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

Author Topic: Progress on Tutorials; Demo Viability  (Read 2107 times)

Bribe Guntails

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Progress on Tutorials; Demo Viability
« on: October 29, 2018, 10:34:13 PM »

How have the tutorials been changed since 0.8.1?
Minor improvements or significant changes? Could the tutorials in the main menu be introduced in the campaign tutorial?

Additionally could the campaign tutorial, with minor changes, be used as a demo for the game? It provides the core combat gameplay, along with a taste of campaign gameplay.
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Blaine

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Re: Progress on Tutorials; Demo Viability
« Reply #1 on: October 30, 2018, 01:52:14 AM »

A demo would be very nice. This game is currently flying way below the radar; I've known about it almost since it debuted, but only because I routinely scour aggregators, feeds, and blogs pertaining to indie, base building, and space-related games. Back in 2011-2012, there hadn't yet been a massive explosion of indie titles, so it was a lot easier to find. I show Starsector to friends who I think might enjoy it, and the videos and sprites always impress, but they can't get it on Steam et al. yet, so there's a general reluctance to buy it right now.

The "soft DRM" currently consists of an emailed download link and (what I assume is a hash) activation code, so I imagine distributing a demo more freely might create piracy concerns. Alex seems very active on the forums, so no doubt he'll pop in here with his actual opinion, which will be more informative than my idle speculation.
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Voyager I

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Re: Progress on Tutorials; Demo Viability
« Reply #2 on: October 30, 2018, 07:17:55 AM »

I believe Alex is keeping things deliberately low-key until the game is closer to final release, which at the rate we're moving through versions is probably still gonna be like two years from now.

The first impression is the most important impression, and he doesn't want that to be based on the game in an unfinished state.
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Bribe Guntails

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Re: Progress on Tutorials; Demo Viability
« Reply #3 on: October 30, 2018, 11:08:50 AM »

Yeah putting out a demo without giving out the rest of the game would require stripping out almost the entire map, along with means of modding it back in.
Probably more trouble than its worth. Now I'm thinking that the game tutorial/introduction could just be under 2 hours (for the refund policy).
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Bribe Guntails

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Re: Progress on Tutorials; Demo Viability
« Reply #4 on: October 30, 2018, 11:15:20 AM »

On the topic of tutorials here are a few ideas:
  • Player character is recovered from cryopod one game start
  • PC goes through training (the main menu tutorials) as part of refreshing their characters skills and memory
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Algro

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Re: Progress on Tutorials; Demo Viability
« Reply #5 on: October 31, 2018, 02:07:04 AM »

Regarding Tutorials, I think playstyles can be introduced after the main tutorial by using dialogue quests. This can also flesh out some lore, character and give the player rewards for playing such a quest.

For example, a quest from Hegemony wants you to scan a system with a professor on board. When you scan, the professor gives an additional quest to scout the uncharted zones. This gives the player a sneak view of REDACTED with some narrative. Maybe the player finds a core which the professor explains what it is and turns it into cash after you return to base.

So the new player gets to experience an aspect of the game and through dialogue, they can infer additional options to what they can do with the core and data scanned. They also get more starting cash and maybe a ship that the professor gives to you (non-combat unique explorer ship for non-new players to play for).
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