Requested Features

Goatnado386 · Post by **Goatnado386** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 4:55 pm

Hi! I'm still around, lurking in the shadows...

Would it be too much to ask for the following changes/additions:

The game can't really get going until the player gets a mining/tractor beam. I suggest having the tractor beam function built-into the player's ship. If not having one didn't cripple the gameplay, I'd say leave it as an optional requirement that takes up an equipment slot. But, since that's not the case, and since we've had plenty of time to contemplate it, the tractor beam should be a feature of the ship.

Mining? I'd like to suggest that mining beams be something that is used up like ammo. That way, miners would have to invest *something* into their mining operations beyond time. As it stands now, minerals are free and too easy to get ahold of. You just press ALT-B and then ALT-TAB and check back in about 10 or 15 minutes. Perhaps we could have a few different tiers of mining tools that allow for the extraction of specific minerals or atmospheric compounds. Maybe we could have Mining Tools and Atmospheric Samplers. Each unit could last for up to 25 units of mined/sampled compounds and then it would be consumed by the process, forcing the player to reinvest if they wanted to continue mining.

Finally, I'd like to see the addition of deployable mining drones for planet surfaces. These would be little robots/mini-installations that are jettisoned on the planet surface where they mine materials over time. The player is then free to leave the planet and check back at a later time. The mining machine would have a hopper that the player could empty. The player would also have the option of reacquiring an empty mining machine to be deployed somewhere else. Mining machines (drones?) could be the alternative to manual mining. They should also be fairly expensive.

I think I'm on to something here. We need more reasons to visit planets other than to simply dock.

Also, I'd like to bother Vice further with the idea of a separate stock market menu where all trade goods are available at whatever their current prices are. Right now only a small faction of the trade goods are "available" at a station. I'd like to see them all available at all times. Let the player decide if the prices are good or bad for a particular item. I know the shoot'em up heads that frequent this game don't care one way or the other, but the space explorer/trader sim types like myself greatly desire this small change.

Thanks!!

verbosity · Post by **verbosity** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 5:05 pm

Originally posted by ncc386
The game can't really get going until the player gets a mining/tractor beam. I suggest having the tractor beam function built-into the player's ship.

I can see the validity of this, since its something needed right from the start, may I suggest however that it comes pre-equipped to the starting ship rather than built-in

by SVB
Simple way is to just make it built-in... I would see - why not?

simply put because this would be giving Civ ships a 'free slot' artificially extending the amount of equipment that can be put into a ship.

editing to reply rather than making a new post

Mining? I'd like to suggest that mining beams be something that is used up like ammo. That way, miners would have to invest *something* into their mining operations beyond time. As it stands now, minerals are free and too easy to get ahold of. You just press ALT-B and then ALT-TAB and check back in about 10 or 15 minutes. Perhaps we could have a few different tiers of mining tools that allow for the extraction of specific minerals or atmospheric compounds. Maybe we could have Mining Tools and Atmospheric Samplers. Each unit could last for up to 25 units of mined/sampled compounds and then it would be consumed by the process, forcing the player to reinvest if they wanted to continue mining.

While I understand the point being made I have to disagree with the method, mining need to be balanced a little better, mainly by reducing the values of the products ( and crafted objects from basic minerals) in areas where there is no challenge, with the current prices being kept in moredangerous / areas without mineral resources ( either asteroids or plants on the planets surface or oxygen in the air ( im not sure if there are such planets, but there should be).

Finally, I'd like to see the addition of deployable mining drones for planet surfaces. These would be little robots/mini-installations that are jettisoned on the planet surface where they mine materials over time. The player is then free to leave the planet and check back at a later time. The mining machine would have a hopper that the player could empty. The player would also have the option of reacquiring an empty mining machine to be deployed somewhere else. Mining machines (drones?) could be the alternative to manual mining. They should also be fairly expensive.

drones are an interesting option, and one that could be expanded to exploration and other functions, they should be limited in some way though ( for instance taking up missile bays and being one-use items like missiles )

I think I'm on to something here. We need more reasons to visit planets other than to simply dock.

Also, I'd like to bother Vice further with the idea of a separate stock market menu where all trade goods are available at whatever their current prices are. Right now only a small faction of the trade goods are "available" at a station. I'd like to see them all available at all times. Let the player decide if the prices are good or bad for a particular item. I know the shoot'em up heads that frequent this game don't care one way or the other, but the space explorer/trader sim types like myself greatly desire this small change.

Again agree with the sentiment, though I think availability should vary, though it is an area that needs development, in an mp environment I'd like to see markets being more player driven.
As a for instance if a player sells something then it should appear in the market.

[Edited on 7-14-2009 by verbosity]

SVB · Post by **SVB** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 5:29 pm

Agreed...
Simple way is to just make it built-in... I would see - why not?
Maybe NOT to a mili ship though

it will be a fuel collecting beam only, or not at all, or to both...
whatever vice likes...

MMaggio · Post by **MMaggio** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 6:09 pm

I think some of you might be missing the true purpose of the starting point of Sapphire.
Sapphire is a learning & teaching area where pilots should learn how things work, where & how to search, how to land on a planet, fly in the atmosphere and do the thousand things there are to do in Sapphire. That is why Vice designed it to be free from "Reds".
Too many times I see pilots with narrow vision who are not interested in learning all that Sapphire offers.
Instead they want a quick, easy way to earn the credits they need to get into "action".
They never know of all that Sapphire can teach, yet let more experienced pilots explain it to them rather learn it themselves.
That's ok, if that's what you want. But in no way should Vice make the experience in Sapphire any easier. You want a mining beam? Go look for it. You want to make money quick? Learn to find a good trade route. And that requires exploring and visiting all that is the Sapphire system.
Good Luck.

Post by **Marvin** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 6:14 pm

Yeah, what MM said. A very big part of EL is the need to explore.

49rTbird · Post by **49rTbird** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 6:21 pm

Right on MM. In the tractor beam maybe it could be in different grades, say upgrade for one with more speed or something along those lines.

I don't mean the the one now is too slow, I mean the starter one could be slower and we would look for a higher faster class as we do for repair modules.

[Edited on 7-14-2009 by thetiebers]

MMaggio · Post by **MMaggio** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 7:05 pm

Now, how often do you mine anymore?
Mining seems to be limited to Sapphire and Olympus.
I don't think minining needs to be faster, it needs to be done more intelligently.
Some players seem to blast away at the first rock they see and take it to the closest station they can find. They don't look to find what station or planet is paying the highest price for what ore. They have no idea what a "trade route" is, because they never thought of it, or looked for one.
Seems like those are the ones who want faster or double mining beams. They could earn a lot more just with what they have if they tried to "think outside the box" as Vice likes to say. There is as much quick money in Sapphire as anywhere else. If the player doesn't look for it, then a thousand other opportunities in other systems are lost to him as well.
I think the mining beam speed is fine, just need to look for the best price, not the nearest!

SVB · Post by **SVB** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 7:20 pm

HOW ABOUT...

You buy the mining beam and it doesnt go into "Equipment" but rather... a permanent upgrade

I wrote a post about it, maybe you can upgrade that mining beam once you buy the BEAM itself

dogeddie · Post by **dogeddie** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 7:37 pm

I like the idea of drones. You could have them pick up other things, too, that have been left on a planet from old wrecks, etc. It would lend a little bit of welcome unpredictability to the game. Come back in 1 week and see what you got when the tool has finished mining/researching the area. Kind of like the probes in Space Rangers 2.

I also like the stock market menu idea as well. Trading would be alot more fun.

[Edited on 7-14-2009 by dogeddie]

Maarschalk · Post by **Maarschalk** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 8:28 pm

Originally posted by thetiebers
Right on MM. In the tractor beam maybe it could be in different grades, say upgrade for one with more speed or something along those lines.

I don't mean the the one now is too slow, I mean the starter one could be slower and we would look for a higher faster class as we do for repair modules.

[Edited on 7-14-2009 by thetiebers]

I think the speed is fine for the beginning, if you want to mine faster you can hire a sience ops which suppose to increase the efficiency of mining if I'm not mistaken!

And as for exploring like MMagio says. There are places were the astroid fields are huge and pure platinum and they are pretty safe to mine in since your mining in huge astroid fields where it is hard for reds to find you. So exploring can be very, very, very rewarding!;)

Goatnado386 · Post by **Goatnado386** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 11:15 pm

What I'm really proposing is that mining and tractoring be split. Without any upgrades at all, your ship would be able to tractor in any kind of floating canister in space as well as cleaning solar arrays. However, there are two possible routes to take for mining:

1. Some sort of Enhanced Tractor Beam which works just as the current mining/tractor beam works. The player is paying a premium for a more powerful version that can tractor minerals and compounds from asteroids and atmospheres. The enhanced tractor beam is intended to take up an equipment slot. The built-in tractor beam does not.

2. The tractor beam is again a part of the ship that doesn't take up an equipment slot. It cannot, again, be used for mining. The player buys a Mining Tool or Atmospheric Sampling Tool. These tools take up an equipment slot. They each have 25 uses. The Mining Tool shows a number next to it in parenthesis which represents the total number of uses left. While mining, every time the player gets 1 unit of ore, the total number of uses for the Mining Tool goes down 1 point. When it can no longer be used, the Mining Tool or Atmospheric Sampling Tool disappears from the player's equipment slot and must be purchased again to continue gathering materials.

I think this increased level of involvement and investment in the mining process will greatly enhance the gameplay experience for miners and explorers alike. I hope you will agree.

[Edited on 7-14-2009 by ncc386]

warsign · Post by **warsign** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 6:39 am

Originally posted by Marvin
Yeah, what MM said. A very big part of EL is the need to explore.

One of the best features of the game tho.

tha_rami · Post by **tha_rami** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 9:55 am

I agree with most of verbosity's answers back up there.

However, I would like to stress that the division of Mining/Tractor beam into an (always available) Tractor beam and a buyable piece of equipment for the mining part might be a good idea.

Also, more equipable items, as always, would be good. Variety is the single point in which the game lacks.

Goatnado386 · Post by **Goatnado386** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 2:11 pm

Yeah, and none of these proposed changes will in any way interfere with the exploration factor of the game. Exploring space will be even more popular when miners and crafters leave a starbase with a focused purpose, to specifically find certain minerals or atmospheric compounds... and making sure they leave with the right type of mining tool, atmospheric sampling tool, or mining drone for their collection mission.

In fact, wouldn't it be a good idea to expand upon THAT idea with some mining missions? Collect X number of X type of minerals or atmospheric compounds and then return it to this base for X amount of money? Scientific research. Yeah!

Goatnado386 · Post by **Goatnado386** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 6:54 pm

Originally posted by Eclipse
Originally posted by ncc386
Yeah, and none of these proposed changes will in any way interfere with the exploration factor of the game. Exploring space will be even more popular when miners and crafters leave a starbase with a focused purpose, to specifically find certain minerals or atmospheric compounds... and making sure they leave with the right type of mining tool, atmospheric sampling tool, or mining drone for their collection mission.

In fact, wouldn't it be a good idea to expand upon THAT idea with some mining missions? Collect X number of X type of minerals or atmospheric compounds and then return it to this base for X amount of money? Scientific research. Yeah!
Maybe mining specific contracts could be found at construct stations, and contracts at trading stations for delivering materials to constructs. I think it would add something more for the players that focus on mining/trading/exploration.

Hey, I'm right on board with that.

Goatnado386 · Post by **Goatnado386** » Sun Jul 19, 2009 4:01 am

Originally posted by SVB
Agreed...
Simple way is to just make it built-in... I would see - why not?
Maybe NOT to a mili ship though it will be a fuel collecting beam only, or not at all, or to both...
whatever vice likes...

Cargo collection is a standard feature of ships in many space trading games. It's kinda just become a staple of the genre. Mining, on the other hand, is still kind of a niche feature. But I'm a fan of resource collection and crafting.