StarLancer
Starlancer is a space-based science fiction flight simulator computer game developed by Erin Roberts, Chris Roberts and Warthog PLC under the auspices of Digital Anvil. The year is 2160, and humanity has colonized the solar system and two political entities have emerged: the Alliance, consisting of American, Australian, French, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, British and German forces, and the Coalition of Russian, Chinese and Middle Eastern interests. The game begins with a surprise attack on Fort Kennedy, where a peace treaty turns into a bloodbath: All four inner planets are overrun, including Terra itself, and the Italian and French fleets are completely lost. The Alliance fleet gathers on Triton, the moon of Neptune, and tries to regain the lost territory. The player assumes the role of a rookie pilot in the international 45th Volunteer Squadron under the command of Captain Robert Foster and Wing Commander Maria Enriquez aboard the recommissioned British aircraft carrier ANS Reliant. As in Wing Commander: Prophecy, the pilot's flying ability is the only measure of success and failure, although Starlancer does not offer as many branching mission paths. As in Wing Commander I, the pilot can be promoted throughout the campaign; unlike WCI, his rank determines which fighters and missiles he can use in each mission. The game offers a "virtual aircraft carrier" through which you can navigate, including nearby crew members, whose reaction to you depends on your current rank and position. The real gem of the game, however, are the text and video messages that inform the player of the status of the rest of the war, which seems to be advancing just over the horizon. Players often fly alongside squadrons and pilots they've recently heard about in the news, giving them a dose of "celebrity" and reinforcing the feeling that they're just one part of a much larger war effort. The story of Starlancer is continued in Chris Roberts' project Freelancer, although the two belong to different subgenres (the first is purely action-oriented, the second also offers trading opportunities and the player can move freely through the game universe when not on a mission).
Story
It is the year 2160. Mankind has colonized the solar system and two political entities have emerged: the Alliance, consisting of American, Australian, French, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, British and German forces, and the Coalition of Russian, Chinese and Middle Eastern interests. The game begins with a surprise attack on Fort Kennedy, where a peace treaty turns into a bloodbath: All four inner planets are overrun, including Terra itself, and the Italian and French fleets are completely lost. The Alliance fleet gathers on Triton, the moon of Neptune, and tries to regain the lost territory. The player assumes the role of a rookie pilot in the international 45th Volunteer Squadron under the command of Captain Robert Foster and Wing Commander Maria Enriquez aboard the recommissioned British aircraft carrier ANS Reliant. As in Wing Commander: Prophecy, the pilot's flying skill is the only yardstick by which success and failure are measured, though there are not as many branching mission paths in Starlancer. As in Wing Commander I, the pilot can be promoted throughout the campaign; unlike WCI, his rank determines which fighters and missiles he can use in each mission. The game offers a "virtual aircraft carrier" through which you can navigate, including nearby crew members, whose reaction to you depends on your current rank and position. The real gem of the game, however, are the text and video messages that inform the player of the status of the rest of the war, which seems to be advancing just over the horizon. Players often fly alongside squadrons and pilots they've recently heard about in the news, giving them a dose of "celebrity" and reinforcing the feeling that they're just one part of a much larger war effort. The story of Starlancer is continued in Chris Roberts' project Freelancer, although the two belong to different subgenres (the first is purely action-oriented, the second also offers trading opportunities and the player can move freely through the game universe when not on a mission).