Post by hacienda on Dec 22, 2010 15:26:44 GMT -5
Star Traders is great. It looked like a good way to pass time on the train or whatever, but I've ended up playing it compulsively! It brings back memories of the BBS game Trade Wars... I'm amazed at the attention Corey pays to our input, I've never seen such care from a developer, indie or otherwise.
Happy as I am cruising around space blowing things up, stockpiling up and waiting for shortage rumors (I know it sounds dry of me but we all know how truly fun this is in practice), it sounds like the game is going to get even better with the player base/medals etc. release(s).
What
I think factories (or say, 'farm' in the case of plants etc.) might be another interesting element to add to this, and ties in well with other upcoming/possible features. Because of its late-game nature and complexity, perhaps it could be an Elite only feature as a further incentive to get it.
Firstly, in the same way our own base hidden away in the wilderness plays to the role-playing element and the general desire to 'build' our own personal empires, it also acts as a great late-game money sink, after we've maxed our 15 ranks and bought the house (Flagship Carrier), and adds to the depth of the economy/the player's role in the universe.
Building One
On the assumption that factories would be built on planets, the ability to construct a factory could be dependent on the rep level with that faction, and perhaps other criteria: perhaps you cannot build a metals mine until you have completed enough trade-related missions, and/or must complete a set of unique missions (bring X metals, next mission bring X electronics etc. may be difficult to implement if you need 50 metals but only have 40 cargo - maybe it could be a cumulative counter). This would be a great way to incentivize a close association with one faction, one idea could be that there's a cumulative counter of how much trade you do with them (after getting a trading permit, for instance), buying or selling, then once you do 200,000 or whatever, and they rep love you.
What factory can be built on what planet could be fixed for simplicity, and would add flavor and character to those that chose to become industrialists for one kind of people - Steel Song planets seem natural to make weapons, Javat for metals. Basic/misc worlds could just extract water (the most basic factory?)
Making Money
In terms of balancing cost/return, it could be x amount of in-game years before it becomes profitable past the principle, with longer for more valuable commodities, but then it's pure, big profit (maybe the cost/return ratio between the commodities could be expressed as a inversely exponential, i.e. it is more expensive to built an electronics factory, but it's worth it in the long run, rather than building 10 plant farms etc.).
How it Makes You Money
As for what is produced out of this: perhaps you could choose different options, for instance, sell on planet automatically, or stockpile in the (limited, and commodity specific) warehouse, so the mercantile of us could sell it ourselves for rep, shortage rumor, cache etc. or those that like/dislike micromanagement.
As an added layer, there could be supply chains. Rather than doubling up on the pre-existing commodities some could just be 'made' (e.g. water, metals, plants), and they contribute to more complex goods, e.g. metal is turned into electronics, plants to medicine (the soon to be introduced commodity?) etc. in ratios that would make it worth it e.g. 3 plants make 5 medicines, in a factory. These could be deposited in the 'input' warehouse (again limited so we don't feel like using it as a substitute for caching), again, manually, or tick some box to make it buy from the local exchange.
The money could be automatically taken from your account, or if the bank feature I've seen floating around the boards is implemented, from there. If you run out, the factories shut on their own accord (perhaps an 'All Factories, Player Bases', panel in the menu, where you could also remotely temporarily shutdown factories if you don't want the money draining away). If the money runs out without you realizing, perhaps they could strike, and you need to complete some factory mission (or just bribe them) etc. etc. You could also throw in general labor overheads or whatever for flavor.
Factories in the Quandrant
For further flavor there could be missions or rumor events (planet looking for factory tender - lower requirements; temporary factory shutdown unless mission completed),
Completing these missions could contribute to 'industrialist', strike-breaker etc., themed medals e.g. build 5 plant farms -> they produce 5% more, build 3 different factories -> warehouse size increased, break 10 strikes, then never strike again (just stop producing).
Or if this is difficult to implement, perhaps these kind of things can be purchased perks factory-by-factory (i.e. 50,000 credits: <insert sci-fi terminology term> drills, mine produces 5% more).
Traits could have a tangential effect: negotiating for strikes, wisdom for general factory production (i.e. if you had 20 wisdom, plant factories would be x more productive, and therefore become profitable 5%faster etc.)
Finally, for independent worlds, factories could be cheaper (exempt from syndicate taxes, whatever), less labor costs (independent world-laborers don't have dental plans) etc. but have more criteria to be built - this would suit the characteristics smuggler/freelancer hiding out in the void.
This would deepen even more the sensation of 'belonging' or 'owning' to a particular patch of space, or a particular group of planets/syndicate clan, so though we'd still roam space, we'd have a little patch we'd consider home (in tandem with player bases).
Ok I've written too much. I'm on a train and there's nothing else to do. Basically I think factories would be a great feature because it could tie in with so many other things; be a nice extra thing to round-off Elite.
I've fleshed it out as far as too much idle time allows, but even if only bits and pieces were implemented as far as it seems fun to others/technically feasible, then that would be great!
Happy as I am cruising around space blowing things up, stockpiling up and waiting for shortage rumors (I know it sounds dry of me but we all know how truly fun this is in practice), it sounds like the game is going to get even better with the player base/medals etc. release(s).
What
I think factories (or say, 'farm' in the case of plants etc.) might be another interesting element to add to this, and ties in well with other upcoming/possible features. Because of its late-game nature and complexity, perhaps it could be an Elite only feature as a further incentive to get it.
Firstly, in the same way our own base hidden away in the wilderness plays to the role-playing element and the general desire to 'build' our own personal empires, it also acts as a great late-game money sink, after we've maxed our 15 ranks and bought the house (Flagship Carrier), and adds to the depth of the economy/the player's role in the universe.
Building One
On the assumption that factories would be built on planets, the ability to construct a factory could be dependent on the rep level with that faction, and perhaps other criteria: perhaps you cannot build a metals mine until you have completed enough trade-related missions, and/or must complete a set of unique missions (bring X metals, next mission bring X electronics etc. may be difficult to implement if you need 50 metals but only have 40 cargo - maybe it could be a cumulative counter). This would be a great way to incentivize a close association with one faction, one idea could be that there's a cumulative counter of how much trade you do with them (after getting a trading permit, for instance), buying or selling, then once you do 200,000 or whatever, and they rep love you.
What factory can be built on what planet could be fixed for simplicity, and would add flavor and character to those that chose to become industrialists for one kind of people - Steel Song planets seem natural to make weapons, Javat for metals. Basic/misc worlds could just extract water (the most basic factory?)
Making Money
In terms of balancing cost/return, it could be x amount of in-game years before it becomes profitable past the principle, with longer for more valuable commodities, but then it's pure, big profit (maybe the cost/return ratio between the commodities could be expressed as a inversely exponential, i.e. it is more expensive to built an electronics factory, but it's worth it in the long run, rather than building 10 plant farms etc.).
How it Makes You Money
As for what is produced out of this: perhaps you could choose different options, for instance, sell on planet automatically, or stockpile in the (limited, and commodity specific) warehouse, so the mercantile of us could sell it ourselves for rep, shortage rumor, cache etc. or those that like/dislike micromanagement.
As an added layer, there could be supply chains. Rather than doubling up on the pre-existing commodities some could just be 'made' (e.g. water, metals, plants), and they contribute to more complex goods, e.g. metal is turned into electronics, plants to medicine (the soon to be introduced commodity?) etc. in ratios that would make it worth it e.g. 3 plants make 5 medicines, in a factory. These could be deposited in the 'input' warehouse (again limited so we don't feel like using it as a substitute for caching), again, manually, or tick some box to make it buy from the local exchange.
The money could be automatically taken from your account, or if the bank feature I've seen floating around the boards is implemented, from there. If you run out, the factories shut on their own accord (perhaps an 'All Factories, Player Bases', panel in the menu, where you could also remotely temporarily shutdown factories if you don't want the money draining away). If the money runs out without you realizing, perhaps they could strike, and you need to complete some factory mission (or just bribe them) etc. etc. You could also throw in general labor overheads or whatever for flavor.
Factories in the Quandrant
For further flavor there could be missions or rumor events (planet looking for factory tender - lower requirements; temporary factory shutdown unless mission completed),
Completing these missions could contribute to 'industrialist', strike-breaker etc., themed medals e.g. build 5 plant farms -> they produce 5% more, build 3 different factories -> warehouse size increased, break 10 strikes, then never strike again (just stop producing).
Or if this is difficult to implement, perhaps these kind of things can be purchased perks factory-by-factory (i.e. 50,000 credits: <insert sci-fi terminology term> drills, mine produces 5% more).
Traits could have a tangential effect: negotiating for strikes, wisdom for general factory production (i.e. if you had 20 wisdom, plant factories would be x more productive, and therefore become profitable 5%faster etc.)
Finally, for independent worlds, factories could be cheaper (exempt from syndicate taxes, whatever), less labor costs (independent world-laborers don't have dental plans) etc. but have more criteria to be built - this would suit the characteristics smuggler/freelancer hiding out in the void.
This would deepen even more the sensation of 'belonging' or 'owning' to a particular patch of space, or a particular group of planets/syndicate clan, so though we'd still roam space, we'd have a little patch we'd consider home (in tandem with player bases).
Ok I've written too much. I'm on a train and there's nothing else to do. Basically I think factories would be a great feature because it could tie in with so many other things; be a nice extra thing to round-off Elite.
I've fleshed it out as far as too much idle time allows, but even if only bits and pieces were implemented as far as it seems fun to others/technically feasible, then that would be great!
