[LupinOne]

In early October I was fortunate enough to have a business trip to the Denver area that allowed me to make some detours to the NetDevil facility to see what Istvan and the rest of the Jumpgate Evolution team were up to, plus to go play test pilot for them.

It was a real pleasure to meet the men and women behind the Jumpgate Evolution project and to see the extraordinary results of their labors. After several introductions and facility tour, the time finally came to see “IT”.

The game fired up and Istvan smirked as he flew all around Solrain Core as my eyes watered and throat tightened at the shear beauty and amazing details that were everywhere. When he finally docked, he asked me a simple “Well?” It was difficult to come up with an adequate response other than that there were not enough adequate words in the English language to describe how awesome things looked. I think I whimpered and mumbled something about “want…now”.

Then it was my turn to fly. I was given a new account on a pretty high end machine and only a keyboard and mouse to fly with. Apparently all of the people who “blind tested” the game were given this configuration. Flying KBM was very foreign to me because I have always played flying type games with a stick and throttle. However, after a few seconds of orientating myself, I actually found it very easy to fly and basic combat was almost natural with the improved interface and Heads Up Display system not to mention “hey I’m a noob” flight engine option. Yes, there is more than one flight engine mode.

After a few minutes of zipping around and drooling at the amazing structures and the minute detail I observed while flying in and around stations etc. (yes, I said “in”), I switched to the “ok I’m not so much of a noob now” flight engine, and proceeded to put my Halcyon to the test. It was in one of my fly-by sequences of the core station that I noted something staring back at me…it was the reflection of all the stuff behind my ship in sector – stations, ships, planets, etc. Graphics == teh luff.

As part of my brain was fully focused on the game, part of it was thankful that where I was sitting it was dark and I was in a corner in a cube-ish environment so that my jaw hanging slack from my face wasn’t too obvious. I know that Istvan was amused as he kept quietly coding away at something I can’t talk about but I definitely wanted to see.

After a bit of flying around and having my linguistics reduced to the level of a Neanderthal unable to come up with anything more than grunts of “OOOOH” and “AAAAAAH” with the occasional “Tim Allen” approval “arrararrgh”, I lined up to dock amongst all the AI freighters and other ships who politely announced themselves as preparing to dock and asking me to give way. As I was on approach, I thought I was landing on the current version of the “Galactica” from BSG.

I can see why NetDevil's been mum on the user interface because the "better" station user interface I saw and liked is going to get changed further. One great new feature they have and are keeping of the user interface is you can move the station user interface windows around on the screen. That was very nice.

As for the economy, they haven't built in much of that part of the game yet. That whole process of getting more gear for your ship as you level up is a big deal for nearly everyone. I did stumble on one or two odd things, but then, that’s why it’s not in Beta yet and they are still working on it. I upgraded a few things on my ship and took the requisite mission to “go forth again”, this time with a lot more decorum and casualness. It would seem my speech center of my brain had come back from its coffee break.

I spent some time leveling and running various missions for combat and transport and got comfortable in dealing with the various AI that presented themselves as hostile. I have to say, it’s really something to launch into a sector and have it be “very busy”. I likened it to flying my real-life plane in the Los Angeles or New York airspace. Then one of the other team members leaned over to Istvan and said, why not show him the “other bots” with a decidedly evil grin. “Sure, OK”, was the amused response. I raised an eyebrow and quietly docked.

As I launched in my noob ship Halcyon and jumped into a nearby sector, I was greeted by a new “hostile” on my sensors. Ah, ok a … nooooo….. OMG, HOLY CRAP THAT’S COOOL! I was engaged in a vicious fur-ball with not one but 2 conflux. Yeah, yeah, big deal. Except for the part where they looked exactly like the art featured on the New Dawn website The detail and glow/lighting effects were…amazing. I quickly downed one, then was promptly eaten by the other one. (I think JoJo had a kid…)

My overall impression? As I stated to Scorch and Draker the other night, I really believe in the direction the game is going and am very impressed with the accomplishments to date. As I watched Istvan fly around the first time when I arrived, I was truly moved and at a loss for words at the quality of the graphics and effects. Even as I write this, I’m not sure there are adequate words in the English language to describe how impressed and excited I am about the pending Beta and eventual release of Jumpgate Evolution. Somehow “wow” doesn’t do it and I don’t think that OMGWTFBBQ111ELEVENHOLYSHINEYBA TMAN!!! will translate well in the game sites or magazines, but you get the point.

I still remain curious about the function of the economy and the ability to earn credits quickly enough to keep pace with the gear at your level, replacements as needed, plus building savings. I am also looking forward to the further implementation of the <Classified Upcoming Feature> as we discussed before I left.

I enjoyed both of the flight models currently present. The mission system is good in that you can start off in sector and not have to go too far. The AI server was truly something awesome to watch in action. For the PVE crowd, no one should ever have to ask “what is there to do”. I think the hard part will be “so what do we do tonight?” I look forward to experimenting more with its interaction.

I look forward to another visit in the not too distant future where I can compare and contrast what I saw on this trip to the items I know are “in progress” now.

[Diver012]

Damn nice!! Me want! Have to have!

[GrimGriz]

Originally Posted by LupinOne

That whole process of getting more gear for your ship as you level up is a big deal for nearly everyone.

and please elaborate.

I spent some time leveling .....
I still remain curious about the function of the economy and the ability to earn credits quickly enough to keep pace with the gear at your level

There go the 'level = choice' not 'level = better' hopes right down the drain. Someone hand me my thorn+4 of smiting!

[Hornet]

Thanks for the review, I continue to drool. Someone get me a towel.

[Wild_Bill]

If Lupine likes it, there's more than an even chance I will too. Gives me hope...

[LadyDracoe]

WOW, I can't wait

[Mr.1908]

how similar is the normal flight engine to jumpgate classic?

[Jump]

It's the same.

[netburnr]

Originally Posted by Jump

It's the same.

With Dampeners by using lateral thrust....its going to change everything we know

Seriously though, I hope can use the thrusters in combat to our advantage and also for the 'noob guidance mode'.

[Eraser55]

those conflux sound awesome I literally can't wait! omg.. and flying in stations.. wth. I wonder if there are huge cave roids like I suggested here : Giant roids, size xxxxxxxxxxxxxL - Ex Mightygames Forum long time ago... still..

anyway,, thanx for the drooling report.

[Smegit]

Biiiig question. Did the flux AI work as in Jumpgate Classic, or are they more "clever"??

Great report by the way. Keep em coming!

Smeg

[ekoostik]

Wow, sounds awesome. Can't wait! Thanks Lupin.