Kotaku
What exactly is The Blackstar Chronicles? Blackstar is a futuristic massively-multiplayer game that features both ground -based character combat as well as space-based ship combat on a massive scale. The developers at Spacetime Studios say it's based on the single-player traditions of "Wing Commander" and the multiplayer feel of "Descent." Lofty goals, but when your team is packed with Wing Commander and Privateer veterans you've got a good shot at getting it right. The IP fell into a bit of trouble after a 2006 publishing agreement with NCsoft fell through earlier this year, but the team at Spacetime has just announced that they've acquired the rights from NCsoft to soldier on, and that's a damn good thing. I would have hated to discover that the amazing character designs seen above and at their official website were never going to come to fruition. This is exactly the type of game I've been craving since the disappointment that was EA's Earth and Beyond.
Spacetime Studios Acquires Blackstar IP from NCsoft®Blackstar is a highly stylized science-fantasy universe from developers of Wing Commander, Privateer, and Star Wars: Galaxies
AUSTIN, Texas - May 8, 2008 - Spacetime Studios, LLC announced today it has acquired the rights to the Blackstar IP from its previous publisher NCsoft. Spacetime Studios, an independent game development studio made up of industry veterans, now fully owns all the tools, technology and intellectual property from their previous publishing deal.
Set in the far future, Blackstar is a fresh universe full of wildly original space fighters, horrifying demonic enemies and epic drama. "The IP lends itself to almost any kind of gameplay that one could ask for, and was specifically designed to be a long-term franchise," said Cinco Barnes, creative director and co-founder of Spacetime Studios. "It's a nice sweet spot when you own all the puzzle pieces and we now have extraordinary flexibility in where to take the game universe next."
"After two years of development, the Blackstar universe is quite near and dear to our hearts" said Gary Gattis, executive producer and co-founder of Spacetime Studios. "Owning the IP as well as the engine and tool set puts a tremendous amount of potential in our hands. With all the developed components under the Spacetime team's control, the options for the IP are diversified."
The new "Blackstar Chronicles" development underway is a space fantasy combat game based on the single-player traditions of "Wing Commander" and the multiplayer feel of "Descent." "The Blackstar Chronicles is a very powerful product," said Jake Rodgers, art director and co-founder of Spacetime Studios. "The Blackstar universe has the potential to be something special and it's great that we are able to bring the IP to fruition."
Download a PDF about the IP at http://www.spacetimestudios.com/downloads/brochure_LoRes.pdf
More information about the studio can be found at http://www.spacetimestudios.com.
Comments
Sounds completely delicious. Can't wait. :D
:o~~
Apologies for doublepost but.. Man i've been jonesing for a Wing Commander/Privateer/Freelancer style MMO game with good core deathmatch dynamics for a while - i just hope to god that it reaches consoles.
Wow, an MMO that I would actually play?
This sounds pretty cool, and the space combat looks pretty sweet.
looks like shin megamit tensei characters
mass effect... the anime!
@exkon: I abhor MMO's but this I'd play without a doubt.
If it works out, this is everything I want from an MMO!
Air Rivals is a pretty good alternative until this lands. Well, I reckon so, anyway.
Looks great, though.
Looks very very nice.
And the included PDF states that their codebase is currently running on Windows, Linux, and Mac.
Maybe the perfect Sci-Fi MMO? Allowing players to play on foot and in a ship is a pretty nice feature. It will let the players decide what they want to focus on.
I, for one, will rarely be seen out of my ship :D
Hexadecimal? Is that you?
Woah.. That's what I was hoping for when I tried EVE - Hope they revive the old Wing Commander feeling.
Earth and Beyond wasn't a disaster until EA decided they wanted to focus attention elsewhere, and stopped improving the game.
If they had done some more marketing, fixed some of the critical server issues, and actually gave a crap, E&B would probably still be going today.
I had more fun with E&B than I ever did with any other MMO. It's a shame EA had to ruin it.
@tsukihimeblood: You're right. The one on the right kinda looks like a Persona.
@lonecow12: Looks a bit like her. Less evil though.
What's up with that guys forehead?
Humm... interesting. Also theres other games that give that feel:
- "ArchRivals": interesting flyiing koreangrinder
- Infinite Space or something.. I forgot the name. A HL2 mod with space combat.
- "Continuum": but this one is 2d.
- "Galactic Combat", a StarWars mod for BF1942. A rival of Desert Strike, but there was not continuation on BF2, BF42... so is dead now, I guest.
OMG this sounds great... and they're right here in Austin? Wewt
I'm really excited about this. I need a new action fighting game and EVE was such a disappointment. Earth and beyond was also a disappointment, but I actually really got into the game and played it for over a year before quitting.
This seems to sound a little like Jumpgate and Vendetta Online. Those two don't have huge publishers funding their development though. VO especially has great potential but just doesn't have the install base to intrigue me enough.
@mitsoxfan:
I couldn't agree more. I've played a healthy selection of MMO's from all over, and E&B was just pure fun. It suffered from a lack of updates and it just generally felt like EA left it hanging because it wasn't a mega-hit right out of the gate.
NCsoft are fools for dropping this... they could really use something to liven up the snorefest that's their current MMO lineup.
That is some cool character design.
I think we're about to get our space combat simulations back. Who would have thought the genre would find its resurgence in the MMO space. I suppose its because traveling space by yourself is okay, but doing it and knowing that others are taking the journey with you( and you can blast them into vapor) makes it more compelling.
Awww, I got all pumped because I saw that second picture and for a second I thought it was Asuka and we were getting a next-gen Evangelion game...Then reality came back.
@StopTheOncoming:
Maybe I am not seeing a second pic but what about this looks like Asuka in any way?
This is what PSU SHOULD have looked and played like.
Do want.
bah, NCsoft should have held on to this, though i can see why this and Tabula Rasa might butt heads a bit, seeing as Tabula Rasa is basically the same idea, minues spacheships. damn damn damn.
Wow those character illustrations are beautiful. I wish i had that mastery of painting in photoshop. Amazing work.
@B-Minus:
No kidding! I could give less of a poo about another Wing Commander/Privateer knockoff, but those character designs are fantastic.
If NCSoft spent a third of the time and resources on one MMO as they do on their 1 million +, we may have had a game that could rival WoW.
@lonecow12:
It doesn't just a quick glance and I saw blue hair. I had just watched EoE and I guess I just had it on the mind.
I really like those character designs, I think they would work in an MMO very well, assuming they're all different classes.
Awesome. I guess NCSoft was a little gunshy to fund another Scifi game after Tabula Rasa.
@lonecow12: Exactly. Watch her change faces!
Earth and Beyond was my first MMO experience cause I wanted that freelancer epic. But it awsn't exactly fun.
After I played WoW for 2 years I wished E&B was still around(aka good). I really hope this lives up to it's claims.
@Nadams1229:
"Butt heads"?
Wasn't Tabula Rasa somewhat of a failure with a small-to-mediocre subscriberbase?
Damn i hope this will open a can of awesome. Maybe i'll start playing MMOs.
This game looks positively delicious. Color me EXTREMELY INTERESTED.
Holy hell this looks pretty. And just when I thought I was out of MMOs for good... -_-
Isnt Hyung Tae Kim working there now? That looks like his artwork
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