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[Vilien]

Alright gents, here's the skinny. Back when I was in summer camp, (aka: a young boy) I played this great game in the computer lab (as a pale asthmatic child, this was considered infinitely superior to actually going outside). It was kind of like an RPG in space, but I don't remember that much of it.

Here's what I've got: The game was 2D, top down, and you flew around solar systems and landed on different planets and stuff. You played as a ship, and you started out as a shitty transport thing with nothing. I remember the Clipper Ship being one of the good ones you could get, and you could buy weapon upgrades and stuff and mercenaries to fly with you. You'd go around throughout the galaxy and inevitably fly into deep space where pirates would come out of nowhere and destroy you. You could do missions that involved transporting cargo and I think you could ransom planets (maybe).

Anyone have any idea what the game might be called? It was pretty great and I will owe you my eternal gratitude if you can help me out.

[Ivefan]

1: About what year were you a young boy playing games in the lab? It's not like we know your age.
2: This post should probably have gone in the "What is the name of the game" thread
3: Sorry, don't know it

[Vilien]

This was around eight years ago.

[Toady Two]

Very vaguely what you wrote might fit to Star Control 2? Currently the open-source version is free by the name of the Ur-Quan Masters. Google it if you want to know more 

[Vilien]

They both look pretty close, but I don't think either of those are them.

[Helmaroc]

Damn, I know exactly what you're talking about, but I don't remember the name...

[Vilien]

Not to be bumping topics, but I am. I need to know.

[a1s]

Well it sound a lot like escape velocity, but we eliminated that, right? Incidentally, what kind of computer did you use (like, say, a Mac?)

[Vilien]

It probably was a Mac. Yeah, it definitely was.

[Il Palazzo]

space rangers?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Rangers_(video_game)

[Vilien]

Nope. It was 2D, I mean, no effects really. The graphics weren't really terrible but they weren't top notch.

[Volatar]

I also thought of Star Control 2 akaThe Ur-Quan Masters. If that is not it I don't know.

[Vilien]

Does the fact that gambling was a thing you could do while on a planet help at all?

[Sowelu]

Okay, first off, let's establish the period...  Was it recent eight years ago, or did it seem a lot older?  (If it was in 16 colors, that's a big clue.)

You say it was 2D...So the ships were actually sprites, not models, right?

Was it realtime, not turn based?  Action-oriented combat, or more slow and ponderative?  What were the controls--something like arrow keys to turn and to speed up/slow down?  Or more RPGish?

Oo, here's a good one.  Battles.  Did they occur in the same 'arena' you flew around in, like EVNova, or were they seperate encounters (Starflight, Ur-Quan Masters)?

Your mercenary buddies.  Did they have ships of their own flying alongside yours, so you have multi-ship battles?

What did you do on the surface...explore, talk to people, solve mysteries, or mine for ore?

How heavy WAS the plot?  How long was the game, did you get any idea?

And are you absolutely sure it was a Mac game?  Because that makes the pickings pretty slim.

You'd damn well better not be talking about Strange Adventures in Infinite Space or anything like that.  :X


Never mind.  Naxza nailed it.  Your game is Escape Velocity, but probably not the modern remake Escape Velocity: Nova (which came out in 2002).

It features the Clipper as a popular ship, the early game most certainly involves crummy trading ships, it has all the various features you've described, and lets you gamble planetside--plus it's for the Mac (only, unlike EV:Nova) and the original is from 1996.

Screenshots: http://mac.softpedia.com/progScreenshots/Escape-Velocity-Screenshot-9151.html
Info: http://www.mobygames.com/game/macintosh/escape-velocity
Its only faq on GameFAQs: http://www.gamefaqs.com/computer/mac/file/575197/2600
Get the trial from Naxza's link here: http://www.ambrosiasw.com/games/ev/

If it's not the game you remembered, well, that's because your memories are bent slightly through the looking-glass of time.  You should have seen how disappointed I was when I went back to play Tiger Heli for the NES!  This is absolutely the game you're after (or maybe a mod like Naxza said).

EV:Nova has multiple plotlines and is pretty cool, plus it's for Windows too.  Look into it!

Anyway, you're welcome!

[Vilien]

No, now that I see it, you're absolutely right. Thanks everyone.