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Simple question: Will I be able to change my on-screen displays for scanners, speed, etc, to the imperial system? My guess would be yes, but I wasn't sure if it was confirmed anywhere. In this latest Dev-Diary (Awesome), All measurements seem to be in Metric. https://youtu.be/5yG5DtZcdd8

Introduction This is more so a topic for the developers, but I hope people will add their ideas for additonal feedback. Dual Universe is looking to be an enormous, awesome game. It's trying to do what no game has done before, but at the same time it's going to share some gameplay aspects with other games. In order to make this deep, rich, and occasionally complex game a reality, lots of mechanics and ideas will need balancing and fine-tuning. A very popular game around these forums is EVE, for obvious reasons. EVE has lots of the features and mechanics that Dual Universe is looking to accomplish. As such, I would consider it foolish to not look to EVE for ideas on how to make Dual Universe better. EVE is very successful, with a huge lifespan for a game, and many of the concepts the game is based on are shared by Dual Universe. As such, it is of course a great example to look to. What Survivor Bias is However, I think it's extremely important to specifically mention survivorship bias (SB), and how to avoid it. If you know what SB is, you can skip this paragraph. SB is when you look at only the survivors of a situation, and make a judgment call based on only what made the survivors successful. You can google it yourself, but a popular example is from WWII. Lots of British and American bombers were getting shot down, and so the allies looked at where most of the bullet holes were in the returning bombers. They added extra armor to those areas, and sent them off again. But, the number of bombers lost didn't really change. Then one man realized the fallacy in the reasoning... They were only looking at the bombers that had survived. This man determined where the bombers that were getting shot down were getting shot; he didn't look at why the survivors survived, but why the failures failed. He determined where the lost bombers were being shot and subsequently destroyed, and those spots were then armored instead. The number of bombers getting shot down decreased after this, because his reasoning was correct. How I've used it in games Seems dramatic to bring such a serious matter into a game, but the reasoning is the same. I'm currently working on a zombies map for Black Ops 3, and wanting to make a great map, I looked at the generally considered "best zombies maps" (take a guess how many youtube videos there are with a title like that) and what makes people like them so much. But, I also looked at the maps people seem to like the least, and tried to figure out why people don't like them, so I can avoid the features and aspects that those maps have that the others don't. (TL;DR: You'll still get the gist of the topic if you read from here) Why the failures fail Dual Universe can do the same. Looking at EVE as an example, that's great, an extremely good idea to do so. Look at what makes that game great, and try and carry those features over. But, it is also extremely important to look at what made the failures fail. Drama aside, look at No Man's Sky. It has tons of planets and creatures to discover. People say all the planets are the same aside from colors, and they're partially right. A planet may have different animals, but they lack uniqueness. Each animal hardly acts any differently than any other, and no animal offers something that another one doesn't. All of the materials and resources are found in the same form on every planet. No Man's Sky offers lots and lots of the same thing; there are tons of planets, buildings, animals, NPCs, and space stations, but none of them really offer anything that another one doesn't. The problem with failures is that typically, they aren't popular so not many people know about them. I hope other people will bring in more failures of games (preferably ones comparable in some way to Dual Universe), and maybe highlight some reasons why those games failed. Maybe mention some features you don't want to see in the game. Please try and avoid drama and extreme negativity; highlight flaws, but don't verbally destroy the games, and please specifically don't turn this into a No Man's Sky hate thread.

After giving the most recent Kickstarter update video a listen, I got a nice little nugget of info. ~Blueprints will not be wiped between Alpha, Beta, and the Release. This gives a tangible advantage to players at the gold level and higher, as the time they spend building (and helping test for that matter) the voxel system, ship building, and base building will get to carry-over all of their blueprints and potentially have an economic advantage at game launch. While other players are trying to develop ships from scratch or working off of the start ships, Alpha/Beta players will already have designs with a slick uniform look and possibly so will their respective org. Despite not having access to all launch features, this makes ORG play viable at least in Beta to acquire an advantage for main release. Does this provide an unfair advantage to Alpha/Beta players? An advantage sure, however our characters probably won't get to keep the levels we had to gain to make those builds possible. When the wipe hits after beta and before main launch, every other tangible resource will still be an obstacle for players who have a bank of blueprints from the previous versions. I for one will try to flex my Alpha and Beta muscles with the Alchemists to get a head start on builds! Pretty neat eh? I'd HIGHLY recommend upping those pledges to at least gold at this point if you haven't already

Could we get an open-topped cockpit for planetary travel? Yeah, I'm talking hover-bike style cockpit, not unlike a speeder or motorcycle. Here are the potential benefits: -It would look totally sick! -Less resources and lighter weight means easier to build and easier to propel ~faster -The exposed nature would allow players to shoot you dead, despite being in a construct. Since Construct vs Construct combat won't be there at launch, this would allow lower-level play to include some sort-of vehicular combat. -Can't go into space with it -This would allow players to have a low-tier transportation system for traveling across a planet surface that is easy to steal/lose but easy to replace -Organize SWEET hover-races Plus who doesn't love speeders?

Can the artists doing elements make 6 which function as animal cropods or animal resurrection nodes? Craft-able in three sizes and two types. Land and aquatic. High tech Cat box, dog kennel sized box, charger sized box with hold and rattling. I can do basic models or sketches. These allow a quest like process of deploying fauna and fish to the new world. Org mediated. It need not spawn an animal; it's just a specialised form of nameable cargo to be delivered to a warehouse; zoo, farm, park. An additional re-nameable 'seed' package would do plants. Get it to a location set by the contracting player or Perhaps a trade machine. This allows a semi story element. "Restoring earths flora and fauna" to pad out the early play and as a cash flow tool. This gives a player org something to weave their contracts around that is not resource focused. Logically this would be a stretch goal not the main kickstarter goal list.

Drones and Gameplay Yes drones probably one of the most discussed topic with a lot dreams. I've been thinking a lot about how those things could be integrated in a sandbox game for a longtime now not just with Dual Universe. I want drones which are in theory capable of everything the player is able to do with his equipment. (DU equivalent: his constructs) It would be up to the programming skills of the smart people to develop good software which would also be a good trading good. Awesome AI software + awesome construct = awesome drone The problem with that is it will be most likely abused very quickly with some kind of replicator device and an army of drones steam rolling anything that is in the way. (And yes, I'm guilty I did this many times where I was able to do so) But since you are not alone in the universe that is not an option, they have to be nerfed in a way that doesn't cut the capability of them but also clearly restricts usage to prevent such SkyNet scenarios. I first thought about really complicated stuff that needs a very high level of knowledge and skills like (and dev time): Building up complicated rule sets in order to use them, the need for communication devices with limited range and a max number of drones or a master drone controller with "CPU" cycles that get used up by the various functions performed. (The CPU cycle thing is fun so, I had competitions with my nerd friends who could build the most efficient program) But all those have flaws and turn players off who don't want to dedicate much time to this topic. Drones should be a essential part of the gameplay and not just for the 10% who are able to grapst the topic. Things like summon your ship would be a drone activity, any construct performing a advanced series of maneuvers with a given task would be a drone. This kind of automation needs to be accessible to everyone either by hard work or buying it from the marked. Besides that, providing means for ingame automation makes third party bot software less viable. Then it hit me, how to prevent SkyNet and make drones a very good gameplay element in DU. DU already has some very unique and great abilities such as the rights and duty management system. So how about you need a licenses in order to use a drone. A license could be bought at the ark ship or a skill learned overtime but they are finite for example you can own only 5 per player. Those license must be assigned to a construct core in order for it to function as a drone. A little scenario Now I'm a big company with a giant mining site (claimed territory) and doing everything per hand is stupid, I WANT DRONES TO DOOO THAT..... So how do I get to use many drones there? That is where the rights and duty management comes in as a organisation you can claim a number of drone licenses form you members. However it is up to them to give them to you they could keep or trade them in the market if you don't offer enough in return. (And you could decline them membership for that but that is up to you) With the ability to sublicense you can make a small income and miss a drone or you could control more drones at once. The next problem pops up Ok now I have 15 drone licenses and all are used in the mining site for bots and somebody attacks. There are 5 additional fighter drones stationed at the side, so in order to defend it you need to dynamically reassign the license and risk 5 mining bots falling out of the sky or you could rent 5 additional licenses from a market place. This is in my opinion a very balanced solution which allows big empires to have a drone police to provide security, big companies with automated equipment to do work and the average Joe a relieve from resource grinding. P.S. it is 03:43 AM and I tired so for any mistakes: finders keepers :-P

Aliens have long been a subject of speculation and a pillar of science-fiction, so I set to wondering, if the game-makers finally decide to bring them what would we like them to be? EDIT!!: Do not post any pictures videos or information from the pre-alpha(as proof or otherwise) according to the NDA.

"Good day, fellow members of the Dual Universe Forum. Like an astounding fraction of people here, I have found a great interest in the creation process Dual Universe has created. Most wonderful of all, I believe, is the fact that while templates are going to be available, most or all of the code can and will be done by the players. While this may allow for stunning creations like "Pacific Rim meets Gears of War"; inventions to darker "George Orwell's "1984" meets Ex Machina", the real problem lies with the benefit itself: codes. Where the player inventions simply to be tried and tested against NPCs, who am I to complain? (after all, we humans like battering digital units without any conscience coming to sting us later on...like Witcher 3...or Doom...or soon to be harassed Dual Universe NPCs...) My concern is that codes, basically interact with other codes that can be decoded, recoded or bloody well explode in your face. What happens when a designer creates a weapon with a kill range of 70,000 units and a damage variable thrice that amount? Or.... A ship with a hilariously high health value and a repair snippet that adds twice the maximum health every millisecond? Or... Codes that change the values of their coded targets, leaving the attack or defence in a quite proverbial "Waterloo"? I do hope that I'm not sounding like a Prophet of Doom to the poor inhabitants of Pompeii, but I do hope the developers have this volcano in check, or at least a force field to keep the lava from raining down on our heads. Lastly, player created AI is going to be as much a blessing to people here as the electric bulb was to our ancestors in the late nineteenth century. In retrospect, it would be a curse to many as much as a future "SkyNet" may be to our descendants in years to come. To be quite frank, some people here may already be working on a doomsday "SkyNet" for the poor people who are unlucky enough to come across it. The point is, some clear controls need to be put in place. And I hope the Guardians of the Dual Universe are several steps ahead of us. Pax Vobiscum. "

So after thinking a bit about ways to convey and tell stories in DU, i though about Wreckage and Ruins you might find that arent result of player interaction (combat). First Wreckages: The Idea is very simple, the game would spawn wreckage in a system/orbit of a object, that could be discovered by explorers and salvaged for recources, components and technology. So how would the game create wreckage? First option: The game takes predefiend already damaged models and places them randomly across the system. (allows for alien AND manmade objects) Second Option: The game takes normal player made models from the ingame market that are actualy aviable to be bought by anyone and damages them randomly before randomly placing them across a already discovered system to explain why the system hasnt been scanned already. Third Option: Player made AND predefined Wreckage Second Ruins: For Ruins we have basiclly the same options, if structures work like ships for the market. BUT structures open more gameplay options because they could trigger safe areas around them, be an automated market, a tomb that goes through the whole planet that you have discover and explore or just a simple trap.

So I was contemplating player housing in other MMOs. Most other games that include housing have them instanced in other private worlds. The only exception I can think of is the recently released ArcheAge. Honestly, that open-world land plot system was a nightmare, having only resulted in a massive land grab. There's virtually no more land to be owned. But if DU were to maintain its single-shard concept with an open plot based housing/land ownership system, it is very likely that the same scenario could happen. Possible solutions: Build vertically: takes up less surface area Multiple person buildings: hotels, apartments, condominiums, etc. Space plots: A small island in space, apart from the main planets. Or asteroid settlement. Mortgage loans or rent Fluctuating real estate economy: More densely populated areas have higher land costs. There should also be a limit on the area that can be converted to housing as we don't want entire planets full of little space huts. Any other thoughts, suggestions?

Hello everyone, I want to introduce a reputation system dubbed "The Honor System". It's a record of a player's prestige, fame, status, and reputation. Every player will be recorded in THS (unofficial term), and will be listed according to their social interactions. This may be because of their sincerity or insincerity, depends on each individual and how they want to be perceived. Let's imagine a scenario of a player committing vandalism, theft, and hostility within a community. Most likely they would get a negative reputation in the honor system and this will affect all their social interactions, maybe being denied certain services, while having access to services exclusive to that reputation. There will be two extremes, good and evil, very much like paragon and renegade in Mass Effect. I'm not sure if there will be a neutral status like paragade, so that's open for discussion. Players will also be able to gain status and become famous, whether it be by a "wanted" poster or otherwise. Ultimately becoming good or evil, depending on choices, and there will be benefits and consequences to both sides that I haven't thought out yet. I think this is perfect for any role-player out there!

Today, I bring the topic of communication, specifically voice communication in Dual Universe. While it is an already discussed idea among Novaquark, I would like to expand on it: Free Talk: This idea enables players to talk within the vicinity. The closer you are to the source of a voice, the louder it will be. Likewise, the farther away you are the less louder it becomes. If you are not facing the source, you won't hear them as well as when facing them. Now, we won't want to walk into a densely populated area and hear voices from all sides. To minimize white noise in Free Talk (unofficial term) you will have to move away from the vicinity of chatterboxes and not be facing them. Or simply, change channels. Channels: There will be multiple channels that the player can tune into like organization, ship crew, 'free talk' etc. and a custom channel that you can invite a select few to chat in. This creates options so players can choose what to use their telecommunication device for. Telecommunication Device: This is a device that will enable wireless communication. It will have to be with you at all times and indestructible. Whether or not the Nanoformer will be used for this is unknown. Unless you're telepathic we'll need this. Intership Communication: Let's say you're flying through space in your galactic Lamborghini and a stranger decides to fire lasers at you. With this feature you'll be able to target that ship and ask them why they're shooting at you or "Can we work something out?" before they annihilate you. Interbase Communication: Interbase communication is essentially a way to contact a nearby base (that is not in your organization) and establish a trade, treaty, form alliance, declare war, or gossip. All communication used this way is handled by Leaders, or under paid receptionists (basically anyone with authority). This is a better alternative to emails because it's more formal, but both will be available. Voice Command: If you've ever played Mass Effect 3 you would know the Kinect voice recognition feature that allows you to give orders to teammates. I have a similar idea to implement into artificial intelligence, you'll be able to command AI using your voice. Whether it is units, drones, or anything robotic in nature, most technological devices and AI can now be controlled with your voice. I think it'll be amazing for the Nanoformer, you'll be able to use its tools without pushing a button! But of course, there will be keyboard options. Ignore Option: This is essential for anyone that is being harassed verbally (and otherwise). This option helps maintain stability within the online community. Or if someone is simply talking too much, this is for you! These ideas are for simplicity's sake, using your voice instead of keys saves you a lot of time and allows you to focus your keyboarding skills on other tasks while maintaining communication. If you have similar ideas, I will add them to the list. Now let's discuss! *edit* Simulating real voice in an environment will add a great deal of depth to the game. Sound Reverberation: When you're talking in a large hallway, echoes will be present. In an open world, no resonance. Sound Barriers: Doors, walls, and objects will affect local speech if the listener is on the other side, reducing range a voice can be heard. Proximity Noise: This suggests that if you yell, the range it can be heard from increases (of course).