Black Prophecy Creative Director on state of the game
by James Egan 
Oct 13th 2009 at 8:00PM
Filed under: Sci-fi, Interviews, New titles, Black Prophecy
It's clear from the comments on our Black Prophecy posts that a number of Massively readers are looking forward to this latest sci-fi MMO from Reakktor Media. They've been releasing more info periodically but it seems Reakktor is still in stealth mode when it comes to any big reveals about the game, given they're in the process of finding a publisher. Still, they've been dropping more info about the title and the latest Black Prophecy interview we've come across is over at ZAM, with Creative Director Timo Krahl. The interview hits on some of what we've heard before about the game's lore written by Michael Marrak and the core game mechanics, but there's some new info there as well.
Specifically, the interview explains some of the technical efforts Reakktor has put into developing Black Prophecy. Timo comments to ZAM, "We are getting very close to our aspiration of providing a nearly cinematic game experience." If you're curious about what Reakktor hopes to deliver with that game experience, give the ZAM interview with Timo Krahl a read and check out the the new screenshots as well.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Anjohl said on 9:31PM 10-13-2009
I've been looking forward to this...a space MMO with REALTIME controls. How anybody plays that "Eve Online" with it's point and click controls is beyond me.
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mpdivo said on 12:03PM 10-14-2009
It's because Eve borrows alot from real life. When fighting a real ship, it's not a matter of how fast you can steer a course, it's number crunching and tactics (and the skill and training of your crew - the one thing Eve misses)
Anjohl said on 1:01PM 10-14-2009
Uuummmm, no?
You are obviously a fan of Eve, and that's fine, but don't use false analogies to try to back up YOUR interest in a flawed game.
In "real life" (whatever that means when dealing with space battles), someone MANUALLY controls ALL vehicles. Eve does NOT have manual control options. This is why BP and to a lesser extent Jumpgate Evolution offer promise, and will hopefully surpass EO.
ZerothAngel said on 1:48PM 10-14-2009
Catering to a different type of gamer does not a flaw make. It's all boils down to personal preference. Do you want to be a helmsman? Or do you want to be the captain? There's really no right or wrong answer -- some people will get more fun playing one over the other.
And there are a few who actually enjoy playing both. Yeah, I'm a fan of EVE (and I hope "that's fine" with you ;) but I'm also really looking forward to JGE and BP.
More space & sci-fi MMOs please!
GHudston said on 6:20PM 10-21-2009
In EVE you are the captain of a giant star ship (yes, even the smallest ships have a small crew). You are giving orders which are then carried out by the crew, hence the point and click interface. I play EVE because I like being the captain.
Black Prophecy gives you the opportunity to be the pilot. If you want dog fights in space rather than naval battles in space then this is most likely for you. They're totally different games and it isn't fair to compare them as though they were trying to achieve the same thing just because they have a similar setting.
I'll be playing both!
Brawler said on 11:07PM 10-13-2009
Things I'm digging and/or are making me extremely excited:
-Clan stations... AND they even get put their locations on a galactic map!!! omg 5000 batman! That's just nifty and cool.
-Modular ship parts: What they are talking about sounds a whole lot like Armored Core. Some engine parts will effect your maneuverability, which is kinda like weight in AC.
-The Real time controls, I'm going to have to go buy a joystick
-Exp. and level based learning
-The story seems interesting. I dig the whole "Science vs. Religion In Space!!!" story that they have going.
-Not trying to be Eve Online, which is nice.
-The Art style... it's dark but bright at the same time, not filled with browns and grays.
Thing I want:
-Giant ship combat with multiple characters controlling different functions of the ship, albeit maybe one person handles the turrets on one side of the ship, another steers, etc etc. This would be my number #1 ultra super dream come true.
-Micro transactions. I'm tired of paying monthly, it just makes me feel guilty when I take a break from a game for a week which is the opposite of how I want an MMO to function in my daily life. I don't need it to control my schedule and at this point, I actually prefer to pay for the bits and pieces that I want to pay for, i.e DDO.
-Fast way to get from one side of the universe to another. If I have to spend an hour making 30 jumps via stargates to get from one "reddish" themed space to a "blue-ish" theme space, I'll be extremily disappointed.
This and Jumpgate are incredibly interesting to watch. Both aren't going for that "real world whatever" focused based mmo that Eve is known for, yet they both still are tackling differing parts of game development in completely different ways. Good luck Reakktor with finding a publisher
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ben.woolston said on 8:04AM 10-14-2009
Hopefully this game doesn't take a crap all over itself like Neocron did. These guys at Reakktor have talent, but lack direction... so I really hope they have themselves together this time. I fear it turning into an Earth & Beyond type affair... and what a failure that game was. The MMO SciFi genre is represented by pretty much Eve Online alone, hopefully this game will step up to the plate and give us some variety...
*shrudders* Neocron............ *shudders*
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Anjohl said on 3:04PM 10-14-2009
Oh, dude, listen, I would LOVE to love Eve. Trust me, I have tried. Eve has around 90% of the things I have on my "MMO Dream Wishlist"...it's just that with the current control scheme, it just feels like a spreadsheet with a graphical interface.
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hermiz.dawood said on 8:51PM 10-19-2009
hey
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EVEMakesYouHard said on 7:55AM 10-19-2009
Those of you who belittle EveOnline...Grow some balls. Don't make up complaints about a game you 'Can't' play. If you lack the mental capacity or hand eye co-ordination necessary to point and click, HTFU...
On the subject of team based operation of a vehicle...It won't work. It works in FPS games because vehicles like the warthog in Halo have a temporary purpose. You use it to get from A - B. Then you get out and go about your business. The topics you people seem to be raging over appear to be modulation of ships and real time controls...
Oh and...about the whole Science Vs Religion thing that seemed so cool to you...
It's gay...as in Fail. We have enough of that BS on Earth, why do you want more of it in a game?
All you little prissy pansies can go play your "easy" game.
I'll go to nullsec and kill until I'm satisfied. These games will fail horribly...they will financially be successful...its very possible...but they will be fail. Because the only assholes who will play BP and JGE are Eve Rejects and WOW's more "sciency" crowd.
Have fun with that.
Sucks to be you. xD
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Descender said on 2:41PM 10-22-2009
See, it's comments like this that drive people from the fun game that is EVE Online. What you are failing to realize, my friend, is that there are different people with very different tastes in video games.
EVE Online itself is a wonderful game. It appeals to a lot of things I've always loved about Space-based games, including trading, mining, commanding a massive vessel outfitted in a crap-ton of weaponry. It's a lot of fun. But not everyone likes that. EVE Online is not the end-all-be-all of Science Fiction gaming, because it lacks something that I've been hungering for for a long time:
Personal control of a vessel in a fast-paced environment.
EVE doesn't cater to those players who are seeking combat that feels like a Space Fight Sim, such as Freespace 2, Freelancer, and some aspects of the X-Series. Jumpgate Evolution and Black Prophecy will cater to those players. As far as I've seen, Black Prophecy leans more towards Freespace 2-style gameplay, where you work to outfit your ship, then you go and blow the mother-lovin' crap outta everything in sight that doesn't have the same colors as you. I need to do more research into Jumpgate, but I'm thinking that gets closer to the Space-sims that are Freelancer and X-series with trading, etc.
So if you love EVE, great! Keep playing! It's a gorgeous and fantastic game that has its merits. But it's not the perfect Sci-fi MMO that will cater to everyone and anyone who loves Sci-fi. And only the Life-rejects such as yourself will call everyone else rejects for liking something you don't.
dainsmail-1 said on 11:04PM 10-26-2009
Go to 0.0 then, and quit wasting everyone's time here with your crap. CCP has set up Eve to make players its multi-account paying, isk-buying biatch, and obviously it has succeeded very well in your case.
Go Reakktor! Make a game that is actually fun to play, and is not a life-sucking abortion like the only other big space game out there.
Anjohl said on 10:06PM 10-21-2009
If you want to use the "captain" analogy, please make it work. Silent Hunter III, THAT's how playing as the captain works. Pointing and clicking has *nothing* to do with *anything* in reality, either aero or nautical.
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Varna said on 9:47AM 10-27-2009
I play eve since the beginning.. i still think there are things to improve and i dont think that other games are better. just different. Easy to say something i would call dumb like dainsmail-1 reaction:
Go to 0.0 then, and quit wasting everyone's time here with your crap. CCP has set up Eve to make players its multi-account paying, isk-buying biatch, and obviously it has succeeded very well in your case.
i guess it will always be the same. Why do you think this game would not attract multi accounts or some form of (un)offical micropayments (isk-sellers) etc.
Every game needs to have timesinks, money sinks and similar techniques. If you remove those there will be nothing to call a "game"
So... to all that always find something to complain: go find out how games do work instead of shouting remarks at people taht may or may not like a certian gameplay system.
It are people like you who lack the fantasy to imagine a game and want to bring in reality. And then destroy other peoples fantasy in the game... Ghee... i remember one: pff there is no sound in space. why do i hear them explode. get a life... doh.... Oh and i guess you always get bored by doing things in a game...
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