Into the Stars Interview
Into the Stars is a game that garnered a lot of praise out of GDC this year and so we decided to reach out to see what all of the hubbub was about. Thankfully Fugitive Game's Co-founder Ben Jones had some time to answer our questions about the game and all of the success they've seen recently.
Could you give us a quick overview of Into the Stars?
Into the Stars is a single-player, open-world journey in which players take the role of Captain as they explore a massive star system in search of a new home for humanity. As Captain, players will outfit their ship with modules and resources, select their crew, and set off on a mission to scavenge supplies and shelter civilians while battling or avoiding hostile alien forces.
What games/movies/books inspired the game? How long has the idea been kicking around in your collective heads?
Several of us desired to make an Oregon Trail type game and our Project Architect Marc really wanted to try that out in space. Collectively we’ve taken influence from a number of creative endeavors but FTL, the Battlestar series and Guardians of the Galaxy certainly stand out.
Is it fair to call Into the Stars a roguelike or is there a better genre/category for the game?
We think that “rogue-lite” is more accurate, but players accustomed to scavenging for resources and the “Death by a Thousand Cuts” style of gameplay should feel right at home. Ultimately the game is a Space Survival Simulation.
What kind of modules can you equip your ship with and how does this impact the game play?
There are a number of different modules you can equip across four categories. Each of them consume unique resource combinations and come at varying costs, but they’ll all be available from the start and it will be up to players to find the best combination to suit their playstyle. Perhaps they’ll select Engines that burn Hydrogen, then over time they’ll plot a course that maximizes their potential to mine that resource.
Outside of the modules you can also customize your crew - what kind of crew members will you be able to select and how does that impact gameplay?
Crew members are dynamically generated at the start of each mission, so you’ll have to select a fresh set before departing. Each of them have unique statistics across 6 categories that directly factor into events that unfold during your journey. For that reason, selecting a balanced crew and considering who might play “backup” for any given role will be critical. This should become abundantly clear to players once they lose a few crew members along the way.
How did you arrive at the decision to hire Jack Wall? How hard was it to convince him to score your game?
Alden Filion, our Art Director, had worked closely with Jack on Lost Planet 3 and we knew from the start that he’d be a perfect fit for the game. The real trick was convincing him to take part in a perspective Kickstarter-backed project, but thankfully he latched on to our pitch and began contributing right away to what has become an outstanding score.
From the trailers it looks like there is a mining mini-game? If so how does that work?
There are couple different ways to collect resources in the game, and mining a planet’s surface is one of the most effective. In this case, you send down a mining rig containing a pilot and rig operator to the surface for a brief mini-game. Once there, you steer a small drill to collect the resources you need while avoiding hardened areas that will damage your drill and terminate the mini-game. Just like in the hunting sections of The Oregon Trail, even if you gathered a massive amount of resources you could only bring so much back with you. Each time you mine a planet’s surface, the resources available to you are diminished, which helps keep players moving.
Was it difficult to come up with the different alien races that people will encounter in the game or did you go in with some pre-set ideas of what you wanted?
For once it was actually quite straight-forward. We broke down each race into a number of different categories including origin, appearance and trade style then tossed around ideas until we settled on the four alien races we have now. Finally, we worked with our audio team at Hexany to create a soundscape and with Jack to supply distinct interaction tracks that fit each race.
Do you have a favorite alien race in the game? Which race changed the most since the start of the game?
They’re actually one in the same for me: The Menkhet. Their look, as defined by Justin Goby-Fields of Ironklad, has evolved greatly over time and I simply love their hostile approach. Every time I encounter one of them I’m partly upset for falling into yet another trap, and at the same time overjoyed to see their dramatic portraits.
There are 90 areas to explore in the game - will players have to explore them all to finish the game or can you complete a playthrough without hitting all of them?
We want each Captain to write their own story. The game provides a beginning and an end, but what happens in between is completely up to you. You could charge headlong through contested territory, avoiding mines and Skorn patrols in order to quickly reach your destination (if you survive, that is…) or choose to take the long way around and avoid confrontation. Hitting all 90 areas isn’t a requirement, but some players may choose to do so in the pursuit of a high score.
For you what was the hardest part of the Kickstarter process?
I think the hardest part of the process is the uncertainty that comes in the days leading up to and during a campaign. A lot of energy goes into the creation of a quality Kickstarter, and even when you feel you’re ready there are a ton of questions that keep you awake at night. Will the community love you or ignore your efforts? Was the goal you set too high or not ambitious enough? Regardless of the conclusions you reach and the results of your campaign, you shouldn’t expect to sleep much while it’s running.
I know the game isn’t out yet but do you have any plans for post launch content additions or changes?
There is certainly a lot we’d like to do with the game and we think we’ve built a solid foundation with our Early Access release. In the days ahead we’ll look to bring a full realized beginning and end to the journey, enhance existing gameplay systems and support a number of other languages with text localization. Hopefully the community will respond positively to these efforts and we can look to bolster them down the road!
What is the one thing that people should know about Into the Stars?
Into the Stars isn’t like any game you’ve played before. Sure, bits and pieces may feel familiar, and that’s our intention, but we’ve created something original that players who desire a fresh experience such certainly check out. Here, you’re not some hot-shot pilot of a small craft blasting your way through the galaxy. Imagine yourself as an interstellar cruise ship captain, plotting a course through a vivid star system filled with beauty. Despite the stops on your way, you have one destination in mind and it’s your responsibility to navigate numerous and dangerous obstacles to get your passengers there safely.
Are you up to the challenge?
We'd like to thank Ben for answering our questions as well as Alex for setting up the interview.
About Author
Hi, my name is Charles Husemann and I've been gaming for longer than I care to admit. For me it's always been about competing and a burning off stress. It started off simply enough with Choplifter and Lode Runner on the Apple //e, then it was the curse of Tank and Yars Revenge on the 2600. The addiction subsided somewhat until I went to college where dramatic decreases in my GPA could be traced to the release of X:Com and Doom. I was a Microsoft Xbox MVP from 2009 to 2014. I currently own stock in Microsoft, AMD, and nVidia.
