This may not make sense to some of you, but I'll link some stuff and it'll be clear. This eventually has to do with videogames, I swear. See, this guy named Miguel Alcubierre came up with a solution to Einstein's field equations. This is kind of a thing that physicists do from time to time. It's extremely difficult to find a solution, and there are rather a large number of them. This and the fact that these equations describe the fundamental working of the universe as we know it, in additional to the weird way small particles behave, have given rise to new parallel world theories.
Not that this really has anything to do with parallel worlds, but it does have to do with a weird byproduct of the solution Alcubierre found. Basically, in this solution, if there existed some weird form of matter that had negative mass, we could construct a ring of it, charge it (kinda) and warp reality around it. You could have a ship inside of such a distortion traveling through space as it is compressed in front and expanded behind, and basically go faster than light. Granted, we have never encountered negative mass. And using the drive might destroy the universe eventually. Also, NASA's totally working on it.
However, the actually subject of this has nothing to do with all that, other than showing that FTL, or faster than light if you're not a huge sci-fi enthusiast, is possible. I mentioned last week that I picked up FTL in the Steam sale. I realize that, as always, I'm a bit late to get onto big things. It seems that months ago the entire Internet community was ablaze with commentary about it. However, I didn't really get it. I generally like Rogue-like games. I've mentioned before that I like my Minecraft on hardcore. Permanent character death has always appealed to me, though it's certainly not for every game. Ocarina of Time would be a hellish first playthrough.
So, I read some reviews, the official site description, watched some gameplay. I tried really hard to get excited about it. However, I just couldn't justify spending any money on a game that I probably wouldn't play. Something in all the hype was lost, and it just looked like a bland game about space. Which, actually, puts it above a lot of other games for me. Space is pretty cool, and not just thermally. I generally like the fluff in those games, though. I spent hours reading the setting stuff in Mass Effect, and read the entire dictionary in Until the End of Time.
I ignored it for a year. However, I visited Ed in Germany this summer, and he was playing it a bit. I was enthralled by watching it. It was entirely different the the adventure in micromanagement that I had expected. It's still pretty heavy on that, though. I don't know what I got out of watching him play it that I didn't earlier, but it definitely influenced my opinion.
Still, I sat on it for a while, due to have plenty of other things to occupy my time. Like making a podcast, developing a game, writing a book, and trying to freelance software. It's amazing how busy unemployment can be. At any rate, the sale passed around and I bought it. I can now see what the hype was about. I've played free games on a certain site that I still lurk that give me equal amusement. The music pushes this game in to the "I feel alright paying for it" category, though.
Briefly, let's run down what it is. You have several different ship layouts to choose from at first. Really, you only have one when you start your first run, but you unlock more as you do stuff in the game. There are several species, all with different strengths and weakness as compared to humans.
Always it is with the humans. Tvtropes will destroy you, by the way.
Then, you go through a mostly randomly generated galaxy while fighting pirates, rebels, miscreant aliens, and rescuing/dooming people. The combat is more tactical than frenetic, especially as the game gives you the ability to pause. You can collect scrap metal from wrecks to upgrade your ship, which you'll need to do fairly copiously before you reach the end. The Rebel flagship you must destroy is way stronger than I've managed so far. And that's on easy mode. I don't think they know what that means.
Excellent ambient music of the vaguely house variety back up amusing text and a feeling of isolation, despite seeing people every 30 seconds. Your crew must scurry about the ship putting out fires, manning and fixing systems, and, in the case of one particular Mantis I had, being excellent at mashing buttons so I can fire faster. Just like Pokemon.
I think the reason the hype didn't really catch me is because it's hard to describe. The game has a unique feel, though it has elements I've seen before. It's an ambient gestalt that mesmerizes. I spent 6 hours solid on my first night; I hadn't realized any time had passed. It's rather fun, and, in a way, cathartic.
I only hope that one day we, too, may die horrible deaths among the stars.
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