Starbound by Chucklefish

Made this video mainly for some of my Cub Scouts who are really into Minecraft. I was telling them about this game and they asked me to make a video of it so they could see.

Starbound is still in Beta (after something like 3 years) and is considered a Early Access game. They (Chucklefish) are still working on it, but I have no idea when they are going to finish it (if ever).

The game is a side screen scrolling environment and has elements of all sorts of other games in it. Basically you play a character in a ship and travel around the universe, exploring, mining, farming, hunting, building and crafting.
Where you can go will not be exhausted any time soon. You have 5 sectors, each filled with a very (VERY) large amount of stars, and each star has a multitude of planets, moons and even asteroid fields for one to explore.

There is no "main story line" or "quest" that you have to follow. There are certain things you have to do if you want to leave the first sector (Alpha) and open up the next sector (Beta), and it keeps on like that until you get to the X sector. All the time you are learning how to make new things with better technology.

Like with Minecraft, for mining you use a pick axe. You start off making a stone one, then copper, then silver, gold, platnium, finally diamond. But later, you learn how to make drills that work better than pick axes.

There are monsters to fight, critters that can attack you. Other races that may or may not be friendly to you. Pirate ships that float in the sky.

Several wikis are online to help you learn the ropes and how to make things, or learn what things are. There is also the official game site with a forum too.

Here's the links of where you can buy the game:

Steam:

Steam Store

Starbound Site:

Humble Store

a reply to: eriktheawful

I just checked it out. The game looks really cool, but reading some reviews it seems like the Devs are doing nothing but collecting money and not doing anything to develop the game.

I saw a game named Terraria being mentioned a lot so checked it out.

Any thoughts Erik?

a reply to: seeker1963

Yah, Terraria is on my son's wishlist for Christmas, hehehe. That's all I know about it.

Honestly about the Devs and Starbound? The game is fine as it is for the most part for me. I've played the game for a year and have explored maybe less than 1% of all there is to go explore.

The only things I'm not too happy with are:

1) Fuel. There is a tier system for equipment and ores. Fuel is that way too. the Tier is Coal, Uranium, Plutonium, etc. But you don't find any Uranium until after you get to the very last sector. No shortage of coal, and you can even farm trees for it (if you chop down trees and smelt the logs, every 10 logs gives you one coal).

2) Hunger system: You can't call it up to see if you need to eat or not. It flashes up when the status of it changes only.

3) There is no actual "Pause" for the game. I one time hit the escape key for the menu thinking it would pause the game. Went out of the house for a few hours. Came back and found out my character had died of hunger several times! You can't pause and need to just save and quit.

4) Can't modify your ship. It would be great if we could make our ships bigger for more stuff.

That's about my only gripes, but the game plays great for me (I've only had one crash in one year) and I enjoy it. So I have certainly gotten my $15.00 out of it, and would still recommend it to anyone.

originally posted by: eriktheawful
a reply to: seeker1963

Yah, Terraria is on my son's wishlist for Christmas, hehehe. That's all I know about it.

Honestly about the Devs and Starbound? The game is fine as it is for the most part for me. I've played the game for a year and have explored maybe less than 1% of all there is to go explore.

The only things I'm not too happy with are:

1) Fuel. There is a tier system for equipment and ores. Fuel is that way too. the Tier is Coal, Uranium, Plutonium, etc. But you don't find any Uranium until after you get to the very last sector. No shortage of coal, and you can even farm trees for it (if you chop down trees and smelt the logs, every 10 logs gives you one coal).

2) Hunger system: You can't call it up to see if you need to eat or not. It flashes up when the status of it changes only.

3) There is no actual "Pause" for the game. I one time hit the escape key for the menu thinking it would pause the game. Went out of the house for a few hours. Came back and found out my character had died of hunger several times! You can't pause and need to just save and quit.

4) Can't modify your ship. It would be great if we could make our ships bigger for more stuff.

That's about my only gripes, but the game plays great for me (I've only had one crash in one year) and I enjoy it. So I have certainly gotten my $15.00 out of it, and would still recommend it to anyone.

Decisions, decisions......................

Considering I am a solo player versus online, I just might have to bust out $15 and try it then.

I saw so much of some of the older genre of games, such a megaman and others in this one.

Anyhow, Thank you for the review and explanation. I have been burnt so many times buying games that it's like going to the dentist when it comes to me buying a new video game!

a reply to: seeker1963

That's why I like "Demo" versions of games when they get put out. The "Try before you Buy" idea is a big win for me.

Unfortunately, they don't have a demo of this game. But if you search YouTube, you'll find other videos on it to watch and see if it really is what you want to play.

the game seems pretty cool even though its not for me. I think its awesome you and your kid game together. I wish my dad and I did more together, back in his day he was an Atari god.

originally posted by: Brotherman
the game seems pretty cool even though its not for me. I think its awesome you and your kid game together. I wish my dad and I did more together, back in his day he was an Atari god.

Good point!

My dad couldn't play pong if his life depended on it!

Eriktheawful, has definitely earned my respect for his relationship with his son! Something a lot of fathers should take note of........

I know, off topic, but what the hell, not often we get to point out the positives!

a reply to: seeker1963

sent u a u2u

I don't play minecraft but this style appeals to me as I love side scrolling games from the 16 bit era. Eriks kid has a cool effin dad and this is positive I love seeing his vids!!!

originally posted by: Brotherman
a reply to: seeker1963

sent u a u2u

I don't play minecraft but this style appeals to me as I love side scrolling games from the 16 bit era. Eriks kid has a cool effin dad and this is positive I love seeing his vids!!!

Can you send your U2U that you sent me to Eriktheaweful?

I think your onto to something huge my friend!

a reply to: seeker1963

check your inbox again i replied with more info and I will forward all to Erik he might actually like it.

Damn u Erik inspiring people and such