Star Trek: Infinite Space

[CeeKay]

because one Star Trek MMO wasn't enough, but this one is set in the Deep Space Nine side of things.  it's going to be free to play with microtransactions, but the one aspect that worries me comes from this interview:

Like many online games these days, Infinite Space will be free to play and offer optional purchase options. "There will be many types of items for players to purchase, if they choose," says Adam. "If you'd like your character to have a unique appearance, you can get many different clothes and other items. If you want to save time, there will be things like XP Boosts to help you progress faster. Let's say we're friends playing together but you're spending twice as much time in the game, leveling up faster. If I want to go on a mission with you, I can buy an XP Boost to close the gap. Ships and systems, however, will always be available to you by playing the game."

I wonder if that means players can buy XP permanently, or if it will be a one time deal just to play a mission.

[hepcat]

The evolution of the microtransaction economics in MMO's can only lead to the following inevitable  scenario:

Player:  I want to walk 3 steps to the holodeck.
Game:  That will cost you 75 cents.
Player:  whhhaaaaat?
Game:  you have to purchase each step in the game store.  They're 25 cents each.
Player: That's ridiculous!  I don't want to pay for that!
Game:  Refusal is 75 cents.

[Rumpy]

I've been following this one closely and it already looks better than STO to me. But yeah, the microtransactions worry me, in that it might defeat the purpose of being free to play if they get in the way too much.

Oh, and replace Game with Quark, since it's a DS9 game anyway

[Blackjack]

because one Star Trek MMO wasn't enough, but this one is set in the Deep Space Nine side of things.  it's going to be free to play with microtransactions, but the one aspect that worries me comes from this interview:

Like many online games these days, Infinite Space will be free to play and offer optional purchase options. "There will be many types of items for players to purchase, if they choose," says Adam. "If you'd like your character to have a unique appearance, you can get many different clothes and other items. If you want to save time, there will be things like XP Boosts to help you progress faster. Let's say we're friends playing together but you're spending twice as much time in the game, leveling up faster. If I want to go on a mission with you, I can buy an XP Boost to close the gap. Ships and systems, however, will always be available to you by playing the game."

I wonder if that means players can buy XP permanently, or if it will be a one time deal just to play a mission.

I read it as similar to the XP boost "timed items" you can buy in Cryptic's C-Store for STO and CO. Those simply let you gain XP at a little faster rate while you're playing, for a certain period of "in-game, in-use" time (i.e., the "timer" doesn't run out while you're offline not playing).

I'm not bothering with XP boost items in CO and STO. You can level up plenty fast just playing modest amounts of time. I guess if I was really desperate to get Just One More level, they might appeal to me, but I haven't found them anything I really Need per se.

[Harkonis]

I am fine with xp boost items.  Most f2p games have them.  Been playing ddo awaiting rift and the boost let kato catch me

[rittchard]

the boost let kato catch me

What did he do with you once he caught you?   

[hepcat]

the boost let kato catch me

What did he do with you once he caught you?   

it'll cost you 85 cents to find out.

[Lockdown]

the boost let kato catch me

What did he do with you once he caught you?   

it'll cost you 85 cents to find out.

 

[EddieA]

1Up has a new preview for the game.

[CeeKay]

they have a bunch of screenshots up at the main site.

[Rumpy]

they have a bunch of screenshots up at the main site.

Those are a bit old, actually. But the 3D renders using the Unity engine are new. Looks good so far, but my enthusiasm is tempered a bit due to how bad the BSG MMO is, and this is using the same engine.

[CeeKay]

they have a bunch of screenshots up at the main site.

Those are a bit old, actually. But the 3D renders using the Unity engine are new. Looks good so far, but my enthusiasm is tempered a bit due to how bad the BSG MMO is, and this is using the same engine.

heh, and here I thought the renders were the old things and the screens were new.

[Blackjack]

Since it's another "chase view" space combat game, it's a cue for Bridge Commander worshippers to again pout.   "Why can't I sit in the Captain's Chair and tap red, green and yellow buttons on my armrest while watching the action unfold on a big  video screen and yelling at my bridge officers? Why? WHY? WHYYYYYYY????????"  

Me, I'm too busy pouting about SWTOR's "on-rails" space combat to worry about this game too.  

There seems to be this huge chasm between what space combat MMO devs think fans want versus what many fans say they want. Bridge Commander wasn't a hit (no matter how many fans come out of the woodwork now), and I don't even know what the last combat game was that really sold well here. Maybe the first Freespace, but I don't recall it being a blockbuster along the X-Wing and Tie Fighter heydays of the mid 1990s.

I can plead with the devs to deliver the kind of space combat I loved, but I think they'd just point at various sales failures of the last 10 years or so and say "that's not really what you want, no matter what you say." 

[CeeKay]

ruh roh

The publisher previously canceled Mythos and Hellbreed, and is now reportedly struggling to finish Star Trek: Infinite Space unless a co-publishing agreement is signed.

[raydude]

I would say lets all just buy Artemis and have our own bridge adventures.

[CeeKay]

canceled!