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

Author Topic: Quality of Life and Game Balance Improvments  (Read 530 times)

Infoblaze

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Quality of Life and Game Balance Improvments
« on: November 27, 2022, 09:05:33 PM »

Quality of Life Improvements to implement:
1. Toggle Shift Key in battle for tracking.  I hate having to hold the shift key down for 30 minutes at a time it stupid.  Fix this immediately.  You can toggle time shift in the main map but can't in battle??? Really?
2. Either a speed up battle option or once the enemy is running then have an end battle once they give up option.  Wasting 5-15 minutes waiting for a ship to run away that I can't catch is stupid.  Fix this immediately as it is a disrespectful of the players time.
3. Speaking of time the speed up time is needed to make this game even bearable to play.  The speed up time should be the default.  There should be another setting that speeds up the time x2 to this.  If you think the crappy god awful time that is the default is needed for any reason (its not use the pause button if that is needed) however then provide a tactical time or something to that effect. 
4. Navigating the void and storm clouds is irritating.  I am always thankful when they hit my fleet and speed it up.  Make moment less clunky.  Allow slowing down to be useful rather than a punishment.  Have turning of the fleet more responsive so active management means something. Make clouds less dense so I can weave between them.  Right now I just alt tab when playing this part and check in 10 minutes later when I arrive at my destination because this part is such crap.  Very disrespectful of my time which is a pattern I am noticing with the game. I think this will really hurt its main stream appeal as well as you are wasting time on non valuable core loops so these issues really need to be fixed.

Game balance improvements
1. I want to be able to fix more negative modifiers on planets.  You already have some great special items but I want more.  Give me something to exploit extreme heat or tectonics.  Allow me to clean up pollution or irradiated worlds.  I am ok with it costing lots of money or taking time.  Gives me something to invest in for the end game. 
2.  Quests to improve relations.  There needs to be more and more trade and dead drop missions for all factions.  This is a huge problem for some where I want to raise relations and there is simply no option other than to take 8 hours of real world time watching the same star system for hours until a quest comes up.  Again VERY DISRESPECTFUL OF THE PLAYERS TIME.  This is almost an a@@ hole move.  Stop it.  Each planet should generate 3-6 quests per month.  There should be a forced formula that makes at least one type of different quest available of each type for that specific faction on the planet.  If I want to run around and improve relations I should be allowed to do that.  Right now relations decay to the point that the game loop you have made means other then pirates and independents it is just easier to bomb all the worlds and wipe everyone out.  That make the end game so empty and boring.  FIX THIS.
What is so irritating is Sebastian is a great example of giving multiple quests at the same time.  It is obvious you know how do do this and make quests fun and then intentionally don't except for one part of the game.
3. I want more endgame content or something worth working towards once I have all my super tech and weapons.  Perhaps the domain wants to come back and I have to control the gates they come through or something.
3. The colony management is a great part of the game for me.  I would love to see more work put into this.  I think allowing both the player and the other factions to expand to multiple worlds and planets would make the game more exciting, competitive and complex over time.  To start allow me to hire more administrators. 
4. Lasers feel like tickle cannons.  I would like you to consider a bit more oomph in general.  Perhaps increasing the flux damage to shields and having 125% damage to armour for more classes would be useful.
5. I would like 16-18 level points not 15.  I find 15 rather limiting.  Personally I would like to be able to max all tech or at least 3 of the 4. 
6. Easy mode vs normal mode.  Normal mode is a waste of time.  I don't have 80 hours to grind out this game.  I find as well that you early game you can get into very dangerous unplanned situations that lead to death and a big waste of time.  I would like you to buff the ability to run away when you don't have capital ships.  Taking a CR hit is must more fair for picking a bad fight or having 3 other fleets jump on you and you know you need to get out of there but don't want to loose your fleet. 
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BCS

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Re: Quality of Life and Game Balance Improvments
« Reply #1 on: November 27, 2022, 10:01:03 PM »

My dude, if simply playing the game is "disrespectful of your time" then you obviously have greater things in life to achieve. Don't let Starsector stop you.
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Ontheheavens

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Re: Quality of Life and Game Balance Improvments
« Reply #2 on: November 28, 2022, 05:16:53 AM »

Disregarding the funny tone of the original post, I do agree with the first two points.

1. Constantly having to go into the settings and disable-enable shift behaviour when playing broadside/front-loaded ships is one of the most tedious things about Starsector combat for me. This needs to be enhanced, whether QoLPack exists or not.

2. While SpeedUp definitely exists and does its job very good, speed settings would do good to be in a base game, yes. Absolutely essential.

All other points are not something I would agree with, to put it mildly. The game has its own vision and its niche, there's hardly any need to cater to casual players who are unwilling to put in effort to engage with the game. Look at Highfleet. We need more difficult games, not more easy ones.
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vladokapuh

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Re: Quality of Life and Game Balance Improvments
« Reply #3 on: November 28, 2022, 12:19:17 PM »

levels being limiting is on purpose, forces you to make choices and not just taking evrything you want
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Rick Random

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Re: Quality of Life and Game Balance Improvments
« Reply #4 on: November 28, 2022, 04:02:28 PM »

Whoa there...pretty sure you don't get anything in life by demanding things. While you make some good points remember there are a lot of players who love the game the way it is and saying something is "disrespectful to players time" is your opinion, you don't speak for all of us. This isn't Ubisoft and you're not sending an angry email to the customer care dept. It's a small group of devs and it's a labor of love game. Make a suggestion and keep it respectful.
I do agree with you on having a faster battle resolve button though.
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Amazigh

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Re: Quality of Life and Game Balance Improvments
« Reply #5 on: November 28, 2022, 05:09:31 PM »

Quality of Life Improvements to implement:
1: Personally i don't mind this, but yes it would be nice to have an in-battle toggle for this
2: If the enemy are retreating, then there is a "claim victory" option or smth, and with regards to the times taken i think you might be exaggerating a bit here, but iirc there is also an improvement for this in the pipe for the next update
3: Better speedup for long distance travel would be nice, but the current default speed is fine for tactical in-system maneuvering
4: Hyperspace isn't perfect, but instant travel times wouldn't fit the style of the game

Game balance improvements
1: "Gives me something to invest in for the end game." The game isn't finished, and we haven't got the actual "end game" implemented yet.
2: "That make the end game so empty and boring." same as i said in response to point 1.
3: "I want more endgame content" a repeat of the above (sensing a pattern)
3(?): Colonies are a secondary focus of the game, they are getting some attention in the coming update, but they are not the main focus of the game.
4: This is intentional, they are 1000 range energy weapons, and ships that can mount energy weapons are balanced around their only long-range options being beams.
5: Level cap is specifically set where it is so you have to make choices in skill picks but can still reach a high power level.
6: "I don't have 80 hours to grind out this game." well this is a long-form game, not some rogue-like where you can run straight through it in an hour.


And in general, using allcaps / "Fix this immediately" gives your post a poor tone, making it less likely that any valid points will be noticed.
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Jackundor

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Re: Quality of Life and Game Balance Improvments
« Reply #6 on: November 28, 2022, 11:53:52 PM »


in general, using allcaps / "Fix this immediately" gives your post a poor tone, making it less likely that any valid points will be noticed.

yes, it makes him sound immensly whiny
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woodsmoke

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Re: Quality of Life and Game Balance Improvments
« Reply #7 on: November 29, 2022, 05:24:15 PM »

Fix this immediately.

*stands to attention*

Yes, sir! Right away, sir!

*waits a moment for Captain Jerkoff to leave the room, settles back into chair and resumes reading magazine*

_________________
I agree with your first point. Might agree with the others. We'll never know 'cause I stopped reading as soon as Captain Jerkoff showed up.
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