In the Black Is the New Name for Starfighter Inc

Yet another kickstarter project (as Star Citizen was) a totally physics-based space-shooter IN THE BLACK from Impeller Studios comprises a team drawn from such luminal titles as the original X-Wing and the original Crysis… maybe this means it’ll be a more mature title delivered by these old(er) game-industry veterans. Something with a bit more confidence and assurance in what it is capable of bringing to the saturated space-sim gaming arena. No quantum jumping no FTL… so, question-marks on the size and scops of the gaming arena?

The Up-sides: if done well, In The Black is utilising RAY-TRACING throughout and will make a foundational feature of BOUNCED LIGHTING (aka global illumination) for this game that the cockpits of, say, Star Citizen are sorely lacking a.t.m. Good thing is, it’s closed beta is due by end-year 2019 i.e. this year! Suck on that one!

The Down-sides: really don’t like the laser-based fighting unless it’s gonna be boolean-heavy slice-n-disable gameplay and the explosion fx just suck like a huge gangling rope of donkey lard. Another worrying aspect is are using Crysis Engine 4.0 (a notoriously non-multiplayer network game) for a multiplayer network game… and (sigh) another game with a MILITARY F–KING INTERFACE.

Saddens me how uninspired game design has become. In fact, human pilots in space-based physics game, it makes no sense when you can have lots more inertialess driving fun with NO PILOTS in drone ships. In fact, things like SCALE ENGINEs become real useful to get the drone ships from A-to-B but Impeller Studios ain’t gonna go down the resonant frequency of your ship means it can scale up route.

Or will they?