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StarMade

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StarMade
File:StarMade Alpha Logo.png
Official StarMade logo
Developer(s)Schine
Publisher(s)Schine
Designer(s)Robin Promesberger
Artist(s)Keaton Pursell
Platform(s)Windows, Macintosh, Linux
ReleaseAlpha: February 28, 2012; Final: TBA
Genre(s)Open space, Sandbox, Space flight simulator game
Mode(s)Singleplayer, multiplayer

StarMade is an open-universe space simulation sandbox game in development by Schine for Windows, Macintosh and Linux. StarMade is currently in alpha and is free to play.[1]

Gameplay

File:StarMade Gameplay-1.png
A player created ship docked at one of the randomly spawned shops.

In StarMade, the player (Astronaut) explores an endlessly generated voxel world, in a player created spacecraft. This world contains randomly generated asteroids, shops, spaceships and planets. Each Planet is randomly generated with a planet biome, there are several planet types which include Terran, Ice, Desert, Alien and Red Planets.[2] Players can customise their ships with thrusters, to increase speed to fly around the universe more efficiently.

Players can create multiple ships with a ship core. They can then proceed to customise their ship in the game's ship build mode, or add materials in player mode, outside the ship. Ships can be customised with a variety of materials to enhance performance, add new features or create combat/defense systems. The universe is populated with other astronauts and ships such as Pirates, which can be killed to salvage materials from their destroyed ships. Pirates are hostile entities which will usually attack on sight if ships are equipped with a weapon system, salvage ships are less likely to provoke Pirates. There are a variety of weapon systems, such as missiles, beams and lasers which all require a different weapon CPU type which will be determined on the model.

Crafting is present in the game which is called Manufacturing, players can craft parts with factories. Each factory has its own inventory and specific list of items that only those blocks can manufacture. Factories are required to be powered in order to manufacture other parts. Once a factory has been powered, players can put the ingredients in the right factory block, and it will start producing whatever it is programmed to produce with an interval of roughly 5 seconds.[3] Players can collect materials to craft all over the universe.

Sandbox

File:StarMade Crafting-1.gif
Manufacturing a Greyhole in a particle press, the 5 second cycle is shown.[4]

Sandbox on StarMade is the primary playing mode, used for singleplayer mode. In this mode, players have to gather natural resources (such as ore, stone, etc.) or salvage ships and shipyards found throughout the universe in order to craft certain parts and items using the manufacturing feature. The mode also features a health bar which is depleted by attacks from pirates, astronauts and eventually being exposed to space outside a ship for too long. Players also have a Power Bar, which is used to display the power of the ship you are piloting. Power is necessary for any technology and can be generated from power generators. There are a wide variety of items and parts that players can craft/manufacture in 'StarMade'. Players can manufacture by purchasing a factory block at a store. The Factory Block acts as the basic generic crafting table. In order to craft items, players place the ingredients in the inventory of the factory and all possible recipes will start to execute on result each in an interval of around 3 seconds. The Factory Block can be used to manufacture more advanced crafting blocks as well. By acquiring better resources, players can craft more effective parts. For example The Schemadyne Advanced can be used to craft more advanced factories which are used for other recipes that neither the Particle Press not the Schemadyne Advanced is able to achieve.[5] Players may also buy parts and recipes in the randomly spawned shops with the credits currency.[6] The game has an inventory system and players are limited to the different number of items they can carry. Upon dying, the player will lose a portion of their credits as long as spawn protection isn't active, and players respawn at their current spawn point, a shop which is set by default where players begin the game, but can be reset if a player sets their spawn point with a Plex Undeathinator.[7]

Multiplayer

File:StarMade Multiplayer.png
Players can play with other users in real time, through servers.[8]

Multiplayer on StarMade is available through player-hosted servers and enables multiple players to interact and communicate with each other on a single universe. Players can run their own servers or use a hosting provider, such as the official StarMade host SMProHosting. StarMade multiplayer servers are guided by server admins, who have access to server commands such as spawning items, warping players and ships around. Admins can also set up restrictions concerning which usernames or IP addresses are allowed to enter the server. Multiplayer servers offer players a wide range of activities, with some servers having their own unique rules and customs.

Development

System requirements
Requirements
Java[9]
CPU Core2Duo 2.0 GHZ
Memory 2 GB of RAM
Graphics hardware Intel 4000 or equivalent (has to support a minimum of OpenGL 2.1)
Network Internet connection required for online multiplayer

Robin Promesberger announced he had begun development of StarMade around 2010, describing it as a "minecraft inspired 3D sandbox space shooter.” The game was primarily inspired by the feel of Minecraft and various space themed tv shows.[10] Promesberger has been developing the engine behind StarMade for almost a decade.[11] In mid 2012 Kevin "Beetlebear" Collins joined StarMade and helped redesigned the textures of the game,[12] until he later decided to leave development on the 15th September 2013 due to a disagreement in his share of the game's revenue with Promesberger.[13] On the 2nd of November 2013, it was announced that Keaton Pursell would be working on 3D Models for the game. [14]

On the 24th July 2013, StarMade was greenlit by the community. This means that StarMade will be available in the Steam Store.[15]

See also

References

  1. ^ "StarMade". StarMade Wiki. Retrieved September 7, 2013.
  2. ^ "Planets". StarMade Wiki. Retrieved September 7, 2013.
  3. ^ "Crafting". StarMade Wiki. Retrieved September 7, 2013.
  4. ^ "StarMade - Crafting Tutorial (Factories / Manufacturing Guide)". EightCraft. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  5. ^ "Tutorials/Factory Guide". StarMade Wiki. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  6. ^ "Shop". StarMade Wiki. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  7. ^ "Tutorials/Beginner's Guide". StarMade Wiki. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  8. ^ "StarMade Ep 1 - Starward Bound". YogsCast Lewis & Simon. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  9. ^ "Minimum System Requirement". Retrieved November 17, 2013.
  10. ^ "StarMade Homepage". StarMade. Retrieved September 7, 2013.
  11. ^ "Robin Promesberger". StarMade Wiki. Retrieved September 7, 2013.
  12. ^ "Kevin Collins". StarMade. Retrieved September 7, 2013.
  13. ^ "Beetlebear controversy". Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  14. ^ "Game Artist". StarMade News. Retrieved December 9, 2013.
  15. ^ "Steam Greenlight". StarMade Wiki. Retrieved September 7, 2013.
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