Discovery Gaming Community

this came up some time ago - when we thought of the "discovery"- aspect of Discovery.

the idea is:

we start to consider the vanilla edgeworlds to become civilized ( well - for the most parts - they really are ) - they are not the wild, vast space anymore, not the dangerous unknown.

at the same time we create several new systems of a new style. these systems are:

- maximum size ( i think 1400 clicks horizontal and 800 clicks vertical ) [imagine newcastle times 5]
- these systems have an entrance at the "inner" side and offer the player to fly like almost 1400 clicks "outwards" - which is a long long time.
- somewhere in the system - there are nebulas, hidden planets, wrecks of previous explorers, hidden jumpholes
- these systems are "unmappable" ( no automap, - so you may een literally get lost in them )
- play around a lot more with the Y-Axis ... ( bit like gallia ) - so not everything is on the ecliptic (makes searching for valuable stuff and wrecks a lot harder)


additionally

- possibly remove CODENAMES from the game and place them to their respected factions as expensive but buyable special guns under FACTION supervision ( playerfaction )

- add NEW CODENAMES only found in those super remote "edgeworld systems" - that really ARE more powerful ( like nomad laser III powerful ) but due to the systems being unmappable and possibly more than an hour pure cruise flight time ( in case you really know where to go ) - they would be "rare" for a much longer time.

additionally

- objects and orbitals might be "nameless" at first. - but players that dedicate themselves AND their roleplay to exploring might be allowed to NAME such objects - like real explorers - and the lore might also be added via mini-update.


that might revive the spirit of "discovery" ( the term ) .... ALL that is possible ( no technical trouble ) .... the question is - is it also worth it?


discuss

No to all three.

One, people hate Newcastle already. Giant systems aren't fun, they are annoying and result in no one going there.

Two, Codenames under faction supervision? Heck no. All I can say.

New "extra powerful codenames?" Eventually every fighter we run into will just be using these codenames. Once they are found, people will just camp and get them every server restart, and the market gets swarmed. In short, they will ruin balance until fixed, at which point they become like every other codename and we're back where we started.

Instead, we need to do something to block the use of FLCompanion and Datastorm so people can't look up these locations.

people hate newcastle not for exploring - but for passing through. - and newcastle is a core system - a house system.

an explorers system is one where you don t find the odd trader to go to. and you "ought" to get lost there - like really lost ... flying for 30 min... deciding to turn around ... and you do not find the exit anymore ( lost ship ) a RISKY ride.

might even place warning beacons at the entrance to those systems.


the two additionals are afterthoughts that might or might not work. - the main part are giant systems to explore new stuff at high risk. - cause really... whats to discover in discovery anymore.

Had the same idea, Jinxeh.

And I aproves - you might also check BSGmod and their "maze" thing with the semblance of random jumpholes. Essentially a truckload of mostly empty systems, each containing some stellar body or other with standard infocards (object unknown being most common) and two or three jumpholes. Sometimes loot.

I like all of these ideas for the most part, but what Sindy said is true. It's going to create problems for people who can come in, dedicate a day to mapping one of these out, and basically conquer it.

Now if we add massive rad zones in there, that might make things a bit more interesting. Not high enough levels to insta kill, but high enough to make a player find another way around. I'd be all for this.

Another issue is that adding too many objects to a system will cause it to become unstable. So far as I know, this is already an issue with New York, and is the reason no more changes will ever be made to said system. If a system of New York's size can be filled up, then I somewhat doubt the effectiveness of the idea of 1000x1000 or whatnot systems.

Moar systems? I hope not.

The codenames Idea I dont like, at all.

The exploring idea I like but not in that scale.

The Datastorm thing that was brought up in post 2 would be a severe problem with this. I dont think there is a way to block it so thus allowing people to still be able to cheat and find everything. Thus making the idea useless.

Quote:- maximum size ( i think 1400 clicks horizontal and 800 clicks vertical ) [imagine newcastle times 5]

Newcastle x 5 ... (O_O) wow ... well, on the other hand that's just the maximum size, so other system might get smaller properties ^_^

Quote:- somewhere in the system - there are nebulas, hidden planets, wrecks of previous explorers, hidden jumpholes

I'd really like to see some jumpholes acting as system jumpholes like that in New York, and I think it'd be really nice to have one or two then to shorten a trip!

Quote:- these systems are "unmappable" (no automap, - so you may even literally get lost in them)

Oh noez! It's already hard to see and click something in as large as Newcastle but with even larger ones it might get really annoying to not discover anything at all on your map!

On the other hand ... pen and paper to write notes about certain features might be really fun RP-wise :D

Quote:- play around a lot more with the Y-Axis ... ( bit like gallia ) - so not everything is on the ecliptic (makes searching for valuable stuff and wrecks a lot harder)

Like in Kansas ... and that was really fun to actually SEARCH for that Nomad gate :cool:

However, as pointed out in the "Warning Buoys" thread, some wrecks may point to or away from something interesting, and a little infocard information might really help that, too!

Quote:- objects and orbitals might be "nameless" at first. - but players that dedicate themselves AND their roleplay to exploring might be allowed to NAME such objects - like real explorers - and the lore might also be added via mini-update.

Hm (o_O) ... it's a great idea but after the first run to these systems, how will one of the rookies name something at all when they arrive later?
On the other side ... we could make a forum poll and let the community decide about a name for an object, right? One has to prove that he was there and thouroughly scanned an object to be recognized in this event.
So no "Planet Bob" or something <strike>more stupid</strike> less creative ^_^

About the codenames ...
Naaahh, I don't think some more powerful <strike>superweapons</strike> codenames are necessary!

To put it in a nutshell-formed Starflier, I'd love to see something vast (not waste :P) and unexplored even if some jerks are to lazy and use 3rd party programs. I think it won't ruin my fun ...

Oh, and speaking of that ...
What about placing some valuable wrecks OUTSIDE the system map? Is that possible? FLCompanion does have that "scalator" but if an object is too far outside, it won't show up, right?

...

an idea:

What about scaling down the size of the automap, so you will explore the inner of the megasystems, but once you are on your way to the more interesting stuff outside, you can't use the map anymore? So you don't have the luxury of mapping! And the system wall will still be some hundreds of k's away!

Well, besides everything already said, yes we should first find a way to block 3rd party access.

The idea would work perfectly then.

May I suggest not naming them (i.e. '????')?

Sounds good... but how about this:


Instead of making several mega-systems at the edge of Sirius, how about making ONE super-ultra-hyper-uber-mindboggingly-huge-epic system which reaches once around Sirius? Or maybe smaller than that. Because, after all there IS a freakin' galaxy chillin' around our little cluster of star systems.
There would be in-system jumpholes, and jumpholes to other systems "inside" Sirius and LOTS of stuff... I'm talking about basically SEVERAL systems INSIDE that one "system." As in, a number of stars with their planets etc.
I could imagine making that system about as big as... all Liberty systems together?
It would be great for factions that roleplay leaving Sirius etc, so that they can move to desolate planets in that "system". And of course, TONS AND TONS of stuff to [color=#FF0000]DISCOVER.
If this is not possible, too bad. Just dreamin' around.




About codes: Nope.