DeepT posted this on the original thread I see.
I don’t think they’re “delaying the PC version”, the PC version simply isn’t done yet according to Sean’s AMA on Reddit yesterday.
Anyway, game is super promising. I re-ordered it yesterday after cancelling my preorder last week. Special edition and all.
From what I read it’s kind of luck if he draw over what planet you start on. Many people have reported much easier starts than others. Maybe that’s why Polygon reported it’s more of a survival game, while Austin Walker in Vice said it’s a de-stressor for him:
Either way, that makes me more excited to play it, not less.
Hey, with my first computer - an Atari 800 - I recall purchasing an 8K module for it! And it was probably some stupid amount like $200.
If I’d invested that in Apple stock back then that would have been 9 shares. Today that would be … 504 shares. Eh, only $54,000! That extra RAM was definitely worth it, though.
… That Polygon guy seems to have expected the game to have no game mechanics whatsover - just go where you want and look at things without having to manage any resources. Which is a weird thing to expect.
I think I have to hop on board this game, if for no other reason than I love to see an ambitious indie project like this. I want more games along this vein.
Thankfully I have next to know expectations on the game, so hopefully I’m not disappointed! I always prefer to avoid the hype train if I can help it because more often than not its final destination is Disappointment Valley.
Looking forward to Friday to play it on PC. I have a PS4 but I feel like the PC+SteamLink is going to be a superior experience worth waiting 3 more days for.
As I said in the other thread, the pre-release hype for this game has been amazing, but for many people I think it’s going to be a double-edged sword. The narrative people came up with for this game was some crazy Arthur C. Clarke space exploration final frontier stuff, but the actual game is a lot closer to a lot of the $20 survival crafter games made with Unity on Steam, albeit with much better production value.
People got sucked in by the lush graphics, sound design, and idea of exploring a limitless universe of cataloging new flora and fauna. Up until very recently, there wasn’t a lot of emphasis on the ho-hum survival aspect of it which I think is a bit of a shock to some people.
It’s interesting to see how people react to the finished game.
Telefrog sums it up really well. I have seen Polygon’s reaction echoed in numerous other places as well such as a recent Jim Sterling video that describes monotonous survival mechanics, inventory management nightmare, subpar combat, and a very static world.
I think some people will be able to look past those criticisms and experience a lot of joy in the game.
Personally I worry that I wouldn’t get that much mileage out of the title.
I agree 100% with Telefrog. I would buy this all day long as a $20-$30 experience. I’m a bit hesitant for AAA pricing at $60.
The game seems to fulfill exactly what was promised. It is cool in a way Minecraft was cool, but since I prefer stories and handcrafted design, I think I will pass.
Been listening to the brilliant soundtrack constantly for the past few days though. Might be the best 65dos album yes ? Not sure but I am leaning that way. Using Debutante for that debut trailer in 2013 was an inspired choice.
I should add that the production value is a really big plus for this game. Up until No Man’s Sky, these Steam survival crafter games are all really rough. They’re buggy, asset-flipping, shit games for the most part. Even the ones I consider above average with some real game design are prone to the glitchiness that comes with being an indie game made with a shoestring budget. Hell, most of them haven’t even launched out of early access yet. The pinnacle of the genre is Minecraft, and close behind that is Terraria and now Starbound - two 2D sidescrollers with pixel art and the original blocky masterpiece that’s been aped endlessly.
I just want to be clear that launching at $60 may be above the price threshold for some people, but being an actual finished game with a unified and unique art style and sound design is no small thing in this genre.
If people are looking for a comparison, based on the NMS streams I’ve watched I’d venture a guess that the existing game that NMS is most like is Subnautica - only with (many) more worlds, more graphic variety, more polish, and somewhat fewer things to craft.
Tonight I will get to find out whether that’s correct!
How does saving work in this game? Is it save anywhere or only in specific locations?
On PS4, it autosaves whenever you get out of your ship, and at waypoint buildings.
Every time I leave my ship, it tells me “Restore point created”, or something similar.
And every time I find a beacon on a planet surface, activating the beacon also gives a message about saving the game.
EDIT: I should add that I really like this save system so far. It makes exploring the surface very tense when it needs to be, when you’re in combat.
I honestly have no idea what this game could have been if it wasn’t a survival game.
Center-justified for weddings and funerals.
My starting planet was - 69c and snowy and I didn’t have any trouble keeping alive while scavenging. It was much more dangerous on another one that had toxic fumes and radioactive water that I took a dive into.
Having a blast so far.
I didn’t realize the music was also procedurally generated.
Pulse pulls together hundreds of sounds to make each soundscape, which are tagged by key, tempo, instrument, tone, and a litany of other distinguishing factors, to match what’s going on in the game. During solitary, exploratory moments, it will compile some slower, relaxed music, and the tempo will pick up when you’re more active or in danger.
Reminds me of the Sigur Rós Route One project.
Edit: Soundtrack available on Amazon (vinyl available Sept. 30).
Doesn’t survival just consist of keeping fresh batteries in your suit? In streams I have watched, none of these conditions seem to do anything besides drain your suit’s batteries. Is there something I am missing?
Same here, although I did buy Elite Dangerous which I think had a $60 release price (may have had a small pre-order discount). E:D is another game that had limited gameplay, but the high production values (best space station graphics I’ve ever seen) allowed a player to become completely immersed in space travel, and IMO that experience is worth $60. Others found the game directionless and boring.