Terminus On-Line Comments:

(unknown author)

...I've only briefly played Elite ages after it came out and only then out
of curiosity.  I was impressed with what I saw, considering the age, but
it didn't run well at all on my modern machine.  However, I've read a bit
about it and think between the two experiences I know what it's about.
Other titles to compare Terminus to would be X:BtF, Space Rogue and
Privateer (the original) and Privateer II (the unmentionable - alright,
nice graphics guys.)

Terminus doesn't have the sense of exploration and full on adventure I
found in Elite or Privateer nor the level of interaction I like with NPC
ships.  Don't think this is an exploration or roleplaying game, really.
That needs to be gotten out of the way.

Here's what Terminus does do and why I think it's the posterboy for the
future of space sims - the AI ecosystem is amazing.  Ships ally across
faction lines and interact in often unexpected ways.  The detailed
economy has an issue with mining being way too efficient a way to make
cash but aside from that tweakable twitch the economy and the articulated
AI of the ships interact in a very believable way.  Merchants and less
aggressive 'pirates' ply the trade routes, hunt bounties, and perform
mercenary missions based on income and the independents will band
together based on 'emotion' balancing against profit. Some pilots like or
hate others and these relationships develop and change over time.  Other
pirates and desperate mercs will indulge in a bit of piracy and hijacking
now and again.  Bounties will eventually be posted by an offended
party.

Watching the world unfolding around you is a bit like watching a fishtank
in fascination.  Hey, it happens! ;)  If only, if only, we could simply
hail these guys and see what they're up to, whether they're friendly or
hostile, who they trust, where they've been and what they've seen, to
cajole or bribe or insult them....it would build all the context that's
otherwise missing. But the fact is /nobody/ has done AI like this before
and I'll take this over the same old, same old.

Now as others have said the economy isn't nearly as detailed as X:BtF but
it is realistic enough and does react to supply and demand both in price
and in stations paying extra for certain especially scarce cargoes.

The campaigns are quite good and make up for a rather empty feeling in
freemode.  However, currently, the campaigns aren't entirely without
issues. The Good News:  Campaigns interact brilliantly with the dynamic
setting and almost every possible complication is accounted for in the
dialogues, scripts and comm chatter.  The Bad News:  Certain campaigns
seem to wander off track midway through and head into freemode.  I say
'seem' because it may just be a lull for that faction and I have a limited
attention span.

More Good News: The setting is realistic and the news reports, half truths,
and rumors as presented by NPCs of each faction set the mood of suspicion
going and really add to the level of immersion.  "This could really
happen..."  It's all politics, plausible deniability, false flags, and
outright propaganda!  NPCs have interesting backgrounds and stories though
they tend to be a bit more verbose than one might expect.  A tough lady
pirate baring her soul to a perfect stranger is an example that happens
not once but twice with seperate NPCs.  Even so even those dialogues
help add narrative details and a human element that wouldn't be possible
to replicate otherwise.

The actual sim itself feels pretty good.  I love the HUD and one can
always get more powerful thrusters or use a different ship hull to adjust
the feel of flight.  In fact, detailed ship creation is very nice and
contains more elements than is usual.  Instead of bigger being better for
everything, in Terminus all designs are a matter of trade offs.  The primary
issues are hold size, hull integrity, stealth profile, accelleration
(engines), maneuvering (thrusters), sensor strength and level of detail,
weapons and the amount of ammo, and so much more.  Much of these factors
are dependant on a combination of elements coming together.  A stealth
profile is affected by the type of sensors, computers, engines, hull size,
and presence of a stealth device  - also high speed maneuvering can generate
heat and radiation as does firing energy weapons and this can negatively
impact stealth as well.  Better find room for that heat sink!  Almost
all factors are also interwoven like this.  But don't worry, you can buy
premade ships.

Is Terminus the best sim since Elite?  Yes.  Insofar as a pure space
simulation goes.  X:BtF might have the economics model and Privateer still
wins in the NPC interaction department but none of them have Terminus
free-range space simming in a realistic setting with such a vibrant and
busy universe.  I'd call it a three way tie overall.