Ascent:TSG - Space MMO

[IdeoPraxist]

For those that like Kerbal, perhaps you may want to look at the MMO Ascent:TSG. Ascent:TSG is easy to learn, but has enough depth and complexity of real space science and science fiction. It is free to play by web (Firefox, Chrome, etc.), but if you want to improve performance and resource acquisition, there is a PC version and a $1 subscription per month for specific areas of interest (industry, planets, combat).

Ascent:TSG (http://www.thespacegame.com/) is a space game that focuses on industry, trade, and PVE combat. What is unique about this MMO is the capability to explore planets, study the mineral, food, and atmospheric gas capabilities of a planet, then build a colony using domes to acquire resources. Ascent:TSG has been around for two years with an active community, with the premise of working together to reach out into space after suffering the collapse of civilization. Currently, there are active community projects to construct expensive jump gates to reach far-away colonies, all decided by the players.

There is some skill and brain-work involved for certain aspects of the game. Ascent:TSG has a wiki developed by players since some space and colony features can be fairly complex.

Ascent:TSG Wiki: http://wiki.thespacegame.com

There is also a skill element involved in mining and PVE. Timing is critically important to obtain the best yield from asteroid belts, while tactics are needed for fighting pirates.

One major constraint that has been holding the growth of the game is the graphics and user interface. The developer and the players realized that the functionality was great, but the lack of beauty and desirable user-interface was suffering compared to other space games. Since the developer is slowly running out of money (mostly a one-man operation), he developed a Kickstarter to hire a graphics specialist.

The Kickstarter: http://kck.st/1CAk0M1

The developer is looking for your vote support to Greenlight his game in Steam. A Greenlight on Steam will give him the opportunity to sell his game on the most popular game distribution site on the Internet. I believe he is a few hundred votes away from receiving Greenlight attention, so every vote counts. Please send him a Yes vote.

Greenlight Ascent:TSG

I have played the game for six months, and what keeps me still playing is that the developer continues to make constant feature updates, the helpful community, and this space game offers a unique angle in space exploration and colonization. I hope to see Kerbal gamers (ie: smart players) join the community.

[rtxoff]

The competition about space games is getting harder and harder, i am not sure if a game with a monthly subscription is up to date even if it is a cheap subscription. Obviously the game lacks some substantial graphics, the release of space citizen and elite dangerous will be it's deathblow.

[IdeoPraxist]

The competition about space games is getting harder and harder, i am not sure if a game with a monthly subscription is up to date even if it is a cheap subscription. Obviously the game lacks some substantial graphics, the release of space citizen and elite dangerous will be it's deathblow.

Actually, we discussed this matter extensively. True, there are lots of new space games, so the competition for space pilots is quite competitive, so differentiation is important.

The subscription model is actually working for the small player-base in Ascent, but I agree, subscription models are almost taboo now (Eve-Online is the exception).

Elite Dangerous (ED) and Star Citizen (SC) seemed more pilot-orientation PVE/PVP combat with more dangerous space as the norm with no form of planet settlement. Ascent focuses on the expansion into space by constructing an infrastructure of jump gates and colonies, hopefully one day to re-find Earth. There are many ways to to play in a space sandbox, and Ascent is working to find explorers, traders, and industrialists. ED and SC are looking for combat pilots.