justisaur@gmail.com> wrote:
> On 12/12/2024 3:55 PM, Ant wrote:
> > Mike S. <Mike_S@nowhere.com> wrote:
> >> On Thu, 12 Dec 2024 17:56:54 -0500, Spalls Hurgenson
> >> <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >>> * Rebel Galaxy
> >>> https://store.steampowered.com/app/290300/Rebel_Galaxy/
> >>> This one is a sort of simplified "Elite"; a space-trader35QII
> >>> game with the usual mix of combat and piracy. It's not the
> >>> sort of game that's gonna set the world on fire, but if 9WXD9
> >>> you want yourself some space-sim action, it's more than
> >>> passable. It's got nice graphics, a unique vibe and fun
> >>> -if a little bit grindy- gameplay. It's worth a look.A87MQ
> >
> >> I own this one already.
> >
> > What did you think of it? I took it. Elite is way too advanced. I hope I
> > will like this clone.

> Rebel Galaxy is o.k. It's pretty old and feels it, you basically play a
> capital ship, and it goes on a bit, kind of endlessly but gets grindy.

> Rebel Galaxy Outlaw on the other hand is an excellent game more like
> privateer but with better characters and more modern.

Privateer was alright at first, and then got bored with it. In fact, I
couldn't get into Wing Commander series. I was more of Star Wars like
X-Wing, TIE Fighter, etc.

--
"Now the body is not made up of one part but of many." --1 Corinthians 12:14. This old body is broken! :(
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On Sat, 14 Dec 2024 17:35:18 +0000, ant@zimage.comANT (Ant) wrote:

>Privateer was alright at first, and then got bored with it. In fact, I
>couldn't get into Wing Commander series. I was more of Star Wars like
>X-Wing, TIE Fighter, etc.

Exact opposite for me. I own both X-Wing and TIE fighter but could not
get into either one. I am not a Star Wars fan so maybe that is why.
But I bought a Joystick just for Wing Commander. That is one of my
favorites.

Mike S. <Mike_S@nowhere.com> wrote:
> On Sat, 14 Dec 2024 17:35:18 +0000, ant@zimage.comANT (Ant) wrote:

> >Privateer was alright at first, and then got bored with it. In fact, I
> >couldn't get into Wing Commander series. I was more of Star Wars like
> >X-Wing, TIE Fighter, etc.

> Exact opposite for me. I own both X-Wing and TIE fighter but could not
> get into either one. I am not a Star Wars fan so maybe that is why.
> But I bought a Joystick just for Wing Commander. That is one of my
> favorites.

I love Star Wars, Star Trek, etc. Oh, I bought my MS Sidewinder Joystick (USB) just for BF1942 back then. I still have and rarely use it. :(
--
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On Sat, 14 Dec 2024 12:52:33 -0500, Mike S. <Mike_S@nowhere.com>
wrote:

>On Sat, 14 Dec 2024 17:35:18 +0000, ant@zimage.comANT (Ant) wrote:
>
>>Privateer was alright at first, and then got bored with it. In fact, I
>>couldn't get into Wing Commander series. I was more of Star Wars like
>>X-Wing, TIE Fighter, etc.
>
>Exact opposite for me. I own both X-Wing and TIE fighter but could not
>get into either one. I am not a Star Wars fan so maybe that is why.
>But I bought a Joystick just for Wing Commander. That is one of my
>favorites.

They were both great!

The X-Wing series were definitely 'deeper' games, both in setting and
in actual gameplay. This was both their strength and their weakness.
It made for a more complex experience, but sometimes all you want is
the power-fantasy of being an ace pilot zapping dozens of of alien
fighters.

Wing Commander was bubblegum action; it was easy to get into and
extremely fast-paced. This unsophisticated gameplay did work against
it at times; the mission structure became extremely repetitive but
made up for it with an extremely cinematic style and flair.

I absolutely loved both series. "TIE Fighter" was always closer to my
heart than the original "X-Wing", however; the latter game suffered
from too-scripted, almost puzzle-like missions that were almost
tedious in the specificity of actions needed to be successful. "TIE
Fighter" smoothed a lot of the rough edges (and whizzing about in an
unshielded fighter whilst being chased by better armed and protected
x-wings and still coming out victorious always made me feel like an
expert pilot too!)

But the Wing Commander games were special too. You really got drawn
into the story and characters, and I always felt a lot more invested
in the story and setting. In terms of gameplay, I think "Wing
Commander II" was the highlight of the series, but the third game also
ranks pretty highly, not least because of the inclusion of Mark
"Wasn't he that guy from Star Wars" Hammil as the protagonist.

But neither series fared that well after '95. "Privateer" and "Wing
Commander IV" were okay; "XWing vs TIE" and "Alliance" on the Star
Wars side had their moments too. But none of them gave me the same
highs as the earlier games of their respective series.

Fortunately, other franchises were there to take up the slack: games
like "Descent Freespace", the excellent "Independence War" and
"Tachyon: The Fringe" kept the genre alive. At least for a while.