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[Tyronaught]

Infinity:Battlescape is pitching itself as a Planetside-esque MMO space combat simulator where three teams consisting of hundreds of players will battle for dominance over an entire star system (SS). Once a team controls the entire SS, a new match is started and the cycle repeats. Matches are expected to last hours if not days but potentially weeks. Game play will revolve not only around combat but fulfilling objectives, planning and  most importantly team work. Players will be given freedom to upgrade their existing ship or purchase brand new ships ranging from lowly interceptors and bombers to full sized capital star ships such as carriers and destroyers. A resource system will be in place that will act as some form of currency with players allowed to share their resources making for a variety tactical options.

So what will make this space combat simulator unique? Below are some bullet points I think make this project worth supporting.

• SS of a scale expected in reality
• All celestial objects can be visited (in the SS)
• All atmospheres enter-able (no rails)
• All physical surfaces can be landed on including planets and moons
• Travelling is seamless
• No loading screens ("except when the game first starts")
• Can travel anywhere (in the SS)
• Can fight anywhere (in the SS)
• No shards or instances
• Hundreds of players (in the SS)
• SS procedurally generated

The controls themselves are split between space and atmospheric flight models. Both use twitch based Newtonian controls with six degrees of freedom. The atmospheric model however differs by taking into account variables such as "aerodynamics of the ship, atmospheric density, turbulence, etc.". You are provided with an on board computer which can be turned on or off that will assist you with manoeuvring in both an atmosphere and space. Larger vessels are most likely to use a point and click system.

In terms of exact numbers of players. It's difficult to narrow down at this point. Early testing using simulated virtual players with "real world internet conditions" suggests 100 - 150 players can exist at once in what they have referred to as battlescapes (points of interest like space stations) comfortably with no optimisation nor packet compression suggesting room for vast improvement.

The engine known as I-Novae was built from the ground up and has been in development for more than 11 years. It's existence came about from a desire to build an MMORPG space combat and trading simulator, titled Infinity: The Quest for Earth. The engine had to be capable of procedurally generating an entire to scale galaxy populated with billions of star systems, with each containing a fair few planets, moons and asteroids, hence the name Infinity. Realising the scope of such a project however forced the developers to scale back their efforts and instead refocus on creating something smaller that still embodied the core aspects of the engine.

Minimum specifications are difficult to determine at this moment in time but will nonetheless require a somewhat powerful system. Best estimates so far...
OS: Win7 64-bit or later (DX11)
Processor: Intel Dual-Core i3 or i5 3.4GHz or equivalent
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Graphics: Geforce GTX680 or Radeon HD 7950 (2 GB VRAM) or equivalent
Hard Drive: 20 GB available space

Recommended specifications as of writing this...
OS: Win7 64-bit or later (DX11)
Processor: Intel Quad-Core 3.6GHz or equivalent
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Graphics: Geforce GTX 970 or Radeon R9 290X (4 GB VRAM) or equivalent
Hard Drive: 20 GB available space

It is worth noting that the game has yet to been optimised and is still very much a working prototype and not a pre-alpha so take this with a grain of salt.

The thing is, the technology works. The heavy lifting is mostly done so all that remains is a tonne of time to build a compelling game with it rather than what some other companies have been doing. In other words you are much more likely to get a complete game on time. The only other thing that they don't have are funds which is where you come in!

Depending on how much you pledge, they reckon that at the earliest you can start playing a pre-alpha version within three months or so and you won't be getting some small demo, you'll be getting full access to the current builds with I presume regular updates much like how Minecraft was developed. Otherwise there are three main alternative options for alpha access, beta access and the final game; all expected to release by October of 2016 for the alpha, April 2017 for the beta and September 2017 for the full release.

Here is the list of stretch goals and a quote from their kick starter.

• $400k - Better, more detailed damage model for internal ship systems.
• $500k - We add the Fighter class, a cross between the Interceptor and Bomber. Increased quality of capital ships.
• $600k - Improved atmospheric effects such as volumetric clouds, storms, etc
• $800k - The game will include support for mods and a virtual marketplace similar to steam workshop.
• $1 million - Social integration combined with support for player corporations, squadrons, and a framework for competitive matches.
• $1.5 million - Base building and semi-persistence.
• $2.5 million - We add a second faction: the Astralis Collective. This new faction comes with their own unique art style and an additional set of ships for you to fly!

"NOTE: We do not want to fall into the trap of constantly adding new features to a game that never gets finished just because we crowdsource additional funds post-Kickstarter. Some stretch goals, such as a second faction and player constructed infrastructure, will be unavailable if we do not raise enough money during the Kickstarter campaign. Other stretch goals such as modding and built-in corporation support may be added after the game ships if we continue to raise funds post-Kickstarter."

If you found this at all interesting, be sure to check out some of the videos, images and links below and I hope you'll become a part of this too.

Thank you!

Trailer (Don't forget to turn on HD!)

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Prototype gameplay

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Some concepts for potential up and coming ships. (All images below are quite large)

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Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/309114309/infinity-battlescape?ref=nav_search

I-Novae Website: https://inovaestudios.com/

I-Novae YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNEHBrhTUN4P_ZxIy29DNQw

FAQ: https://forums.inovaestudios.com/t/infinity-battlescape-faq/1112

[MesoTroniK]

I have been keeping tabs on this project since the very beginning, the vapor finally appears to be condensing as I always believed it would in some form at some point in time.

[Gothars]

This game differentiates itself from those before it as there are no restrictions to where you may travel within the star system and no loading screens ("except when the game first starts" ) but most importantly you can seamlessly travel from space to a planetary surface and back as the game is completely procedurally generated

Not to rain on your parade, but off the top of my head I can think of four other games that do that (endless sky, rodina, limit theory, spore...). Anything else that makes it special?

The heavy lifting is mostly done so all that remains is a tonne of time to build a compelling game with it

That made me chuckle.

Wish the game good luck nevertheless, there can never be enough space games.

[MesoTroniK]

Not to rain on your parade, but off the top of my head I can think of four other games that do that (endless sky, rodina, limit theory, spore...). Anything else that makes it special?

Real scale, totally seamless transitions?

And it is multiplayer on top of that.

[Xaiier]

"Real scale" is a cheap gimmick that sounds nice but is actually terrible. All it means is that 99% of your game is filled with nothing at all and the player will use whatever the relevant fast travel is to skip through it to the interesting part. Being realistically scaled doesn't actually add any depth, and in many games the universe (whether space or otherwise) is dramatically scaled down precisely because of this.

[BillyRueben]

Being realistically scaled doesn't actually add any depth, and in many games the universe (whether space or otherwise) is dramatically scaled down precisely because of this.

^Yup.

[Tartiflette]

"Real scale" is a cheap gimmick that sounds nice but is actually terrible. All it means is that 99% of your game is filled with nothing at all and the player will use whatever the relevant fast travel is to skip through it to the interesting part. Being realistically scaled doesn't actually add any depth, and in many games the universe (whether space or otherwise) is dramatically scaled down precisely because of this.

Not really if done right. I-war 2 has real-scale systems, and it feel pretty good. Sure you are flying at several c most of the time, but the sense of immensity is really there. I'll agree that most of the time it is gimmicky... Like sometimes other games are "photoreal", "cinematic", "sandbox", "physic-based" etc for no reason either. To each his own preferences, and that feature could fit mines alright.

[Adraius]

I remember looking at this and Rodina years ago - by now I'd totally forgotten about them, and if asked I would have assumed they were dead TBH.  I'm pretty psyched to see both projects are around and kicking.  Rodina is on Early Access, but it still seems to be missing the the bits that will transform the sandbox into something fun.  Infinity: Battlescape looks a bit more polished to me, and seeing I have the disposable income, I went ahead and backed it. (to the tune of $20, I don't spend more than the base level on these things) I figure it only has a remote chance of becoming the game I'm dreaming of, but I'm happy to support the push to get there.

[Tyronaught]

The heavy lifting is mostly done so all that remains is a tonne of time to build a compelling game with it

That made me chuckle.

*Wags index finger in some random orientation*
This guy gets it! 

"Real scale" is a cheap gimmick that sounds nice but is actually terrible. All it means is that 99% of your game is filled with nothing at all and the player will use whatever the relevant fast travel is to skip through it to the interesting part. Being realistically scaled doesn't actually add any depth, and in many games the universe (whether space or otherwise) is dramatically scaled down precisely because of this.

I guess it's more down to personal preference. As for me, I prefer my simulations to be as close to reality as possible. I agree with you that most of the playable space will consist of nothing but they already have some form of fast travel system in place so the option for exploring is there if you choose to and since there will be hundreds of players on at once it shouldn't get too lonely. I disagree with you about it being a cheap gimmick though. I believe they did it purely to flex the engine's virtual muscles. I mean, if you can do it and make it worthwhile, why not do it?

[BillyRueben]

I mean, if you can do it and make it worthwhile, why not do it?

Because it turns a "game" in to a "tech-demo". Same reason I tuned out No Man's Sky. "Oh wow, look at the procedural planets, no tansitions, sandbox, ect." Great. What do I spend all my time doing exactly?

[Xaiier]

I mean, if you can do it and make it worthwhile, why not do it?

The problem isn't doing it, it's that the rest of the game often sucks as a result. People place priority on these fancy sounding concepts but forget to make actual gameplay so you end up with a whole lot of nothing. Your use of the word "simulations" is fairly interesting. Games and simulations have entirely different goals. Simulations can sometimes be enjoyable, but they lack the critical elements that make them a game.

[Linnis]

I dunnoe why dont I just play kebal space program. Took me the whole weekend to get to mars and back. Or universe sandbox?

Real size and perspective sucks if you want an action game. Because if it wants to be real, then is a game of intel and spys, spotting a target and shoot it from insane ranges.

Also "real size" is 100% not needed for a action game.


Rather if they had awesome gameplay then promised to make it a multiplayer with more content I would totally "preorder" it.

Its like saying look at this pretty character I made, I bet you that translate into me able to make a fun game with it.

[Tyronaught]

Because it turns a "game" in to a "tech-demo". Same reason I tuned out No Man's Sky. "Oh wow, look at the procedural planets, no tansitions, sandbox, ect." Great. What do I spend all my time doing exactly?

Well what do you want to be doing in a space combat sim? Maybe then I can help you out.  

The problem isn't doing it, it's that the rest of the game often sucks as a result. People place priority on these fancy sounding concepts but forget to make actual gameplay so you end up with a whole lot of nothing.

Like I said the engine has been done and it's been done for a while so not much more tweaking graphics-wise apart from make it look as pretty as can be. They are now concentrating their efforts on making a game with compelling multiplayer gameplay.

Your use of the word "simulations" is fairly interesting. Games and simulations have entirely different goals. Simulations can sometimes be enjoyable, but they lack the critical elements that make them a game.

I don't know about that. I mean, aren't most games just simulations? Unless of course they're based on fantasy and sci-fi; racing games, sports games, FPS and not to mention all the "X" simulators out there are all "games" that simulate reality... at least to some degree and all in my opinion can be considered games. What ever makes them a game or not is down to the player and whether they get any fun or enjoyment out of them.

Rather if they had awesome gameplay then promised to make it a multiplayer with more content I would totally "preorder" it.

It is multiplayer, there is a singleplayer mode to explore at your own pace, they are promising way more content and like I said before multiplayer gameplay is the core aspect they are now working on.

[Linnis]

Well their core aspect would be seamless transition from space to land with real world sizes? I rather have good gameplay

[MesoTroniK]

The response to the gameplay prototype some folks have had access to has been positive, I think it will have good gameplay and the product is in competent hands.