Block Descriptions are (Hilariously) Bad!

[Crimson-Artist]

And I thought my writing was bad.

I know that they're a work in progress but honestly most of them are just lame or give an extremely basic understanding of how the block works.

But while working on the Starmade Wiki I think I found the Crown Jewel of Terri-bad descriptions. The Warp Gate Computer and Module have I think the most unintentionally hilarious description. Let me post it here for you guys that don't want to fire up the game to read it.

"Warp gates are the stationary version of structures that enable players to warp. Their range is 8 systems (128 sectors).

They have a steady power cost on size, and they also have a one time cost per ship that passes through, which is based on the mass of the ship.

Once passed, your ship will take 2 seconds to warm up then warp.

Warp gates have to be built in a two-dimensional loop. that means each block that is connected to the gate computer (place that one first) must exactly touch two other gate blocks. The simplest form is to build a simple flat square. The computer will give feedback if the gate is currently operational. Be sure to select the computer with "C" as it also happened to me that I patched up a gate without connecting the blocks to the gate computer and then wondering why it didn't go online.

Now that you have your gate, it's time to connect it. For that you will need need the marker beam.

This marker beam has two firing modes: Right Click will mark a structure. In The case of warp gates you can shoot the gate station anywhere to mark it. Right clicking the marker beam in the inventory will not tell you that it has a marking saved. You can now shoot the marker beam on another gate to enter its destination. To do that you have to use Left Click on the gate computer you want to set the destination for. As a trick, then shoot the gate with right click to overwrite the saved marking with that gate, go then throw the now working gate, and enter the mark on the gate. You now have both gates connected."

I'm not making this up this is literally the item description. I've cleaned up most of the spelling errors for the wiki but the grammatical ones I left in. If I was a new player and I read that I wouldn't know what to think about the game.

Now I can live with the fact that most of the item descriptions are written like one player is explaining what a block is to another player but this is just ridiculous. It is the most unbelievably, unsuccinct, unprofessionally sounding description I've ever seen.

Can we please get someone else to write item descriptions? Most of them are very uninspired and don't even reference any in-game lore (what little we have anyways). It not like they require a vast programming knowledge to fix, just some imagination and proper grammar.

/rant over

 

[Criss]

I'd be down to do that :P

 

[Crimson-Artist]

I'd be down to do that :p

so am I. Hell my shipyard storyline expands on some of the lore we have already.

 

[jayman38]

I would kind of like a super-succinct style, as if data on the block was pulled directly from some kind of database. This way, they still don't require lore. A lack of lore might make it slightly less interesting for those looking for story, but I'm usually just looking for technical details.

Example:
Block Type: Propulsion
Range: 8 sectors (128 Sectors) per second
Propulsion Type: Instant Travel
Host Structure Type: Stationary (Non-mobile, non-asteroid)
Construction Type: Closed flat loop <Click This Link for a construction tutorial.>
Propulsion Cost: 5 energy units per block delivered
Cooldown Time: 2 seconds

As shown next to "Construction Type", I think it would be a neat way to get players to run through tutorials, if said tutorials were linked directly in the description. That makes tutorials completely optional, but highly suggested in an implicit and intuitive way.

 

[Crimson-Artist]

I would kind of like a super-succinct style, as if data on the block was pulled directly from some kind of database. This way, they still don't require lore. A lack of lore might make it slightly less interesting for those looking for story, but I'm usually just looking for technical details.

Example:
Block Type: Propulsion
Range: 8 sectors (128 Sectors) per second
Propulsion Type: Instant Travel
Host Structure Type: Stationary (Non-mobile, non-asteroid)
Construction Type: Closed flat loop <Click This Link for a construction tutorial.>
Propulsion Cost: 5 energy units per block delivered
Cooldown Time: 2 seconds

As shown next to "Construction Type", I think it would be a neat way to get players to run through tutorials, if said tutorials were linked directly in the description. That makes tutorials completely optional, but highly suggested in an implicit and intuitive way.

Database style stats are a given, they should be required for all blocks. my gripe is that the way the descriptions are written they seem kinda 4th wall breaking by explaining how to use the block with raw game mechanics. for example the item description of the advanced factory:

"Manufactures advanced blocks from a variety of resources. Press R to Open/Close the Factory's Internal Inventory. (Used for placing the necessary materials for recipes.)"

not bad but so much more could've been done. Better descriptions come from some of the resources like the Alloyed Metal Mesh:

"A thin metal alloy mesh. These blocks are byproducts of the ore refining process, combining less useful metals into a usable alloy that is then manufactured into a sturdy mesh block"

Much better since it sounds like it comes from a text book that was written in the Starmade universe. if more descriptions were done like that I wouldn't have a problem with it.

 

[AtraUnam]

Community block description competition?

 

[Keptick]

I would kind of like a super-succinct style, as if data on the block was pulled directly from some kind of database. This way, they still don't require lore. A lack of lore might make it slightly less interesting for those looking for story, but I'm usually just looking for technical details.

Example:
Block Type: Propulsion
Range: 8 sectors (128 Sectors) per second
Propulsion Type: Instant Travel
Host Structure Type: Stationary (Non-mobile, non-asteroid)
Construction Type: Closed flat loop <Click This Link for a construction tutorial.>
Propulsion Cost: 5 energy units per block delivered
Cooldown Time: 2 seconds

As shown next to "Construction Type", I think it would be a neat way to get players to run through tutorials, if said tutorials were linked directly in the description. That makes tutorials completely optional, but highly suggested in an implicit and intuitive way.

The best would be what you suggested then followed by a description, that way everyone's happy ^_^.

 

[FullMetalFox]

My guess is that the description was written in a rush and forgotten, and if it was schema who wrote it, keep in mind its not his native language, and he isnt a translator.

So instead of ranting about it and making fun of who ever wrote it, pointing it out would have been enough. If you feel generous, you could even have offered to help by just posting a fixed or improved version.

Sorry, but as someone who spent a long time struggeling with two languages, thanks to dyslexia, i always get a little pissed off reading stuff like this.

 

[Crimson-Artist]

My guess is that the description was written in a rush and forgotten, and if it was schema who wrote it, keep in mind its not his native language, and he isnt a translator.

So instead of ranting about it and making fun of who ever wrote it, pointing it out would have been enough. If you feel generous, you could even have offered to help by just posting a fixed or improved version.

Sorry, but as someone who spent a long time struggeling with two languages, thanks to dyslexia, i always get a little pissed off reading stuff like this.

I remember someone offered to write better item descriptions some time ago and Calbiri himself said that its being "handled". since this amazing description is still in game im beginning to wonder if it really is being "handled". im well aware that English is not schemas first language but we have other schine members who are native English speakers working with schema.

My point was not to whine about it but to merely point out that how strange it is that this could've gone unchanged for so long. And trust me theres no shortage of people who want to jump in and give schema a hand (myself included) but unless schine approves of us helping all we can do is merely raise awareness of errors.

hopefully council members will be able to handle things like this so schema and the schine team can concentrate on improving the game.

 

[therimmer96]

This can all be changed in the block config. I'm sure if you sent Calbiri or Kupu a file with corrected descriptions they would at least look at it, if not use it.

 

[NeonSturm]

I am about to write a program that patches the BlockConfig with item-groups (php).
(patch, because else it would be lost in every update).

Perhaps I will or somebody else can write a program that allows you to define parts of a description separately and apply it to each block (but I don't know if I will finish it sooner or later)

 

[Insane Randomness]

so am I. Hell my shipyard storyline expands on some of the lore we have already.

Actually, Crimson, you need to talk to Schema and see if he would employ you for writing backstory for the game. That'd be sick.

 

[Crimson-Artist]

Actually, Crimson, you need to talk to Schema and see if he would employ you for writing backstory for the game. That'd be sick.

I would kill for that chance but im not sure if im really worthy.

I've been stuck with writers block for months which is crazy cuz ive got the entire shipyard story all planned out, I just make up the events that lead to each major plot point as I write. Right now theres other players who have been keeping up their writings more consistently than me.

 

[Insane Randomness]

I would kill for that chance but im not sure if im really worthy.

I've been stuck with writers block for months which is crazy cuz ive got the entire shipyard story all planned out, I just make up the events that lead to each major plot point as I write. Right now theres other players who have been keeping up their writings more consistently than me.

Yeah, and I haven't seen much from you in the ship creation front either. What're you working on I wonder?

As for the writing block, thats easy. Just boot up the PC and start writing, thats how I get past mine. I'm about to start writing on my dragon story again right now...

Again...
remember to save, remember to save, remember to save...

 

[Crimson-Artist]

Yeah, and I haven't seen much from you in the ship creation front either. What're you working on I wonder?

As for the writing block, thats easy. Just boot up the PC and start writing, thats how I get past mine. I'm about to start writing on my dragon story again right now...

Again...
remember to save, remember to save, remember to save...

been bouncying around between various projects. Ive got so many now that im begining to forget what needs to be done.

I've mostly been working on the wiki. for the last 2 months it feels like i've written about half of it all by myself. which is partly the reason why i made this thread. I usually only concentrate on one thing at a time cuz of my ADD tends to distract me very easily (kind of why I have so many projects that are unfinished)

I actually got a few refits that are finished but i want to make trailers for them and that takes time. also i want to release them when i release my story chapters. feels weird to announce ship releases when it doesn't advance the story.

 

[Chromework]

And I thought my writing was bad.

I know that they're a work in progress but honestly most of them are just lame or give an extremely basic understanding of how the block works.

But while working on the Starmade Wiki I think I found the Crown Jewel of Terri-bad descriptions. The Warp Gate Computer and Module have I think the most unintentionally hilarious description. Let me post it here for you guys that don't want to fire up the game to read it.



I'm not making this up this is literally the item description. I've cleaned up most of the spelling errors for the wiki but the grammatical ones I left in. If I was a new player and I read that I wouldn't know what to think about the game.

Now I can live with the fact that most of the item descriptions are written like one player is explaining what a block is to another player but this is just ridiculous. It is the most unbelievably, unsuccinct, unprofessionally sounding description I've ever seen.

Can we please get someone else to write item descriptions? Most of them are very uninspired and don't even reference any in-game lore (what little we have anyways). It not like they require a vast programming knowledge to fix, just some imagination and proper grammar.

/rant over

Block descriptions should also have more stats than just hp and armor. Like if weapons were to have a damage stat or something.