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Black Prophecy Introductory Q&A
Kirk Lenke, the CEO of Reakktor Media, takes a few moments to answer Jon Wood's general questions about the upcoming sci-fi MMO.
| MMORPG.com: | What can you tell us about Black Prophecy? |
| Kirk Lenke: | Black Prophecy is a fast-paced 3D space MMOG (Massively Multiplayer Online Game) with state-of-the art graphics and thrilling real-time combat. In contrast to competing games, we are focussing on exciting PvE and PvP game content that players can experience without investing excessive amounts of time. Thus our target audience is definitely the casual gamer who wants to jump into the cockpit in his leisure time and take on the numerous challenges of the Black Prophecy universe, alone or together with his friends. Like in our previous MMORPGs Neocron and Neocron 2 we are striving once more to offer a breathtaking atmosphere and have spared no expense or effort, even going so far as to engage a professional author to achieve this effect. Black Prophecy setting and story have been created by the award-winning sci-fi author Michael Marrak, who carries the player off into a complex and vibrant universe full of epic conflicts. |
| MMORPG.com: | What challenges are faced by a company looking to release a new sci-fi based MMO? |
| Kirk Lenke: | First and foremost it is a challenge to differentiate clearly from the already published sci-fi titles such as Eve Online. It is not our aim to copycat a successful model, but to meet our own standards and to provide a special and unique game experience. Our previous MMORPGs Neocron and Neocron 2 drew heavily from this basic motivation to create something extraordinary. From a technical point of view it has also been a huge challenge to develop a game like Black Prophecy from scratch. The real-time combat system, in particular, within a three dimensional space and in connection with a high performance network system requires a high degree of specific domain knowledge and experience. From the designer point of view it has been very important to us to implement the universe created by Michael Marrak as visually coherent and atmospheric as possible. In comparison to other settings, the space scenario in of itself offers far less possibilities to craft a breathtaking game world. Thus it was quite a challenge to recruit talented designers and artists who were capable of creating highly sophisticated and atmospheric game environments. Our human resource department definitely did a fantastic job in finding and recruiting the aforementioned specialists that met our high quality standards. |
| MMORPG.com: | What business model do you plan to use for BP and why? |
| Kirk Lenke: | A final decision about the business model has not yet been made. We have been carefully evaluating all available models and will make the final decision based on the wishes of our publisher and our players. |
| MMORPG.com: | Your website promises an innovative mission system. Can you let us know what kind of innovation we can expect to see? |
| Kirk Lenke: | Black Prophecy's mission system uses a sophisticated mechanism that provides a high degree of diversity by generating PvE and PvP missions using numerous randomly selected parameters. This includes solo missions, as well as cooperative missions where members of a player group can be assigned to specific mission targets. Regrettably, we are currently unable to go into details and will present more information on the mission system in due time. |
;)
| MMORPG.com: | How will advancement work in Black Prophecy? |
| Kirk Lenke: | Although the focus is on a fast-paced action oriented game experience, Black Prophecy will also have a role-play like character system. The player will start at zero and receive experience points by accomplishing missions. With increasing experience points the player levels up and obtains access to better versions of items, like ship modules, weapons and modifications. |
| MMORPG.com: | Your website bills the game as a next generation action MMO. Can you tell us what makes this game next generation? |
| Kirk Lenke: | With the term next generation action MMO we are combining a number of approaches to offer a completely new game experience. Key features of this new game experience include the use of a state-of-the-art graphics engine and a fast and exciting real-time combat system that makes it possible for the player to enjoy an as intense as possible gaming experience. Other features include the innovative mission system, the extensive and flexible modular system for ships and space stations, and a fast levelling curve, giving players access to all areas of the game with relatively little time invested. |
| MMORPG.com: | Your website indicates that the game will have a focus on guilds (called clans), allowing them to own their own space stations. How will that work? |
| Kirk Lenke: | Once created, the clan will be able to purchase and own a space station to use as home base. Building upon the basic version, the station can be extended with a multiplicity of different modules, providing different services, to adjust the station to the clan needs and desires. |
| MMORPG.com: | Will PvP play a large role in BP? |
| Kirk Lenke: | Player vs. Player combat will play a big role in the endgame content, while we are also making sure to involve players already at early stages of character development. Within a certain scope we will make it possible for low level players to experience exciting PvP combat together with high level players. For this purpose, special PvP missions will be available in which large player groups of different levels can engage each other. |
The graphics are sertainly stunning!
I am just concerned about this so called dynamic mission system.
If it turns out to be just like EVE Online's or City of Heroes type of so called dynamic mission system, just with more fancy quest text... well then meh. BORING!
These so called dynamic mission systems is basically just lazyness and a cheap way to create infinitive content in a cheap and easy way. The big big downside of that is that it becomes boring really fast! Aka EVE Online aka City of Heroes.
Another dissapointment is that they go for the themepark aka leveling system route. Wich is a shame. But as they haven't really reveiled yet how this leveling system looks. If it's just like giving out Skill points you can spend freely. Then it would be okay I guess. But if you are forced into linear class type paths again.... meh.
But I keep an eye on how it all evolves nonetheless.
All MMO games need to create systems where you can team with players of all levels to experience the content. We really have to push game developers to allow for this. Alienating players based upon level has always been problematic, especially when you're trying to bring in casual gamers or gamers who like quick action and have limited time.
This game will rock.
I have high hopes for this game regardless of the fact that Neocron sucked and Neocron 2 was even worse, lol. This looks like "win" to me, though.
So, 'state of the art graphics' and 'fast, real-time combat' is innovative now?
:/
Fail.
Could be worse. Could be shit for graphics, terrible launch, mediocre gameplay gankfest straight from Greece ala Darkfail.
For the third time...can we please get a forum for this game?
Yes forum would be fine. I also hope they make official forum on their official site.
Hmm - dynamic quest generator sounds disturbingly alike to the Freelancer - go to point X and kill baddie Y for money.
The guild space stations sounds interesting - but I'm wondering if the space stations themselves can be PvP'ed - doesn't take a lot of imagination to see one powerful guild destroying all challengers and then restricting growth if you're not part of their gang.
I'll definitely keep an eye on it though
It sounds a bit like EvE with an experience point-based levelling system. How is it that different from EvE?
EVE isn't level based, but skill based.
I haven't seen anything yet about this game that would make it superior to EVE, but it is too early to draw any conclusions (not that it ever stopped anyone).
Give me a space MMO where you can actually fly your spaceship in a space, that has something more than only gates from sector to another.
the complete gameplay is different one, you have in black prophecy a direct control (joystick), it's more action based.
Like in our previous MMORPGs Neocron and Neocron 2
I Loved the unique gameplay of Neocron and played until it collapsed.
You guys have Great creative gameplay ideas, but you don't seem to be able to support them long term.
Here's hoping this mmog changes all that.
"Thus our target audience is definitely the casual gamer..."
"Like in our previous MMORPGs Neocron and Neocron 2..."
Oh good, I was afraid they might actually be producing something I would need to pay attention to. Dodged that bullet by a mile...
Like how clans can have space stations and can customize them and also the mention of PvP missions that sounds fun to maybe go and kill the other factions members :)
Agreed. I still miss Neocron terribly. If this new game can capture the intensity and grit of that game, while avoiding some of the less...appetizing aspects, it could be a real winner.
Of course, there's STILL the billing and insolvency issues to be worked out...
I understand that fully. My facetious comment was pointed at the fact that this game has to be sure to make itself seem very different from EvE, because that will be its main competition.
If it's just xp-based levelling, it won't be enough. Joystick controls ok, that's starting to become a bit different, but if its main idea is similar to EvE's, then that will be a problem for attracting new players. Though EvE is doing better than ever before, it's still a niche game. Appealing to a niche of the niche would make it hard for this game to succeed. All in my opinion of course.
I might start by saying ,i for one do not believe that EVE is a successful model to judge a sci fi game by.It seems to be on the front here,that this game is a copy of EVE,witch is a fail in my books.How can you have a space exploration game and not be able to explore anything.As in EVE how can you make a massive MMO universe and again not be able to explore anything?
Basically as in EVE the whole game takes place in your tiny ship or a space station,not much actual play space as far as i am concerned.I would not call moving around in an empty space playing,i could create a game world like that in a matte of one day,by making a huge box ,put in some static planets/stars,pfft pretty boring.
I just wish these space games would get it right.I know it is a massive undertaking to create content on each and every planet,but if this is the genre you are going to go after,then you need to step up,EVE fails BIG time,in delivering the proper content and this game i fear will as well.Creating a database to include ship items or improvements is again a very lacklustre way of including content and takes very little effort to implement.Sure i know everyone wants that fancy ship and have lots of stuff to add to it,but that should just be the VERY basic structure of the game,that would not be the content as far as i am concerned.
I could be wrong,but i also feel the PVE content wil lbe nothing more than the missions,witch is warp or fly here/there and return,again lacklustre game play and pretty boring.
You want to impress the MAJORITY of the public ???here is how>>>>EXPLORATION CONTENT.Without it ,you might as well be making a cheap console game.
Guess we will just have to wait and see what this game will provide for us players.
Funny, I was going through an old box of games the other day and I pulled out Starflight, an early 80's space game. It had spaceflight and planets and you could actually get out and explore them. Of course graphics were a far cry from today's standards, but the game came on a 360k diskette.
There is no reason why planet exploration has to be excluded, just that developers don't want to be bothered. We will eventually find one who will.
Interesting sounding, think ill look at it now and then. It kinda sounds like an EVE and X3 Terran Confict combo.
From your post I think I felt pretty much the same as you did from reading that article. The main issue which really puts me off is the fact that the developers have yet again gone for a level based system. When are they going to learn that levels only serve to seperate players from each other and cause ganking issues in PvP games. Who knows maybe the levels wont make such a big difference as we have become used to in these games but I really have my doubts. Mind you the article says that they are finding ways of allowing low levels to fight with high levels but by what degree remains to be seen. I just have a feeling that this game could well turn out to be a wasted opportunity and instead just turn into a themepark story driven mmo like all the rest.
The random mission generator idea might work or it might not. It generally has been pretty dull in previous mmos but then again most story driven mmos with all of their static set quests which never change are also really dull as well. In fact most mmos these days are boring as hell full stop. If the dynamic missions in Black Prophecy actually allow you to have an effect on the gameworld then they could be good but we will have to wait and see I guess.
Mind you the graphics do look very nice indeed and the fact that they are focusing heavily on atmosphere sounds great. Its also going to be a faster paced action game (yay no point and click crap) which could be another good selling point.
This game is following the traditional, yet stale, MMO model. Luckily, BP's saving grace is that the graphics are awesome and it's a sci-fi MMO, which the genre has little coverage. Even the old MMO model can be fun when nothing looks familiar.
It's not that I don't agree with you, it's just that I don't think you're the target audience here. You don't sound like a casual gamer, because casual gamers aren't bothered with those things, because you don't "grind" missions like hardcore players do. Casual players are more concerned with an enjoyable play experience for the hour or so they are on each day. A game that promises a great story in a different setting than we're used to will do exactly that, even if it is the same old MMO model we're used to in fantasy games.
I think this game will bore the hell out of most hardcore players, but I really haven't met a casual player that was bothered with the mission system if it had some good text attached to it.
I'm a casual player and I play WAR. WAR is a perfect game for casual players that enjoy PvP. I log in for about 15min-1 hour and I may PvP the whole time, or get some influence from PQ's, but none of it bores me, because I don't play long enough for it to bore me. When WAR first came out, I played it hardcore and I bored really fast of it. This tought me that casual players really do experience games differently than the hardcore. There are exceptions, but anything you do for a long period of time gets boring fast. That's because humans enjoy variety by their very nature. Casual players get variety through doing other things in real life, while hardcore gamers get their variety with a deeper more involved game, or by playing several shallower games.
I agree with you. This is something I've always loved about old SWG and CoX games. It really stiffles the "hate the noob" mentality and keeps the game fresh at all levels for many more years than a game without the mechanic does.
I know other games have done this, but SWG stands out the most for me. SWG had a dynamic mission generating system. Most people didn't read the stories before accepting them though, so they were highly underrated. People just picked them up and followed the waypoint. While the story was great, the actual "doing" of the mission was a copy and paste pretty much of similar type missions and they were all simplistic and boring.
BP is developing a game several years in the future and doesn't have to worry about player ran cities being able to be made all of the place, so they should have a much more interesting implementation of the mission system.
Yeah it sounds a "bit" like EVE because its in space and you fly spaceships. Yeah its just like EVE because EVE has levels too doesnt it....oh no....it doesnt.
What a stupid thing to say. I suppose you think Black Prophecy is like Star Wars Battlefront as well because its a fast paced action game and its online and all fantasy mmos are like WoW because you kill monsters and farm loot
The graphics are just astounding. Considering EVE, which is considered the benchmark for all Sci-Fi and has recently had a major revamp in graphics is not up to this standard says a lot.
I wonder if its twitch like Jumpgate or more click and point like EVE.
Nothing to really get me excited about. A game cant survive on graphics alone. still putting all my eggs in the http://www.infinity-universe.com/Infinity/ basket. Really hopeing developement speeds up this year.
Yeah infinity could be the best Sci-fi space MMO. But before that it have to be developed. And end of development is far far away.
Ok first of all, to the developers of Black Prophecy congrats on your upcoming title.
Second, I wouldn't worry about copycatting a successful business model like Eve online, there's an Eve an it cant be copied, and noone wants a copy of it lol, honestly ( not a bash to Eve which I love to play and am activly subscribed btw ). It'll be what it'll be and wont take much to beat thier particular model in several ways.
1. Do your thing, there aren't so many sci fi titles out that you cant go off the chain and have fun with your creativity, your originality will pay off, sci fi is all about different, that should be your aim, and should be for everyone creating a sci fi mmo model.
2. Your skill system, it's good to have "missioning for progression" but basing the whole system off of it for any mmorpg developer is not bringing a next gen title, it's been done, it's here now, and isn't going anywhere anytime soon.. once again explore, just don't make a guy wait on a two or three week timer to fly ships :) Just imagine how many people wont play Eve because of that.
3. Now I'm not too familiar with Michael Marrak's work ( I'll read up Mike I promise ;) as long as it's not writen in German ) but your already off to a good start in getting someone who has an original idea and style to the sci fi genre, so when you take a writer like this, your fans expect his style of writing and they expect more, for instance if you have salvatore writing, then we expect salavatore quality :) dont fall short there and you'll be fine, storyline-wise assuming Mike does well for an mmo.
On your business model.
The going rate pretty much and as we all know is about 14-15 bucks, unless you go free to play, or wanna take a hit and go lower than the norm, but why do that? Set your model upfront and go with it, there is no reason in the world people should have to ask, "What is your business model?" and if you wanna sell something, when people ask you a price, the worst thing to do is say " we don't know yet".
OK now and this...
"With the term next generation action MMO we are combining a number of approaches to offer a completely new game experience. Key features of this new game experience include the use of a state-of-the-art graphics engine and a fast and exciting real-time combat system that makes it possible for the player to enjoy an as intense as possible gaming experience."
Your not saying much here guys. Every new mmo that comes out is a shot at new graphics, and what people are going for is to make their game available to everyone, both low and high end. So dont sell me on high end graphics, sell me on high end gameplay and replayability. Real time doesnt say much for ya either :) to the guy sitting behind the pc, it's all real time.
And last your going to pit various leveled players against eachother? Thats fine with me, but you may wanna look at how people react to that gameplay, lower skilled players do not appreciate getting one shotted by high skill players, and yup it happens as long as it's allowed :).
Last I wish you guys the best with your new mmorpg, and look forward to playing it. Hey by the way, do us all a favor and let people actually run around inside their ships will ya? and some ground content would hurt either.
Yeah it sounds a "bit" like EVE because its in space and you fly spaceships. Yeah its just like EVE because EVE has levels too doesnt it....oh no....it doesnt.
What a stupid thing to say. I suppose you think Black Prophecy is like Star Wars Battlefront as well because its a fast paced action game and its online and all fantasy mmos are like WoW because you kill monsters and farm loot
You're missing my point entirely, which is that it needs something BIG to stand out from EvE. Just putting in a levelling system won't do it. Get it?
So, what would you add to eve to make it good in your eyes?
From the Black Prophecy Site FAQ:
3. Will it be possible to exit your ship and walk around on space stations or planets?
This feature will not be part of the release version but is not necessarily ruled out for any further expansions of Black Prophecy.
And this is why I will initially ignore this MMO.
Will I engage my enemies in combat? No. My ship will engage enemies in combat. Blah.
Will I get to board enemy ships and try to capture them? No. Either the enemy ship is outright destroyed, or it is merely *assumed* I boarded it and the step is skipped. BS.
Will there be planetside PvP? No. Those big balls of rock are just decoration.
No thanks. A ship is not an avatar. It's an impersonal pile of pixels with weapons systems.
"In contrast to competing games, we are focussing on exciting PvE and PvP game content that players can experience without investing excessive amounts of time."
Sounds like Easy-EvE. Aiming for all the players who thought EvE was too hard. Which admittedly is a large group.
It's not that I don't agree with you, it's just that I don't think you're the target audience here. You don't sound like a casual gamer, because casual gamers aren't bothered with those things, because you don't "grind" missions like hardcore players do. Casual players are more concerned with an enjoyable play experience for the hour or so they are on each day. A game that promises a great story in a different setting than we're used to will do exactly that, even if it is the same old MMO model we're used to in fantasy games.
I think this game will bore the hell out of most hardcore players, but I really haven't met a casual player that was bothered with the mission system if it had some good text attached to it.
I'm a casual player and I play WAR. WAR is a perfect game for casual players that enjoy PvP. I log in for about 15min-1 hour and I may PvP the whole time, or get some influence from PQ's, but none of it bores me, because I don't play long enough for it to bore me. When WAR first came out, I played it hardcore and I bored really fast of it. This tought me that casual players really do experience games differently than the hardcore. There are exceptions, but anything you do for a long period of time gets boring fast. That's because humans enjoy variety by their very nature. Casual players get variety through doing other things in real life, while hardcore gamers get their variety with a deeper more involved game, or by playing several shallower games.
How do you know I am not the target audience?
The average aka casual player isn't the person that only plays 15 minutes a day. Get a clue.
The average player, wich is referred to as casual player, plays about 2 hours per game session. Doesn't mean he / she does it every day.
You cannot play an MMO for just 15 mins or just 30 mins. You will never be able to enjoy it as you won't feel any progress you make.
It doesn't matter if it's level based or skill based. If you only have 15 to 30 minutes to play per session, then MMO's in general are not for you.
Everyone knows that MMO's aka RPG games are a bit more time consuming games compared to other type of games.
It doesn't mean you have to spend 5 to 10 hours per session, like some do. Or even more. But you easily spend 2 hours playing per session.
Even if we look at EVE Online. Wich should be THE perfect game for casual players due to the time based automatic skill training.
Yet, doing only one PVE mission a day, or a 15-30 min mining session a day... the game will get boring real fast as it will take ages for you to get any ISK together to advance. As your skills with outpace your ISK flow.
So by the time you are able to fly Battleships like an Ace, you are lucky to have enough ISK together to buy a cruiser.
So again. MMO's are time consuming. Period! And if you are a person that only has 15 to 30 mins a day average to play and looking for an MMO that will cater to you exclusively... then I am sorry, but you can wait till eternity! As you are not the casual player and thus the part of the majority audience.
The majority of MMO gamers or gamers in general spend around 2 hours a day / per session. Almost all MMO's to date target that kind of audience already (at least the western MMO's).
Cheers
"...and a fast levelling curve, giving players access to all areas of the game with relatively little time invested."
Yay.. its a space WoW... wont be playing it now.
It looks interesting, and I love the graphics. I hope I get to play it one of these days.
Its a game about flying around in spaceships. Of course you cant get out of your ship or run around inside it. No you cant watch your silly little humanoid avatar use the toilet or have a drink in the canteen. Its a space game.
Big balls of rock just decoration? What are all those trees, mountains, hills and rivers etc in other mmos then? Its ALL decoration.
A ship is not an avatar? Of course it bloody well is. An impersonal pile of pixels? You dont think your little dwarf in WoW is actually alive do you? Oh look at him laugh when I type the /laugh emote! Oh now I can make him dance and clap his hands! Oh what fun! Oh he has such personality! Oh now I feel immersed in the game because he seems soooooo life like.
I'm glad the ship is the avatar in this game. Then I wont have to watch retards jumping up and down on the heads of npcs, setting off dance emotes like its the funniest thing they've ever done and generally acting like complete and utter twats.
It doesnt matter if the avatar is a spaceship, a dwarf, a dragon or a cybernetic vacuum cleaner gone rogue. If it fits with what the game is trying to be then its fine. Its just a 3d model made in Maya or 3D Studio Max. This is a game about people flying spaceships around in outerspace so your avatar is a spaceship just like it is in any other FPS space shooter. If you can only play mmos where you dress up your little man in outfits and equip him him with swords and laser guns in a failed attempt at fooling yourself into thinking you are unique then there are plenty of them around for ya. Go and play one of them instead and stop moaning about a game simply because it doesnt fit into your limited short-sighted view of what a game should be.
You're missing my point entirely, which is that it needs something BIG to stand out from EvE. Just putting in a levelling system won't do it. Get it?
Yes I get what you mean and no it doesnt need something BIG actually. Its pretty obvious from the article that the game isnt going to be or play like EvE. The only similarity is that it has spaceships in it. There are lots of mmos that have people running around on the ground killing monsters with swords but they dont need to be vastly different from each other to do well. Even if Black Prophecy was a direct rip-off of EVE (which it isnt) then it would still be vastly different to most other mmos.
Yes and people are complaining about just that in fantasy MMOs.
I'll say again, why should I leave my 2.5 year old EvE character to play something that is only vaguely different? I think a lot of EvE players would be faced with the same question. In other words, those who play EvE probably won't leave it for BP: those who love EvE have no cause to, those who are fence sitters and wish there was more variety in sci fi MMOs will not leave because this game doesn't really offer anything different except for a few mechanics, one that is not necessarily an improvement over EvE (aka the level-based system).
EvE is a niche game overall, albeit one that has grown quite a bit over the years. But, for those who wish there was something else in the sci fi genre, BP would simply have to be absolutely amazing, like more amazing than EvE and/or be so substantially different that it would appeal to more players. Otherwise they will just attract a niche of a niche.
Edit - Forgot to mention that I want to put special emphasis on the time I've put into my EvE character. I'm only middling old... there are some people who have invested far more time in their characters than I have in EvE. They're not going to jump ship, so to speak, that easily to a new spaceship MMO. I think that BP will only appeal to those who want a space game, but didn't like EvE. A lot of people have the wrong ideas about EvE's skill system for example. They think it's a problem without realising what an asset it actually is.
I dont agree. People will try out a new game when it comes out if they like the look of it. It doesnt matter how similar to any other game it might be. People just like to have new games to explore and experience. You are saying that everyone who plays EVE has no reason to play any other mmo which has spaceships in it unless it is much better than EVE. Thats just ridiculous! Lots of people will play Black Prophecy because it will be a new setting to explore. It will have different ships, a different backstory and different game mechanics. The Q&A article specifically said they were trying to do something different to EVE and even if that turns out not to be totally true then plenty of people will still play it because it offers a bit of variety on the "space mmo" selection.
I have played Crysis. It was a great FPS game. Does that mean I cant enjoy any other FPS game because all games with guns and a first person view are going to be too similar? You personally may have invested a large chunk of your life into playing EVE but not everyone gets so emotionally attached to a game because its just a game. Some people who like EVE will stop playing it and will try out Black Prophecy. Others who dont like EVE will try it out. Some will stay with it. Some will go back to EVE. Some will go back to other games.
The simple fact that EVE is the only vaguely decent mmo set in space in which you can control spaceships means that BP will provide a good alternative place for players to visit. Besides you might be personally fine with spending several years playing ONE computer game but many people want more variety in their gaming experiences. I personally rarely play any mmo for longer than about 4 months before I get tired of repeating the same old stuff and get the urge to play something else.
Besides you dont really know enough about the game yet to claim that it is a copycat of EVE so you're not really making any valid points. Why should you leave EVE after playing it for over 2 years? Well.....isnt the fact that you have been playing it for over 2 years a good enough reason? But then if you can play a single game for such a long time then no there is no reason for you to stop playing it. Just carry on with what you were doing if thats what you enjoy doing. Other people might want to play something else though and as you dont know any of those people you cant really speak on their behalf can you.
fast and active combat is a rather huge way to differentiate BP from EvE. I quit EvE because the only thing to do combat wise was to kill pirates, and combat involved in killing pirates wasn't that entertaining and defnitely wasn't fast paced. I also felt EvE was all about the ISK. Anything you wanted to do in the game required you to have so much ISK to enable yourself to be able to do it. Otherwise, you were stuck fighting the same type of NPC's, which are boring to begin with. You need ISK to buy anything that you'll ever need and lots of it.
People mention PvP, but you don't have a lot of choice of what you can do. As a new player, I can do what in EvE? Trap people? What if I'm a combat oriented type of person who wants to be the guy flying the X-Wings (visual example only). The learning curve is also steep, which many people would rather not have in a hobby if they spend relatively little time involved in that hobby and EvE overcomplicates things. Some people just want to roll up a ship the way they roll up other avatars, equip them simply and go out and kill things. Most people don't want to work the market, do some seriously repetitive and slow thing, like mining or killing pirates, and want to be on equal footing with everyone in the game or have at least the ability to catch up to the veterans. I know in EvE, a veteran can't fly more than one ship, but the strength is in the flexibility and time spent gaining ISK compared to a new (1 month old) guy when ISK is extremely important in the game.
I think EvE is a great game, I really do, but to assume no one will want to play BP is silly. BP sounds like they are aiming for the player types who like WoW styled gameplay ideas with a sci fi picture.
Sure, they haven't said much in general. But the whole point of my original post was that so far, there isn't anything that sounds ground-breaking enough to make me think this game will do solidly well against EvE, which is for sure the benchmark in this genre as of right now.
Sure, they haven't said much in general. But the whole point of my original post was that so far, there isn't anything that sounds ground-breaking enough to make me think this game will do solidly well against EvE, which is for sure the benchmark in this genre as of right now.
Of course EVE is the benchmark for that type of game. Its the ONLY game of its type around. Its nice to see BP and any other games of its type adding a bit of variety.
Besides what does "solidly well" mean anyway? Who cares if it has more or less subscribers than EVE? If it provides any number of people with something to play that they enjoy then who gives a shit if the EVE die hards fanatics carry on playing EVE? If I play BP and find myself liking and subscribing to it then I couldnt care less how well it is doing in relation to EVEs subscription numbers. I wont be thinking about EVE because I will be playing BP (shrugs).
I gotta admit, the graphics are nice. But, this interview brought nothing to the table.
Cue generic MMO interview number 376:
So, what makes it Next Gen?:
Well, we've got good graphics, realtime combat, a background story and ooo we have a mission generator! These are some of the features that we think makes BP innovative!.
Uh, ok, what makes it innovative?:
We have the best AI in the world, the graphics are outstanding and did I mention that we have a mission generator and someone writing the lore? We feel that this thrusts BP into the "Next Gen" category. <now go back to the first question>
I really hope that you guys succeed in BP's launch, but sadly this interview does nothing to promote the game.
Using "buzz words" and injecting no details to back them up is just a poor attempt at marketing, nothing more.
People look at it and say "Isn't this just another Jumpgate Evolution?"
And I'm even beginning to have my doubts about JGE being able to capture a persons interest longer than it takes to install it.
checked out there website and i didnt see any avatars, just ships, so its EVE online re dux.
as i quickly stated below this is EVE re dux, they arent bringing anything new to the mmo world with this game. its ships and space whoopdy do, EVE did that, and with there minimal impact on the massive MMO player base, you would think a new MMO would have actual avatars that walk around and do something other than being a thing in a gooey pod floating in your ship. that type of immersion in my opinion would absolutely dominate the market. I for 1 and so freaking tired of fantasy based MMOs, I tried TR and it was so blah. I say black prophecy needs to add humanoids, or aliens or whatever or get the hell out of the playground we dont want it. If EVE added humanoids I would actually play it, but other than that its frickin boring to fly around shoot stuff and harvest asteroids.
Fall 2009 = Eve introduces Ambulation
then they will most likely earn my subscription at that point at least until Star Wars: The Old republic comes out.
yeah i am becoming really torn also....i am a Star Wars freak....love it.....especially the original trilogy movies and the thrawn books....but eve....CCP knows what they are doing, and every single update this game becomes better and better...i am beginning to think that TOR and EVE are going to be going head to head competing for my game time.
yup im in the same boat, i prefer sci fi over fantasy, i cant wait for swtor.
No its not EVE re dux. Just because its a game set in space in which you control a ship doesnt mean its automatically a copy of EVE. Thats like saying every mmo in which you control a humanoid avatar is a copy of WoW.
You say that BP isnt bringing anything new to the genre and in the same breath you say that they should copy all of the other mmos by allowing people to have humanoid avatars exactly like virtually every other mmo. Make your mind up. You say that a new mmo should have humanoid avatars because all of the other mmos which have humaoid avatars dominate the market.....ummm......well thats a reason to NOT do that then isnt it? Why make yet another mmo where you get to walk around with your little man when there are already so many of them. You're not making any sense at all. Yeah BP should just make their game like all the rest to appeal to the masses......not.
You say you are so freaking tired of fantasy mmos and yet this is not a fantasy mmo. Its a game about having battles with space ships. There are other sci-fi mmos where you control a humanoid avatar. Maybe you should look at them instead of complaining about how this game is not designed with your specific requirements in mind. How dare they try and fill a gap in the market. The evil swine!
"I say black prophecy needs to add humanoids, or aliens or whatever or get the hell out of the playground we dont want it."
No YOU dont want it. Dont try and drag everyone else into your own narrow minded opinion. EVE is a great game and it stands out from the pile of crap that passes for most other mmos. Its also the only one of its kind which has done well so its great that BP is giving another option to people who like the idea of controlling a space ship in an mmo. If you dont like games where you control space ships then it would be in your best interests to stop posting in this forum then because this game isnt for you. Its not going to cater to people who want the bog standard humanoid avatars that we see in every other mmo so there isnt any point in moaning about the lack of humanoid avatars as it aint gonna happen. Would you go into the WoW forums and complain that it should let you fly a space ship? In BP your ship is your avatar because its a game about flying around in space in a space ship. Like it or lump it.
EVE is adding humanoid avatars for when you wander around spaceships just to satisfy whiners like yourself. The silly thing is that its completely unnessary as that is not what the game is about. It will draw in people who dont like flying a space ship and then after a short while those people will start moaning because they cant shoot people in the space stations, kills mobs, farm loot and go up levels. Then they will cry even more when the real EVE players tell them all to fuck off.
my my my,
arent you a long winded, word twisting asshole?
If you would put some vasaline on your head and pull it from your ass you would be able to understand what I meant. Having space ships and space stations is the quick, lazy and dirty way of doing it. Sure EVE is complex and and fun to play but simply flying around and mining isnt exactly my idea of a good time. Give me more depth and it will earn my subscription. The only thing I can see on the surface with BP is that it is adding a "guild hall" and some fancy wrighting that will probably end up being extermely linear. before a company claims to be innovative, they should actually be innovative, and before someone tries to flame me they should at least be able to comprehend.
Then dont play the game as its clearly not for you.
Is that short and simple enough for you..........you narrow minded asshole
Come on guys... don't devolve this thread into insults.
I see I'm not the only one that feels as I do. Neonwire does have something about that EvE is the only game so far on the market for spaceships other than SWG, but there is room to grow. However, where he and I disagree is with whether BP will be giving anything new to the genre, or whether it will be EvE with a couple of different mechanisms. I think Neonwire has missed where I said that there are other titles coming out before BP will be released that also have a spaceship component. STO for example will offer differences. BP won't just be competing with EvE, the heavyweight in this genre, it will also be competing with STO and Jumpgate Evolution. Right now, the information coming out makes BP sound like only an aspect of EvE with some different mechanics. I think it would only appeal to a niche of a niche.
Ahh the insults arent really that serious anyway. Its all just part of the fun.
I actually agree that BP probably wont bring anything shockingly new to computer games in general but then it doesnt have to to be a good game. However if it does manage to pull off the fast paced FPS-style gameplay that it seems to be indicating then that actually would be something which is relatively new to mmos as good skill-based gameplay is something that is missing in mmos. It would also make it vastly different to EVE which is a point and click game. Also it looks like BP is going to be a lot more story based and structured than EVE and is going to a quick and easy game to get into which again is something that will set it apart. Once you get past the "oh look it has spaceships in it" bit then actually it doesnt look like it is going to be very similar to EVE at all.
It might only appeal to a small number of players or it might appeal to a larger audience. Who knows and who cares? Its more variety on the space themed side of mmos so it can only be a good thing.
Yes, indeed, we could do with a game like that, though even slow-paced and tactical would be cool. Something where players can truly match each other up in skills would be great.
they need to jus bring back E&B ...
it's sad really it had all the stuff these new games put a soon (tm) tag on.
Well i will be staying in wow as its nice and slow combat and i need to log in for 7 hours to feel like i achieved something cool.
This game sound to exciting and enjoyable to play and it seems i only have to logg in a few hours a day to get he action..