Looking for ideas

[Zaphord]

Here's my dilemma;

I'm working on a space restaurant style station, and I'm making some good progress as far as building the dining area, kitchens, washrooms, etc. As I'm building, a few things start to dawn on me; things that I have no idea how to implement or deal with. Here's a short list;

1. The Name - I was originally planning on having it on a big rotating sign above the station, something you can see from a few sectors away. Trouble is this doesn't fit with the name I had originally picked out, "Shrodinger's Donuts" would make that sign GIGANTIC. I need a shorter name that's catchy and doesn't make my advertising hardware bigger than the station itself.
2. Parking - Needless to say that titan sized ships won't be pulling up to the front door, or going through the drive-thru for that matter. There needs to be a large landing pad with multiple rails to dock onto for different sized ships. I have no clue how to make this effective.
3. More Content? - What else could I add to a fast food franchise in space? Burger joints don't have that much to them to begin with.

That's it for now, I'll post more problems/solutions if I run into any. Your feedback is much appreciated.

 

[Shadar]

Interesting concept. Puts me in mind if the space diner towards the end of the movie Space Balls.

 

[Zaphord]

Interesting concept. Puts me in mind if the space diner towards the end of the movie Space Balls.

That would be my next station, a greasy spoon / truck stop style station. Now I'm gonna have to build that flying Winnebago, the Eagle 5, to park in the lot. Won't have the "I Love Uranus" bumper sticker sadly.

 

[Visitor]

The Name - I was originally planning on having it on a big rotating sign above the station, something you can see from a few sectors away. Trouble is this doesn't fit with the name I had originally picked out, "Shrodinger's Donuts" would make that sign GIGANTIC. I need a shorter name that's catchy and doesn't make my advertising hardware bigger than the station itself.

I think that simply surname or name of some corporation/brand would be enough. For example, just 'Schrodinger' - like how it is with McDonald, sufficiently popular brand will make the name easily recognizable even if on its own said name has little to do with food. Or use a symbol logo for a longer brand name.

Parking - Needless to say that titan sized ships won't be pulling up to the front door, or going through the drive-thru for that matter. There needs to be a large landing pad with multiple rails to dock onto for different sized ships. I have no clue how to make this effective.

I am actually not sure you need even that. There was some discussion before about making proper standarized docking arms - I'd suggest using those, possibly with some simple lattice/pad. That should be sufficient to handle ships of different sizes and builds. Also, you shouldn't need to make it too big. After all, even in an average sci-fi show, no one parks whole cruiser by a station - people use shuttles for such things.

More Content? - What else could I add to a fast food franchise in space? Burger joints don't have that much to them to begin with.

Depends if you want pseudorealistic station or not. If you do, having authorized-personel-only small crew quarters for the personnel, with equally small engineering compartment where the core, generators and shielding is would be nice. When it comes to restaurant itself?
Dining area with a counter and kitchen behind it or bath/washroom you thought of already. And that's nearly all there should be. Add some storage room/freezers and you're golden.

Doesn't mean you have to stop there - there's always content having more to do with it being a station than a restaurant that you could think of like a tiny medbay for clients/personnel, a few evacuation pods/internal shuttle bay for evacuation shuttle, maybe even a control panel for a turret or two should the popularity of the station's grilled chicken cutlets draw unsavory element.

I would suggest though concentrating on making small, but detailed station rather than putting in even more/bigger stuff.

Edit: The usual, like typos.

 

[Zaphord]

Well, I think I'll just call it Daisy's to keep it simple. Thanks Visitor, I'll be sure to use many of your ideas.

 

[Galladinator]

Call it The restaurant at the end of the universe.

 

[jayman38]

Here's my dilemma;

I'm working on a space restaurant style station, and I'm making some good progress as far as building the dining area, kitchens, washrooms, etc. As I'm building, a few things start to dawn on me; things that I have no idea how to implement or deal with. Here's a short list;

1. The Name - I was originally planning on having it on a big rotating sign above the station, something you can see from a few sectors away. Trouble is this doesn't fit with the name I had originally picked out, "Shrodinger's Donuts" would make that sign GIGANTIC. I need a shorter name that's catchy and doesn't make my advertising hardware bigger than the station itself.
2. Parking - Needless to say that titan sized ships won't be pulling up to the front door, or going through the drive-thru for that matter. There needs to be a large landing pad with multiple rails to dock onto for different sized ships. I have no clue how to make this effective.
3. More Content? - What else could I add to a fast food franchise in space? Burger joints don't have that much to them to begin with.

That's it for now, I'll post more problems/solutions if I run into any. Your feedback is much appreciated.

1. It sounds like you have the name taken care of, with "Daisy's". With that, I'd recommend creating a giant, rotating, stylized "D". (Like the McDonald's Giant Yellow "M".)
2. For parking, don't worry about the big ships. Make them use their shuttles. Just make sure you use lots of USBs, as described in this thread:
http://starmadedock.net/threads/introducing-usd-type-1-updated.7305/
Maybe at the end of long, spindly docking arms with rapid-multi-rail-shuttles.
3. Cyber Cafe with computers everywhere? Maybe a drive-thru technobeam array? If you're feeling ambitious, maybe add a hotel to the restaurant. Maybe a special Daisy's catering shuttle?

 

[Zaphord]

Call it The restaurant at the end of the universe.

Thought of that, but I think a fast food franchise would fit the theme better. I'm open to doing a restaurant in that style though. I'll keep that mind.
[DOUBLEPOST=1435792520,1435792223][/DOUBLEPOST]

1. It sounds like you have the name taken care of, with "Daisy's". With that, I'd recommend creating a giant, rotating, stylized "D". (Like the McDonald's Giant Yellow "M".)
2. For parking, don't worry about the big ships. Make them use their shuttles. Just make sure you use lots of USBs, as described in this thread:
http://starmadedock.net/threads/introducing-usd-type-1-updated.7305/
Maybe at the end of long, spindly docking arms with rapid-multi-rail-shuttles.
3. Cyber Cafe with computers everywhere? Maybe a drive-thru technobeam array? If you're feeling ambitious, maybe add a hotel to the restaurant. Maybe a special Daisy's catering shuttle?

Love the big D idea, gonna use that for sure.

Rail shuttles would be awesome, and the catering shuttle would be a nice touch.

I think there's a lot of possibilities for "social stations" like this. Just places where players can hang out and RP or socialize. Definitely something worth exploring. I'll be sure to enter it in the next station contest when it comes around.

 

[Keptick]

1. Parking - Needless to say that titan sized ships won't be pulling up to the front door, or going through the drive-thru for that matter. There needs to be a large landing pad with multiple rails to dock onto for different sized ships. I have no clue how to make this effective.

But wouldn't that just be hilarious? Imagine a ship 10 times the size of the restaurant just pulling up to drive-through with the pilot ordering a coffee and some doughnuts.

 

[Zaphord]

But wouldn't that just be hilarious? Imagine a ship 10 times the size of the restaurant just pulling up to drive-through with the pilot ordering a coffee and some doughnuts.

I can just see the look of panic on the faces of those poor workers as they scramble to fill an order for 2000 coffees and 100 dozen donuts.

 

[Keptick]

I can just see the look of panic on the faces of those poor workers as they scramble to fill an order for 2000 coffees and 100 dozen donuts.

Pretty much :P

"I'd like 2000 coffees and a couple hundred doughnut BOXES." "Oh, and hurry, I'm late for work"
*rotates gun towards restaurant*

 

[SomethingSlimy]

- Janitor's closet
- A complimentary gas station?
- A starship wash
- If you're going restaurant style, don't forget the secret mafia hideout upstairs.

 

[Markus_McCloud]

If you keep the name Schrodinger's Doughnuts, I have a logo for you:
(I made it round because it's a doughnut shop.)

 

[HolyCookie]

Zaphord A children climb paradise like every McDonalds has.
Trashcan small one for in the restaurant and a big one outside for the garbage workers.
Animation team+podium for live music and fun shows.
An underground wine cellar/underground disco.
Rotating doughnut model made with display blocks and rotors.
Those digital order pillars like at McDonalds (use displays)
Paintings made with display blocks (ask ToasterBorst for all your display-y needs)

 

[Ghent96]

we have custom alphabet blocks on our server that will make your sign a lot smaller