New Era content - Update 58

[Aesop]

I love the story, it's really well written.

I can only speak about my own experience, but for my playstyle, I really feel I'm rushing about trying to complete missions - even when I focus on one thread of the storyline. It's meant that it's taken me 200 hours irl flying past all the current story content to really enjoy the depth and dynamism of the world. It feels difficult to me to enjoy both the story and the world in one run.

I'm not sure if this was intended? If I'm playing the game badly? I'm playing on "hard" all the time if that helps?

The main problem I had with the new content was that Estelle told me I'd earned a rest. There was no story-book marker to let me know when to come back to her. When I did she offered missions with 7 and 11 year completion dates. I thought "great" I'd have time just to earn a little cash to upgrade a part. I came back and she still had the missions with 11-year timeline on them. I took two, made a drop-off on part of a 3 drop mission. Then with lots of years still left the era ended and my missions disappeared.

So suggestions are;
1) Estelle shouldn't offer missions with that length of deadline if the era is going to end and the missions lost after a couple of years
2) I can only speak for myself in that it's taken me so long to really enjoy the content that you've worked real hard to make this good. If many other players have had a similar experience is there a way you could guide them to enjoy one or the other?
Just firing from the top of my head: Possibly through the use of achievements to guide them to try different "types" of run. Story or Sandbox. If Achievements had Sub headings. "Storyline" or "Sandbox" you could have a hover over and a line saying something like "Storyline missions are tough to complete, you won't have as much time to work contacts and involve yourself in Conflicts you want to partake in" "Sandbox gives you more time to influence the faction conflicts around you"
3) Possibly a break in the story content/longer length of eras/without hand-holding just a little more visibility when eras are coming to an end.

The game's a 9/10 for me. Just wanted to give some feedback on a slight negative for me.

[MintDragon]

Well thought out feedback Aesop. One thing I'd add is that I scratch my head when coming back to 'older games', wondering what Era the current game state is in. Obviously, check the maps, any current missions, faction standings, etc..., but then am trying to decipher what Era is currently playing out based on turn count/date (should I check in on the Arbiter? should I check in with Faen?, etc...).

Perhaps a reference in the spice hall news, or and Era 'indicator' in the rumor list would help.

Just 2 cents (and before coffee), so feel free to slap me down if it's not useful input.


EDIT: The story text that describes the Era (positives, negatives, what to expect) when the start of an Era occurs would be really helpful to have as part of wherever one could reference the current Era; also maybe put the date of when the Era began as well? So we could deduce how far into said Era the current game state is in.

[Aesop]

Hi Mint, I think someone put it really well regarding encounters. When they talked about "prioritisation" in displaying info. TB seem to be working on that aspect in polishing the post encounter screen, so some prioritisation of visual displays on eras and info displayed in the spice hall could be a good idea. I suggested a while back that news items in the spicehall could be colour-coded, eg. yellow for start f conflict, red for contact death. You could also have a headline describing the era in progress, or the one just finished.

[athios]

I think part of the reason for unclear timeline "deadlines" is because the Era transition is somewhat dynamic. Missions that you are doing, other conflicts ongoing & concluded will all have impact on the storyline.

Story missions are already specially marked, I believe with a green border or something like that, and have an Open Book icon next to them.

MintDragon, if you check the Rumors screen, it should have an entry on what Era it currently is, and list what the special effects are. If you don't see one, then you might still be in the default state at game start...

[MintDragon]

May 4, 2018 12:40:50 GMT -5 Aesop said:

Hi Mint, I think someone put it really well regarding encounters. When they talked about "prioritisation" in displaying info. TB seem to be working on that aspect in polishing the post encounter screen, so some prioritisation of visual displays on eras and info displayed in the spice hall could be a good idea. I suggested a while back that news items in the spicehall could be colour-coded, eg. yellow for start f conflict, red for contact death. You could also have a headline describing the era in progress, or the one just finished.

yah, I had put up a post suggesting putting the faction flags up for each relevant news items, so one could quickly scan the news for items that impacted factions of interest. (ex. Thulun won the Trade Alliance over Cadar would have their faction flags at the start of the bullet point)

original thread: startradersrpg.proboards.com/post/200234/thread

[MintDragon]

May 4, 2018 12:43:17 GMT -5 athios said:

I think part of the reason for unclear timeline "deadlines" is because the Era transition is somewhat dynamic. Missions that you are doing, other conflicts ongoing & concluded will all have impact on the storyline.

Story missions are already specially marked, I believe with a green border or something like that, and have an Open Book icon next to them.

MintDragon , if you check the Rumors screen, it should have an entry on what Era it currently is, and list what the special effects are. If you don't see one, then you might still be in the default state at game start...

Wow. Didn't even notice.  Thx for the guidance 👍

[fallen]

Aesop - thanks for the post!

It will take me a little time to get through all of it.

I have removed the line in which Estelle tells you that you've earned a rest, instead "I wish I could tell you that you've earned a rest."

I think we will work toward each Era's ending having a cut-scene like the speech that Estelle gives in the grand plaza of Ryeline Ganne. Sort of a clear moment of change.