Infinity: The Quest for Earth: Simply Amazing.

[FrostyBoy]

If you have not heard about this, go there now: http://www.fl-tw.com/Infinity/infinity_media.php

Download the latest video (bottom of page).

Keep in mind, that most of the work was done by one guy.


Great things come from those who don't work for money.

You can quote me on that one

[FrostyBoy]

a screenshot for the lazy

[:) Smiley]

Impressive.

The idea of using algorithms instead of pregenerated data sounds interesting.

[Chaunk]

The terminally lazy aren't clicking on the link. What kind of game is this?

[Adagio]

Wow, sounds impressive

[FrostyBoy]

Chaunk, it is an open-ended game. Yes, one of "those" games, where you can do "anything".

But seriously, this game, so far, is promising to allow the player to be able to do many many adventurous umm... things.

The fact that it is being built by a freelancer, a passionate one at that, is even more promising.

[Grumbold]

It looks cool but the basic truth is that a one-man-and-a-dog team don't have a hope of making a credible MMO, even if brilliant algorithms are used to generate content that doesn't become bland and predictable inside of a week. These games need a lot of time and effort to produce.

I'd be sceptical but interested if the intention was to make a new Elite with 21st century graphics but an MMO? No way, not without big bucks and a sizable, knowledgeable development team.

[General Ludd]

I don't see any content.

[FrostyBoy]

The point is that he is doing it.

If I am not wrong, it took Leonardo around 20 years to complete Mona Lisa; it's not the destination, it's the journey, this guy is doing it for the journey.

Besides, by the time he has completed, he would have produced something that most companies would not dare to even try and in the future, it may not be all that difficult to set up an MMO.

[General Ludd]

Originally posted by Sn00py
The point is that he is doing it.

If I am not wrong, it took Leonardo around 20 years to complete Mona Lisa; it's not the destination, it's the journey, this guy is doing it for the journey.

And if Leonardo spent 20 years making this nobody would of given a ****, it is the destination - otherwise it amounts to nothing more than a geek's blog.

[Blake]

Hmmmph. I'm not sure if it'll have addictive gameplay.

The problems are twofold, firstly extremely low population density, with thousands of planets per player. Secondly, sameness. There may be 40 billion planets, but they are all unique, just like every other planet.
It's a really big sandbox, and they usually invoke a "wow, that's cool" reponse... but people will get hooked on games for other reasons, mainly dull stupid reasons, getting really good at repeating pretty much the same task (ie grinding/item farming in RPG's).

I guess there may be some appeal to a game where you actually can go where no man has gone before, BUT so can everyone else in the game. I just don't think it'll have the proper reward structure set up to hook players.

[Adagio]

What interests me most about this game is not the game itself, but the engine used. Game companies could turn this idea into something that is more interesting, than what one man could ever make out of it

[FrostyBoy]

Blake, he has not really started the content and the game itself yet.

[Blake]

Blake, he has not really started the content and the game itself yet.

Which is a problem. A big problem.

Procedural programming can't be used for storage. It's going to be largely a "look but don't touch" universe. I mean, obviously, if there are 4 billion planet, and planets can be changed in some ways by players... than if on each planet, a 4-byte "mark" was made (say the "first steps" player), then that's already 16GB of storage required.

The Universe is just too BIG for players to effect. If there is resource extraction, then resources will be too abundant. If players can build empires, then there will be too much room for expansion. No conflict. No scarcity. (and also, because of the data problem, no depletion of resources)

I can see the simulator/sandbox potential, but I don't see the game.

If it is succesful, it'll probably end up with 99% of the players in 0.00000000000000000000000000000001% of the space, and the other 1% in 0.00000000000000000000000000000099% of the space. And I'm not sure if I have enough 0's.

I mean even a single planet - say like mars - would be enough to keep a legion of MMO'ers busy exploring for years.

It's probably time for a HHGTTG "Space is big" quote...

[Vince278]

I'm surprised no one has brought up Derek Smart and "Battlecruiser" yet.