[HCs_Cutie]

It was nice to get to put a face to the names of the people we play with. It was very nice to meet you all. The meet and greet was fun. I will let the guys do the descriptions, and all that good stuff, but just know I had a good time. Thanks for the good time and the wonderful pizza

[skipjack]

Karash, wish you could have made it here.(we would have made better time through traffic!!!) But I have to give Jump prop's for not screaming like a girl with my fast, random lane changes.

We got the shirts and the Picture. I am still wondering why light blue/gray??? Scorch talked alot about AI and player interfacing with each other. Learning AI's, and things like AI controlled tow's that will be targets, which will be protected by NPC's. AI battlefleets that have to be stopped for a squad level mission, or saved. Could have a nice mix between PvP and PvE. Or make PvP even more interesting if you make one squad try and stop it, while the other has to protect it.

I spent time talking with one of the UI programmers about the HUD it looks like I am going to have to learn Flash. I think we could get the Gold shipped with at least two HUD's. Then the players could create their own. He mentioned playing around with a flash complier that used a XML input for placement of objects, which could make player HUD's easier to make. The HUD that we were shown just isn't going to cut it for me. Must of the important information like ammo, armor, shields, fuel has been moved to the outer edges of the screen. Which cleans up the center of the screen, but it forces you to move your eyes off to get important info. I like the missile lock function but no one knows if the lock it based on radar range or the range of the missile. The docking tube are way too big and not a challenge at all for a speed dock.

[skipjack]

Hey Hurricane did the pizza make it home??

[Hurricane]

Just barely, the rain and traffic kept me to occupied, so sneaking pieces out of the box was all but impossible.

[Karash]

Skip, we need the old OEC HUD back

Glad you guys had a good time...wish I could make all the get togethers tbh...

[Newtron]

HC_s Cutie, Hurricane, Jump, Skipjack, Pyrophred, it was very nice to see some real Jumpgate players for a change.

Herman and Scott demonstrated the new game on their laptop and I was very impressed by the way that the improved graphics didn't overwhelm the on-screen action. Evolution space seems much brighter, apparently there is a lot of illuminated inter-stellar gas in the new universe, but that helped create the sense of space and distance missing in Jumpgate Classic.

The ships, stations and conflux were very impressive, as was the interior shot of station hangar, but I was also very impressed by the new asteroids. In third-person mode, Herman zoomed the view in and out which changed the sense of scale I perceived. The fighter went from dominating the screen to a tiny pin-point flying between roids.

Scott said that the new economy was different in that while there would still be faction stations, most items would be produced and purchased at tertiary stations; I guess analogous to contemporary POS's.

It all looked great and I can hardly wait!