GamingNexus: Speaking of the upgrades, can you talk about the different types of upgrades that are available in the game? Will these upgrades be only available in stores throughout the game or will you find some of them scattered throughout the game’s universe?
Alan Wild: Computers, afterburners, energy shield, scanners, cargo drones, and a whole host of the deadlier weapons you mention, lasers, turrets, missile launchers, plasma cannon specialization, and many other equipment and armament items… Most can be bought from trade stations, other items can be found scattered about the ~300 solar systems, by way of missions or exploration.
As mentioned before, the customization of the actual ship itself depends entirely upon the player and their preferences. For example, if you concentrate on upgrading the DarkStar One wings, then you will end up with a hugely maneuverable craft, with a good range of fore weapon mounts; expand the hull and turn the DarkStar One into a massively resilient hulking behemoth with plenty of scope for turret mountings; Pile on the engine size and the DarkStar One will not only be more energy efficient, but it will also be able to cart about greater cargo loads with less hindrance.
GamingNexus: Can you undo all of the upgrade choices or are there certain decisions that are permanent?
Alan Wild: In terms of actual equipment and weapons, these are of course interchangeable and replaceable. The hull, wing and engine upgrades are permanent fixtures. All of the information a player requires to make an informed decision is provided alongside whichever upgrade the player is considering. This information relays the upgrade details such as weapon mounts, energy efficiency, hull integrity, etc.
GamingNexus: What different missions will be available in the game? Is there one type of mission that you enjoy more than another? Is there a final count of how many missions in the game?
Alan Wild: There is a collection of different missions, but no final count. On top of the main mission structure, side missions can be accepted from trade stations and from people you meet on your travels. Mission choice again depends on the player’s preferences. There are missions geared towards each of the 6 recognized careers: Pirate, Bounty Hunter, Trade, Smuggling, Mercenary, Armed Escort. The career system is entirely dynamic, and is portrayed with a graphical chart detailing exactly what sort of reputation the player currently has. This works really well, as it is an accurate reflection of how you actually play the game and the actions you take.
GamingNexus: What kind of weapons are in the game? The website talks about a “Spell Weapon” in the game, can you talk about how that works in the game?
Alan Wild: The “Spell Weapon” is a plasma-based cannon which can be configured by the player. The cannon has certain capabilities that can be unlocked with the right amount of, shall we say, ancient power. As the DarkStar One grows in strength it will become more and more powerful, and the player will be given a number of options for the cannon upgrade. Put simply, the leveling system works like an RPG skill tree and the cannon has near-magical effects. The cannon begins at its most basic level. Once upgraded, further branches become available, allowing you to have either a range of different plasma effects or a few more powerful ones, or a happy medium.
GamingNexus: Once a player has completed the main storyline of the game, is the game over or can you continue to explore the universe and complete missions? Does completing the game unlock new galaxies or change how you are perceived in the game?
Alan Wild: Once the main story is completed there are certain “extras” – No spoilers here! You can continue to play the game freely, complete further missions, and attempt to discover all the rewards that are available.
GamingNexus: What is your favorite thing about the game? Is there anything we didn’t cover that you think gamers should know about the game?
Alan Wild: The game controls and the way the ship handles. In combat it’s a joy to play. The different upgrades contribute to the feeling of the ship being an extension of your preferred play-style represented directly in-game, and the response of the DarkStar One to your control input is great. Blowing dastardly hostiles/neutrals/friendlies to smithereens is a very rewarding and entertaining experience indeed.
What else? Hmm, well, other items to cover include the persistent economic system… the 6 very different races… the real-time inter-racial alliances and disputes… the surprises in the story… the ability for the player to choose sides when such a situation arises… the realism of the game (incoming freighters may have missions on offer, as opposed to a database-generated, unrealistic mission creation)… sit inside trade stations and look out of the observation deck (watch the ships outside [freighters loading and unloading, police ships, pirates, etc] - then launch if you see something that, shall we say, ‘interests’ you and it will still be there, ripe for the, umm, picking)… the way different career paths result in you being perceived differently by the various factions…
DarkStar One is easy to pick up and play, but when you drill down into the game there’s a wealth of detail and depth to enjoy.
We’d like to thank Alan for taking the time to answer our questions and to Ted for hooking us up with the interview.
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