A compilation of universe suggestions

[Jake_Lancia]

Hey guys, me again for another suggestion thread...

There's been many amazing ideas for universe improvements over the past couple of years, and I have some of my own I'd like to add too. Therefore I've created this compilation thread to combine as many as possible into one place.

I personally would love to see a truly immersive universe filled with things to see, do and avoid. These suggestions would help achieve that goal.

Suggestion 1 - Dynamic universe (1) (2) by GeneralEagleEye and Blaza612

• These excellent suggestions revolve around the idea of a more populated universe.
• True NPC factions would become direct competitors and compliments to player factions.
• Plus the current NPC factions (Pirates, Trade Guild) would recieve a host of new features making them act like what they are supposed to be.
• Missions for each faction would also be possible, bringing the long-awaited quest overhaul forwards and reinvigorating the stagnating game economy.
• Another thread is the Communication Block thread by generalBLT13 that would compliment this one nicely, allowing the calling of Trade Guild cargo shipments and could be expanded to other faction uses too.
• Check out the threads for more details.

Suggestion 2 - Remove stars from procedural background by Byamarro

• A small suggestion, but one that will make the backgrounds appear more realistic.

Suggestion 3 - More space phenomena by multiple players

• More things to see and interact with is a big step to having a truly immersive universe.
• For a start, true asteroid belts orbiting planets or stars would improve the realism of the asteroids and their positioning.
• Gas Giant planets (by Crimson-Artist) would provide a new resource type while being pretty to look at. His thread explains it better than I can though, and it has amazing pics too!
• A thread combining better asteroid fields and derelict ship spawning is this one by Riggedride . Derelict ships could include new exploration opportunities or resource harvesting.
• Nebulae of differing types and densities would provide ample opportunities for exploration, resource acquisition or just to hide a secret base in. This thread by mindlord0013 (READ BY COUNCIL) has an interesting take on creating them, and includes pictures too, although system sized nebulae would also be good to have too. Think of the effects that could be applied to these; no shields or shield drain, increased dampening, interdiction zones, simple ship damaging; or even beneficial effects like a permajam effect or a boost to ship power levels. The possibilites are endless. Not really realistic but would provide new exploration opportunities.
• Perhaps some moons or planetoids (thread by Chromework ) would also exhibit more potential for exploration and perhaps even, to create orbiting bases.

Suggestion 4 - Uneven resource distribution by Ithirahad

• This excellent suggestion revolves around making different star systems in a cube of systems have differing amounts of each resource type, so one of the systems may be rich in sapsun but poor in hylat, and so on.
• This encourages exploration of each system and also to not just settle in the one homebase-protected system.
• Could also lead to decent, meaningful conflict rather than the usual 'I HATE YOU, IM GONNA KILL YOU' conflict that is currently around.

Suggestion 5 - Changeable shop blueprint by me

• Another quite small suggestion, but in my opinion the current shops just look out of place in the new universe even now. I suggest that they be changeable like the default stations. Megacrafter127 had a good idea to implement this.

Suggestion 6 - User-named star systems and sectors by Thexare

• This suggestion would help immensely with navigation and sharing sectors with other players.
• It would allow people additional RP opportunities as well.

Suggestion 7 - IMPLEMENTED Jump drive Interdiction by me

• Not really a universe improvement as such, but ties in to it.
• Basically there needs to be a way of stopping or preventing jump drives to stop people from quickly escaping from a fight.
• I thought that there should also be natural interdiction zones too, hence the inclusion into this compilation.

I'll add more suggestions and threads whenever I can. Link others you find here if I miss them.

DISCLAIMER: I take no credit for the threads I linked here or the majority of their ideas; All trademarks are property of their respective owners. I claim ownership of only my own ideas I added to each or that are seperate to the linked threads.

 

[Criss]

A small suggestion, but one that will make the backgrounds appear more realistic.

Uh, I would just like to point out that in the very same thread, quite literally, thousands of stars are visible in the image provided depicting our own galaxy. I can't quite see how it would be more realistic to simulate a couple hundred/thousand stars as opposed to the thousands/millions that generate with the procedural background. The procedural BG is a better depiction of what we would see in space.

 

[jayman38]

Uh, I would just like to point out that in the very same thread, quite literally, thousands of stars are visible in the image provided depicting our own galaxy. I can't quite see how it would be more realistic to simulate a couple hundred/thousand stars as opposed to the thousands/millions that generate with the procedural background. The procedural BG is a better depiction of what we would see in space.

Maybe it would be better to replace the real-star GL points with small, low-res texture billboards that match the procedural-BG stars, except that they could be a little brighter than average, so you knew what you could fly to, versus what was just background. Slightly more GPU-intensive, but much more immersive.

 

[Crusade]

the star thing as about actually having 'real'stars you can travel too. The 'draw additional stars'option independent of the procedural backgrounds actually correspond to the points of all the stars in the current galaxy.

 

[Criss]

Maybe it would be better to replace the real-star GL points with small, low-res texture billboards that match the procedural-BG stars, except that they could be a little brighter than average, so you knew what you could fly to, versus what was just background. Slightly more GPU-intensive, but much more immersive.

In that case I would say it would be alright to remove them from the backgrounds entirely as long as the "star areas" filled up enough of the screen.

 

[generalBLT13]

This is what a galaxy looks like with only the actual stars.

 

[BiGEdge]

The population of the Universe.
This will happen if the AI will be improved.
I read somewhere, that its planned, that AI will create there own Factions and Stations in the future.
and you can trade or fight them.
But first the Logic update, and then later the AI and AI Factions update.
Last one will be such a big one, hope that it gets much faster with the new coders, and will be great

 

[Proxy_PlayerHD]

This is what a galaxy looks like with only the actual stars.

hmm... looks a bit empty. how about adding an effect. the effect would make stars blurred when you are far away, it would also increase the light (blurring effect) when multiple stars seems to be "near" eachother, than a galaxy would look like a real galaxy!

Spoiler

also there should be an option to turn that effect on/off.

 

[Byamarro]

Where I was while taking screenshoot:

Spoiler

How Galaxy look from here without fake stars in background:

Spoiler

My proposal how it could look:

Spoiler

Because stars in SM are in matrix so they are spread unnaturally. Regions where are many stars in many rows could be fill with blurred glow. Sorry for low quality of galaxy but I had not my tablet near PC while doing it :P

 

[Jake_Lancia]

OP edited with additional ideas on space phenomena and objects.

 

[Ithirahad]

http://starmadedock.net/threads/une...-and-density-getting-the-wheels-turning.6425/ Does this qualify?

 

[Jake_Lancia]

http://starmadedock.net/threads/une...-and-density-getting-the-wheels-turning.6425/ Does this qualify?

Yes, yes it does. I'll add in in a moment.
EDIT: It has been added.

HOW DID I MISS THAT?!?!

 

[Snk]

Let's get a Dev tag on this.

 

[Ithirahad]

Let's get a Dev tag on this.

Eh, personally I'd prefer Dev tags on the specific suggestions...

 

[Megacrafter127]

Let's get a Dev tag on this.

A dev-tag on a compilation of other threads(this is basically just a list of other threads) would only make sense, if ALL the other suggestions on the list would have the same dev-tag. IMO at least.

 

[CaptainTaz]

Whenever the AI factions are talked about, my idea always seems to get forgotten D:

http://starmadedock.net/threads/ai-factions-a-giant-ball-of-ideas.5324/

 

[Ithirahad]

This is what a galaxy looks like with only the actual stars.

Pretty, but as someone said it needs textured stars rather than the derpy GL point stars which tend to disappear and twinkle and stuff for no apparent reason...

 

[Byamarro]

Pretty, but as someone said it needs textured stars rather than the derpy GL point stars which tend to disappear and twinkle and stuff for no apparent reason...

A dev-tag on a compilation of other threads(this is basically just a list of other threads) would only make sense, if ALL the other suggestions on the list would have the same dev-tag. IMO at least.

Then let's tag ideas separatelly and OP will add small icons next to them in this thread :P

 

[Jake_Lancia]

Whenever the AI factions are talked about, my idea always seems to get forgotten D:

http://starmadedock.net/threads/ai-factions-a-giant-ball-of-ideas.5324/

Oh sorry I'll update that in a mo.

EDIT: Done.

 

[Jake_Lancia]

OP edited with two more thread links.