Starhawk, due out in 2012, is being developed by LightBox Interactive, the studio set up by Dylan Jobe and other ex-members of Incognito Entertainment, and Sony Santa Monica.

Warhawk launched as a Blu-ray and digitial download. Starhawk, however, will be released as a Blu-ray retail only. Unlike Warhawk, Starhawk features a fully-fledged single-player campaign as well as the multiplayer portion the series is known for.

Players assume the role of Emmett Graves, a Rift miner turned gun for hire altered by Rift Energy, found on the outer reaches of space. The enemy faction is the Outcast, humans turned into monsters following exposure to Rift Energy.

The game has a Wild West in space look and feel. Graves goes in search of his outlaw brother, the leader of the Outcasts. Levels are large and open, designed to offer dynamic gameplay with AI that adapts to the player's actions.

The gameplay hook this time is an RTS-lite element called "Build and Battle". As players kill enemies and other players they gather resources, spent on calling down structures from orbit and placed down on the battlefield as they see fit.

Structures include walls, gates, turrets and landing pads for vehicles. Structures can be demolished, too.

On the multiplayer side, Starhawk features 32-player matches, up to four-player online and offline co-op play, and split-screen gameplay within multiplayer and co-op modes against an endless attack of enemies.

The game supports tournaments, leaderboards, clans and additional friend list and quick matches. There's a community events calendar, ticker tape updates, and plans for a Starhawk Android app.

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A few other items that were discussed but not shown, the online features are definitely going to be the deepest we’ve ever seen on a PS3 game:

- Full Clan support (not just a tag)
- In-game calendar
- Cross-Server Clan Voice Chat
- A Fully Automated and Integrated Tournament System (we heard him say “cell phone,” but we’re not sure if it was something in-game or not)

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Additionally, Starhawk employs a host of online community features that allows players to be always connected, all the time, including tournaments, leader boards, and clan support with additional friends list and quick match options. Players can keep up to date with the community events calendar, ticker tape updates, and a Starhawk Android application that let users to keep track of friends, clan mates, and stats when not online.

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HB: There are space battles, yes absolutely. There are big, epic space battles in and around planets and space stations and you can build in space too. We’re not showing all the stories in Starhawk just yet due to the production schedule but we wouldn’t have called the game Starhawk if we couldn’t deliver on the fantasy of flying in space, recalling some of those old Colony Wars games, that kind of stuff.

You will get your fix of space battles in Starhawk.

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The Starhawk universe is set in the distant future, out in the far reaches of space where factions battle over a rare and dangerous resource known as Rift Energy. In this galaxy, colonies of humans, called Rifters, explore a scattering of planets, known as the Frontier, in attempt to mine this energy to make an honest living, but find their way of life threatened by the Outcast, a ruthless species of humans who have mutated into psychotic monsters due to exposure to this very same Rift Energy. Caught in the middle is Emmett Graves, a hired gunslinger ostracized from society because of his own exposure to Rift Energy, leaving him partially mutated, but still able to retain his humanity. Starhawk allows you to take on the powerful role of Graves who is drawn back to his home settlement of White Sands on the Planet Dust to face a mysterious outlaw and his war band of Outcast warriors only to discover that this job may mean more to him than he could have ever imagined. He will soon find out that his family is involved in the clash between the Outcast and the Rifters and therefore must decide between those close to him and those he swore to protect.

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Luthos said:

I didn't play Warhawk, but I expected Starhawk to have space battles and shit.

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Kintaro said:

I look at the screens and such and now knowing more about the gameplay style they're aiming for (TPS/RTS)...just doesn't do it for me. Can you imagine a Mechwarrior-type of game with this shit? Transforming mechs, missions, clan multiplayer, classes, etc? /Homer Drool

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BeeDog said:

The one thing I noticed from the video is a seemingly complete lack of tanks. Will only mechahawks and warthogs be available?

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There were only a small number of buildings in the version available to play but many more will be available in the full game. In the sequence I played I could purchase automatic defence turrets, an armoured barracks packed full of weapons and a support tower. The support tower will supply a stream of AI controlled characters who fight on your behalf. Two other buildings were available, beam towers and a Hawk pad.

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Loudninja said:

There were only a small number of buildings in the version available to play but many more will be available in the full game. In the sequence I played I could purchase automatic defence turrets, an armoured barracks packed full of weapons and a support tower. The support tower will supply a stream of AI controlled characters who fight on your behalf. Two other buildings were available, beam towers and a Hawk pad.

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Sn4ke_911 said:

Relase 2012? Damn. Too early for me to get hype.

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Luthos said:

I didn't play Warhawk, but I expected Starhawk to have space battles and shit.

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BeeDog said:

That's completely unrelated to my question though.

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TTP said:

I think he means to say that since not all the buildings were available, not all the (possible) vehicles were available either?

But my bet is on just Jeeps and Hawks. At least at launch. New vehicles might be coming down the road just like it happened with Warhawk (jetpacks and carrier)

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TTP said:

There might very well be maps located in space, with space stations and stuff.

In Warhawk there were a bunch of maps which put an emphasis on the air combat (like Archipelago and Destroyed Capitol).

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jigglywiggly said:

I wouldn't hold my breath. I got the impression from the interviews that the name is solely a nod to Starcraft, rather than implying it'll ever go into outer space.

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jigglywiggly said:

I wouldn't hold my breath. I got the impression from the interviews that the name is solely a nod to Starcraft, rather than implying it'll ever go into outer space.

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Takao said:

I can't be the only one who's puzzled at a poster who has an MGS: Rising avatar saying this.

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nofi said:

Not true.

We've got an interview going live in 5 minutes that confirms this...

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nofi said:

Not true.

We've got an interview going live in 5 minutes that confirms this...

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TTP said:

Oh nice...

Link when up please.

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nofi said:

"There are space battles, yes absolutely. There are big, epic space battles in and around planets and space stations and you can build in space too. "

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nofi said:

http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2011/05/13/space-battles-and-secrets-tsa-talks-starhawk-with-scea/

"There are space battles, yes absolutely. There are big, epic space battles in and around planets and space stations and you can build in space too.

We’re not showing all the stories in Starhawk just yet due to the production schedule but we wouldn’t have called the game Starhawk if we couldn’t deliver on the fantasy of flying in space, recalling some of those old Colony Wars games, that kind of stuff.

You will get your fix of space battles in Starhawk."

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Sn4ke_911 said:

MGS is my favorite series of all time.

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TC: I presume other vehicles will be returning, jet packs, tanks?

HB: We’re not releasing all the information just yet but there will be some… variation… on the tanks from Warhawk. There will be a heavy vehicle, something that feels real powerful when you’re blowing things up.

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nofi said:

http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2011/05/13/space-battles-and-secrets-tsa-talks-starhawk-with-scea/

"There are space battles, yes absolutely. There are big, epic space battles in and around planets and space stations and you can build in space too.

We’re not showing all the stories in Starhawk just yet due to the production schedule but we wouldn’t have called the game Starhawk if we couldn’t deliver on the fantasy of flying in space, recalling some of those old Colony Wars games, that kind of stuff.

You will get your fix of space battles in Starhawk."

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Afrikan said:

DID SOMEONE SAY COLONY WARS?

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Tokubetsu said:

Oh wow, a black main character!

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nofi said:

http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2011/05/13/space-battles-and-secrets-tsa-talks-starhawk-with-scea/

"There are space battles, yes absolutely. There are big, epic space battles in and around planets and space stations and you can build in space too.

We’re not showing all the stories in Starhawk just yet due to the production schedule but we wouldn’t have called the game Starhawk if we couldn’t deliver on the fantasy of flying in space, recalling some of those old Colony Wars games, that kind of stuff.

You will get your fix of space battles in Starhawk."

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Callibretto said:

shame he has glowing eye though, it completely dehumanize him and make me hard to relate to him, considering the story seems have some potential for some good dramatic moment with his brother.

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Callibretto said:

shame he has glowing eye though, it completely dehumanize him and make me hard to relate to him, considering the story seems have some potential for some good dramatic moment with his brother.

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nofi said:

You will get your fix of space battles in Starhawk."

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