Interstellar Marines
Encyclopedia
Interstellar Marines is an in-development science fiction
first-person shooter
videogame being developed by independent studio Zero Point Software. It is a planned trilogy set in the future where first contact between humans and another sentient species is occurring. The game is using a new marketing method being called AAA Indie which aims to be free from the constraints of large publishers but offer a high quality game that can compete with titles produced for major publishers. Funds are received by personal finance and the gaming Community.
where the player is guided by an artificial intelligence
in order to complete graded objectives. More powerful weapons are unlocked as the player progresses. The Running Man pits players against android training machines which attack in waves, unlike the previous demos this allows players to move around and experience combat gameplay. The next demo, a multiplayer version of the game called Deadlock, is expected to release soon.
, PlayStation 3
and Windows platforms, with the game being built using Epic Games
' Unreal Engine
software. Currently IM is being developed using the Unity (game engine)
. The game is being funded by players pre-ordering, removing the need for publisher backing whilst attempting to produce a game of higher quality than is typically released by independent developers
. A system that zero point has named AAA Indie. At this point only the PC version is guaranteed although the game also works on the Mac OS X at this time when played with supported browsers.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
first-person shooter
First-person shooter
First-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other...
videogame being developed by independent studio Zero Point Software. It is a planned trilogy set in the future where first contact between humans and another sentient species is occurring. The game is using a new marketing method being called AAA Indie which aims to be free from the constraints of large publishers but offer a high quality game that can compete with titles produced for major publishers. Funds are received by personal finance and the gaming Community.
Features
At release Interstellar Marines is set to feature:- A full campaign (up to 4 player co-op)
- Captivating storyline with heavy focus on realism
- Custom game modes featuring arcade, RPG, and Tactical elements
- Advanced weapons simulation
- Randomized and non-linear gameplay
- Live voice layering depending on the players state and location
- Advanced audio mapping and occlusion
Gameplay
Character movements and interactions are more detailed than most existing first person shooter games. The developer of the game, Zero Point Software, has published a video called "Will You Believe", and in this video the game's concept is explained. While the production of the game takes place the developers are allowing registered users to play preview games before the release, organized by chapters. So far 3 chapters are available, and all 3 chapters are played directly through the user's web browser.http://www.interstellarmarines.com/game/Demos
Zero point software has released playable demos in order to demonstrate how development is progressing. Six demos are planned for release before the first title in the trilogy is finished. The Vault is an in-game showroom of some of the main characters and equipment that will be found in the game. The user is free to roam around the vault's rooms and find details on the game's factions and setting. Bullseye is a shooting range minigameMinigame
A minigame is a short video game often contained within another video game. A minigame is always smaller or more simplistic than the game in which it is contained. Minigames are sometimes also offered separately for free to promote the main game...
where the player is guided by an artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
in order to complete graded objectives. More powerful weapons are unlocked as the player progresses. The Running Man pits players against android training machines which attack in waves, unlike the previous demos this allows players to move around and experience combat gameplay. The next demo, a multiplayer version of the game called Deadlock, is expected to release soon.
Development
Interstellar Marines had a working title of Project IM and development began in May 2005. It was announced in November 2005 and was described by the developers as "an AAA, FPS, sci-fi, action and adventure game.." It was planned for release on the Xbox 360Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and Windows platforms, with the game being built using Epic Games
Epic Games
Epic Games, Inc., also known as Epic and formerly Epic MegaGames, is an American video game development company based in Cary, North Carolina. Its most recent success has been the Gears of War series of games, although it is also known for its Unreal Engine technology. It is the parent company of...
' Unreal Engine
Unreal Engine
The Unreal Engine is a game engine developed by Epic Games, first illustrated in the 1998 first-person shooter game Unreal. Although primarily developed for first-person shooters, it has been successfully used in a variety of other genres, including stealth, MMORPGs and RPGs...
software. Currently IM is being developed using the Unity (game engine)
Unity (game engine)
Unity is an integrated authoring tool for creating 3D video games or other interactive content such as architectural visualizations or real-time 3D animations. Unity's development environment runs on Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X, and the games it produces can be run on Windows, Mac, Xbox 360,...
. The game is being funded by players pre-ordering, removing the need for publisher backing whilst attempting to produce a game of higher quality than is typically released by independent developers
Independent video game development
Independent video game development is the process of creating video games without the financial support of a video game publisher. While large firms can create independent games, they are usually designed by an individual or a small team of as many as ten people, depending on the complexity of the...
. A system that zero point has named AAA Indie. At this point only the PC version is guaranteed although the game also works on the Mac OS X at this time when played with supported browsers.
External links
- Official Web site
- Official Forums
- Prototype/preview descriptions - Official Web site
- YouTube commentary and Deadlock reference on Zero Point Software's YouTube Channel