Battle is definitely complicated, and the best way to learn is from fighting with or against veteran players. There is an ongoing "free-for-all" tournament which is more or less a simulated battle where you have an opportunity to fight in a no-risk environment. As you can chat with anyone in your battle (on either a friendly-unit only or open channels) the free-for-all is the perfect way to get exposed to warfare and ask for technical help from other players. The Neveron chat rooms are also always full of players willing to help a newbie. Finally, any but the least active factions will actively recruit and train their members.
The combat screen is probably the most exciting part of Neveron, but there are very complex economic and political elements as well. Tell us about these aspects of the game.
I won't go into too much detail here as there is too much to cover. The economics are indeed complex and present a very robust free market model. As you grow, you will begin to research new technologies. While some of these allow for greater access to building types or other peaceful things, most allow for the construction of ever more powerful war machines. Once you have researched something, say for example the SCP-A1 Scorpion tank, you are able to produce it in your factories. This requires that you have various resources on hand which are mined locally or purchased on the open market from other players. You may have trade alliances and faction discounts, but ultimately everything is listed on the same open market where people price them at will and the laws of supply and demand are in full effect.
The politics of Neveron are always intriguing and form the basis of most large-scale wars. To get to the top you'll need friends and you'll make enemies, and no matter how skilled you are on the battlefield if you find yourself standing alone against hundreds of enemies you will eventually fall. Some play with great honor, while others will stab you in the back without hesitation. I would say that some of the most powerful people in Neveron rarely fight and do little or none of the logistics of managing their empires; they maintain their power through alliances, threats, and diplomacy alone. Almost all of the biggest empires are controlled by groups of players who often specialize in different elements as some are great strategists while others may be brilliant tacticians. Some love micromanaging complex economies with others are purely diplomats.
Apart from the fact that it's free, what would you say is the most appealing part of Neveron for most players?
I'd say two things. The complexity, and variety. If you're looking for a simple or mindless game Neveron is definitely not for you. Its a challenge to learn and to play, and impossible to master. While I'd say most people shy away from games like this, for those who love complex strategy Neveron is the best Internet game out there. The variety is what tempers the confusion, and many players like Neveron for only one aspect or another. There are those who love dueling and play only for that. Others like to create powerful economies and strive to make as much money as possible. Some play for the community, spending hours each day in the chat room. It is this variety that we're trying to expand upon so that Neveron might appeal to a wider audience.
What is in the future for Neveron? Do you plan to make any major changes to the game?
Always! Without giving away any specifics its safe to say that many major changes will occur over the next 12 months. While most of our time is spent fixing bugs and working to improve performance (two necessary evils in a browser-based game) we're always dreaming up new features to add and ways to make the game more fun and easy to play. We also need to keep ahead of the players! We're often adding new mechs and vehicles to the game, or new weapons or buildings to research. Sometimes we make impactful changes in the rules of the game to maintain a balance between all types of empires. The fact that we're always presenting new challenges and features is probably the primary reason so many of our players find Neveron captivating. I expect we will continue developing and refining the game indefinitely.
Thanks for your time Randy!
Randy Shepardson is the developer of Neveron. Follow the link to give it a try.
