Here’s part 2 of developer’s answers:
14. Is it just like World of Tanks but in the space setting?
There are some similarities - gathering your own fleet, upgrading units, gaming lobby system. And this is it. We wanted (and we are working on it) to make a dynamic and intensive EVE online looking game full of firefigths in open space but without mostly annoyng economics and character developing. Still, players will have to encounter a role-playing part of the game: by upgrading their very first starship via flexible class enhancements, by planning every next battle and cooperating with friends in groups or clans.
15. Is “flight” realistic or at least influenced by Newtonian movement, or is this a Wing Commander style with just whipping around quickly?
Flight are based on Newton’s laws of motion, but still we are going to make handling as convenient as possible for players to concentrate more on the battle they are involved in than in keeping control over their own spacecrafts. In current version every ship is equipped with additional engines set to compensate undesirable inertion and rotation speed. We are also working on optional switching these support engines off however it probably won’t be actually required at all - players tend to enjoy the very battle than flight simulation in such sorts of games.
_ 16. Is collision damage going to be there? _
Yes, collision damage will be working as intended.
17. Will there be an option to fight inside of huge space battlestations and or close to, say, planet surface?
There will be battles in open space and nearby inhabited orbital bases. We have plans for some action inside really big battlestations and we’ll probably reveal some of them soon after release. Close to the surface battles are not yet planned.
_ 18. Space stations or enormous spaceships-cities? _
Be sure, sooner or later all of these will be in the game, especially if that’s what players require.
_ 19. Will we see aliens and/or alien technologies? _
In the bigining there will be no aliens. But alien technologies - definitely will be revealed. In fact, that is ancient alien civilization what started the very conflict.
_ 20. Global map available? _
Not in the day one. We just haven’t defined its final view yet but this doesn’t mean that the map won’t appear some day.
21. Will players have a chance to acuire enemy territories?
The backstory of the game sets limits to what humanity can do in the galaxy. In a word since the space is naturally unstable players will not be ably to capture enemy territories once and for all though it will be possible to obtain domination in certain zones. It also should be possible to secure captured territories with turrets or automated stations, but these are still to be designed.
22. Is there an open world? It is not an open world in it however it doesn’t meant things will remain this way after the game is released.
23. Quests and dungeons?
Quests haven’t been designed however it doesn’t meant things will remain this way after the game is released
24. Trading and markets?
These haven’t been planned yet but are possible in future (between player for example)
_ 25. Can you please tell about battles and game modes in common? _
Every battle is set nearby special zones located by automated recon droids which are to search for ancient civilization remains. From all over the world mercenaries come to these territories to fight for contol over them. In the game this struggle is depicted with fighting for beacons that mark certain areas. matches are designed to be for 2 teams 16 players in each. There also will be team deathmatches and those for limited number of players (5vs5 for example)
26. Is cockpit view available?
It will not be available in the beginning but can be added later - for complete set of emotions.
27. Tell us more about playable spaceships?
There will be fighters (light, medium and heavy) and also frigates. Every ship is capable to carry plenty of modules which define its role and class, and players should be absolutely free to choose any set they find succesful. Also every class of ships is equipped with a unique module giving some extra special abilities - it’s intended to help these players who can’t decide what class to choose on the start.
28. Will there be speed limits?
Speed of spaceships is limited for balance purposes.
_ 29. Is something except fighters going to be available for players to choose? _
The role, that your spacecraft is going to play on the battlefield depends on what modules have been installed (EMP, suppressing fire, recon systems etc…) So, the more thoughtful your choice of modules is the more succesfull you and your team are. And whatever you do during a battle shooting enemy is essensial.
30. Will light fighters or recons be really small and bombers really large?
The smallest spacecraft is smaller than the biggest one like 10 times or more.
31. Will ships have some energy storing devices to maintain deflection and weaponry and other systems? If yes, will there be an option to channel energy manually, for example, to gain power in one system with weakening the other?
There will be batteries. Manual energy channeling was not included in current game version. We suppose it botheres players in intense firefights making them remember too many control keys. So energy control will be implicated - through the modules you choose for your spacecraft.
32. Will players be able to control the whole fleet? Or fly their own frigate not being a member of a clan?
It’s not possible to control more than one ship in the game. Frigates are available for all players since it is one the classes of battleships. Even more massive spacecrafts are designed for clan pilots.
33. Tell about character training?
Players enter the world as quite wealthy merceneries with a small fleet of own ships. But you are one of thousands so it’s not that easy to be someone with what you got as it seems. And buying a pricey battleship is not going to solve all the problems - you’ll have to be tweeking it and tuning and improving for your needs. It’s almost like in EVE-online where you have to gather sets of equipment. You also can use implants to augment your perfomance and make your ship’s modules work even more effectively under your command.
34. How do I get myself a new spaceship?
You can buy a new one when you’re skilled enough as a pilot.
35. What’s diplomacy between the opposing forces?
The game is all about battles, both duels and massive clan wars. You can compete with other clans but questions of influence are moved out to the game forums and Star Conflict is for the space battles only.
_ 36. Can I capture someone’s ship? _
We haven’t planned that. not yet at least.
37. How’s hangar going to look like? Like in WoT: one spaceship for a battle and it’s like new after it or it can be lost once and for all if destroyed be the enemy? You’ll be able to take few ships with you to fight the war. Loosing a ship doesn’t meant it’s destruction - it will be just suffer some malfunction.
38. How do I command my spacecraft? By myself or with a crew?
You will rely on yourself only. And it’s modules that define how good you are at making you ship do what you want it to do.
39. Can I play acting like pirate - duelling and chasing other players?
It’s one of the features which are still being discussed.
40. What do we train: character or ship?
It’s much more important to improve pilot than the spacecraft. Still you can enhance the ship but you don’t have to follo any feature trees like in WoT, for example.
41. Are heavy gunships going to completely dominate? Like in WoT, IS-7 owns it and so it goes!
All ships are quite balanced in their defining features such as speed, maneuverability and firepower. Skill and clever set of modules are decisive.
42. Will there be turrets available for the fighter class?
Turrets are for frigates only.
_ 43. What are the game modes? _
Team territory control (capturing and defenfing beacons) and team deathmatch (pure PVP)
44. Will we see some ships manned by AI (like those seen in SF:DF2)?
You can’t exlude that!
45. Do I have access to all content not paying for the game at all?
You’ll have to spend more time training and tuning you modules but no limits of content are planned.
46. Do we influence anything with our questions?
We always read the forums because all the feedback and ideas that we get are really important for us. You see, we’re making a game for you, not just to have something to play in the office!
47. Who is this game going to be for? Casual players, hardcore ones?
We want it to be interesting to a wide audience. We hope, we’ll find perfect balance between deep and thoughtful action game and exciting availability for unexperienced players. We also promise the game won’t be just another primitive arcade, players will have a lot of interesting things to think about while playind our Star Conflict!