|
Post by fallen on Sept 29, 2017 23:35:50 GMT -5
The Dragon it is. Going in as a Thulun Smuggler!
|
|
|
Post by contributor on Sept 30, 2017 1:30:19 GMT -5
I thought this one was pretty interesting. I haven't played it enough to know if it has great areas or not, but I can imagine this one developing a unique mythology and the "gateway" quadrants getting filthy rich off of their location. Seed:st-v01-32-6-135306394 Castor and Pollux
|
|
|
Post by MintDragon on Sept 30, 2017 2:06:57 GMT -5
contributor, looks really cool! Will try it out sometime soon.
|
|
|
Post by contributor on Sept 30, 2017 3:24:10 GMT -5
I've been mulling it over and I think I'm strongly in favor of including contacts in map seeds. The benefits have already been discussed here somewhat. To go bit further, I have to admit that I was a bit sad when I heard that ST2 was going to use RNGed worlds. The reason is that one of the great things about ST RPG is the shared map. I don't think we would have half the fan fic that we do if everyone was playing different maps. The fact that I can say "Xenox" or "Riverton" and everybody knows exactly what I'm talking about is powerful. As much as I might have thought I wanted random maps (I might have even asked for them at some point) when we actually got them I realized we were missing something big. The ST RPG map is pretty brilliant actually and it was big enough that I never really got bored with it. I think that ST2 maps are going to be the same way and having the same contacts is going to lead to a lot of that great shared feeling on forums or boards or tutorials. Shared contacts also means the chance to go play the "other side." If I've worked with on network of contacts and reduced all their enemies to negative rep, I can then start another game as a different faction, work to find those enemies and see how it works going from the other direction. Also since ST2 will always have the opportunity to gen a new map I don't think we have to worry to much about boredom setting in very quickly.
So I think shared contacts would lead to a lot more "Sharing" on the forums which is always a good thing. It would also be good if the default map would have some sort of great name (enter The Dragon) that would become the reference for thousands of spacers. Maybe the final could actually ship with three maps (large, medium, small or otherwise divers and more unique) that would allow a lot of players to share experiences. One of those would be the default, but the others would probably become pretty well known as well.
I realize this might have implications for building out the story, because shared contacts could really lock things in, so maybe it's not even possible, but if it is, I think it would be great.
|
|
|
Post by En1gma on Sept 30, 2017 8:01:41 GMT -5
I agree with contributor on this one for what it's worth. Proc gen maps are amazing but I agree with the thought that the game would benefit from having maybe a half dozen or so canned maps to choose from. They should be different, balanced, and awesome, which would increase the amount of chatter about the game and lead to hundreds of strategies between just those maps alone. If another player generated map becomes a thing of greatness than it could be added to the roster, so everyone can play it. Perhaps the contacts could stay the same in each map , but must be discovered as per usual, so when you finally hear word of the one you've been waiting for you get that rush of excitement. Fingers crossed that this can become a thing, because this would really bring the entire thing to the next level in terms of community involvement.
|
|
|
Post by fallen on Sept 30, 2017 10:06:49 GMT -5
I've been mulling it over and I think I'm strongly in favor of including contacts in map seeds. The benefits have already been discussed here somewhat. To go bit further, I have to admit that I was a bit sad when I heard that ST2 was going to use RNGed worlds. Probably the #1 RFE from all of ST RPG. Therefore, perhaps the top promises of the KickStarter. Can't imagine the game without it. We'll chat about contacts, maybe we can offer an option there for players.
|
|
|
Post by contributor on Sept 30, 2017 11:42:56 GMT -5
I'm sure it was, but sometimes we humans don't always know what we're asking for.
|
|
|
Post by fallen on Sept 30, 2017 13:31:08 GMT -5
Still can't imagine the game without it. The replay possibility is the tops.
Anyway, definitely can look into coding up the option to recreate the same contact setup.
Except, you'd never get the same contacts because every player's starting contacts are going to be different, and we have to make them.
|
|
|
Post by contributor on Sept 30, 2017 14:33:32 GMT -5
Don't get me wrong I'm not asking you to go back to not having the ability to create maps. That is awesome. I'm just saying that creating a map with the exact same contacts, and giving a solid one to start out with would provide all your players at least one world to share where they can all participate together in the same story. They will always be able to gen other worlds (and share those too) but there will be that one common reference for all people.
With that said, I don't know how the contact system works. If they're all placed in the beginning than it seems possible. It wouldn't matter if we got different ones starting out. The fun would be having the same ones to discover some time that you could plan on. I suppose if we started with the same faction and same contacts selected maybe we would get the same thing.
|
|
|
Post by fallen on Sept 30, 2017 15:29:34 GMT -5
contributor - yeah, we'd have to figure out how much to drive from the seed and how much to put outside the seed. I can see the benefits and a huge loss of being able to replay on a map you love, but don't want to the exact same setup for Contacts, story centers, every time. I think that would be sad turn to take as well. Cool stuff!
|
|
|
Post by En1gma on Sept 30, 2017 15:43:03 GMT -5
Playing a Thulun Zealot on the Dragon, off to a good start so far. I really like the setup I have for this character.
|
|
|
Post by fallen on Sept 30, 2017 15:43:36 GMT -5
That maps has already ground up and spit out 3 of my Captains lol.
|
|
|
Post by En1gma on Sept 30, 2017 15:45:01 GMT -5
Damn... Still getting used to everything. Games like ST, AoP, 4x I play on the lower difficulties because the RNG deities hate me.
|
|
|
Post by fallen on Sept 30, 2017 16:13:33 GMT -5
Damn... Still getting used to everything. Games like ST, AoP, 4x I play on the lower difficulties because the RNG deities hate me. I should learn to do the same lol. Especially when my Captains are at the whims of my crazy testing requirements. Sometimes, its just "suicide by mutiny" to make sure some mutiny feautre is working. Ahh, the life of a Captain under @fallens' control!
|
|
|
Post by Cory Trese on Oct 1, 2017 11:00:11 GMT -5
I realize this might have implications for building out the story, because shared contacts could really lock things in, so maybe it's not even possible, but if it is, I think it would be great. It is not possible. Sorry. We made these decisions public during the KickStarter and made them permanent into the game's fundamental design factors in 2015. I won't go into all of the reasons why this was the right choice or argue benefits -- doesn't matter. Instead, I will focus on what we know will work!The default included map will be a shared, common, blend of proc generation and hand manipulation. Just like ST RPG! Anyone can play on the default map and share based on that -- Riverton will be in the same place for most players -- the average player will play on default a lot. The sense of shared space, common elements, fan fiction, lore and discussion is ALL supported by seed systems. You don't need to look at TB games to see that. So we have the default map -- the default shared space. We have the seed system -- a common and easy / instant way to create a shared space for two or more players.
|
|