DUST 514

Sveinsson is similarly cautious when talking about how the DUST and EVE's military power-struggles will mesh, but nonetheless, things are a little more defined here. EVE's pilots will own the majority of planetary districts, via a system that will be introduced to the PC game in the next major update after this winter's Dominion. But a couple of districts on each planet are reserved for DUST's mercenaries - and these have special value as staging posts for War Barges, the giant orbital craft that house the MCCs and act as optional social areas for DUST players, with apartments, hangars, promenades and trophy rooms.

The balance between EVE and DUST districts makes alliances between the two games economical (as does a reduced rate for EVE pilots hiring DUST mercs from their own corporation). Ultimately, hiring DUST 514 mercenaries won't be mandatory for power-hungry EVE players, but it will be attractive, thinks Sveinsson. "DUST is a catalyst for EVE players, one of many that you can subscribe to if you're trying to capture system," he says. "DUST mercs will just be more points. If the incentive is great enough they will use them; if you don't want to use them and your enemy does, you'll have to."

Battles undertaken between Corporations as part of the grand power-struggle in New Eden will be completely unregulated and free-form, with no interference from matchmaking on player power or numbers at all. Player warfare in EVE's world remains a resolute matter of survival of the fittest. However, it will be harder to "buy win" in DUST than in EVE, promises Sveinsson, and in NPC faction warfare and "more normal contract agreements with EVE Corps," matchmaking will be used to ensure a balanced and fun game.

We're treated to the world's first live demo of DUST, performed by a tight knot of Shanghai developers manipulating Xbox 360 pads in the corner of a room here at the EVE Fanfest. Naturally, the huge play-field looks a little thinly populated, but the scale is impressive, and the there's a definite family resemblance to EVE in the chilly restraint of the game's style, very hard-edged and grey. We watch a team establish an installation, hurtle across the open terrain in a buggy, hack a mainframe in an enemy outpost, and call in a fighter jet to use against the opponents' MCC.

At first it seems a bit too understated in its portrayal of barren scrubland and concrete complexes, but the appropriate note of awe comes in with the first sight of the 300-metre-long MCCs hanging in the sky, and rises to a climax with the final air engagement, with missiles streaking in from installations to take one down. It's hard to judge the feel without trying the game, naturally, but despite muted sound, DUST 514 certainly seems to have some physical heft and punch as a shooter.

But aside from its fascinating, unprecedented link with EVE - the nature of which is currently quite hard to pin down - does it have enough to set it apart from its dozens of well-established big-budget rivals, Halo and Call of Duty not least among them? At first glance, no, but perhaps that's missing the point. DUST is a unique proposition, and will immediately attract the small but dedicated band of gamers who've always dreamed of something like this - PlanetSide with consequences, gaming without borders - or who've always regarded EVE's intrigue and deep immersion with envy, but little desire to actually play it.

For them, the only questions are when they'll be able to jump in, and how. CCP has no publishing partner yet, no release date (it's "still quite early", says Sveinsson) and nothing to say about formats. Naturally, PS3 and 360 are the candidates, but "we have not announced which platform we're going to release on", and on the prospect of a PC version Sveinsson will only say "we are fully committed to making this the best console experience". If six years of EVE has shown one thing, it's that you underestimate CCP's commitment at your peril.