[Feedback] Unique features of the Apex

WARNING: Light spoilers ahead. If you have not read the Apex Lore, and want to explore it, be advised some spoilers may come, but I'll try to keep it short.


1) THE PURPOSE
- First, I'd like to point out that since Starbound came out I've been playing mostly the Apex, having around 200 hours with this race.
- I'm really in love with the Apex! But, after playing for a while, I noticed some points wich, in my humble opinion, could be improved. Please, take this as a feedback. Some of the features I'll point here may even not been added but have rumours flying around or, after playing for while, I presume will follow a certain path.
- I tried to make a really organized list of all the things I'd like to point out, but it just got too confusing.
- While this is a feedback thread, some suggestions may come. Please, propose your own!
- I'd also like to apologise as english is not my native language so mistakes will happen in my post.




2) BACKGROUND STORY (yeah, spoilers)
The Apex are a very technologically advanced society, which is run, mostly, by the MINIKNOG. While this model brought great goods for the inhabitants of the Apex world, it came with a high cost of a dictatorship government and the bloodshed of inocent lives. Or something like that. Here we can separate the Apex in 3 different groups:
2.1) Miniknog: lets just put it as the government. Period. The guys who run and oppress everything and everyone. Using propaganda, brainwashing and all sorts of violent methods they enforce peace in this greatly advanced society.
2.2) Civil Population: just regular citizens doing everything they are told, without questioning. Lots of refences to the 1984 book by George Orwell.
2.3) The rebels (like your character): Oh well... go figure it out.



3) DIFERENCES
- Here is where things start to really point out. Despite not being finished (I know), I feel the Apex could be given a bit more "uniqueness". Currently, their bases, settlements, even armors do not seem to transmit anything that allows you to point them as belonging to Apex, to some sort of super intelligent monkey race. While new, you may just mistake an item to belonging to either the human or the Apex.
- Because of this, I'll make a comparison between human and apex items/facilities/etc and try to propose what I believe could be improved. Regarding the other races, they cannot be mistaken with Apex in anyway, just the humans...

4) ARMORS
- Of all the races in starbound the Apex' are the most... simple ones. You just cannot, in anyway, relate them to Apex. Glitch have this huge medieval helmets and metalic armors. Hylotl have some fancy show-off helmets. Humans have helmets with distinguishable protecting visors, like a biker's helmet. Avian are more like a Carmen Miranda, but with feathers instead of fruit, not to mention the "short" legs. And floran have those tribal, horny and scary heads. Apex... humm.... ehhhh.... yeah.
- We could argue the Apex have a facial mask, covering the mouth and nose... but not really all of them. Plus, it doesn't look technologically advanced in any form. Let's not mention that Spy's set (light blue) just looks something between creepy and childish.

4.1) POSSIBLE FIXES
- A good alternative was to give all sets some sort of hood, but some "gadgets" to it, like some integrated red binocular, even if it's not simetrical; in fact, I believe not having simetrical armors could be considered as a great feature for Apex sets. It would look like as if it's not a mass produced armor, as if you had to pick a piece here here, another there, sew it all toghether and wear it. Possibly giving all the jackets a small cape, just so the jackets swings more in the wind as the character walks.
- Regarding the unique features of armors, while this is not emplemented, giving a character higher speed and jumping, in the end game, will be quite weak, IMHO. With the butterfly and bubble boost techs, traveling is just so much better, easier, safer and faster than with any other armor. For this reason, I'd suggest giving Apex sets luminescence. In other words, Apex sets shine! The weaker the armor, the weaker the light. It would be a great feature for exploring caves, etc. Plus, it would go well with the Apex lore as if you had created an armor with all sorts of integraded lamps... and technological.... stuff. Despite being a rebel, you still have the knowledge to add all those "technesses" to your clothing.




5) FACILITIES
- Here is probably the hardest part in organizing this thread.
- Human and Apex facilities have too many similarities, too many equal items, etc.
- I'll describe a bit of all the bases/settlements already emplemented, both human and apex.

5.1) USCM PRISION
- This dungeon is just perfect. The barbed wire, all the greyish look, the cameras, etc. GREAT.
- Looks like some 80's movie prison theme.

5.2) USCM BASE
- IMHO, it should have a more grey themed, poorer lightning, nothing too fancy. Regarding the colours, I'd say go with the blue and grey combination, with those black/yellow stripped warning signals.
- Now, here the problem starts. There are "Apex" signs (Calming Poster) spread through this dungeon.
- It has while lamps, blue lamps, lightbulb lamps etc. I believe the greyish look should be more preserved and the lightning be more scarse and have more gaps. For this reason, I'd suggest replacing all the Fluorescent Light with Electric Light, Lightbulb, Metal Ceiling Lamp, Tall Fluorescent Lamp. Giving it more a bunker, storagehouse or industrial style. Maybe there is the need to create one or two more types of lamps...
- USCM Recruitment Panel, USCM Fingerprint Scanner, USCM Eye Scanner are quite a nice touch.
- The Map Display, Statistical Display, USCM Recruitment Panel, Anomalous Display, etc are great! Nice work.
- One more thing I'd like to point out is the Black and Yellow stripped in some signs and objects. Pretty much reminds us of those police crossing lines, like an alert for caution, etc (Large Console, Metal Cabinet, Large Metal Table, etc). It's quite a "human reference" (yeah, I sounded awful). Great work in this department too. But, for this same reason, I'd say remove those parts of the Apex facilities (like the Apex test chamber). Also, I'd say the Apex Security Door should actually be a human item, present in the human dungeons, ships, etc, not Apex.
- Somethings that need to be changed to not be mistaken with Apex items: Modern Chair and Egg Chair (use steel chairs instead). Fridge and ovens are quite similar between these two. Fluorescent Light.
- Other posititve items that remind us of human race: Large fluffy Couch, Floodlights, Radioactive Barrel, Rusty Metal, Server Cabinet, Space Heater, Steel Chair, Old Toilet, Arcade Machine, Glass Panel in corridors and stairs, etc....

5.3) APEX BASES IN GENERAL
- I'd say remove the yellow/black stripped items. Those belong to the humans: Apex Security Door, Metallic Support Beam.
- Lightning seems good. A clean, white, lab-like look is what fits the Apex, IMHO. I believe, however, we could use some better items for it, like the Cheap Light, which gives quite a neat coverage and a great white coloured aspect.
- The adding of light green and just a few blue elements gives it a sort of joyful, technologically advanced aspect. (Green Flask, Apex Life Support Pod, Blue Flask, etc).
- Red warnings. Red warnings everywhere! For this is the way a dictatorship like the one Miniknog enforces should be! Do Not Enter Sign, Obey Sign, Red Flask, Arrow Sign, etc...
- This applies to the Apex lab and test chamber.

5.4) SCIFI DUNGEON
- For those who do not know, it has been listen as Apex dungeon in the official wiki. So yeah... Apex, not human.
- I believe we can point out some stuff in here.
- Lightning is a bit spread out. I believe it could be placed better so the entire place is completely well lit.

5.5) APEX VILAGES
- Now here is there the biggest problem may rely. It just looks some sort of 60's themed apartment block. Or something like that.
- I just don't find any element that correlates to the Apex, except for a couple posters. Unwarned, someone would say it's actually a Human village, not an Apex one.
- Standard Issue Fridge and Fridge are pretty much. There's a radio an ugly couch, etc.
- The sort of pastel and brown colour is too common in both structures. I believe adding a bit more of red to the Apex apartments, and some more blueish decorative items to the human houses could help fix this.
- What do you guys think the Apex villages need to make it more... "monkey-like"?
- Take a look at both the Apex village (emplemented) and the human one (still not emplemented):

 

Calming poster is based off of an IRL meme.

It doesn't actually have to do with the apex, other races simply assume that because they don't understand the meme.
USCM bases and prisons are both human dungeons. United Systems Colonial Marines.
Sci-Fi bases aren't proven to be apex.

The apex apartments are meant to show the oppression of the apex.
The Miniknog is advanced, but Big Ape forces his people to live in the past to control them.
They're villages should not be "monkey like", as apes are not monkeys for one, and the apex only look like they do because they physically devolved to mentally evolve.

All human and apex stuff, additionally, uses different materials.

 

- I know the meme. It's a post with an Apex. Belongs to Apex.
- I know USCM are humans... that's my point!
- Sci-Bases have a ton of stuff that you only find in Apex labs, etc. Plus, in the official wiki, it is listed as Apex.
- I know the Lore, but there are better ways to show it. The Apex apartments just don't have much of an Apex feel... more like a human one.

It would be nice if people read what I wrote. Jeez.

 

Have you read 1984? The whole aspect of the homogenous apartment complexes and retro style, as well as the jumpsuits/uniforms, big ape, etc. is an homage to that book.

Who is to say as technology progresses, the benefits of all are met? Seems to be quite the opposite, in life practice anyways. Winston didn't get real gin, he got standard issue Victory gin. Referring to the game though- This is why you see such a technological discord between the apex labs and oppressed villages/cities.

It's even further driven home by the use of names. Like MiniTrue (ministry of truth) mirroring the Apex's lording MiniKnog (Ministry of Scientific Progression)

I too play an apex, I named him O'Brien also in homage to the book. If you've never read it, you really should. At the least it will give you a better appreciation for apex villages. At the least.

 

FOR GOD'S SAKE, YES I'VE READ IT. THAT'S NOT MY POINT.

JEEEEEZ. All I'm saying is that Apex villages can easily be mistaken with some sort of human village.

 

Haha, alright, no need to be so animated. Seemed like you missed what they were going for.

I personally like that some human and apex assets are shared, it isn't a whole lot tbh. While they look similar, the uscm bases and labs use 90% different stuff (random number but you get my point). None the less, its all opinion based.

We haven't seen legit human villages yet, I don't count the penal colonies, and I am not sure whether they plan on doing human villages or not. I doubt they would look as drab and oppressed as the apex ones.

In the lore, aren't humans supposed to be a close second to apex in terms of techology?

I dunno.

EDIT: And obviously there is influence from planet of the apes, I see it in some of the resistance clothing. The whole point of that series is human-like apes. Just a thought that popped in my head last moment.

 

OP said "monkey".

Because I'm a civilized member the galaxy, I'm going to assume that was a faux pas and only bugger you with one pineapple.

 

They don't like it when you bump. (Especially for no reason)

I think the Apex do a good job of reflecting the themes of 1984 and Planet of the Apes. I also think races and variations on their base factions will be explored more in the future, we just kinda have what they have already done so far. (I'm a Hylotl, we don't have a single racial element portrayed in the game thus far)

 

Oh god you're one of the chatty ones

tl;dr go back in yo basement