Back in February Bungie co-founder and Halo creator Alex Seropian announced that he had formed Industrial Toys, a new studio with Dreamworks R&D manager Brent Pease. The goal? To create "mobile games for core gamers." Then the company went dark. Today, nearly 10 months later, Industrial Toys has finally lifted the lid on Morning Star, its first project.
A first look at Morning Star's 'Dust' antagonists.
Industrial Toys is nothing if not ambitious. Today's announcement describes the game as "a complete re-imagining of the science fiction shooter." Studio President Tim Harris told IGN that the development team built the game around three major pillars: multiplayer & community, controls designed specifically for touch-powered mobile devices and enemy AI & encounter design.
Concept art showing Charlie Campbell, Morning Star's hero.
Industrial Toys has brought on award-winning Sci-Fi author John Scalzi (perhaps best known for Old Man's War) as a story consultant, responsible for the world building behind the Morning Star universe. Marvel/DC comic book artist Mike Choi has been tapped as Lead Concept Artist for the title, responsible for the overall artistic direction of the game.
Morning Star takes place in 2130. The crew of the research vessel Joplin is sent to investigate a mysterious signal coming from within Earth's own solar system. Disaster strikes (as it is wont to do), transporting the Joplin's crew across the galaxy and into an alien conflict.
“With Morning Star, we’re looking to change expectations for what kind of experience core gamers get from their mobile devices,” Industrial Toys CEO Alex Seropian said in a statement. “We’re breaking new ground on everything from the visuals to the story to the ongoing support we’ll provide in the way of content, events and player involvement. It’s gonna be nuts.”
Right now actual details on how Morning Star plays remain under wraps. But Harris told IGN that a tremendous amount of R&D and experimentation went into designing touch controls that feel right. "Once we nailed that, it cascaded a sh*t-load of design choices. Everything from enemy behavior to level and encounter design." Additional Morning Star details, including the game's business model, competitive multiplayer are also yet to be revealed.
For now gamers will have to content themselves with the first few screenshots and pieces of content art for the Unreal-powered shooter in IGN's Morning Star image gallery.
IGN will have more on Industrial Toys' debut project in the weeks to come, leading up to the game's 2013 release on iPhone and iPad.
Justin is Editor of IGN Wireless. He has been reviewing mobile games since the dark days of Java flip phones. You can follow him on Twitter at @ErrorJustin and on IGN.
Source : feeds[dot]ign[dot]com
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