Can we please stop calling it Colonization when it's really not?

Not a suggestion post, just a thought post looking to get some opinions. Would love a Chuckle-Dev to give some insight as well as to why Colonization is going the way it is.

I'm sorry for the rather aggressive post but the "colony" system I see is a joke. We're not getting anything expansive or adventurous; the system isn't a city maker or the old space station thing a lot of us got excited for in the start, it's just a rehashed system of the "game that shall not be named's" NPC storage system. I make a box, I fill that box with some minor furniture, and BAM I GET PAID SOMETIMES WOO.

That's not exciting at all. This is Starbound, the game that won a lot of us early purchasers with screenshots depicting serene worlds, dropships with soldiers, promises of advancement... granted most of those got thrown away and we'll never see a lot of that... but the least that could be done is actually make Colonization a full system. I mean honestly we're looking at so many great options here that's it's ridiculous:

1. Start a colony with your first building. Building has to be at least a certain size. Said building is now delegated as your Town/City/Colony Hub ~ Town Hall like building.
2. Build your first house or two, maybe picking from a list of NPC's with different tastes that you can cater to. The more they are satisfied the more Pixel they pay over time.
3. Eventually a new mission comes out where you explore a derelict Apex science lab, at the end you get some science equipment that you can put in a new building. Said building is defined as a research lab/center. Introduction of a research system that lets you better your colony either by adding health to your NPC's, maybe introduce new types of buildings the player can build. Research isn't cheap and it's time based; this means players have a reason to actually check back every so often to see how their research is coming along. Maybe introduce science-y items and decor speed up the process in small increments and maybe NPC's can work at said lab (walk around like derps) and that also helps.
4. Maybe before introducing science a commerce system is set up where trade and shops can actually be opened up. This fleshes out Singleplayer like crazy and gives Multiplayer servers some serious expansion in terms of playability and content.
5. Missions will slowly creep in such as "Find X, here are the coords," maybe the "I need this and it can only be found in ____ type biomes/ruins," heck maybe even use Colonization as the better mission system (can't stand the outpost.. such a let down).
6. Maybe someone from the modding scene can introduce politics down the line.

For those who don't know me, I'm not a bad guy and I'm generally one of the most passive friends you'll ever make, but to constantly see "OH LOOK AT COLONIZATION" and see some NPC standing around in a loosely decorated apartment building and that's defined as a means of making money in game... well I'm honestly offended. It's a really cheap answer to a prospective game advancement that could put Starbound right back on the map as one of the greatest games out.

Please post some thoughts friends, I'd love to know what the rest of the community thinks about Colonization and where it's going at the moment. I really hope I'm not going crazy.

 

People tend to overreact way too much. The colonization feature is not even on stable. It's on a testing build and so is not representative of the final feature. Even if it WAS on stable, it's not released yet so a lot can change still.

I understand that the current system might not be to your liking, but that's exactly why you SHOULD make a suggestion on how to improve it, rather than post on the general forum. It comes out as a complain, which I'm sure it isn't (entirely) as you do make suggestion.

 

It's funny I actually posted this with the logic that hopefully people will actually come and discuss. It's been a notable problem for quite some time that anything that goes into suggestions either drowns in the mass amount of posts or just completely dies ignored and alone. Granted I see you post there quite a bit, and I'm sure there is some merit to it, but I don't want these to just be suggestions. I want to see some thought from the community and that's why it's put into the general board.

 

The current approach to colonization... I see it as inserting NPCs into rooms, and then the NPCs interact with each other to some degree. It's cool but obviously I am expecting a little more than that so I'll let you know what I'm thinking...

I would like to see the NPCs form their own groups and make babies, now we are talking really cool stuff, like you could see them advancing by themself- making babies and waging wars against each other sometimes. And even build their own houses and form their own colony. I would like to see the NPCs go out of their village and hunt for food, and take it home to their little Starbound babies and serve breakfast. I would like to meet a NPC group at random by exploring a planet and have them asking me questions as a random event and having a choice of whether I will help them or destroy their plan or run away, and stuff like that... Hire guards to take with you on the spaceship, if they're not paid they'll tell you to take them home (coordinates) or they will attack you etc...

Maybe something similar will happen but I think my expectations are a little over the top, I can dream

 

Unfortunately, it will likely be moved to that section as it is a suggestion. The suggestion forum itself isn't as bad as you make it sound. The good and sensible threads do get a lot of discussion. It's just that for every good one, there is a bad one that drown in insults. But it's true for general too, really.

To XRiZUX:
It's an interesting suggestion, although this is probably something that would come after the core of it is ready.

 

I really hope you're right if a mod does drag this post away.. the Suggestion board used to be a cesspool that Chucklefish just constantly ignored.

 

Not a suggestion thread, but you make suggestions... Hmm....


As said, the system is not complete. You are complaining over a half realized feature. Give CF a chance to actually finish it as they have planned before you start complaining.

 

I definitely like the idea, it seems that it could be a good mechanic if it's implemented correctly.

The only problem I can see is if the devs already have things planned for the feature, which is likely.

 

Hey if they have something of value planned then more power to them. As I said, I don't want to be stuck building apartments and calling that a feature.

 

Yes, all in it's time... I trust that the developers have a good plan laid out, just have to wait and see how it turns out

 

This feature will only give as much as you put into it. The NPCs that show up depend on what you've put into the building (unlike Terraria where they show up by events). Additionally, if your pleased with building little wooden boxes for your NPCs, that's your business. Some people (like myself) build things for the fun of building and the NPCs just happen to be a serious bonus in making it seem less far less abandoned.

Additionally, the quality of their surroundings will definitely impact your revenue gain from them. As I understand special NPCs will give better payments and gifts.

I dig the idea of special facilities based on furniture and decoration, but that's yet to be seen if it will be a feature. I would bank on there being more depth to the system as it becomes more complete.

 

It'll get there

 

I think making an early complaint, or knowledge while a feature is incomplete is actually helpful. It creates feedback. Waiting to give feedback is like waiting for a fish to get away- it might not. But hey. Baking a cake, has many steps, and if you can correct an error, you might have to rebake the cake- or start from a different step. It gives insight, further on the opinions, or things that were not originally imagined, or thought of during the games initial design- or at the time.

So I feel it can all be quite healthy in a constructive and positive environment.

 

Commenting on a particular step of making a cake is one thing. Complaining about the cake as a whole without seeing the final product is misguided.


If iCF said "We are doing X Y and Z", then yes you can comment on that and voice concerns about direction, etc. But we don't know the whole picture of what CF plans to do with the colony system.

 

That's true. But feedback helps. I believe that some word, or measure of worth is insightful and enlightening, I'm aware of the potential psychological pressure that can incur from demand, and other behavior. But, I'm fairly bad with analogies so I apologize. A cake was a poor choice, but I meant that reiteration of one step, while it is still fresh- or to reconsider future ones. There is no reason to bare fangs, as long as common curiositity and inquisitive minds may probe and prod safely- and respectively.

 

Always a pleasure getting answers from all strokes of folks. Some with a more positive spin, some with a more negative spin. All of them, correct answers no matter what. Thank you everyone for the contributions.

 

Some neat ideas, but kinda feature creep. Not sure what the original aim of the colonization system was, and how decisions will be made to have it cater to some sort of progression. Clearly, it's an encouragement to loot and build, but beyond that a core focus of the game does not seem to be managing Sims. I do really like the idea of quest opportunities coming from colonists. I'm certain there will be many opportunities to mod any of these things in should they be lacking. Look how much Your Starbound Crew did with just basic NPC availability. If the engine concept and ease of making mods and dungeons is well supported, we'll see a diversity of NPC interactions.

 

Really hoping it's not just a side distraction. Always great to get a mod's view on content, thanks for that.

 

I mean, this is fine, but remember that the main reason colonies (in their current form) were implemented was to reward and give progression to people who primarily build creatively. The system, as it stands, is designed so that you can, as easily as possible, build a space prison, or a mining complex, or a jungle city, and have it then be filled with themed inhabitants. Who then reward you, enough so that you can reasonably progress through the game alongside players who do purely adventuring stuff.

Having to have a realistically functioning city, while interesting in concept, puts unnecessary contrivances between a creative builder and their ideal, I dunno, Hylotl airship or whatever. The system is designed simple and open-ended so that you get out what you put in- and if what you wanna do is have a realistic functioning city, go for it! There's a lot of systems in place (you have merchants and scientists and such available) but you also have to put in some, y'know, imagination and such.