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EVE Evolved: Could EVE use twitch controls?
A few weeks ago, the EVE Online community went nuts for EVR, CCP's exciting new virtual reality dogfighter developed for the upcoming Oculus Rift gaming headset. The game demo was produced by a team of just a handful of developers in just seven weeks using nothing but their spare time, but attendees and press at EVE Fanfest 2013 were nevertheless blown away during test sessions. Though EVR isn't going to be integrated with the EVE universe, Senior Producer Andie Nordgren stated in her Keynote address that CCP will be looking into more immersive flight and combat mechanics for some the game's ships. This comment has sparked a lot of discussion over the possibility of finally getting some direct flight controls in EVE. The lack of direct twitch-based controls in EVE is often cited by gamers as a big part of the reason they can't get into the game. There's no active dodging of missiles, manual ship targeting, or really complex tactical maneuvers in EVE, but that's kind of the point. Most ships in EVE are colossal lumbering hulks more akin to today's seafaring battleships than fighter planes, and combat with them is more a game of strategy and teamwork than a battle of reaction speeds. But that isn't exactly true of all ships; interceptors and fast microwarpdrive frigates move at several kilometres per second and are so agile that pilots can already pull off some interesting tactical maneuvers. So isn't it about time we made the combat for those ships a bit more visceral and immersive? In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at the fast-paced world of interceptors and explore how twitch controls and weapon aiming could possibly be implemented without killing the server.
TERA interview attempts to decipher "westernization"
Uh oh, it's time for the W-word again. Last week's entry in the TERA Race and Class series purported to explain En Masse Entertainment's definition of westernization. The vaguely worded nature of the press release raised more questions than answers, though, and the folks over at ZAM recently caught up with En Masse producer Brian Knox in an attempt to put some meat on the westernization bones. Knox's insights steered clear of specifics, instead focusing on a general definition as En Masse sees it. "Westernization refers to our process of adapting a game to fit the Western market. In some cases, text localization and new marketing assets are all that are needed. Other times, specific game mechanics and features require tweaking for the market," he says. So what exactly does that mean for TERA? It's anyone's guess at this point, and it could be as simple as text translations or as complex as class differences or a softened XP grind. We'll keep our eyes peeled for more details.
