Jumpgate Evolution full ship type details plus new screenshots
by Kyle Horner 
Apr 21st 2009 at 3:00PM
Filed under: Sci-fi, Jumpgate Evolution, New titles, News items
We're talking Combat Fighters, Advanced Fighters, Support Gunboats, Combat Gunboats, Runners and Freighters. If all that information isn't enough, the press release also lays out the advancement paths of each ship type. The new screens are also pretty mindblowingly awesome, as well. While we're fairly certain that the world "mindblowingly" isn't actually word, for lack of a better thing to say, that will have to do.
So what are you waiting for? Check it out and join us in salivating over what's looking to be one amazing space shooter MMO.
Spacecraft
A wide variety of single-pilot combat and utility ships ply the spacelanes of the Skein. Though all ships can be categorized as light combat, heavy combat, or commercial vessels, there is still considerable variance within each functional role. For example, a patrol fighter produced and operated by a division of the Zelcane Trust may have different characteristics from other patrol fighters operated by the Octavian Imperial Navy. Individual ships within any class can be customized by their pilots, to emphasize a strength of the class, or to mitigate a perceived weakness.
Combat Spacecraft
Combat Spacecraft range from trainers and combat fighters used in the Core Sectors, to advance fighters and gunboats capable of devastating attacks on Capital Ships. These spacecraft are heavily armed when compared with civil and commercial vessels, but the various ship classes differ in qualities such as speed, maneuverability, weapons load out, and defenses. Each national navy also possesses its own design tendencies, and even factions and corporations may field their own unique military spacecraft to protect their interests or territory.
Trainers
The first ship any rookie pilot gains experience with is a Trainer vessel. . Universally, trainers are inexpensive light-duty utility ships meant for use by inexperienced pilots. They can mount light weaponry and minimal extra equipment. Although relatively slow, they tend to possess outstanding handling characteristics, making them the ideal spacecraft for teaching a trainee the ropes.
Specialty: Light-duty combat and transport
Fighters
Combat Fighters
The standard ship-to-ship combatants throughout the Skein, combat fighters range from light paramilitary patrol craft used in the Core sectors, to the highly capable convoy escort fighters used by corporations to guard their commercial vessels. Armor tends to be light, but these ships possess the speed, maneuverability, and firepower to destroy enemy combatants before they can achieve their goals. Each national navy possesses its own design tendencies, and even factions and corporations may field unique combat fighters to protect their interests or territory. Combat fighters are routinely used in both offensive and defensive roles.
Specialty: Ship-to-ship combat
Progression:
- Fighter
- Patrol Fighter
- Escort Fighter
Smaller, faster, and more maneuverable versions of the Combat Fighter class, Advance Fighters gain these traits in exchange for armament. They also carry ECM suites (Electronic Counter Measures) to further their defenses against hostile targets. The speeds these ships reach make them ideal for rapid intercept and no-contact reconnaissance roles, but they cannot survive in an engagement for long without support from heavier, front-line Combat Fighters. Advance Fighters are ideal for striking a tactical target and getting out before the enemy knows what hit them.
Specialty: Intercept and reconnaissance
Progression:
- Picket Fighter
- Scout Fighter
"The Gunboat is an extreme evolution of a Heavy Fighter, adapted to enforcement and strike mission roles because of their colossal damage output"
Combat Gunboats
These vessels are essentially heavy weapons platforms. Maneuverability suffers due to their heavy bulk and mass, but they more than make up for this with thick armor and impressive striking power. Combat Gunboats are usually fielded in order to unleash their heavy cannons and high-yield torpedoes against hostile capital ships. Properly escorted by lighter combatants, they pack an extremely formidable punch and are the backbone of any strike team.
Specialty: Strike and heavy combat
Progression:
- Gunboat
- Strike Gunboat
- Assault Gunboat
Take a heavy Gunboat platform and load it with ECM suites and combat support capabilities, and you have a Support Gunboat. These vessels are as ungainly as a Combat Gunboat, but possess heavy armor and shields that allow them to survive a pounding. While not a direct combatant, the Support Gunboat class can be outfitted with powerful radars and electronic warfare systems that allow them to identify enemy assets and scramble enemy attack capabilities over a wide area. Often used as a command ship, a Support Gunboat is an asset that dramatically increases the survivability of any combat wing fortunate enough to possess one.
Specialty: Electronic warfare and combat support
Progression:
- Recon Gunboat
- Escort Gunboat
The economy within the Skein is heavily dependent upon the movement and transaction of commodities and goods in space. Pilots can profit by moving commodities from where they are produced or manufactured to the marketplace that reaps the most profits.
To move commodities, non-combat ships are available for this purpose. These commercial spacecrafts can be divided into two broad categories: Runners and Freighters. Spaceflight can be dangerous, so although commercial ships emphasize cargo capacity, they all possess at least light armament and often substantial armor and shielding.
Runners
Possibly the most romantic ship class in known space, speedy cargo Runners are used as courier vessels, prospectors and light miners, local delivery ships, and of course, by pirates and smugglers. A light to moderate cargo capacity is balanced by the ability of the ship to meet its schedule ahead of time and usually under budget. Runners can mount mining gear and are also able to equip a light but respectable armament, and this combination makes them well-nigh irresistible to pilots operating on the fringes of local regulations, as well as those with places to go and entanglements to avoid.
Specialty: Mining and rapid cargo delivery
Progression:
- Cargo Runner
- Blockade Runner
Freighters are the backbone of commerce in the Skein. Slower and with more cargo capacity than Runners, these ships are typically outfitted for bulk cargo delivery or heavy mining roles supporting major industrial concerns. Ideal convoy vessels, Freighters are better armored than Runners, and are equally popular among independent pilot-contractors as well as with local and regional hauling firms.
Specialty: Heavy duty mining and commercial
Progression:
- Cargo Shuttle
- Freighter
- Heavy Freighter
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Calarius said on 3:31PM 4-21-2009
To borrow a quote, "I'll be in my bunk."
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Lemmo said on 3:43PM 4-21-2009
I should probably dig deeper into details before asking these questions, but do we get more than one ship? Do we swap ships at docks or whatnot?
If we only get one ship, I may go the Firefly route and just play a Runner the whole game.
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Shanks said on 4:17PM 4-21-2009
I found your answer on the official wiki.
http://jumpgateevo.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Spacecraft#Ship_hangars
Yes to multiple ships, although it's unknown what your hangar's maximum capacity will be.
rasb1 said on 4:02PM 4-21-2009
It's like Eve. You can own a number of ships but only control one at a time. This game reminds me of Earth and Beyond which was fun until EA closed shut it down! :-(
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Dab said on 4:56PM 4-21-2009
I wish it was like E&B, man I miss that game! So much potential.
However, although I am very interested in JGE, it looks to me like a more casual-friendly EVE with twitch-targeting. Which makes it, "meh" in my books.
Shanks said on 4:12PM 4-21-2009
I'm still wondering about how death will be handled. EVE's insurance scheme was, I thought, too cost prohibitive for casual players. Some variation on the corpse run seems likely. Die, respawn in front of a ship select screen at your nearest allied station, and fly back to the fight. That just feels appropriate for the arcade-like quality they're going for with the rest of the game.
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Kyle Horner said on 4:20PM 4-21-2009
From my discussions with the game's Producer, Hermann, I don't believe death will carry a hugely heavy penalty. At least not in PvE space.
IIntrude said on 5:10PM 4-21-2009
No mention of Capital ships being player owned and flown? Anyone know if you will be able to work your way up to a Battleship or Carrier?
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mysecretid said on 6:36PM 4-21-2009
I admit I haven't been keeping a close eye on JGE -- basically because I thought it was just EVE with twitch-based pew-pew -- but this article makes me think I'm going to have to try it out.
PvE content? Really?
That Runner class looks sweet, and those Support Gunboats would make Sharon "Athena" Agathon proud, no doubt.
I played and liked the original Jumpgate, but got bored when it became clear that PvP was the only truly significant way to play.
If JGE can throw PvE players some compelling conetent -- even though I know it's primarily a PvP game -- then I'll have to check it out.
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Ben Taylor said on 7:56PM 4-21-2009
Maybe they'll take an Allegiance based route into capital ships, with several players needed to man one effectively (different roles for pilot, turret gunners etc). They have mentionned capital ships in the ship list so I presume they will be present. And if present, they would surely be available for player control at some point.
I'm personally looking forward to this game. i gave EVE a go for 6 months, but it was just too slow and i never became a fan of the combat system. I'm looking forward to something with a more 'hands on' apporach to the piloting and fighting!
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Aeon said on 8:10PM 4-21-2009
Ben - you may find the following to be of interest:
http://jumpgateevo.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Capital_Ships
At best, multi-player ships will be an expansion pack later on in the life of Jumpgate Evolution. If they can't balance & tune it properly in time for release, you probably won't see it until later.
Jack said on 7:54PM 4-21-2009
Look pretty good I am in need for a good space combat game and was thinking to give eve a try but its too much pvp centered for me...
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Aeon said on 8:08PM 4-21-2009
The writeup is based on a pretty standard PDF, which went out to all the major press outlets. Gamezig posted it outright.
http://gamezig.com/downloads/jge_ship_categories_document.pdf
Essentially, they have compacted the top level classes, expanded the sub-classes, and allowed a wider variety of craft to support a mining hardpoint.
Cheers,
Aeo - JGEWiki.com
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NT_ said on 8:49PM 4-21-2009
@Kyle, great post. The rest of my comments are directed at the game devs/publishers.
I'm extremely sympathetic to VanHemlock's 3-month rule (and substantially more, in the case of certain games); however, I'm fear that I'm falling into the hype-hole on this game. Sounds like EVE-lite...which is *exactly* what I want, but the "school of hard-knocks" skepticism remains. Sure, you've provided pretty screenshots, impressive trailers, nice model descriptions, etc.: yeah, over the years, I've been suckered before, more than once.
Bring me evidence: real gameplay, NOT a teaser trailer or 30-sec exposition; show me an Alpha/Beta fight between real players with even-handed, honest, explanatory commentary. Show me how this game would engage an entry-level player but still envelope and maintain the continuing interest of more advanced players in complex, political PvP conflict that might, nonetheless, merge well with the talents of a dedicated crafter, who perhaps prefers a more indirect PvE role (not me, certainly).
More importantly, tell me how you're going to keep this game alive for years, with a healthy and profitable population of enthusiastic, involved players that genuinely enjoy being a part of the community.
If one is an adult, employed, competitive gamer, taking on a new MMO is very significant investment in time, research and effort. I suppose Peggle, to many people, has a low cost of entry, rewards which increase with the level of "complexity" and -- no argument here -- an incredible value considering that one pays once and plays forever. Personally, that's not enough for me, but neither do I wish to throw good money after bad. Will this game have the quality, stability, features and expanding content required to captivate an audience in today's market?
Answering, "Yes, of course", is not enough for this crowd, in my opinion.
Thanks.
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Dread said on 2:47AM 4-22-2009
So is this a real space combat sim or another gay arsed Eve click and dice roll crapfest?
The only screenies I saw where from about 6 months ago with that crappy console-esque camera angle from behind the space craft.
Is this a real cockpit and joystick space combat simulator or another pretender to the Wing Commander throne??
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warcabbit said on 7:24AM 4-22-2009
It certainly has a cockpit and joystick setting, which appears to be superior for combat. What I've seen from gameplay is that when doofing around, looking for targets, 3rd is better, then you switch to first when shooting people.
And every so often, 3rd for a bit more situational awareness while in combat, of course.
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mandrill said on 11:26AM 4-22-2009
Its WoW in space. An attempt to be all things to all people. It will not be hardcore enough to keep the inevitable EVE tourists, and without the no-holds-barred PvP of EVE, the economy will not be anywhere near as complex and engaging. Twitch gameplay is all very well but without the rest of the gameplay to back it up, it becomes just another grinding clone, albeit wearing different clothes.
Go on Netdevil, prove me wrong and accept my beta application (which you've had for months now).
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Slust said on 12:55PM 4-22-2009
So I had a chance at PAX last year to play the Alpha vertical slice of JGE, and let me tell you, this is the only game that could peel me from WoW for any length of time.
It's not EvE. It's Freelancer. It'll probably share a lot of similarities with EvE, but then again all ____ of ____ genre tend to do so too, but trust me. If you've played Freelancer, you'll take to JGE like a duck to water.
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jkjudgex said on 3:34PM 4-22-2009
Can't wait for this title... I hope it kills EVE. So done with that game. The only MMO where you can earn a billion ISK, and not have the skills to spend it for 6 months of real time.
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zenojin said on 10:26AM 5-04-2009
The lovers of this archetype will love this game. I have been following this game for quite some time and tried the first Jumpgate and the flight engine is far better than any other flight sim game's out there. The devs are well equipped to make this sequel as they worked on the first game and I love the approach at developing this game with the Vertical Slice Method and lots of focus testing. So what we get is top shelf and it already sports a finished feel while still in alpha. Check out the wiki http://jumpgateevo.wikia.com/wiki/Jumpgate_Evolution_Wiki
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