I don't think the game should bury the sci-fi.

I agree tools and such should be more high tech. But...if we are given the ability to improve our tools from rusty pick axes, to machines, to lazer technology, then I would have to say its better to have the progression of primitive tools to high tech tools then to get rid of things like pick axes over all. That is only of course if they decide to make it a progression system like that.
Definitely sounds more fun and interesting then making higher tier pick axes.

 

Well, sure. This is beta and there will probably be more high-techt stuff in later tiers, but on the other hand you already make robots and micro-chips before the end of gamma- and X-sector. I'm just thinking that at this point in beta it does seem like the matter manipulator is being replaced by pickaxes, which is a little illogical. A simple mention of something like "for now you'll need to resort to more primitive tools until you can upgrade your stuff" would go a long way to explaining that.

Still, I'm not surprised that there's no explanation or more logical progression at this point, because this obviously isn't a priority as far as updates/developing the game goes.

 

I think the coolest thing they could do if they do plan to keep primitive tools is just to change the names and colors of the ores and tools. I'm so sick of the whole copper, iron, silver, gold, etc progression. IDK, I kinda just assumed that in a sci-fi game, they would AT LEAST be creative enough to change the names and appearances of the tools and ores. I get the sneaking suspicion that they are just reusing the same assets from terraria and it's just off-putting.

p.s.. I've probably played this game more than you. I love this game so please don't call me a troll and disregard my criticism. I only want to see it improve.

 

Fair enough, I guess we'll have to wait and see if chucklefish feels the same way. We could keep discussing this but at this point it's all speculation anyway; we'll see if the developers think it's a "destroy every material in sight" kind of tool or more like a pocket knife

 

Personally I'm alright with using a pickaxe for quite some time as the rationale behind "Hey, you just escaped your homeworld with whatever ship you had available" seems reasonably logical to me. Perhaps through interaction with the various races during your travels you could acquire additional technology blueprints via quests or merchants and perhaps they are better suited for specific things (i.e. mining laser/drill goes quicker but has a % loss rate of blocks mined vs. pickaxe which is slower but a 100% yield). In addition it gives players an additional layer of depth when it comes down to customizing their playstyle- do you want to be an outcast glitch who adamantly sticks with medieval-esque equipment/attire or are you the progressive type that has "re-discovered" technology and only uses high-tech stuff? Just a thought.

 

a choice like that would actually be really cool!

 

Perhaps the whole story could be revamped before release.

Instead of starting off on a ship, you start off on a planet. With your primitive tools and forward thinking you discover a beacon with missing items. You fix the beacon summoning your first ship.

The Ship has an AI, which will take you where you want to go. Yet you are still stuck with the tools you have till you evolve better tools and technology from other planets you find on your adventure.

A pick, torches and sword would make more sense in this scenario would it not?

 

Wait, I don't start out with a laser drill? No Genesis terraforming device? No planetbuster bombs? What the Chucklefish, I want a refund!!!

</sarcasm id="style="dont-take-me-seriously: please;>

 

I expect they'll add more sci-fi stuff as you get further along in the game. At least, that's what I'm really hoping for. it would really help set it apart.

 

It actually would and I like that idea. Problem is, they've already given us the MM. What would they do in your scenario? Remove it completely?

 

I wonder if any of you played Edge of Space. Which is clearly inspired by Terraria, in a space setting.. There are a number of things I personally think they have done better. In this specific example, having laser picks and the like. And a very cool/advanced power/wiring system.

Ya I get it, you're stranded with very little gear. And yet you are part of a space faring race. Who's technology would be far beyond our own... I don't thin enough imagination is employed there as to what they could possibly build. The ship is not destroyed. You didn't crash. You have amazing technology at your disposal.

That is one thing I like about Edge of Space. You effectively can make anything from just the raw materials, using something that seems akin to a futurist replicator (ala Star Trek). That's more compelling in a sci-fi game. Items require just base materials. Base resources, organics, etc. And you construct the item using technology.

Not crafting things at a workbench like you are from a thousand years earlier.

But I get having to resort to stone tools at first. Having no choice.. having to build what you can to survive. I *get* that.

I just hope that later there are some impressive technological advancements like that. Because right now it doesn't really feel all that Sci-FI, apart from the planet travel. It does feel like Terraria, with lots of missing content, and an ability to jump to other worlds.

I do wish people could be more objective about this stuff. This game seems to have a very rabid community of people who are just complete fanboys and not going to find any fault with anything.. ever.

 

With all due respect.

Terraria and Starbound are both platformer sandbox games.
The fact they share points in commons are very obvious.

Is Terraria a more polished experience? I don't know, probably. Considering it got 2 years of POST release worth of development and added content.

Starbound is in the first stage of a three stages alpha. And while I like Terraria...

Starbound, at this most early, "crude" and "bare" stage of development already has a farming system.
It's already got a (admitedly early, and thus prone to be further developped) worlds generation system where with a single character/universe you can explore not one, but a multitude of worlds who amounts are close to an infinity. And while the terrain generation has been criticized by some.... even Terraria saw multiple updates which tweaked it's own worldgen after the official release, long before it was out of beta.
It's also got(to go with the farming system) an hunger system, to add to it's survivalist gameplay. Like Minecraft. Yes, it possibly borrowed from minecraft. Like Minecraft could be accused to have stolen hunger system from any survival game or mod out there ever.

And to add to that survival system bent however, there's already a warmth system. Something found in neither Terraria or Minecraft(which already had a lot of the survivalist gameplay).

And that is at the game's most primitive stage of it's public beta. The most primitve stage at which it can be publically played.

This mean it can only build up from here.

So, does Terraria have a lot of content? Sure, Terraria 1.2 does.

But comparing Terraria when it was initially released, to this stage of Starbound and I'm not sure the comparison would be that favorable. And that's ontop of Terraria's own beta having even used placeholder graphics which were basically palette swapped Final Fantasy sprites. But then again those were closed development stages(as I don't recall much of the game having a public beta), and a dev needed -something- to over the graphics for characters until he could get an artist I guess.

And mind you, I'm saying this even though I love Terraria 1.2 and what Red managed to pull off with his game.

I'd just like some people kept a certain level of perspective, however, when looking and comparing both games.

 

I know the differences between this game and MC and Terraria. Like i said, I've played this game for about 60 hrs and I love it. I'm only trying to help the developers create content that will allow me to get another 60, and then hopefully another 60, etc. . And the parts that are the same are what I think are worth looking at innovating.

 

Well, to be fair, in the Florans' case they don't seem much like space farers, and when you look at their ships they look more like a refitted Apex ship that probably crashlanded on one of their worlds than an (pardon the pun) homegrown design.

From what I get of most races background, the characters pretty much had to leave with nothing more than the shirt on their back and a glorified swiss knife. In this case, the later can make sense as a desperation tool whose main use is to basically get what you need to make "something" more fit for the tasks you need to complete.

 

Please stop trying to legitimize the sci-fi elements in this game. There are monsters that make farting noises and look like penguins. There are horse masks and rainbow capes, etc... Your argument is invalid.

Granted, this also makes my argument invalid so...

 

Please stop trying to legitimize sci-fi elements in a game that is set in a sci-fi setting.. really?

/facepalm

If you can't even complete about this, you can't complain about anything I guess. Objectivity levels here are so low as to be immeasurable.

 

It's not a sci-fi setting. That's my argument and I think I can make it ;P
Take a look at my edit. I got it in roughly before you posted. lol