Dev Blog 29th February - Clueless

Discussion in 'Dev Blog' started by mollygos, Feb 29, 2016.

  1. Original Post
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    Happy Monday!

    SamuriFerret and Metadept have been working on something really cool! Here's some insight into how Starbound's main story questline will tie into the sandbox universe.

    In the current stable build, accessing story missions is done by completing a series of quests, as well as showing the right citizens of the Outpost that you have the right tier of armour for a mission. For 1.0, the storyline missions will be entirely seperate from your progression in crafting and building. So how does it work?

    [​IMG]

    Esther, unrivaled archaeologist and uncoverer of mysteries, is looking for an ancient relic. However, she doesn't have all the information she needs to find where it is. That's where you come in!

    [​IMG]

    Using the inspect mode in villages, settlements and dungeons will show that some objects are highlighted differently - inspecting these will give Esther more information as to the location of the artifact!

    [​IMG]

    As well as this, scanning certain may actually be much more informative than others. Objects like this are much rarer, though. Better get exploring!

    [​IMG]

    When Esther has enough information, she'll be able to determine the location and give you the co-ordinates. It's entirely up to you how well equipped you are for the mission, so be prepared!

    For anyone who plays on the nightly build, you can check out this feature this week. Keep in mind that it is a work in progress, so elements of it will continue to change, as usual!
     
  2. BloodyFingers

    BloodyFingers The End of Time

    This sounds like a much more fluid progression system!

    Does this also mean that exploration of the different tiered planets is no longer gated by the main quest? That's what tied crafting progression to the story after all.

    Looking forward to be under/overpowered for missions.
     
  3. Hatsya Souji

    Hatsya Souji Parsec Taste Tester

    Hope this way of progressive interaction can also be a way to reopen that frozen Agaran Menace.
     
  4. Yup!
     
  5. Kelthazan

    Kelthazan Pangalactic Porcupine

    Oooo got to try this out :D looks fun!
     
  6. Jareix Cryvix

    Jareix Cryvix The Waste of Time

    1.0 is going to be SO DAMN AWESOME! I can wait for another year if that means it will live up to the dev's expectations!
     
  7. Bonabopn

    Bonabopn Fluffiest Squirrel

    [​IMG]
    Well, when you put it like that, how could i decline?
     
    Last edited: Feb 29, 2016
  8. lemon flavoured

    lemon flavoured Aquatic Astronaut

    "But thou must!"

    /HC Bailley impression.
     
    Heartstrings and Axe Garian like this.
  9. BloodyFingers

    BloodyFingers The End of Time

    She said "dear".
    Her name is "Esther"...

    Ohhhohohohohohooh!
     
    Gilligan Lanley likes this.
  10. Phantaeon

    Phantaeon Scruffy Nerf-Herder

    Nice. Good thing to see that they're split.

    But the big question is... will it blend?
     
  11. GenoMech

    GenoMech Cosmic Narwhal

    Hmmmmm

    Well...as long as the progression for these "artifacts" is slowed down enough to enjoy it. I can see using the scanner for clues does do this, but feel using some build up in questing for it could help ( I'm not the best at explaining these things) what i means turning the quest for the artifacts into a finale for the mission and smaller connected quests build up to it.

    An example: the apex mission

    I'm going to say that I wasn't sure what happens before that mission, like how you met and why she'd trust you at first sight.

    So i woukd of thought of 3-4 small but unique quests like recruiting more underground apex to the cause, smuggle weapons, sabotage, etc. Earn her trusts while also learning more apex lore while discovering more clues as the quests goes. By thr time o the mission, what youve done and what you learned assist in the final quest that gets you the artifact.

    Or even an alternate path if they go with the something similar to that idea i had of Loyalist vs. Rebels, would you be in the resistance side and defeat the miniknog and take the artifact as spoils. OR do you aid the Miniknog, crush the resistance and receive the artifact as a reward?
     
  12. DarthTrethon

    DarthTrethon Spaceman Spiff

    I don't like the shot of the gate at all.....it leaves a very strong impression that you guys are holding out on us. That gate had the 7 playable races and an empty slot, then you added an 8th race symbol on there before going all "ooops" and removed it back and now I get the feeling you are leaving out the outer rows with the remaining three or four race symbols out on purpose. So what is it? What are you hiding? In all these years why have you never addressed the reason for the existence of the 8th slot(empty or not) and why you never told us why only 6 of the 7/8 races have a key......so what's up?
     
    Hatsya Souji likes this.
  13. DragonsForce

    DragonsForce Weight of the Sky

    YES! Oh hell yes! Me wantz, me wantz now :)
    Also, is the inspection tool fully functional, i.e. does it replace the scanner?
     
  14. Axe Garian

    Axe Garian Oxygen Tank

    *Leers at Esther suspiciously & wonders if she is REALLY as sweet on the inside as she is on the outside...* :sneaky:

    Dude, with all due respect, it sounds like you're demanding the Devs to cough up HUGE Story Spoilers so ya won't have to bother playing the game... :facepalm:

    Plus, don't forget the game's not done yet, so the Game's Story isn't done yet... aka it can still be subject to tweaking, revising, rewriting, & such.
     
  15. Lintton

    Lintton Guest

    But you need to play the game to get the story. :eek:

    besides, who said the 8th slot is a race?
     
    Axe Garian likes this.
  16. butlerfowl

    butlerfowl Void-Bound Voyager

    I think that this is a cool idea, but I think that the player still needs some way to know what the recommended crafting tiers for the time should be. I remember in the very early days just after this game came out of funding and was just realeased, I had very little to know what I should be doing or what I should have. The only clues I had to speak of were that I was getting rekt and that my friends were farther than me. I think tying the crafting tiers to the story would not be a bad idea, as it kind gives clear motivation for the crafting tiers. Honestly it is because of your current system that got me back into the game after setting it down so many years ago. Just my amateur opinion, take it as you will.

    However, I do agree that the story and the crafting progression could use some added fluidity, but removing the progression of crafting from the progression of the story might be a mistake. I am not sure if that is what you plan on doing, but I mentioned it anyways.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 29, 2016
  17. M_Sipher

    M_Sipher Oxygen Tank

    I.... need some clarification on just what is being held back for progression. I like the idea that scanning stuff in the wild opens progression in theory, but I'm worried that we're looking at a complete obliteration of content-gating in favor of directionless meandering with everything available right away, which is REALLY not a good idea. You NEED to hold stuff back, new biomes and such, for later in the game. If it becomes obvious that progression doesn't actually net you anything more than MOAR NUMBERS, then you kill a lot of the urge to bother with anything past early game.

    If I can jump onto a Midnight planet in early game (or see its biome on a non-Midnight planet, which was really a thing that Should Not Happen), then what incentive do I have to look elsewhere in the Universe, to expand my armor and capabilities? You gotta mete out the rewards SOMEWHAT. I LIKED the sense of an accomplishment suddenly opening up a whole new set of possibilities to explore and examine and collect. And I say this as a builder. Suddenly finding a new thing after days/weeks of play through accomplishing a story mission would inspire me to try new builds and rework old projects. Over the next hill.

    Also, if story missions are no longer crafting-progression-tied, are they all supposed to be tackle-able with early-tier armors and such? I mean, taking down Big Ape (or whatever the Apex mission will be) really seems like it should be a difficult task requiring hefty gear or else you're gonna get obliterated. And if the missions ARE going to be varying difficulties, are we gonna at least get some "hey, you sure you're up to this with that kinda gear?" warnings before starting them? I mean, characters shouldn't explicitly say "make titanium armor!" because that's pretty immersion-breaking, but at least a hint that you're likely under-equipped for whats about to transpire. Maybe have a range where Armors A B and C net you "are you sure you're up to this?", armors M N and O are met with "You should be okay", and X Y and Z "you look like you're ready to take on the galaxy!"

    I guess I just need, from the devs, is is for them to pull back the camera a bit and give an overview of how we will progress through the game, the big picture, how it all ties together. Because it's starting to feel like while the fine details are getting more and more interesting and intricate (and I'm glad for it), the overall is regressing to its directionless prototype version that was just a MOAR NUMBERS festival.
     
    Ralek, Jaknal, Axe Garian and 2 others like this.
  18. Druidmask

    Druidmask Void-Bound Voyager

    Is it her campsite you can find in the Ark, in the current stable build?
     
  19. Doctor Stein

    Doctor Stein Subatomic Cosmonaut

    Sweet, main story and cool quests, awesome =3
    Keep up the amazing work <3
     
  20. Broconut

    Broconut Cosmic Narwhal

    This is great news! I've got a bit of an unrelated question though.
    Will the Dreadwing and Shockhopper missions be improved and make an appearance as side quests like the tech test chambers and gladiator arena? It would be a shame to see the penguin missions go.
    Also, will the old jelly boss make a return for a side mission as well? It would be funny if the mission involved helping the USCM lure "Brian" out with a peanut butter trap and taking him out since the commanding officer named the jelly that.
     
    Last edited: Feb 29, 2016

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