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Post by MTKnife on Apr 1, 2011 16:21:15 GMT -5
I had two contracts on the same planet, both in the Urban Zone. One expired when I was in space, but it was the first one, so no problem. I landed, went to the Star Dock to fulfill it, and it's done. I went back down to the Urban Zone (ugh, I hate having to do that), and this time accidentally hit "Star Dock" again (it's in bold because I need sail repairs) rather than "Spice Hall" (the location of the second contract), hit the back button without doing anything, and then I get hit wit the "contract expired" toast.
Now, this was a weird point to get the toast, since I hadn't even done anything in the Urban Zone yet to take up time--and I didn't check right beforehand, but I'm pretty sure this contract had another 10-20 weeks to run.
In any case, I immediately hit "Spice Hall", and I fulfill the contract--that is, I complete it after. I had actually seen this happen before, but this time, since it was early in a new game, I was able to go back and check my score to see what had happened, and sure enough, it said I'd taken 9 contracts, completed 9, and let 1 expire--that is, the same contract was listed as both completed and expired (and presumably both Rep effects were applied).
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Post by Cory Trese on Apr 1, 2011 17:38:07 GMT -5
All known issues, and per design that is how the score keeper is coded to work.
Sorry you do not like the return to space function from a game balance standpoint it works very well.
I am, unfortunately, going extend it to a number of other Dry Dock actions -- possibly any Cargo Transfer will be required to be performed in deep space outside of Faction Urban Zones.
The next games will not have this is in the design -- contracts will be completed inside the zone directly and any time/resource consumption will be done internally. unfortunately it takes about twice as much work and going back and replacing all the ST RPG internals will just never happen because of the risk.
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spike
Exemplar
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Post by spike on Apr 1, 2011 18:52:58 GMT -5
Declare the Dry Docks to be orbital docks - problem solved.  |
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Post by MTKnife on Apr 2, 2011 4:42:16 GMT -5
All known issues, and per design that is how the score keeper is coded to work. Sorry you do not like the return to space function from a game balance standpoint it works very well. I am, unfortunately, going extend it to a number of other Dry Dock actions -- possibly any Cargo Transfer will be required to be performed in deep space outside of Faction Urban Zones. Aside from the mere annoyance, it creates actual danger, since landing again entails the risk of a hostile encounter. Aside from that, you get a weird inconsistency where you can do all your business before you perform the mission, except in the part of the Urban Zone where you have to perform the mission. I understand though if it's difficult to recode--I've been in that situation before. |
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Post by Cory Trese on Apr 2, 2011 4:59:52 GMT -5
I actually still like the design choice. It balances the game and provides a trade off.
You hit the risk-reward issue on the head -- if the Captain finishes business with the Contract he/she is free to depart for the next one ... but if there is still work on the Surface or Urban Zone left, then landing (and risking search) is once again required.
When you are talking about a hut or a store, being required to enter and re-enter a hut/store is a "weird inconsistency"
I disagree that it is a "weird inconsistency" in the Star Traders / Star's Edge Universe.
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The Captain is arriving on a remote zone to signal a contact who will then meet in orbital space for a secure exchange of the package (so as to only loose reputation, not be instantly attacked by palace security.)
The Captain is arriving on a remote zone to track a target until they are isolated on their ship and then strike at them in orbital space, outside of the range of the planet's defensive anti-landing batteries.
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spike
Exemplar
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Post by spike on Apr 2, 2011 5:47:04 GMT -5
I think it would help to allay confusion and "mild consumer wrath" arising from this design feature if the mission text for passenger, package and datapad contracts was amended to mention the discreet orbital rendezvous.
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Post by MTKnife on Apr 2, 2011 18:15:20 GMT -5
Corey, I think you've misunderstood me--I'm not criticizing the idea that you have to go to a particular location to complete the mission: I think that part is great. The inconsistency is that, when you do the location, you can't do anything but the mission (you say you're not ready yet, but that just kicks you back to the Urban Zone). Any other location in the Urban Zone, you can do your normal business, but not in the one location that also happens to be a mission location.
If you want to require an orbital rendezvous, fine, that's good color--I'm not sure I understand the necessity for game balance (I guess you're talking about requiring an extra week of time), but it doesn't bother me in any case.
What bothers me is having to visit the Urban Zone twice--but only if you need to do other business in the mission location. That doesn't seem to have anything to do with game balance, since it only applies part of the time, when you happen to need to go to that particular location. How hard would it be to code it so that "Not Ready Yet" drops you into the location in question, rather than back into the main Urban Zone screen?
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Post by slayernz on Apr 3, 2011 4:13:44 GMT -5
Hmm ... actually you have a point. If you you arrive in orbit around Planet Glurg to do an execution mission at the Star Dock, but your ship got waylaid by some rogue bounty hunter, you can't go and do a repair at the dock. Instead, you have to fly 14 AU to the nearest planet, Argle Blargle, to get fixed up enough to carry out your mission. It would be awesome that if you landed on the planet and got the ole prompt "Are you ready" at a specific location, if you chose "No", you just get to do the standard business. You could go to the Dock and get repairs. You could go to the Palace and get a pardon for the last accidental breech of Steel Song sovereignty. You could go to the spice hall and ... well get spiced |
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Post by MTKnife on Apr 3, 2011 15:22:29 GMT -5
All known issues, and per design that is how the score keeper is coded to work. Actually, now that I think about it, I'm a little confused about this one: lots of times contracts expire while I'm in space, but I don't get a "contract expired" toast for them until I hit an Urban Zone, and then they disappear. If I do complete before doing anything else in an Urban Zone, I never get the toast (and I don't think they're counted among the expired contracts in the Captain's Score, but I can't be sure of that). In the case I mentioned in the original post, though, I did get the toast, and was still able to complete the contract (despite having it add to the total of expired contracts in Captain's Score). Are things supposed to work differently in those two situations? |
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Post by Cory Trese on Apr 3, 2011 15:35:20 GMT -5
slayernz -- I think it would be easier for the player, I'm not sure if that is awesome or not. MTKnife -- If the Captain acts quickly upon landing in the Urban Zone he can complete an expired, or nearly expired Contract before his lateness is discovered and recorded by the Central Database. If you move about the Urban Zone, then the Contract can expire -- but the target is still available. If the Captain leaves the Urban Zone, then the target will be able to escape.
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