Forums » Suggestions

A couple of newbie ideas/feeback

Apr 13, 2013 JediDG link
Hola,

So I've played for probably about 10/12 hours so far. A couple of things that could benefit from tweaks:

1). Ion Storms - When you end up in one and get to the 'exit' and try to jump, it tells you that you're already at your destination. Obviously you're not, because you're in an Ion Storm! :) Either put a message up warning people to replot, or just allow the jump in the first place. At the minute, players have to jump to an un-needed sector and then jump back to where they want to be.

2). Missions. The 'Active Missions' has a counter, but I haven't come across an instance where I can ever take more than 1 mission. It would be great to be able to take on more than one mission concurrently, like for example, the mining missions. There's no point me mining loads of ore that I know someone on the station wants, only to have to sell it on the open market - let us please more than one person at once! :)

3). Progression into systems away from starter system (Dau in my case). So I've decided to be a miner (for now) and having progressed pretty well in mining I ended up two systems away from the starter system. Fancying a chance, I took a mission to kill some bots. Unfortunately, my combat level and prowess was terrible and I got owned (three times). Perhaps a skill check and warning might help newer players before they go and get themselves blown up?

4). In-built mineral scanners would be a massive help early-on. It's just tedious to have to equip a scanner, scan, dock, switch and then mine.

5). I've noticed the notepad (nice one) but some sort of trade-tracker would be great, so that players can keep an eye on last known prices of visited systems for commodities. Saves having to write everything down, or mentally remember each price at each station.

That's my starter-for-ten. Enjoying the game so far.

Nicollina.
Apr 13, 2013 JediDG link
Just to add to this, folks.

I've decided not to sub to Vendetta - I like the game, I think it has a LOT of redeeming features, but having spoken to some of the established players, it seems that the end result, irrespective of 'career' choice is to buy a big ship, head to uncharted space and fight other players (i.e. PVP).

As much as I know that Vendetta is designed this way, and without wanting to reinvent the wheel, it would be nice to have an alternative to dogfight/fleet fight PVP.

For example, I started off mining, moved up to an Atlas. Eventually it would be great if players could own an ore refinery, or 'own' an asteroid belt that they had to defend (or hire people to defend, perhaps with the introduction of player-hired NPC sentries, like the bots).

Similarly, if a player wants to make a career in trading, they could start off small, but end up with a player owned spaceport, or even with a completely separate market where PC's can shop, instead of just selling/buying from the NPC economy. This would give freedom to stock run of the mill essentials, or branch out to illegal goods at the risk of being 'inspected' by the authorities.

Budding couriers could start off with that datapad mission but move into more and more dangerous missions until they end up running their own courier company, hiring PC couriers to work for them, instead of the AI. This could be interesting when, for example, a PC decides to steal a cargo rather than delivering it - bounties set, sanctions placed etc.

Any career could be really engaging if done right.

The possibilities are all there, the potential is endless. It's a shame that at the minute that a). The weighting is heavily PVP and b) The player population is either low, or quiet (tablets etc) so that PVP seems even more prominent.

I hope this helps you develop the game, folks.

Dave (Nicollina).
Apr 13, 2013 Armonia link
Well, you clearly haven't done any research for what you're looking for. it's a good thing you took the time to get to know the game....

*puts flame suit on JediDG to protect from trolls*
Apr 13, 2013 Snake7561 link
facepalms

1: "When you end up in one and get to the 'exit' and try to jump, it tells you that you're already at your destination. "
You plotted your course to the sector with the ion storm.

2: Meh, that's pretty legit.

3: This is not carebear online.

4: Just put on a scanner and mine. You don't have to scan then go back into the station.
Also, the behemoth heavy miners have built in scanners.

5: There are plugins for that.

Our player population is quiet? You obviously weren't in Latos H2 this morning.
Apr 13, 2013 tarenty link
3: The universe is designed to be dangerous. There is nearly no penalty for dying, certainly none that matters long term, and coddling newbies defeats the challenge.

4: Any ship with more than one port can equip both a beam and a scanner at a time, and the Warthog Miner has a built in scanner. Many ships that are very low tier have more than one port.

5: There are indeed plugins for that and many other things. Requiring the player to decide to write things down or wing it is another part of the dangerous, dynamic universe aspect. If the best sell prices were listed, there would be no challenge in making a profit.

Remember that this game is a space combat MMORPG. There are many more things to do than fight, but PvP is where the game shines. The player population is low because there have been few attempts at major advertising, besides the recent Kickstarter and Greenlight. With such a small development team (3-4) and a rough retail launch back in 2004, the funding hasn't been there for expanding or advertising.
Apr 13, 2013 Pizzasgood link
If the game didn't let you see the current best in-system price, I would agree that it should record the last seen price automatically.

That isn't an issue of challenge, tarenty, it's an issue of tedium vs. installing TA or Catalog.
Apr 13, 2013 TerranAmbassador link
Just to add to this, folks.
.....
I hope this helps you develop the game, folks.


This is all stuff that I think the developers want to implement, but they just don't have the money to be able to sit down and just do it.

I hate to sound like/be that guy, but not subbing is exacerbating the problem, just a little bit.
Apr 13, 2013 vanatteveldt link
"Our player population is quiet? You obviously weren't in Latos H2 this morning."

He was online this morning during H2 furball, I actually think all the pvp talk made him realise that most people just don't care about anything that does not lead to PvP.

I agree with him that it is a shame that there is currently nothing really to do in the game except for blowing up folks. I think the blowing up part is very well done and I like that it happens in a somewhat immersive environment, but ultimately this game is more like a very intricate FPS than anything else.

Even with the H2 furball, it was bascially red and itan and friends sending people to die in H2 until they were bored or real life intervened. Nothing of value was won, nothing was lost. The devs obviously tried adding some stuff worth fighting over, but nobody really cares about Deneb (certainly not until they put a serco or conq station in the system); CtC is pointless as when 'our' teams wins one week we can just buy 500 N3's; and the conq station mechanics are such that people decided they can't be arsed fighting over it as it is impossible (or rather impossibly boring) to defend it.

I came to VO for the PvP, but I would really like it if my actions in the military would actually help to e.g. build our economy, conquer some space (and not this checkerboard coloured deneb stuff) or sustain advanced research.

I know that the devs are on a shoestring budget and need to work on ports in the hope of gaining critical mass, but if there is no content apart from PvP (which is *hard*) then most people will decide to move on.

The hardcore PvP players might not have a lot of respect for people who just like to trade and mine and stay out of trouble, but I think the VO universe needs them and Inc and co certainly need their dollars.
Apr 13, 2013 Kabuloso link
+1 to vanatteveldt statement.
Apr 13, 2013 Conflict Diamond link
having spoken to some of the established players, it seems that the end result, irrespective of 'career' choice is to buy a big ship, head to uncharted space and fight other players (i.e. PVP).

Guess you didn't talk to me. Don't get me wrong, I love PvP, but once I made this mining alt, the depth of PvE, both on and off mission opened up. VO is an open-ended free-form theatre-of-the-mind. You can join the meta-gaming, find-every-exploit fast track to unlock all the ships and weapons, or you can play your part(s).

+1 on multiple active missions. A request as old as the game...
Apr 14, 2013 Phaserlight link
Sometimes I prefer to forego missions altogether, and just freelance.