No Man's Sky

wonderpug · Post by **wonderpug** » Fri Mar 04, 2016 5:59 pm

jztemple2 wrote:
baelthazar wrote:Just to reiterate what wonderpug said - if you are an Amazon Prime subscriber you get 20% off for preordering AND for 2 weeks after release. So you can feasibly wait for reviews if they come within 2 weeks and still get the 20%. Apparently (according to Humble) it is being sold as a Steam key, so I suspect Amazon will have that up at some point too.
Isn't that Amazon Prime deal for physical copies only of the game? I thought I read somewhere that it was.

Yes, but most of the time the physical copy is just a box with a slip of paper inside that has a code to enter in Steam or Ubisteam or EAsteam or whatever. Other than having to wait for the FedEx guy to start installing, it ends up being the same as buying a digital copy.

naednek · Post by **naednek** » Fri Mar 04, 2016 7:13 pm

jztemple2 wrote:
baelthazar wrote:Just to reiterate what wonderpug said - if you are an Amazon Prime subscriber you get 20% off for preordering AND for 2 weeks after release. So you can feasibly wait for reviews if they come within 2 weeks and still get the 20%. Apparently (according to Humble) it is being sold as a Steam key, so I suspect Amazon will have that up at some point too.
Isn't that Amazon Prime deal for physical copies only of the game? I thought I read somewhere that it was.

yep

http://www.amazon.com/b/ref=amb_link_45 ... B00DEL3IIS

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Fri Mar 11, 2016 2:13 pm

This is currently number one on my son's wishlist.

ColdSteel · Post by **ColdSteel** » Mon Apr 11, 2016 9:57 pm

Okay, I defy anyone here to watch this new video of about 21 minutes of actual gameplay and not be excited about this game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-uMFHoF8VA

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Tue Apr 12, 2016 12:25 pm

New 21 min video from the creator of the game

He shows off just a bit of what you actually do in the game and can do.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Tue Apr 12, 2016 12:42 pm

I'm excited about all the worlds and the procedural generation, but I'm still worried that gameplay will feel very samey after a short time.

IceBear · Post by **IceBear** » Tue Apr 12, 2016 2:10 pm

Yeah...I have the same concern but that tends to be my issue with sandbox games in general

ColdSteel · Post by **ColdSteel** » Tue Apr 12, 2016 5:33 pm

Holman wrote:I'm excited about all the worlds and the procedural generation, but I'm still worried that gameplay will feel very samey after a short time.

I think that's been everyone's concern. One thing I saw in the video that helps is that he said this is a survival game. Basically you start on a world somewhere and you have to survive there and learn new crafting recipes, build stuff, get a ship somehow (that part is still fuzzy to me) and then decide what way you want to play the game. It seems like you have a lot of choices. You can play as a pirate and raid transports and avoid the authorities, be a peaceful trader, or an explorer, maybe other things as well. All on the way to the galactic core.

This is the kind of sandbox survival game I'm interested in playing, in any case. It all depends on how many game systems there are (not planetary systems) and how deep they are. If the combat and ship upgrading is deep enough and fun enough, for example, you could play and enjoy it for just that aspect alone. Same thing for trading or exploring. If those systems are too shallow and/or suck, then not so much. The key question is: is it fun to play? Got my fingers crossed.

Buatha · Post by **Buatha** » Wed Apr 13, 2016 9:30 am

While I think the whole ship/planet system looks amazing, I don't get the feeling that stories/missions will be compelling after a while. It's possible there's all sort of Space Rangers type of content that hasn't been shown yet, but all I see being emphasized is the space/planetary parts of flying/walking around.

For me, I'd like to mix this engine with something like a Fallout NV sense of contained stories. For example, it'd be nice to fly through space and find an abandoned ship/station to learn what happened to the inhabitants through exploration of the location. Or, visit a lost colony that tells you how they arrived, but now you need to find them some equipment to aid them.

I know this sounds like an RPG, but I've wanted a merging of these two genres and can't seem to get it. I just wished a company like this would work with a company like Obsidian to merge their content/expertise.

ColdSteel · Post by **ColdSteel** » Wed Apr 13, 2016 10:48 am

Buatha wrote:While I think the whole ship/planet system looks amazing, I don't get the feeling that stories/missions will be compelling after a while.

Actually, I don't think there ARE any stories/mission in this game. It's all sandbox survival game as far as I can tell.

Buatha · Post by **Buatha** » Wed Apr 13, 2016 10:39 pm

I enjoyed X3: Terran Conflict/Albion Prelude, so I'm sure I'll enjoy this game

Reemul · Post by **Reemul** » Thu Apr 14, 2016 8:14 am

For me I will be happy if I get 20 or 30 hours of play time out of it. Generally I just don't play the same games for 100's of hours, regardless I get bored and need the next shiny thing.

I am really looking forward to this game.

rshetts2 · Post by **rshetts2** » Thu Apr 14, 2016 10:36 am

ColdSteel wrote:
Buatha wrote:While I think the whole ship/planet system looks amazing, I don't get the feeling that stories/missions will be compelling after a while.
Actually, I don't think there ARE any stories/mission in this game. It's all sandbox survival game as far as I can tell.

From what I have heard, there is a story of sorts in the game ( a very nebulous one ) and that's the search for an ancient alien presence at the center of the galaxy, but yeah it seems to be mission free. At best there will be some discoveries that will push you in a certain direction but outside of that its pretty much a ginormous sandbox.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Thu May 26, 2016 8:58 am

Kotaku reporting that the 6/21 release date is now "coming soon"; the game (according to them) has been delayed.

Sepiche · Post by **Sepiche** » Thu May 26, 2016 11:16 am

Well, that sucks, but I probably should have seen that coming. Hopefully won't be too long of a delay.

RuperT · Post by **RuperT** » Sat May 28, 2016 12:15 am

August 9 in US

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Sat May 28, 2016 4:14 am

Wish I could take the money I spent on Star Citizen and put it on this instead.

Grifman · Post by **Grifman** » Mon May 30, 2016 12:29 pm

Many death threats due to the delay (as if that would not delay the game even longer

)

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Mon May 30, 2016 10:44 pm

Daehawk wrote:New 21 min video from the creator of the game

He shows off just a bit of what you actually do in the game and can do.

Is it just me, or does this look like a game engine without a game?

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Mon May 30, 2016 11:57 pm

Kraken wrote:
Daehawk wrote:New 21 min video from the creator of the game

He shows off just a bit of what you actually do in the game and can do.
Is it just me, or does this look like a game engine without a game?

It looks like a sandbox exploration game to me.

Frost · Post by **Frost** » Fri Jun 03, 2016 4:52 pm

I haven't payed much attention to this game, admittedly, but it's looking very good. I see what the hype is about.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Sat Jun 18, 2016 7:48 pm

Unagi · Post by **Unagi** » Sat Jun 18, 2016 7:51 pm

Burn the land and boil the sea....

ColdSteel · Post by **ColdSteel** » Sun Jun 19, 2016 11:23 am

How in the ever-living hell can anyone own the word "sky"? Britain must have some copyright laws even odder than the US. And I didn't think that was possible.

hentzau · Post by **hentzau** » Sun Jun 19, 2016 11:29 am

ColdSteel wrote:How in the ever-living hell can anyone own the word "sky"? Britain must have some copyright laws even odder than the US. And I didn't think that was possible.

They forced Microsoft to change their cloud storage solution from SkyDrive to OneDrive.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Sun Jun 19, 2016 11:37 am

I so want to name a game "The Sky Scrolls" now.

rshetts2 · Post by **rshetts2** » Sun Jun 19, 2016 12:17 pm

Wow, you would think a word as common as sky would have some kind of common usage exemption. Thats just silly. I think Im going to trade mark every un-trade marked work I can think of and then start suing the world for infringement. Ill be a billionaire in no time just from the words tits and ass.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Sun Jun 19, 2016 2:32 pm

rshetts2 wrote:Wow, you would think a word as common as sky would have some kind of common usage exemption. Thats just silly. I think Im going to trade mark every un-trade marked work I can think of and then start suing the world for infringement. Ill be a billionaire in no time just from the words tits and ass.

I've already trademarked the name "Rshetts". Expect a call from my lawyers in the morning

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Fri Jul 08, 2016 12:02 pm

Suitably Ironic Moniker · Fri Jul 08, 2016 1:53 pm

Rush job.

pr0ner · Post by **pr0ner** » Mon Jul 25, 2016 12:23 pm

The game may be facing IP issues over potential patent infringement for the main algorithm the game uses.

ColdSteel · Post by **ColdSteel** » Mon Jul 25, 2016 12:54 pm

pr0ner wrote:The game may be facing IP issues over potential patent infringement for the main algorithm the game uses.

Well, not according to the devs:

Sean Murray ‏@NoMansSky · Jul 23

No Man's Sky doesn't actually use this "superformula" thing or infringe a patent. This is a non-story... everybody chill

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Mon Jul 25, 2016 12:54 pm

Looks like they are even giving console folks a warm welcome of sorts...at least PS4 owners...... No need for PS+ to play the game. So thats pretty cool. No need for extra fees just to play online for them.

pr0ner · Post by **pr0ner** » Mon Jul 25, 2016 1:27 pm

ColdSteel wrote:
pr0ner wrote:The game may be facing IP issues over potential patent infringement for the main algorithm the game uses.
Well, not according to the devs:
Sean Murray ‏@NoMansSky · Jul 23

No Man's Sky doesn't actually use this "superformula" thing or infringe a patent. This is a non-story... everybody chill

He's also been quoted as saying in the past that the superformula was being used, so who knows what's really going on.

baelthazar · Post by **baelthazar** » Mon Jul 25, 2016 8:33 pm

I thought he was quoted saying that a story on the superformula inspired his thinking on planet generation. Also, the superformula is available as a math formula on Wikipedia - can you patent a math formula? Einstein sure missed out on profits...

pr0ner · Post by **pr0ner** » Mon Jul 25, 2016 10:42 pm

baelthazar wrote:I thought he was quoted saying that a story on the superformula inspired his thinking on planet generation. Also, the superformula is available as a math formula on Wikipedia - can you patent a math formula? Einstein sure missed out on profits...

You can't patent a formula, but you sure can patent the application of one to do something.

Also, this New Yorker story seems to indicate he was directly using the formula.

baelthazar · Post by **baelthazar** » Tue Jul 26, 2016 1:32 pm

pr0ner wrote:
baelthazar wrote:I thought he was quoted saying that a story on the superformula inspired his thinking on planet generation. Also, the superformula is available as a math formula on Wikipedia - can you patent a math formula? Einstein sure missed out on profits...
You can't patent a formula, but you sure can patent the application of one to do something.

Also, this New Yorker story seems to indicate he was directly using the formula.

It seems to depend on what exactly the patent it for and on whether or not you are in the US or the EU. Ars Technica has a great write up on this: http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2016/07/n ... erformula/

I am guessing this will not affect the release of the game, but if it does... well... I would not want to be Johan Gielis, even with money from a legal settlement. Too many crazy internet people want this game released yesterday.

Buatha · Post by **Buatha** » Tue Jul 26, 2016 4:13 pm

Of course, they wait until the imminent release date to give themselves leverage "at the table".

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Wed Jul 27, 2016 4:55 pm

Interesting article on Rock, Paper, Shotgun: If Only No Man’s Sky Could Go Unreleased Forever

I’m a little sad that No Man’s Sky is being released.

This is surely not an uncommon feeling: sometimes the the long weeks of anticipation leading up to Christmas are more fun than the day itself, which has the weight of expectation placed upon it and is, in any case, quickly devoured. With enough experience, you learn to savour the anticipation for its own sake.

No Man’s Sky’s procedural universe will not be as easily chewed through as a Christmas turkey Quorn log, but its release still marks the end of No Man’s Sky as a horizon-dwelling object of pure imagination and the beginning of its life as something more real and undoubtedly more finite.

I have experienced this before, of course. Once upon a time, the game I was looking forward to most was Black & White. “Looking forward to” is probably an understatement. I ached for that game. It’s embarrassing now to think how much frustrated longing I felt for a product, but I was young and of course blissfully naive. I searched out every morsel about the game I could find in magazines and on the internet and swallowed it all. The colourful world, the giant animals, the promise of funny little stories playing out between the two, these things captured my imagination.

...

baelthazar · Post by **baelthazar** » Wed Jul 27, 2016 6:07 pm

I sort of have this sense of foreboding that there is no way the game can live up to the hype. I am best reminded of, like the RPS writer, Black and White (which was a great game, but severely flawed) but more so by SPORE. SPORE had such great ideas, but the whole was weaker than the sum of its parts (some parts were great, but others were just downright awful). Also the SPORE space game reminds me of what No Man's Sky says you can and will be able to do - odd creatures, naming them, gigantic galaxies, travel to the galactic core - a focus on exploration and discovery. Now I liked SPORE's space game, but I think it was weakened by the hackneyed attempt to be an exploration game with a 4X element. If they had just let up terraform, find stuff, and go nuts then it would have been much better. Instead, you had to deal with wars, colonies, territory, fuel, and a myriad of micromanagement. So perhaps NMS, which will not have the 4X part, will be a stronger game. Or perhaps it will not live up to that hype.