Notch plans Elite-meets-Firefly space trading sim

Minecraft creator Markus 'Notch' Persson is dreaming about making an Elite-ish sandbox space trading sim with first-person influences from Firefly, sharing ideas out loud. It's very early days, but Persson says he has started working on it.

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Minecraft creator Markus 'Notch' Persson is dreaming about making an Elite-ish sandbox space trading sim with Firefly-inspired on-ship fun, sharing his ideas out loud. It's very early days, but Persson says he has started working on it.

"I want the space game that's more like Firefly," Persson told PC Gamer. "I want to run around on my ship and have to put out a fire. Like, oh crap, the cooling system failed, I have to put out the fire here."

"The goal is to do it the same way I did Minecraft," he explained. "Just basically have me work on it for a while, and then we'll add people as needed, and try to charge as soon as possible, because it's probably going to be open ended sandbox game as well, so it doesn't need to be completed before people can play it."

Ever the Tweety man, Persson's confirming that he has indeed started making it. He also said that he fancies a "ship that feels like the one in Alien rather than Star Trek," and a dream about a glowing warp core made him realise, "I need a fancy lighting engine." He also commented that the genre "hasn't been done right since" Elite.

Fingers crossed that work on this does continue merrily, as space is quite lovely. Or, if not, that someone else does. "If someone steals the idea before me, that's totally fine," Persson said. "I just want to play that game.

From The Chatty
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    March 23, 2012 9:35 AM

    Alice O'Connor posted a new article, Notch plans Elite-meets-Firely space trading sim.

    Minecraft creator Markus 'Notch' Persson is dreaming about making an Elite-ish sandbox space trading sim with first-person influences from Firefly, sharing ideas out loud. It's very early days, but Persson says he has started working on it.

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      March 23, 2012 9:41 AM

      I missed getting on the notch hate train, so I'm looking forward to seeing where this goes. Even if the same thing happens (he kicks it off then hands it over to someone else when his ADHD kicks in) it still has the potential to be awesome.

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        March 23, 2012 11:41 AM

        Yeah... I don't get all the hate. Well, I see where it comes from but I don't really agree. Minecraft is a freaking amazing accomplishment and I think people sometimes don't see the forest for the trees. Like a lot of talented and creative people... he doesn't have an extreme talent for attention to detail. Meaning, he likes to be creative and built, but doesn't like cleaning up his mess and fine tuning quite as much. But I'm fine with that as long as he gets it started then brings in other people to clean it up afterwards. Minecraft right now is a pretty good state and is extremely solid and playable.

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          March 23, 2012 11:53 AM

          [deleted]

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            March 23, 2012 12:15 PM

            It's a good point. He did dig himself into a hole more than once... and sometimes it seems like he just can't help himself. :) He keeps doing!

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            March 23, 2012 12:38 PM

            People also took everything he said super serious even though everyone knows he has a habbit of blabbing. So when he mentions introducing flying unicorns then doesn't do it everything goes rabble rablle on the net even though they should all know better.

            I guess it pissed those idiots off but I personally liked hearing about it.

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        March 23, 2012 12:25 PM

        Better than trying to handle it on his own when his ADHD kicks in. I think Jeb has done a fine job.

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      March 23, 2012 10:03 AM

      So, Elite sounds like an advanced version of Taipan! I loved Taipan!!

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      March 23, 2012 11:37 AM

      Finish one game before you start the next, Herr von Notch.


      Scrolls is not even out and you are already investing energies in another game?


      No surprise here. Go let that guy who currently works on minecraft, who actually RELEASES STUFF finish the others.

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        March 23, 2012 11:42 AM

        He's not even working on Scrolls and I don't think he ever has. That's a totally separate project which just happens to exist inside his development house.

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      March 23, 2012 11:49 AM

      I don't know what elite is but first person firefly sounds awesome.

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        March 23, 2012 12:07 PM

        Elite is the grandfather of all space trader/shooters. Think Privateer/Freelancer but released back in 1984 on an 8-bit system.. due to graphics constraints it was all 3D but black and white vectors but you still had the trading aspect and upgrading your ship etc.. It was also phenomenal and there was nothing else like it in scope or quality at the time. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elite_(video_game)

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          March 23, 2012 12:12 PM

          Ahhh the memories. The Master 128 color version no less. Good times. I now have an urge to break out Chuckie Egg and Exile too.

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            March 23, 2012 2:40 PM

            wow, someone needs to come out with a javascript version of this, stat.

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          March 23, 2012 12:20 PM

          Holy crap. I've heard of Elite for years but didn't realize until just now that I HAD THAT GAME as kid! It was not an *ehehm* official copy though and I spend hours trying to figure it out... and I think I just eventually gave up and played more Wizardry or Ultima or Bard's Tale (which I actually owned).

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          March 23, 2012 2:23 PM

          Pffft. Multicolor graphics. I had Green on Black, and I LOVED it.

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        March 23, 2012 2:20 PM

        I sure hope it's first person!

    • Zek legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
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      March 23, 2012 12:07 PM

      I don't feel strongly about Notch one way or the other, but what has that dude been doing all this time?

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        March 23, 2012 12:36 PM

        Swimming in cash

        • Zek legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
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          March 23, 2012 12:45 PM

          It does seem like his motivation and focus pretty much evaporated when he became incredibly rich. I don't blame him for that, it would happen to the best of us. Hopefully the money still goes to good use through the people he employs/funds.

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        March 23, 2012 12:55 PM

        [deleted]

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          March 23, 2012 2:11 PM

          He's not working on Scrolls. Maybe he has some input, but it is that other dude's game.

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        March 23, 2012 1:37 PM

        what every game designer does. pretending to be working

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        March 23, 2012 1:38 PM

        Thinking about how he can blow the money in a way that people will applaud his feats of money mismanagement.

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        March 23, 2012 2:08 PM

        Probably been networking, promoting and figuring out what direction the company should take and hiring people. That shit all takes time.

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      March 23, 2012 12:42 PM

      Take my money... TAKE IT!

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      March 23, 2012 12:52 PM

      As long as it isn't written in Java and runs like shit I'm in!

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      March 23, 2012 1:07 PM

      "If someone steals the idea before me, that's totally fine," Persson said. "I just want to play that game.

      He's one of us.

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      March 23, 2012 2:35 PM

      firely? might need an extra F in there

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      March 23, 2012 2:49 PM

      Also of note, he said game design (at least in general) isn't art. Which I sort of thought was an odd thing for a indie dev to say.

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      March 23, 2012 4:05 PM

      [deleted]

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        March 23, 2012 4:30 PM

        And as good as the X series has been, the learning curve is HUGE. there's so many things you can do in that game, I'd argue that it's closer to a sim.

        This should be closer to privateer than the X series.

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        March 23, 2012 4:37 PM

        [deleted]

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      March 23, 2012 4:39 PM

      I loved elite! I look forward to this.

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      March 23, 2012 4:40 PM

      I loved elite! I look forward to this.

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      March 24, 2012 4:25 PM

      Oh Elite the hours spent playing you are so memorable..

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