Move the chair during ship tiers?

Actually, the inability to move things around is rather frustrating. Perhaps I'm remembering wrong, but WAY back in the beginning, before size upgrades were even a thing, ships were allowed to be more piece meal. While we were never allowed to move the ship locker, (that I know of) the captain's chair was able to be moved because it was an activator. I used to pick a ship design I liked most, then create a character specifically to steal type of chair I wanted for my ship! >.>;

It's possible I was using a mod, but I don't think so. Even if I was, I don't think it would be too hard to implement as a stock starbound feature. In fact, the need for more customization is not exclusive to that chair, it is just the most obvious symptom.

Let me give an example of what I mean:


=== EXAMPLE ===

Recently, I was upgrading one of my character's vessels when I came to realize something. I now have a pretty nifty cockpit. At first, it wasn't all that special, but as my ship grew, the cockpit has become a room of it's own. So I got to thinking that it was time to remodel. With rhe cockpit this large, I could change it from a storage closet into a true flight deck! Excited, I began to take a look around.. and that's when I realized it. Why is my AI console on the other side of the door? It seems so far away when I've got all this room near the chair.

Well, I can't move the console closer.. which is a shame, considering it feels like it's in another room. But fine, I'll work around it. So I move on. I notice the locker and teleporter, both of which I would like to move also and can't. Again, I have to rethink my design.

Okay, maybe I'll just turn the room behind the cockpit into a tech operations sort of room then. As a nova kid, it means the whole front of my ship is now having to be rethought, but I have more cars to go right? Then I realize.. my darn research station (another piece I can't move) is WAY down almost in the third car!

Well, my idea of a compact and functional flight deck is shot at this point, because I'm having to build around a bunch of spread out parts, in a ship that is like one long tunnel. What a shame! In my mind, I worked hard to unlock a big ship and am now being told where everything should go.

=== END OF EXAMPLE ===


Given that we can knock out everything else on the inside, it seems strange that these objects are an exception. In the end, the inability to move important pieces around really killed some of my excitement over the remodel. Frankly, with how many people enjoy customizing their ships, I know I'm not the only one who has been frustrated about this.

As such, I'm surprised things like captain's being so far away is even still an issue. It could be so easily fixed! So I keep wondering.. why hasn't this already happened? I hope the answer is they've not completely abandoned the idea of modular ships.
(it was talked about alot awhile back)

Maybe, just maybe, we'll be able to decide where we want rooms to be or something. Where this the case, being able to move these parts around with your Matter Manipulator would seem trivial, because a much better system is on it's way.

Even if not, there is still hope. It is suggested that we'll see at least one more ship, because the message you gain after the last ship upgrade says something like "That's all the upgrades this ship can handle. Perhaps there is a better ship somewhere out there, lost among the cosmos." This combined with the fact that your ship is called a "starter ship", some flow charts from devs mention upgrading to a ship capable of black hole travel and the recent additions they've been working on to the outpost seem to suggest we'll get another ship at some point.

 

Thank you for the like. ^-^

The chair issue would be easy to fix. All you would have to do is create a new character with the chair you wish to have. Using the MM on that character, you beam to the home world or outpost.. place chair in container. Then use your other character to come pick it up. This is what I used to do back in the day.

As for the teleporter, you might be stuck if someone jacked your teleporter, but a good space captain would order a spare from the outpost and keep it on them. I learned from star trek.. teleporters get you out of a jam. I carry one on me at all times. That way, if my bags are full and I'm deep underground, I can slap it down and unload. So at that point it becomes "is this worth 3000 pix?" Sometimes, it really is. Like, for example if some jerk came and broke your teleporter. How many times did THAT happen in star trek?

lol the only one I see being a real nuisance is the research station and even that isn't impossible.. besides, the research station is really not that vital, especially if you already have what it offers. If all else fails, if you have use of admin (or are on a server that has one) it's a simple fix for any of the missing pieces.

One thing to consider.. there is always risk in letting people board your ship. I mean, how many people have crates of goods stock piled there? It makes space piracy a thing! lol

All that not withstanding, I'm not stuck in the "use of the MM on these things must happen" camp. I would be completely fine with an option to move (or even remove) these items using SAIL or any other method, so long as it was well implemented. The issue in my mind is not what players would do with these things. It's that they have no control over them and Starbound is almost purely driven by what you can build atm.

Yet, these items are not customizable at all. You can't move them or get rid of them.. they are a permenant fixture. This leads to them being in the way, even in an otherwise very modifiable ship.. and that seems rather counterproductive.

 

Well, that's probably a Google automated ship.

 

Better idea: The chair is no longer used to open the star map. Instead you interact with, oh, I dunno... the CONSOLE AT THE FRONT OF THE SHIP (srsleh Chucklefish. Why u no tink of dis?)?

... then you could put whatever the heck chair you actually LIKE there.

 

Yeah, I'm pretty sure that the essential ship objects are invulnerable/unmovable so that newbies don't pull them up, accidentally lose or trash them, and then whine on the forums about being stuck.

 

I agree this is the intent. Perhaps they even have scripts that rely on the items and need them there for awhile. Who knows? I haven't any access to the code like the devs do.

However, it doesn't mean there is no room for improvement. Surely there is a way to avoid noobish mistakes while still allowing function. For example, what about using SAIL to repair your ship in the event you lose one of these important items? Something like a "re-enable teleporter" option. You do it in the beginning anyway right? So it's pretty established that your ship interface is fairly capable. Lore wise, this fits and doesn't seem like it would take too much effort to achieve. Mind you, that would mean the sail interface still couldn't be moved, which isn't a complete fix, but would be a decent middle ground.

Now, I'm sure that idea isn't the only one that might work. I am open to other suggestions. Like perhaps making making them craftable, so it's not a huge loss if you misplace them, locking customization ability into once your ship's FTL drive is fixed, or even something I haven't thought of yet.

It's just, as someone who has been a starbounder for a long time, I see this concern come and go every so often. I feel it's something that needs worked on. It's hard to feel like my ship, something that follows me the entire game, is customizable when I can't move things around like I can while on a planet. That customization is important. It would fix the issue with the chairs and allow people to more fully enjoy one of the features of the game.

I certainly don't want to screw over any newer players, but find it hard to believe there is not a system that would be better for all parties involved.

 

Easy fix do /admin then do /spawnitem humanshipchair 1000000. Boom you got one million chairs (drops microphone like a gangster)

 

If you don't like cheating... Tell the cat to drive or he's fired. "Whispering" literally shoot the cat if it doesn't...

 

You can't move it in game. You would have to mod the ship. His method will grant you chairs that can be moved as you please and still be able to control the ship from them.

 

I would think she understands that and she's just trying to get the community to find some solution (other than modding)

 

There is no solution other than modding or spawning another chair. That is all the community can do.

 

I know (but I'm not sure she knows that [no offense]) but you don't need to go and spoil it for her...

 

Uhh... what? I answered the question at hand. Be it me to tell them its not possible or someone else, the end result is the same. Its not possible. What should I have done instead? Let them continue on a fools errand?

 

Ugh... Yeah pretty much...

 

Which is why this topic is labeled with a feedback tag, rather than a question. The statement made is not "how can I move it closer?" or even "how do I get more of these?" Instead, it's "why was this not already closer? I feel that this is strange placement." Honestly, it borders on something resembling a suggestion and could possibly be placed there instead. But the nature of this thread is more a discussion on how we view something occurring in present game play, which is likely why the chosen form was that of feedback.

My take on it was that I agree. It does seems strange and it clearly needs some adjustment, but that it was a symptom of a larger issue. Not being able to adjust certain objects yourself. In my view, this would not even be an issue if the player could move the chair or the other like objects within the ship. I feel it would enrich several people's experience of this space as a whole were this the case. I'm not specifically asking how this be done, but rather, trying to give examples of why I feel this way, so that the feedback is wholesome. What I am attempting to achieve is constructive criticism. Hence, feedback.

 

And how does that help anyone? If I were trying to do something and I found out someone withheld information as to not "spoil" it, I would be pissed. (Solving a puzzle or things of that nature excluded).

Hmm... So I must be imagining the question mark in the title? Might need to get my eyes checked.


Regardless, part of the intent clearly was an attempt to find some resolution to the present problem and solutions were presented. Mask it with objects, spawn in another chair, or mod it to move the chair up. If Chucklefish sees this thread and decides to officially move the chair, then great, fantastic, I approve.