Starbound MMO

DISCLAIMER: This is impossible for a multitude of reasons. The engine isn't built to run as an MMO, it'd be expensive to host, anti-cheating measures would have to be put in place. Let's not focus on how impossible it is, I just want to gush about how amazing it would be.

So, picture it. A massive multiplayer game with no boundaries. All planets would be synced online, unexplored planets could be claimed allowing the pioneer to set access permissions (at a price). A list of planets currently being explored, a large citadel to serve as a meeting place between players, a galaxy to explore that actually feels alive. Could you imagine?

 

Yes yes, we've all imagined several times here. It would be pretty neato.

 

I've been thinking about this since I first played Terraria, and while the idea of world permissions is easy, they would likely break the feeling of freedom. I'd think a sizable increase in how long it takes to place/remove blocks would be the starting point; include the ability to hire NPC guards, and you have the makings of a defensible fortress.

It'd be pretty cool to organize war parties to take over player-built structures; rebuilding destroyed infrastructure; evacuating people during a lost battle. Everyone would keep their most expensive stuff on their private ships, of course, but some resources would be attainable through piracy.

Seriously, this would be amazing. Mod, anyone?

 

On a more realistic side of things, whilst an MMO is merely a dream, I'm hoping to see some mods that benefit large-scale servers, like some of the things that relincuish was talking about.

 

Aren't you able to bring your character and inventory online to another world?
I honestly know nothing about the online features or have tried.

If that's the case, then I'm mainly just happy with that feature. You can go on and off with your inventory and your character and still have a sense of normal exploration.

 

Even if Chucklefish doesn't support it, I can guarantee that modders will eventually find a way to make this sort of thing plausible.

It'd need server-side characters, anti-cheat measures, and constant moderation.