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[herrozerro]

So I have been looking for a game to play for some time, namely something that runs in the same vein as an old game called escape velocity.  How does Starsector compare?

thanks!

[Cycerin]

As a huge EV fan I'd say Starsector scratches that itch. It's a quite different game, and a much better game, though.

[heskey30]

Hm, have you played EV Nova? It is much more comparable to Starsector that plain old Escape Velocity.

Well either way, Starsector is better in many ways and worse in others - I like the Escape Velocity worlds better, especially the EV Nova one (though I understand that Starsector's isn't fleshed out because it's in alpha) and starsector currently has no storyline, which was my favorite part of EV Nova, so Escape Velocity has it beat there currently. Also outside of battles the game is a little too point and click for my taste - but of course, that is how it should be really with such big fleets, and it doesn't really make the game worse.

On Starsector's side, the combat is amazing and wrecks EV Nova in scale, spectacle, tactical options, AI skill, and balance(*cough* ion cannons and railguns. *cough* *cough*Wait, the EV Nova ones, not starsector ones. *cough*). You have much more control over your fleet as well. And according to the plan, Starsector is going to be much more of a system, as opposed to a static world that only changes when you do missions like Escape Velocity, which I think is really cool.

Basically it depends on what you're after, but I bet you'll at least like it if you like EV.

[Wyvern]

EV was quite good; Starsector is leagues ahead of it in terms of combat, comparable in terms of user mod-ability, and (so far) leagues behind in terms of exploration, environment interaction, plotline, etc.  (Though some mods manage to address that...)
But, well, that's kinda what Alex is working on next, and it's still alpha anyway.  Totally worth getting regardless of that 'alpha' tag; I got my money's worth back when the campaign mode didn't even exist and you couldn't outfit your ships in missions, and it's only gotten better since then.

(Speaking of EV Nova, my favorite thing was always turning a Polaris medium freighter into a full-on warship.  Had to do the right plotlines to get the upgrades that let you mount guns at all, and you pretty much had to know about the wormhole network to bypass the hostile Polaris military outposts so you could buy the right ship... but it had amazingly strong shields, was quite decently maneuverable, and - with all the cargo-to-weapon-space conversions you could buy - had room for an amazing supply of missile weapons, with enough cargo space still left over to pay for a complete munitions restock in a single delivery run.  Spamming hellhound missiles was a great way to blow up everything in your path.)

[JDCollie]

Is it THE one? No. Is it one of the ones? Oh yes, very much yes.

See, I have an itch - some might even call it an addiction. Either way, what you call it doesn't matter. What matters is getting the fix. You see, the fix is complicated; no one game satisfies me completely. Not yet anyway. So I have a a group, a rotation, a battery of games. There are five:

Starsector
SPAZ
Drox Operative
Space Rangers 2
X3 Albion Prelude

The combination of these is enough - barely - to scratch whatever that gaming itch is that just won't leave me alone.

[Aereto]

EV was quite good; Starsector is leagues ahead of it in terms of combat, comparable in terms of user mod-ability, and (so far) leagues behind in terms of exploration, environment interaction, plotline, etc.  (Though some mods manage to address that...)
But, well, that's kinda what Alex is working on next, and it's still alpha anyway.  Totally worth getting regardless of that 'alpha' tag; I got my money's worth back when the campaign mode didn't even exist and you couldn't outfit your ships in missions, and it's only gotten better since then.

(Speaking of EV Nova, my favorite thing was always turning a Polaris medium freighter into a full-on warship.  Had to do the right plotlines to get the upgrades that let you mount guns at all, and you pretty much had to know about the wormhole network to bypass the hostile Polaris military outposts so you could buy the right ship... but it had amazingly strong shields, was quite decently maneuverable, and - with all the cargo-to-weapon-space conversions you could buy - had room for an amazing supply of missile weapons, with enough cargo space still left over to pay for a complete munitions restock in a single delivery run.  Spamming hellhound missiles was a great way to blow up everything in your path.)

I have to admit, this is one is very promising, even if it's a bit early for me to play something that does not have every feature available.

EV Nova is impressive, but carries different gameplay mechanics. Managing a fleet might not be practical, since no orders to do and buying ships as escorts. It has an economy and factions, though fixed.

Then there's the X-series, where it became extraordinarily time-consuming to build credits and a working complex that contributes to the ever-shifting economy. Does not feel like inertial flight, but combat goes where it counts... Still, every once in a while, an AI ship crashes into a station while docking/undocking... or ram into another ship, especially when setting a large ship such as a frigate to autopilot. Unintended rep loss.