PULSE: How can players contribute to the project?
AGATHORN: Right now the best thing players can do
is use it, and report bugs to me, so I can fix them.
If anyone artistically inclined wants to try and work
up some graphical logos I wouldn’t be opposed to
that either :) In the future I’d love to see community
members helping out with things like item ratings,
build suggestions, etc.
PULSE: You can also donate to the project via paypal.
We can’t forget to mention that.
So now is the part where I’ll pick your brain about
some recent forum issues. I need to take a moment
to remind everybody that these questions and
answers are simply opinion.
There’s not a lot of debate going down right now but
I did come across a thread in the subscriber forum
asking for info over some mouse nerfs. Apparently
there was a bit of confusion about a comment made
in a podcast. The podcaster came back to put to
bed the rumor that CIG will be nerfing the mouse.
However, anybody that has hacked the hangar
module knows that flying a spaceship will not control
like an FPS. How do you predict CIG will balance the
keyboard and mouse, HOTAS and other controllers?
AGATHORN: Right now I think people need to calm
down, and be patient. We keep seeing this, where
people are making snap decisions and suggestions,
worries, based on something that isn’t even released
yet. I mean, all you’ve seen is a video demo, and
you know how it works? I don’t think so. The only
thing, input wise, that bothers me with the mouse
right now is, in the demo, it looks like mouse control
is “absolute”, IE you point you shoot. The in game
targeting matches the mouse position like an FPS. But
with a controller or joystick, it isn’t. As expected you
need to keep putting inputs in to keep the targeting
where you want it. So yeah in the video it looks like
mousers have some advantage. But i’m sure it will
be balanced out eventually. In the end I just want to
see all inputs being equal, so that the only decision is
which you prefer, not which is strongest in the game.
PULSE: So what will you use, a HOTAS?
AGATHORN: I will most definitely be using a HOTAS. I
have the Thrustmaster A-10 Warthog HOTAS, along
with Saitek Combat Rudder Pedals that I will be using
when flying. When I’m on foot I’ll be using either an
X360 controller or mouse and keyboard depending
on my preference at the time.
PULSE: Recently CIG amended the Tamsa (black hole)
system based on feedback from the community. The
astrophysics defying black hole is no longer pulling
in its planets. Why do you think it is important for a
game developer to rectify these mistakes? How do
you think they handled it with comm-link?
AGATHORN: Personally, I would have rather they left
it alone. Was it accurate? No, but that isn’t always
the best thing in my opinion. As I often say about
visual effects, our job isn’t to make it look real; our
job is to make it look like people think is real. There is
often a huge difference. In games I will often prefer
a believable reality to a real reality. And sometimes
you have to do things fake for them to be cool. In the
case of this system I’m fine either way, but I hope
when presented with a more clear cut case that CIG
will err on the side of “cool” versus “real” when they
are mutually exclusive.
PULSE: There’s a forum contest up in general right
now offering rewards for people who accurately
guess the release date of the DFM (thanks Shankerz).
Care to take a stab at it?
AGATHORN: Hadn’t seen that but I don’t know. Will
the groundhog see his shadow or not? Let’s say Feb
18th.
PULSE: Pick a robot; ED-209, Gort, Johnny 5, IG-88,
Bubo, Nordom, T-800, AstroBoy, H.A.L. 9000 or
Marvin?
AGATHORN: That’s a tough one. I want to say HAL for
the SciFi awesomeness, but also ED209 for the old
school hilariousness.
PULSE: Okay, you can pick two,but just this once.
Thanks for taking time for us. Do you have anything
you’d like to say before you go?
AGATHORN: Thanks for doing this. The SC community
can be amazing and its one of the reasons I think the
game will be successful!
PULSE: Agreed. So thank you for making the Stanton
Space Barn. I know I’ll be using it.
www.stantonspacebarn.com
14