Freelancer Cruise Engines

[leeroyclarkson]

I think the best part of freelancer was the cruise engines, and I would love to see it incorporated into another space game. I think with the highways it would make SETA obsolete.

I think they should operate like so, divert all energy into engines to power them into a secondary mode, while in the mode your engines can generate 400% power but you have no weapons. And your turning speed is halved and strafing is unavailable. If your shield is damaged it will not regenerate until cruise engines are deactivated. And once you drop from cruise engine mode your weapons are completely drained.

This primarily would be a great way to explore distant areas and would require you to maintain non-autopilot control. But you could also roll the dice and try to get away from enemies, either by outdistancing them or running back to protection of police.

[Rabiator der II.]

If you watch the demo videos, you will see that Rebirth comes very close to duplicating Freelancer in this. We have an engine boost that comes with a disadvantage, similar to Freelancer. The difference is that Freelancer switches off the weapons, Rebirth drains the shields.

Now I guess the Freelancer version is better for long range exploration, because it does not cut out after x seconds. But both are a valid solution to putting some limits on the use of the boost drive.

[Tenlar Scarflame]

Freelancer ALSO had an afterburner separate from the cruise engine - whereas the cruisers required a charge time and switched the weapons off, the afterburner was instantaneous and drained a small supply of rechargeable energy.

Some kind of cruise engine would be welcome - perhaps it would divert power from the weapon systems. I'm going to guess there will be no such device, though.

[Sam L.R. Griffiths]

I think the best part of freelancer was the cruise engines, and I would love to see it incorporated into another space game.

SpaceForce: Rogue Universe has something similar... no charge time though (more like SETA as it cuts out when combat starts).

[Geek]

I do not think a cruise engine would fit into rebirth. Highways are enough for early game, and later you have jumpdrive access - FL does not use that.

[Night Nord]

There are "cruise engines" - afterburner. It works differently, but serves same purpose - fast travel between highways. And all the points where you may require warp for long-travel are now linked with local highways.

[Alci]

cruise engines were more then afterburners. But no, there is jumpdrive technology for that purpose.

[giskard]

Freelancer was good, but compared to X, it was just a 100 hour game instead of a 1000 hour game.

[Alci]

freelancer had excellent story

[giskard]

freelancer had excellent story

Yup but it ended after about 30 hours, the rest of my 100 hours was using a mod I made containing lots of ships I made, lots of quests I wrote and new sectors I designed. Otherwise my game would have ended at the 50 hour mark.

Freelancer did feel like a space game though, the immersion was there. Which is what X badly needed.

[ERice2nd]

freelancer had excellent story

Yup but it ended after about 30 hours, the rest of my 100 hours was using a mod I made containing lots of ships I made, lots of quests I wrote and new sectors I designed. Otherwise my game would have ended at the 50 hour mark.

Freelancer did feel like a space game though, the immersion was there. Which is what X badly needed.

I agree. But I find myself totally immersed in Terran Conflict right now. I can't say it is on the same level of Freelancer though. I imagine we will see what Rebirth brings to the table.

[Cosa_Nostra]

Freelancer was a great game, finished it numerous times.
Last time I played it was with the Crossfire 1.9 mod which added so much stuff and you could still play the story as well.

[bblasphemous]

I loved Freelancer's cruise setting for looking around outside of the highways, won't really know if I want the same thing in X:R 'till I play it.

It's function might be replaced with something like scout drones.