Recently, Chucklefish showed off a new video of the lighting system used in their upcoming game, Starbound. Players get to use a long-range flashlight when exploring underground, removing the need to continually craft torches along the way. While it might look similar to the popular Terraria, the developers assure us that this is a very different game.
So what is Starbound?
The game begins with you escaping your home world in a space shuttle just as it is being destroyed by an unknown adversary. With nothing to guide your ship, it drifts aimlessly in space until it comes into contact with an abandoned space station. Landing at that station is where the adventure begins. Starbound is a sprawling procedurally generated sandbox. In order to restore the space station to its former glory, you will need to do things like find a crew, catch (and then study & train) rare creatures, build mechs and much more.
Every planet you visit in Starbound is procedurally generated. This means that the weather, gravity, difficulty level, plant life and inhabitants are unique to each planet. Not only that, but true to the explorer you are, every single object in the game can be examined and catalogued. Since each planet in your universe has unique co-ordinates, you can share the location of even the smallest flower with your friends so that they can visit too.
Not satisfied with just a space station? Claim an entire planet as your own! Everything that makes that planet unique then falls under your control. Don't like the terrain? Terraform it! The weather sucks you say? Build a weather centre and control the weather! Populate your planet with the people you meet during your exploration, and take care of their needs and desires like a benevolent ruler or a cruel dictator.
Starbound is supposed to arrive at the end of summer 2012. The only problem I'm having with that at the moment is that I keep throwing my money at the screen, and nothing is happening.
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