STACK #142 Aug 2016

GAMES FEATURE

visit stack.net.au

65daysofstatic; the soundtrack will change depending on where you are and what you're doing, though we're told there are some more specific, timely pieces that are triggered as a result of certain events. Looks like it's up to you to discover exactly what those events may be. When you’re not busy exploring planets and enjoying the music, you’ll probably be fighting for your life. As mentioned before, there are other

It’s been waiting in the wings for a few years, and now indie developers Hello Games are finally ready to release their highly-anticipated, procedurally- generated No Man’s Sky for PlayStation 4.

Space Missions That Never Happened Project A119 In the late '50s, the good ole US of A felt the need to flex some muscle after falling behind in the Space Race with the USSR. The planned demonstration involved detonating an atomic warhead on the Moon. Fortunately the idea was vetoed. The Zambian Space Program A rather ambitious 1964 plan by a Zambian scientist to send 12 astronauts and a cat to Mars fell out of orbit when UNESCO refused a £7 million grant for the project.

a turf war or two, with factions constantly vying for territorial control. Be careful who you pledge

"A mbitious” is the word used most often to describe this title. No Man’s Sky is a procedurally-generated open world that encourages players to explore, fight, trade and survive. If you’re wondering what procedurally-generated means, it’s basically a massive world that spawns as you explore it. When you discover a new planet in-game, it gets named after you, and you can even share it with your mates so they can go check out XxSnipesxXtopia for themselves. Every planet you discover will be uploaded to The Atlas for the community to enjoy, giving you the chance to truly feel like a galactic ranger. No Man’s Sky has 18,446,744,073,709,551,616 planets in its universe. For those playing at home, that’s 18 quintillion. If you visited each of these for merely a second, it’d take you almost 600 billion years to see them all. The universe is so expansive that some planets may never be discovered at all. Each has its own inhabitants, some of which you may have to learn an entirely new language to communicate with. You’ll get a vast array of landscapes and climates in Hello

your allegiance to though, as that could affect your encounters with other beings throughout the course of the game.

species out there, and not all of them will be overly friendly. Some may even try to eat you. Be careful who you choose as your enemies, and ensure you don’t kill off too much of a planet’s flora or fauna, as the galaxy EPA – the Sentinels – will have your head for ecosystem damage. If you fancy yourself as more of a man of barter, you can trade your way through the planets. Haul rare resources (we’d recommend avoiding Rathtars) and sell them where they’re most valuable to maximise profit and upgrade your vessel. Just make sure to keep an eye out for pirates. No Man’s Sky is all about your journey to the centre of the universe and how you choose to take it. Discover the abundance of life, ecosystems, stars, and other planets as you traverse the galaxy and make your mark for others to follow.

When you're not busy exploring planets, you'll probably be fighting for your life

GAMES

Even the soundtrack is procedurally generated - kind of. The game's developers have created software that models the calls of animals dependent on the size and shape of their throats, so you're getting a realistic sound despite the fact that these creatures perhaps don't exist. The music of the game itself is orchestrated by

• No Man's Sky is out August 10

Games’ new title. Planets closer to the sun will, of course, be hotter and more barren, and those further away will be cooler and less abundant with life. There’s also a full day-night cycle, with different creatures appearing at different times of the day. It isn’t just about the exploration. Being the huge universe that it is, you shouldn’t be surprised if you come across

AUGUST 2016

72

jbhifi.com.au