Hi, Im a recent new owner of starfarer (big thanks to mendonca and alex btw), and these are my impressions after playing with it for a while.
I hope these are viewed as constructive criticism instead of anything else. My objetive, is that if anything, this can serve as some feedback to the developer(s?).
Oh, and I understand pretty well this is an alpha, and what that means.
What I thought of it before playing:I first heard of the game in bay12 forums, where I linger a lot.
The impression I had from the game, was that of some sort of freelance space game, where you own a ship, or a group of ships, and do whatever you feel like, arround systems, etc. Pretty much like X3:Terran conflict, but with a topdown view. This is not me trying to just pigeonhole starfarer, but when you read about a game you have never played, the natural thing you do is trying to associate it with something you know.
The combat I was loving. Im a die hard fan of Master of orion 2, and what I liked the most of that game were the space battles. The previews of starfarer had a strong atmosphere of moo2, and I loved it.
Customization of spaceships is another thing I highly look upon for this game. The very Moo2, gratuitous space battles, SE4-5, etc, makes you design ships to any philosofy (firepower, maneuverability, defense, special effects, etc). And that combined to the ability to design whole fleets, with ships filling certain aspects, boy, that is fun as hell!.
First impressionsWell, the first thing to notice, is the early phase of the game. Im not complaining, just saying. The aspects of designing and freelancing are yet to be released, and Im super ansious for them!. What we have is the combat engine.
(Btw, a question, the freelancing will be in another engine, or we will see everything from the combat perspective when starfaring ?)
I must say, I was hoping to get a different combat experience. More strategic & epic, and less frantic & chaotic.
What I mean is, right know, it feels a bit like playing r-type/gradius/axelay (but without the force advancing). Well the comparision is a bit extreme, but is what it came to my mind with the chaotic nature of it, and "action oriented" in the sense, you need some reflexes to face the shield to the right place, go arround swaping weapons, dodging, venting, etc. A bit too much arcade-like, IMO.
Personally, Im not very much into that kind of game, I feel overwhelm. I usually preffer more strategic games, and specially for spaceship games, more slow games. Where you have time to appreciate the battle. Look at the slugfest, giving the main orders, but otherwise, enjoying the show. I would like something more like a moo2 battle, with real time instead of turns, but slower real time, if you know what I mean.
Another thing that has been annoying me a bit, is the fact you are given a ship pre made and with already set weapon groups, and companion ships you dont know very well; but that clearly is just a consequense of the early stage of the game. Im very eager to see the ship customization options
What I would likeWith spaceships, I think the great part is the epicness and scale. If ships move too fast (even the big ones) that effect is kinda lost. I think of, for example,
Sword of the stars battles. Those I enjoy a lot. I just give the basic orders, then zoom in a bit and watch, correcting now a then some orders, but mainly just enjoy the fireworks. Seeing a ship slowly turn to face the broadside with the turrents, then see those turrent slowly track the enemy, and then shoot. Awesome. If ships move too fast, all I see is some chaotic gradius action. Of couse it is understandable that some ships move fast. Fighters and bombers should be as fast as they are, and small ships like corvettes too. But the rest. The more slower-bulkier-longed-ranged, the better.
I would like to feel like the commander, not the helmsman. I mean, yeah, direct the ship, but not having to need quick reflexes and things like that (unless piloting a fighter of course). Also, I would like more deep mechanics in autoturrets. I should only need to focus on the main batteries/torpedoes. I will get on that later.
Something that I found super epic in the current one, for example, is the gravitom beam on the tutorial mission. Those slowly turning beams that then locks up on the poor target are so awesome, that I continued using them even after the shield was gone :p. You can feel while you wait the turrets to turn that once they do, it would have been worth the wait.
Some suggestionsWell, these are the things I would like to eventually see in the game. Like all sugestions, Im not trying to impose them, but rather just saying, what I would enjoy the most. So please dont flame me if you dont agree. (Civilized alternatives are always welcome)
An option to change the speed of combat simulation.Just as a lot of games have options to "speed up" things, I would like one that allows to slow the simulation, so you can actually enjoy more of the show, instead of have to be primarily multitasking. We have starcraft for that :p.
I would say straight ahead "make the game slower", but maybe its not the game you are conceiving on your mind, or that other players might enjoy.
A slow down button, I think would make some people happy, and the rest wont mind it. And at the same time, I think (not sure, not into programming that much) it could be at the same time a speed up button for those who would like it.
The problem I see with this is that, lets say, seeing the action at half speed, would also mean I see lasers and shots traveling slower, with is not epic at all. But thats the only thing I can think of without having to slow down the whole game.
More strategic optionsI dont know if this is already there but I have missed it, or is a planned feature not yet implemented, or something not planned. But I think having only "seek and destroy" order (plus dock for fighters) is kinda bland.
Patrol on a X km radious; Follow me; Escort X Ship, Attack X ship, Skirmish (for longer ranged vessels), etc, are some basic options to properly manage a fleet.
These maybe could be limited by the pilot skill/personality of the target ship.
Right now is almost like "summon" ships, then forget about them while you control yours. Hear later they killed something, or got killed a couple of screens away.
Condicion based Auto-Fire turretsThis is something a bit critical to me. Having the goal of just focusing on the direction of your ship and the bigger gun, means all the tons of small weapons need to be efficient while automatic.
So I think a system of condicions and actions (similar to, for example dragonage:origin's companions orders) for turrets/weapon groups would be great.
This also makes the ship customization much more deep (and fun, IMO).
For example, you have your non-pd laser, intended for small corvettes but, useless against destroyers or more.
So the AI of the turret activetes when something enter their range, then you set "If target ship speed/hull/shields/firepower/etc is lower/slower/larger/faster/etc than X", then you add either another condicion to make it more intelligent, or the order to fire (and maybe how: fire at will, small bursts, until flux is at X, etc).
These could be manned by ship personal, and the skil of those personal affect the options available, or maybe a ship component like a "battle computer", in which its grade determines the options... or maybe both, who knows.
The player, if he planned the orders with care, would only need to focus on directing the ship, and using the main weapon on his target, (usually a ship of similar class of it own) and forget about incomming missiles, figthers, smaller ships in general, and maybe even the bigger-immune-to-this-ship enemy ship.
Well, those are my first thoughts about this game. Im very eager to finally access the customization aspects of the game, and the sandbox! Keep the good work.
