At yesterday's EGX Rezzed conference in London, DayZ creator Dean Hall revealed his latest game, Stationeers—a space station construction and management sim. It's now got a new trailer, featured below, and Hall has now shed some light on what it's about courtesy of an impromptu Reddit AMA.
Throughout the AMA, Hall notes Space Station 13 as inspiration for his latest venture however suggests there are lessons to be learned from its steep learning curve, among other things.
"The aim is 'easy to play hard to master'," says Hall. "Our 'solution' [to sidestepping SS 13's steep learning curve] is mainly faced around making very generic systems. So, for example, you interact with stuff 'in world'. Want to pick something up out of a crate? look at the slot and click. We've kept all the UI in world as well, so when using a machine the UI is in world, on the machine, as an LCD display. Inventory on your person is a little bit convoluted and we haven't really found a way around this."
Hall explains that Stationeers focuses on so-called "away missions", whereby events occur when the player is out exploring in their space shuttle in something akin to Minecraft's realms.
"You can use shuttles you build to 'teleport' to these realms," he says. "Perhaps it is a planet. Perhaps it is a derelict station. Or maybe you need to rescue some AI from aliens on their station. Find a patient and take them back for medical care. Visit some asteroids to gather resources... the intent there is to make [away missions] exciting, a bit scary/dangerous."
Hall adds: "I have tried to make this game three times. I have spent millions of dollars chasing it. This time we went right for very robust and simple."
At present, Hall says Stationeers is in pre-alpha and is around 20 percent complete with its most "complete game loops" being its 'construction' and 'atmospherics' features. "I think we will release into Early Access within a few (2—3) months," says Hall. "Full release will be up to 12 months after. I hope that even after release we will be successful enough to continue to drastically change the game for many years, similar to SS13 itself."
Price-wise, Hall says Stationeers is listed for $19.95 in Steam's draft store, but that it "could go as high" as $25. He also says, similar to his last game Out of Ammo, this will be discussed openly with the game's community.
Hall's Reddit AMA can be read in full this way.
