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Starsector 0.97a is out! (02/02/24); New blog post: Simulator Enhancements (03/13/24)

Author Topic: Where is exploration leading?  (Read 5124 times)

Sendrien

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Where is exploration leading?
« on: August 06, 2017, 01:49:19 PM »

After a long break (from when this game used to be called Starfarer), I tried the most recent version, and I have to congratulate Alex on the fantastic progress made to date. What you did with exploration is fascinating, brimming with potential and tantalizingly close to doing something really ground-breaking with this genre.

Now I'm very curious to know where the exploration part of the game is headed.

Certainly, with the abundance of resources, the really in-depth game economy, and the vast expanse of colonizable/inhabitable space out there, it would seem like an awful "letdown" if the end-game for exploration was simply finding high quality data to sell to the highest bidder.

With not much extra effort, I think one of the sandbox gameplay vectors could easily become the exploration of solar systems and planets, and helping various factions set up new colonies, trading posts, mining stations, etc. At the start of the game, only the core systems are inhabited, but by the end of the game, it would be such a satisfaction if the sector were much more inhabited thanks to the player's efforts. Consider that we already have all the essentials for colonizing a planet - survey ships, fuel and cargo transport, passenger ships.

And of course, it would be equally awesome if the player could choose to make a planet, or a whole system a place to call home. Perhaps even founding a new faction :)

Alex, there is too much potential here, you're definitely onto something amazing. I hope you're working on some of these ideas!
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orost

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Re: Where is exploration leading?
« Reply #1 on: August 06, 2017, 02:13:42 PM »

Survey data is a placeholder. Surveying planets will eventually have the purpose of identifying good places to create outposts. But there are no outposts yet, so it gives you vendor trash so there's some point to doing it.

How exactly will outposts work and what else will be added to exploration? Well, if you can read Alex's mind to find out, please let us know, because we know nothing   ;)
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FooF

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Re: Where is exploration leading?
« Reply #2 on: August 06, 2017, 05:01:13 PM »

Outposts are likely *the* major addition next patch (or the patch after), though I would also hope there's some other significant mechanics introduced.

I don't think outposts would have worked prior to the proc gen system introduced in 0.8 but obviously they've been on Alex's mind for some time as the Outpost tab has been there forever. That said, how they'll work is the million dollar question. Hopefully we'll get a blog post on the subject...Soon™

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Sendrien

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Re: Where is exploration leading?
« Reply #3 on: August 07, 2017, 10:36:56 AM »

Come on, Alex, give us a teaser! :P
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Alex

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Re: Where is exploration leading?
« Reply #4 on: August 07, 2017, 03:16:32 PM »

No!
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Gothars

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Re: Where is exploration leading?
« Reply #5 on: August 07, 2017, 03:36:32 PM »

I can't help but feel that was a very enthusiastic "no".
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Alex

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Re: Where is exploration leading?
« Reply #6 on: August 07, 2017, 03:37:50 PM »

Can't help it if I'm excited from working on what I'm absolutely not going to give any teasers about!
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Elaron

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Re: Where is exploration leading?
« Reply #7 on: August 07, 2017, 03:43:40 PM »

Can't help it if I'm excited from working on what I'm absolutely not going to give any teasers about!
Such a tease, you!
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Harmful Mechanic

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Re: Where is exploration leading?
« Reply #8 on: August 07, 2017, 03:49:00 PM »

Look at the game as a system and the things it does already. Especially look at some of the new/unique campaign content, like the Luddic space shrine.

Now think about the possibilities and limitations of the engine right now. We know markets are complex and need to be kept to a minimum, so it would follow that there's a lot of room for scripted interactions like the shrine. We know Outposts will build on the current placeholder surveying system. We've been introduced to the Remnants and some big hints about the Domain. We know that the game tracks reputation with individual NPCs as well as with factions.

Given the heavy Star Control influences in the current iteration of the campaign, then, I would assume there are overarching plot goals planned for the player to uncover through exploration, missions, and various dialogue interactions. I don't really want to know what those are in advance; I'd rather see the game built out and discover them organically, or construct my own and see where that takes me.
« Last Edit: August 07, 2017, 03:51:26 PM by Soren »
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Drokkath

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Re: Where is exploration leading?
« Reply #9 on: August 07, 2017, 09:36:20 PM »

As far as Star Control influences go.. I find the in-game sector devoid of other sentient life. It's just humans killing humans and humans killing even more humans.. humans this and humans that, plus some unsurveyed planets describing what's left of humans there.

I'm someone who has merely just grown weary of that in majority of Sci-Fi stuff and as far as SS gaming for me goes, is to just play the game as an immortal and impervious unyielding alien who is hell-bent on desolating the sector from rapid-breeding-hairless-apes humanity over what this Domain of Human(s) did eons ago with alien life and thus my alien character along with other interesting space-faring sentient alien species, shut down the gate network of humans. It's my fanfic of sorts so calm yer whatevers!


As for the exploration and planned outpost features, since I am a nomadic space exploration nutcase I personally don't see much reason to set up an outpost for living and trading as my much larger main altered commando starships already serve as an outpost/station role too, a necessary function to have when your goal is to dive deeper and further into the depths of space.
« Last Edit: August 07, 2017, 09:38:18 PM by Drokkath »
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Palladin

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Re: Where is exploration leading?
« Reply #10 on: August 08, 2017, 06:04:37 PM »

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Protonus

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Re: Where is exploration leading?
« Reply #11 on: August 09, 2017, 12:23:23 AM »

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Sendrien

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Re: Where is exploration leading?
« Reply #12 on: August 09, 2017, 10:25:55 AM »

If you read the tooltip for Marines, it mentions planetside operations, so this could be a clue about what's to come.
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