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Jumpgate: Evolution: An Interview With Hermann Peterscheck
Recently, MMORPG.com writer Carolyn Koh sits down for a conversation with Hermann Peterscheck about the recently announced Jumpgate: Evolution that will see the six-year-old space MMO updated for 2007 with new graphics, new AI and more.
In 2001, a space MMOG was released with little fanfare but a small, yet strong fan base. Did you hear about it? It was before EVE Online, before Planetside or Earth and Beyond. It was named Jumpgate and distinguished itself from the MMORPGs that were launching all around them, by billing themselves as NOT an MMORPG, but an MMO space flight and combat game. A game of skill, not gear and levels - a game best controlled with a joystick.
;)
That was Jumpgate. It drew inspiration from older single-player, free-form spaceflight games from the 1980's and 1990's such as Elite, Elite II, and Wing Commander: Privateer. Developed by a small indie-group known as NetDevil, it outlived Earth and Beyond, which was published by Electronics Arts. It survived losing its publisher not three months after it launched, it was developed and run by the smallest team known to man (six), but yet it survived - not unloved, but relatively unknown - for six years.
Today, NetDevil is giving Jumpgate a much needed facelift and overhaul. With the years of experience running a space simulator behind them, Netdevil is improving upon the original IP with significant enhancements to: the gameplay, the addition of an advanced AI, and a complete graphics overhaul. They've even added to the dedicated team (eight)!
Although they weren't quite ready to reveal details such as the backstory or launch - I ran into several sudden pauses as he prepared to answer some questions only to halt himself with an "Err... we're not ready to talk about that yet." Hermann Peterscheck, the Producer of Jumpgate, waxed enthusiastic over their plans. I could hear his excitement leaping out over the speaker phone as he described the improvements Netdevil has been working on and testing.
;)
"We have a completely new rendering engine we're working on. New models, new and more intuitive UI, player owned stations, pirates, defense mechanisms, a detailed squad system, better accessibility and most importantly, a new AI server."
Jumpgate suffers currently from lack of players and hence in-game balance of resources and balance between the factions. By design, Jumpgate has a simple supply-based economy. There are no trade skills per se, but raw materials have to be mined and supplied to Space Stations for product to be created and available for purchase. Prices are controlled by supply and demand of each product. The new Artificial Intelligence server will assist in balancing the game and game economy by spawning miners, haulers to run resources from one station to another, enemy ships and pirates for PvE. Creating a persistent world with NPCs acting on their own scripts, Jumpgate is ready to evolve from a MMO space flight and combat game to a fully fledged MMORPG.
Per Hermann, they've had a team of eight working on the overhaul for the past 10 months and they are in the closed testing stage, especially the "Easy to get into, quick to learn, fun to play" mantra they are chanting over at the Netdevil studios. It is this mantra that they hope will attract more players as more players means improved cash flow and improved cash flow will mean that they can afford to put more content into Jumpgate.
;)
Hermann defined their focus - good accessibility, low specs, fun game - saying, "We're concentrating on what we already know and are doing well, we want to do better", as he described what Jumpgate had and had not. I asked what he meant by working on accessibility. "Everyone should be able to play the game, we need to capture a new player's interest in the first hour of the game. We are keeping the learning curve low."
What he was describing then is a basic fundamental of good game design, a good game has to be easy to learn, but hard to master, as most successful games are - think of chess - a simple game to learn, yet one that takes a lifetime to master.
Hermann described the extent to which they were testing and re-testing to ensure that accessibility was low enough for the "off the street" rawest recruit ever to step foot into a space station. "We are taking complete newbies and watching / taping them as they log-in and play the game. The threshold should be so low, there isn't one. Someone completely new to this game should be able to figure out where the combat target is, how to line up his sights and fire at the target in minutes. Given a joystick, he should be able to fly his ship instinctively."
;)
In reference to low system specs, high frame-rates and hence a critical component to the fun to play factor, Herman was even more passionate as he fired off his comments at breakneck speed. I heard many references that could have come straight out from Netdevil's Auto Assault Post Mortem whitepaper.
"A game is no fun if your computer can't handle it. Low frame rates are no fun. Customization adds to overhead. One of our aims is to keep the minimum specs low."
Although there is little customization in the game despite player requests - such as the ability to place customized logos on their ships, Jumpgate: Evolution will allow players to maintain and manage their own space stations.
"MMOG players want to personalize their experience and in that, we've provided a functional method rather than a cosmetic method of doing that. Players get to own their very own part of space in player owned stations."
When faced with challenges, some of the most elegant answers can result. Not unlike the old army guy giving the toughest, dirtiest job to the laziest soldier as they will devise the simplest, fastest way to complete it, Hermann talked about how their developers have risen to the challenge of the system spec constraint.
;)
"System specs dictates art direction and design. We have to be conscious of them every part of the way. I am amazed by the techniques the art guys have come up to address this constraint. It was a bonus. An unexpected boost in quality with low system specs, yet maintaining a higher frame rate in the game."
What Netdevil is doing is an amazing effort when you think of the size of the development team and a worthy feat if they succeed, given the complexity of MMORPGs in the market these days. Way to go, Netdevil, you can bet your loyal fans are eagerly awaiting the launch of Jumpgate: Evolution.
You can sign up for the beta test here.
Cant wait for this hope it gets more publicity this time so that there is a good number of players to keep it alive for a long time :) go Jumpgate :D
"today, netdevil is giving jumpgate a much needed facelift..."
what does that mean? it is all set to go and if i download the free client today i can play with all the new toys or what?
No JG:Evo is not even in Beta yet.
Sounds like it s coming along,played many a year ago and tried again a few months ago but always
found a reason to leave.So ill try the new version for sure.love space sim action.I just dont think ill be
totally happy until I can go to a space junkyard and build my own master piece though.hope its a success.
Other news... Jumpgate community, fans, dedicated players had a contest to name one of the starter ships in Jumpgate Evolution.
See pic and name of the ship here. joystickrequired.com/forums/f5/jumpgate-evolutions-first-new-ship-halcyon-2174.html
this looks awesome, but cosmetic differences, though may seem frivolous, really make a player feel like its their game not some generic character that could be anybody. i want a space game that i can look at and build a ship and say "wow look at that ship (or character or beast or whatever)no one else could have created that, that came from my brain and no one else's (even tho, in theory, anyone could).
These screens look awesome. If they can get me into the game in less than two hours (shout out to you, EvE) I'll be hooked.
Front page, you spelled Evolution wrong. It shows as "Evoltuion". Just a FYI to fix, its fine in the post, but on the little thing that highlights new editor articles it is spelled wrong.
I played it back then when it was released - was a nice game. Simple but nice.
Had alot of fun with my squad - CHIMERA !!
"it was developed and run by the smallest team known to man (six)"
Minions of Mirth - developed and run by two.
Far as the graphics go, this will put them right there with........Freelancer.
Couple more years, they may get to where EvE was before Revelations.
Its encouraging to see a small time game still alive and not only that, to modernize with the times, it sends out a message that no MMO is too old to improve. The graphics overhaul will definately cause second glances and give a new level of interest to this game. I remember playing the older version some time back and the graphics were the major factor of disinterest.
I'd like to see this game expand and perhaps become a rival for EVE, we definately need more space sims/RPG's on the market and alittle competition always improves the system. But this improvement needs to happen soon. There is a vacancy in the market, plenty of bored gamers just aching for something new and addicting.. But this vacancy may not last
My only concern, is that through these new graphics they wont just get interest from customers but also from publishers. If approached with an offer of an increased budget, development team and development freedom will netdevil sell out to a publishing mega-giant like SOE?
And would such a move be positive in the long run?
The thing that caught my eye was the combat system. We who enjoyed freelancer really liked the combat system. manual aiming/fps controls.
If EVE went with this type of control scheme id have been hooked and a lifelong playing paying customer. But they went with point and click and it really turned me off. No matter how pretty they make it or how many expansion packs they come out with the fact remains its point and click. Its not my cup of tea to watch the combat unfold, i prefer to take the controls and fire my guns with my own ability to aim and hit. Its like ice cream on pie for me. And everyone likes pie nearly..
So I'm very interested in this new version of Jumpgate. But I'm a little hesitant on the cartoon graphics though.
I loved Freelancer. I used to play it with just a friend and I really enjoyed it. Remains to be seen how long it will last, but regardless, a swift combat system versus a point and click ( indeed totally a turn-off on my trial on EVE ) is very much welcomed.
Floating in space is great, but it's better with alot of people.
( that new space rogues game is horrible though...)
This sounds like what Escape Velocity would be like if it were turned into a MMO in 3D. Which is a good thing. I'm gonna try it out for sure.
This sounds promising and the improved graphics look good to me. I could go for a good sci fi MMOG centered around space flight/combat, resource gathering and production and exploration. They would need to drop the joystick control though.
EvE doesn't cut it. I played EvE for a bit when it first launched but the original release was really buggy. Every time CCP patched, they broke something else. When they broke the space star map after one patch and CCP announced most of the team was vacationing in Spain for a couple weeks instead of fixing all the bugs, that's when I said " I am done". American work ethic doesn't allow that type of behavior.
I also don't like the real time skill training of EvE, it makes it impossible for newcomers to catch up with veterans regardless of effort. Also veterans were given a huge financial advantage towards production, because originally rare ore was available in high security space but then nerfed and only available in low security space. This was a result of lack of quality Beta testing.
The player guide program in EvE is also a bad idea. There is a lot of corruption and favoritism involved in that type of system. The RMT sanctioned Isk for play time cards is also a major turn off in EvE.
If Jumpgate can become a MMOG similar to EvE or better without the faults I mentioned, I would play it.
This was my first MMO, and it was one of the best I've played. I only left cause the player base moved on but it was probably one of the better dev teams and communities out there.
Hopefully this will bring back many many players, I know I'm going to give it a try once it goes live!
Quantar ftw!
I was a old UKM pilot back in the day, and I'm VERY excited about this one. Hurry up beta please :)
If they really get the combat system down of freelancer, freespace , wing commander....
it's going to be a blast to play on my x52 saitek.
Why do people keep mentioning Freelancers combat system? I really didnt like that, gimme a joystick anyday. I never could get into freelancer bacause of the mouse steering. It reminded me of berzerker, cept in space, and...3d; the flight/battle controls I mean, mash left mouse and chance enemy till dead.
-Gooney
as JG old school ... i hope for best ...
Ditto. I can't wait for this.
I am downloading the old game free trial just to see what it was about. I missed this one
Cool, support the indie games. =P
Hehe, looks kinda nice, but "too blue". Will try it out when its ready. =) GJ keeping the game alive.
Good to see a free spaceflight game getting an upgrade and maybe a second chance. Earth and Beyond was ships on tracks and Eve isn't much better.
I hope NetDevil really does well with this. Shutting down AA by NCSoft is a shame and I hope developers like NetDevil can start to publish/host their own games. C'mon NCSoft - gimme a break - you're shutting down AA and hosting Dungeon Runners??? Bah....
Anyway kudos to NetDevil - and good luck. I'm an EvE player but if JG delivers I'm hoping on board. Please make this release Vista compatible!!!!!
Simply cannot believe nobody out there is Supporting Octavius in this thread.
I played this game ages back when green and blue knew to fear the red haze of our beams and by the time they could think to run they were podding from the hail of missiles. 
Space game that required skill from FPS perspective with actual ingame physics along the lines of the better wing commander games and the oldschool starlancer games.
Jumpgate had it all before games like EvE even existed. I think it's still superior to EvE since there is no twitch based play there.
Kudo's to NetDevil, hope you guys get this one out and I'll be looking to sign up on the RED side as soon as you send me my Beta Invite :)
Octavius - Peace through overwhelming firepower.