Midnight Star from the ex-Bungie and Wideload founder Alex Seropian’s studio Industrial Toys has soft-launched in Ireland. The first-person quasi-on-rails shooter, which hopes to make the genre work on mobile at last with loads of touchscreen-friendly features, is now available in its “0.1" version just in the Irish App Store for now. The game is allegedly still far away from its final release, with more territories expected to get the game as time goes on.
The last time we talked about Midnight Star is was way back in December of 2012, when it was called Morning Star. While it’s only limitedly-available now, this is the first opportunity for the public to try this highly-anticipated game. For you lucky Irish and people with an Irish iTunes account and a “Kiss me, I’m Irish" shirt, you can grab Midnight Star from the link below.
Irish App Store Link: Midnight Star, Free (Universal)
That is an instant deal breaker. Screw Gameloft.
Not for me I could care less of online requirement. As long as it doesn't have timers!
Amen brother!
Rebel
Yais?
Not to mention, keeping the Wi-Fi or 3G/LTE always on kills battery that much quicker.
Yep. Insta-nobuy
At this point who doesn't play games while connected to online ? I can't imagine playing a game without some sort of online option
There's a very vocal contingent of people, I'm never sure how large that contingent is... But they make damn sure to let everyone know just how much they're not going to buy games that require online connectivity.
Good question. People who travel with iPads (not rare) or iPods (kids mainly?), I would have to guess. (Or even iPhones--if they travel beyond their home country's data plan.) I'm always online, myself! But I've been on a long car ride at times and wished I could use my iPad instead of my phone. 200MB free from T-Mobile only goes so far...
Anyway, it seems like the barriers to having an offline mode are solveable, with some effort. Maybe not a priority, but not a lost cause. It can be done, including cached progression or delayed cloud synchs.
Look in to one of these- https://yourkarma.com/
Everyone I know who has one loves it.
Thanks. I like Karma's pricing model! (At the same time, I'd be annoyed to buy, charge, and carry a $100 device that does what my iPhone already can do--tether--just for the sake of escaping AT&T's poor pricing model. But if I needed it badly enough I'd do it!)
Woah, that's awesome! I've seen these before but they always have a monthly fee, never have I seen one where you just pay for GBs. Thanks Eli!
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I don't know the answer, but I have seen stats saying only 5%, or some single-digit percentage, of tablets have cellular connectivity. I have a WiFi-only iPad, which I do most of my mobile gaming on. I'd say 75% of the time that I use it I'm on WiFi, but there is that other 25% when I'm not.
That said, I don't get the anger over it. There are tons of games that don't require a connection, so just play one of those if you want to game offline.
I've got nothing against online only games but I just prefer to have an offline mode in case I don't have an internet connection. Fortunately, there's a good mix of both online only games, offline only, and both on the App Store.
Sure, some of those people commute using the subway that gets no connectivity in the tunnels or in a train that crosses large areas without internet connectivity
Why do some people think we are worth nothing while they are worth all? "I don't need it, so anyone who needs it should be ignored"
I like being able to conserve battery by shutting down the wifi. Since this game will be a battery killer, I would like to be able to shut down the wifi and save some precious battery.
I mainly enjoy RPGs and other games occasionally. If I were to get this, I'd probably only want to play the single-player campaign. And why should I have to waste more battery and spend monthly data on that?! Local saves that are pushed to the cloud work for many games. I don't understand why Gameloft won't use that option. Personally, Star Wars KOTOR is my favorite example. What would be the point of requiring that game to be online-only? And that's how I feel about all single-player campaigns.
For single-player only games like KOTOR what you say completely makes sense. For games like the MC games where online play is a big part of their popularity, it makes sense to try to prevent hacking game saves to preserve the integrity of online play.
Now they could take an approach like Diablo 2 did, where you can have both online and offline game saves, and the two can't be mixed. So if you start an offline game, you can hack it to your heart's content but you can't take it online. However Gameloft is implementing a unified single-player and multiplayer progression system in this game, so dividing things up that way wouldn't work for this game.
So the bottom line is that this game is prioritizing multiplayer over single-player, though single-player should still work fine for people who will always have a connection when they play.
Ah, that makes sense for that option. Being multi-player focused, players probably want all that experience done during time-wasting single-player games to count for something. I'd prefer it to be the other way, but then again I like to game on my own most of the time. So, I guess I'm in the minority. I'd see no reason to cater to my tastes then. Thanks for the explanation!
Hey, I'm the same way personally. I rarely ever play multi-player, especially on mobile, so I'd personally be better served by not having an online requirement.
As for whether we're in the minority, I suspect that overall a lot more iOS gameplay time is spent on single-player than multi-player. However for this particular game series my impression is that the multi-player is the biggest attraction.
i dont know what your on about (says the skelemancer with lvl99 raise skeleton whose 57 skeleton warriors in tow are lagging the game to the point of unplayability).
ffs blizzard, im just training for when i actually pay for the game instead of running my cracked copy. thats why its called a trainer, duh.
How about ppl who take the subway to school or work? Or when the internet is down? Or when they live in areas with spotty ISP? Imagine having paid for a game which doesn't have at least one offline campaign. Can't play mc5 at all there... WASTE of money.
And this is why Internet requirement is bad.
Should be possible to play a game, without some unnecessary blockage thrown in.
Anyways who plays fps for the storyline?
There is a difference between "some sort of online option" and "a game intended to portable devices that cannot be played at all without connectivity"
There are games that check license once in a while (e.g., when starting), and that should be fine, even if checked daily. But then to prohibit us to play it just because one CANNOT connect in many places (or installs it in a table with no connectivity) is different
I won't mind, the majority of people will buy this game because of multiplayer and not singleplayer anyway. If Gameloft really will be able to keep the game more hacker-free this way than before, I'm a fan.
That's what I'm saying
agreed
Hackers will always find a way around, or through.
Agreed,we're only interested in the multiplayer.....well,most of us that is lol
I've still not played 4 yet.
PLAYYY ITTT!! (better than 5)
GAHHHH JUST RELEASE ALREWDY IM REY 2 PLAY ONLINE AN DOMINATE LLS😂😂😂😂😁😁😋
Bye bye battery life....
... Why would people be upset about this when the main thing people play games like this for is the competitive multiplayer?
Because it somewhat limits people who either A. Don't have access to wifi, B. travel a lot, or C. want to play this away from home. It's just something that some see as frustrating and annoying.
It's the practical application that people are against. It basically means they can't play when they travel or aren't at home. My ADSL line was down for 2 weeks due to a line fault. During that time a lot of games I wanted to play I had no access to fir the entire 2 weeks. Let the single player component be offline so at least we can practice while we don't have a connection. I think it was a very good move with Spider-Man.
It would be very nice if they did implement that. I agree.
Because there is a single player mode and that should not require Internet because it doesn't unless they throw it in.
Doesn't bother me. I'll be playing the game at home, and when I go out, play some other game. Simple.
I often like to play complex games like this on flights or when on vacation, like recently I played a bunch of BH Legacy (effing amazing game) while on a cruise. Can't do it if online is required.
Offline/ Online, just release it!
This is a deal breaker for me too.
I cant stand games that have this requirement because as others have already stated, IT IS A BATTERY KILLER, GAMELOFT.
Also, as someone who hardly ever plays multiplayer, it seems like a superficial ball and chain attached for those of us who only enjoy single-player. Not all of us are in our teens with online buddies ready to play. Most of us are adults who would like to enjoy this game on the airplane in between our business trips. Online, killing my battery, not able to enjoy single player without leaving Airplane Mode, makes this game far less accessible.
@ReadME Gameloft
I ain't even mad
This is the most mobile friendly modern combat yet. You have small mini missions you can complete in like 5-10 minutes, perfect for just picking it up and playing on the train. So making it only online makes no sense.
BUT JUST RELEASE IT ALREADY.
Agreed and +1 again. I have my ipad for mobile gaming, not while I'm home - for flights, long train rides, and hotels. This unified progression system seems like an excuse to force the internet requirement, so they don't lose money (under a slick marketing buzzword) . The game looks amazing, though I think Im just gonna dive into monster hunter and get going with that, since there is no smoke & mirrors and bullsh1t marketing.
For younger players and ones that have internet all the time, yea this is going to be an unreal game. Absolutely. But gameloft, I've bought your games for years now, every nova, every modern combat, and at least 10 more, and this is probably the first time I'll skip it.
I bailed on them after Captain America. Made no sense. And then the game went free. I'd rather play Deus Ex again instead of be forced online.
Wheen is the release???
Now it took too long. I don't want it anymore. 😝
I have no interest in the online multiplayer (largely because I always get slaughtered in multiplayer), so to me the online requirement is just a pain in the arse for no gain whatsoever.
Insta-skip, just for the online connectivity alone.
I don't see how anyone can be in favour for needlessly requiring to be constantly online (even in single player mode), just so they can track you, show ads, increase load times, decrease battery life and impair gameplay experience. I predict there will still be cheaters and the servers will be unprepared at launch i.e. it wont be possible to play single player without having to reconnect every 5 minutes, and losing progress if you lose connection. The recent spiderman game and rival knights are good examples of why it doesn't work.
Really? I play Rival Knights without a connection all the time. Multiplayer messes up some but so does every multiplayer on every game ever at some point.
Yes, really. You must be the exception then and/or not have played it during launch week.
This sucks. I've enjoyed the others but I don't want to be forced to be connected. If they have server down time we can't play single player. If I go on holiday and have no wifi I can't play the game I bought. Garbage
Came for the bitching
LOL! 😆
Lost any interest I had in the game
I don't give a fuck about connecting or whatever. I just want to play it. Please release it soon. I check every week hoping that it will be on the list and every week becomes a total boner kill.
Wifi+Bluetooth controller= RIP BATTERY.
Wasn't there a MC5 Q&A list recently?! I'm 100% sure I read a question saying "online connection required?" And answer was "No" now I'm reading this from TA.
Insta-skip
How can I play with an iPad Mini wifi in the train ?
Sayonara gameloft , me and my bunch of hardcore ios gamers swear not to buy any of ur games anymore , good luck
Only reason I would consider buying it if there was an offline mode. My iPad isn't online all the time. So definite deal breaker.
Do I have to be online to enjoy the single player also?
I don't have much interest playing online with other people - I play mostly on flights/train so wifi is generally rare.
*fingers crossed*
I don't even have a decent connection to be online whenever I wanna play...
Pretty disappointing news for me.
online for multiplayer only - or both?
Can anyone one tell me
Was all parts of modern combat is online