Jumpgate Evolution: Confessions of a Jumpgate Addict, Chapter 1

Well, after massive play sessions which led to a detailed preview and interview with the developers, I kept playing, even though other products now demanded my attention as well. Why do I keep going back to this game over and over again? The main reason is that it fulfills a dream of mine from several years back, while playing Elite and then Privateer. I would think to myself, "Wouldn't it be cool if those other ships were piloted by REAL people?" Well, Jumpgate grants me, and many others, this longtime wish.

I've been addicted to games, in general, for over twenty years, but few games have held onto me as long as Jumpgate. It's gotten so bad at times that I've put off reviewing games for over a week or so just to play Jumpgate. I have dreams about JG, think about it when I'm not playing it, and so on. What's so addicting about JG to me, more than anything else?

First off, it's the community. These folks who play JG are a great bunch of folks. They're fun to play with, funny as hell, and very supportive of the game and its community. They're the main reason I keep coming back, time and time again, to the JG family. The other reason is because JG is the only sci-fi MMORPG that is "skill based." What I mean by this is that while other MMORPG's like EVE and Earth and Beyond reduce everything to point-and-click actions, Jumpgate actually requires practice, reflex, and skill to succeed. You need to learn how to dock, mine, and fight manually, and it's this kind of activity that gives such an excellent sense of satisfaction.

This concludes the first in a series of addiction articles regarding Jumpgate. Next time, we'll zoom in a little bit and focus on the community, and why interacting with them is so addicting. I hope you've enjoyed this article, and found it informative.