Forums » Suggestions
a few suggestions re: hailing/missions/NPCs/mining
First I just want to say that this is a great concept and that accepting and actually considering suggestions is the best way to achieve perfection in this game. It's pretty good already.. After playing for around 6 out of the 8 alotted free hours, I've come up with a few observations and easily implementable suggestions.
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hailing:
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I read somewhere in the update (without paying too much attention) that hailing a target ship would be optional. This is a necessity, but I couldn't really figure out how to do it (I believe it said type "/hail" ?? is this in 'mission' or 'general'?)... That being said, perhaps there should actually be a key devoted to hailing.
When the key is pressed, i think it would be benificial to open up a new chat tab at the top left (not sure what the title of the tab should be, with hotkey # i guess). The tab would be removed when the target is deselected, or when you type something like "over." Open to interpretation.
Maybe each player should be able to upload a small 160x120 picture into their account to be displayed on hailing another player, and NPCs should all have their own little pictures too.
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missions:
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I haven't progressed very far in the missions so I don't have a very intricate knowledge of the way the "mission tree" is set up, but I did happen to notice that when I left my home territory (of UIT), the missions came up the same. Apart from the most generic cargo missions, this should not be the case.
Assuming an enemy territory, or apathetic territory, or whatever knew that you were well liked in a separate area, what different missions would they offer? They definitely wouldn't have the same aspirations to scare off an insanely explosive ship, for example; they might attempt to turn you against your roots, offering new technologies, or they might ask for you to deliver tainted cargo to the enemy territory, or something. Different missions should be available depending on where you are in the missions, where you are in space, etc.
Bottom line, each region should have a completely different mission tree, and there should be opportunities to change your loyalty thereby changing mission progression.
As a sidenote, different regions should have entirely different technology (again, apart from the most generic technology, simple lasers, the crapbox-88, etc), ie weapons ships addons, but I'll assume you're working towards this.
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NPCs
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Sometimes certain systems seem very empty. Maybe random NPCs should do their business in and around systems (ie, jump in, dock, eventually leave the station, leave, or mine, or sometimes even attack you, who knows). I think it would be a bit more fun if the universe seemed busier. Maybe around 3-10 NPCs per location, depending upon the technology available there, and what not.
Keep in mind, there's no need for this if there's no actual player in the system
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mining:
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this is a very small issue, but I noticed the mining laser 1. always points to the same point on a rock, 2. seems to point to a vertex... #2 might make it a bit easier to calculate the laser's display algorithm, but it just doesn't look right. Take a random point on the surface within a certain radius around the exact aim of the ship. Also the laser should move each time a crate is filled, to give the illusion that you're mining different spots on the rock, which would make a bit more sense.
awesome game, keep it up!
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hailing:
---
I read somewhere in the update (without paying too much attention) that hailing a target ship would be optional. This is a necessity, but I couldn't really figure out how to do it (I believe it said type "/hail" ?? is this in 'mission' or 'general'?)... That being said, perhaps there should actually be a key devoted to hailing.
When the key is pressed, i think it would be benificial to open up a new chat tab at the top left (not sure what the title of the tab should be, with hotkey # i guess). The tab would be removed when the target is deselected, or when you type something like "over." Open to interpretation.
Maybe each player should be able to upload a small 160x120 picture into their account to be displayed on hailing another player, and NPCs should all have their own little pictures too.
---
missions:
---
I haven't progressed very far in the missions so I don't have a very intricate knowledge of the way the "mission tree" is set up, but I did happen to notice that when I left my home territory (of UIT), the missions came up the same. Apart from the most generic cargo missions, this should not be the case.
Assuming an enemy territory, or apathetic territory, or whatever knew that you were well liked in a separate area, what different missions would they offer? They definitely wouldn't have the same aspirations to scare off an insanely explosive ship, for example; they might attempt to turn you against your roots, offering new technologies, or they might ask for you to deliver tainted cargo to the enemy territory, or something. Different missions should be available depending on where you are in the missions, where you are in space, etc.
Bottom line, each region should have a completely different mission tree, and there should be opportunities to change your loyalty thereby changing mission progression.
As a sidenote, different regions should have entirely different technology (again, apart from the most generic technology, simple lasers, the crapbox-88, etc), ie weapons ships addons, but I'll assume you're working towards this.
---
NPCs
---
Sometimes certain systems seem very empty. Maybe random NPCs should do their business in and around systems (ie, jump in, dock, eventually leave the station, leave, or mine, or sometimes even attack you, who knows). I think it would be a bit more fun if the universe seemed busier. Maybe around 3-10 NPCs per location, depending upon the technology available there, and what not.
Keep in mind, there's no need for this if there's no actual player in the system
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mining:
---
this is a very small issue, but I noticed the mining laser 1. always points to the same point on a rock, 2. seems to point to a vertex... #2 might make it a bit easier to calculate the laser's display algorithm, but it just doesn't look right. Take a random point on the surface within a certain radius around the exact aim of the ship. Also the laser should move each time a crate is filled, to give the illusion that you're mining different spots on the rock, which would make a bit more sense.
awesome game, keep it up!
Re: NPC's
There used to be a lot of them flying around trading, but they disappeared one night and haven't been seen since.
Re: Missions
unfortunately, the new mission tree hasn't arrived yet. I'm patient. :)
Re: Hailing . hailing somone is just sending them a message. /msg Victim Hi there! fex. :)
There used to be a lot of them flying around trading, but they disappeared one night and haven't been seen since.
Re: Missions
unfortunately, the new mission tree hasn't arrived yet. I'm patient. :)
Re: Hailing . hailing somone is just sending them a message. /msg Victim Hi there! fex. :)
I just noticed last night I had not seen any NPC traders in a while. I miss the ambiance they provided.
As of the last patch you can also set a hailing message in the options window (i think) and assign it to a key. Of course you can do the same and more with aliases and binds.
As of the last patch you can also set a hailing message in the options window (i think) and assign it to a key. Of course you can do the same and more with aliases and binds.
To activate hailing, do one of the following:
At any input ingame, type the following: /alias hail "activatechattab 0; msg %target% %hailmsg%"
Then type the following: /bind h hail
In the wgaf.cfg file, in your VO directory, insert the following: alias hail "activatechattab 0; msg %target% %hailmsg%"
Then, on a new line, insert the following": bind "h" hail
You can set the message in Options->Input.
Once you've done this, target someone and press h to send them a message.
At any input ingame, type the following: /alias hail "activatechattab 0; msg %target% %hailmsg%"
Then type the following: /bind h hail
In the wgaf.cfg file, in your VO directory, insert the following: alias hail "activatechattab 0; msg %target% %hailmsg%"
Then, on a new line, insert the following": bind "h" hail
You can set the message in Options->Input.
Once you've done this, target someone and press h to send them a message.
if someone sends you a pm, you can also just hit tab to reply to them
okay but what do you think of the idea of the extra hail chat tab? that way you separate your ship-to-ship conversation and it provides the possibility of having an avatar of the player you are hailing? that's the main thing I was getting at with my hailing suggestion.
I would like avatars, even if they were generically selectable from a dev provided database. Just adds some personality to the game, more interaction then just a standard ship in front of you all the time that looks just like the guy next to you.
I don't think so, the interface is cluttered already, and adding even more tabs to toggle in, will just confuse it more.
The idea in space is to keep the interface as clean as possible, because immediate and instinctive reactions are what matter. adding more UI elements to toggle between make things harder.
The idea in space is to keep the interface as clean as possible, because immediate and instinctive reactions are what matter. adding more UI elements to toggle between make things harder.
"The idea in space is to keep the interface as clean as possible,..."
Because in space..they never clear your screen
Because in space..they never clear your screen
The interface is cluttered?!?! Huh?!
I go hours without touching anything but my movement keys and my mouse. If anything the interface is sparse!
Although I agree with you on this point, spider ;) . PM tabs would just add up and then you'd run out of space on the top. Just saying that this interface is cluttered sorta surprised me.
I go hours without touching anything but my movement keys and my mouse. If anything the interface is sparse!
Although I agree with you on this point, spider ;) . PM tabs would just add up and then you'd run out of space on the top. Just saying that this interface is cluttered sorta surprised me.
actually, the text that highlights, forcing you to toggle a "mode" with a key in order to take part of all, is in my opinion, cluttering the interface.
on a plus side to this thread, ray was on and he mustve turned the NPC traders back on because i've seen fleets of them running around now :D