(BA) Design for Interactive Media

While researching into the field of MMO’s I discovered an upcoming project by CCP Games named “DUST 514″, in short detail this is a Massively Multi-player Online First Person Shooter designed for the Xbox360 & Playstation 3 consoles, but the interesting thing about this project is that the game itself is going to be directly connected to the Massively Multi-player Online Role-playing game called “EVE Online” that is currently only available on the PC. According to the lead produce himself the console game will directly co-exist and effect the PC RPG game, the PC version focusing on space vehicle battles, while the console game DUST will focus on ground troops on the planetary service, the outcomes of these battles will effect both games directly.

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DUST 514 Début Trailer

This is the released début trailer for DUST 514, unfortunately this video is purely a trailer designed to wow and flash, therefore there is no explanation on its design concept beyond the normal first person shooter action you would find elsewhere, however I decided to include this to give you  a rough idea of what the game is about, which is the planet surface battles in the EVE online universe, played in a different role as a foot soldier instead of a fleet commander.

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The company stated, “The primary gameplay of DUST 514 features brutal ground combat that takes place on the surface of planets from EVE, delivering the visceral, adrenaline-fueled experience of futuristic firefights. Developed for the current generation of consoles, DUST 514 combines equal parts battlefield reflexes and strategic planning, giving commanders and ground infantry real-time configurable weapons and modular vehicles to manage dynamic battlefield conditions.”

http://www.massively.com/2009/08/18/ccp-games-reveals-new-eve-online-console-mmo-dust-514/

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DUST 514 Developer Interview – Design Concept Explained

This video pretty much sums up the basic design concepts that CCP Games have in mind, courtesy of http://www.dust514zone.com.

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I then came across and article from  http://www.massively.com – one of the biggest MMO communities for news and discussion.

Hilmar said, “DUST battlefields will dictate who control specific planets inside the EVE MMO. If a player contracts a DUST mercenary team to go and conquer this district of a planet. Then ultimately he will be able to control the planet, and therefore the solar system, and therefore the constellation, and the region.”

He explained more about the interplay between EVE Online and DUST 514. Hilmar said, “You will increasingly have to fight with your fleet [in EVE Online] but you will also have to contract people who play DUST, the console MMO, which then feeds into the sovereignty control system of EVE. Then EVE feeds back into that again by funding the mercenaries, giving them goals.” In a nod to Starship Troopers, he said, “The fleet does the flying, the infantry does the dying.”

Ontop of this, he also goes on to say this:

When you bring these two communities together, that “one universe, one war” means that the EVEPC MMO and DUST 514 console MMOFPS gamers will form interconnected social structures and meld over time.

This idea fits in with my concept module perfectly, although the method in which I hope to achieve it will differ, of course I wont be making a prototype for this beyond a concept video because unfortunately I don’t own a development studio!