More stock ships

[Daniel L.]

I find it funny that the Isanth VIs still spawn. Those things are incredibly old, from before wedges were even added by the looks of them. They are interesting as a look into starmades history, but they are ugly and have not been combat effective for a long time.

they can easily be refitted.

 

[Daniel L.]

The game is needing a craft filter so people can set blueprints as ships or turrets.

 

[Parameter]

Interesting. Similar ideas to what I had... Well. We aren't ready for that yet. We need NPC's. Also all other in-game assets need a look at before new assets are created. But I will keep this in mind :D

I have a post suggesting something similar in the "New Gamemode?" suggestion thread which I'll cross-post here:

I think it might be nice if there was a "Honest Joe's Discount Spaceship Emporium" as part of the start shop. Players could purchase one of a couple default or server-specified starter ship designs with credits, and have it assembled on the spot in a ship dock hanging off the starter shop. Perhaps one or two you could afford on starter credits, and a couple cooler/more expensive ships to give them a taste of what they could build?

Something like this would allow a player to leap right into exploring/fighting/familiarizing themselves with space flight, without having to tackle the ship build system right off the bat. The ships wouldn't have to be very good either - if they can tell that their ship is a little goofy, it might encourage them to try and improve it, which could ease them into the ship-building sub-game.

Additionally, a "design browser" that interfaced with a community design database could allow you to crowd-source asset design without as much overhead. Admins would use the browser to choose designs to load on their server. These designs could be used for starter ships, AI factions, available to all players, etc. The browser could show a render of the ship, some specs, a short description, and allow tagging ("Pirates", "Station", "Alien", etc.) to help admins choose. Community content could go through a simple community review process, and "Schine-Made" or "Schine-Approved" designs could be shown first, or maybe even automatically added in (with an opt out, of course).

 

[Brain_Dawgs]

Dumb question: why would we need more stock ships, doesn't the ship catalog allow the pirates to have any ship we desire?

 

[Reilly Reese]

Dumb question: why would we need more stock ships, doesn't the ship catalog allow the pirates to have any ship we desire?

Because Starmade's default catalog is still terribly short and are clones of just 1 ship.

 

[Rixxan]

And that list can, should, and it's logical to update it. Add a titan for the lols, see what happens to the trading guild!

 

[Valck]

The isanths certainly are a bit dated and they will be getting a look at in the coming months. There will be (hopefully) more contests as well. They will not be as grandiose as the station contest I believe. New ships and stations are being planned though

I like the idea of user submitted ships, stations, etc. being distributed with Starmade. What I don't like is having the content decided by the result of a community poll.
The stations we have now range from awesome to fugly, and most of all, are a mix of starkly contrasting and IMO incompatible building styles and features.

Maybe having a consecutive series of polls, narrowing down and possibly reshuffling the selection several times, might help, but I'm not convinced it would.
I think it would be best if Schine did the selection themselves, taking under consideration how well the content blends together and how it affects loading times and disk/memory usage.

 

[Criss]

I like the idea of user submitted ships, stations, etc. being distributed with Starmade. What I don't like is having the content decided by the result of a community poll.
The stations we have now range from awesome to fugly, and most of all, are a mix of starkly contrasting and IMO incompatible building styles and features.

Maybe having a consecutive series of polls, narrowing down and possibly reshuffling the selection several times, might help, but I'm not convinced it would.
I think it would be best if Schine did the selection themselves, taking under consideration how well the content blends together and how it affects loading times and disk/memory usage.

I agree. This was something I was thinking as I submitted my own designs for the station contest. If contests happen again the winning submissions will be included to add variety to gameplay. This is supposed to be a universe and right now it is very empty. If they match the style of a specific faction there is a chance they will be incorporated there instead.

 

[Valck]

What I don't like is having the content decided by the result of a community poll.
The stations we have now range from awesome to fugly, and most of all, are a mix of starkly contrasting and IMO incompatible building styles and features.

Maybe having a consecutive series of polls, narrowing down and possibly reshuffling the selection several times, might help, but I'm not convinced it would.
I think it would be best if Schine did the selection themselves, taking under consideration how well the content blends together and how it affects loading times and disk/memory usage.

I agree. This was something I was thinking as I submitted my own designs for the station contest. If contests happen again the winning submissions will be included to add variety to gameplay. This is supposed to be a universe and right now it is very empty. If they match the style of a specific faction there is a chance they will be incorporated there instead.

Thank you, but I'm not sure if I read you correctly, you seem to be saying the exact opposite from what I posted...?

Also I don't think the universe is very empty, quite the opposite in fact. Maybe there is still not enough variation, but there are too many stations everywhere, especially in the "void". But that's a topic for another thread.

 

[Rixxan]

Ok so IMO,
A) The isnaths NEED A REVAMP or replacement ASAP
B) Pirate stations are too common, it should be the ships we find more often, both factions
C) I think that the council should make the decision of what, if any, ships are added if a community poll is added and then the great admins on high make the final call of yes or no based on suggestions from the council. That's what the council is for, after all, right?
D) I like Ike.
E) The isanths need to be retired eventually. They are just too weak to do anything.
F) The pirate and Trading Guild ships need to have different designs, having both ships use the same hull scheme makes it dang confusing, at least change the hull colors, as pirates wouldn't use the same color scheme as the trading guild for fear of being attacked by other pirates.
G) Both factions need to have different sized ships, the current model only uses one ship size, but in reality I think pirates would make all types of battleships, from carriers to battleships and fighters, not just the small little things. The TG on the other hand would have both transports and escorts, and would use different weapon configurations (Pirate disable and board, TG blow it all up)
But that's just my take, other opinions are free to differ.

 

[sayerulz]

Perhaps new players could be given Isanth VIs? They are functional enough to travel around in, but bad enough that players would soon start to try and refit and upgrade them, all the while learning building mechanics.

 

[Rixxan]

Perhaps new players could be given Isanth VIs? They are functional enough to travel around in, but bad enough that players would soon start to try and refit and upgrade them, all the while learning building mechanics.

I disagree. The point of being given a core and items is to build your own ship, not be given one. Plus, it's illogical to the point of the trading guild. Why would they give you, a brand new player, a ship that is A) expensive and B) unknown if you will become a pirate or not? It just doesn't make sense. The point of the new materials and some credits is so that you build your own ship, and that until you find a faction you are really on your own.

 

[Criss]

Thank you, but I'm not sure if I read you correctly, you seem to be saying the exact opposite from what I posted...?

I should clarify. First, the current stations are indeed incompatable styles, so they will be getting updated in the future. As for future contests, the submitted ships would either be under stricter guidelines so that they may fit a particular style or it will be open ended and those submissions will not be tied to any particular faction/race.

Ok so IMO,
A) The isnaths NEED A REVAMP or replacement ASAP
C) I think that the council should make the decision of what, if any, ships are added if a community poll is added and then the great admins on high make the final call of yes or no based on suggestions from the council. That's what the council is for, after all, right?
D) I like Ike.
E) The isanths need to be retired eventually. They are just too weak to do anything.
F) The pirate and Trading Guild ships need to have different designs
G) Both factions need to have different sized ships

Isanths will be updated. Stations come first because they are the most out of date. They were never fully finished to be fair. There is lots of stuff that never got changed on them since their introduction. Isanths as far as I can tell will never be replaced. They can still overwhelm a new player and thus provide a good starting enemy to fight. They will be updated. Many of them no longer work because of balance changes.

I'm not sure if the council should be the only people to vote on ship submissions. If everyone is allowed to submit something, everyone should be aloud to vote. Schine reserves the right to deny or alter designs indefinitely at that point.

After stations are updated we can start looking at new assets. Ships and stations. There is quite a bit of building that needs doing. Contests will happen again by then.

I disagree. The point of being given a core and items is to build your own ship, not be given one. Plus, it's illogical to the point of the trading guild. Why would they give you, a brand new player, a ship that is A) expensive and B) unknown if you will become a pirate or not? It just doesn't make sense. The point of the new materials and some credits is so that you build your own ship, and that until you find a faction you are really on your own.

There is always the possibility of rewarding new players with full ships or blueprints or the parts to supply a blueprint after completing missions. It's entirely okay to let the player build their own ship and we hope most do. But for the players that have difficulty with building or are impatient, we still want to give them the opportunity to fly. Why shouldn't the trade guild try selling you cheap ships?

 

[sayerulz]

I disagree. The point of being given a core and items is to build your own ship, not be given one. Plus, it's illogical to the point of the trading guild. Why would they give you, a brand new player, a ship that is A) expensive and B) unknown if you will become a pirate or not? It just doesn't make sense. The point of the new materials and some credits is so that you build your own ship, and that until you find a faction you are really on your own.

I don't think you get what I am saying. The ship in question is an Isanth VI. An old, crappy ship that barely even works anymore. New players are often confused by having to build a ship right off the bat. They don't know what to do with all of the components they have. This way, they get an crap ship, they can fly it around a bit, and eventually they will notice how they can improve it, and that way learn the building mechanics. Don't think of it as the trading guild giving you a ship, think of it as you having just bought an outdated, cheap ship.

 

[Rixxan]

Point well taken. But maybe make it so the ship at least works right. But good point, I concede that one.

 

[Valck]

New players are often confused by having to build a ship right off the bat. They don't know what to do with all of the components they have.

This, and also server operators can define which blueprint, if any, a new player gets (along with blocks, credits, and everything else), and whether it will be ready to spawn or have to have the blocks added first.

 

[kiraen]

Ok, first, let me stress this is from a modding/OS standpoint. I know in-game or via-launcher will be a bit different. I want an easily downloadable plug-n-pray solution.

How hard would it be to make your own ship/station packs? I think setting permissions is the hard part.
How about making a second pirate faction? Whether they are friendly with each other or not can be optional. Maybe 5-6 pirate clans, each with their own combat style.

The point is, i think the players should make some ship packs, maybe including some faction templates. Unzip to the right directory and presto, new pirates. (the same for the Trade Guild, too)
Then you can keep the all the same theme, have multiple options to choose from, and have ready made submissions for contests.

 

[Criss]

The point is, i think the players should make some ship packs, maybe including some faction templates. Unzip to the right directory and presto, new pirates.

I asked Schema for this a long time ago. He said it would be doable in the future.

 

[kiraen]

I asked Schema for this a long time ago. He said it would be doable in the future.

That is very good to hear. But, out of interest, what is stopping it now?
What I'm asking, is can I make a ship pack on my own and how would I go about it?
Or do I need to wait for some code to get finished?

 

[Rixxan]

That is very good to hear. But, out of interest, what is stopping it now?
What I'm asking, is can I make a ship pack on my own and how would I go about it?
Or do I need to wait for some code to get finished?

What's stopping it? Schema. What will unstop it? Schema. Is it possible to do? Probably.
Do I know how to do it? Nope.