Content?

[SubtleSloth]

Alright, I’ve been thinking about this for awhile now and didn’t quite know how to word it. While for me, the aspect that I can go out, mine, bring back resources and eventually build a ship to do whatever I want is plenty appealing, what else is there to keep the player base from diminishing?

This isn’t a knock on FB, just a question from someone who doesn’t know what the plans are. I know that there will be no NPC’s, which sort of concerns me, but if FB does this right, there will be absolutely no need for them. I know there is the FPS aspect of the game which will keep a lot of people coming back and that makes me hopeful, but what about other content? Will there be missions to help build the warp gates and other infrastructure? If so, will these missions be simple resource gathering, or will the devs be involved somehow, maybe organizing the building process and handing out jobs at the building site? Will there be missions set by factions to raid another faction base? How will it all mesh together?

 

[Meetbolio]

we'll look at the closed alpha and the devs will take feedback in and go from there.

 

[SubtleSloth]

we'll look at the closed alpha and the devs will take feedback in and go from there.

True enough I guess. I’m just impatient and want to play like yesterday 😂. I need to know things!

 

[KingQuantum]

the actual situation there is like "life is feudal" + "Space Engeneers" + "cabelin tool" you build a cabeled ship and fly to a cabeled station, larger groups try to make others station become supporters or even captured, thus who dont want to support, die, ppl of other faction or corporation who dont support you: die, ppl who fight you, die hard, if nobody to fight, build new station close to possible enemys, war is alsways a solution and the biggest part of en entire entertainment industry, dont forget that

 

[Vexus]

In a typical MMO, you get a quest to go kill 10 things. "Content."

In Starbase, you could get a 'job' to bring a load of Bastium to the Empire's warpgate construction project or new station that they are building. That material will then go directly into the construction of a project many people or the entire playerbase can be a part of - either by helping, or hindering, the construction.

This is just an assumption, but likely how the game will have 'content' that doesn't require mindless NPC drones to kill. Stations and any world focal points the devs create could have this happen, and it seems a good way to create hotspots for PvP, logistics and creativity.

Even without all that, Rust is just one good example of a game without content outside of player activity doing just fine.

 

[SubtleSloth]

In a typical MMO, you get a quest to go kill 10 things. "Content."

In Starbase, you could get a 'job' to bring a load of Bastium to the Empire's warpgate construction project or new station that they are building. That material will then go directly into the construction of a project many people or the entire playerbase can be a part of - either by helping, or hindering, the construction.

This is just an assumption, but likely how the game will have 'content' that doesn't require mindless NPC drones to kill. Stations and any world focal points the devs create could have this happen, and it seems a good way to create hotspots for PvP, logistics and creativity.

Even without all that, Rust is just one good example of a game without content outside of player activity doing just fine.

This is what I assume to be the case as well. Which like I said in the beginning, I personally am perfectly ok with lol. It’s not me that I am worried about though. My concern is that people that aren’t used to that kind of content will either grow bored of the situation and leave, or complain a ton. Not that either of those things matter that much, but we will lose some player base from that.

I guess I just didn’t think about the aspect of people all interacting while building these landmarks and stations and such. It is definitely going to be an interesting game and I cannot wait!

 

[Vexus]

True, some people like to mindlessly grind stuff (Path of Exile is a good example); I think mining will be the fix for that to some small degree. I used to know a guy who loved WoW just to log in and do the few daily quests he had and then log off. Like that was his thing. In the end, it will be interesting to see if the social aspect of an activity hub will be enough to sustain interest. I think it will, unless it becomes so... defensible that no one ever messes with it - some things like that are fine, but if the meta is solved in that regard, stalemate is bad in games. Destruction needs to be in balance with creation.

 

[SubtleSloth]

True, some people like to mindlessly grind stuff (Path of Exile is a good example); I think mining will be the fix for that to some small degree. I used to know a guy who loved WoW just to log in and do the few daily quests he had and then log off. Like that was his thing. In the end, it will be interesting to see if the social aspect of an activity hub will be enough to sustain interest. I think it will, unless it becomes so... defensible that no one ever messes with it - some things like that are fine, but if the meta is solved in that regard, stalemate is bad in games. Destruction needs to be in balance with creation.

It’s a fine line that we ride between chaos and stability for everyone. Too much destruction leads to a bunch of angry warmongers and griefers. Not enough destruction leads to just another area in the game that no one visits except for trading and to refuel. I feel like player stations will be a decent balance between the chaos and stability. They can still be attacked but they can also be trade hubs if they are in a decent enough spot.

I think the devs need to devise a way for player made safe zones to be dropped for a certain amount of time for wartime situations, sort of like in EVE. Declare war, zone drops within a predetermined timer, war happens between factions once zones drop, certain time limit stops war and zones go back up, rebuild and prepare for more. Of course, it’s been awhile since I played EVE, I don’t remember if you have the option to decline a war dec or not. The thing with EVE was the security of the sectors. But, even in wartime, those didn’t matter, if you are at war, all is fair.

 

[Vexus]

It’s a fine line that we ride between chaos and stability for everyone.

Yeah... it is tricky, but that is the goal. Balance to a degree. I say this with a clarification; balance does not mean no one wins or rules for a time. Balance means that one side might win, but some other side is able to recover, rebuild and rally and push back and make a rebellion. We're not seeking stalemate. We want a "tug of war" where there is a clear winner for a time, but the struggle continues allowing the loser to come back and become the winner later (if of course, skill or strength warrants it).

Declare war, zone drops within a predetermined timer, war happens between factions once zones drop, certain time limit stops war and zones go back up, rebuild and prepare for more.

This is a disgusting shallow game design solution for the problem. There's a whole thread on these forums suggesting such a system for Starbase, and it's sad to see. You can simply go back in time - or current games like Atlas - and see that war/combat timers are a failure. But more so, a game should not have you staring at a countdown clock UI to determine if you can play the game or not. There are better solutions for implementing the same or similar effects without the completely arbitrary and uninspired cliche method of "just set a time when people can attack". Since I have not ranted there, here you go

But yes, a method of playing the game that is also attacking player safe zones is very necessary and I'm certain the devs will come up with something.

 

[SubtleSloth]

This is a disgusting shallow game design solution for the problem. There's a whole thread on these forums suggesting such a system for Starbase, and it's sad to see. You can simply go back in time - or current games like Atlas - and see that war/combat timers are a failure. But more so, a game should not have you staring at a countdown clock UI to determine if you can play the game or not. There are better solutions for implementing the same or similar effects without the completely arbitrary and uninspired cliche method of "just set a time when people can attack". Since I have not ranted there, here you go

I think the mechanic works for EVE because of how the game is set up. Not saying it would work here, not even sure it WOULD work here because of the way safe zones will work. It’s not like in EVE where the entire system is a safe zone. We will see, I can’t wait. Honestly, I want to say I’ll be able to to get into the combat of the game, but I highly doubt I will be able to any time in the near future just due to RL stuff. Kids sure put a damper on dad’s game time 😂. But hey, that’s the price we pay I guess. Looks like I’ll be testing out the mining and building aspects of the game in extreme length 😁. Maybe I’ll open a FPS style combat arena station or something lol.

 

[Otac]

we'll look at the closed alpha and the devs will take feedback in and go from there.

i agree this game need all of us work together to make it be better