I just want to put it here that the game's multiplayer is not dead, just moved to the likes of Hamachi, or Tunngle (It has a permanent room for the game). There is still a small but active community around it. Try this site for example: http://arparso.de/nexus/forum/index.php The game has some nice mods too. A few new stories, and some total conversions. You can find them on MODdb i think. I've played the game through a few times love it, still one of my favourites, but i think the developers missed some opportunities with the engine, and the story. First, the engine: in all the briefings you'll see that each will take place around different plantes or moons with the routs between them, but the player has no possibility to choose where he wants to go. It would have been nice if the player had the opportunity to go from place to place as he wanted, and pursue the missions as he desired. Maybe the story prevented it, who knows, i just hope the sequel will have this feature! Also the free movment system of the game is terrible. I wish they had borrowed Homeworlds movement system, or improved on it... Second, the story: All the starter ships in the game are basic, without shields, and the player has them for like 3 missions or so, then there is a technical jump. Wich leaves a big gap and misses a lot of plot opportinites. So if you don't like this big jump in tech, there is a story mod, that fills in this gap, called: Universe Conflicts. I advise anyone who loved the game to try it out! IMHO it is even better then the original story! It goes back to the 3 corporations' struggle with each other in the solar system, with a more granular advancement.
