Black Prophecy
Encyclopedia
Black Prophecy is a 3D real-time combat space massively multiplayer online game
by Reakktor Media GmbH, the creators of Neocron
.
Reakktor Media started the open beta test phase of the game on February 2011, and they have teamed up with German distributor gamigo AG
to publish the game.
Black Prophecy was launched in Europe on March 21, 2011. The US-version has recently been launched.
The game uses Freemium
model, featuring premium shop where players can buy various in-game items, such as weapons and armors.
author Michael Marrak
.
The game is set in the 26th century, where mankind has expanded across the galaxy, yet only few of its colonies are controlled by humans. Two main factions dominate space: the cybernetically enhanced humans the Tyi and the biogenetically perfected humans the Genides. On their quest for territorial domination they enter the territory of an ancient alien race called the Restorers, who exhibit a destructive behaviour to other civilizations.
The player is asked to join one of these two dominant races of humans to uncover the mystery of the Restorers and grant the survival of the human species.
(PvP) and player versus environment
(PvE) combat and missions.
Up to ten players can form a team and participate in team missions, which typically have an increased difficulty and better rewards compared to the solo missions.
Currently there are no bonuses for PvP
combat other than the PvP mission rewards.
The only death penalty is a stacking debuff to some of the ship's stats, which lasts for 5 minutes. After being destroyed, player ships leave no wrecks and are instantly resurrected.
Players retain all the items that were in their ship's inventory before death.
Players gain levels by getting experience from completing various missions. Each new level adds 3 or 5 points which players allocate to increase the stats of their choice.
Each stat determines the maximum level of equipment a player can use. For example, a level 10 mechanical stat allows the use of any mechanical weapons up to level 10.
The points can also be allocated in tactics stat, which allows players to perform various combat maneuvers, such as U-turn and speed boost.
Common items can be bought from the non-player character
(NPC) dealers, which are present on most stations, but more advanced items can only be looted from enemies or crafted by players.
The game has no way to automate the trading process between players, it has neither an auction nor a market - the only way to trade for the players is to agree to meet in a certain place and transfer items and currency manually through the trading window.
The crafting system is similar to the one used in Korean MMORPG
s, since it is based on random numbers. First, a player must obtain a blueprint and the resources required for crafting. Then the player docks at a space station, selects the crafting menu, places the blueprint on the corresponding slot and then checks the end result, which is shown before the crafting process start. Then the player starts the crafting process, which takes an amount of time based on the end product level. While crafting, the player cannot do anything else, and only one item can be crafted at a time.
If all goes well, the player gets their product after the crafting is finished. The process has a chance to fail, in which case no product is produced and all of the resources used in production are lost. There is also a chance for a perfect crafting, which produces an item with stats better than originally anticipated. Such items can be sold for a very high price to other players.
A notable aspect of the game is the modular ship design, where players are able to acquire different modules (cockpits, wings, engines) of different levels in order to customize their ships in many ways. Most of the modules can also be modified, increasing some of their stats.
The game also features an award and medal system, similar to an achievements system
, where players can earn medals and awards for performing specific tasks.
Player clans
are allowed to build their own stations and expand them through a module system to add different functionalities, similar to the NPC stations.
The game has three ship views available - two first person views
from inside the cockpit with cockpit frame and the interface visible in one case and only the interface visible in the other, and a third person view of the ship.
in Leipzig
, Germany
. The first website for the game was put online on August 21, 2007, just in time for the convention.
At the 2008 E3 a new trailer was debuted and the registration for the closed beta was opened.
After 10tacle's bankruptcy announcement on August, 2008, Reakktor released a statement confirming their commitment to the development of the game.
The new website for the game was launched on March 5, 2009, and on April 8, 2009 the official forums were opened to the public. The game was released on March 21, 2011 in Europe and is currently in Open Beta in North America.
Massively multiplayer online game
A massively multiplayer online game is a multiplayer video game which is capable of supporting hundreds or thousands of players simultaneously. By necessity, they are played on the Internet, and usually feature at least one persistent world. They are, however, not necessarily games played on...
by Reakktor Media GmbH, the creators of Neocron
Neocron
Neocron is a 2002 post-apocalyptic cyberpunk massively multiplayer online role playing game developed by Hanover, Germany-based software developer Reakktor Media GmbH and published by cdv Software Entertainment. It is considered the first cyberpunk-genre MMORPG, and is designed to integrate...
.
Reakktor Media started the open beta test phase of the game on February 2011, and they have teamed up with German distributor gamigo AG
Gamigo AG
gamigo AG, based in Hamburg, Germany, is an online games publisher and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Axel Springer AG. It focuses on massively multiplayer online role-playing games, licensing games from developers for a North American and European audience....
to publish the game.
Black Prophecy was launched in Europe on March 21, 2011. The US-version has recently been launched.
The game uses Freemium
Freemium
Freemium is a business model that works by offering a product or service free of charge while charging a premium for advanced features, functionality, or related products and services...
model, featuring premium shop where players can buy various in-game items, such as weapons and armors.
Background
Black Prophecy's setting and story have been developed by Sci-FiScience fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
author Michael Marrak
Michael Marrak
Michael Marrak is a German science fiction and horror writer. He is also an illustrator and from 1993 to 1996 he edited the magazine Zimmerit...
.
The game is set in the 26th century, where mankind has expanded across the galaxy, yet only few of its colonies are controlled by humans. Two main factions dominate space: the cybernetically enhanced humans the Tyi and the biogenetically perfected humans the Genides. On their quest for territorial domination they enter the territory of an ancient alien race called the Restorers, who exhibit a destructive behaviour to other civilizations.
The player is asked to join one of these two dominant races of humans to uncover the mystery of the Restorers and grant the survival of the human species.
The Tyi
The Tyi (abbreviation for Tactical Yeomen Inhabitants, pronounced Tai) are a race of cybernetically enhanced superhumans, with great strength and endurance, both physically and mentally. They are resistant to radiation, have independent bloodstreams as well as backup organs, speak all languages and are true multitaskers. They also gather and process data at an increased rate.The Genides
The Genides are a race of genetically perfected humans, designed to be able to better resist the unusual and partially hostile environments in space and on the colony planets. They require very little sleep, heal wounds quickly and can communicate telepathically. In addition, most of them are resistant to disease and epidemics, think faster, can detect ultra- and infra-sounds and have a long life expectancy.Gameplay
The game is action-oriented, focusing on player versus playerPlayer versus player
Player versus player, or PvP, is a type of multiplayer interactive conflict within a game between two or more live participants. This is in contrast to games where players compete against computer controlled opponents, which is correspondingly referred to as player versus environment...
(PvP) and player versus environment
Player versus environment
Player versus environment, or PvE , is a term used in online games, particularly MMORPGs, CORPGs, MUDs, and other online role-playing video games, to refer to fighting computer-controlled enemies—in contrast to PvP .Usually a PvE mode can be played either alone, with human...
(PvE) combat and missions.
Up to ten players can form a team and participate in team missions, which typically have an increased difficulty and better rewards compared to the solo missions.
Currently there are no bonuses for PvP
Player versus player
Player versus player, or PvP, is a type of multiplayer interactive conflict within a game between two or more live participants. This is in contrast to games where players compete against computer controlled opponents, which is correspondingly referred to as player versus environment...
combat other than the PvP mission rewards.
The only death penalty is a stacking debuff to some of the ship's stats, which lasts for 5 minutes. After being destroyed, player ships leave no wrecks and are instantly resurrected.
Players retain all the items that were in their ship's inventory before death.
Players gain levels by getting experience from completing various missions. Each new level adds 3 or 5 points which players allocate to increase the stats of their choice.
Each stat determines the maximum level of equipment a player can use. For example, a level 10 mechanical stat allows the use of any mechanical weapons up to level 10.
The points can also be allocated in tactics stat, which allows players to perform various combat maneuvers, such as U-turn and speed boost.
Common items can be bought from the non-player character
Non-player character
A non-player character , sometimes known as a non-person character or non-playable character, in a game is any fictional character not controlled by a player. In electronic games, this usually means a character controlled by the computer through artificial intelligence...
(NPC) dealers, which are present on most stations, but more advanced items can only be looted from enemies or crafted by players.
The game has no way to automate the trading process between players, it has neither an auction nor a market - the only way to trade for the players is to agree to meet in a certain place and transfer items and currency manually through the trading window.
The crafting system is similar to the one used in Korean MMORPG
MMORPG
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
s, since it is based on random numbers. First, a player must obtain a blueprint and the resources required for crafting. Then the player docks at a space station, selects the crafting menu, places the blueprint on the corresponding slot and then checks the end result, which is shown before the crafting process start. Then the player starts the crafting process, which takes an amount of time based on the end product level. While crafting, the player cannot do anything else, and only one item can be crafted at a time.
If all goes well, the player gets their product after the crafting is finished. The process has a chance to fail, in which case no product is produced and all of the resources used in production are lost. There is also a chance for a perfect crafting, which produces an item with stats better than originally anticipated. Such items can be sold for a very high price to other players.
A notable aspect of the game is the modular ship design, where players are able to acquire different modules (cockpits, wings, engines) of different levels in order to customize their ships in many ways. Most of the modules can also be modified, increasing some of their stats.
The game also features an award and medal system, similar to an achievements system
Achievement (video gaming)
In video gaming parlance, an achievement, also sometimes known as a trophy or challenge, is a meta-goal defined outside of a game's parameters...
, where players can earn medals and awards for performing specific tasks.
Player clans
Clan (computer gaming)
In computer and video gaming, a clan or guild is an organised group of players that regularly play together in a particular multiplayer games. These games range from groups of a few friends to 1000-person organizations, with a broad range of structures, goals and members. The lifespan of a clan...
are allowed to build their own stations and expand them through a module system to add different functionalities, similar to the NPC stations.
The game has three ship views available - two first person views
First person (video games)
In video games, first person refers to a graphical perspective rendered from the viewpoint of the player character. In many cases, this may be the viewpoint from the cockpit of a vehicle. Many different genres have made use of first-person perspectives, ranging from adventure games to flight...
from inside the cockpit with cockpit frame and the interface visible in one case and only the interface visible in the other, and a third person view of the ship.
Development
Development on Black Prophecy started in late 2006 with a team of 50 people. Originally planned to be released in 2009 by Reakktor's parent studio, 10tacle Studios, it was premiered during the 2007 Games ConventionGames Convention
The Games Convention, sometimes called the Leipzig Games Convention and abbreviated as GC, was an annual video game event held in Leipzig, Germany, first held in 2002. Besides video games, the event also covers Infotainment, Hardware, and Edutainment...
in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. The first website for the game was put online on August 21, 2007, just in time for the convention.
At the 2008 E3 a new trailer was debuted and the registration for the closed beta was opened.
After 10tacle's bankruptcy announcement on August, 2008, Reakktor released a statement confirming their commitment to the development of the game.
The new website for the game was launched on March 5, 2009, and on April 8, 2009 the official forums were opened to the public. The game was released on March 21, 2011 in Europe and is currently in Open Beta in North America.