Take On Mars

[Xydonus]

Just discovered this on Steam,

 

from Bohemia Interactive, Take On Mars is a simulation game focused entirely on Mars and the rover projects. The simulation itself seems pretty in-depth. You can get it on steam early access for 9 euro.

 

http://www.youtube.com/takeonthegame

 

http://store.steampowered.com/app/244030/

 

Looks promising, if your a fan of Kerbal Space Program you will most definitely like this.

[Rathlord]

Did you actually pick up a copy? It looks interesting, and for less cost then Kerbal (and an actual gameplay trailer) I might actually buy this one.

[Xydonus]

I was hesitant at first, but yeah I took the dive and I've been unable to tear myself away from it.

 

I strongly suggest to avoid lets plays of it to get that first 'sense' of the game, that first sense of exploration.

 

If you got the pc rig to handle it, turn the graphics up all the way including the 3d resolution and just enjoy the maddening graphics that this game boasts, along with the attention to detail they've given Mars. They've mapped the environments near exact to detail according to satellite imaging and ground-based photo's taken from past rovers, such as the Victoria crater.

 

I'm really impressed because this is a early alpha and it is very much playable in its current state. There's also quite a few hints within the Space Agency section that tells you they are going to be adding a lot more depth to the management side of it.

 

First thing that I noticed about the game is atmosphere; the game is very atmospheric. Strangely enough the music adds to it and I find myself contemplating if I want to turn it off or not. I'm one of those 'immersive' players, as I like to be immersed in a game as much as possible so the camera modes that they have provide a realistic touch to the sim. You start off with a low-tech grainy b/w camera on your rover/landers that add to the whole feel of the game.

 

Also there is a lot of complexity to the game that is easily missed. Things can go wrong, even before you land. Your heatshield could malfunction, your wheels on your rover can break, dust can get into the mechanics resulting in instrumental failures and you have a system log that shows you whats functioning, whats not. The physics in the game is impressive; little rocks to miniscule variations in the landscape can provide a bumpy ride, and its interesting to watch your wheels roll over them in an appropriate way.

 

You can also choose to play in real time or game time. Real time is based on the Mars actual time, so if your launch window is set during the darkness, you may have to literally wait a whole day for it to change so you can rely on your solar panels.

 

Few things to note though, being in alpha. The battery system is bugged at the moment, so if you run out of battery life you can still function. It's something their aware of. The engines on the skycranes are visually bugged, and some others have reported issues taking pictures although personally I haven't. So if you run into a situation where you can't take a picture, switch to wide view and try it, or try a different angle.

 

Anyhow, I love it personally. I can see it becoming more involved, scientifically and in complexity as development continues. Some people will consider it boring but it is what it is, a rover sim set on mars.

 

Price is going to go up no doubt after its full release so if your going to get it, get it while its cheap.

[PK'EZ-54]

Wait, a Take On Series game that's actually worth getting? *Feather explosion*

[Rathlord]

The only hesitation I have about it is that there just might not be enough content to support the idea. It's an easy trap for realistic sims to fall into... it's a fantastic simulation... of sand. Now what do you do with a sand simulator? You tinker with it for an hour then never look at it again. Hopefully Take on Mars doesn't hit that same wall. Curious to hear what everyone thinks about its longevity.

[Headshotkill]

This + KSP