Starbound Isn't Playing In The Sandbox!

While I respectfully disagree with the tone of your post, I think you're bringing up a very important idea:

Starbound does not feel like a sandbox. Too much, we notice the hard gates. When gates are done "correctly" they should not be noticed.

It could be due to the lack of content (since a lot of things haven't been implemented), but it could also mean that the gates themselves need to be reconsidered. For the moment, I think it's safe to say that the current tier system is unsatisfactory.

Chucklefish has said they plan to revamp the tier system. They've mentioned new gates, new progression paths, etc. Hopefully that new implementation is more enjoyable!

Also, great point about there being no incentive to go back to earlier sectors (unless you want homeworlds where birds don't kill you).

 

Cuorebrave,
This thread shouldn't be locked number one its probably the most important thread in this stage of the game dicussing the overall FEELING of this game. Two, as a community we all should just keep talking and placing suggestions on this thread to make it grow regardless of the OPS position. Its a extremely important topic and I FEEL we all need to come up with a simple solution within all our knowledge to get balanced progression system suggestion out there and see what attention it gets. Thats my suggestion I will start a suggestion page or someone else can or we can just stay on this thread and form a solid system idea than have it
move the original poster isnt going to return. But hes thread has generated a topic that really has brought the community somewhat together on this linear path of progression. But
thats just my opinion.

 

Akado, I respect you for your open mind. It's rare these days. If I can comment on an earlier post of yours, where you said to the player, Hard and Soft gates are the same, they both say "Don't go here".... I need to disagree with that. It's a dangerous assumption and I'm worried the creators at Chucklefish will assume everyone feels like this. Soft gates are very special to a lot of people: My Tier 4 human opened up Sector X and went to a level 10 planet... yes, he gets slaughtered at the lightest tap, but guess what? I built a base, dug tunnels, trapped a boss-monster, chipped away at his 20,000 health with my axe that does 99dmg... and 203 hits in, I eventually killed him and got a weapon that does 1,900dmg per hit. It was hard-fought and BEAUTIFUL.

Once Sector X is opened up, you have "soft" barriers. Before that, it's all "hard". And to me, and I'm sure quite a few other people, Sector X is infinitely more enjoyable than the first four sectors. This stuff about "hard" and "soft" barriers isn't actually subjective at all. Hard says: You may not go here. Soft says: Don't go here! Unless you're brave or sneaky enough! So come on in! I remember those in Morrowind that people keep talking about... Fallout 3 is the same way. Don't go into downtown DC EARLY unless you're ready to either sneak or die. But the spoils in there fuckin' ROCK.

I'm with you on your second point though, don't add in tedium. Ugh. There's enough grind already.

And thanks for saying I had a great point about there being no reason to go back to earlier planets You should read my massive thread from earlier in January:
http://community.playstarbound.com/index.php?threads/taking-stock-of-the-universe.65169/

Let me know your suggestions there.

Same to you @7Vec7Zus

 

This discussion has gone behind the OP and everyone else talking about this subject here doesn't share that same tone. Still, many people seem to agree with the overall message even if it was said in a terrible way.

As it is now, you only need to visit a grand total of two planets before you're able to reach sector X, your starting planet and a Gamma sector planet. You don't even have to go to the Beta sector in order to craft the robot boss and beat it. Oh sure you can find better weapons if you gone to a Beta sector planet, but what you can craft with steel bars will be fine against the robot. Same thing applies to the next two sectors as well. It is only because titanium ore can only be found on planet threat levels 3-4 that you’ll have to move ahead since titanium bars are needed to craft the next boss summoning items.

I’m gathering my thoughts on what I think would be a good way to handle progression, but it might be some time before I have that thread up.

 

Lol..... does anybody also think it's completely futile to post *anything* here? Do they even remember this forum is open?

 

Like I said. If we all just work together on a progession system that most agree is the best approach and fits within what most of us want. Then im in. but in the mean time I will try to post regularly and I hope most of you do too to not let this topic go into the other bottomless pit of threads that get swallowed by emptiness.

 

I agree with this all day. Alot of the stuff in this thread expressise how I feel about starbound right now and how there is so much potential for this game to be one of the timeless greats but that the potential is wasted at the moment. Yet still I wonder. Are we even heard here? Maybe time to say screw this place and take our concerns to reddit. Its just not the same as a forum discussion. So much harder to be heard there.

 

Honestly, Chucklefish just watches the threads on this forum but this is how you bring attention to them. By staying here and expressing our concerns on a single topic that explodes theres absolutely no way they can just simply ignore it. You can go to reddit link the thread on this forum and see what happens. But im dedicated enough to rough it out and try to bring us together as a community instead of bashing an thread bumping.

 

If I may make a suggestion, this is quite useful.

Now we have a lot of great ideas here - even the ones I don't agree with have often been explained well. In fact considering how the thread started, I'd say there's been some remarkable discussion.

I would suggest an idea would be for a thread to gather/name suggestions in an appropriately detailed manner - in other words, explaining how their method would work. With enough ideas, a poll could be made to encourage further discussion.

I also would like to add that this thread really brings up an important element of the game - feeling. Yes, this is math formulae and art assets, but Starbound also is aiming to give an immersive experience. Frankly, even in its crude state, the game had its hooks in my pretty powerfully for the holiday break. In turn it's important to make sure mechanics do feel proper - and that is a challenging part of gaming, you have to turn a feeling into formula. It's half science, half art. So more ideas the better.

Besides, if these are the guys who can say "eh, we're changing our entire difficulty rating system, Out with it" then I'm pretty confident that if some better ideas originate here, they'll use 'em and then some. I've rarely seen a team this adaptable in the nearly two decades I've spent in IT so far.

 

I agree. I say we take a list of all participants gather ideas work them in naturally with a new progression system. Create a sub thread off of this even though hes approach was unprofessional. And get people votes. The only problem is getting enough feedback and support from others in the community to bring it in a top suggestion.

 

Maybe we could ask the mod to make a sticky?

 

I agree with you cuorebrave. If we all agree on it than im in on asking.

 

I just wish this OP wasn't hostile in terms of his rant. I think if he was just relaxed and said it in a different tone and not post in italics and abrasive language. He could've Edited it and made it a really important thread. But I don't think the moderator will sticky it because of his Original Post. But who knows. I will write a report hopefully I can reach a conversation with one of them. For the sake of this topic.

 

Seems like the more hostile thread generates more discussion.

 

That is because in general, we're all people that want the game better.

I would suggest a new thread that is just ideas. Let's see what Lone Gamer whips up.

 

Seems that way. I wrote a report to the moderator for the sake of this topic. I don't know how they will respond to it considering the OP

 

I'm still writing up my thoughts on how I think progression could be handled, although I'm not sure if I should just post it in a central thread for it or post my own. The former might be better so it's more of a focus on progression in general and not just my ideas for it. Despite the turnaround this thread made, I think it might be too late given how the original post will leave a bad impression and people will focus more on its tone than its message.

 

Maybe let's see how the moderators react first.
I posted 2 suggestions already but maybe I should somehow integrate those and write them up better...

 

Yes, let's make a thread for well-thought out additions and positive feedback. I can start it off, or anyone else - but let's stay focused and call it "The Sticky Suggestions Thread" and we all agree to add to THAT ONE IN PARTICULAR.

And no arguing. Yes, Internet, I said it.

 

I posted two threads if they dont go anywhere I will just stay on this thread since it has generated more feedback. My suggestion thread is in mechanics called A Proposal With Purpose. Post any suggestions there