Flatspace is a modern space trading and flight simulation. Fully 3D and with a top down, Asteroids style viewpoint, the player can trade from space station to station, bounty hunt, track down criminals as part of the police force, become a space pirate, or just enjoy the freedom to explore that comes with being a space captain.

The game has most of the Elite-like features of Frontier: Elite 2 and a little bit more. Cargo has sub classes. The combat is much better, and arcade like while retaining many simulation elements. Your multi-skilled crew can be assigned to different roles, and people can be captured alive from other ships. Mining, bounty hunting and mission roles are interesting and viable alternatives to trading. Ships and stations can have gun turrets, and carry fighter craft. Asteroid fields are dense, and smoky nebula can fill sectors. There is an arcade subgame too, for combat practise.

Rogue like elements also add the the unique appeal of the game. The galaxy map starts unexplored and must be revealed. You get a choice of character, and many random options like the ability to play in a random or seeded universe. A graveyard shows your past games, and you can optionally choose to renage on save-game cheating. There is even a quest object to assemble, a galactic hyperdrive.

There are several hundred ship upgrades, including over 20 different types of missiles, and more counter measures than just flares. Weapons include machine guns, lasers and even flame throwers. Robot crew members, scanners and tractor beams of all sorts, and even pets and luxury items for the rich and successful.

For more information, screenshots, and the demo visit http://www.lostinflatspace.com. I've been working on this game for most of 2003. Thanks for reading.

[Edited by Cornutopia at 11:08, 27/1/2004]