Of course talking about game mechanics like in EVE or BP is optimism but since this thread is called “suggestions” shooting down ideas and suggestions straight away isn’t welcome here on my opinion. That’s just pessimism to say things like “won’t work, bad idea, never gonna see that, ONLY way it could work, forget it.” Even oddest idea might work sometimes. It’s just how ambitious developers are to change the “genre”/ bring new features.
We can see pretty same working mechanics in WoT, same limitations. Easiest suggestion, or well, hope, is seeing a improved version of Global/strategic map + random matches that are linked together in the final version.
For sandbox space simulations with battles, free movement across sectors & asteroid mining there are games like Evochron Mercenary and EVE and it’s good to mention this recently published version of Wing Commander Saga: The Darkest Dawn that’s free.
I didn’t say it wouldn’t work or it is a bad idea, in fact I like the ideas of this thread. I’ll put in other words:
Since an “overhaul” of the game would mean re-take the game to a pre-alpha stage and I like the game the way it is and it was meant to be -an instanced PvP space shooter-, and I expect be playing soon an open beta with my clan mates, I suggest and opine that this “game overhaul suggestion” could better be implemented in a future game or expansion.
Your suggestion about a global map, by the other hand, it could be implemented without change the core of the game, and I hope it is taken into consideration.
Thank you for clearing this, I read your previous post in a wrong way. You’re right about problems in original “overhaul” idea and developers have mentioned that “open world” isn’t the main purpose of this game. I also would like to see finished game as soon as possible! But it’s an opinion about features players would like to see. So, focus is in instances and (mostly?) in PVP. Therefore suggestions “how to use instance mechanics to imitate open world” could be welcome. This star sector / strategic map was a good suggestion and could operate similarly like WoT’s Global map BUT could offer plenty of opportunities for improvements.
I think one way to simulate “open world” without actually offering it (and without breaking current game mechanics) could be “moving” in map view to sectors. What could the move to another sector require? Some time (not more than few minutes in longer distances), fuel/other essential things needed in space travel (maybe giving bonus to crew or similar when improved, like best quality “hibernation chambers” —> resting bonus etc)? What could be in those sectors is another thing. What sectors there are? Contested, neutral, safe, more closely - shipyards where you buy ships/weapons, forge worlds, training sectors, warzones. Friends in same sectors entering same matches? Events, bonuses? What else to do there? Could players order their ship+crew to perform some task while logged off, like in Mafia War minigame? For example mining asteroids and gain some credits when logging in next time.
All this could be done by clicking a map, selecting a sector you would like to go, select few options, see a change in hangar (“base view”/travel view/new “base” view) and info about the sector and it’s main features. Entering random matches doesn’t change although it could offer some variety where you fight, in what kind of zone/sector and against who.
Without changing current mechanics there are plenty of things to play with. Alternative solutions, second-best options, plausible scenarios and so on.
Yes, a Star Wars Battlefront 2-like map is a GREAT idea! We can have the instanced maps we have now, but many and varied, and some are for other purposes other than PvP. This is the minimum I’m suggesting Of course, changing the entire game would require a massive change to the engine which would take a lot of time, money and boredom… But I believe if this game keeps heading this path with only PvP and nothing else, it would be that popular…
New maps will be added from time to time and I also think that we will have different game mods. But first we need to finish the basics and after release we will see which things can be added.
The game as is right now, ensures balance (or something close to it) 'cause the engagements happen with a MatchMaker behind it. So, naturally, the quantity of ships is normally balanced (there are some outliers, but these are minor and due to low player pop).
In an open world environment, not only will you have the problem of people zerging spawnpoints or massing to destroy single players, you’ll also have the problem of factions/clans/alliances. BSGO tried this and failed miserably.
If one side begins to have more resources than the other, people will naturally flock to that side. There are many people who will say, “I wouldn’t change, I like the challenge”, but for each one that says that, 10 would in fact switch. If the only resource in this game thus far is credits/exp that you can only obtain by capping/killing opponents, then naturally the side with the most people will cap more points and kill more losing less.
This is why open world settings are so hard, because they can’t be balanced artificially and by nature, we are drawn to the easier path between two points.
The game as is right now, ensures balance (or something close to it) 'cause the engagements happen with a MatchMaker behind it. So, naturally, the quantity of ships is normally balanced (there are some outliers, but these are minor and due to low player pop).
In an open world environment, not only will you have the problem of people zerging spawnpoints or massing to destroy single players, you’ll also have the problem of factions/clans/alliances. BSGO tried this and failed miserably.
If one side begins to have more resources than the other, people will naturally flock to that side. There are many people who will say, “I wouldn’t change, I like the challenge”, but for each one that says that, 10 would in fact switch. If the only resource in this game thus far is credits/exp that you can only obtain by capping/killing opponents, then naturally the side with the most people will cap more points and kill more losing less.
This is why open world settings are so hard, because they can’t be balanced artificially and by nature, we are drawn to the easier path between two points.
Remove Factions then. I don’t think that Clans will be a Problem. Even if you have one clan where most of the skilled players are, there is always the possibility to just outnumber them. It worked well in Freelancer.
Of course, changing the entire game would require a massive change to the engine which would take a lot of time, money and boredom… But I believe if this game keeps heading this path with only PvP and nothing else, it would be that popular…