The Home Stretch

A new blog post is up detailing the work that still needs to be done as we enter the home stretch: http://inovaekeith.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-home-stretch.html

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\o/ woot! Can’t wait :smiley:

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My immediate thought about the latest development - the play test - is to wonder if you used Teamspeak or any other voice communication channel during the test. If you did, did you also try it without voice?

Good luck on the home stretch.

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We played using Skype. I think only @Hutchings has played with the coms turned off.

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Nah, I particpated in the first playtest, and that was good… but then literally minutes from the second playtest I experienced a power outage and had to run to a coffee shop on the other side of town (where they still had power) to rejoin the skype call and listen to the rest of the guys laugh and have a good time… The third test just the other day made up for it though :wink:

Teamspeak is definitely an asset if you’re wanting to work with a team, it’s a bit “lonely” feeling if you don’t have anyone to talk to. The void kinda pulls you in and envelopes you… but also, serene, beautiful… the loneliness isn’t so bad once you get used to it…

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IMO, that’s how a space game should feel.

Can’t wait to join you guys. Eventually.

/me prepares to throw money at screen

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My thoughts exactly. Space is big. Empty. Black. Isolating. Unless you do something to distract you from the abyss, you should be able to feel that abyss!

If a game demo is capable of doing that, then you guys are doing something very right.

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I think it’s awesome that the game can produce that sensation. It should add a new, subtle dimension to space gaming, reminding the player that they’re in space. It may also inspire gameplay that has never been considered.

That said, we’re talking a multiplayer game. Voice can add a new dimension to space gaming as well, and the development team certainly took advantage of it. What would the experience of the game be like if they had no cues as to who was who, and relied entirely on text chat? It would be interesting if they were to schedule a session where they play that way, then compare the two experiences.

I’m a firm believer that voice is an essential part of multiplayer gaming. The ability to say “Kichae, check six!” on the appropriate channel or frequency is lightyears ahead of trying to type it or target Kichae and press the dedicated “Check six” button or whatever.

I-Novae Studios can’t implement voice, but they can sure implement enough hooks to allow for smooth integration of third party voice communication packages like Teamspeak. I’d push hard for that as a priority, and to play it up in the Kickstarter. Without voice, real time coordination, cooperation and socialization is far less practical, if not impractical. As always, I’d like to see gameplay get involved enough that players need to communicate, even if they’re heading off to scout solo.

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Home Stretch?

This is awesome.

Well done! All the best and good luck.

Getting ready to throw all the money I don’t have onto the screen.

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Indeed it’s a really important part of multiplayer games, and if it’s taken care of here it’ll be easier to put in the mmo.

Good job on making it this far guys!

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Completely agree. Some good hooks for popular voice chat applications would be ideal.

And then we can have those hooks tied into ships systems! And we can knock out the communication relays, requiring pilots to signal their companions using Morris Code with their weapons blasts, or headlights, or by knocking on their cockpit glass (and therefore exciting the luminiferous aether) (touchscreen monitor required)! Or…

*cough*

Errm. I mean… Yeah, completely agree.

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As well as replacing the monitor with all the loose change you found under the couch’s (which you just sold) cushion hitting it at high velocities.

You jest, but given private servers, there could well be folks who want that very thing in the pursuit of interesting gameplay. Military realism units use ARMA 3 along those very lines, working within the limits of their unreliable radio gear. I’d like to see all gear be unreliable to some degree or another - even when they get an ideal version fresh off the assembly line.

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I am so glad you guys are doing this.
Cant wait to support you.

…also what is your definition of a “Media” ?

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Especially in an arena based game you cant really expect people to hop into ts with eachother just to communicate when every round starts. Ingame voice is great for these situations.

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Oh, that is a question of some great interest, isn’t it?

*cough*

Oh geez, there’s my bronchitis acting up again.

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As far as “media” goes, I would try reaching out to Scott Manly…he has a lot of KSP followers some of which would absolutely be interested in Infinity…I could ask him to try to contact you but I feel that he would be a lot more likely to respond if the request came from you guys rather than a random person.

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It’s been a long road

Gettin from there to here
It’s been a long time
But that time may finally come soon

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Am really not like that. Google the name you might find out why.

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