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[jediwoman]

I have two questions, but let me preface them by telling you why I am asking. It is embarassing to have to say this - but: I am an older gamer who is on a fixed income... I must budget every penny I spend. It wasn't all that long ago that I blew money on games without really having to think about it... But aging isn't fun. Anyone who uses the term "golden years" is lying.

1. Is there a playable demo anywhere? (The "demos" I have found have been non-demos. Without a key they won't do anything but install.

While my computer(s) play(s) MOST games (SWTOR, Black Prophecy, etc) there are a few games it/they simply won't run, or runs so poorly that is isn't enjoyable.

2. Is this a space combat sim/action title or a strategy type game? (I ask because I do not want to "command" a fleet of ships, nor do I want to research every bloody element on the periodic table and then research every technology that goes into the ship.) I loved the X Series of games (X-BTF etc), Freelancer, Elite, etc. While I don't mind a good game of chess now and then, I despise turn based space combat. It feels silly (to me, personally. I get it that lots of people enjoy that & I'm delirious for them). As for myself -  I just want to pull the trigger and blow hostiles out of my way. I don't want to draw little boxes around ships and engage in combat via menu-tree drop-downs. ( Digital version of phone-tree hell).

I have been a gamer since before a lot of gamers were alive... lol. My favorite genre is space combat/exploration/trade sim. I PREFER indie games bc I like to support the small developers. (And, in turn, they give us a higher quality game and better support).

If you can help answer these questions I would be so grateful. 

[Gothars]

Hi jediwoman, welcome to the forum

1.Is there a playable demo anywhere?

No, not at the moment. If you can run SWTOR your computer should have no problem with Starfarer, though.
 

2. Is this a space combat sim/action title or a strategy type game?

It is an action game with strategic elements. You start with a single ship that you control directly with ADSW, aim the weapons with the cursor and so on. That's the pure action part (which still needs tactical thinking though, it's no mindless shooter). If you want you can stay with that and only improve your personal ship and related skills. Or you can capture/buy additional ships and build a small fleet of computer controlled allies who listen to your commands (while still controlling your flagship directly).

The exploration and trade aspects are not in the game yet, but it's tons of fun already. I'm pretty sure you would not regret the purchase:)

Oh, and here's a little fan trailer

[PCCL]

1) unfortunately not... you kinda have to buy it or leave it... I'd tell you to buy it and promise you won't be disappointed but that is only my opinion

2) any ships from frigates to capitals can be piloted (that means no fighters, the smallest ships you can pilot are 5 man skimmers like the millenium falcon), but the combat in that sense is quite skill based. Larger battles usually mean more ships for both sides and you will have to do some commanding, but if you have the skills you can just let your allies take care of themselves (they do a good job) and win the battle by zipping around in your boat. Or get some simple commands like telling your ships group up and get a fighter squadron to escort you then go to town. Research is non-existent

[Wyvern]

1: Not yet.  There's been mutterings about making such, but it doesn't exist.  I'd suggest finding some of the youtube channels people have put up where they play the game, though; that should show you what goes on, as best as possible without being able to play it.

2: At the moment, mostly space combat / action title.  Realtime, there's some strategy and command stuff, but it's easy to ignore that if it's not your cup of tea.
For an example, one of the ships (the Hyperion) very deliberately plays much like a top-down shooter - you run around, have solid firepower, decent shields, and paper-thin armor; you can't afford to make any major mistakes, but as long as you play well, everything in your path will die.  (Or run away; occasionally something will have enough armor to survive getting to the edge of the battle map.)
It is possible to tilt the game more towards strategy - collecting a fleet of ships, giving them commands, watching what happens... but you don't have to do that; most of my recent games I've had a single flagship that I pilot, and maybe a couple of escorting frigates or freighters (the latter of which get exactly one command in combat: retreat!), and that's about it.

[Doom101]

1: Sadly not, I very much suggest checking Faiter's or Axiege's let's plays of the game, both can be found on the general discussion page. Personally I believe you will like the game. I dumped $10 on it back in January hoping it was the game I thought it was, I have since spent more time playing it than any AAA title, Ever.

2: The game as it is now is very incomplete, its lacking exploration, trading, and industry. ( i don't think industry is planned to be tedious researching)
The game currently contains only combat and things to enhance combat, such as the customization of your fleet. ( weapons and abilities, no unnecessary paint jobs or stat numbers to track)  As of now the campaign consists of a large solar system with a few planets and space stations, you can fly about an interact with the 4 factions of the game, lawless pirates, The brutal Hegemony, greedy Tri-Tachyons, and independent independents. By interact I mean get yelled at mostly ( the captains in the game aren't the best conversationalists yet.) and fighting them of course. Each faction uses different ships, pirates mostly use whatever they get their hands on mostly low end low tech ships. The hegemony use low tech but very powerful ships and on the opposite side the Tri-tachyons use very high tech ships and weapons on their high end ships, and the independents are somewhere in the middle. Each faction tracks your relationship to them separately, and all ( but the pirates) start neutral to the player, however it only takes one fight with someone to turn them into an enemy, and as of right now there is no way to make them friendly again. If you attack the TT, Hegemony, or independents all their fleets will forever become hostile to you and chase you if they think they can beat you in a fight, or run away if they think they can't. Fighting the major factions is not a recommended course of action right off the bat, i'd wait until you amass a few credits a decent ship and some skills.

At the beginning of a new campaign you also get to create your character which will stick with you for that entire campaign ( They currently do not end even if you are utterly destroyed, you get restarted with a basic ship and loose a lot of stuff.)  you can orient your character in a few ways, focusing on single ship combat, leadership skills, or benefiting all the ships in your fleet including your own. Or any combination thereof.

Outside of the campaign you can play a set of missions designed to challenge the player, some more than others.

Lastly welcome to the forums, enjoy your stay.

[pigreko]

1: no demo, but... since you can run SWTOR ---> you can run this game without a problem

2: this is an action/rts/rpg/roguelike space simulator.
- the game is played top down on a 2D plane, and it is all in real time
- You have a character which gains levels and skills
- you can directly helm one ship at a time, controlling how it fires and moves via mouse and keyboard
- there are dozens of obtainable ships, each of them with its own powers and unique features.
- you have to properly arm your ship: from crew to weapons and mods; you are free to shape it to suit your playstyle or for maximum efficiency
- you can acquire more ships during your quest. In combat those ships behave like they have their own captain, and fights alongside you
- you can give commands to each ship of your fleet, but those commands are mostly generic and limited in number
- right now (alpha stage) you have: the combat system, nearly complete and balanced; you have a sandboxed solar system with various factions battling in it (and with you at some extent), there are stations where you can trade for ships/goods/crew members... still there is nothing more to do but fight fleets for fun; you have the first steps into the character level system, skills are manly combat oriented for now.
- what is bound to came is a complete storyline in a heavy characterized galaxy (and if you are a fan of the old good games like colony wars, freelancer and stuff... I feel the vibe will be the same); a quest system of course, with an enhanced character customization thru skills; many more solar systems; economy, trades... and whatever our amazing devs will develop

I advice you go see some videos of how the game plays out. Watch out for outdated versions, the game is quite different from it earlier manifestations

[BillyRueben]

Oh, fun! My turn!

1. No demo. Can play based on other games you mentioned.

2. The game is a 2D top down space combat simulator.

[Alex]

Others have summed things up nicely, so I'll just say hi - and welcome to the forum!

1. Is there a playable demo anywhere? (The "demos" I have found have been non-demos. Without a key they won't do anything but install.

Let me guess - IGN, right? They are hosting the download without my permission, and calling it a demo (in actuality, it's just an older version of the game). Finding someone to get in touch with about that is ... non-trivial. I'm sorry about the confusion.

Edit: Did manage to get in touch with someone there.

[xenoargh]

Hah, yeah, those guys

Anyhow, jediwoman, it's $10 of the most fun you'll have pulling a trigger and blowing pixels away in quite a while. Imagine Escape Velocity had babies with MechCommander and occasionally has the crazy action of Strike Force (ok, the sound's not as cool and you can't kill Godzilla clones, but whatevah).

Plus mods that are getting better each time Alex updates the game, because he keeps opening up the engine a little more. 

Sure, Vanilla's not a complete story with anime characters exchanging witty one-liners while they work as ad-hoc mercenaries attempting to raise enough capital to finally activate the Heart Beam and defeat the Crux King*... but as a work in progress, you'll be supporting it finally reaching that glorious state... Soon™

Anyway, it's been one of the best $10 I've spent this year, plus, because it uses simple 2D sprites and it moddable, I've even helped kids make spacecraft

*Pretty sure I just made that all up.  Probably has nothing to do with the actual plot of the game, except for that part about the Crab Androids and their nefarious plots to de-greeble the universe.

[Gothars]

Let me guess - IGN, right? They are hosting the download without my permission, misrepresenting what it is by calling it a demo (in actuality, it's just an older version of the game), and getting in touch with anybody there to take it down is ... non-trivial. I'm sorry about the confusion.

That would become a non-issue if you were to publish a real demo. Any more concrete plans in that direction, or postponed towards the end of development?

Even a small demo has the advantage to stop people from falling in the *things we don't discuss here* trap as a replacement for a demo and then "forgetting" to buy it later on.

[Vulcan]

Let me guess - IGN, right? They are hosting the download without my permission, misrepresenting what it is by calling it a demo (in actuality, it's just an older version of the game), and getting in touch with anybody there to take it down is ... non-trivial. I'm sorry about the confusion.

That would become a non-issue if you were to publish a real demo. Any more concrete plans in that direction, or postponed towards the end of development?

Even a small demo has the advantage to stop people from falling in the *things we don't discuss here* trap as a replacement for a demo and then "forgetting" to buy it later on.

I'll be completely honest.

*snip* Vulcan: talking about piracy is against the rules of this forum - Alex

[Alex]

That would become a non-issue if you were to publish a real demo. Any more concrete plans in that direction, or postponed towards the end of development?

No concrete plans at the moment. I'd still like to do it at some point, but it's not all that simple, for various non-technical reasons.

[K-64]

Once development is at a later stage, would it be at all feasible to do a system like Mount&Blade's demo? Where the download, installation, etc. is free, and you can play the full game up to x level or y amount of time and if you exceed either of those, then you need to purchase a key to access the "full" version

[FlashFrozen]

I won't lie, I only discovered starfarer from IGN/fileplanet, even though it required the key for any use, I took the plunge xD

though Fileplanet died, not sure about ign.