Are robots good?

[WILDCAT]

Firstly: I love robots, so don't take this thread as a hate type thing.
That being said, I wonder if robots being the only characters available for players is the right design choice for the game for two main reasons:

1. I think a lot people enjoy more human-like characters

2. Having multiple character option would create options for cosmetics and other things that could be a good way to earn money

What are your thoughts about it?

 

[Vampiricdust]

1. Humans suck and are overdone.

2. There's so many different robots!

 

[Commissar Awesome]

If they did humans then they would have to code pressurized environments and we would have to worry about breathing and decompression ect. It makes things easier and more realistic to use robots, adding other things wouldn't bring anything at all to gameplay so totally pointless

 

[Pulz]

If they did humans then they would have to code pressurized environments and we would have to worry about breathing and decompression ect. It makes things easier and more realistic to use robots, adding other things wouldn't bring anything at all to gameplay so totally pointless

They could simply not add an oxygen/complex pressurization system.
But robots are the theme of the game- and they specifically have additional functionality that you just wouldn't achieve with a realism player model.

The fact we won't be playing humans also allows each encounter to integrate into the lore of the game. You died? Oh well, download into a new body and continue your story.

 

[Metal]

The robot characters are fine, and i would like them to not make human characters right now because the game isn't even out yet and they already have a player model.

 

[WILDCAT]

Could be cyborgs or even robots with human looks, and even other looks. I think having multiple kinds of player models would be positive both for people's experience in the game and for the ability to monetize the game for the studio

 

[Pulz]

Could be cyborgs or even robots with human looks, and even other looks. I think having multiple kinds of player models would be positive both for people's experience in the game and for the ability to monetize the game for the studio

See post #2 there has been extensive customisation shown already

 

[Atreties]

I'm sure tons of other cosmetic looks for Endos (robot bodies) will come out eventually.

But as far as it being a bad idea to only have robots? I disagree. It gives the game a significantly different feel than competition, and allows for extremely cool mechanics like what's shown here.

 

[Commissar Awesome]

I would rather the devs focus their resources on finishing the game they set out to make rather than diverting resources to add humans and aliens or whatever which would also totally contradict the game's backstory with no discernable benefit other than pleasing a few people who "don't want to be robots".

 

[Kimsemus]

Hidden goal:

Making player-characters robots instead of people makes the game infinitely easier to sell in China without localization.

 

[NoName]

Hidden goal:

Making player-characters robots instead of people makes the game infinitely easier to sell in China without localization.

What a sad state of either consumerism or your mind where the first thing you think off when seeing a game where your player character is a robot isn't, "Oh cool a game where I am a robot instead of a human what a unique design choice" but rather instead your first thought is, "I bet it's so this Finnish video game company that has no history of trying to appeal to the Chinese market can easily sell their game to China without localization."

 

[WILDCAT]

What a sad state of either consumerism or your mind where the first thing you think off when seeing a game where your player character is a robot isn't, "Oh cool a game where I am a robot instead of a human what a unique design choice" but rather instead your first thought is, "I bet it's so this Finnish video game company that has no history of trying to appeal to the Chinese market can easily sell their game to China without localization."

What a comment. Obviously this isn't his first thought about the subject. Also its a very good point, China population is almost 1/5 of the world, if you have a business and can increase its consumer base by 20%, you do it...

 

[Kimsemus]

What a sad state of either consumerism or your mind where the first thing you think off when seeing a game where your player character is a robot isn't, "Oh cool a game where I am a robot instead of a human what a unique design choice" but rather instead your first thought is, "I bet it's so this Finnish video game company that has no history of trying to appeal to the Chinese market can easily sell their game to China without localization."

Yeah I'm sure it wasn't even a secondary consideration when they want to tap one of the largest and most profitable gaming markets in the world and wanted to do so without having to maintain two iterations of the same game. Your forum signature is kind of just irony for your posting at this point.

 

[Verbatos]

Robots > Humans

I see no argument that could be made...

 

[WILDCAT]

I don't wish to discuss personal preferences...the point is whether or not having a single non-human player model is the best idea, game-design wise

 

[Ainshent]

I like being a robot. Outside of the way it simplifies surviving the harshness that is space, they look cool.

In an obtuse twist of fate .....

A human (human like) race, in a galaxy only a mere 2.5 million light years over from our own has deemed any and all robots "Kill on Sight". After their own decades long fight with a highly superior killer A.I. they have a shoot first communicate later policy with all robots in general. This great war left their system in ruin and while still a space faring race they are fighting for their literal existence. Evolution or perhaps destiny has made the humans excessively aggressive and not to be trusted under any circumstances. As a result, anything they come across in the depths of space .... they will attack, steal, consume or destroy. They are the scourge of the universe. What you may think is yours ..... they see as theirs, at almost any cost.

Commander X1-CO2 of the deep space recon company in the Delcon region has expressed some concerns. The increase in frequency of contact with the humans is reaching difficult levels. Mostly disorganized station raids at this point. However the size and skill set of the raiders is definitely increasing. Apparently they see us as an easy target and a worthwhile risk.

-Futurities Intelligence (F.I.) has released a preport that describes inevitable increase in contact with the humans. None of which resembles anything other than a constant state of war.

-Humans that are captured have little to no value. One exception is the zoo on Omega Prime which appreciates a constant influx of specimens as they are so fragile and difficult to keep alive.

-Some of the more extreme robot pirate factions on the outskirts of the Delcon Region pride themselves on bolting human bodies to the outside of their ships. Whether this is a deterrent or an attempt at magniloquence is to be determined. Same pirate factions play grav-ball where the ball is the head of an apparent high ranking human official.

Maybe make a good DLC in the future.

 

[NoName]

Yeah I'm sure it wasn't even a secondary consideration when they want to tap one of the largest and most profitable gaming markets in the world and wanted to do so without having to maintain two iterations of the same game. Your forum signature is kind of just irony for your posting at this point.

Was the point of my message saying that robots don't make it easier to localize to china?

The point of my message wasn't that China localization isn't easier with robot player characters. The point was I highly doubt these dev's main concern would be China localization based on their previous track record and their geographical location (if you know anything about Finnish history). Sure it may have been a happy accident or when deciding on player characters it could have been a pro to robot characters. My point was I doubt it was a driving force for their decision to have robot characters. My point was if China didn't exist as a market they would have still made robot characters.

And since you seem to like my quotes so much, "If you're going to say what you want to say, you're going to hear what you don't want to hear. " -Roberto Bolaño

What a comment. Obviously this isn't his first thought about the subject. Also its a very good point, China population is almost 1/5 of the world, if you have a business and can increase its consumer base by 20%, you do it...

What a reply. Do you even know the current state of the game market in China currently? I'll give you a hint, it isn't close to reliable anymore. Since late 2018 the Chinese government put a freeze on games licenses for the Chinese market. The amount of games released in China dropped from 10k in 2017 to 1.8k in 2018 and now that the freeze has been put in place for an entire year and all back channels have been essentially closed that number is looking likely to drop further. The amount of time and resources someone would have to put into a game in order try and possibly get a game released in China isn't worth risking the more stable and reliable Western market. Obviously if you knew anything about the current state of the Chinese gaming licenses you wouldn't have replied so consider yourself informed.

EDIT: Also incase you still don't believe me you can take a peek at Tencent share prices (the largest gaming company in the world and is also China based) you can clearly see where their shares take a dive around mid October when the first freeze went into effect. Their shares currently are a solid 20$ per share lower (almost a 30% drop in share price) than what they were in 2017. This is not indicative of China being a "profitable" market.

 

[Tumbla]

Give me cylons

 

[BurtLington]

robots are built from facts and l ogic

 

[WILDCAT]

Ok, let's go back to discussing the matter at hand.

Why not have multiple player models?
I think the lore and logic limitations are easy to overcome and it would open up ways to get revenue and make the game more enjoyable for some people.