Carrying on from my earlier post about Sci-Fi MMOs, I decided to take a look around some of the Sci-Fi MMOs that are due to be released this year (with any luck).
One of the games that stood out was Jumpgate Evolution. An impressive looking game by NetDevil. The game is based on space travel and looks a lot like EvE-Online by CCP, however Jumpgate Evolution has one overriding difference, in that it allows you to fly your ship rather than clicking on an area of space to move about like Eve.
While many MMOs use a turn based system for combat, Jumpgate Evolution makes full use of the twitch-based systems allowing players to engage in ship to ship combat and make decisions on the fly as such Jumpgate Evolution will allow you to play with mouse, keyboard, joystick and game controllers.
Space & Race
There are three races in the game, or nations as they are known. Quantar, Solrain & Octavius. Each has a slightly different lore so you can choose the style of play that you want. From mercantile, spiritual to a Spartan type nation of fighters.
As space travel is the main element of the game, you can guess that there will be quite a few different ships available in the game to fly around in. There are currently 4 different types at the moment, trainers, fighters, gunboats and cargo ships. Each section is then broken down into various sections from each nation with progression through the ranks and cost to be able to fly each individual ship.
Scalable environment
One of the biggest features of the game is the scalability of the engine. NetDevil are really pushing the game visually and at the same time allowing the game to stand the test of time for those who can’t afford a top of the range computer, what the game looks like on an older system is anyones guess and as such the better your system the better your experience.
Players are given the ultimate power in the game by creating the content, from items that they trade to things that they mine. The game enables players to be what they want within the skein whether that is pirate, bounty hunter or trader. The game encompasses much of Eve Online and takes it that little bit further. The question is can they match or even beat Eve Onlines economy?
It’s a bit similar to Eve…
Many people will point at the similarity between Jumpgate and Eve and that is understandable, one of the biggest differences between the games is the combat element. Jumpgate has a fluid system of combat where you take control and fly yourself where you want when you want, taking us right back to the days of Elite before the mad flying controls that came with Elite III! Combat looks frenetic to say the least and with estimates just above 100 in fights, we may well see some server breaking fights that occur in Eve Online.
So when is it released!
Jumpgate Evolution is due for release in the coming months (Q2 2009) and I do fancy trying out this game. With myself currently playing Everquest II & Battleground Europe, I think there is definitely room for one more subscription in my bank and depending on how the game pans out, there is always room for a twitch game, even if I am rubbish at them.
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There’s been quite a few space based games since elite mate, heh.
I think they’re going for the Freelancer style controls, no capitol ships like in X, but lotsa smaller fighters, keeps people on a level pegging I suppose, making the game based more on skill, rather than how many credits they have, and it will be credits, it’s the only currency used in space, heh.
I’m not that into sci-fi mmo’s so I’ll let you try it and let me know.
I do agree about squeezing in another sub, at the moment as I play EQ2 and BE I would have to squeeze in a 3rd rather than drop BE. You know me I couldn’t drop EQ2 and BE is a good second game.
You never know if you tell me good things about this game Sres, I might find another use for the joystick I have on order.
Get X3 Terran Conflict! chat with me on xfire and pretend it’s an MMO!
Anyways, there are other sci-fi MMOs coming our way are too interesting to ignore, you’ve got Star Trek, which if what i’ve read and seen is anything to go by, should be really good.
Star Wars, The Old Republic with it’s heavy use of story should be full of new ideas to MMOs, giving them a much needed plot shaped kick up the bottom.
Then you have Huxley, which I haven’t heard much from for ages, but what little I did see of it, was interesting, more FPS than MMO, but who doesn’t like a bit of random gunfire amongst friends?