Games similar to Hardwar

[darkphoenix]

I thought I'd make a "Games similar to Hardwar"thread.

I know Hardwar is unique and there is nothing out there quite like it but there are other games that have similarities.

You guys turned me on to:

A.I.M ( Artificial Intelligent Machine) and
A.I.M. 2 Clan Wars

- got the first one and it's really fun!

Other games I can think of include

Borderzone 2: Combat Commander and

Crime Cities

I suppose the most common element in these games is they are flight or hover based games that take place on a planet or in an atmosphere - not in space.

Can you guys help me think of others to add to this list?

( I do wanna play them but also for my wife - I cannot get her to touch a space flight sim but she will play the ones in an atmosphere - go figure, girls are strange)

Thanks!

[Captain Zedo]

There's nothing like Hardwar. Elite doesn't cover the piracy and amnesty aspects and it's about as close as it gets.

On the other hand, most of the Doom-based games that have taken over the modern gamebox, have opened up their levels and gameplay. This is a philosophy pioneered by Hardwar.

[Hammer]

The A.I.M. games are the closest thing I've found to having maybe, the "feeling" or idea of Hardwar. There's just nothing out there like it. It's why I wish someone could make a modern version of the game. I played Farcry 2. Not because I like 1st person shooters all that much, I prefer to fly a ship, or drive a vehicle etc, but I liked the fact that the game map was huge. I played that game literally for months. You don't have to drive on the roads, you can drive a boat, or you can simply walk, for hours across country, take the back trails, take a bus. There is a plot to follow to advance the game, but you can pick and choose, and do side missions. You can play and play and play that game. The weather changes, you have day and night.
I'll tell you what game sucked. Medal of Honor, the new one. The graphics were awesome. But it was pure crap. Follow the trail, shoot, move on. And I played through the entire game in two days. All that money, and the single player "campaign" can be played completely through in one long day of playing.
Give me a new Hardwar!!!
Speed and Greed on Titan!
Hammer

[NAVYSPAZ HBC]

Yeah, I didn't like the new Medal of Honor too much... Though I love Bad Company 2, made by the same people... It's just better if games are.. not like Call of Duty.. at all

But yeah, I'm playing hardwar again now, and I can't log into your game, Hammer.

At my house atleast, not sure the problem... turned off the Firewall too, it just won't pop up when I enter your IP.

But anyways... EVE online reminds me of hardwar, but I just couldn't get into the game, seeing as it requires massive amounts of time to do even a little good.

[vistarnh]

the Evochron series is pretty neat. I just got Evochron Mercenaries (latest one) and play with TrackIR. Very immersive.

Archemedian Dynasty and The Aquanox games are pretty neat too but only AD gives you freedom and it's still mission based. Best thing about the games is the setting (post apocalyptic underwater world.

I-War Edge of Chaos is another sandbox space game that has great atmosphere and a neutonian flight model. This is probably my favorite space sim after the classics like Privateer

[xaffax]

In atmosphere sf flight tehre isn't that much. Echelon (mission based) and Battlezone2 has hovertanks.

In space there's Dark star one.

[vistarnh]

I have to second hammer's recommendation of A.I.M. and A.I.M 2. I never really got into the first one but I am enjoying the second one. It's more like a fast FPS than flying (you can use a stick if you want) but there is only jumping, no real altitude but you can really move with faster gliders. There are different zones with economies and you have to take them all over.

The story is actually well written and extremely complicated with (supposedly) multiple endings.

If anyone is interested in trying A.I.M. 2 check out this blog it will help get you started

goodgamez.wordpress.com/2007/08/21/aim-2-clan-wars/

I'd also recommend you get a ddl version (like from gamersgate.com) cus I don't think they include starforce.

Hard Truck Apocalypse is a pretty fun privateer like game but in big armored trucks, mad max style. Don't try to run it with Vista or win7 though, I got to the second map and now I can't run it at all.

[Pilot]

A.I.M. 2 I agree it is fun, but it gets repetitive just capture the bigger and better minds in an area then dial place them in an alcove collect 8 or 9 and you get a building, once you have that bing more minds to it, or once (if) you learn how to use the communications you can simply buy off some of the weaker minds and then have them follow you, as escorts once you get enough buildings the territory becomes yours.

What I liked, the minds you have do actual work for buy fighting and sometimes converting other minds to join your cause. Fast hovering right into a upward slant and right before the end... BAM you hit your jump rockets, flying high into the sky and sometimes (if planned right) over the revenue.

Mid-ground: Combat is fast paced, but the learning curve is steep, even harder than Hardwar at times.

What I didn't like, it gets repetitive after a while, and all "boss" minds require a mission or two before they can be recruited. Your Hives trade does not directly or indirectly effect your wealth, but if you own a area (you may even say crater) it makes it MUCH safer for your traveling convenience.

Advice: If you try this game out (I do recommend it.) Don't start by attacking minds that belong to a hive, pick freelancers as they are not allied with anyone and are easier to convert to your side. IF you really must attack a Hive... pick the weakest one in the sector for starters at least till you have some small stake in the area, 25 to 35 percent, with allies patrolling the area of the "crater" you own, and then target the hive you want to weaken, that way you have friendlies in the area instead of a majority of hostiles. (Think about this: would you [minus Prometheus] attack Lazarus in Alpha or Klamp-G in Riverside, how about both of them in Reservoir?)

[vistarnh]

On a side note I started A.I.M. (1) again and I'm actually enjoying it alot more not for some reason (runs and looks better on my new system for one). The first game is much more accessable to new players and opens up the world through scripted missions and trading, whereas the second game just kind of throws you into it and says "here you go! do whatever you want". The combat in the first game is also much slower and easier as long as you don't get ganged. The ai in the second is faster and better at using jumpjets to get around/dodge and it's harder to get them stuck on terrain (but not impossible). It's kinda fun because you are actually fighting other ai's so when they do something stupid you just laugh at the stupid 3rd gen or whatever, then "capture & persuade" them to join the cause

I agree that both games get repetitive and that is usually where I get bored and stop playing :/ but they are cheap ($3 and $6 right now at gamersgate) and fun for a while if you like battlezone2 style hovertanks in a fore elite style world. Still not at fun as hardwar

[Hammer]

Yes, there are enough similarities to Hardwar that I wonder if some of the A.I.M. creators had played the game before. You can upgrade your mech ship, buy better guns and weapons. I really liked it when I finally got enough mech minds converted to own my own crater. Then I went off to some horrible lava level and got my ass kicked. I lost I don't know how many mech minds because they ended up getting blown up over some lava where I couldn't collect them. And you had to watch out for high radiation areas, sort of like the port crater after the storm. I haven't played either 1 or 2 for a long time. I wonder how much better it looks on this better computer. Might have to reload it and take a look.
Hammer

[ouch]

I got a new computer and run all my games at blu-ray resolutions... Even the really old stuff like aim, and hardwar look amazingly better.