Old games you'd like to see ported/redone?

I was reminiscing earlier today about Herzog Zwei, a game for the old Sega Genesis console.

If Dune II is the title that birthed the RTS genre, then HZ is in many ways its forerunner: Each player (it was a 2-player game, and could be played against either another person or the AI) would start out owning their main base and 1-2 surrounding mini-bases. Since owning mini-bases was what provided income, you had to capture as many of the various neutral mini-bases (between you and your enemy) as possible. Holding mini-bases also allowed your Commander and his units to heal damage and resupply their fuel & ammo.

Before too long, all the mini-bases would be owned by one side or another, at which point (if not before) a map-wide battle would commence for total control. You controlled your Commander, who could carry units in jet mode and also transform into robot mode and fight enemy ground units. The player to destroy the other's main base was the winner.

It was a fairly simple yet fun arcade/strategy game, but there was definite room for improvement: The AI was pretty weak, the UI/control scheme could've used some work, and unit pathfinding was rather poor. Also, a game between 2 people obviously had to be played on the same console, which meant it was very difficult (if not impossible) to execute ambushes and surprise attacks.


I have to admit, I would love to see a remake of this game for the PC. Just throw in the changes I mentioned, maybe upgrade the visuals a bit, and I'd be as happy as a clam in mud. ~D


So what old games out there (whether they were for a console or the PC) would you guys like to see remade? And if so, what -- if anything -- would you like to see changed in a new version?

Duke Nukem :/

Master of Magic, Master of Orion 2, and Shogun come to mind when I think of old games that I enjoyed for hundreds of hours (I still play Shogun), which I'd love to experience again with updated graphics and gameplay.

However, the manner in which they were to be recreated would matter a lot. I would not want to see Shogun 2 recreated to be like TW games from RTW forward--that would be infuriating. Maintaining the extraordinary "shibumi" achieved in the original would be mandatory, and difficult to achieve. I don't think there is enough incentive to produce the game like this, so it's probably better left alone.

I anticipated MOO3 with much excitement, but was very disappointed with the result like so many other MOO2 fans. It had so much potential, but just wasn't playable. Other than TW games after Medieval One TW, MOO3 is the biggest disappointment in my gaming history.

A game akin to Galactic Civilizations 2, which combines space strategy, tactical space combat, tactical planetary combat (tank warfare et al.), and adds FPS/"Thief"-"Metal Gear Solid" stealth quest elements for certain missions would be very cool in my book--basically a four-in-one game. The multiple engines required would probably make it cost-prohibitive, but one can still dream.

EDIT: Regarding console games: a friend had bought Soul Calibur for his Sega, and demonstrated it. The very next day I went out and bought a Dreamcast and the game. Like Shogun, it had an elegance that future versions of the game (and copycat games) sorely lacked. I'd love to see a new version of this, targeted at a more mature audience, that maintained the realism, beauty, and sheer ferocity that the original Soul Calibur had. I loved the various katas so much that I'd leaving them playing in rotation with the sound off, just to admire them in passing as I went about my business around the house.

Another vote for Master of Magic here. I played (and still do) that game to death.

I would also love to see a graphical upgrade to System Shock 2. And no, I'm not talking about Dead Space, or SS2: Rebirth. I mean an actual graphical upgrade.

Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri with better AI and better management consoles.
A more extensive community for Oolite (Object oriented Elite).
Rome: Total War with more customisable AI and better management consoles.

Well its not really that old per se, but I would love to see the society of Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines redone in a new game.

IMO, there are just such a dearth of good games about vampires that it would be a shame to let so much great potential go to waste. Too bad Troika is now gone since now it seems like there will never be a game that continues the universe or has even the same style/atmosphere as it did.

Return to Castle Wolfenstein, I simply loved it, infact, this game and Medal of Honour Allied Assault were the first fully 3D FPSs I played.

Crimson Skies

Let's face it, it's the greatest game ever. It has zeppelins. And sky pirates. In the 1930's!

Just redo it with a nice graphical upgrade and i'll be happy.

Orion 2 is the first one to come to mind. All 4X space games since then have been somehow lacking. Orion 2 with improved diplomacy, AI, espionage and Homeworld-style realtime fleet battles would be plain awesome.

Master of Magic would be a nice remake, though not absolutely necessary - the fantasy TBS genre has a number of worthy contenders already. The situation is nowhere nearly as dire as it is with the space genre.

A proper UFO remake would be great.

King of Dragon Pass is something that could be expanded on, perhaps add a working multiplayer and redo it for PBEM play (compress turn structure somehow). Some kind of expanded battle system would be great.

ATF/Fighter's Anthology.

I always wanted to have that with modern graphics etc. I mean it had an AC 130 which you could actually use to whack tanks etc. :smash:

Oh and jagged alliance 2, but in a proper way with a proper engine please, not like some of these half-baked attempts of the last time.

Stronghold castle economics simulator.
Cossacks.

I'd love to see Dungeon Keeper, Populous, Blood Omen, Metal Fatigue, and Baldurs Gate redone.

Full Throttle & The Gabriel Knight Series

Panzer Commander
Panzer General II
Shogun: Total War
Fleet Command

I know these are all relatively 'new' games but my 'early' games I would not like to see redone (No need for another Oregon Trail).

Stardock is working on a "not MoM" (Master of Magic) that I'm really looking forward to. My personal list though, would be...

Remake Independence War 2, the best (IMO) cockpit-level PC space game, but do a new version with an open-ended Elite-type trader universe instead of the linear scripted plot in that game. It's the only space game (other than Elite) that has even tried to get the physics right. Either that, or turn Orbiter into a combat sim. I'd buy that.

Red Baron: Doesn't anyone want to fly and fight at short range in fragile kites with guns, instead of missiles? Or are combat flight sims just totally dead now?

Speaking of which.... what happened to helo sims? Would nobody be interested in a new Longbow/Apache sim?

Populous would be fun to see as a new version.

One of my all-time favourites: Wasteland....http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wasteland_(computer_game)

Yes I am old.....:shame:

Plus Sid Meier`s "Pirates!"

Jagged Alliance and X-com games. How could the pc let the genre die.

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Originally Posted by Fragony

Jagged Alliance and X-com games. How could the pc let the genre die.

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X-com...definitely seconded!

TIE fighter/X-wing.

Many excellent suggestions here. Those mentioning MOO2 have spurred me to mention my wish for a proper sequel to Birth of the Federation. Give it a more robust AI, a somewhat more sophisticated diplomatic system, a larger/more epic scale (the largest maps in BOTF only have around 75 stars), upgraded visuals, and have it be released relatively bug-free this time around.....most BOTF players would be *quite* content. :yes:

As for those who wish to see Master of Magic resurrected, I would direct you to Zenicetus' comment: Brad Wardell has said Stardock's upcoming fantasy strategy title is at least partially intended as a spiritual sequel to MOM, if not in name. (They actually did try to acquire the rights for MOM a couple years ago, but apparently Atari's lawyers deep-sixed the whole thing. :thumbsdown: ) The official announcement is supposedly coming tomorrow, so we'll hopefully see then what we're in for. :sweatdrop:

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Originally Posted by Masamune

A game akin to Galactic Civilizations 2, which combines space strategy, tactical space combat, tactical planetary combat (tank warfare et al.), and adds FPS/"Thief"-"Metal Gear Solid" stealth quest elements for certain missions would be very cool in my book--basically a four-in-one game. The multiple engines required would probably make it cost-prohibitive, but one can still dream.

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Yeah, I unfortunately doubt it will ever happen too, but it *is* a nice thought, isn't it? :beam:

Castles by Interplay. Yeah, we've had Stronghold since then, but that just didn't do it for me.

Ooh! Yeah, that's another good one. My friend and I used to play it on his computer back in high school quite a bit. Designing your own castles was fun. :2thumbsup:

The Wing Commander series.

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Originally Posted by Subedei

Plus Sid Meier`s "Pirates!"

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Wasn't there a remake a few years back with the exact same name?

Was a pretty faithful remake imo. (Unless you mean a remake for the remake.. :sweatdrop: )



And some of the older Star Wars games, such as the Jedi Knight series. Their stories sound very fascinating, but I doubt I could find them anywhere, and anyhow the graphics must be pretty dated by now.

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Originally Posted by Quirinus

Wasn't there a remake a few years back with the exact same name?

Was a pretty faithful remake imo. (Unless you mean a remake for the remake.. :sweatdrop: )

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I would buy a good remake of the remake. The last Pirates! was fun, but the mini-games (sneaking into towns, swordfights, treasure search, and "tactical battles") weren't very good (IMO). The programming for those 3D elements felt very disjointed and clumsy. The overall campaign shell and the strategy/sailing map worked much better.

So yeah, I'd buy a new spruced-up version. For me, it would be fun even without full 3D tactical sail combat like Empire:TW. Although in the modern game market, that would probably be a requirement now.

I would love to see a more recent Crimson Skies. Very cool game that I LOVED!!!

TIE fighter is something I would love to see an improvement in.

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Originally Posted by Zenicetus

I would buy a good remake of the remake. The last Pirates! was fun, but the mini-games (sneaking into towns, swordfights, treasure search, and "tactical battles") weren't very good (IMO). The programming for those 3D elements felt very disjointed and clumsy. The overall campaign shell and the strategy/sailing map worked much better.

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I consider Pirates of the Burning Seas to be a good successor to SM Pirates!.

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Originally Posted by Kekvit Irae

I consider Pirates of the Burning Seas to be a good successor to SM Pirates!.

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I've followed the progress of that project for a while, and I'm tempted... but I'm also a recovering 2-year WoW player, so no more MMO's for me right now. My current schedule only allows for short bursts of single-player gaming.:shame:

Wing Commander...

WING COMMANDER!!!!

<starts gibbering>

MUST BRING BACK WING COMMANDER!!!


oh... and Strike Commander was pretty cool too, a flight sim where you had to buy your weapons.

Hmm AIM-9M or AIM-9J? Well all-aspect targeting is nice but expensive, guess I just have to fly better. Hmm... Laser Guided or Iron Bombs?

If you wanted to make money you needed to use cheap missiles, dumb rockets and iron bombs...

Freespace's Open Source Project has a Wing Commander mod for it that might be worth checking out.

http://www.wcsaga.com/