Hello DGatsby,
DGatsby wrote:Hey guys! I hope Historicon went well. While I very much enjoy the two screen shots that were uploaded, I was hoping for a bit more. This is not to pressure you for a release date (although I really hope we are getting close) but rather I want to know about how the game plays. The thing I personally find very frustrating is that we don't know substantially more about the game than we did back in February. The pictures of game menus and the art work are very nice, but how do you actually play this game? How do you interact with it? Judging from the menus it looks a lot like BARIS, which is great, I love that game. But are the menus static? Is their video? How much control do we have in flight planning? How does the interface work? What options are there? What does the game actually look like and feel when you play it? I know you guys are a small team, and that making this game has been quite a journey. I'm sure you're doing the best you can, but I really think a little bit more promotion and a little more information will go a long way in getting people excited and interested in this unique and exciting game you're putting together. And personally I would be grateful for anything new you can tell us. Hope to be playing SPM soon!
I didn't go to Historicon myself, but we exchanged a couple of e-mails with the guys from Slitherine last night and they told me that the conference went really well. As you can imagine, they have been really busy (organizing such an event on the other side of the pond is not easy
).
I understand your frustration, but please wait for a couple more days so that the marketing guys can catch their breaths and start uploading the material. All your questions will have an answer, I promise
In the meantime, I can answer some of the questions myself:
DGatsby wrote:But how do you actually play this game?
You start with a rather empty space complex and you need to spend money in order to get some basic infrastructure in order (Mission Control, the Astronauts Center, etc). Then you start opening programs, which automatically gives you all their associated mission components, and assign technical personnel (or SET, an acronym for 'Scientists, Engineers and Technicians) in order to improve the mission components' reliabilities. When your mission components are ready, you schedule missions, assign Flight Controllers and Astronauts (if applicable) and launch them. Then you see the mission unfold in a 'Mission Control' style console which depicts animations (with full audio) that make use of the renders I've posted before.
DGatsby wrote:How do you interact with it?
You get through all the screens via the space complex (also known as the "world map"). So, for example, by visiting the 'Headquarters' you open new programs and manage existing ones. In the 'Mission Control' center you review the status of your Flight Controllers, send them to advanced training, hire more personnel, etc. When you are done for this turn, you click the 'End Turn' button, you get the results from the RD process, launch scheduled missions, etc.
DGatsby wrote:Judging from the menus it looks a lot like BARIS, which is great, I love that game. But are the menus static? Is their video?
No, there are no videos in the menus, we only show our own renders in order to make all the screens look consistent.
DGatsby wrote:How much control do we have in flight planning?
Each program offers one or more 'mission configurations', which establish the mission's flight profile. So, for example, if you open the Mercury program, you get the Atlas rocket, the Redstone rocket and the Mercury spacecraft and then you are able to schedule a mission by selecting one of the available mission configurations (i.e., uncrewed suborbital test, suborbital flight, uncrewed orbital test, orbital flight and extended flight). Based on your needs, funds, deadlines (if you are in 'Campaign mode'), etc, you need to decide whether it's wise to take the safe route (lots of uncrewed tests first in order to build up reliability) or take more risks.
DGatsby wrote:What does the game actually look like and feel when you play it?
I think the best way to describe it is that it feels a lot like BARIS, but with many twists (e.g., the possibility of managing Flight Controllers and Technical Personnel, taking decisions regarding whether to upgrade your space center or not, etc) and obviously more breadth (lots of options for all programs) and depth (doesn't stop at the Moon landings). BASPM also features missions that lasts for years, which is something you will find very interesting (e.g., the Voyager probe is available and the missions lasts for many, many turns!)
Hopefully you have found my answers useful. As I mentioned before, hang in there for a couple of days and the articles and videos will soon start to show up. And... before you notice, the beta will be available as well!
OK, I'm back to the code, have a nice weekend!
