Single player spaceship RPG or otherwise with single large ship?

[el Supremo]

I just wanna be the captain of a big ship. You're always either piloting a small fighter or commanding a whole fleet/civilization. Where is the in-between?

 

[Shuruga]

Space Quest 5 if you're into older adventure games. EGATREK if you want a very old (and simple) simulation game. I've never played more recent Trek games but I think Bridge Commander also fits.

 

[gaussgunner]

Elite

 

[Gostak]

FTL still feels like fighter class to you then?

If underwater and in space counts and you're a bit maso, try Barotrauma (some custom sub should
be able to make SP with the bots viable, still again if you're kinda maso).

Pulsar Lost Colony, more arcade-y and the ship still handles more fighter like also due to this, but you get to command it's small bot crew as captain.

The old Trek/ Klingon Academy games still felt like fighters to me, so I'd dismiss 'em here.

https://rpgcodex.net/forums/threads...combat-sea-space-or-other.135483/post-8725038
look interesting, have no experience with 'em, though.

I never got much out of BC Millenium Gold, it was too open-ended and unguided for me back then.

 

[Atrachasis]

Starflight
The Ur-Quan Masters
Star Trek: The Rebel Universe (probably other Star Trek titles as well)
And probably several Derek Smart titles, though I cannot claim familiarity with them.

All of them put you in command of a single, but sizable, crewed vessel.

 

[Damned Registrations]

Star Traders: Frontiers. Gameplay is unusual, but I'm a huge fan. Does all the space game things, trading, piracy, smuggling, exploration, and throw in diplomacy and some other stuff too, like going around curing plagues or bounty hunting. Great stuff. Terrible character artwork. Truly hideous. Dear god someone make a mod.

 

[The Decline]

Rebel Galaxy?

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

Shortest Trip to Earth.
Crying Suns.

If you want something more simulationist then I-War series is a good choice.

 

[taxalot]

Starfield does exactly that.

 

[Borelli]

Space Rangers.

 

[Gostak]

[...]

If you want something more simulationist then I-War series is a good choice.

I-War 2 is great.
The ships still feel more fighter sized/ handling though (although done "right" according to physics in space, I guess).

Hmm, on a similar vein would be Delta V: Rings of Saturn just 2 dimensional/ top-down-ish.

Also:
https://rpgcodex.net/forums/threads/capital-ship-combat.142280/
https://rpgcodex.net/forums/threads/tactical-games-of-starship-combat.146842/