A Reimagined Crafting and Factory System (Simple + Effective)

[kaemcedlra]

Lately I have been seeing people bringing up the downsides of the game's current system of factories. These issues include the topic of the complexity and how to contributes to a higher learning curve, thereby scaring away new players. Whilst reading these complaints I happened upon an idea which not only reduces the complexity, but also accomplishes everything the current system does and more.

The new system I propose involves having one single factory computer/block, which can then be linked to a secondary factory block ( Two blocks: Factory Computer, Factory Block). This provides a basis from the already familiar system we used with weapons and utilities. The idea behind this new system is that, like cannons for instance, the more volume of the factory blocks linked to the factory computer, the better its performance.
Tiers of advanced blocks would be 'locked' behind certain volumes of factory blocks. So a simple 1:1 factory computer to factory blocks ratio would be the most simple and least effective factory, and would produce the equivalent to basic factories at a really low rate (1 product per tick) Where a factory computer linked to several blocks would still produce basic tier items, but would produce more per tick (Effectively replacing the factory enhancer blocks). Once you get past a certain threshold of blocks to computer, you will have access to standard tier production. Once you get to this threshold, you can still produce basic in addition to standard, and the amount modifier would reset back to 1 product per tick. The process then repeats until you have an advanced capable factory which then can be built on infinitely to maximize the modifier to the player's liking. Of course power consumption increases with each added block.

This same system can replace the refineries as well.

The Current System:
Pros:
- Progression (Better items locked behind better factories)
- Customizable (Your factories can be as complex and advanced, or as simple as your needs require)

Cons:
- Progression circumventable (It doesn't take long at all to get to advanced, most players build advanced as soon as they build basic)
- Harder to learn for new players (What factory has what block, difficulty getting minor ingredients together for advanced products)
- Adds unnecessary hindrance to large orders and construct processes.

New System:
Pros:
- Progression
- Customizable
- Less complexity

Cons:
- Limits the production modifier (Product per tick) for all 'tiers' lower than advanced (Advanced can be built on to have optimal modifier)


This isn't a take it or leave it suggestion, if you guys like some aspects of this and not others (for example, maybe let's not do away with enhancers) or if perhaps you have ideas to make it even better, we can discuss how to change this system to make it perfect for starmade!

 

[Lecic]

The current crafting system is fine. Why do people keep trying to change it?

And no, the crafting system is not complicated. You literally just search up what you want to make and throw in raw resources.

 

[sayerulz]

The current crafting system is SUPER simple. As Lecic said, all you need to do is search what you want and it tells you what resources to input.

Compare that to say, minecraft, where you have a 3x3 grid in which to place items, which must be in a specific order, one which is sometimes more logical than others, and in which there is no ingame information on what you need and how to put it. Minecraft is, in fact, pretty much impossible to play without getting information on crafting recipies from third party sources. However, that doesn't seem to have hindered it's popularity in the slightest.

If anything, a greater degree of complexity could be good for starmade's crafting system.

The real problem with the crafting, I think, has far less to do with how things are crafted than with how resources are distributed and used. Since even a very simple ship needs at least a bit of pretty much every resource, and different resources are spread very far apart, you end up spending an incredibly annoying amount of time looking for whatever random colored resource.

Looking back on minecraft as an example, what we need are some very basic resources used for making essential ship components like thrusters, standard armor, power, weapons, and shields. These can all be found pretty much anywhere, and in the same areas- like iron, redstone, and gold.

Then there would be specialty resources used for making fancier things like cloakers, jammers, effect modules, jump gates, shipyards, and other things that are very useful but perfectly possible to live without. These would be found only in certain areas, which would ideally be sources of conflict. So sort of like emeralds, except useful.

 

[Pacific_Jim]

The current crafting system is fine. Why do people keep trying to change it?

And no, the crafting system is not complicated. You literally just search up what you want to make and throw in raw resources.

Mostly this.

The only thing I have a problem with on the crafting system isn't the crafting itself, it's how many individual components you need to make a ship. Setting up dozens of individual factories can be really tedious, so I'd be entirely for a streamlining of what components you need to place into a ship. For example needing to put in the correct number of a type of hull block and paint (the shipyard would handle converting into wedges etc), critical systems (ie power, shields, weapons, effects etc) and from there crystals/mesh for decorations etc.

 

[Madman198237]

The system itself is much easier than Minecraft's, for example. However, the UI is a nasty mess of complexity, and the reasoning behind what resources make what is limited to what color that resource happens to be (What if you accidentally used some rusted iron in place of some reddish-orange materials, huh? What then? Still going to do the same thing?). A little more logical system could get much more complex (A la Minecraft, the game that doesn't tell you crap about what the heck you're doing, yet still manages to be fun) and still be playable, but a better UI would be an excellent first start.