In the Black

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

In the Black just released today.  Hard sci-fi space combat flight sim with Newtonian physics and an Expanse style storyline and ship design. I loved flying around in Independence War 2 and enjoyed how they did Newtonian physics and thrust vectors, etc.  I'm thinking of picking it up but I'm still feeling the sting of buyer's remorse from '83.  (bought that one from GMG so no way to refund.)

In the Black seems cool and the demo was interesting but the interface was kinda clunky.  HOTAS support was kinda there, but not.  Binding controls was problematic as sometimes the game would forget.  Also, the flight model is rather complex and there's a lot to remember.  Doesn't help that the contextual tutorial popups only refer to the default mouse and keyboard controls rather than to whatever you've remapped your HOTAS to.   I'm not a fan of the always online requirement, even for single player.  I was pretty into Infinity: Battlescape some years back but the community just never took off and it's pretty dead now.  Bit worried this one will suffer the same fate.

Has anyone taken the plunge on it?

https://store.steampowered.com/app/380110/In_The_Black/

[Jarhead0331]

I have plans to get it tonight when I get home from the coal mine.

However, it is unlikely that I will actually play it for awhile since I'm still hooked on Gray Zone. Every time I try to play something else, somehow I click on Gray Zone instead and before I know it, hours have passed.

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

I can't remember what the setting is called in-game.  Some sort of flight assist system that auto applies thrust in the direction your view is facing.  It's on by default.  You need to toggle it off to avoid point defence fire and to hit anything with your railguns.  The demo never explained this.

[W8taminute]

when I get home from the coal mine.

I feel ya brother.  I work in a coal mine as well.   

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

Refunded it for now.  I like the idea, but it's a long way from being ready. 

They really need some sort of visual feedback to indicate direction of travel when you're facing the nose of the ship in a different direction.  Independence War 2 managed this way back in the early 2000s.  I can't understand why they don't replicate it .

[Father Ted]

I did like the idea of this, but then I saw it doesn't support headtracking (yet), which I view (ahem) as kind of essential for any flying sim - especially if you're not always travelling the way your ship is pointing.

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

Yeah, the UI is a mess right now.  It doesn't officially support HOTAS yet, but you can get it working.  Same with TrackIR. You can use it via FreeLook but head movements haven't been implemented in game so you can look around, but the POV is from a fixed point like on a gimbal camera rather than full 6dof.

[Jarhead0331]

Yeah, the UI is a mess right now.  It doesn't officially support HOTAS yet, but you can get it working.  Same with TrackIR. You can use it via FreeLook but head movemrnts haven't been implemented in game so you can look around, but the POV  is from a fixed point lije on a gimbal camera rather than full 6dof.

I refunded too, which is exceptionally rare for me to do. My concern is that this has been in development for over 10 years. What the hell are they doing? It is in a pitiful state for that long of a cycle and the micro transactions for paint and decals is a very bad sign.

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

Yeah.  On the plus side, some of the guys I played with online reminded me that Infinity: Battlescape is still a thing and just recently got an update.  I might go back to that one.

[Jarhead0331]

Yeah.  On the plus side, some of the guys I played with online reminded me that Infinity: Battlescape is still a thing and just recently got an update.  I might go back to that one.

I have it too. Let us know if its worth getting back into.