A Lack of Environment

The main reason I proposed this idea is simple. Radiation is in the game, its confirmed, other then telling the player "Hey, that planet has high levels of radiation!" in some text bubble before they land on it. How else would they know? Don't tell me something is dangerous, show me. Or, that planet is really rich with life and safe, show me by making it vibrant and beautiful! Because the most dangerous planet in the game can have just as many trees, and shrubs and creatures running around. And since they are a limited number of blocks and backgrounds, a safe low-level planet can literally look identical to a extremely dangerous world. Excluding the randomly generated trees, shrubs, and creatures. But they don't show how dangerous a planet is. Starbound would have to have a "Danger" meter to tell the player how bad things are. While filters used effectively can show them.

Subtlety is 100% exactly what I'm going for. That is the key word. A little more dramatic to indicate level of threat but even then, subtle.

 

Or a neat background would help too. Dangerous planets would have dangerous terrain and mobs, which is much more of an indication than I need. And since the game is a pixelated game, I'd rather that the entire screen glows green instead of having dramatic effects. It's much easier on the devs, and much easier on my eyes.

 

I'm not trying to destroy your eyes. Save them actually, by not making you do so much reading while gaming. Filtering is incredibly easy to do, one Dev and a days work is enough to make incredibly well done, procedural filtering. Hey, that worlds cold, maybe it isn't snowing at the moment but you know its cold because there's a subtle blue tint, and frost is slowly building up at the edges of the screen (filter). Instead of going to [menu] [planet status] [temperature], or looking at a thermometer constantly, you actually see what the danger is. If you dress warmer the frost won't build up on the edges. I don't want it to be so much it gets in the way, just the very edges. And no background can show you HOW cold it is. Or heat, red tint, and those heat waves you see coming off of pavement in the summer time on the edges of your screen (filter).

 

Yeah, but I think filters shouldn't be well done. It's an pixelated game, which would suit better with low definition graphics. I don't think we need frost, but rather, the tint should be enough to make the game good.

 

Ehhh hmm. I wouldn't mind it as a post-release option, far along down the update line. There's plenty of other gameplay features I'd rather see first.

 

I agree. I suppose this makes a nice optional feature late game, though I think everything should be more pixelated.

 

Pixelated filtering... hmm, it's possible. Unique. You know what, I like it.

Someone like Bartwe could have it done in a matter of hours, as a side project. I'd actually prefer it as an option myself. Its great for a survival mode, but terrible for a creative mode. To use minecraft as an example.

 

Sure, I never said I didn't want it. But, time spent on this could also be time spent developing terraforming or the user modding interface. Time is a zero sum system, and I'd rather have widely available functionality before optional graphical polish that not everyone will want.

 

i think filters could make starbound have much more atmosphere if implemented right.

 

I actually like the extreme radiation/hazard effect as shown in the mock up picture. With some properly damaged and broken trees and ruins that would be quite the environment.

 

Love how the highly irradiated world looks.

 

Show me this world has high levels of radiation and a thin atmosphere. Don't tell me with some lame text pop up. Oh this planet is constantly in a dust storm? Oh yeah, I see the dust all around my screen, I didn't have to read the description wall of text before I landed. It must be freezing! Look at the frost slowly creeping in, I must need warmer clothes. All I'm asking for, is some visual queue, IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR!? *rage quits*

 

Uh.... last time I checked, everyone on this thread is agreeing with your idea. You alright man?

 

lol he mad.
i think it's a great idea though, this really has some potential.

 

*sigh* wow. I... I don't... what?

 

A curious idea, that may be crazy enough to work. It would certainly enrich the diversity of planets. Of course, they would have to make some pretty nice filters to not cause any unwanted effects.

 

Uh, what, no not upset. Just being a little silly. Anyways, maybe I'll get this thread moved back to Suggestions.

 

I would definitely like something like this as long as it wasn't 1) too overused and 2) too overdone. I nice subtle filter here and there could do wonders for variation, but having strong filters on every planet makes everything just starts to look ridiculous. I assume there's probably something similar to this already implemented for weather types, sp probably wouldn't be too hard to inlcude. Sandstorms may already be in, so a nice sandstorm effect would be pretty cool, and who knows, they may already have stuff like this in anyway

 

I thought so too, but after reviewing some video. The weather effects appear to be on the players layer. Subtly absolutely. And I would base it on planet level. Level 1 - 30 the effect would be very faint. 31 - 60 would be noticeable 61 - 100 would be about half as extreme as the mock ups I've made. I wouldn't use filters at all once you go indoors, or underground. Or on planets without atmospheres.