[quote]Incidentally I think a wiki is probably the best way to manage this
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I think the group management will have to be one of the innovations of this/these projects.
As, inevitably, we are almost flaming one another over game concept, I’ll throw my ideas about how I would implement everything into the furnace:-
Space trader. I find these generally boring. Which is why I think its a good idea to do becuase we can think of novel ways of making it interesting. Also if devs are given specific sectors, then rivalry should naturally tend dev.s to create high quility sectors, evenly distributed throuout the galaxy.
Wacky idea 1 for alternative career paths to trading:- arcade games in space stations. If you are on the top score for that day for that game at that space station: receive a healthy reward (proportional to number of competitors). So one could travel around the galaxy playing games to make a living (if you are really good that is). Space races as well. To be fair I could not be arsed writing mini-games so?
Wacky idea 2: Everyone loves buying new ships. Why not make ships “truely” configurable, ergo almost infinite possible different ship configs. Pros: cool. Cons: ships will end up a bit blocky probably. You lose slick shaped ships.
Wacky idea 3: Lots of scripted encounters. Ooo I’ve come across a space-time anomaly I’ll mark it on my map. Science people, scan it. Oh your not experienced enough yet, I better scan some minerals to train you and come back. Oh I’ve come back. Scan the anomaly, my science officer says we need to get closer. Shit we’ve been sucked in and trapped in subspace. There is a strange planet here inhabited by people outside our concept of time, however, they will be bought/threatend/healed and release us or there are loads of wreckages of space ships. Get a boarding party ready and salvage away for clues as how to escape! Phew, we escaped science+=100, +10,000 star credits for turning in log info to star commands sceince/ 10,000 credits to sell the details to the war race for a possible enegry source for a weapon or whatever. Basically give a space sim a bit more of a star trek theme.
Generally I find space sims lack the impressiveness of space technology. Everyone is wizzing around in tiny ships with max. 10 crew. I want a crew of 800+ on my capitol ship (more engineers = faster, more tactical = powerful weapons etc.). Your starting ship should be about a thousandth of the size of a space station. The beginner should feel totally inadequate, and the end game you should feel king of the galaxy.
I don’t know if it should be too RPGy but maybe your could add some skills. Your main skill is deplomacy (=dialog options) as you are a Captain. You have a range of officers (if your ship is big enough). If they have a high skill you get “special” moves. Boost the effeciency of the engines for 20 sec. Overcharge the weapon systems. Customize a torpedo. You also assign crew under them, and the more crew the better the ship performs more mundane operations. Slight boost to engines, slightly better damage absorbtion. Faster shield recharge rate. Your officers increase experience by doing things, so a highly trained officer would be very valuable (so get a highly trained medic otherwise you will be very upset at some point)
As for implementation. I would be happy to take on alot of the physics. Space physics is pretty easy stuff anyway. Configurable ships are interesting. The design choices: if I mount my turning engines far from my center of gravity, they are much more effecient because the torque is proportioanl to distance from c.o.m. However, if they are away from the main hull, they are more vulnerable to attack (and losing your turning engines in combat = loss of turning).
Oh yeah controls. I hate real space physics. I liked original elite best. Have real physics with respect to forces (so engine positioning and weight distribution is important), but add a massive amount of dampning to velocity, so take your foot off the thruster and you slow down. Don’t have force dampning as an option on the dashboard, because when games do that I feel like I am cheating when I turn it on, or feel I could do better in combat with it turned off. Force all ships and players to follow the same unrealistic dynamics.
I liked elite II time speed options. I hate games that 1. reward you for delivering parcels across the galaxy when it takes “forever” to cross the galaxy. I don’t like the “make this part of the game tedious and reward players who can take it” game design pattern, thats for MMORPGs, not single players! Crossing the galaxy should be dangerous if the rewards are high, not time consuming. (so I would like a fully automatic autopilot). I’m thinking trading should be automatic in some way. Multiple ships is too much, but maybe you could charter a trade route or something. Dunno, need to think about this really.
Errr, thats probably enough chat for now. If I built an RTS it would be: copy as much functionality as is cognatively possible from supreme commander. Then add the option of saving base templates as build macros so the critical first 20 seconds of build orders can be deployed automatically. Add multiplayer ladder.
