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Elite: Dangerous goes in-depth on trading
Elite: Dangerous' 20th newsletter is out, and the team has dedicated the lion's share of its space to talking about the upcoming space sim's trading game. The developers explain how Elite's thousands of systems will help to create a huge economy once the MMO goes live: "Each star system has a different basic type of economy –- for example agricultural, industrial, hi-tech, extraction, refining or service, and some have a mix of these basics –- such as extraction and refining are often (but not always) in the same system. From a commodities perspective all but a service economy produce items for consumption. This creates an active trade network." The newsletter also gives a sneak peek at planetary rings, informs fans that today is the last day to buy into alpha access, and says that the game will update its galaxy configuration based on any major discoveries that may occur in our world. Give the newsletter a read and check out a video of the trading system after the break!
Elite's latest newsletter talks hyperdrives, the Cobra MK III, and more
Frontier has sent out issue #19 of its Elite: Dangerous newsletter. As usual, there's plenty of interesting info on the upcoming space sim sandbox, from how heat (and heat management) factors into Elite's gameplay to the design philosophy behind the iconic Cobra MK III. This latest letter concludes with more "mostly harmless questions" from the community, including bits about Kepler data and traversing Elite's mind-bogglingly big playfields. There are two modes of super luminal (faster than light) travel. Super cruise (or frame shifting) is used for travel inside systems. It was originally conceived as a sub-luminal drive, but based on the fantastic collaboration we have been having with our Design Decision Forum backers it was re-worked and is now itself a super luminal system to allow relatively rapid travel within systems. Hyperspace drives are used to travel between star systems. Hyperdrives with different ranges, charge up times and fuel consumption parameters are available, and so your particular model of hyperdrive governs your specific ability to move around the galaxy. Both will make their debut in Alpha 4 (not counting the early version of hyperspace in Alpha 3).
Elite's premium beta starts today, expands May 30
Frontier has announced that the premium beta for Elite: Dangerous "effectively starts today." Backers may download a single-player combat build and play around with it until the full testing phase starts on May 30th. Prior to that, the devs will roll out the fourth and final phase of Elite's alpha, wherein the sci-fi sandbox title will expand with two new modes of faster-than-light travel as well as the full Milky Way galactic map featuring 400,000,000,000 star systems. You can read the full press release after the jump. [Source: Frontier press release]
Elite newsletter talks alpha progress, to-scale celestial bodies, and more
Frontier has released Issue #18 of its Elite: Dangerous newsletter. It's a good 'un, too, especially if you like development progress updates, videos, and answers to interesting questions. There are bits about the state of the game's 3.0 alpha client, a docking tutorial video, and a look at the redesign of the iconic Coriolis space station from the original Elite title. One of the more interesting fan questions relates to the size of celestial bodies. "Celestial bodies and the distances between them will be correctly scaled wherever possible [and] real astronomical data is being used," Frontier says. "To give you an idea we're currently at 116,000 stars from various catalogues and [that] includes pulsars and black holes as well as main sequence stars. Exo-planets are the other big import which we're about to start working on." We've embedded the alpha progress video after the cut.
GDC 2014: A video interview with Elite: Dangerous' David Braben
GDC 2014 in San Francisco is a great time to catch developers and ask them burning questions about their games. And that's exactly what one fan of Elite: Dangerous did, sitting down with Frontier Developments' CEO David Braben for a long chat about the upcoming MMO edition to the Elite franchise. The nearly 25-minute video interview includes information about the game, Braben's history in the gaming business, and footage of the interviewer playing the game using an Oculus Rift. Braben revealed that "the original Elite was never conceived initially, in [his] opinion, as a space game." Instead, it was all about the freedom, being an open world. How did it come to be in space then? According to Braben, that setting was ultimately chosen because "it was easier to render." Hear more of his thoughts in the video below.
Elite's 3.0 alpha is here, as is docking and a new video
Frontier has officially released version 3.0 of the Elite: Dangerous alpha. If you've backed Elite or bought alpha access previously, you can update your client immediately and begin testing the new update. "After successfully proving out the moment-to-moment combat gameplay and multiplayer technology in Alpha phases one and two respectively, phase three starts to move towards building out the game by adding docking, an early version of hyperspace jumps between multiple locations, and ship outfitting within an iconic Coriolis space station," explains the latest Elite press release. The firm has also released a 3.0 trailer, which you can view along with the full press release after the break.
Make My MMO: Crowdfunding March 2 - March 8, 2014
Crowdfunding news was lighter than normal for the week ending March 8th, but we nonetheless learned a bit more about space sim sandboxes Elite: Dangerous and Star Citizen. The Phoenix Project also updated us on the status of its City of Titans spiritual sequel, which now boasts a new president and a new board of directors and is "deep in pre-production." Click past the cut for the rest of this week's crowdforged notables.
Elite: Dangerous discusses alpha plans and docking procedures
Did yesterday's hands-on preview of Elite: Dangerous get you excited for a chance to play the game yourself? Good news -- the game's most recent newsletter confirms that the third stage of alpha testing is arriving in mid-March, meaning the game is that much closer to a wider release. And you can still jump in on the development process if you'd really like to. But the newsletter isn't just about the continued test process; it's also about docking. As simple as that might sound, docking is a very involved portion of the game, requiring careful positioning for a proper lock. It's so complex that the most recent build of the game has actually simplified the process with an improved docking interface, making it easier for players to line up their ships correctly. Take a look at the newsletter for more details, and if you really can't wait to get in on the experience, consider supporting the game on the official site.
Hands-on with the Elite: Dangerous alpha
I don't have much history with Elite. I played the original, circa 1985 on my dad's green monochrome Apple II, but frankly I didn't understand a bit of it and subsequently went back to Sundog and subLOGIC's fledgling wireframe Flight Simulator as a result. By the time Elite II and Frontier: First Encounters shipped in the early to mid 1990s, I was already losing copious amounts of my adolescence to Wing Commander, Privateer, and X-Wing, all of them of course indebted to the space trading flight sim thing that David Braben and Ian Bell published a decade earlier. For all intents and purposes, then, I'm an Elite virgin despite a lifetime of playing nearly everything in the genre it inspired. And if the Elite: Dangerous alpha client is an accurate barometer, gosh have I missed out.
Here's an Elite: Dangerous alpha preview
If you're curious about the Elite: Dangerous alpha but don't have an extra £200 lying about, Rock, Paper Shotgun's preview article is likely the next best thing. The first impressions are largely positive, though they're gleaned from a tiny slice of Frontier's sprawling procedurally generated space sandbox. The alpha is basically a linear series of combat missions, see. So you'll have to content yourself with voluminous amounts of prose devoted largely to the game's aesthetic. That said, the article does conclude that "sci-fi dogfighting this good is a rare treat."
Elite: Dangerous moves into multiplayer alpha
Elite: Dangerous has jumped into the second stage of its alpha, adding in multiplayer elements for the first time. With Alpha Phase 2.0, Elite: Dangerous players can try out four multiplayer scenarios, including free-for-all, two-team melee, co-op defense, and an advanced pirates and bounty hunters mode with "fluid choices and roles." Players who engage in these scenarios can earn credits for better ship loadouts. But don't just read about Alpha Phase 2.0 here; watch the dev video with all of the stunning highlights after the break! [Thanks to Peteris for the tip!]
Leaderboard: What's the most you'd pay for early access?
I want to play Elite: Dangerous. Like, really bad and stuff. The good news is that I can, since Frontier has jumped on the pay-for-early-access train and is selling slots to its alpha. The bad news is that said slots go for around $320.00 USD depending on the exchange rate. In other words, I can help squash bugs and fumble around with unfinished systems and content, or I can enjoy nearly six full-price triple-A games. So, yeah. As much I'd like to support (and write about) another promising space sim sandbox, I think I've found my upper limit in terms of game pricing. What about you, Massively readers? What's the most you'd pay for early access to one of your most anticipated games? Ever wish that you could put to rest a long-standing MMO debate once and for all? Then welcome to the battle royal of Massively's Leaderboard, where two sides enter the pit o' judgment -- and only one leaves. Vote to make your opinion known, and see whether your choice tops the Leaderboard!
Perfect Ten: New MMOs to watch in 2014
Out with the old desk calendars that you didn't use past February 2013 and in with the new, I always say! It's a brand-new year, and while we don't know all of the twists and turns that we'll travel in MMO news in 2014, I dare say it promises to be a fascinating ride. Last January I gave my list of 10 new MMOs to watch for that year, and I'm a sucker for traditions. With 2014 a mostly blank slate right now, I want to lay out the up-and-coming class of games that at least have a shot at releasing by December. There are the big names, of course, but several other titles that could be sleeper hits if all goes right. Which will succeed, which will flop, and which won't even get out of the door? I don't claim to know all, but I know all, so here are my prognostications for 2014!
Elite: Dangerous newsletter talks 'accessibility plus depth'
Frontier has released its 15th Elite: Dangerous e-newsletter. The publication focuses heavily on the sandbox space sim's recent alpha kickoff, and it features plenty of developer commentary on everything from art and audio to code and design. There's also a handy run-down of game development jobs and terminology, so if you've ever wondered what a renderer does or what Frontier's core design mandate happens to be ("accessibility plus depth"), look no further than issue 15. [Thanks Peteris!]
Make My MMO: Crowdfunding December 1 - 14, 2013
If it seems as if crowdfunding's gone into a turkey coma lately, you aren't just imagining things -- at least as far as funded games are concerned. News on that front has seemed scarce compared to the deluge of some other two-week spans, but the current campaigns are trying to make up for it. Life is Feudal canceled its Indiegogo campaign, but devs vowed to "survive according to Plan 'B'," so we'll keep an eye out to see whether it moves into personal funding as other games have done. (That route is working for Neo's Land, whose donations keep creeping higher.) Similarly, Novus AEterno scrapped its second Kickstarter campaign, but in a twist, it's already restarted another with a lower goal. Outer Worlds Online, however, just didn't make the funding cut. On the successful side, manners and dinner parties will be coming to an MMO near you; Ever, Jane got an invitation to join the funded club. A few other funded titles also saw some progress, and still others joined (or re-joined) the race for your support. And topping all that, we also bid farewell to Elite: Dangerous, who leaves Make My MMO for Betawatch now that its alpha has started. You can catch all the updates below.
Elite: Dangerous alpha starts today
If you're an Elite: Dangerous backer, you'll be pleased to know that the space sim title is officially in alpha as of today. Frontier has released an announcement video wherein developer David Braben outlines what players can expect. In a nutshell, the alpha entails single-player combat, including different weapons, loadouts, battles, and more. Frontier says that the aim of its phase one alpha is to "test key aspects of ship control and combat systems. Piloting a Sidewinder with varying weapon configurations, players progress through eight single-player scenarios [that are] initially designed to familiarize players with the controls [while] gradually increasing in difficulty and complexity.
Make My MMO: Crowdfunding November 17 - 30, 2013
One thing gamers can definitely be thankful for this year is crowdfunding! Thanks to this phenomenon, we have many more options opening to us than ever before. And there are definitely some good gaming prospects on the horizon, even if news about all but one is seeming a bit scarce lately. While it's true that a few funded projects tossed out a news morsel or two, two new campaigns replaced two unsuccessful ones (neither The Zodiac Project nor Omuni Online made their goals), newcomer The Mandate already made its goal, and another hopeful -- Ever, Jane -- has secured three-quarters of its goal with only a couple of days left, the majority of the spotlight has been stolen the upcoming space sim Star Citizen, which continues to blast the crowdfunding record to smithereens. If you missed any of the news, you can catch up on it all right here in Make My MMO.
Elite: Dangerous dev diary takes you inside the cockpit (and the art department)
Got seven minutes to spare? Love internet spaceships? Then the latest Elite: Dangerous video dev diary is tailor-made for your viewing pleasure. Art director Chris Gregory does the voice-over honors, and he's got a lot to say about taking game assets from the concept stage to the building stage. He also explains how the dev team added animations to its static designs and came up with the previously released capital ship video, which helped both artists and game designers to get a clearer picture of their concepts in action. Gregory also shows off Elite's virtual cockpit functionality, complete with jostling cockpits and fluid, natural camera movements that suggest those of a real pilot. See for yourself after the cut. [Thanks tipsters!]
Make My MMO: Crowdfunding November 3 - 16, 2013
A quiet fortnight in the land of crowdfunding these past two weeks have not been. In fact, with the popularity of this funding model, it may never be quiet again. The past two weeks have had their share of campaigns starting, campaigns closing, and campaigns obliterating goals and funding records alike. Three new prospective games have popped on the radar (including one for those with impeccable manners!), and one has disappeared. But even that game isn't gone for good; although pledges had climbed to over $86K, Trials of Ascension canceled its campaign in order to "regroup, rework, and return." Another title, City of Titans, is taking its place among the fully funded crowd. And there there is Star Citizen, which proved that a single fortnight can't go by without the game's gathering another million or two. All that information and more can be found here in Make My MMO!
Make My MMO: Crowdfunding October 20 - November 2, 2013
The news meter for crowdfunding keeps right on ticking. The last two weeks have seen a score of changes in the realm of community funding initiatives, with some titles experiencing success, others not meeting their goals, and even more joining the ranks. One big name in gaming, Brad McQuaid, is even planning on launching a campaign in the near future. The zombie-centric The Living was unsuccessful, and Story Quest Online failed for a second time. Mixmaster Online removed itself from the field and canceled its campaign. On the other hand, 8BitMMO met its first stretch goal, ensuring that a Mac edition of that game will be available for players. And then there's City of Titans, which is climbing closer to doubling its goal with only two days left. Finally, there are all the progress updates for those already-funded campaigns, conveniently rounded up right here for you in Make My MMO.
