Spacetime Studios announces: Blackstar

[SnakeCharmer]

Alrighty...

Down, but not out?  Viral selfmade marketing in hopes of catching the eye of another publisher or VC angel?

More stuff supposedly coming over the next couple of days.

Good luck, STS. 

[Venkman]

Well, I know the first booth I'm hitting at GDC :)

If NCsoft dropped it, who'd pick it up?

Depends on how far along it is, in my opinion, but I could totally see SOE picking this up. SWG has JTL as merely a feature, while it's core to Wing Commander. This one has two big things I think a company like SOE could like: a potentially-strong gamer-relevant IP, and a unique play pattern as its primary feature.

But again, depends what they had done. If the play pattern is too unique, like in an Eve learning-curve sorta way, and they're too far down the track to change it, that doesn't help them get picked up. But if it's basically the proven DIKU model but with twitchy space flight instead, that's more compelling.

And I don't care if it's wishful thinking. I want a freakin' Freespace-esque MMO that lets me fly a freakin' spaceship with my freakin' joystick. The wait is freakin' killing me!

[SnakeCharmer]

Yanno, it is a damned shame that the Saitek sitting on my desk, all dusty and neglected, has pretty much only been used for JTL and...well, that's about it. 

Unless you count a MS Flight Simulator demo here and there.

Edit:  Reduntant....

[Lantyssa]

Down, but not out?  Viral selfmade marketing in hopes of catching the eye of another publisher or VC angel?

Nice concept art.  Too bad I can't fund them.

[Lucas]

Good, can't wait to hear more: I really hope the "ground game" is quite solid as well (where ever it's going to take place, on space stations/outposts or actual planets).

[Lucas]

Good, can't wait to hear more: I really hope the "ground game" is quite solid as well (where ever it's going to take place, on space stations/outposts or actual planets).

Btw, regarding publishers...What about Microsoft?

[Venkman]

I don't see them getting back into MMOs seriously unless they believe it'll work on a Console. Thinking about it, Wing Commander MMO would work awesome with integrated voice and video chat over their XBLA network, and doesn't come with any of the preconceived notions that keeps normal PC DIKUs from going console (200 abilities and icons, text chat, etc).

Still would rather have it on a PC though, personally.

[Obo]

They just announced the game is/was? called Blackstar
Nothing much to show yet, but they say they are trying to get everything more presentable, so they'd probably have more to show soon enough.

Fly your spaceship to exotic locations, blasting through cunning enemies and dreadful space creatures.

Fight your character avatar on mysterious planets, go aboard space stations, and force your way onto enemy ships.

Live as one of four races, ranging from heroic humans to killer robots to savage monsters to beautiful aliens in an epic science-fiction universe.

[SnakeCharmer]

Good luck, STS.  Make something awesome.

[UnSub]

Any game where I can be a killer robot scores points in my book. Good luck Spacetime in finding some new investors / a publisher.

[Lucas]

They just announced the game is/was? called Blackstar
Nothing much to show yet, but they say they are trying to get everything more presentable, so they'd probably have more to show soon enough.

Fly your spaceship to exotic locations, blasting through cunning enemies and dreadful space creatures.

Fight your character avatar on mysterious planets, go aboard space stations, and force your way onto enemy ships.

Live as one of four races, ranging from heroic humans to killer robots to savage monsters to beautiful aliens in an epic science-fiction universe.

W00t ! So, while waiting to wet myself once more over this announcement, have I read it right? I can be a Killer Robot Jesus???

Anyways, jokes (?) aside, good luck from me too.

[schild]

Announcing the game after you lose funding is a fascinating way to gain exposure.

[SnakeCharmer]

I thought that a bit odd as well, especially with no way (forums?) to gain positive feedback for whatever you are doing.

[Venkman]

Three things they're probably looking for:

• Website Hits
• Search engine searches
• People talking about it

Ideally these have all increased since their change in status. That gets them some data to go talk to people with money.

[Stormwaltz]

Awesome! We get to save the planet Sagar!

[Furiously]

[Rasix]

[Hoax]

I was going to not post a one-liner, but damn that cd is so fucking awesome, re: the space alien chick, I'd hit it.

[schild]

That Bob Saget picture just made me snort my soda.

[Lucas]

Not bad, not bad (page below updated with a more detailed feature list and other pieces of Concept Art, not just those couple races/classes)...

http://www.spacetimestudios.com/games.html

Sounds ambitious, uh? Not just space environments but also explorable planets (or, at least, a few zones designed as "explorable quest hubs", maybe).

[Yegolev]

I'M GONNA BE A SPACE ROBOT AND YOU'RE ALL GOING TO SUCK ON MY VENTRAL EXHAUST TUBE!

[SnakeCharmer]

Cool looking stuff.

Disappointed in the mention of 'levels', but overall it looks snazzy.

[LC]

It sounded ok until I got to this line:

Combine spell-casting with real time shooting as you blast through enemies, collect loot, and gain levels in a variety of unique alien environments.

[DrewC]

Announcing the game after you lose funding is a fascinating way to gain exposure.

Caveat: I have no direct knowledge of Spacetime Studio's game/financial/publishing/whatever situation, the following is based on speculation and general knowledge.

Announcing an MMO early in development can do as much or more to hurt you as it does to help you.  As soon as you announce an MMO people start playing it in their heads, and no real game can every match the awesome of the game people play in their heads.  What you want to do is announce a game with just enough lead in time to build some excitement going in to your open beta.  So basically you finish the game, then you announce it.

There is one really good reason to announce a game earlier than that: to build internet buzz to help secure outside funding/publishing.  Publishers LOVE buzz.  People with money LOVE buzz.  When you're trying to keep your company afloat you do whatever people with money want.

As I said I don't know what has happened/is happening with Spacetime, but my conjecture is: they lost NCSoft funding and are trying to secure new funding.  In order to do that they need to get the word out and generate buzz.  Announcing what they're working on would be the first step in that process.

I hope they pull it off, the game had a neat concept, good luck guys.

[Stormwaltz]

...undead horrors in an epic science-fantasy universe where advanced technology clashes with ancient demonic power.

On a very high level, this sounds like Peter F. Hamilton's Night's Dawn Trilogy. Which would be an awesome universe to set a game in.

[SnakeCharmer]

Whoa.

Freaky deja vu moment....

Scary.

[Venkman]

...undead horrors in an epic science-fantasy universe where advanced technology clashes with ancient demonic power.

On a very high level, this sounds like Peter F. Hamilton's Night's Dawn Trilogy. Which would be an awesome universe to set a game in.

I would be the second non employee in that game. Night's Dawn is my favorite fictional universe, evar!11/ I'd pay real, like double-monthly-fee real, money to play one of the mercs, battle the Purgatory escapees, protect one of those Rama-esque living worlds. Man, just thinking about it is making me want to read the series again (trilogy in UK, five books in US, same stuff). Thought the ending was a bit of a copout, even if the concept was interesting.

[Simond]

Looking at it from one point of view, that whole trilogy was a set up to deliver an actual deus ex machina ending. 
I still prefer his Mindstar trilogy, though (and I need to pick up Judas Unchained at some point as well).

[SnakeCharmer]

They've updated their site again, with new info and included comment areas.  Good stuff, me thinks.  Now just standing by to see if they pull it off.

[schild]

They've updated their site again, with new info and included comment areas.  Good stuff, me thinks.  Now just standing by to see if they pull it off.

I think they need to Start by getting funding. I hate to harp on that, but hey, it's a pretty big cockblock.

[Venkman]

All the actiivty is driving for that. The public is just along for the ride.

@Simond: I just finished reading that new (to me) Pandora's Star/Judas Rising two-book series and enjoyed it as well. I was hoping for more Night's Dawn universe though, but at least this one continues another series too. Anyway, not sure if he'll ever go truly mass, but I very much enjoy his style (for the most part).

[Lucas]

Yummy Yummy? (brief low resolution gameplay video of Blackstar) :

http://www.spacetimestudios.com/2008/02/18/spacetime-studios-is-at-gdc/

[SnakeCharmer]

Erm.

Hrm.

Looks very anime-ish?

[Mrbloodworth]

Yummy Yummy? (brief low resolution gameplay video of Blackstar) :

http://www.spacetimestudios.com/2008/02/18/spacetime-studios-is-at-gdc/

Dam it, where is that hosted? Its blocked by my work. Any other sources? (Basically i cant see any "Streaming sites" or youtube or the like).

[Lucas]

Yummy Yummy? (brief low resolution gameplay video of Blackstar) :

http://www.spacetimestudios.com/2008/02/18/spacetime-studios-is-at-gdc/

Dam it, where is that hosted? Its blocked by my work. Any other sources? (Basically i cant see any "Streaming sites" or youtube or the like).

Yeah, it's a youtube video. I hope they will post more videos (and with a better resolution) in the coming days during GDC.