Universe Update Roadmap #1

[schema]

Hello players,

the first devblog for the universe update has been posted here: StarMade News - Universe Update Roadmap #1

Thanks for playing StarMade,
- The Schine Team

 

[Byamarro]

I hope that we will get dev posts more often, as it sometimes looks like dev(s) abandoned the game, and only occasionally put an update when they fight off their procrastination, while all their real job is hidden due to lack of communication.

 

[Tsnonak]

Thank you for making StarMade!

 

[Captain Fortius]

Great news.

"Starmade 2020" ?
So expect the update anywhere between 12 to 23 months?

I know good work takes time and all, but that part's not so great.

 

[schema]

there will be playable prototypes sooner, although they will be highly experimental

 

[kikaha]

I believe i was the first to use the Starmade 2020 name... At least on the video of the interview...

 

[Captain Fortius]

Holy ****ing ****, did the cat just speak?!

The reason that timeframe worries me is because there are some broken things in the game right now that makes playing somewhat less than a desirable experience.
If you're engaged with big stuff like that, I wonder if you'll have time or interest to fix the present issues in the meantime.

Good luck with your work.

 

[Muffin_man17]

Oh boy here we go! Great to hear that C++ is being utilized, can't wait for some smooth gameplay. Question, what phase might the faction's ship contracts start for the community?

As always thanks for making Starmade

 

[Edymnion]

I hope that we will get dev posts more often, as it sometimes looks like dev(s) abandoned the game, and only occasionally put an update when they fight off their procrastination, while all their real job is hidden due to lack of communication.

Well, they were lose-lose no matter what they did. When they posted constant updates, people complained that they didn't have big ground breaking news and that they were wasting time with pointless dev posts. When they posted only when they had big announcements, people complained they abandoned the game.

Futurama said it best:

The reason that timeframe worries me is because there are some broken things in the game right now that makes playing somewhat less than a desirable experience.

Well as long as they've been reported, then they're aware of the situation. Its probably just a case of "Well its not literally game breaking, and its something we're rewriting later anyway, so its not a priority right now", which means it'll get fixed during the rest of this.

 

[JinM]

Phase 1:
Sound System (and a sound manager)
Steamworks (join game, achievements, etc, workshop support probably later

Does that mean we get sound?

I would be happy if we can use the workshop for blueprints and templates. I know it's kinda hard, but this would really help imo. Additionally the workshop should some day include custom settings and maps. So I can download a map (I mean universe - maybe give us a way to have small universes that are only one system or even only one sector big?), where there are 5 stations, and the settings for this map are customised by the map maker.

 

[kiddan]

This is really good to hear! Thanks for the dev update and godspeed with development. ^-^

 

[MacThule]

Excellent! The breakdown makes it more clear what is going into the upgrades on your end - thank you.

Fingers crossed that the C++ migration and optimizations make the new planets run more smoothly than the current planets.

Pre-loaded sector transitions would be amazing as well. This is a major issue, and I'm glad there's a solid plan to deal with it.

 

[Byamarro]

there will be playable prototypes sooner, although they will be highly experimental

Byamarro, try to hold hype, try to hold your hype.

 

[Thadius Faran]

Looking like great news, and as JinM briefly touched on, it would be really neat if when the Phase 3 launched it was capable of supporting or came with a universe editor tool to create custom universes.

 

[Alphajim]

Looking like great news, and as JinM briefly touched on, it would be really neat if when the Phase 3 launched it was capable of supporting or came with a universe editor tool to create custom universes.

I would like to see if a Homeworld-like adventure can be made with this ! Based on multiplayer cooperation / fight to be fun.

 

[JumpSuit]

Interesting Update Status! I anticipate the Experimental Builds! This will make me feel unburnt out tbh or just in a limbo status... That Quest system is what I REALLY want, heck Procedural generated Ones! :D

 

[Inspired2150]

What about the bugs currently present in the game? Will fleets ever be fixed or is it another abandoned feature?

How can someone look forward to "highly experimental" prototypes, when even "stable" versions are far from stable?

What is the point of steam integration and achievements when there's literally no game?

 

[Tsnonak]

Unfortunately the "bugs" and balance problems are all part of Alpha status, "place-holders" which will be fixed and optimized at a later time.
It appears Schine is working on the next step, hence this Thread, where all the background work that has already be done is listed.
As normal players we do not really see all that goes on "behind the scenes", we just see the problems, bugs, and missing features.
Coding a game of this magnitude is not a "light" undertaking, and the team is small.

Generally, (aside from the bugs, balance issues and half implemented stuffs) Starmade is still in a very good state, most stuff does work very well and new features, server-configuration-extensions and the move towards custom content / modding is getting better!

Considering the Multiplayer server aspects; Starmade still needs lots of optimization and fixes, but is for the most part, quite stable!

Looking at other games in alpha status, some even beta or released... it's really no better elsewhere...

Last but not least, it is often easily overlooked, StarMade leaves a lot up to the players, build up the galaxy as you would like it to be...

ohye.. and its still free!
Support developement... buy the game!

 

[Philiquaz]

I'm still somewhat mixed on the game philosophy that schine is taking to things.
I won't complain about bugs, they'll get fixed in time, and expecting something in development to be perfect at any given moment is silly.
As for changes in the engine, I can respect the work that goes into that.
But in the end, I still have concerns about that "leaves a lot up to the players" thing. It's nice to say "hey look you can do anything", but I find that typically leaves little reason to do anything. A purely sandbox game is almost identical in its gameplay to other purely sandbox games- it doesn't distinguish itself. Sure the gameplay may differ a little, but the objectives are the same. It relies on people coming up with their own stuff, which they're just as likely to do elsewhere.
That's why I'm very much looking forward to a new universe, primed for NPC jobs to take, scarcer building resources, and some sense of "playing the game" instead of just sitting around building in a pseudo-creative fashion.
All I ask is that Schine take a stand and say "hey, this is what the game is". If it never evolves from RP in space, I fear many people may choose to RP elsewhere.

Well, that's been on my mind a few too many years. Always good to see news about updates, would be nice to know more about what's going on, keep the community together.

 

[Edymnion]

What about the bugs currently present in the game? Will fleets ever be fixed or is it another abandoned feature?

Yes, look on the roadmap. It says they're completely redoing all of the AI.