Battlecruiser milenium for free - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

T.U.B. · 05-22-2005, 03:06 PM

Battlecruiser millennium has become freeware!
This is the fully patched (gold) edition.

download it here:
http://www.3000ad.com/downloads/bcm.shtml

Review from PC IGN :
SCORE: 7.2/10

copy & pasted:

Quote:

Battlecruiser Millennium
It's much improved over the previous release but it still asks for too much from the player.
by IGN Staff
January 7, 2002 - Oh man, was I excited for this one. I mean, how could a completely free-form space combat/trading/exploration/basically-anything-you-can-think-of uber simulation not appeal to your typical avid gaming fan? In fact, I was excited enough to even forgive Battlecruisier Millennium's controversial designer Derek Smart for the original Battlecruisier, by most accounts a prematurely released, bug-ridden disaster. Well fortunately for Smart, the gaming community was willing to forgive his earlier blunders and keep an open mind (and consequently, an open wallet) towards the latest installment into his series.

Since Battlecruisier Millennium is so epic in scope and rich in depth, it is hard to generalize the game's essence in a mere paragraph. Just imagine having an entire completely interactive universe (complete with over 200 planets and moons), a potential arsenal of nearly 50 crafts (ranging from gigantic carriers to petty land-rovers), complete ship control, and a whole mouthful of other features. On top of that, you have the option to pursue one of 13 careers as one of 12 races.
Okay now you may ask, "Those are some pretty impressive parameters to play in, but what exactly can I do?" Well, you can basically do whatever the hell you want. No, I'm serious. Want to get down and dirty with some alien scum? Just pursue a career as a military general and go around whomping every enemy ship in sight. Is combat not your style? Then take on the role of a trader and mine the moons of Jupiter for valuable minerals and resources. Hell, you can even set up a roaming space brothel to attract famous pilots from around the universe. Okay, we made that last one up, but you get the picture; the possibilities in BCM are seemingly endless. If this whole "freedom" concept isn't your thing, then just latch on the game's more directed campaign mode and take it for a ride.

See, doesn't this all sound great? Was it such a crime to get my blood pumping over this title? I mean, in theory BCM is a space freak's dream. However, to paraphrase a wiser man than I, "In theory a free-form space exploration works...in theory". Unfortunately, BCM falls shorts when it comes to its archaic graphics and a learning curve that would give even Einstein a throbbing migraine. And unfortunately, the gameplay, which sounds great, can often times be dull and frustrating.

When I first fired up Battlecruiser Millennium and saw the options available for the free-roaming career mode I couldn't help but salivate. I was faced with more options than my pretty little brain could handle -- numerous potential gaming experiences awaited and all I had to do was decide what race, caste, and ship I wanted and I'd be on my way. I played it safe and chose to be a Terran commander with a standard BC carrier -- a path well traveled but always worth the walk. And then, as expected, I was plopped right in the middle of space just outside of a space station hovering Earth.

Man was I excited. I imagined exploring distant galaxies, doing some dirty work against a rival faction and taking part in a handful of other adventures that, you know, people regularly experience in space. But much to my disappointment, I spent the first couple of hours aimlessly wandering around our solar system in search of action that apparently wasn't available. Unfortunately, this seemed to set the tone for much of what followed.

It wasn't until I took a couple space gates over to the Alpha Majora galaxy that I began to delve into the heart of BCM's gameplay. Right when I was about to enter a wormhole (one of my waypoints -- conveniently plotted by the games commlink control center) I was attacked by a band of Aurora fighters. This is where things got interesting: I immediately launched 2 of my 4 fighters and activated my weapons armament to help ensure a complete victory.

Much to my surprise, the combat interface was very easy to navigate and it only took a matter of minutes before my fighters, backed by a couple carrier-launched missiles, took out the enemy fighters. While the battle scene was hardly flashy, it was organized and orchestrated well enough to get my blood pumping. Unfortunately, the rest of my journey across the galaxy was filled with those aforementioned lulls that slightly weigh the gameplay down.

From that point on I engaged in some interesting activities, such as trading a precious mineral from Alpha Centauri for a profit on Majoris, upgrading my hull shields and weapons system, and visiting nearly every space station I could find on my radar. There really isn't a defined limit on what you can and can't do in BCM. Assuming you don't get killed in action, you have 65 game years to essentially role-play your character (caste/race) into the ground. Opposing factions and enemy races will attack you along the way, you may get swindled by a bum space-dealer and you could even find yourself stranded on a distant moon if you're terribly unlucky. That's where the beauty of BCM's gameplay lies: while it's technically classified as a space simulation, it is more justly referred to as a space role-playing game. If you make an effort to follow your role, you will be rewarded with a long and rich gaming tenure. However if you're just looking to get some instant action, BCM is definitely not for you. Especially considering how lackluster the game's first-person shooter mode is.

Now these lulls wouldn't be too bad if I had some nice, epic space visuals to feed on along the way. Assuming that I paid attention in Introduction to Physics, I learned that the universe is composed of three independent dimensions: the Y plane, the X plane and the Z plane. Well then, if BCM claims to be a "universe simulation", why do all the planets and moons look like 2D, pixilated vanilla wafers? All right, so I'm exaggerating a bit, but it is disheartening to see such a plain and dull atmosphere because, in order to fully immerse yourself into the game's free-form style of play, you must be pretty darn convinced that you actually are part of the universe. However, to BCM's credit, the crafts, space stations and a few space effects are crisp and nicely detailed.

The main area of BCM's graphical struggles lie in its visual presentation: most notably the dark, unfriendly in-game interface. The game understandably cuts down on the bells and whistles to make room for an extremely comprehensive control panel, but a few decorations here and there would have made a huge difference. After a couple hours playing the game, the bridge view of outer space becomes quite an eyesore. Similarly, the menu screens and ship option panels are lifeless and barren.

Graphics can be somewhat neglected so that the designers could concentrate their energy into making a clean, intuitive interface. And while BCM does make an enormous number of ship options and commands accessible in fine, logical fashion, the game's controls possess a learning curve steeper than a San Francisco street. If you make use of the game's extensive command sheet (and can decipher the tiny print), you can gain a reasonable understanding of the controls in around 2 hours. But if you're bold and just want to pick the game up and play, forget about it! Experienced and dedicated space jockeys may find the interface to be delightfully expansive and easy to use. But if you're a casual simulation fan and appreciate concise controls, your brain will undoubtedly explode.

If you are, in fact, able to stomach the lack of atmosphere, master the interface and make your way through the lulls in gameplay there is plenty of gaming muscle here, assuming you have the imagination (and the patience) to explore the game's wide range of possibilities. While I can't whole-heartedly recommend this game to anyone but fans of the genre (space super sims), I can say that if you're up to the challenge of taking on BCM, you may find the wide array of experiences to-be-had right up your alley.

-- Michael Perlo

NeverBorn · 05-22-2005, 07:36 PM

Thanks for the info

Eight · 05-23-2005, 01:52 AM

Cheers

Checking it out now.

Always like a free game

Mondak · 05-23-2005, 05:41 AM

Thanks - I will check it out. Sounds interesting

iccky · 05-25-2005, 08:05 PM

Is it anything like Elite?

I really tried to get into that game but the combat interface was so bad.

T.U.B. · 05-26-2005, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iccky

Is it anything like Elite?

I really tried to get into that game but the combat interface was so bad.

This one isn't simple either...
Learning curve straight up, I must say... I'm enjoying the immense freedom in this game (I'm a recon/trader kind of guy instead of war/fighting) but i'm still doing a lot of "guess-where-this-button-is-for"-ing

spindles · 05-30-2005, 12:19 AM

yep - installed it, ran the instant action thing, now can't figure out how to get the ship to move or what I'm supposed to do. Maybe I like my games with a touch more tutorial built in...

japhyryder · 06-03-2005, 01:14 PM

cool always love free stuff

portwineboy · 06-03-2005, 05:49 PM

I played my first BC game back in the late 1990s. I've tried BCM and found it very difficult. The idea behind it is so good that I've given the various versions (which seem to have a tradition of winding up "free") a try and found them all to be way way too hard to master.

Derek Smart is a very controversial guy. He was looking to buy a game engine (Freespace I think, from Interplay) a few years ago and the fans went nuts. He can be a bit of a prig at times but in my dealings with him back when I purchased the original BC game he was professional and helpful when providing support via email. Even when I had an issue that was clearly covered in a readme or FAQ.

It's nonetheless an interesting game and I certainly haven't played this patched up version. I'm told this makes it an entirely new experience.

I'd love to hear feedback from anyone who "mastered" this game or who tries it out now that this one is free too.

Aladdin Sane · 06-03-2005, 06:18 PM

I downloaded it, tried to install it, but I got an error message that said a file or files were corrupted. I didn't bother to download it again.
Is it really worth the effort?

Zeraph · 06-04-2005, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spindles

yep - installed it, ran the instant action thing, now can't figure out how to get the ship to move or what I'm supposed to do. Maybe I like my games with a touch more tutorial built in...

Shouldn't "Instant Action" be...instant? It's not called "Instant Action Turorial". So maybe try other options for a tutorial? I havnt played the game, so if there isn't one I apologize.

Strelich · 06-04-2005, 09:32 PM

Back in high school (back in 1997) I played the original game (BC3k), which has also been released as a free game rather prolifically. Admittedly, I only played the demo for BCM years ago, but it left me neither here or there. Then again, I burned myself out on the original. I suppose saying Smart is controversial is the kindest way to put it. The man's ego is as big as all outdoors. His dealings with the FSCP (Freespace Source Code Project) still leaves me bitter.

If memory serves, the tutorial is a 30+ page PDF file. Now, I haven't downloaded the demo either, but knowing Smart's constant reply of "RTFM" it has to be there. There's no way to play the game straight out without printing it and referencing it. BCM is the kind of game where every key on the keyboard does something, along with various SHIFT+, ALT+, and SHIFT+ALT combos. I will say that it's not a particularly intuitive interface, but I got used to it.

There is no tutorial which will lead you through the major systems and interface, only the PDF file.

Ustwo · 06-06-2005, 01:11 PM

This is a game I've wanted to try for ages, and now that I have it I can't figure out much of it, or even most of it.

It says it has a tutorial but its pretty worthless (ingame) and the manual that ships with the free one seems a bit small for something as complex as it is.

I'll have to search and see if there is a good walk through type site out there just to get things moving.

05-23-2005, 05:41 AM	#4 (permalink)
Mondak Industrialist Location: Southern California	Thanks - I will check it out. Sounds interesting __________________ All truth passes through three stages: First it is ridiculed Second, it is violently opposed and Third, it is accepted as self-evident. ARTHUR SCHOPENHAUER (1788-1860)

05-30-2005, 12:19 AM	#7 (permalink)
spindles Mine is an evil laugh Location: Sydney, Australia	yep - installed it, ran the instant action thing, now can't figure out how to get the ship to move or what I'm supposed to do. Maybe I like my games with a touch more tutorial built in... __________________ who hid my keyboard's PANIC button?

06-03-2005, 01:14 PM	#8 (permalink)
japhyryder no one special Location: Charlotte, NC	cool always love free stuff __________________ It's only entertainment, someone's sick idea of a joke.

06-03-2005, 05:49 PM	#9 (permalink)
portwineboy Master of No Domains Location: WEEhawken, New Joisey	I played my first BC game back in the late 1990s. I've tried BCM and found it very difficult. The idea behind it is so good that I've given the various versions (which seem to have a tradition of winding up "free") a try and found them all to be way way too hard to master. Derek Smart is a very controversial guy. He was looking to buy a game engine (Freespace I think, from Interplay) a few years ago and the fans went nuts. He can be a bit of a prig at times but in my dealings with him back when I purchased the original BC game he was professional and helpful when providing support via email. Even when I had an issue that was clearly covered in a readme or FAQ. It's nonetheless an interesting game and I certainly haven't played this patched up version. I'm told this makes it an entirely new experience. I'd love to hear feedback from anyone who "mastered" this game or who tries it out now that this one is free too. __________________ If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can read this in English, thank a veteran.

06-03-2005, 06:18 PM	#10 (permalink)
Aladdin Sane Degenerate Location: San Marvelous	I downloaded it, tried to install it, but I got an error message that said a file or files were corrupted. I didn't bother to download it again. Is it really worth the effort? __________________ Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.

05-22-2005, 07:36 PM	#2 (permalink)
NeverBorn I'm a pepper bitch..	Thanks for the info

05-23-2005, 01:52 AM	#3 (permalink)
Eight Crazy Location: UK	Cheers Checking it out now. Always like a free game

05-25-2005, 08:05 PM	#5 (permalink)
iccky Psycho Location: Princeton, NJ	Is it anything like Elite? I really tried to get into that game but the combat interface was so bad.

06-04-2005, 09:32 PM	#12 (permalink)
Strelich occasional iconoclast Location: Flushing, MI	Back in high school (back in 1997) I played the original game (BC3k), which has also been released as a free game rather prolifically. Admittedly, I only played the demo for BCM years ago, but it left me neither here or there. Then again, I burned myself out on the original. I suppose saying Smart is controversial is the kindest way to put it. The man's ego is as big as all outdoors. His dealings with the FSCP (Freespace Source Code Project) still leaves me bitter. If memory serves, the tutorial is a 30+ page PDF file. Now, I haven't downloaded the demo either, but knowing Smart's constant reply of "RTFM" it has to be there. There's no way to play the game straight out without printing it and referencing it. BCM is the kind of game where every key on the keyboard does something, along with various SHIFT+, ALT+, and SHIFT+ALT combos. I will say that it's not a particularly intuitive interface, but I got used to it. There is no tutorial which will lead you through the major systems and interface, only the PDF file. __________________ ----- Monty this seems strange to me. The movies had that movie thing, but nonsense has a welcome ring and heroes don't come easy. Last edited by Strelich; 06-04-2005 at 09:34 PM..

06-06-2005, 01:11 PM	#13 (permalink)
Ustwo Pissing in the cornflakes	This is a game I've wanted to try for ages, and now that I have it I can't figure out much of it, or even most of it. It says it has a tutorial but its pretty worthless (ingame) and the manual that ships with the free one seems a bit small for something as complex as it is. I'll have to search and see if there is a good walk through type site out there just to get things moving. __________________ Agents of the enemies who hold office in our own government, who attempt to eliminate our "freedoms" and our "right to know" are posting among us, I fear.....on this very forum. - host Obama - Know a Man by the friends he keeps.