Discovery Gaming Community

It is not uncommon for people in Discovery to be able to do and create things that would benefit the general playerbase as a whole but not making use of these abilities. While the reasons for that may differ greatly, I think that one of them is lack of an initiative to do so. I'll take myself as a blunt example here, while I can make ships, often I find myself lacking motivation to do them and they end up in an half finished state and are then binned to never return. I'm sure I'm not alone with this, either. Be it creating Models, Infocards, Systems, Effects, Sounds etc. there are people who, if they wanted to, could easily create them and as such help Discovery grow faster. And while I agree that there is an argument to be made that goes somewhat like "but you're rewarded by having your stuff put ingame!", I don't think it suffices. For some people it may, and to those I bow my head for being so selfless, but not everyone is like that.

I think that is a shame personally, and that is why I'm suggesting the addition of a Contributor Reward System. Reward people for the work they're putting in with items in the game. These are just a few ideas that, though unfinished, would possibly give people the motivation to start contributing:

- Unique FX for Light Hardpoints such as the smoke used on some Event ships, the Nomad tentacles, maybe even completely new things
- Unique set of guns (this doesn't have to be for every player, maybe a unique gun that you can only obtain via contribution or something)
- Ship FX such as the Thunderstorm around the Sirene or the shield around the Peresphone
- Unique engines
- Unique thrusters
- Unique ships
- Contrails, Code weapons, other Scidata rewards
- Ingame Credits

Obviously, an argument can be made for these things to generally take time to create, but the simple solution to that is for the people who contribute to create them. Once they're established, they can be given out to those who're willing to put their freetime into creating things and so on and forth. Basically, the first set of players would be creating these items that could then be given out, and if someone wants something else added, they could just create it themselves.

There is, of course some concerns and worries, one of many being how these rewards are given out. I don't have a point-system or anything in mind for the rewards to be given out based on the size of the contribution, that's why I've decided to make a discussion post.

Contributors aren't a bad idea, no. A system just has to be set up for it which I'm guessing is why it hasn't happened yet. As for rewarding people with stuff, I'm fine with everything besides exclusive things. If 5 people contribute [something] and then those 5 people get 5 new and unique codeguns with new and unique cool effects added to the game, that's 5 new and unique guns that are effectively dead content.

The way I'd like it done (same with SRPs, frankly) is if there's an original version, and an open-use version. Contributor gets to have the original item, with its chosen name, visuals, stats, whatever, and everyone else gets an altered version. New name, new infocard (also referencing the original its based on), maybe slightly different stats and the effect for it adjusted slightly so it's not a carbon copy. That way people get exclusivity without the effort put into the item going to waste.

Didn't we have something similar to this in the past anyway? I remember people being paid billions for making trailers for Discovery. As of 7/5/2022 nobody is stopping people from mass producing effects for engines, thrusters, guns, ship models, whatever. If some guy comes into my DMs with a finished entry for a codegun with an infocard and effect ready I'll put it in the game. Don't see why the dude can't get like 250-500 million, some unique visual effect of his choosing on some ship he owns or a set of special event guns for it if it's great quality.

Would be pretty neat, I concur.

Seems very reasonable. People put time and effort in to various things across the mod, so why not be rewarded for just that.

I would only like to see cosmetic stuff.

Special skins, special effects etc.

But guns well, not a big Fan of it, even when they get special stats.

(07-05-2022, 09:58 AM)pillow Wrote: [ -> ]The way I'd like it done (same with SRPs, frankly) is if there's an original version, and an open-use version. Contributor gets to have the original item, with its chosen name, visuals, stats, whatever, and everyone else gets an altered version. New name, new infocard (also referencing the original its based on), maybe slightly different stats and the effect for it adjusted slightly so it's not a carbon copy. That way people get exclusivity without the effort put into the item going to waste.

Didn't we have something similar to this in the past anyway? I remember people being paid billions for making trailers for Discovery. As of 7/5/2022 nobody is stopping people from mass producing effects for engines, thrusters, guns, ship models, whatever. If some guy comes into my DMs with a finished entry for a codegun with an infocard and effect ready I'll put it in the game. Don't see why the dude can't get like 250-500 million, some unique visual effect of his choosing on some ship he owns or a set of special event guns for it if it's great quality.

This. - For one, I've always thought that modellers should be able to get a 'free' character with and for every ship they've modelled in game. They made it, why shouldn't they get it in game? Imagine slaving away for hours to create this really sexy cap mesh, only for you to then need to grind a couple hours more to earn it in game. Wouldn't you say they've already earned it?

(I specifically like Pillow's idea of the creator getting the original. Adds the plus of allowing someone to claim the original ship name, kinda dope for capitals.)

In the past, we did have something similar to this, it was simply just the community at it's best. People with real useful skills got to make bank from those that grinded in game, who wanted shiny stuff either for the forums or otherwise. It still goes on, but in smaller quantities afaik. Nerva still offers his 3D gif skills for those that desire it I believe, I don't think he asks for a fixed price anymore, just a donation too.

I do believe the biggest problem here has already been stated; How do you effectively manage the system that determines whether or not a contributor is eligible for a reward, at what point are they considered to have done enough?

I reckon it'd be easy to draw up a reward tiering for modelling assets, but how do you cover the other areas?
Edit: Could you lump stuff together under a reward claim perhaps? E.g; Tier 1 Req: 1x Snub Model/1x Texture Map/4x Infocards/Sign up to Econ Devving forever.(Arbitrary numbers)
Tier 1 then providing some cash or goodies, the higher tier offering more, but requires more done to clock it in. This allows those that want a reward to request one based on the work done and those that don't, don't have to.

upvote

(07-05-2022, 10:42 AM)Jayenbee Wrote: [ -> ]For one, I've always thought that modellers should be able to get a 'free' character with and for every ship they've modelled in game. They made it, why shouldn't they get it in game? Imagine slaving away for hours to create this really sexy cap mesh, only for you to then need to grind a couple hours more to earn it in game. Wouldn't you say they've already earned it?

This makes sense, would work for ships and equipment.
POB/Base models, systems, basically environment stuff, is on the other hand a different matter. Where I guess some system with tiers would come into play.
Unless of course you want to reward a system creator with ownership of said system. Which might be an interesting concept.

Pillow hates exclusivity so I'm going to forum pvp over this;

By having exclusive items, you put value on it, and it gives a sense of personal touch for people to have stuff they like. The moment you make it essentially a clone - well, not as interesting. Nothing wrong with a little pride for helping out.

Now. I'm inclined to reward people for contributing to the mod with heavy handed tasks like animating, modelling, or doing a tonne of written work, or heavy system design.

I wouldn't want the provided effects to be too obnoxious like the arch beam effect, and obviously these rewards are only given out after the work is accepted. And I wouldn't reward people for lazy jobs or easy 5 minute ones.