DUST 514 : 2012 Fanfest videos & Screens

Below you’ll find all the latest DUST 514 information that came out from CCP’s Fanfest 2012, as well as 3 really nice videos from the event itself. Enjoy!

 

 

What we’ve learnt about DUST 514 :

 

• Concept with seeding the universe is pretty much: coming up with a universe concept, regions, planets and then specific styles and details of planets and systems
• The tool used to create the universe is making from empty space entire networks of solar systems – empires are spread and expanding as CCP makes them available for DUST
• There were about 20 seed points for world of EVE at initial trial and error of creation of the universe which was making a lot of structures later on
• There are various ways to “generate map” that vary from a position of a district and general geopgraphical aspect but you will have bunch of different maps that you’ve never seen before
• Terrains go over 5x5km so you will have a lot of terrain to fight on, and you will never feel you are enclosed anywhere
• There are various structures – Large, medium, and small structures. Large being entire outposts obviously
• There are various weather environments: grassy, snowy etc. as well as actual weather: night, day, electrical storms, rain, etc
• Surface infrastructure is making maps so they never can repeat themselves pretty much – outposts will always be in different spots as well as terrain itself with all the small medium and large structures and all tactical things you wish for in a match
• Height map is creating elevation of the terrain so it makes maps feel mroe and more different
• Strategizing the planet terrain was rather hard and CCP came up with “Districts” on planets
• Districts are hexagons on the planet and they are about 10 – 20 on a planet (pretty much 10-20 maps per planet, also remember there are over 7.000+ planets in EVE Universe to play on at launch and more later that will probably reach famous 60.000 number eventually)
• CCP is working hard to make EVE players see that there are battles on the planet itself if they just fly by
• Districts are owned by corporations and a function is determined by a “Surface infrastructure” which is urban center of the district which says what specific district exactly does
• In high security space there will be NPC owned coprorations that will give you contracts and always give you ability to jump in and fight but less meaningful on a planet since it is NPC owned
• There is Faction Warfare that is a lot more meaningful as well for planets and then followed by Nullsec also that is really meaningful in universe itself
• CCP rolled out sneak peek of maps and just showed to us how huge the terrain is when it is even empty – the engine itself is able to stream data to players so maps can go from 5 to 50 kilomteres even so it doesn’t break the immersion when you look around you
• They showed us also same terrain with different environmental effects which looks amazing – desert looking terrain looks rather photo-realistic and every other image on the slideshow
• Full Faction Warfare enconter would have also anti-orbital cannons and orbital command centers which would bring even bigger interaction with owners of the district and attackers
• CCP may add later on invasions of ships in EVE as well! So EVE players can hire other mercs to fight back the attackers
• There is no Orbital Bombardment in High Security space at all – that is something that is nullsec – FW specific
• Solution for day/night cycles is being figured out but Destiny engine (EVE Physics server simulation engine) is currently focusing on core gameplay and not those details because matches will not really last extremely long (for so many hours that day and night cycle needs to shift) – but you will get night matches definitely as well
• Lowsec and Null is unclaimed for players to grab.
• Temperate planets for now will be available to us – but will be expanded fast
• Both OCC and SCC contribute to Faction Warfare Sovereignty
• For a typical FPS gamer DUST roles are very different than traditional FPS game where you have pre-defined classes
• Terrain and structures are being generated depending on the region and faction obviously
• DUST is planned to invade wormholes eventually – not at launch
• CCP is very focused on solving gameplay mechanics first and then making “plasma planets” and “lava planets” considering envinroments and there will be still variation of maps and environments
• Weather will not have major impact currently on gameplay but it will come when game comes out very soon
• Gravity will be “standardized” but will later on be changed on various planets and as game progresses with players (remember, expansions and everything will be completely free as well)
• CCP doesn’t plan on changing current planets in EVE at all for DUST players to adapt – you fight on what you have already in the universe itself
• DUST 514 players can decide what they want to do in the game
• Skills will be expanding as game moves forward
• You are given some initial skills to train and basic “Militia” fit (gear), and you pretty much work from that
• Once you start playing the game you can discover how you can go forward – deciding if you want to be in MCC, Squad Leader, Sniper, Vehicle Operations etc…
• Once you train more skills you will be able to react to different situations faster during the battle
• Initial dropsuit consists of Assault Dropsuit, Assault Rifle and Locus Grenade. Afterwards he can add Scrambler Pistol, Nanohive and Shield Recharger should he choose. Then again you add different things and choose different dropsuit like Scout – with Shotgun, Kinetic Catalyzer (speed enhancer), Drop Uplink (mobile spawn point) etc.
• There is fog of war which is being revealed by Active Scanners and MCC can drop various things on the battlefield as it is revealed
• There are various skills for vehicles and those vehicles have many other roles you can specialize in so for example you can pick first initial type of dropship but afterwards you can go for Prototype type of dropship and be a lot more effective and also with guns
• Matches are not all about you – your role is significant but you have to focus on your team win and therefore get rewarded if you want to progress in active skilling
• Combined roles are essential so you should decide to specialize deeply into one role since your corporation will have various specialized people all around
• Players can have Web Generators that slow down flyers and Forge Guns can bring down ships a lot easier then – also for HAV’s (Heavy Assault Vehicles) they can be repaired by Dropships and also Dropships can repair themselves as well
• There is loot! It comes in two different types but that’s about as far as CCP went mentioning also special materials for crafting special things
• In the beginning equipment will be given by NPC’s but afterwards players will progress by themselves and upgrading from basic gear
• There is way for informatuon to be broadcasted by scouts and snipers that can see more of a battlefield so your team ans a lot more insight on all the things happening
• You can restock your fittings during the battlefield and spend ISK so you can’t be completely broke through the entire match
• Scouts are capable of “kiting” others because they are more mobile for example vs heavy assault guys so they can turn faster than them and have more mobility skills tied into their character specialization – and you can decide to be character like that
• Same Voice Chat as EVE and also Chat System
• MCC will be fittable and perhaps even Warbarge from the very beginning. More about that later!
• Cloaking modules are in the game as we already know – covert ops gameplay
• There are 3 main classes of vehicles and then for example 6 more roles for LAV’s (Light Assault Vehicles) so you get the idea how huge variation of roles are for vehicles as well
• There are “Ancient Missions” that are PvE missions against drones etc that can be later on salvaged for extra loot
• Game is tested for more than 24v24 and it works well – so expect even more
• Players in beta may keep their skill points after game launches and their names but details on that are still being discussed by CCP
• Warbarges will be at first limited at first but then expanded as actual spaceships in EVE space probably!