Old Freeware PC Space 4x Type Windows Game
 

I don't remember too much about this game, but let me list out what I can tell you.

• I'm pretty sure I downloaded it from AOL back in the day when AOL was the main way people got online in the US, during the dial-up years.
• The game was in Windows, either windows 95 or windows 98 I think.
• I'm 99% sure the game came out in the 90s.
• The graphics looked fairly simple, 2d images with little or no animation.
• It was a turn based space conquest/colonization strategy game.
• When you created your race, you had to pick between two types of propulsion systems, I think it was Ion drive and star drive. I remember that one was instant travel limited by tech range and the other was over time travel limited by speed.
• I remember that when you colonized a planet, that you were able to pick the planet's specialization, like if it was a resort planet or if it was a military colony.
• I think the game only had planets instead of planet systems.
• I can't remember if it had any sound or music.
• I /think/ it had local hot-seat multiplayer and possibly had play by mail multiplayer.

Does anyone have any idea what it is I'm talking about, or what this game turned into?

Is it similar to Stars!? :)

What this user is looking for is not STARS! and it most likely not similar to it.

And I have no idea what it is.

Similar menu style, but the way the maps and stars/planets are done is different.

I keep thinking the game had a Z in it, but that doesn't seem to have helped me find anything, that could be a false lead.

Spaceward Ho!.
Space Empires 3
Warpath
Unfortunately, I'm not able to found more on Moby about it. :(

Nope, not either of those. I think it's older than Space Empires 3 though, I remember finding SE3 a bit after this one came out. So it odds are is pre 1997.

We are narrowing it down at least >.> I don't think it's on mobygames, unless I overlooked it.

The part you mention picking specialization for a planet kind of nibble on a small part of my brain... But I can't put a finger on it.

The part about choosing the engine type disqualify pretty much every single 4X space game I know unfortunately. The only game which I could relate to with your description is Ascendancy but I really don't think it fit your description.

Could be one of these:
http://www.mobygames.com/game/pax-im...eminent-domain
http://www.mobygames.com/game/window...re/screenshots
http://www.gog.com/gamecard/fragile_...84544f19e70227
http://www.deltatao.com/ho/
http://www.mobygames.com/game/win3x/warpath

I too thought about Spaceward HO! and Warpath already but they don't fit the description.

There's a shareware space strategy game called Stardate 2140.2: Crusade in Space that was published by MVP Software. I haven't played it and there's very little info about it on the net, but you can download the shareware version here and check it out yourself.