next »

[Farbs]

[LNK: CAPTAIN FOREVER.HTM]

So this is a bit weird. Captain Forever isn't free... yet. In a couple of months I'll finish a supporter-only version and the current version will be set free to rampage across the net. Until then I can only really get feedback from registered supporters ($15 USD now, $20 when the next version launches). So why am I posting in feedback? I want feedback!

Even if people can't play the game, I'd really like to hear their thoughts on the extraneous materials - the screenshots, the videos, and the website. Does the game fiction make sense? Does the trailer make you nauseous? I want to know! Of course I'd really appreciate feedback from registered supporters too, on the game, the billing system, the user authentication... everything! Also I've never released a game without writing about it here, and the prospect of doing so made me feel sad.

Links:
http://www.captainforever.com/ - Game site, written from the perspective of an ingame character


- Teaser


- Prelaunch trailer
http://www.farbs.org/ - Dev blog


UPDATE:
Now Captain Forever is free. Go check it out!

[Aquin]

At first I didn't know the score, but now I think I got a handle on what you got going on.  I gotta admit, I probably won't buy it without playing it.  However, I'll gladly drop $20 on the full release if the public version kicks ass.

And I honestly suspect you need not worry about that!   

[Farbs]

Thanks Aquin

The prelaunch is mostly a way for me to test that the user and billing systems work, so it's more about the than the . I expect most people will wait for the full launch before thinking about supporting it, which is fair enough.

[Farmergnome]

My brain exploded in a bad way watching that mashed together trailer in 15 seconds, but the other one how I saw the ship connecty bits all join up and fly around and shit getting shot looked realy hot.

Keep up the good work farbs! 

[aeiowu]

you guys should totally buy this right now. it's a sure thing.

[ElijahKatz]

This game has a really cool idea that I don't think has been done successfully before...
If the free version is fun I'll buy the full version...
Because I don't have enough cash on hand to buy stuff that I'm not 100% sure is great...
Though this looks like it might be 

[Alex May]

you guys should totally buy this right now. it's a sure thing.

agreed.

[mark]

I feel so weak, I bought it within 12 hours of seeing it for the first time.

Really enjoying it, it's even fun dying sometimes, I'd post a screenshot of the giant white ship that got my all purple ship in the end but I am not sure I can...

Am I allowed to share?

I like the site, the setup is nice and the design is very space invaders esk, which is awesome.

I am very glad I bought it, it is unique and it always feels nice to support an indie project.

you guys should totally buy this right now. it's a sure thing.

agreed.

x3

[Farbs]

Hey mark, I'm glad you like it.

Sharing isn't just permitted, it's encouraged. In fact, it's a feature! Hit X while playing to bring up the export menu. You can export your ship to the clipboard as html, text or forum code. This includes a link which other players (currently only supporters) can use to fly your vessel

[mark]

             
             
    /---\   
    | @ |   
    |---|   
             
             
Pilot this vessel

Uuh this is neat.

[increpare]

                                     
                                     
          |   |   |   |   |         
          v   +   +   +   v         
        ------- /---\ -------       
      -+|      =| @ |=      |+-     
        ------- |---| -------       
          ^   ^   ^   ^   ^         
                                     
                                     
                                     
Pilot this vessel

[undertech]

mmm, I love Courier in games! Everything looks pretty good, although I would still like some more info on what the various different pieces do besides the ones that shoot straight.

[Lord Tim]

Pretty awesome game, but do you know what would be really cool? Having some "base" module that is frozen in space, and you can build on it without it moving around. That way, you can go out and collect parts to bring back and add to the base, and then have somewhere you can design your ship in peace, without being constantly attacked.

[increpare]

                                     
                                     
          |   |   |   |   |         
          +   +   +   +   +         
        ------- /---\ -------       
      -+|      =| @ |=      |+-     
        ------- |---| -------       
          ^       ^       ^         
                                     
                                     
                                     
Pilot this vessel

yay :D

[policedanceclub]

Bought it.
Great game
thanks for making it!

[Steve Swink]

you guys should totally buy this right now. it's a sure thing.

agreed.

x3

No joke, people. It's what I wanted from Spore: construction that is meaningful to real time skill-based gameplay and can't be cheated or gamed. 

...I've played more Captain Forever than any other game this year. My early pick for game of the year 2009.

[___]

Yeah I've probably played captain forever for like 200 hours since the first beta.

[mark]

No joke, people. It's what I wanted from Spore: construction that is meaningful to real time skill-based gameplay and can't be cheated or gamed. 

Wasn't joking.

I think comparing this to early versions of Spore isn't a bad thing at all, it's probably even kinda true (it's more the swimming levels of Spore, but still...)

This game is going to be interesting to follow and play, hopefully it'll not turn into Spore (abandon/most pirated game in the universe).


I just tried it on my laptop, I must say, even at medium quality it runs smoothly and this is a 4 years old laptop.

                            
                            
              |             
              +             
      |     |---|     |     
      +      | |      +     
    |---| | |---| | |---|   
    |   | + |   | + |   |   
    |   |---|   |---|   |   
     | | | | | | | | | |    
    --- --- /---\ --- ---   
    |  =|  =| @ |=  |=  |   
    --- --- |---| --- ---   
      ^   v  | |  v   ^     
    ------- |   | -------   
    |      =|   |=      |   
    ------- |---| -------   
      ^   ^  | |  ^   ^     
    ------- |   | -------   
    |      =|   |=      |   
    ------- |---| -------   
                            
                            
Pilot this vessel

                             
                             
      |   |   |   |   |     
      +   +   +   +   +     
    |---|---|---|---|---|   
    |   |   |   |   |   |   
    |   |   |   |   |   |   
     | | | | | | | | | |     
    ------- /---\ -------   
    |      =| @ |=      |   
    ------- |---| -------   
      ^   v  | |  v   ^     
    ------- |   | -------   
    |      =|   |=      |   
    ------- |---| -------   
      ^   ^  | |  ^   ^     
    ------- |   | -------   
    |      =|   |=      |   
    ------- |---| -------   
      ^   ^   +   ^   ^     
              |             
                             
                             
Pilot this vessel

[grapefrukt]

I just took the leap last night and paid. I have two small tidbits of feedback so far:

* The confirmation email is in all caps, while this is in keeping with the style of the game my spam filter was not amused. It may be something to consider.

* The game keeps wanting to access my camera and microphone. Why?

[mark]

* The game keeps wanting to access my camera and microphone. Why?

Farbs said:
" There is a reason, but it’s debatable whether or not you’d consider it a _good_ reason
If you allow webcam access (and have a webcam, and have it selected as the flash camera device in the flash settings panel, and it’s pointing at your face) then you’ll see your own face reflected in the screen glare, rather than the default pilot face. It’s quite affecting to see your own grinning visage reflect the bright glare of an innocent trader’s demise."