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[timetokill]

That guy whose Twitter feed I quoted chose to word his opinion in such a way that sounded deeply condescending and dismissive, agree? I feel as though his vision of the game is exceedingly narrow.

My own condescending post was also lacking a certain tact, but I admit I really don't know who he is. Therefore, maybe I should care less and not have wasted the post.

Disagree, but you're entitled to your opinion.

Anyway, instead of ignoring it, why not find out who he is? Google brings him up right away, but here's his website: bogost.com

Here's the quick rundown from his bio: "Dr. Ian Bogost is an author and an award-winning game designer. He is Ivan Allen College Distinguished Chair in Media Studies and Professor of Interactive Computing at the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he also holds an appointment in the Scheller College of Business. Bogost is also Founding Partner at Persuasive Games LLC, an independent game studio, and a Contributing Editor at The Atlantic."

Now, he might come off as "condescending" to you but he takes games very seriously, and certainly isn't one to simply say "GIMME GRATIFICATION NOW!" which IS a condescending comment from you.

In fact, if you'd played A Slow Year (one of his games), the concept that he'd be somebody who cares only about instant gratification would be instantly silly.

 

[artsi]

From reading all this I might get the game when there's base building and some more mechanics added in the game, I doubt I care exploring the terrains for a very long time.

But let's see what the PC version looks like first.

 

[Ollie Pooch]

Wait, it's a survival game? When did that happen? I thought this was a game about just exploring forever. Feel like I'm going to be disappointed if the element of discovery was removed in favor of the element of putting uninteresting things together. That seems... very MMO-y.

I would say after a good few hours playing that it's barely about 'exploration' at all - the inventory management is actually quite punishing (read : tedious) and you'll spend much of your time mining resources, being attacked by flying robots and then hiding until they go away, rinse repeat.

I've had a few upgrades to make things smoother, but the inventory thing is really souring me on the experience, after an excellent first impression. The atmosphere is really great but every few seconds something is failing/needs recharging/deteriorating and you're off to find the next materials. IMO it's all rather joyless and clinical for something about the wonders of space exploration when I keep banging up against that wall but I'm hoping it opens up a bit more soon, or at the very least lets me collect a reasonable amount of materials before screaming 'INVENTORY FULL!' at me.

I completely disagree with the Animal Crossing comparison earlier - this is like Animal Crossing if that had you dying of starvation every few minutes.

Oh, and having your ship's engine/booster/shield which are ALL required items take up an inventory space each is completely absurd.

 

[naitosan]

Okay, about multiplayer part that Sean said "Yes"... I have an theory... probably weird, stupid one. People will continue to play No Man's Sky for months and somehow got to specific planet that has equipment that belongs to alien or something. Once you gather all parts together and build a portal or something. Boom, you get to go in someone's game and actually meet the player(s), assuming No Man's Sky is a parallel universe.

Don't know if this is already mentioned by someone but that'd be a huge mind blown if it's true.

 

[Neverender]

Okay, about multiplayer part that Sean said "Yes"... I have an theory... probably weird, stupid one. People will continue to play No Man's Sky for months and somehow got to specific planet that has equipment that belongs to alien or something. Once you gather all parts together and build a portal or something. Boom, you get to go in someone's game and actually meet the player(s), assuming No Man's Sky is a parallel universe.

Don't know if this is already mentioned by someone but that'd be a huge mind blown if it's true.

That would be a huge amount of work for something very few people would have the commitment to see.

 

[Typhares]

I just woke up and haven't followed the full story of the player that tried to meet each other.
Have they tried to go on a planet to see if that would work or just stayed on the station?

 

[SolidChamp]

Disagree, but you're entitled to your opinion.

Anyway, instead of ignoring it, why not find out who he is? Google brings him up right away, but here's his website: bogost.com

Here's the quick rundown from his bio: "Dr. Ian Bogost is an author and an award-winning game designer. He is Ivan Allen College Distinguished Chair in Media Studies and Professor of Interactive Computing at the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he also holds an appointment in the Scheller College of Business. Bogost is also Founding Partner at Persuasive Games LLC, an independent game studio, and a Contributing Editor at The Atlantic."

Now, he might come off as "condescending" to you but he takes games very seriously, and certainly isn't one to simply say "GIMME GRATIFICATION NOW!" which IS a condescending comment from you.

In fact, if you'd played A Slow Year (one of his games), the concept that he'd be somebody who cares only about instant gratification would be instantly silly.

Meh, still one man's opinion. Regardless of his background/credentials, his is no more valid/correct than the next man's.

And in this man's opinion, he did a piss-poor job of presenting his criticism. If he takes these things so seriously, hopefully he'll realize that Twitter isn't the best platform for snarky (yes, there was some snark there), one-off remarks.

 

[Lord Panda]

Okay, about multiplayer part that Sean said "Yes"... I have an theory... probably weird, stupid one. People will continue to play No Man's Sky for months and somehow got to specific planet that has equipment that belongs to alien or something. Once you gather all parts together and build a portal or something. Boom, you get to go in someone's game and actually meet the player(s), assuming No Man's Sky is a parallel universe.

Don't know if this is already mentioned by someone but that'd be a huge mind blown if it's true.

Or maybe they've just modelled relativistic effects so people don't see each other because they're at different points in time.

Yep, that's totally it.

 

[T.O.P]

lmao

 

[Cyrano]

I would say after a good few hours playing that it's barely about 'exploration' at all - the inventory management is actually quite punishing (read : tedious) and you'll spend much of your time mining resources, being attacked by flying robots and then hiding until they go away, rinse repeat.

I've had a few upgrades to make things smoother, but the inventory thing is really souring me on the experience, after an excellent first impression. The atmosphere is really great but every few seconds something is failing/needs recharging/deteriorating and you're off to find the next materials. IMO it's all rather joyless and clinical for something about the wonders of space exploration when I keep banging up against that wall but I'm hoping it opens up a bit more soon, or at the very least lets me collect a reasonable amount of materials before screaming 'INVENTORY FULL!' at me.

I completely disagree with the Animal Crossing comparison earlier - this is like Animal Crossing if that had you dying of starvation every few minutes.

Oh, and having your ship's engine/booster/shield which are ALL required items take up an inventory space each is completely absurd.

Sort of sounds like a game that could be made fun by giving yourself infinite health/space stuff so you can ignore that aspect of the game... but as it is... sounds like it misses the point of what a game about flying to planets and discovering things in space is all about.

Again, this sounds like a single-player MMO. And that sounds terrible.

 

[Kathian]

Guys if theres more behind the lack of multiplayer stuff it wouldn't be hidden in cryptic tweets.

 

[SolidChamp]

Sort of sounds like a game that could be made fun by giving yourself infinite health/space stuff so you can ignore that aspect of the game... but as it is... sounds like it misses the point of what a game about flying to planets and discovering things in space is all about.

Sounds like you haven't played it yet to make that judgement for yourself.

I think it most definitely gets the point.

If the game lacked survival/resource/RPG-styled management and crafting, people would complain about the lack of a "game".

NMS is the prime example of people not being exactly sure what to expect from a game, or knowing what they want. Might be one of the most confusing games in history.

I'm just glad it gels for me.

 

[OuterLimits]

I feel like I'm playing GTA at times. Damn space police just showing up and fucking with me because I destroyed a tree or even small plant for some carbon. I swear they seem to spawn behind/near me occasionally as well

The inventory system is driving me bonkers as well.

Only played 5 hours and haven't built a hyperdrive yet, but this game is certainly not exactly a relaxing experience so far

Curious to see what the reviews finally are for this game. I think it averages around a 75-80.

 

[JonnyKong]

I'm definitely more interested in the thoughts of those folk who have played this for 8 - 10 hours, rather than the opening "omg this is amazing" 3 hour period.

I'm sure like many other people, I'm concerned about how quickly this game might start to feel repetitive, and it's starting to sound like it could be the case from those who have put some good time into it.

 

[PantherLotus]

I would say after a good few hours playing that it's barely about 'exploration' at all - the inventory management is actually quite punishing (read : tedious) and you'll spend much of your time mining resources, being attacked by flying robots and then hiding until they go away, rinse repeat.

I've had a few upgrades to make things smoother, but the inventory thing is really souring me on the experience, after an excellent first impression. The atmosphere is really great but every few seconds something is failing/needs recharging/deteriorating and you're off to find the next materials. IMO it's all rather joyless and clinical for something about the wonders of space exploration when I keep banging up against that wall but I'm hoping it opens up a bit more soon, or at the very least lets me collect a reasonable amount of materials before screaming 'INVENTORY FULL!' at me.

I completely disagree with the Animal Crossing comparison earlier - this is like Animal Crossing if that had you dying of starvation every few minutes.

Oh, and having your ship's engine/booster/shield which are ALL required items take up an inventory space each is completely absurd.

This is quite accurate. The best part so far is the moment you get in your ship and discover that there is actually intelligent life out there, that there are bigger ships, and you can eventually get some pretty cool shit. And the lore is pretty neat IMO.

But the inventory full thing while I'm stuck on a planet and looking for plutonium so I can get off the planetis infuriating and not fun.

I don't mind the constant systems management thing or the crafting or even the hunting for resources. But pairing all that with a very limited inventory just makes it so miserable. Because what they're asking you to do is remove / destroy stuff that you probably just spent 30 min looking for on one planet but can't fun on this one to make room for something else.

I am enjoying this game a lot. It's beautiful and engrossing and distracting but this criticism is real folks. It will turn off most people after about 4-5 hours. Book it.

 

[SolidChamp]

I'm definitely more interested in the thoughts of those folk who have played this for 8 - 10 hours, rather than the opening "omg this is amazing" 3 hour period.

I'm sure like many other people, I'm concerned about how quickly this game might start to feel repetitive, and it's starting to sound like it could be the case from those who have put some good time into it.

6+ hours so far, and very much hooked. I'll check back in when I hit 10 hours.

 

[timetokill]

If he takes these things so seriously, hopefully he'll realize that Twitter isn't the best platform for snarky (yes, there was some snark there), one-off remarks.

Actually, Twitter is the absolute best place for that?

I'm not saying Bogost isn't snarky, he absolutely is. But he doesn't shit on games just to shit on them.

But anyway, even if you say you don't, some people's opinions do carry more weight than others. If they didn't critics wouldn't be a thing. Nobody would say Ebert was a great critic. It doesn't mean you can't disagree with them but there has to be value inherent in education and research or else we're really pushing anti-intellectualism and anti-criticism.

 

[Aztechnology]

lmao

I was like "oh someone just put words over what he actually said." Because it didn't look like he was saying yes based on his face.

Boy was I wrong.

https://youtu.be/AE0nuW-mQ8A

 

[Wok]

I was like "oh someone just put words over what he actually said."

Boy was I wrong.

https://youtu.be/AE0nuW-mQ8A

He also said: "too many of you are playing [...] / amazing [...] that discoveries are still working at all". I think the game was bugged.

 

[Odrion]

https://twitter.com/NoMansSky/status/763271005003538432

from the sounds of it multiplayer IS in there but the servers are fucked due to how many people are playing

edit: beaten

 

[HiiiLife]

.

 

[Aztechnology]

He also said: "too many of you are playing [...]

I hope so. I wonder as you get closer to the center of the universe are players in closer proximity to each-other and we'll see more of this?

If that's the case though why did they do this? Is this shopped? What does the US or UK/EU cases look like?

 

[Wok]

I hope so. I wonder as you get closer to the center of the universe are players in closer proximity to each-other and we'll see more of this?

If that's the case though why did they do this? Is this shopped? What does the US or UK/EU cases look like?

The top is fake, someone glued a paper on it. Edit: Okay, it is the same case, but the bottom one does not have the paper. I don't know what this is.

 

[Aztechnology]

Haha

 

[texhnolyze]

The survival elements are there but not enough to make it a good survival game and just enough to make it a tedious chore.

I would say after a good few hours playing that it's barely about 'exploration' at all - the inventory management is actually quite punishing (read : tedious) and you'll spend much of your time mining resources, being attacked by flying robots and then hiding until they go away, rinse repeat.

The inventory system is driving me bonkers as well.

Only played 5 hours and haven't built a hyperdrive yet, but this game is certainly not exactly a relaxing experience so far

Curious to see what the reviews finally are for this game. I think it averages around a 75-80.

I don't mind the constant systems management thing or the crafting or even the hunting for resources. But pairing all that with a very limited inventory just makes it so miserable. Because what they're asking you to do is remove / destroy stuff that you probably just spent 30 min looking for on one planet but can't fun on this one to make room for something else.

I am enjoying this game a lot. It's beautiful and engrossing and distracting but this criticism is real folks. It will turn off most people after about 4-5 hours. Book it.

Pretty much confirm my concerns on this game.

At its core, NMS is a busy work survival game with space exploration aspect as the side feature.

 

[SolidChamp]

Actually, Twitter is the absolute best place for that?

I'm not saying Bogost isn't snarky, he absolutely is. But he doesn't shit on games just to shit on them.

But anyway, even if you say you don't, some people's opinions do carry more weight than others. If they didn't critics wouldn't be a thing. Nobody would say Ebert was a great critic. It doesn't mean you can't disagree with them but there has to be value inherent in education and research or else we're really pushing anti-intellectualism and anti-criticism.

"His/her opinion matters more than my own"

Said no one ever.

So if there's a sea of positive voices, you'll still take this guys half-assed bit of snark over the positive?

Intellectuals are usually expected to, you know, write papers on these things. Makes for a more compelling argument or conversation.

 

[Cyrano]

Sounds like you haven't played it yet to make that judgement for yourself.

I think it most definitely gets the point.

If the game lacked survival/resource/RPG-styled management and crafting, people would complain about the lack of a "game".

NMS is the prime example of people not being exactly sure what to expect from a game, or knowing what they want. Might be one of the most confusing games in history.

I'm just glad it gels for me.

I'm quite sure of what I want and this doesn't sound like it. More and more I'm finding that what I want isn't a traditional game because I've played traditional games to death. I want VA-11 Hall-A, LSD, and Journey. I'm quite tired of inventory management simulators (and in my opinion, I barely consider such a thing to be a game at all - unless a drudgery simulator is what you want from your game, and I feel I have more than enough of that in my real life that I don't need it in my games too). The least enjoyable aspect of the Fallout series, Planescape, Baldur's Gate, and so many other games is inventory management.

Out of curiosity, what is "the point" to you?

 

[aygomyownroad]

Went to supermarket last night... Then sent to another to get this game (UK) and it wasn't there. It releases today!!! Man what crap by time I play it everything will have been discovered.

 

[Spacecowboy77]

Haha

lol, this is gold

 

[timetokill]

"His/her opinion matters more than my own"

Said no one ever.

So if there's a sea of positive voices, you'll still take this guys half-assed bit of snark over the positive?

Intellectuals are usually expected to, you know, write papers on these things. Makes for a more compelling argument or conversation.

But I'd take Bogost's opinion over yours, for example. We all make these sorts of judgments, all the time.

Meanwhile, all I did was post impressions from a games academic in a thread about impressions and it got you all riled up for some reason. If you like the game, cool, good for you. If you want a circle jerk, go hang in the OT.

 

[texhnolyze]

I don't get all the fuss about no MP..

 

[Trace]

I don't get all the fuss about no MP..

This is why.

 

[Wok]

Pretty much confirm my concerns on this game.

At its core, NMS is a busy work survival game with space exploration aspect as the side feature.

It just sounds like it is punishing for people who loot everything. If you only loot important stuff (cf. IGN advice for noobs) and stuff that you need to craft stuff that you want, the game might be more enjoyable.

 

[nick nacc]

I played it for 20 straight hours for the donation drive and just got done. Lots to think about but one thing, at least for me, even after that long I am not 100% what I would score it or if even many of the gameplay loops would be mature enough to really quantify it with that many hours.

Tried to watch the stream but something was glitching out, or the game was broken lol. Big fan man. There is an honesty and integrity watching your stuff. I dont know how you can talk so well without any cuts! Anyways, even my wife who doesn't give two shits about video games was listening in while I watched a video and she likes your stuff. Lol. Props bro.

 

[eXistor]

I purposefully haven't really followed NMS outside of the trailer, but the game is actually 100% what I expected it to be. It's good and I'm having fun, but man, this is gonna get boring soon I think. All the planets I've been to have just been the same thing, only with a different color. They try to get away with millions of different flora and fauna, but they're all just variants of the same damn thing. I'll probably get called out for this, but I think it's a very shallow game so far. I like the idea and what's there is decent enough, but copy/paste design isn't really my idea of a great game. I'll keep playing, but so far my predictions from years ago when I kept saying this was inevitably gonna be the case are very much coming true.

Not trying to hate btw, I pretty much knew this was gonna happen and I still willingly bought the game on concept and looks alone.

 

[shmoglish]

I don't get all the fuss about no MP..

Same here, but with all the "yeah you can meet other Players" I can understand it (at least a Little bit). Same Server, but different instances and way more Players than expected. Guess that was the Problem for the two guys that could not see each other.

 

[SolidChamp]

But I'd take Bogost's opinion over yours, for example. We all make these sorts of judgments, all the time.

Meanwhile, all I did was post impressions from a games academic in a thread about impressions and it got you all riled up for some reason. If you like the game, cool, good for you. If you want a circle jerk, go hang in the OT.

Right there. You gave in.

Thanks for confirming what I already knew.

 

[Loudninja]

But I'd take Bogost's opinion over yours, for example. We all make these sorts of judgments, all the time.

Meanwhile, all I did was post impressions from a games academic in a thread about impressions and it got you all riled up for some reason. If you like the game, cool, good for you. If you want a circle jerk, go hang in the OT.

Heh people discussion a game in OT both good and bad is a circle jerk now?

 

[ZoddGutts]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQC4wy4MAJ8&ab_channel=Paralleled

 

[niahbvgpq]

Bogost will always be right

 

[SolidChamp]

I'm quite sure of what I want and this doesn't sound like it.

This is what's fair. This is where I go "totally awesome! You know what you want. You don't fault the game for not being what you want, you just acknowledge that "Hey, I'm not gonna gel with this thing. I won't enjoy it because of X, Y, and Z." This separates you from a lot of other people in this thread.

Out of curiosity, what is "the point" to you?

Mainly I think it's the sense of scope and awe I've been getting from it. I've never really played a "survival-styled" game, in the traditional sense. So perhaps those mechanics aren't wearing on me because I'm relatively new to the genre and I'm also perfectly fine with inventory management. I'm the guy in games like Dying Light or Diablo who gets left behind because he's too busy putzing around with his shit. Lol

I've also never played a space exploration "sim", as it were. Never been a PC gamer so I've never had access to a solid experience. I'm a sci-fi fan, grew up on Star Trek TNG, and just love the idea of exploring the vastness of space. This game gives me that experience.

It's what I imagined NMS would be when it was announced. I kept my expectations firmly in check and didn't ask for anything more than what was shown, and I feel like they've delivered on that. Yes I'm managing my inventory, but that always feels like a small part of it and the reward is in utilizing my inventory to keep me exploring. It certainly doesn't feel like an inventory management sim, if there is such a thing.

They've delivered on the point of sending you out into space to get lost and truly feel that sense of wonderment and mystery.

If that qualifies as me joining the "circle jerk", then maybe I should get out of the "haters thread" and into the "circle jerk thread".

 

[Ollie Pooch]

This is quite accurate. The best part so far is the moment you get in your ship and discover that there is actually intelligent life out there, that there are bigger ships, and you can eventually get some pretty cool shit. And the lore is pretty neat IMO.

But the inventory full thing while I'm stuck on a planet and looking for plutonium so I can get off the planetis infuriating and not fun.

I don't mind the constant systems management thing or the crafting or even the hunting for resources. But pairing all that with a very limited inventory just makes it so miserable. Because what they're asking you to do is remove / destroy stuff that you probably just spent 30 min looking for on one planet but can't fun on this one to make room for something else.

I am enjoying this game a lot. It's beautiful and engrossing and distracting but this criticism is real folks. It will turn off most people after about 4-5 hours. Book it.

Yep - the balance is just not quite right at the start inventory wise. I am sort of 'getting it' a bit more now - I need to focus more on planets that have abundant resources (for example I skipped past one full of gold, because I'm an idiot) and focus on getting some cash.

An example of the inventory thing - I found some rare artifact that was worth pretty good cash. Then suddenly, I found a crashed ship! It was an improvement on mine but needed repairs on every element, requiring a stack of resources. Long story short, I ended up having to trash the artifact and some other valuables just to free up space to create some random items to repair it (these don't stack, by the way - 3 'carbide sheets' or whatever will take up 3 slots, unlike materials, so even if you need to create them to build another, single item, you still need FOUR slots free), basically ruining the spoils of my exploration and slashing my profits in the process. Irritating.

There's no 'chests' or inventory storage items, so you're stuck with your dude and your ship for slots. It's quite nonsensical at times, IMO. A Minecraft or Monster Hunter style (hell, any style) inventory system would probably be a marked improvement.

It's still fun, compelling and has its claws in me but I think I was approaching it the wrong way. It's absolutely not a game for everyone. In fact I think the marketing was a bit off the mark in terms of how it's been presented.

 

[Turin Turambar]

You see, if you are a player and name a species, and later a friend of yours reach that planet and see the named species.... in a way you are playing together. Kinda.

 

[Cyrano]

Mainly I think it's the sense of scope and awe I've been getting from it. I've never really played a "survival-styled" game, in the traditional sense. So perhaps those mechanics aren't wearing on me because I'm relatively new to the genre and I'm also perfectly fine with inventory management. I'm the guy in games like Dying Light or Diablo who gets left behind because he's too busy putzing around with his shit. Lol

I've also never played a space exploration "sim", as it were. Never been a PC gamer so I've never had access to a solid experience. I'm a sci-fi fan, grew up on Star Trek TNG, and just love the idea of exploring the vastness of space. This game gives me that experience.

It's what I imagined NMS would be when it was announced. I kept my expectations firmly in check and didn't ask for anything more than what was shown, and I feel like they've delivered on that.

They've delivered on the point of sending you out into space to get lost and truly feel that sense of wonderment and mystery.

I mean, EVE Online does similar things initially. It's vast, huge and has lots of ground to cover. The difference I guess is that it's ruthless and pretty much entirely an inventory management sim (the stories are what got me into it initially, but the lack of a story is also what caused me to leave it behind). Diablo's inventory management is a big reason I stopped playing it. I got tired of trying to fit all these squares in just the right amount and order to make me as efficient as possible, realizing that I don't want to play games to be efficient. I played Dying Light (didn't finish) but I don't really remember much about it, which probably says how much I cared for it.

I also grew up on Star Trek, but feel that the show isn't about exploring the vastness of space nearly so much as it is about moral dilemmas and how best to handle them in a post-survivalist world. There aren't many shows that are about exploration that aren't also romanticized action-adventures, because pure exploration is actually pretty boring without a goal in mind--though in archaeological terms, what is exciting about this kind of exploration is the process more than the discoveries. At the same time, this game is about the process not of exploration, but of construction through item management. Seemingly about building your ideal space-travel rather than space-travel itself. So it's a contradiction, a game of space-Minecraft packaged as a Firewatch or LSD or Everybody's Gone to the Rapture.

 

[cordy]

....................

Sounds like this is the perfect podcast game. Usually I put on Overwatch, GTAV, SFV or Destiny to get my fill out of a game when I listen to podcasts but this sounds like it was built for it. I don't know about most but I've mostly stayed away from everything regarding how it plays. All I know is that you can go to planets, learn languages, mine, craft, avoid creatures and just travel to planet after planet. That's all I know so whatever else extra happens is a plus to me.

Can't wait until I get it.

 

[Klyka]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQC4wy4MAJ8&ab_channel=Paralleled

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AE0nuW-mQ8A

 

[SolidChamp]

I also grew up on Star Trek, but feel that the show isn't about exploring the vastness of space nearly so much as it is about moral dilemmas and how best to handle them in a post-survivalist world. There aren't many shows that are about exploration that aren't also romanticized action-adventures, because pure exploration is actually pretty boring without a goal in mind--though in archaeological terms, what is exciting about this kind of exploration is the process more than the discoveries. At the same time, this game is about the process not of exploration, but of construction through item management. Seemingly about building your ideal space-travel rather than space-travel itself. So it's a contradiction, a game of space-Minecraft packaged as a Firewatch or LSD or Everybody's Gone to the Rapture.

I agree with you about Star Trek (but exploring space is ALSO a big part of that), but I couldn't disagree more about your comparisons to Firewatch, (not sure what LSD is), Minecraft (it is NOTHING like Minecraft), or EGttR.

I've played those (save for LSD, cause I don't know what it is), and I've gotten none of those comparisons coming to mind.

I'd suggest you at least try NMS (in a way where you don't end up buying it; a friend's copy, maybe?) before going so far out on that limb and comparing it to those games.

 

[MindGamingMantis]

I would say after a good few hours playing that it's barely about 'exploration' at all - the inventory management is actually quite punishing (read : tedious) and you'll spend much of your time mining resources, being attacked by flying robots and then hiding until they go away, rinse repeat.

I've had a few upgrades to make things smoother, but the inventory thing is really souring me on the experience, after an excellent first impression. The atmosphere is really great but every few seconds something is failing/needs recharging/deteriorating and you're off to find the next materials. IMO it's all rather joyless and clinical for something about the wonders of space exploration when I keep banging up against that wall but I'm hoping it opens up a bit more soon, or at the very least lets me collect a reasonable amount of materials before screaming 'INVENTORY FULL!' at me.

I completely disagree with the Animal Crossing comparison earlier - this is like Animal Crossing if that had you dying of starvation every few minutes.

Oh, and having your ship's engine/booster/shield which are ALL required items take up an inventory space each is completely absurd.

Exactly. I'm done with this game until they figure out a solution for inventory management. Aka minecraft in space chests.

 

[spekkeh]

Just bought it. Then I read Bogost's post and I very much agree with his 'smug condescension' of busywork as a substitute for gameplay. Damnit, lol. Oh well, time to make up my own mind.

 

[spekkeh]

In fact, if you'd played A Slow Year (one of his games), the concept that he'd be somebody who cares only about instant gratification would be instantly silly.

Though he could also have played CowClicker .
(which was a satiric game before blowing up, much to his own horror, lol)