No Man's Sky: THE game I am waiting for and why...

I'm an older geek these days, mid 30s, but still love video games and will forever love them.  As most probably know, I'm a Sony fanboy and in turn have a PS4.  The last few months though, I haven't really gamed too much.  I did the whole Destiny thing for about 3 months and also got totally hooked on NBA2K15 and Pro player mode but have not really found anything that's captivated my interest.

However one game that is coming out hopefully soon has; No Man's Sky (game website)

No Man's Sky is being developed by a very small gaming studio, Hello Games.  It is a space exploration adventure game with a very retro sci-fi feel to it.  This game uses procedural generation combined with mathematical algorithm and rules to create a nearly infinite universe (18,446,744,073,709,551,616 planets in the game's universe).   The developers are using the Super Formula to help with making planets and things on it more natural and real.

What can you do in No Man's Sky?  You have a jetpack and a suit and also a multitool and can walk around on the planets and also shoot at organisms and the landscape.  You also have a space ship you can fly seemlessly from the surface to orbit with no loading screens.  Actually this alone makes me just giggle like a really excited kid. Here's a clip below from Hello Game's Youtube Channel.

Another thing that excites me is that every star you see in the sky and space is a real sun with planets.  Every.Single.Star.  I also love how that when you are on a planet that anything you see in the distance exists on the planet and you can see it up close.

There are also factions and procedurally generated AI that you can help or fight and your actions will be remembered and in turn they can either fight you or help you depending on previous encounters.



The biggest complaint I see on the forums for this game is that there is no real plot or main narrative; there are no cut scenes (but really, do you need them with this type of game? nope!), main plot or goal.  The goal of the game if you can call it that is to get to the center of the universe however the game does not stop or end there.  This game is not like any game we have played or at least I have.

This game is the game I've dreamed would be made.  I've imagined finding a space ship and then flying it into space and discovering new planets and organisms and also making new friends or foes.  A sandbox game with a sandbox the size of a real galaxy.  This is a game that some may not like because of it's lack of a real plot; this is a game that I create my own inner dialog by what I upgrade and my goals.  Finally, I believe that this game is how the possible AI that's becoming aware (internet=that ai) will perhaps show itself.  It seems like the perfect place.

Nonetheless, I'm very excited and can't wait and plan to upload a ton of gameplay vids.  Here's a great post about things you can do in No Man's Sky from the creator Sean himself.

http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2015/08/03/41-amazing-things-you-might-not-know-about-no-mans-sky/