It seems that you're using an outdated browser. Some things may not work as they should (or don't work at all).
We suggest you upgrade newer and better browser like: Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer or Opera

×
First, the usual, apologies if this thread already exists, I searched around in the top pages and couldn’t find one quite like this but I have to admit, I did skim, so hope I didn’t overlook one.

Now, after almost 40 hours playtime (I really didn’t do much else this weekend) I really like this game, I really do. But I have to admit, upon further reflection, I like it for its potential more than for what it actually does.
Whenever I step onto a new planet, it just hits me how great this algorithm works. These planets look way better than e.g. the side mission planets from Mass Effect 1 and they had actually designers look at them. In NMS, it’s just the computer generating stuff and the fact that it still looks amazing and natural is a testament to the developers skills at mathematics. It’s amazing.

Now, the problem is what we can do with these worlds and this universe because … well, it’s not much. Yet! Because I really hope Hello Games realizes what they have got here and how little they do with it and as a result will enhance this game a lot going forward.

So here are my suggestions for updates that need to happen to make this game from a just a great technical accomplishment to something that actually is a lot of fun to really play, not just to look at:

First of all, the proposed update with base building doesn’t make much sense to me. What good is building a base if the main point of this game is to always travel forward. There is no backtracking in NMS, so why build a base to just leave behind? On the off chance that some other player comes by this one base on this one planet? No thanks. There are way more urgent matter that need attention.

Here is my top four: Feel free to add your suggestions:

1. Improve the shooter part: There is no need to fundamentally change the gameplay as such but what we need is way better enemy AI for the sentinels. Their Aggro system needs to be totally overhauled to make them a better challenge and they need to mve, take cover, etc. Also, right now, we have no reason to fight, the most efficient course of action will always be to run away. Make the sentinels guard particularly valuable resources, so it makes sense for us to attack and look for a fight.
Also, we need way more weapon types. Let us switch between the beam weapon, the bolt caster, a shotgun-like weapon or something resembling a flame thrower or a rocket launcher. How about sniper and scope upgrades? Ideally, you’d give us procedurally generated modular weapons/upgrades like in Borderlands (but that may be something for NMS 2 I guess).

2. Space needs to get livelier: Right now, there is literally nothing to do in space, except for sometimes fighting faceless hostiles. You have 3 space faring alien races, where are their distinct ships and stations. Why aren’t we picking up comm. Chatter, there could be trade routes, that are attacked by outlaws and pirates. Space stations, danger zones (like gas clouds or asteroid fields, don’t have those just everywhere). Basically, take a good look at Freelancer and copy as much as possible.
That said, not every system should be the same (as it is now). Make some more, others less populated. Also give us some completely undiscovered systems with no population whatsoever (space and planets), so that we can feel like real explorers).

3. Story DLC: You made a fantastic world with this innovative complex technology. Now fill it with meaning and motivation for the players to keep them going. The lore that you have is brilliant IMO and the Atlas path is fascinating but there could be so much more. Give us Story DLC that adds real NPCs beyond Nada and Polo. Ideally, give us some hand crafted unique encounters and maps/levels, that we come across at random (or progression based) points in our travels and that we play through to progress a real story line. IMO the combination of the procedural huge universe and some interspersed handcrafted highlights within it, that we can work and grind towards, that would be the ideal gameplay experience.

4. Let us screw up: The fact that we can’t really maneuver ourselves into a dead end is great for beginners but especially in the later game, give us more of a challenge. There should be planets that do not have plutonium and iron every 5 meters. This would strengthen the survival aspect of the game. Imagine being stranded on a toxic world, your thruster depleted and you need to set out on foot, to find fuel or a base or anything that will let you survive. I realize this includes the danger of dead ends, so to compensate, I suggest increasing the number of save to 5 or even 10 and deviding them up between the really save beacon restore points and the ship restore points. That should be a good safety net to be able to always reload if you really can’t make it anymore.
Also, I’d add to this that we need full control of our ship, including the “option” to crash it into planets. I hate the “snowspeeder” gliding, I want to try and fly through canyons or make really low passes. If we crash the ship, it should be damaged and in need of repair (just like the wreckage, that we can already find).

Now, I am not sure if all of this is feasible for updates and DLCs but IMO these changes, taken together (or even a subset( could elevate this brilliant foundation from what is right now still a bit of a niche title into a real blockbuster game.

Again, congratulations to Hello game on what they have achieved so far. I am curious to see where this journey will take us.

If you guys have more ideas suggestions, I am also curious to hear them.
1. I always find lobbing a grenade into a sentinel is the quickest way to get rid of them. Maybe I am not far enough to the center yet moved only about 20k ly in but usually if you kill the 2 or 3 that show up before the reinforcement timer is up they are gone. I usually attack them on sight while I am mining because it's less trouble than to wait for one to attack.

Agree fully with two and three.

For number four I disagree. I would stop playing the game if at this point I would land on a planet and forget to reload the thrusters beforehand and there is no Plutonium to be had anywhere within walking distance.

It's ok to be quite rare and on some planets I've been on it was. But dead end nothing is a really bad idea.

I kind of agree with the free flight though. If I crash die and respawn on the station then so be it. Not the repair stuff though. That's way too expensive in gameplay terms. I for example never use black holes any more. They spare you are few jumps but if they break your tau warp drive that's more cost than dozens of jump cells.
Post edited August 17, 2016 by zarqoon
avatar
zarqoon: 1. I always find lobbing a grenade into a sentinel is the quickest way to get rid of them. Maybe I am not far enough to the center yet moved only about 20k ly in but usually if you kill the 2 or 3 that show up before the reinforcement timer is up they are gone. I usually attack them on sight while I am mining because it's less trouble than to wait for one to attack.
I know. IMO that's part of the problem. The shooter part right now is extremely boring because you can easily dispatch of the first few drones or just run away. What I am suggesting is to integrate it into the gameplay more and actually make it fun.

Agree fully with two and three.

For 4 I disagree. I would stop playing the game if at this point I would land on a planet and forget to reload the thrusters beforehand and there is no Plutonium to be had anywhere within walking distance.

It's ok to be quite rare and on some planets I've been on it was. But dead end nothing is a really bad idea.
I guess this one is a bit of a two edged sword and I can see how it wouldn't be everybody's cup of tea. I'd go with it because even if you have to reload, you'll never loose much of your progress as you'll always have a save at your last viable location.
But yeah, maybe this one would need a hardcore mode or something, that changes the procedural algorithm slightly when activated. Not sure how feasible that would be though.
Post edited August 17, 2016 by MrFob9138
Right now your last save would be on that planet you are stuck on. Just once at your ship and once at the save beacon you landed next to so you would have to start over completely.
Post edited August 17, 2016 by zarqoon
avatar
zarqoon: Right now your last save would be on that planet you are stuck on. Just once at your ship and once at the save beacon you landed next to so you would have to start over completely.
That's why I suggested increasing the number of saves and possibly dividing them up, so that there is always one that let's you go back to before you messed up.
Ok this would solve it. Or just letting you save by yourself. And everywhere. Which is also I feature I would like to have.
F5 quick save then alt+f4 and when I load back I'll be in exactly the same place I left. Even if that is deep in some cave somewhere.

Not being able to save and quit at a moment's notice is only ok in multiplayer games and on consoles old enough to have very limited space for saving like the ps2.
Regarding the base-building, this notion exists because people fall in love with particular planets.

I think the devs ought to think of it this way, and let players create beacons to easily remember/return to a planet.

Better yet, let players create satellites / space stations and keep the planets procedurally-generated.
Didn't Sean Murray say there won't be DLC's ? I of course could be wrong. I thought all the upcoming stuff would be free for us. Considering the price people paid...........

Hello Games have a list of upcoming features and base building was one of them.
avatar
styggron: Didn't Sean Murray say there won't be DLC's ? I of course could be wrong. I thought all the upcoming stuff would be free for us. Considering the price people paid...........

Hello Games have a list of upcoming features and base building was one of them.
He did. But then he revised that statement and said that monetary DLCs may be an option in the future (but that they'd still provide free updates like the stuff they are already working on.

I really like this game, but IMO Sean Murray really needs a press consultant. I don't think I have seen one statement of his yet that one doesn't need to take with a grain of salt.

Anyway, I am not at all opposed to payable DLCs, as long as they improve the game in important areas (such as the ones I suggested in the OP) and the pricing is fair. Better to have updates and pay for them than not having updates at all. But they should have communicated this clearly from the start (like so many things).

But keep in mind, this topic is not about DLC policy but suggestion for content. We could make another content about policy, once they figured out what exactly that is going to be.
60€ overpriced PC Game unfinished released = Free additional content and patches. That's all.
Nobody will have to pay for additional content: the founder said they will deliver free content.
avatar
styggron: Didn't Sean Murray say there won't be DLC's ? I of course could be wrong. I thought all the upcoming stuff would be free for us. Considering the price people paid...........

Hello Games have a list of upcoming features and base building was one of them.
avatar
MrFob9138: He did. But then he revised that statement and said that monetary DLCs may be an option in the future (but that they'd still provide free updates like the stuff they are already working on.

I really like this game, but IMO Sean Murray really needs a press consultant. I don't think I have seen one statement of his yet that one doesn't need to take with a grain of salt.

Anyway, I am not at all opposed to payable DLCs, as long as they improve the game in important areas (such as the ones I suggested in the OP) and the pricing is fair. Better to have updates and pay for them than not having updates at all. But they should have communicated this clearly from the start (like so many things).

But keep in mind, this topic is not about DLC policy but suggestion for content. We could make another content about policy, once they figured out what exactly that is going to be.
Yes indeed a pile of inconsistencies sadly.

I am glad some people are enjoying the game. I can't even get it running so am waiting for GoG to put up whatever patches Helo Games gives them. I am however extremely concerned that after literally a few hours I will be bored. From what I see it is extremely repetitive and you just mine for updates, mine to be able to mine (energy for the mining equipment) and I saw many videos of bases with the same dead aliens in there in the same positions so those aspects are quite a worry for me. :(
Post edited August 17, 2016 by styggron
avatar
MrFob9138: He did. But then he revised that statement and said that monetary DLCs may be an option in the future (but that they'd still provide free updates like the stuff they are already working on.

I really like this game, but IMO Sean Murray really needs a press consultant. I don't think I have seen one statement of his yet that one doesn't need to take with a grain of salt.

Anyway, I am not at all opposed to payable DLCs, as long as they improve the game in important areas (such as the ones I suggested in the OP) and the pricing is fair. Better to have updates and pay for them than not having updates at all. But they should have communicated this clearly from the start (like so many things).

But keep in mind, this topic is not about DLC policy but suggestion for content. We could make another content about policy, once they figured out what exactly that is going to be.
avatar
styggron: Yes indeed a pile of inconsistencies sadly.

I am glad some people are enjoying the game. I can't even get it running so am waiting for GoG to put up whatever patches Helo Games gives them.
This is true. On the face of it, it does get somewhat repetitive. That's the main reason I started this topic because my suggestions in the OP all aim to make the gameplay more diverse.

The planets themselves also do get repetitive, especially once you start really grinding for updates (such as looking for ship wrecks in order to increase your ship inventory slots), you clearly see the patterns of the procedural algorithms.
However, I personally don't mind that too much. I think the planets still offer great variability. I am now 40 hours in and I still find new stuff where I think "wow, haven't seen that before". E.g. just yesterday night, I discovered a moon, the surface of which was mainly comprised of weird very weird "loopy" rock formations (difficult to describe, sorry). But it's small stuff like that.
I mainly like the game for its potential. Whenever I fly into a planet's atmosphere and see all that terrain stretched out before me, I am awed by the technology that makes it possible. I am a big fan of Mass Effect and I even like to explore the lifeless side planets in ME1 with the MAKO. And the planets here look 100x times more lively and more varied than those barren maps in ME1 and they are just created by an algorithm.
Sure, there is not much story here and not even that much gameplay but the basic structure to add all of it is there. That's why I like it and that's why I want to push hard for updates that will add those important features because while it is not yet there, I think with just a little bit more effort, time and money it CAN be the ultimate exploration game.

Now, who knows if Hello Games will deliver. They certainly have a whole other slew of problems to work out now on the technical side, as you seem to know all too well unfortunately. But I haven't seen that much potential in a game in years (if ever) and that alone makes me excited.

So yea, when I say I like this game, it's a bit of a strange reasoning and I totally get everyone who is disappointed but there it is. Sorry for the long windedness, I seem to have trouble to make short posts about this game. :)
Post edited August 17, 2016 by MrFob9138
That gives me another idea. Something like the mako to drive around on the planets would be fun.
avatar
styggron: Yes indeed a pile of inconsistencies sadly.

I am glad some people are enjoying the game. I can't even get it running so am waiting for GoG to put up whatever patches Helo Games gives them.
avatar
MrFob9138: This is true. On the face of it, it does get somewhat repetitive. That's the main reason I started this topic because my suggestions in the OP all aim to make the gameplay more diverse.

The planets themselves also do get repetitive, especially once you start really grinding for updates (such as looking for ship wrecks in order to increase your ship inventory slots), you clearly see the patterns of the procedural algorithms.
However, I personally don't mind that too much. I think the planets still offer great variability. I am now 40 hours in and I still find new stuff where I think "wow, haven't seen that before". E.g. just yesterday night, I discovered a moon, the surface of which was mainly comprised of weird very weird "loopy" rock formations (difficult to describe, sorry). But it's small stuff like that.
I mainly like the game for its potential. Whenever I fly into a planet's atmosphere and see all that terrain stretched out before me, I am awed by the technology that makes it possible. I am a big fan of Mass Effect and I even like to explore the lifeless side planets in ME1 with the MAKO. And the planets here look 100x times more lively and more varied than those barren maps in ME1 and they are just created by an algorithm.
Sure, there is not much story here and not even that much gameplay but the basic structure to add all of it is there. That's why I like it and that's why I want to push hard for updates that will add those important features because while it is not yet there, I think with just a little bit more effort, time and money it CAN be the ultimate exploration game.

Now, who knows if Hello Games will deliver. They certainly have a whole other slew of problems to work out now on the technical side, as you seem to know all too well unfortunately. But I haven't seen that much potential in a game in years (if ever) and that alone makes me excited.

So yea, when I say I like this game, it's a bit of a strange reasoning and I totally get everyone who is disappointed but there it is. Sorry for the long windedness, I seem to have trouble to make short posts about this game. :)
Please don't apologise for the long posts. I really enjoy them. Thank you for being so thorough. :)
avatar
zarqoon: That gives me another idea. Something like the mako to drive around on the planets would be fun.
ooohhhyeeeaaa!!! :)

You know, from what I heard (and I am not 100% sure if it's true), the way they design the worlds in the upcoming Mass Effect Andromeda is to also generate them procedurally first, then touch those basic landscapes up by hand. If that allows them to make large numbers of varied and yet unique environments, it could be great. I am very curious to see what that game will be like.
Post edited August 18, 2016 by MrFob9138