Forums » Suggestions

Allow us to advertise in GTS

Aug 08, 2012 Phaserlight link
So, we have this neat language, with its own grammar, pictographic/phonetic alphabet, just tempting users to learn how to read. The thing is, most signs have been translated already, making it a little too easy to just hop on the vo-wiki without actually learning.

I propose we allow players to design their own signs in Galactic Trade Standard, picking out characters, their sizes, colors, whether or not they flash, and borders. Each station would have a certain number of "slots" available; there would be a daily credit minimum to rent each slot (1,000cr/m(sq)/day?). If more than one player wanted to rent the same slot, it would go to the highest bidder.

This would allow players and guilds to write messages in GTS, prompting more people to learn to read. GTS is already a fascinating aspect of VO, unique to the game, however it would be nice to take this concept and expand it. Perhaps the messages would be guide-approved, or players would have the option to "report" an ad for a guide to review.

Although, honestly, translating something in order to find out it's a vulgar phrase is kind of funny. However, I'd imagine this could be used for sincere purposes as well; perhaps it could be tied in to player-to-player trade, [TRI] could use it to advertise their latest prices etc...
Aug 08, 2012 TheRedSpy link
sounds like something to do after this: http://www.vendetta-online.com/x/msgboard/3/26413
Aug 09, 2012 Alloh link
As I proposed before, I would prefer to replace entirely GTS with roman chars... or at least that gameUI would translate any sign that we point to for 5 secs... HUD translation...

And Devs said back then that all GTS signs are simple images, not charsets, thus, hard to change.

But I'd really would love to see ads written by owner in ConqStations...

And regular stations advertise usefull things, as Events, Sales, Escort recruiting, mission offers, etc...
Aug 09, 2012 Pizzasgood link
No. That would take away everything that's cool about GTS in the first place.

+1 OP.
Aug 09, 2012 Alloh link
so, "cool" is when most people can't read it ? So you purchase books in languages you cannot understand because it is cool? Or marketing should learn from you and start doing cryptic advertising, so most people cannot understand it and it gets cool?
Aug 09, 2012 Phaserlight link
The enlightened will read it.
Aug 09, 2012 Waterseas link
What Alloh said. Also, there's the issue with what people will put on signs... >.> Would they just be able to put whatever the hell they felt like as far as words, or would there be some sort of limits?
Aug 09, 2012 abortretryfail link
This would be cool. :)
Aug 09, 2012 TerranAmbassador link
-1 to Alloh and Waterseas

+5 to the OP
Aug 09, 2012 Death Fluffy link
+1 op
Aug 10, 2012 Pizzasgood link
If you don't understand what is cool about learning a made up language with made up pictograms in order to access additional but non-essential elements of a game, then I don't think I can enlighten you.

But let me put it like this: automatically translating GTS would be like giving every ship a built-in mineral scanner.

The game should include a copy of the GTS section of the manual (indeed, it should include the entire manual) in-game so that people can reference it if needed, but it should not automatically translate.
Aug 10, 2012 Waterseas link
So in order for other players to read your advertisements, you're relying on them having learned a language for a game, or at least, relying on them taking the time to decode it? That doesn't seem worth paying for...
Aug 10, 2012 draugath link
When MMOs first started out in the days of Ultima Online and Everquest people had to create maps by hand, record enemy drops, and even decode the riddles and other goodies thrown at them in quests. Now, the majority of gamers seem to expect everything be handed to them on a silver platter.

Whether GTS-encoded, player messages serve as advertisements or beacons identifying controlled territory doesn't really matter. If nothing else it would be nice to have something that isn't a simple "gimmee."
Aug 10, 2012 Waterseas link
Agreed, majority of gamers seem to want things spelled out for them. So when you design a new feature for a game, shouldn't you design it to appeal to the majority of the audience? >.>
Aug 10, 2012 draugath link
No. It's all well and good to make the core game easy enough for everyone, but there need to be nods to those who want to be able to enjoy some of the more esoteric elements. GTS isn't part of the core of the game, and there are those of us who enjoy being able to use it the way it was intended. In VO, GTS is the universal language, not English.

As to your concern about content of user-generated messages written in GTS, it should fall under the same policy as regular chat. There's no reason to require each message be vetted by a Dev or Guide. If a message is found to be offensive, submit a ticket with details and have it removed that way.
Aug 10, 2012 Waterseas link
But what's the point of taking the time to create content for a minute group of a game, especially if it takes a while to make, such as this probably would? There's plenty of other things that would enhance the game for everyone that the time could be better spent working on.
Aug 11, 2012 Phaserlight link
To me, it's about content distribution; it's about that "Aha!" moment of seeing or realizing something for the first time. Ideally, just when I think I've seen everything in the game a thousand times, I see something new that may or may not have been there all along. It's like the monolith from 2001: A Space Odyssey. There should be some content that's 100% ubiquitous, some that's in 10% of places, some in 1%, and some that is 0.1% common to the most common denominator.

I'm not suggesting we be elitist, but if we have some people in game that really can read GTS and are able to spread this knowledge to others, that's a real experience as per draugath's Ultima Online or Everquest examples. Being able to read a sign that's been there for ~8.5 years is one thing, but having the ability to write a new one is a whole added level of immersion.

/2c
Aug 11, 2012 Pizzasgood link
"That doesn't seem worth paying for..."

So don't pay for it. I don't see the point in VO's mining, but do you see me asking to have it removed or made easier? Of course, some miners don't see the point in VO's combat and they do ask to have it removed or made retarded, but those are just braindead carebears who everybody ignores.

"But what's the point of ....."

What is the point in taking the time to make a game like VO that appeals to only a small segment of the overall gamer population? The devs should obviously remove the twitch element of combat, making everything be timer-based attacks with full auto-aim that rely purely on stats and dice rolls to decide outcomes, leaving players to only worry about circle strafing their opponent at the correct range. And convert to a top-down 2d approach to keep things simple. And get rid of the nasty open-PVP, restricting it to only a couple specific areas. Get rid of friendly fire too. Oh oh oh, and don't forget the giant shoulder pads IN SPACE! Maybe make it free to play, and fund it by charging actual money to get weapons better than the Plasma HX. And convert it to flash so it can be a facebook game!