Make StarMade gameplay more survival-like

    Joined
    Sep 4, 2013
    Messages
    723
    Reaction score
    200
    • Purchased!
    • Legacy Citizen 5
    Currently Starmade players don't worry abount anything. You just need to mine ores (which are totally easy to get) and You just don't have many next targets to do. You just want to grow bigger and bigger to fight with bigger and bigger pirates.

    So there is my proposal some of them You propably heared earlier:

    1. Constant needs
    Ship is not only great asset but also great resposibility. When You're in space oxygen, food, water and fuel depletes so You need to gather huge amounts of them if You want to fly in long travel.

    You might be able to produce basic resources synthetically in late game but during early game You will need to be nomadic, just like people in stone age who didn't knew how to breed animals and farm plants.

    2. Game start that gives You clear targets
    When You still play Starmade there is nothing to do. That might make freshmen leave game without well understeanding it. You just spawn in space which seems just like void.

    I don't know any game which spawn You at start in such non-interesting place.
    Let's spawn player at planet and give him some clear basic targets to help him go deeper into game. He will need to gather some basic resources to build basic base and ship.

    3. High tier Tech
    There is no visible progress rtight now most expensive things are propably star gates and jump stuff. It rakes fairly short time to get them anyway. Later You just grow and grow. You will don't meet any new things You will just gather more amounts of things that You already know.

    Let's give players long-term targets. Why not to do some block that costs fortune to play but gives them awesome new possibilites like new crafting recipies for new blocks? Faster engines? Harder armor? New energy generators?





    Some of You might say that Starmade is sandbox game and if You don't have imagination then You shouldn't play it - ok but if player will lose ideas what do do just for few hours then He will quit game and might never back.


    Cool additional ideas:

    - Collision system (GOD will we finally see it finished?)
    - Gas planets
    - Farming
    - Oxygen-space. So simulation of spreading oxygen.
    - Tools that can be used by players
     
    Last edited:
    • Like
    Reactions: Ithirahad

    NeonSturm

    StormMaker
    Joined
    Dec 31, 2013
    Messages
    5,110
    Reaction score
    617
    • Wired for Logic
    • Thinking Positive
    • Legacy Citizen 5
    1. Controversial community opinions

    2. +1, but read other threads too.

    3. Stupid
    • Go play Robocraft where you encounter always the same items with just a different Tier-number (except very few differences)
    • Better give peoples a list containing ideas (collected all over our community) of what they can build.
     

    Snk

    Joined
    Aug 30, 2013
    Messages
    1,186
    Reaction score
    155
    • Legacy Citizen
    • Top Forum Contributor
    3. Stupid
    • Go play Robocraft where you encounter always the same items with just a different Tier-number (except very few differences)
    • Better give peoples a list containing ideas (collected all over our community) of what they can build.
    No, 3 is a good idea. Would make it so some people have higher tech levels and stuff.

    Been suggested 300 million times before dude.
     
    Joined
    Jul 21, 2013
    Messages
    2,932
    Reaction score
    460
    • Hardware Store
    No, 3 is a good idea. Would make it so some people have higher tech levels and stuff.

    Been suggested 300 million times before dude.
    Being suggested over and over doesn't make something better, it only indicates that either many people want that, or that the people, who want it, aren't able to search the forums properly(which doesn't indicate or state that others are).
     

    NeonSturm

    StormMaker
    Joined
    Dec 31, 2013
    Messages
    5,110
    Reaction score
    617
    • Wired for Logic
    • Thinking Positive
    • Legacy Citizen 5
    No, 3 is a good idea. Would make it so some people have higher tech levels and stuff.
    3 levels are OK, 10 like in RoboCraft are a mess.


    If it is different how you access the higher-level tiers of different item-types:
    • Mercenaries may get better trading stuff
    • Pirates may get better stealth
    • Military better guns
    • Civilians missions yield better thrusters
    • ...
    It would encourage trading.
     
    Joined
    Sep 4, 2013
    Messages
    723
    Reaction score
    200
    • Purchased!
    • Legacy Citizen 5
    I actually mean somewthing like Minecraft Tiers. Diamond stuff, leather stuff etc.
    So You will not be able to create plasma cannons until You will get some special fabrication machine.

    If people wants to play ship build simulator without any fuels etc. then let's just create 2 separate game modes. Because many people really likes idea of real survival mode.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: Ithirahad

    Snk

    Joined
    Aug 30, 2013
    Messages
    1,186
    Reaction score
    155
    • Legacy Citizen
    • Top Forum Contributor
    3 levels are OK, 10 like in RoboCraft are a mess.


    If it is different how you access the higher-level tiers of different item-types:
    • Mercenaries may get better trading stuff
    • Pirates may get better stealth
    • Military better guns
    • Civilians missions yield better thrusters
    • ...
    It would encourage trading.
    That could be a good idea.
     
    Joined
    Jul 27, 2013
    Messages
    78
    Reaction score
    9
    3 levels are OK, 10 like in RoboCraft are a mess.


    If it is different how you access the higher-level tiers of different item-types:
    • Mercenaries may get better trading stuff
    • Pirates may get better stealth
    • Military better guns
    • Civilians missions yield better thrusters
    • ...
    It would encourage trading.
    Higher tier Tech as rewards from NPC factions, as part of the upcoming quest system perhaps? That might just be the solution to making it work without allowing players to readily build massive ships from them.
     
    Joined
    Jul 29, 2013
    Messages
    1,173
    Reaction score
    494
    • Competition Winner - Small Fleets
    • Top Forum Contributor
    • Legacy Citizen 5
    Good god, #3, no way in hell. Firstly, we have a limited number of block IDs, secondly, it would make blueprints, crafting, shopping, building, and trading ridiculously more complex then it needs to be.

    And different "tiers" of tech is NOT how Minecraft works, at all. Everything, from leather to diamond, has a use, and no material is a straight upgrade of another. Each of those materials is an ingredient, or provides an attribute.

    Tl;dr, tiered technology is an absolutely terrible idea, no matter how many times the community suggests it.
     
    Joined
    Apr 21, 2013
    Messages
    1,714
    Reaction score
    650
    • Top Forum Contributor
    • Legacy Citizen 3
    • Councillor Gold
    I've never been opposed to higher tier tech, after all we already have different tiers of armor. I'm just not sure how we could effectively balance it
     
    Joined
    Sep 4, 2013
    Messages
    723
    Reaction score
    200
    • Purchased!
    • Legacy Citizen 5
    "Firstly, we have a limited number of block IDs"
    This is completly paranoical view. There is enough IDs to add tons of blocks.

    would make blueprints, crafting, shopping, building, and trading ridiculously more complex then it needs to be.
    Every new block makes these things a little bit more complicated but no one ciries when new types of glass appears. Or when rail blocks will appear.

    Everything, from leather to diamond, has a use, and no material is a straight upgrade of another. Each of those materials is an ingredient, or provides an attribute.
    But diamonds can't be obtained with wooden pickaxe and that's what I mean. Let's make expensive machines that makes You possible to obtain things that are unobtainable with primitive low tier machines. And I'm not talking about tier 1, tier 2 etc. There are bunch cooler names.

    Just like now we can call jump drive tier 2 because it's very expensive.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: Ithirahad
    Joined
    Dec 17, 2014
    Messages
    534
    Reaction score
    195
    • Purchased!
    • Legacy Citizen 4
    As much as I hate to say this, I don't think you can have a sandbox game without some sort of durability mechanic. In single player, the loss due to combat is just not fast enough. Once you hit the sweet-spot, you're cruising the galaxy in your harvest destroyer hoovering up any and everything that the game throws at you while losing nothing in the process.

    I've played legit since I bought this game an Xmas time and I have 33m credits and nothing to spend it on. I have no need to mine as I can just buy everything I need. the key to Minecraft has always been that nothing lasts and you must be always seeking new horizons or managing renewable to survive with or without combat. There are some great ideas in this thread but I can't see them making any real impact if what we make lasts forever.

    PvP galaxy conquest is a totally different beast, however, and not what I'm talking about.
     
    Joined
    Sep 4, 2013
    Messages
    723
    Reaction score
    200
    • Purchased!
    • Legacy Citizen 5
    As much as I hate to say this, I don't think you can have a sandbox game without some sort of durability mechanic. In single player, the loss due to combat is just not fast enough. Once you hit the sweet-spot, you're cruising the galaxy in your harvest destroyer hoovering up any and everything that the game throws at you while losing nothing in the process.

    I've played legit since I bought this game an Xmas time and I have 33m credits and nothing to spend it on. I have no need to mine as I can just buy everything I need. the key to Minecraft has always been that nothing lasts and you must be always seeking new horizons or managing renewable to survive with or without combat. There are some great ideas in this thread but I can't see them making any real impact if what we make lasts forever.

    PvP galaxy conquest is a totally different beast, however, and not what I'm talking about.
    U're welcome to add Your own ideas!
     

    NeonSturm

    StormMaker
    Joined
    Dec 31, 2013
    Messages
    5,110
    Reaction score
    617
    • Wired for Logic
    • Thinking Positive
    • Legacy Citizen 5
    Every new block makes these things a little bit more complicated but no one ciries when new types of glass appears. Or when rail blocks will appear.
    Rail will replace normal docks -> Saves us 4 IDs too :P (just a joke that has to be said)
    I've never been opposed to higher tier tech, after all we already have different tiers of armor. I'm just not sure how we could effectively balance it
    I got a nice idea (at least I think it's nice):
    1. Tier (Scavenger)
      • Easy to obtain ingredients for it
        • More common ingredients
        • And/Or from less mineral types
      • Only functional blocks
        • Maybe just a Shield instead of Recharger+Capacitor (like old one)
          • To be customized in combination with a few 2. Tier Shield-Blocks.
      • 80..90% efficiency compared to 2. Tier blocks.
    2. Tier (Normal)
      • Normal amount+number of ingredients
      • Full variety of blocks (decorative, logic, ...)
      • 100% efficiency
    3. Tier (Elite)
      • Hard to obtain ingredients for it.
        • Some may require missions or other stuff that you can get en-masse
        • And/Or several factory steps
        • And/Or many mineral types
      • Only functional blocks
        • Maybe more detailed differences for customizing existing ships.
      • 110% efficiency
     
    Joined
    Sep 4, 2013
    Messages
    723
    Reaction score
    200
    • Purchased!
    • Legacy Citizen 5
    Rail will replace normal docks -> Saves us 4 IDs too :p (just a joke that has to be said)

    I got a nice idea (at least I think it's nice):
    1. Tier (Scavenger)
      • Easy to obtain ingredients for it
        • More common ingredients
        • And/Or from less mineral types
      • Only functional blocks
        • Maybe just a Shield instead of Recharger+Capacitor (like old one)
          • To be customized in combination with a few 2. Tier Shield-Blocks.
      • 80..90% efficiency compared to 2. Tier blocks.
    2. Tier (Normal)
      • Normal amount+number of ingredients
      • Full variety of blocks (decorative, logic, ...)
      • 100% efficiency
    3. Tier (Elite)
      • Hard to obtain ingredients for it.
        • Some may require missions or other stuff that you can get en-masse
        • And/Or several factory steps
        • And/Or many mineral types
      • Only functional blocks
        • Maybe more detailed differences for customizing existing ships.
      • 110% efficiency
    That's why I meant. Hoever Tiers don't needs to have any name. I just meant to have something like stone age > bronze age > iron age > ...
    But in StarMade
     

    jayman38

    Precentor-Primus, pro-tempore
    Joined
    Jul 13, 2014
    Messages
    2,518
    Reaction score
    787
    • Purchased!
    • Thinking Positive
    • Legacy Citizen 4
    Personally, I think that if we are talking about stone age to bronze age to iron age, then this should be handled as a mod by the server admin, where every once in a while, systems are provided a small addition to their base production to simulate universal technological advancements. (E.g. Every week or so, reactor blocks are increased by 1 e/s, capacitor blocks are increased by 1 e, shield generators are increased by 1 s/s, shield caps are increased by 1 s, per-entity max softcap energy storage is increased by 100 e, etc.)

    It sounds unbalanced at first blush (just wait until tech levels reach a good level before starting), but established players will have a greater industrial base, with which they can upgrade rapidly. Meanwhile, new players who joined late will be able to enjoy the new technology age right from their starting day.
     

    NeonSturm

    StormMaker
    Joined
    Dec 31, 2013
    Messages
    5,110
    Reaction score
    617
    • Wired for Logic
    • Thinking Positive
    • Legacy Citizen 5
    Just what happens if everything but block mass increases?
    • Terrain HP will soon become like 0.1 HP compared to our current balance if dmg + shield+ hull-hp increase constantly.
    • Ships will get 100% speed instantly or constantly faster / more agile.
    • Effect blocks will sooner or later have 1% energy usage or 99.999% efficiency?
    What happens to already build things?
     

    jayman38

    Precentor-Primus, pro-tempore
    Joined
    Jul 13, 2014
    Messages
    2,518
    Reaction score
    787
    • Purchased!
    • Thinking Positive
    • Legacy Citizen 4
    Just what happens if everything but block mass increases?
    • Terrain HP will soon become like 0.1 HP compared to our current balance if dmg + shield+ hull-hp increase constantly.
    • Ships will get 100% speed instantly or constantly faster / more agile.
    • Effect blocks will sooner or later have 1% energy usage or 99.999% efficiency?
    What happens to already build things?
    1. Yep. Look at how breakable, inefficient, and disposable stone-age tools are compared to iron-age counterparts.
    2. Might take a few years, at which point, the server will probably be due for a universe refresh.
    3. Yeah, awesome right??? (Again, probably around the time that the server is due for a universe refresh.)
    4. I was not talking about new BlockIDs, but changes to the existing ones, so existing structures get upgraded automatically. Might not be as fun, but it might not be as frustrating also.
     
    Joined
    Dec 17, 2014
    Messages
    534
    Reaction score
    195
    • Purchased!
    • Legacy Citizen 4
    U're welcome to add Your own ideas!
    I'm trying! I really am. I'm wracking my brain to come up with an idea that:

    Involves decay without pissing people off

    Encourages interiors without pissing people off

    Rewards crews npc or pc without pissing people off

    ...but I may be onto something
     

    Snk

    Joined
    Aug 30, 2013
    Messages
    1,186
    Reaction score
    155
    • Legacy Citizen
    • Top Forum Contributor
    I'm trying! I really am. I'm wracking my brain to come up with an idea that:

    Involves decay without pissing people off

    Encourages interiors without pissing people off

    Rewards crews npc or pc without pissing people off

    ...but I may be onto something
    Nothing will not piss people off. Which is why we have the config!