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Exploration and Discovery

Discussion in 'Starbound Discussion' started by papusman, Feb 22, 2012.

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  1. papusman

    papusman Void-Bound Voyager

    Most sci-fi games tend to lean on combat pretty heavily. This is fine-- combat is fun, and it obviously lends itself to gaming very easily. What excites me about this game, though, are the hints that this will also be a game of exploration and discovery. Lots of sci-fi books, shows, and movies deal with exploring the unknown, but game designers seem unable or unwilling to cover this particular aspect of space travel. Combat is exciting, but so is discovering something totally new! My hope is that Starbound will give players that sense of excitement.

    I understand that the procedural nature of level/item/mob creation allows for unique combinations, but how about the addition of a very few totally strange, completely unique developer-created artifacts or monsters? Something people could find and post to their Facebook, that other players would otherwise never see in-game? Is this something like what they're already proposing to do?

    Anyway, I wonder if this is even an aspect of the game that other players are excited about? What are you hoping the "focus" of Starbound will be? Action? Exploration? Combat? Building?
     
    irongamer, Jermex and Ragen like this.
  2. Ghostar

    Ghostar Steakeater

    Oh I'm looking forward to that, as well as playing online and exploring with friends. Like each of us go to a different planet and help each other out with resources that are native to that lone planet. Stuff like that.
     
  3. WelshPixie

    WelshPixie Former Staff

    I'm hoping the game won't focus on any one of those things you listed - that they'll all get equal attention. It'll attract more players that way, I think - and have a much broader appeal. If you get bored of one aspect, you can pursue another aspect with the confidence that it will be as detailed and rich as the other; that you're not sacrificing any quality or quantity in deciding to pursue exploration over creation, for example. I think that's what I'm most looking forward to about Starburst - the sandboxiness *makes words up* - having the opportunity to do pretty much whatever takes my fancy, depending on my mood when I decide to play.
     
    Writing Monkey likes this.
  4. papusman

    papusman Void-Bound Voyager

    Oh yeah, I agree with that, definitely. I would personally like to be able to play the game mostly as an exploration/cataloging-type game, so what I'm hoping is that we have the option to play that way. Unlike, say, Terraria, where you're forced to defend yourself every second (note- I love Terraria). I get action and combat from most other games I play. I'd like something a little different here.
     
    Writing Monkey likes this.
  5. WelshPixie

    WelshPixie Former Staff

    It WOULD be nice to have the opportunity to take things at a more relaxed pace than Terraria. The Pokemon-esque appeal of catching animals, taming them, etc. appeals to me too (I read about that on the site somewhere...)
     
    Writing Monkey and Ferroseed like this.
  6. bomblol

    bomblol Void-Bound Voyager

    I share your fascination with exploration - one of the most exciting parts of playing games like Knytt and Within a Deep Forest, for me, was seeing all the interesting little creatures and villages, rather than any of the actual platforming challenges.
     
  7. Drewdawg

    Drewdawg Big Damn Hero

    I think it would be cool if the included a 'One of a Kind' Item. One unique to your game only. I don't mean like a color variation, but like a weapon or armor set exclusive to your game. If trading is going to be added it could be traded though.
     
  8. Remnant Drive

    Remnant Drive Pangalactic Porcupine

    Though this notion is not the first, I believe that of the many, many variations of armor, equipment, weapons, etc. will more than make up for it. And trading is probably as simple as throwing the item at your friend's face, and having them do the same for you.
     
  9. Drewdawg

    Drewdawg Big Damn Hero

    Friend: Can you lend me that razor sharp sword for a second?
    You: Sure! *chucks razor-edged sword at friends face*
    Friend OW!...thanks
     
  10. Remnant Drive

    Remnant Drive Pangalactic Porcupine

    Exactly!
     
  11. Matsu

    Matsu Subatomic Cosmonaut

    I would say I am most looking forward to the exploration. I mean games like Minecraft and Terraria are fun as you have a whole planet to explore, but with Starbound you have a whole Universe to explore.
     
  12. Xylord

    Xylord Starship Captain

    Everybody seems to forget the game Spore had this aspect as well, and exploited it magnificently. Everybody seems to be under-rating it, though.
     
  13. Drewdawg

    Drewdawg Big Damn Hero

    Spore got boring for me once I reached the space age. I don't know why, it was the part I was most looking foward to.
     
    Galthran likes this.
  14. bomblol

    bomblol Void-Bound Voyager

    Two other games that include procedural generated space exploration are Ad Astra and Noctis, Noctis being the better of the two if you handle the lofi experience. That isn't to say that Starbound isn't reating a very, very new way to make use of the concept.
     
  15. LadyAijou

    LadyAijou Phantasmal Quasar

    I'm gonna spend most of my time exploring, and the rest building and catching animals. The exploration is one of my absolute favorite features about this game <3
     
  16. Afterscore

    Afterscore Weight of the Sky

    One thing I'm worried about with this game is how soon it will run out of unique things to do.

    For example, those who played Terraria back when it was released in May will remember how fast and easy it was to get all the solid gear and clear the world of whatever was in it.

    I'm hoping with Starbound that there is enough to keep me (and anyone else) busy for as long as possible instead of rushing out the game. With the prospect of a universe to explore it should be just what I'm looking for but having seen Minecraft and Terraria as they came out - We'll most likely be waiting for updates to Starbound for the REALLY cool stuff.
     
  17. LadyAijou

    LadyAijou Phantasmal Quasar

    From everything I've heard on IRC with the devs, you have nothing to worry about there. They said it will be entirely possible to NEVER touch the main questline and still have near infinite possibilities. There is no "end game" gear, in the sense of one final set that once you get it everything is a cakewalk. They explained that the planets will all have a threat level between 1 and 100, and even with the best possible gear, the level 100 planets will still be very difficult. Given the procedural generation of weapons, armor, and just about everything else in game, it will have that Borderlands feel to it where no matter how many times you pwn Crawmerax, you can find that one epic gun that still blows everything else away.
     
  18. Afterscore

    Afterscore Weight of the Sky

    That's the hope, but coming from the day and age we're in - I'm inclined to be somewhat skeptical to a portion of these claims.

    I sincerely hope it lives up to what I'm expecting of it because it will be an even more amazing game.
     
  19. Ghostar

    Ghostar Steakeater

    Well on the bright side since the game takes place in "a universe" and seeing how they are ever expanding they could just add new stuff to the game for as ever long as they see fit.
     
  20. Afterscore

    Afterscore Weight of the Sky

     
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