Board Index | Search | Profile |
Page 1 of 4 |
[ 59 posts ] | Go to page 1, 2, 3, 4 Next |
Print view | Previous topic | Next topic |
Author | Message |
---|---|
Site Admin / Dev Team
Team:
Rank: Director Main: Jeff_L Level: 1969 Joined: Wed Mar 23, 2005 2:21 am Posts: 3894 Location: Santa Clara, CA |
So I'm looking at doing some improvements to Nexus to be completed before we hit C2 beta. It could be a big or small job, depending on what we decide.
I've iterated several times on the pre-load galaxies and missions, and feel that things are pretty good up until you get to Nexus, but at that point, I think there are problems. The major problems that I see with Nexus are: 1) There are too many chains of galaxies/missions that you can do that are all similar level, but if you do one or two of them, you end up too high level to really do any of the rest. 2) There's not quite enough direction in Nexus. It's heavily mission based, but you don't necessarily know what to do and in what order. I think maybe more hand holding and structure would be better. 3) The Nexus galaxy itself is a little bit big and spread out. Seems like it might be confusing for new players who haven't yet learned how to use their radar and target keys. 4) I feel like the branches off of deep space are confusing. Deep space should probably just connect from nexus to w0, and those other branches should be off of something else. 5) Mission rewards for the most part need to be changed to be level-appropriate. 6) Either need to remove the galaxy where you're supposed to build, or else let f2p build there again. What do you guys think? Do you think these are problems? Do you see any other problems with Nexus? Do you have suggestions on changes? _________________ For support, please create a support ticket here and I will get back to you as soon as possible. About Star Sonata. |
Wed Nov 03, 2010 2:17 am |
|
Main: Time Warp
Level: 3332 Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2008 5:59 am Posts: 3736 Location: Australia |
I think the most efficant way to do it is to open up with a cinematic...
Have a volcom force fighting an earthforce patrol... Have a commander in galaxy chat(make it so you're locked in galaxy chat) have him give you basic directions to take out the volcoms. Once that's done, have him lead you back to the nexus and go from there.... I like the 'putting them out of their misery' idea for the diseased rats. Time Warp _________________ andezrhode2a wrote: Timmeh is the exception to every rule. Battlecruiser23 wrote: /Timmeh! I mean /signed! sabre198 wrote: 1. Create C2 2. Time Warp quits 3. New players join 4. ... Profit?!? |
Wed Nov 03, 2010 2:24 am |
|
Team:
Rank: Soldier Main: The Crazy Game Master Level: 3283 Joined: Wed Feb 11, 2009 3:15 am Posts: 3652 Location: TARDIS, Time Vortex, Main Universe, Reality, Big Bang 2, Multiverse 1 |
Mail wrote: I think the most efficant way to do it is to open up with a cinematic... Have a volcom force fighting an earthforce patrol... Have a commander in galaxy chat(make it so you're locked in galaxy chat) have him give you basic directions to take out the volcoms. Once that's done, have him lead you back to the nexus and go from there.... I like the 'putting them out of their misery' idea for the diseased rats. Time Warp He leads you back to the nexus, impressed with your skills. He asks you to enlist in Earthforce. If you agree, you enroll in earthforce and go to Cadet Academy, where you remain until level 20, at which time you have an Enforcer and are ready to combat the universe. You are given a Cadet at the beginning of these missions and an Enforcer at the end. If you say no, the guy says "Too bad. Well, maybe you will join us later...". You are taken to The Nexus. A shady figure in a volcom approaches you, and asks if you want to join the Volcom Pirates. If you say yes, then you are given a Volcom and begin doing missions until you are level 20. You are given a Volcom at the beginning of these missions and an OS Volcom at the end. If you do not choose a path, Jeff_L comes in his admin ship and scolds you (obviously an AI version of him). He then forces you to choose a path, or risk upsetting the TimeSpace Continuum. If you refuse him full-out, the TimeSpace Continuum is destroyed and you spawn at the beginning in your zebucart (or whatever new starting ship is picked for Nexus). Galaxy Layout: Testing Grounds>Cadet Academy or Nexus If Cadet Academy, then: Cadet Academy>Nexus>Deep Space>Paxius If Nexus, then: Nexus>Volcom Gal>Deep Space>Blue Outpost If Jeff_L, then: TimeSpace reset>Testing Grounds It makes sense for the Earthforce line of missions to take you to Paxius, as Paxians are the Allies of Earthforce. Same with Volcom Pirates > Blue Pirates, they are both pirates. Someone else continue! P.S. Jeff, in the wise words of SC2 Marines: "Hell, It's about time." _________________ Star Sonata is not ready for a release on Steam. See this topic for what we think should be done about it. viewtopic.php?f=107&t=59132 |
Wed Nov 03, 2010 4:40 am |
|
Main: Time Warp
Level: 3332 Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2008 5:59 am Posts: 3736 Location: Australia |
Dunno about the Jeff_L bit, but yea.
Time Warp _________________ andezrhode2a wrote: Timmeh is the exception to every rule. Battlecruiser23 wrote: /Timmeh! I mean /signed! sabre198 wrote: 1. Create C2 2. Time Warp quits 3. New players join 4. ... Profit?!? |
Wed Nov 03, 2010 4:47 am |
|
Team:
Rank: Soldier Main: The Crazy Game Master Level: 3283 Joined: Wed Feb 11, 2009 3:15 am Posts: 3652 Location: TARDIS, Time Vortex, Main Universe, Reality, Big Bang 2, Multiverse 1 |
TW wanted me to post more, so here goes:
A small redesign. Instead of the volcom/earthforce missions ending at level 20, they will end at level 15. At which time, instead of proceeding Deep Space>Paxius/Blue Outpost, you will go straight to Paximinus. In Paximinus, you are given the regular paximinus missions, obviously redesigned. @ lvl 20, you are given a mission that has a Singularity involved in it. You must cross into this singularity to explore it for Paximinus. The singularity leads far into the Future, where the urqa have destroyed everything. A Cutscene is shown that allows you to see the destruction caused. Earth and the rest of the solar system is a smoldering crater in TimeSpace, due to the Urqa detonating a massive WMD ( Weapon of Mass Destruction) there. It made the sun go supernova, taking Sol and all of earthforce space with it. The paxians have become uprooted,and are running from the combined forces of Zaphragi and Urqa. All human life is extinct, and the universe is in patches and bunches. Adum shows up, and tells you this all happened because you entered the singularity and were removed from time. He allows you to look upon the destruction. After you are done crying, he offers to send you back in time to the moment you left. You say yes, and are hyperjumped to Paxius. The missions are continued normally from there. You run through the Paxius exploration missions. After them, you may explore the universe as a regular F2P until you go P2P. _________________ Star Sonata is not ready for a release on Steam. See this topic for what we think should be done about it. viewtopic.php?f=107&t=59132 |
Wed Nov 03, 2010 5:04 am |
|
Team:
Rank: Director Main: Takuhi Level: 966 Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2005 9:15 am Posts: 212 |
I think the structure of Nexus is fine. It gives new players the impression that SS is big and complicated, which it is.
Maybe the best thing to do is to incorporate a new tutorial system for all missions in the Nexus. Not only will this save you time in reorganising Nexus, but it will achieve the sort of results you want. A new voice/text tutorial with lots of specific on-screen UI targeting (of drones or AI that need to be killed, or stations to fly to or debris to pick up), would come in handy. Even a dialogue box with "back" and "next" would come in handy. You could even expand the tutorial system to normal mission hints. _________________ DO NOT GOOGLE ZONURA |
Wed Nov 03, 2010 5:39 am |
|
Main: Gamepro07
Level: 2040 Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 8:03 pm Posts: 774 |
Takuhi wrote: I think the structure of Nexus is fine. It gives new players the impression that SS is big and complicated, which it is. Maybe the best thing to do is to incorporate a new tutorial system for all missions in the Nexus. Not only will this save you time in reorganising Nexus, but it will achieve the sort of results you want. A new voice/text tutorial with lots of specific on-screen UI targeting (of drones or AI that need to be killed, or stations to fly to or debris to pick up), would come in handy. Even a dialogue box with "back" and "next" would come in handy. You could even expand the tutorial system to normal mission hints. This. Keep it like it is, just make it better in the fact that it's more clear to the players about what they are doing, what missions they chose and what they have to do and "why" they are doing it. Giving the new players a choice as to what they want to do is great, Star Sonata, like most MMORPGs, is based greatly on choice. What you choose to do, can effect everything in the future. _________________ Time flies when you're throwing clocks. |
Wed Nov 03, 2010 6:52 am |
|
Main: Demiser of D
Level: 4 Joined: Tue Jun 07, 2005 6:46 pm Posts: 5424 Location: Listening to Fire On High, best song ever. |
Make a pop up that appears whenever you go a certain distance from any object, that says "Lost? Try pressing "Tab" to find an object to fly to.
_________________ JeffL wrote: That's it. I quit! Battlecruiser23 wrote: Fuck you, Cygnus. |
Wed Nov 03, 2010 7:31 am |
|
Team:
Rank: Main: Gunslinger Myrtok Level: 2640 Joined: Sun Jan 13, 2008 3:43 am Posts: 1965 |
New players need to be forced to go through a very short tutorial for using the target and autopilot keys, equipping new weapons, and switching weapons on the fly. Also, tossing junk overboard and transferring items between ships. Most new players simply don't take the time to read the tutorial on those things, and they account for a lot of our questions in help chat.
_________________ pip8786 wrote: Dorin Nube... you win the best post on the forums ever award. Well done. HAL wrote: You are greedy and ignorant, you can't have everything in life for free. |
Wed Nov 03, 2010 8:20 am |
|
Team:
Rank: Officer Main: Jeff Bobbo Level: 2700 Joined: Sat Dec 08, 2007 4:19 pm Posts: 5138 Location: Not where you are right now |
I'mma keep this list fairly short, instead of what Claerwyn is managing to do.
Fixing most of this would be easy:
_________________ Javatech wrote: Battlecruiser23 wrote: I am a Troll, ignore everything I say. JeffL wrote: Are you kidding me? Our C2 music is way better than that boring garbage you linked. |
Wed Nov 03, 2010 9:10 am |
|
Team:
Rank: Main: Gunslinger Myrtok Level: 2640 Joined: Sun Jan 13, 2008 3:43 am Posts: 1965 |
I agree that mini bana needs nerfed. Rattie Moe not so much though. They can usually come back and kill him easily long before level 20, and for some reason you see newbies banding together to go kill him sometimes, but you never see it for mini bana.
_________________ pip8786 wrote: Dorin Nube... you win the best post on the forums ever award. Well done. HAL wrote: You are greedy and ignorant, you can't have everything in life for free. |
Wed Nov 03, 2010 12:08 pm |
|
over 9000!
Main: enkelin
Level: 5600 Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2007 12:28 pm Posts: 11109 |
Make RC 1 obtainable by mission in the Nexus, in addition to the usual method at Lavanite/GM. The mission can still require a blue whisper if you like. If you're uncomfortable with the idea of players having RC before they get warp 1, I'd say it's just RC 1 and not a big deal. The mission text can also tell the player that they'll need warp 1 in order to get more RC. It could also open a series of missions that teach the player how to create a slave, maybe giving them a combat controlbot and a tech 0 stasis generator. In general, I think missions are the way to go since they can offer XP and other incentives, while most players are too impatient to sit through a tutorial. I feel this should be added since the slave system in SS is frankly confusing and it's by far the most common topic in Help Chat. Furthermore, making slaves wrong can lead to costly losses, demoralizing a new player.
_________________ Hi, I'm Anil, a long-time player turned developer. I am Star Sonata's lead content developer, which means that I run weekly dev meetings and make sure that any proposed changes to the game receive proper review before going live. http://www.starsonata.com/features |
Wed Nov 03, 2010 1:22 pm |
|
Main: Earthforce Commander
Level: 963 Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 4:31 pm Posts: 686 Location: hacking into your computer |
A similar input as above for drone deployment would be useful as well.
Most commonly asked questions: "Where do I get RC?" "How can I use drones?" "How do you use missiles?" Hmm... maybe something for missiles could be implemented as well. Cba to list an idea. _________________ HAL on 4/1/10 wrote: I bet you thought you were going to get a joke today? Well guess what? April fools! |
Wed Nov 03, 2010 1:24 pm |
|
Site Admin / Dev Team
Team:
Rank: Director Main: Jeff_L Level: 1969 Joined: Wed Mar 23, 2005 2:21 am Posts: 3894 Location: Santa Clara, CA |
jeff mc beth wrote:
All good suggestions, thanks. One thing I definitely want to add is a map galaxy reveal as part of accepting missions, so maybe once you get to the first nexus station, there could be an introduction to nexus that reveals the whole nexus map to you. _________________ For support, please create a support ticket here and I will get back to you as soon as possible. About Star Sonata. |
Wed Nov 03, 2010 1:50 pm |
|
Team:
Rank: Officer Main: Jeff Bobbo Level: 2700 Joined: Sat Dec 08, 2007 4:19 pm Posts: 5138 Location: Not where you are right now |
JeffL wrote: One thing I definitely want to add is a map galaxy reveal as part of accepting missions That was in some of the stuff me and Klestiko were planning to do after we talked to Q4, and possibly Pip, it was a while ago now. _________________ Javatech wrote: Battlecruiser23 wrote: I am a Troll, ignore everything I say. JeffL wrote: Are you kidding me? Our C2 music is way better than that boring garbage you linked. |
Wed Nov 03, 2010 3:16 pm |
|
Page 1 of 4 |
[ 59 posts ] | Go to page 1, 2, 3, 4 Next |
All times are UTC - 5 hours |
Who is online |
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 17 guests |
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot post attachments in this forum |