Earth and Beyond Hands-On

Now, as we all know, space is big. Really big. So big, that your standard thrusters just aren't going to cut the large distances between objects. So, as any good spacefaring race can do, you simply target where you want to go - either in the main display, or using the very nifty starmap that is provided. For each location that you select, your computer automatically plots the course around the available nav points. From there, you turn on your warp drive and you're off to the races. The effects are something akin to Star Trek or Star Wars, and it is not uncommon to see a few ships swoosh by in warp near a nav point. Just let the computer do the work, and whammo! You're there in no time, flat. Be aware, however, that pirates sometimes ambush regular warp routes, so it's best to stay on your guard during long warps.

Hey, can this thing do loops?

Dude, where's my car?!

As well as being big, there are a good number of hostile badguys out there in the great void that would like nothing more than to blast you to kingdom come, so you need to be ready to defend yourself, even if you use a non-combat class. Equipping weapons and equipment is very easy - just drag and drop the item into either an available slot in your ship's schematic, or down to one of 6 shortcut buttons on the bottom of the screen. (You can also ready your class's special attributes here) Just pick your target, and the weapons that are ready will indicate whether or not they are in range or not. Once the shortcut goes green, fire away!

Once you've explored your particular area of space and there's nothing more to see, pop over to the nearest gate to open a vortex to another part of space. Some gates are off the hidden path, so seeking them out can be a challenge.

Outer space isn't the only location you can visit, mind you. Several planets are capable of atmospheric flight, and you may find yourself flying your ship into a gas giant, or maneuvering over mountains and forests of an inhabited world. These semi-interior locations are also gorgeously rendered, and a real treat for the eyes.

Oasis in the Sand

Much of the game revolves around starbases. Bases are the havens of battle, the place to receive new missions, refit your starship and catch up on the stories from both NPC and player characters. There is no foot-based combat - all of the starbases are neutral locales. At this point, they're not different from one another on the interior, but that may change by the game's release. When entering a starbase, the game switches to your personal avatar, and the camera flies over your shoulder as you negotiate the small interiors. There's typically a commerce center, so traders can pick up tips on supply contracts, a manufacturing center for creating items from raw materials, and a bar where open contracts can be filled for the adventurous mercenary.

The nice thing about starbases is that every time you dock, your ship is repaired. This may or may not change by the game's release, but its nice to know that if you're being pounded into dust motes by some trans-galactic beastie that you can limp back to base without having to clean out your pockets for repairs.

The starbase is also the center for social interaction, with the high-poly rendered avatars having conversations complete with simulated lip movement and an impressive array of emotes that involve both minor skin changes (for simple mood changes) to fully animated movements that get your message across.

Life, the Universe, and Everything

As I mentioned earlier, the three classes each specialize in one specific attribute, with different skills and abilities available to each race's version of that class. Many of these skills compliment each other, even across the racial lines. For example, the Terran Tradesman has the Regenerate Shield ability, which can replenish the shielding of his surrounding allies, while the Progen Warrior uses the Shield Inversion technique, reversing his shield's polarity for use as an offensive weapon. Combine the two skills, and that makes for a lot of damage being dealt over a longer period of time. The key to survival in E&B is building a solid team that can support each other in heavy firefights in order to achieve specific objectives.

The ideal party has a good mix of all three class types (Explorer, Trader and Warrior) for adventuring. The Explorer goes and finds the enemies or locations of objectives, and with his superior scanning and stealth abilities, can relay numbers, locations, etc to the 1 - 2 Warriors. He then wades into the thick of combat while being supported by the Trader, who functions in a medic capacity. If one of the ships becomes disabled, the Explorer can swoop in and Jumpstart the downed ship, allowing him to get back to the starbase quickly, or get his shields repaired by the Trader. Once the battle is complete, the Explorer can mine the necessary raw materials, while the Trader loots the burnt out husks of the fallen enemies for salvage. These materials can either be combined into powerful weapons or components (if you know the recipe!), or sold for profit.

Impressing A Skeptic

For those that know me, they know that I have a problem with MMORPG's in general. I mean, why would anyone spend $50 to buy a game, only to then have to pay an extra $10 per month just to play it? Are these games really that good to make me want to consistently part with my hard-earned money and precious time? I've played EverQuest, and (personally) I didn't think it was all that. Why should this game be any different?

After spending a good amount of time playing it, I can honestly say that it is a better experience. Up until now, the MMORPG has been largely indifferent than other RPG's, with very similar gameplay. The only real changes are the graphics engines, and skill trees - players are doing pretty much the same thing - relying on slaying monsters for their sole source of experience, and making the surrounding community a secondary facet to the game. This shift and de-emphasis on individual combat in favor of pure exploration of the universe and business savvy is a welcome change. It changes the ruler by which players are measured. Now players can be taken seriously even if they don't excel in every combat situation.

The game is still in beta, and there are facets to the game that aren't implemented yet, but this was an extremely fun game to play. The models are phenomenally well made, and move smoothly through both outer space, and on the starbases. Combat is handled well, with emphasis on the various classes working together to achieve common goals.

A MMORPG is, by definition, a massive undertaking. Making a persistent world where so much is happening and changing, initiated by both the players and by the game itself, is never an easy task. Just confining the game to one planet has been tried and failed by other games. Earth and Beyond succeeds where others fail by making the game an enjoyable experience for both novice and veteran gamers. Its a quick game to pick up and fall in love with. It has the addictive quality that MMORPG's are famous for, and encourages gamers to work together rather than against one another to gain levels, money and a stellar reputation. Can Westwood score a winner by reaching for the stars? I can say from what I've seen thus far, yes. I can't wait to see how this game turns out.