YA Kick Starter game: Eterium - Space Combat Flight Sim

[Bateluer]

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects...-space-combat-sim-for-windows-pc?ref=category

What is Eterium?

As a big fan of space sim games, I've been waiting many years for a Wing Commander or X-Wing style game to come along! I miss the days of hanging out in the rec room and talking to my wingmen before flying a mission. I don't really care much for the economy sim aspect, such as commodity trading and ship purchasing, that has found its way into many modern space sims. Neither am I satisfied with arcade-style games at the other extreme. I was looking for a story-driven game that concentrated on being a pilot and part of something larger than myself. I realized that if I was going to play a modern version of the classic space sim, I would have to create it myself.


I set out developing Eterium about five years ago in my free time, building it on a custom engine, while holding down a fulltime gameplay programming position. This made for a very slow moving process. The gameplay was coming along nicely, but the graphics left much to be desired. That's when Dave joined the team and took the graphics to a new level. Eterium is the story-driven classic space sim that I had been waiting for.

We haven't had a good space flight sim since FreeSpace 2. I'm intrigued, as my joy stick has been collecting dust since 2006.

There is a demo available, so they're pretty far into development at least. There is a product.

Check out our demo. This is the first few missions from an early beta build to give you a taste of what you can expect from Eterium. http://rogueearth.com/Demo

 

[Bateluer]

There's an update to the demo out this afternoon.

 

[irishScott]

Meh, looks decent but I'm far more psyched for the likes of Star Citizen. I was also kinda bummed watching their intro video when they explained they had realistic physics but decided that was too much of a learning curve; so they'd effectively "patched" them out with automatic reaction thrusters that simulate traditional (atmospheric) flying.

Fuck that. At least allow me to turn said reaction thrusters off if I want a more realistic experience. I want to be able to pull a Battlestar-Galactica mid-flight 180 and shoot at the fuckers behind me.

Hope they do well though. The more space-sims that are out there the better.

 

[Bateluer]

Demo updated again, lots of refinements.

Key Features:

The new music is now in game!
Improved graphics and performance
HDR lighting
An all new 3rd mission
A chance to encounter the new Grilkath Medium Fighter (on the final mission!)*

They're at $13,633 out of 25,000, with 8 days left on the clock. Help these guys out, its been entirely too long without any decent space flight sims.

 

[Red Storm]

Intriguing! I will have to take a closer look when I get home and then decide.

 

[Mopetar]

Looks pretty neat. I'll have to check out the demo later.

 

[runzwithsizorz]

I'm intrigued, as my joy stick has been collecting dust since 2006.

My joystick will not work with Win 7 64. No driver updates!:twisted: Any solutions? Also, are there any joysticks out there that do work with Win 7 64?
(Why can't companies update the drivers???)

 

[AstroManLuca]

Meh, looks decent but I'm far more psyched for the likes of Star Citizen. I was also kinda bummed watching their intro video when they explained they had realistic physics but decided that was too much of a learning curve; so they'd effectively "patched" them out with automatic reaction thrusters that simulate traditional (atmospheric) flying.

Fuck that. At least allow me to turn said reaction thrusters off if I want a more realistic experience. I want to be able to pull a Battlestar-Galactica mid-flight 180 and shoot at the fuckers behind me.

Hope they do well though. The more space-sims that are out there the better.

The whole point of this project is to provide an experience more like X-Wing, TIE Fighter, and Freespace 2. You have the X series and EVE Online, and probably some others if you want commerce in space.

I would like to see an option to enable or disable inertia as well. It should be an option. Always on would be way too difficult for many people and again, it gets away from the roots of the genre. Always off would be unsatisfying to someone who does crave that hardcore level of control.

Now there is a space sim out there WITH inertia called Babylon 5: I've Found Her. I played it several years ago and it was pretty fun but also quite difficult, and there wasn't much content either. But it's freeware if you want to give it a shot. Not sure what they've done since I played it years back.

Anyway, backed. Hope this one makes it. First time I've backed a KS project.

 

[aigomorla]

dont think this game will do well against star-conflict.

Star-Conflict uses Inertia... so u need to counter thrust to slow down quicker.. and u can pull a 180 with inertia and shoot backwards...

Star-Conflict is also Free 2 Play...
http://star-conflict.com/en/

ive heard people compare it to war of tanks in space.

 

[AstroManLuca]

dont think this game will do well against star-conflict.

Star-Conflict uses Inertia... so u need to counter thrust to slow down quicker.. and u can pull a 180 with inertia and shoot backwards...

Star-Conflict is also Free 2 Play...
http://star-conflict.com/en/

ive heard people compare it to war of tanks in space.

That looks interesting. That said, it is an MMO and thus it is fundamentally different from what this Eterium game is trying to be. Being F2P, it also depends on microtransactions, even though you don't technically have to buy anything in order to access everything.

Now I'm starting to see why the space combat sim genre died. All people care about is MMOs and space trading. What happened to everyone who wanted to give their left nut for a modernized remake of TIE Fighter?

The only game like that I've seen recently is Strike Suit Zero, which is okay but not particularly deep.

 

[RogueEarth]

The whole point of this project is to provide an experience more like X-Wing, TIE Fighter, and Freespace 2. You have the X series and EVE Online, and probably some others if you want commerce in space.

I would like to see an option to enable or disable inertia as well. It should be an option. Always on would be way too difficult for many people and again, it gets away from the roots of the genre. Always off would be unsatisfying to someone who does crave that hardcore level of control.

Now there is a space sim out there WITH inertia called Babylon 5: I've Found Her. I played it several years ago and it was pretty fun but also quite difficult, and there wasn't much content either. But it's freeware if you want to give it a shot. Not sure what they've done since I played it years back.

Anyway, backed. Hope this one makes it. First time I've backed a KS project.

Hi everyone,

I'm the programmer of Eterium. I have also played Babylon 5: I've Found Her. Great game, but it took me over an hour just to learn to fly! I want Eterium to be a more accessible game like Wing Commander was. But since so many people have requested it, I have been playing around with manual flight. I am thinking about adding a toggle button that allows you to temporarily disable the navigation assist, allowing you to pull 180s like in Battlestar Galactica.

Games that have full manual control like the Babylon 5 game have a lot of thought go into the game before hand to allow for manual control. Since it has always been our goal to replicate the Wing Commander experience, adding a full manual control option would be like creating two different games, distracting from development of the core game. But I really do like the idea of allowing you to temporarily disable the nav assist during flight so you can rotate your ship in place. This is a feature that will probably find its way into the released game.

--
Andrew Luby
Lead Developer
Rogue Earth
www.rogueearth.com

 

[Randum]

Really excited about this! To add to previous posts, just Strike Suit Zero is solid - however I have never found a game like x-wing/tie fighter come up and I'm excited at a possible space sim!
I opted for the beta option. Hope they get the funding!

 

[aigomorla]

That looks interesting. That said, it is an MMO and thus it is fundamentally different from what this Eterium game is trying to be. Being F2P, it also depends on microtransactions, even though you don't technically have to buy anything in order to access everything..

its about as mmo as world of tanks is..

You tier up in ships... i dont see how else u can do it in multi player.
As your tier up in fractions u get weapon unlocks.
Or you just can pay to play... and get buy the unlocked weapons with real cash.

what makes me sad is no space sim outside EVE Online has player controlled carriers / capitial ships.
What happened to the old days of flying a space barge and accidentally running over your team mate?

Hi everyone,

I'm the programmer of Eterium. I have also played Babylon 5: I've Found Her. Great game, but it took me over an hour just to learn to fly! I want Eterium to be a more accessible game like Wing Commander was. But since so many people have requested it, I have been playing around with manual flight. I am thinking about adding a toggle button that allows you to temporarily disable the navigation assist, allowing you to pull 180s like in Battlestar Galactica.

Games that have full manual control like the Babylon 5 game have a lot of thought go into the game before hand to allow for manual control. Since it has always been our goal to replicate the Wing Commander experience, adding a full manual control option would be like creating two different games, distracting from development of the core game. But I really do like the idea of allowing you to temporarily disable the nav assist during flight so you can rotate your ship in place. This is a feature that will probably find its way into the released game.

--
Andrew Luby
Lead Developer
Rogue Earth
www.rogueearth.com

YAY we got a dev!

Welcome to AT forums...

 

[Bateluer]

That looks interesting. That said, it is an MMO and thus it is fundamentally different from what this Eterium game is trying to be. Being F2P, it also depends on microtransactions, even though you don't technically have to buy anything in order to access everything.

They'll still advertise those micro transactions to the player at every opportunity because they depend on them for money. I'd rather pay 1 price up front, then again for good DLC or expansions rather than a few dollars at a time for better weapons, ships, hats, blimps(F-U SimCity), whatever.

Hi everyone,

I'm the programmer of Eterium. I have also played Babylon 5: I've Found Her. Great game, but it took me over an hour just to learn to fly! I want Eterium to be a more accessible game like Wing Commander was. But since so many people have requested it, I have been playing around with manual flight. I am thinking about adding a toggle button that allows you to temporarily disable the navigation assist, allowing you to pull 180s like in Battlestar Galactica.

Games that have full manual control like the Babylon 5 game have a lot of thought go into the game before hand to allow for manual control. Since it has always been our goal to replicate the Wing Commander experience, adding a full manual control option would be like creating two different games, distracting from development of the core game. But I really do like the idea of allowing you to temporarily disable the nav assist during flight so you can rotate your ship in place. This is a feature that will probably find its way into the released game.

--
Andrew Luby
Lead Developer
Rogue Earth
www.rogueearth.com

Woot! A developer.

 

[irishScott]

Hi everyone,

I'm the programmer of Eterium. I have also played Babylon 5: I've Found Her. Great game, but it took me over an hour just to learn to fly! I want Eterium to be a more accessible game like Wing Commander was. But since so many people have requested it, I have been playing around with manual flight. I am thinking about adding a toggle button that allows you to temporarily disable the navigation assist, allowing you to pull 180s like in Battlestar Galactica.

Games that have full manual control like the Babylon 5 game have a lot of thought go into the game before hand to allow for manual control. Since it has always been our goal to replicate the Wing Commander experience, adding a full manual control option would be like creating two different games, distracting from development of the core game. But I really do like the idea of allowing you to temporarily disable the nav assist during flight so you can rotate your ship in place. This is a feature that will probably find its way into the released game.

--
Andrew Luby
Lead Developer
Rogue Earth
www.rogueearth.com

Well, that's enough for me. If nothing else a dev who takes the time to find some small, random thread to speak to people's concerns earns my support on sheer principle. Backed.

 

[Agent11]

Unless it uses Newtonian gravity I'm not really interested.

 

[Red Storm]

Pledged $15.

 

[SunnyD]

Cell shaded... a styling very much NOT to my liking. Especially for space games, as it tends to make objects "pop" more from the background.

It definitely looks like it has good bones, but yeah, the cell shaded style of graphics - yeah, no.

 

[Bateluer]

Cell shaded... a styling very much NOT to my liking. Especially for space games, as it tends to make objects "pop" more from the background.

It definitely looks like it has good bones, but yeah, the cell shaded style of graphics - yeah, no.

They state in their description on the KS that those may be temporary, they're not sure yet.

6 days left and they're down 6K from the goal. Come one guys, they've got an October 2013 ship date, thats two months away.

 

[Bateluer]

4 days left, and still dragging to their goal.

 

[AstroManLuca]

Just one day left and there's quite a ways to go. It looks like they will be trying alpha funding - where they release the game for sale in its current state in order to generate some money right now. Hopefully that can lure some more people in who are interested in the game but who don't like Kickstarter. To me it sounds like what was done with Minecraft and Kerbal Space Program, but the dev can correct me if I'm wrong.

I actually love the idea of alpha funding because I like to have something in my hands. This was the first KS project I backed and I'm still not sure if KS is something I'm comfortable with. There have been too many high profile failures of projects that greatly exceeded their funding goals. Not that I think the creators of this project would fall short - they did the right thing by having a project already well underway before trying to get funding.

Anyway, either a few rich white knights ride in and fund the project, or hopefully we get access to an early version of the game along with regular updates... either way, I'm very glad to hear the developers are committed to making this game!

 

[Randum]

I am glad to hear that update as well - I also wish I would have found it sooner so I could have helped spread the word more. I will definitely be watching this project develop over time, I love the idea and what they plan to do- and what they have already done!

 

[RogueEarth]

Yes the alpha funding we intend to do is similar to that which was done by Minecraft and Kerbal.

I am starting to like the alpha funding idea quite a lot because it gives us more flexibility. Rather than stating how much money we need to make the game, we'll make a smaller game that will expand based on how well the alpha funding goes.

I've been really busy working to bring fifteen missions up to a quality just above our latest demo so I have something to give out when alpha funding starts (assuming the kickstarter does not make it).

 

[Coalfax]

Here's hoping that there is a last minute rush on this project. Its been way too long since we had a space-sim akin to Wing Commander or X-wing... (at least something of quality)

Oh and 15 in!

 

[Bateluer]

$21,627
pledged of $25,000 goal

13 hours on the clock, not a bad last minute kick for a small project.