Forums » Suggestions
Ok, this is my first post here, so go easy on me if some of my ideas have been posted before, and if something is faulty just feel free to correct me!
Now then...
The first thing I want to take up is the rather "sterile" feeling of Vendetta. Sure, it's primarily a space sim, and works well as such, but as a MMORPG I feel it lacks some atmosphere. What's bothered me most is the space stations. Even though I find the station interface quite functional and well thought up, it lacks the feeling of a "real" station. One solution for this would be to add some graphics. I'm not thinking about some fancy 3D interface like a traditional FPS, but simply some (maybe interactive?) 2D backgrounds. A good way of making them different for each system might be to patch smaller parts together. To explain further: let's say you split a station background in 9 parts and then let the game choose which parts are needed based on information about the sector. This way a station in the "Sol II" system may get a few Serco soldiers at a table in the lower left corner of the screen, an advert for Serco military in the upper right, and so on. By making the game calculating the images the life on the stations would probably feel more random too since the table with the soldiers may be occupied by a smuggler, or some other individual the next time. The patching of small images would probably also save some space compared to using one large (and static) bitmap for each station.
Anyway, I'm no experienced programmer, and I don't know how the Vendetta code for station interface is built right now, so I can't say if this would require major work, or even be worth the effort.
Another idea, which I have to admit I got from the realm of Elite, is the addition of illegal goods. One of the nicest aspects of those games (in my opinion) was the ability to make big bucks by shipping slaves, nerve gas, and such cargo to worlds that had a ban on the product, something as far as I know Vendetta lacks.
As for less significant changes I'd really like some additions to the hud. Primarily some indicator of what system and sector one is currently in. Sure, this shows up in the chat window after jump and you can always check the navigation screen, but sometimes it's a bit of a fuss, plus I don't think the indicator would be in the way.
Well, that's all I can come up with at the moment, but just give me as much feedback as possible, and tell me what you think! Good or bad ideas?
// n0id
Now then...
The first thing I want to take up is the rather "sterile" feeling of Vendetta. Sure, it's primarily a space sim, and works well as such, but as a MMORPG I feel it lacks some atmosphere. What's bothered me most is the space stations. Even though I find the station interface quite functional and well thought up, it lacks the feeling of a "real" station. One solution for this would be to add some graphics. I'm not thinking about some fancy 3D interface like a traditional FPS, but simply some (maybe interactive?) 2D backgrounds. A good way of making them different for each system might be to patch smaller parts together. To explain further: let's say you split a station background in 9 parts and then let the game choose which parts are needed based on information about the sector. This way a station in the "Sol II" system may get a few Serco soldiers at a table in the lower left corner of the screen, an advert for Serco military in the upper right, and so on. By making the game calculating the images the life on the stations would probably feel more random too since the table with the soldiers may be occupied by a smuggler, or some other individual the next time. The patching of small images would probably also save some space compared to using one large (and static) bitmap for each station.
Anyway, I'm no experienced programmer, and I don't know how the Vendetta code for station interface is built right now, so I can't say if this would require major work, or even be worth the effort.
Another idea, which I have to admit I got from the realm of Elite, is the addition of illegal goods. One of the nicest aspects of those games (in my opinion) was the ability to make big bucks by shipping slaves, nerve gas, and such cargo to worlds that had a ban on the product, something as far as I know Vendetta lacks.
As for less significant changes I'd really like some additions to the hud. Primarily some indicator of what system and sector one is currently in. Sure, this shows up in the chat window after jump and you can always check the navigation screen, but sometimes it's a bit of a fuss, plus I don't think the indicator would be in the way.
Well, that's all I can come up with at the moment, but just give me as much feedback as possible, and tell me what you think! Good or bad ideas?
// n0id
Pretty good ideas. I was thinking about EV NOVA style station interfaces with a distinct picture for each dock, but I think your modular station interfaces sounds a lot better. Rather than buttons, a picture with stuff to click on.
Sort of like that terrible "Microsoft BOB" project. :D
Sort of like that terrible "Microsoft BOB" project. :D
Illegal cargo is a good idea, but as it is now, all the stations feel too "official" to make me believe that you can sell illegal items and not be arrested. There is no mechanism for a black market, but if there were (independent stations, ship-to-ship cargo exchange) it would be a great addition.
Also added should be patrols that approach each ship in a sector and scan for illegal cargo, siccing a strike team on smugglers. Maybe the first offense would warrant a "Jettison your cargo or be destroyed" message from the strike team, rather than instant KOS.
This, along with "checkpoints" at key warp sectors, would make it much more interesting to smuggle illegal things across nation borders. It would also justify our continuing desire to have more warp connections on the map.
Also added should be patrols that approach each ship in a sector and scan for illegal cargo, siccing a strike team on smugglers. Maybe the first offense would warrant a "Jettison your cargo or be destroyed" message from the strike team, rather than instant KOS.
This, along with "checkpoints" at key warp sectors, would make it much more interesting to smuggle illegal things across nation borders. It would also justify our continuing desire to have more warp connections on the map.
thginkrej: "Illegal cargo is a good idea, but as it is now, all the stations feel too "official" to make me believe that you can sell illegal items and not be arrested."
What about Corvus, aren't they supposed to be a pirate faction? In the old universe we actually had a few Black Market "missions" you could take to sell scrap metal at hidden stations. I could imagine a few missions like those in the new universe.
n0id: "Primarily some indicator of what system and sector one is currently in."
like this?:
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-9/829415/sAspect.jpg
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-9/829415/fAspect.jpg
These are a few photoshop brainstorms I had for a sector indicator and a new distance indicator. The meter fills up until you reach 3000m clearance, fits in with the rest of the HUD much better IMHO. The system and sector is displayed above the meter using a 3 letter abbreviation.
What about Corvus, aren't they supposed to be a pirate faction? In the old universe we actually had a few Black Market "missions" you could take to sell scrap metal at hidden stations. I could imagine a few missions like those in the new universe.
n0id: "Primarily some indicator of what system and sector one is currently in."
like this?:
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-9/829415/sAspect.jpg
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-9/829415/fAspect.jpg
These are a few photoshop brainstorms I had for a sector indicator and a new distance indicator. The meter fills up until you reach 3000m clearance, fits in with the rest of the HUD much better IMHO. The system and sector is displayed above the meter using a 3 letter abbreviation.
I meant that if something is illegal in a *particular sector* it doesn't follow that you could sell/buy it at the station in that sector. Even Corvus could have some items that are forbidden there. Sure, some things sold at Corvus could be illegal in Serco/Itani space, and that could be a "gray" market.
I think the only true black market would be in player-owned-and-controlled stations or with ship-to-ship commerce, in terms of selling the cargo. Buying the cargo in unclaimed territory would be perfectly fine, but if you can only sell it in other unclaimed regions, where's the thrill of evading the border patrol?
And I like your concept mods to the HUD.
I think the only true black market would be in player-owned-and-controlled stations or with ship-to-ship commerce, in terms of selling the cargo. Buying the cargo in unclaimed territory would be perfectly fine, but if you can only sell it in other unclaimed regions, where's the thrill of evading the border patrol?
And I like your concept mods to the HUD.
Phaserlight: Waylon described that exact same HUD modification at our meeting today and none of us had noticed your post until now.. heheh.
Don't listen to him Phaserlight. He's just trying to cover his tracks after stealing your intellectual property. :-P
we had discussed that same thing a few weeks ago. I personally don't like it but can't think of anything better.
Well, instead of a bar, which takes up space and looks clunky, I think a circular dial would look much cooler.
Lemme fire up photoshop and let my fertile imagination bear fruit.
Edit: The fruit is borne:
Here is what it is when not at 3k yet. Each tick would become less transparent as you get further away. Naturally, you would probably want more ticks on a real wheel, but in PS that takes a lot of time.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v130/Pavan2099/Warpnotsofull.jpg
Then, once at 3k the wheel is fully opaque and starts to sport some spiffy outer glow.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v130/Pavan2099/Warp-full.jpg
If you want, you can ever sport tiny numbers on the outside of the wheel. Either vertical along the side of it or above or below it. And the current sector info can go there too.
Another, still cooler thing would be an odometer type dial, but that probably doesn't match the rest of the HUD.
Lemme fire up photoshop and let my fertile imagination bear fruit.
Edit: The fruit is borne:
Here is what it is when not at 3k yet. Each tick would become less transparent as you get further away. Naturally, you would probably want more ticks on a real wheel, but in PS that takes a lot of time.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v130/Pavan2099/Warpnotsofull.jpg
Then, once at 3k the wheel is fully opaque and starts to sport some spiffy outer glow.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v130/Pavan2099/Warp-full.jpg
If you want, you can ever sport tiny numbers on the outside of the wheel. Either vertical along the side of it or above or below it. And the current sector info can go there too.
Another, still cooler thing would be an odometer type dial, but that probably doesn't match the rest of the HUD.
Welp, in response to Magus' concept I decided to make a mockup of my own. Though I was a tad lazy and under certain peer pressure to hurry up.
My concept was more of a concentric circle idea... which was meant to go more fluidly, but Image Ready wouldn't do it.
http://upload.localnetsys.com/upload/Mockup-hud-animation.gif
Basically I think it is a little more accurate than ticks are, yet I wouldn't mind sticking numbers inside the circle as well.
My concept was more of a concentric circle idea... which was meant to go more fluidly, but Image Ready wouldn't do it.
http://upload.localnetsys.com/upload/Mockup-hud-animation.gif
Basically I think it is a little more accurate than ticks are, yet I wouldn't mind sticking numbers inside the circle as well.
Or, instead of numbers, we can put tick marks inside the circle! It can grow and sweep simultaneously.
Katarn: Cool, but it takes up too much space. :) (And by cool I mean it's similar to an idea I had, which ray didn't like.) But I don't want to say what my most recent design is because you guys might come up with something even cooler, then I can say "oh yeah I totally came up with that two weeks ago" and steal your idea but make it purple.
Well Katarn's need not be a full circle. It could function just as well as a semicircle and thereby only take up half the space. eh?
or make it differently...
a smaller circle that fills up like a clock, divided in three steps. red for the first km, yellow for the second and green for the 3rd. that way you can even roughly determinate the distance by not directly focusing on the dial, but by only acknowledging the color.
all the round things remind me somewhat of iPulse (mac users, unite!), but i think that's ok :)
a smaller circle that fills up like a clock, divided in three steps. red for the first km, yellow for the second and green for the 3rd. that way you can even roughly determinate the distance by not directly focusing on the dial, but by only acknowledging the color.
all the round things remind me somewhat of iPulse (mac users, unite!), but i think that's ok :)
Actually Ray and I discussed this topic weeks ago and he is such a perfectionist that he isn't happy with anything. However I do like the mock-ups you've made. :)
Me too:
http://hoax23.tripod.com
The first image, simple gage on the bottom left by the forward radar. Could potentialy have 8 new gages surrounding the radar screens without taking up much real estate. On the other hand it might be difficult to distinguish the purpous of each one without practice.
I think I'd add a little number next to it like the speed indicator has.
http://hoax23.tripod.com
The first image, simple gage on the bottom left by the forward radar. Could potentialy have 8 new gages surrounding the radar screens without taking up much real estate. On the other hand it might be difficult to distinguish the purpous of each one without practice.
I think I'd add a little number next to it like the speed indicator has.
...or, let's make the indicator a fish that keeps growing!
http://paran0id.mine.nu/vendetta.gif
Nah, just kidding, but I like your ideas, even though I'd pretty much settle for some text pointing out where I am at the moment.
Thanks for all the input though, and I've been coming up with some new ideas since my last post.
As for the station interface the talk about "Microsoft BOB" did actually scare me a bit, so I thought it over again and came up with a way of adding "modular graphics" of the station life, without losing the functional interface Vendetta has today. How about making sure that for example part 4 of the "bitmap puzzle" (middle left) is always some door for leaving the station, while part 6 (middle right) always present a terminal, which in turn leads to the regular interface where one can buy stuff, accept missions, and so on. This way the stations would feel more alive, without sacrificing any usability and/or making it more messy.
On the point of illegal cargo I think it might work, with some additions that is. First off, one could probably go for the Elite approach, where the buyers of illegal cargo was NPCs (and NPC cops) placing ads on bulletin boards requesting the goods. Another solution could be to have different cargo banned by different factions. Serco for example might allow the trade of chemical weaponry, while the more peaceful factions might allow something else, like synthetic drugs for example. The second solution would pretty much kill the problem with stations feeling too official when it comes to trading of this type.
http://paran0id.mine.nu/vendetta.gif
Nah, just kidding, but I like your ideas, even though I'd pretty much settle for some text pointing out where I am at the moment.
Thanks for all the input though, and I've been coming up with some new ideas since my last post.
As for the station interface the talk about "Microsoft BOB" did actually scare me a bit, so I thought it over again and came up with a way of adding "modular graphics" of the station life, without losing the functional interface Vendetta has today. How about making sure that for example part 4 of the "bitmap puzzle" (middle left) is always some door for leaving the station, while part 6 (middle right) always present a terminal, which in turn leads to the regular interface where one can buy stuff, accept missions, and so on. This way the stations would feel more alive, without sacrificing any usability and/or making it more messy.
On the point of illegal cargo I think it might work, with some additions that is. First off, one could probably go for the Elite approach, where the buyers of illegal cargo was NPCs (and NPC cops) placing ads on bulletin boards requesting the goods. Another solution could be to have different cargo banned by different factions. Serco for example might allow the trade of chemical weaponry, while the more peaceful factions might allow something else, like synthetic drugs for example. The second solution would pretty much kill the problem with stations feeling too official when it comes to trading of this type.
Hoax: That's almost like the one I just wanted to do :)
Hoax: That's frickin beautiful, man. On a side note, how did you get 614milc?
noid: I like the "computer interface" idea.
noid: I like the "computer interface" idea.
>Hoax: That's frickin beautiful, man. On a side note, how did
>you get 614milc?
Trading secret cargo for the Neutral Star Beef faction of course ;)
lol, n0id, I like the fish way better than mine!
>you get 614milc?
Trading secret cargo for the Neutral Star Beef faction of course ;)
lol, n0id, I like the fish way better than mine!