Starbound too Punishing for Builders?

Please stop killing that word; or better yet just let it die already.

There isn't a lot more to talk about on topic, the game is in the level of beta where it being in beta is most obvious and they're fixing it better than most early released games do. Most others would release their broken trash product and run with the cash after one update, but like Space Engineers it's obvious the team cares enough to actually work on improving the problems they have even though they already have enough money to do the economic equivalent of dine and dash.
People shouldn't complain about balancing and issues so much as notify the developers of them, they've already improved upon multiple ones which many have complained against even though I disagree with a handful. Have some faith that they'll work it out.

People make fun of Minecraft and its players for a reason and I'd doubt the forcible re-gearing of a far older word would do anything but add to the ammunition.

 

Yeah, I think we're on the same page for the most part, at least with the tweaking needed surrounding the 3D printer. It should cost far less to print things, or at very least we need a way to acquire Pixels beyond killing things or distilling ore. While those both work wonders once you dig deep enough, it's not for everyone.

I'm certain you'll be able to sell loot to NPCs later in the beta, which may open up a new avenue for builders to gain Pixels, because they'll be in close hand to valuable items.

I don't agree that an environment should be placid, and some maintenance should be expected, but otherwise.

 

Selling things is actually one of the things I'm expecting to alleviate the pain of pixels in the building world -- but until they introduce it, I'll keep the cost complaint/suggestion active in the OP.

 

Uncraftable blocks definitely should be able to be printed from the 3d printer. It takes like 10 seconds to mine light metal from apex facilities and since you usually need 600+ blocks to make the a moderately sized building it often takes many hours to get the desired amount of blocks from many facilities. The pixel price for printing blocks should not be 50 pixels, I mention that because steel blocks cost 50 pixels to make, which is ridiculously high. 100 blocks (which is nothing) and you are already at 5000 pixels, way too steep. I find it curious that fluorescent lights, TVs, etc... are not craftable, maybe its to increase exploration but if we could craft those items and we found a town filled with ex: fluorescent lights, you would save a lot of time farming for those materials. I have not experienced this new patch yet so I am not sure how destructive meteors showers are, but maybe buildings could have a shield generator that protect it from projectiles and explosives.

 

You can craft steel blocks.

 

My biggest gripe for building isn't the hunting or searching (however with this current patch those nice big areas have disappeared so no fun stuff to loot) its the time it takes to loot blocks. Its VERY tedious. Oh wow I like that background block *2 minutes latter only gettin 12 blocks* Ermh... this isn't worth it.,

 

Oi yeah you can but at 50 a brick, i just used titanium panelling lol, way more cost efficient....actually makes you pixels mining the ore

 

Yeah I know but I mentioned that because if uncraftable blocks are able to get printed it would be ridiculous at 50 pixels a block.

 

I got almost 400k pixels from just digging up diamonds and that didn't even take a day. I've never had a problem with pixel costs, ever.

 

The problem lies in the early and middle game. End game mining renders pixel costs irrelevant -- but for a starting adventurer or even someone relatively seasoned by exploration -- pixel costs can be a little outrageous. Especially if you want to build something like an Arcade -- which doesn't necessarily need to be "big" but requires a lot of the Arcade machines.

 

I wouldn't build mid or early game then. It only takes a day or two of work to get to the X sector.

 

Yeah, the real legwork comes in around middle game for a builder. Sometimes you just get unlucky. If you find 1 Floran prison on your starter planet -- making a really cool Floran themed farm will take you forever if you just can't find a Floran Prison again. Or, like you said, you have to drop the building project to work up to Sector X in order to acquire the pixels to print anything unique. (additionally, that doesn't help cover the blocks -- just the decorations)

 

You know what would be cool? A shield tower. Like a big sci-fi antenna you have to craft multiple parts of and assemble. When its activated it makes a huge shield bubble that deflects meteorites and orbital ship bombardments. Since they have said they want to add orbital bombardments to the game anyway...

That not only solves the problem, it does so in a cool way that adds PVP defensive options.

 

Explore, fight, build pretty much what I do on starbound, but I dont really build anymore. I dont see the point. I dont like leaving footprints at all. I like the towns and dungeons the way they are, but im forced to pick away at these things to get the bits and peices I need to make what I want. Then when its all said and done I get the pie in the face type feeling from a mob that griefs it. Wait, no, the mob trolls it. Yeah that's what it does it trolls my construction, and some say its beta, or its part of the game dude get over it. Well, unfortunately, I have an eight hour job a wife and a child. I get to spend a limited amount of time to focus on my build. When its quickly eviscerated by a trolling game mechanic that makes my blood boil or depresses me. This is early beta so no worries, but I would appreciate a more approachable game leaning towards building.

 

I agree with OP.

The aspect i regret the most when making a new character or after a wipe is having to redo your 3D printer library all over again. It is a tedious task to start tinkering with that device from scratch all over again and even more busy work to gather the enough pixels to make it so that all that cool unique furniture you have is saved.

 

Yes, and I understand, that's why meteor shower needs to be tweak, but NOT taken out, I seen forum post people arguing that meteor shower occur too frequently and that's no ok.
That been said, you can do a lot of things to solve the problem, and you could be exaggerating a bit. Don't call it "griefing" because you are basically calling the Devs griffers, and thats not the case here.

I think some changes could be made, to add/have a option to disable " planetary disasters events" both for server and single player, just like in Sim City ####, for those that want or don't want.
This will easily solve the issue, until the properly tweaks disaster events like this.

EDIT: wow this thread is a fucking disaster by itself...

 

I would much rather that all currently uncraftable blocks be made craftable at some point. It would vastly improve the experience of mining (especially for builders) and potentially puts to use a whole range of 'basic' and less common things that currently don't do much but add to the stack of 'maybe i'll use that to build something later) - which can get rather huge if you're the hoarder type.

Ultimately the places we're all currently destroying for the building materials will either a) be guarded in the case of towns b) will be un-breakable until you 'finish' the dungeon they come from. I'd rather that the loot of dungeons be the unique placeable items, unique drops, and items from chests.

Creative mode is not a fun way to build, there's no exploration involved, and it makes no sense to create a game with tons of creative building mechanics only for background while you metroidvania your way across the landscape. Building and creating is part of the game, and needs to be balanced as well as the rest of the mechanics.

I imagine that the pixel cost of items from the 3d printer is currently set with the future endgame in mind. That is to say, at some point, pixels will become easier to aquire in quantities relevant to the later cost of crafting? I would assume so anyway.

Meaning that 3000 pixel item will at some point be a 5 kill achievement, rather than 250-300 it is now.

 

I think it would be great to have meteor resistant blocks for this purpose.

 

I never said to take it out I just want to switch it on or off.
I agree with having options I know people enjoy harsh game play environments. Hopefully when mode is no longer "???" The mode will gives us the option to turn on or off "planetary disasters". For both the casual and hardcore players. This whole griefing thing that everyone has their panties in a bunch over. When I speak of grief I speak of a blue or depressing situation caused by the destruction of work by anything mob, npc or players. If im playing a tower Defense game I get it. Its meant to happen. You can say this has tower defense aspects. Ok well then where are my surface to air missles to protect myself from a volley of meteors or maybe some blocks to prevent mass destruction. Does anyone remember when you had to protect you build in terraria with dungeon blocks because of the ass clowns that threw bombs, but there was a work around... the dungeon blocks. Bomb throwing clowns, creepers and penguin ufos fall into the category of a grief mob. It can destroy player placed blocks thus causing grief to the person building the structure. Hell, I've grief'd myself on terraria by accidenttly throwing dynamite at times. Its laughable but still annoying.


On the subject: I think building for now is more of a wait and see thing. Hopefully it will evolve into a more player friendly aspect. Somethings I would like to see have been posted already. If the devs do not implement some of these suggestions there is always modding as an option.

 

As of right now with the new weather effects, it's a hard time to be a builder. But I'm sure eventually everything will balance out. ANd multiplayer building will be more protected.