Cosmetical Improvements

[zuul]

Waypoint direction:
Now the direction shows diagonal to a target if it's not exactly over/under/left/right (orthogonal) of you. Should show orthogonal arrow if there is less steps to it than the diagonal one like these charts (first how it is now, second how it should be, where d is a diagonal arrow, and o is an orthogonal).

dddddoddddd dddoooooddd
dddddoddddd ddddooodddd
dddddoddddd ddddooodddd
dddddoddddd oddddoddddo
dddddoddddd oooddoddooo
oooooXooooo oooooXooooo
dddddoddddd oooddoddooo
dddddoddddd oddddoddddo
dddddoddddd ddddooodddd
dddddoddddd ddddooodddd
dddddoddddd dddoooooddd

Waypoint view:
Either have more directions on the arrow, or show a line of arrows up the the target.

Close map popup:
Remove the "Close Captain's Map" popup. Why is an confirmation needed here? If you accidentally close it you can just open it again.

Zoom out map:
Zoom out option for the "Zoom Map", where all sprites are half size (and maybe even an 1/4th size option).

Waypoint on map:
Show a waypoint icon.

Planet Graphics:
Have variations of planet graphics per each planet type (so it looks a lot less repeated). I can help making sprites if you want to.

Zoom normal view:
Be able to zoom out so all sprites are half size in the normal view.

Trade warning:
Warn before trading if it will have an impact on reputation.

[slayernz]

Woah ... can't believe I almost forgot to first welcome you to the forum Zuul! ... so welcome! ... I'm guessing you loved the movie Ghostbusters ...

Waypoint direction - I think that was how it was originally designed - not sure if it can easily be changed, but valid for sure.

Waypoint view - yes, having a line displaying the plotted path of auto-pilot would be awesome. That way you can see exactly how the computer has planned things out.

Close map popup - there is an item in the options menu for this specific popup. You can disable it there.

Zoom out map - unfortunately since this was the first game created by Cory and co, and it was more a learning experience than done out of veteran Android coding knowledge, there are big limitations in terms of map zooming. The concept was better thought out for CK and TA, but I don't know if it is able to be retro-fitted into ST.

Waypoint on map - definitely should have this ... it's been an enhancement request in the past.

Planet Graphics - I think that this is always something that can be revisited - Andrew has been feverishly updating ship graphics, so he might get around to swankifying the planets even more

Zoom normal view - see comments about zooming out map

Trade Warning - if you hire a Political officer, that is exactly what she does. There is a request in the system to get her to inform not only if there is a trade embargo in place, but who is causing the embargo. That'll be even more useful.

[zuul]

Thank you for the welcome. Yes I like Ghostbusters, looking forward the new one.

Thank you for the info about how to disable the popup.

[Cory Trese]

I added some of the ones that make sense to the list!

[zuul]

Nice. Which ones did not make sense though? Maybe i could explain them better.
Zooming? I think it's hard to get an overview of where you are where you wannt to go.
The arrow? I know I mailed you some time ago but you never commented it.

I think it's strange if the waypoint is 15 to the right and 1 down, it would show a down to the right arrow, but you would not find the goal there because it's to the right.

[Cory Trese]

Sorry, what I intended to mean was "make sense to me as the person who is responsible for coding, supporting, explaining and advocating ST RPG."

It isn't really an issue of further explanation, I don't think, more cost-benefit and design decisions.

Some of them are already in the very long ST RPG to do list

[zuul]

Two more suggestions:

* Option to not automatically exit Urban/Wilds when you complete a contract. This is to prevent loss of at least one turn, but sometimes more.

* Only show oldest of the same award that a pilot completed. Alternative, keep awards for those pilots that are not deleted.
Because after a while you will get many many of the same awards, making a long long list that is hard to get an overview of. Even another alternative, in option set to just display one of the awards each.

[Cory Trese]

Dec 1, 2011 9:40:57 GMT -5 zuul said:

Two more suggestions:

* Option to not automatically exit Urban/Wilds when you complete a contract. This is to prevent loss of at least one turn, but sometimes more.

* Only show oldest of the same award that a pilot completed. Alternative, keep awards for those pilots that are not deleted.
Because after a while you will get many many of the same awards, making a long long list that is hard to get an overview of. Even another alternative, in option set to just display one of the awards each.

Automatic exit of the urban zone is just how the game works. It was added for design and balance reasons but we have kept it for technical ones. Not going to go away I don't think.


Of course I do not like the Awards page. However, previous attempts to implement the suggested approach (and several other clever ones as well) have all resulted in performance that was simply too slow to avoid ANR crashes. Not something I have given up on but there are technical challenges.

[zuul]

*Stash info on a planet should be removed when you empty it (now you can have a long but empty list of every world that has Wilds).
*A stash should only show the cargo that has at least one.


*Should not show multiple plans of same ship in Star Dock.

*Bug: If you are on a world that has Contract that has no time left, and you do something else that turn than completing it - It will expire, but it will still be there, so you can complete it anyway. This way you get both negative rep and also positive rep.

[Cory Trese]

- some would disagree
- the shipyard bidding process allows repeats
- that is just how contracts work

[Cory Trese]

To expand further:

- The use of empty stashes is a well documented stradegy that I myself use. The game also measures the stability of a stash based on its age for all stash-loss possible character classes. Therefore, empty but setup stashes are still valuable. Because of the weeks required to initially create a stash (based on your Tactics, Explorer and Stash Rating) create a unique stash instance with resistance values (also, rumors can influence that but only negatively!) Therefore removing empty stashes would eliminate the ability for a player to use them as a marker or to establish optimal stashes. I can see the argument you might want to delete a non-optimal one but that isn't a feature that is currently supported. The Captain establishes one hiding place per planet and uses it.

[Cory Trese]

The second one would prohibit me from loading up and purchasing multiple ships of the same type.

However, I can see how removing that feature in favor of a more restrictive selector function might increase the number of ship types available within a low level character's selection range. However, from a balance standpoint I like the current selector function and it depends on population size for it to work. If we use a list restricted to avoid duplicates than the population size changes dramatically, especially within the Free RPG ruleset.

[Cory Trese]

Contracts exist as a formal operation within the laws of Shalun.

When a Captain arrives (and is recorded by the Central Database, along with his Reputations) the Marque of Contract is registered with the Palace. If the Captain wanders off the the Spice District the Faction may move to have the Contract marked as Expired in the Records of the Quadrant.

However, it is possible (although dishonorable) for the Captain to both succeed at his Contract and deliver a success while simultaneously being Recorded as a dishonor to the Faction.

[/li][li] If I was writing a book set in the ST RPG universe this would definitely happen to the main character at least once.

[zuul]

Thank you for your answers. I like that you have thought of a reason why not doing something, instead of just thinking, hard - takes time.

1) Maybe have option to hide empty stash then?

Another thing, selling wares in Exchange should work more like when you steal stuff from other ships and when you make a stash - should not take 2 weeks every time you buy sell one ware. You should count how many things you have sold/bought in total then calculate the time it will take to move and barter.
Now it can take half a year to sell one of each ware. And selling 200 of same ware takes 2 weeks. Logical?

Q: If I copy all files on my mobile to PC, then format the mobile, and take back all files. Can I continue play the game where I left it? Thinking about rooting my S1 and inserting Cyanogen.


I love your game.

[Cory Trese]

Depends on how you make the copy and if you have root, etc.

The system of trade in the Exchange is tied to the cultural reason for the Exchange to exist.

The Exchange is the off-worlder's market. In other Guild Tradehouses and Merchant galleries across the planet provide rapid, economically suitable trade systems for Faction members and representatives from other Factions.

Your character is a Spacing Captain -- a Ship Master in his own right. If he wishes to Trade with the Price he must do it via the ritualized trading systems of Shalun Law as they apply to a Ship's Master.

That is to say -- the buttons you click in the Exchange intend to simulate weeks of ritualized meetings, trade papers and considerable Faction-relevant mumbo-jumbo.