Continuum/Subspace - Virgin Interactive Entertainment - PC

[Ookii]

Continuum is a game that's been around for about 10 years or so, some of our older gamers might remember as Subspace from 'back in the day'.  Essentially it's a PvP version of asteroids, you fly around a little spaceship and try to destroy other people's little spaceships.  What sets the game apart is the fact that every server you play on changes the gameplay significantly through its own settings, from bullet damage to acceleration speed.

On one server you have to capture flags and hold them for a certain length of time, on another you're in a free-for-all where it's all about your kill death ratio, while on another your spaceship has been skinned as a soldier fighting in the desert rather then in space.  The type of gameplay is only limited to the imagination of the server creator, so you're bound to find something you like.

On the downside many of the smaller servers are scarcely populated nowadays, in fact there is a decline in the game population as a whole.  The game was also recoded from scratch by a group of dedicated coders (Subspace was originally created by Virgin Interactive Entertainment, they recoded it to get around copyright restrictions and to improve on the original design) who singularly control many aspects of the game without care for the community.  This can make it hard to get your own server on the main player account system, and mostly impossible to repeal any gamewide bans that may have befallen you (some server owners have access to the gamewide banning system).

From personal experience I have had nothing but fun playing Continuum for the past 10 years, it is an entirely twitch based game that requires a deceptive amount of skill.  Even though it plays like asteroids you can tell who's been playing for a year and who's been playing for five.  The player community itself runs a little young, the majority of server moderators most likely can't even drive let alone buy porn, but without the convenience of modern voice chat you can rest in the warm blanket of ignorance when it comes to the ages of your fellow spaceships-in-arms.

Play it! (It's free)

PS: This may not follow the rules but my mommy says I'm special.

[Slayerik]

Subspace was probably my first true MMO game. I have awesome memories of the Chaos Zone and Powerball (like a soccer/hockey mod) in particular. The fact that at our LAN parties we still fire this game up and go turreting is a testiment to its gameplay. Very skill based PVP, and a steep learning curve for something that looks so simple from a glance. The guys still playing this are quite deadly, and make killing them a real feat for a new player. You will get killed. Lots.

There were all sorts of levels of involvement, from serious league play (such as 4 on 4 or in my case the Powerball league) to casual zones like Trench Wars and Deathstar, to very competitive non-league zones (dueling, chaos, etc). There seemed to be something for most any pew pew gamer. Great game.

[bhodi]

I played the HELL out of this game in college. It's fun but prepared to get splattered all over 2d walls while you figure out what's going on. Then, be prepared for people to be firing circles around you and being able to fire perfectly aimed shots from off the screen. They aren't hacking, they are that good.

[Rhonstet]

I thought it was because the real vets played at the highest resolution setting: the higher the res, the further you could see around your little warbird.

This is one of those timeless games that will always be fun. 

[Slayerik]

I thought it was because the real vets played at the highest resolution setting: the higher the res, the further you could see around your little warbird.

This is one of those timeless games that will always be fun. 

I'll admit that having 1600x1200 (actually higher, was like 1900 something if i wanted it) back in the day was an advantage for me, but at the same time it was a double edged sword. You stopped watching as much radar, which can mean your ass.

In Powerball it was an advantage because you could see the traps coming and pick a good course.

[Thrawn]

This makes me miss Infantry, I used to LOVE that game.

[Viin]

I played Subspace back in the day ('97?) and it was a complete blast. Every once in awhile I'll play Continuum, I'm glad someone has keep it alive. (Just like I'm glad someone has kept Allegiance alive, even though I haven't played it lately).

[Tale]

Subspace was probably my first true MMO game. I have awesome memories of the Chaos Zone and Powerball (like a soccer/hockey mod) in particular.

As Slayerik knows, the same goes for me. I was "bc" in alpha/beta from version 0.79 (Armageddon squad - we won first championship and one of our members wrote the manual) and then "Tale" in retail Powerball (OUTLAWS squad - except I got kicked out before we won the first league).

This game is so old it began as an experiment in using the Internet for a commercial game. And so great it outlived the company that ordered the experiment.