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Interactive Maps: The Foundation of the Explorer Role


Code24

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I have a few ideas regarding interactive maps/star maps.

 

Star Map 

  • Star Map is stored electronically in your Nanopack
  • All players start will no data in their SM
  • Data is added to the SM through scanning 
  • Data can be selectively uploaded to a map data file
  • These data files can be sold or shared with other players

Features

  • Manually created POI’s can be created to mark discovered constructs, or any other location of interest
  • POI’s include an optional description
  • When uploading, you can select which discoveries you want to include or do a complete upload
  • The SM will keep track of the first player known to have discovered the locations on a given players map

  • Discoverer can opt to have their name undisclosed

  • Data from multiple players can be merged onto one data chip

  • Data points on your map that were purchased from other players cannot be resold unless allowed through RDMS

  • Using the RDMS you can prohibit rival organizations from purchasing your data
  • Automatically collects data on locations of planets, resources, and organization territories

Potential Effects

  • This could add gameplay for intelligence agents, who try to pinpoint the last known location of a target with the POI system
  • Players buying a unknown map, will have to investigate POI’s at their own risk, because they could be falling into a trap
  • Eventually most planetary data around Alioth will become common knowledge, as competing explorers are continually adding new data to the markets and the value of the older data decreases
  • Some data files will sell better than others because of the usefulness of their POI's
  • Some players explore unknown areas to make money on the open markets,  others will do so on contract, and some will do it just to benefit their organization.

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Hmmm...this is an intriguing concept. The only question I have at this point is how scanning would work? Would it be planet-wide, or just a set distance around you?

If it is just a certain distance around you, it could really slow down exploring, since everyone would have to physically travel to various locations on a planet/ in space and perform multiple scans to create a map of the area. However, it could give rise to another type of technology and/or skill that extends scanning range/accuracy. Maybe even encourage the creation of ships built specifically around a high-power version of this tech that allows for constant scanning with exceptional range and definition.

 

Or maybe static scanners or satellites that provide authorized parties (everyone in your organization, for example,) with the most up-to-date maps of a given area/planet.

 

Hmmm... :)

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I, too, find this really interesting. It also paves the way for more kinds of organizations, or sub-divisions of these, like intelligence agencies, explorers with Lewis-and-Clark-like aesthetics etc. Not to forget the potentiel effect on war-tactics being effected by the knowledge of enemy location and base movement.

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Hmmm...this is an intriguing concept. The only question I have at this point is how scanning would work? Would it be planet-wide, or just a set distance around you?

If it is just a certain distance around you, it could really slow down exploring, since everyone would have to physically travel to various locations on a planet/ in space and perform multiple scans to create a map of the area. However, it could give rise to another type of technology and/or skill that extends scanning range/accuracy. Maybe even encourage the creation of ships built specifically around a high-power version of this tech that allows for constant scanning with exceptional range and definition.

 

Or maybe static scanners or satellites that provide authorized parties (everyone in your organization, for example,) with the most up-to-date maps of a given area/planet.

 

Hmmm... :)

I think planetary scan would be too OP. 1 or 2 km would be perfect in my opnion.

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Some SWEET emergent things that could come from this...

 

-Pirate Treasure Maps: If killing a player allows you to duplicate some of their MAP data, then you could end up finding locations where a pirate left their loot!

 

-Selling map data in-general: really helps balance the fact that scanning is an entire skillset. A solo player who specializes in scanning could make good money on the markets, especially if it isn't a common specialization. Orgs will be VERY interested in recruiting prospectors.

 

-Gifting/trading map data: will be a great way for inter-org cooperation, and a great bargaining chip for negotiating alliances. What better way to form a diplomatic tie than to share known universe info?

 

-Lots of Public Data: There will be plenty of players and orgs that will give their info away, which will make buying map data or scanning for your self not entirely required. Also, merchants will likely want to add their location to public record, or not in the case of black markets.

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Some SWEET emergent things that could come from this...

 

-Pirate Treasure Maps: If killing a player allows you to duplicate some of their MAP data, then you could end up finding locations where a pirate left their loot!

 

-Selling map data in-general: really helps balance the fact that scanning is an entire skillset. A solo player who specializes in scanning could make good money on the markets, especially if it isn't a common specialization. Orgs will be VERY interested in recruiting prospectors.

 

-Gifting/trading map data: will be a great way for inter-org cooperation, and a great bargaining chip for negotiating alliances. What better way to form a diplomatic tie than to share known universe info?

 

-Lots of Public Data: There will be plenty of players and orgs that will give their info away, which will make buying map data or scanning for your self not entirely required. Also, merchants will likely want to add their location to public record, or not in the case of black markets.

 

All of this sounds awesome and a great way to encourage emergent gameplay. I really like the idea of having special technology devoted to scanning, and perhaps making it very power or cpu intensive so that ships that specialize in it will have to sacrifice other aspects like weapons/defenses. Scanning range should probably be limited without a specialized ship, to around 1km with proper skills so that the known regions don't get scanned too fast. Since we are going to be stuck on the first planet and in the first system for at least a few months, we don't want everyone to be able to scan all of it in the first week.

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All of this sounds awesome and a great way to encourage emergent gameplay. I really like the idea of having special technology devoted to scanning, and perhaps making it very power or cpu intensive so that ships that specialize in it will have to sacrifice other aspects like weapons/defenses. Scanning range should probably be limited without a specialized ship, to around 1km with proper skills so that the known regions don't get scanned too fast. Since we are going to be stuck on the first planet and in the first system for at least a few months, we don't want everyone to be able to scan all of it in the first week.

I'd be willing to bet there will be military applciations for scanning as well. Other sandbox games don't have vanilla ways of figuring out if players are settling in an asteroid field (talking about Space engineers, where you can hide from anyone effortlessly). If scanning would also let people reveal settlements, TU ownership, and on an advanced level weapon and defensive details that would be very useful for Law Enforcement to root out pirates, or for pirates to find easy prey.

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Perhaps they should split the "map" up into three parts. Planetary where the biggest scale is the entire planet. Stellar where the biggest scale shows the sun with all its planets. Galactic, which would show the "entire" galaxy. Entire being all the explored/known space.

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All of this sounds awesome and a great way to encourage emergent gameplay. I really like the idea of having special technology devoted to scanning, and perhaps making it very power or cpu intensive so that ships that specialize in it will have to sacrifice other aspects like weapons/defenses. Scanning range should probably be limited without a specialized ship, to around 1km with proper skills so that the known regions don't get scanned too fast.

 

This is my opinion as well. Particularly in regard to the limitations of a powerful scanner on a ship, you shouldn't be able to discover an enemy settlement 500Km away and ​be able to destroy it with the same ship!

 

 

I'd be willing to bet there will be military applications for scanning as well. Other sandbox games don't have vanilla ways of figuring out if players are settling in an asteroid field (talking about Space engineers, where you can hide from anyone effortlessly). If scanning would also let people reveal settlements, TU ownership, and on an advanced level weapon and defensive details that would be very useful for Law Enforcement to root out pirates, or for pirates to find easy prey.

 

Imagine the stealth ship possibilities! Now, it would obviously have disadvantages, like becoming detectable while scanning, since it would draw so much power to run. But...you could get into a good scanning position undetected, then wait for an opportune time to actually run the scan. Also, some kind of really limited-range, but almost undetectable scanning tech would be nice for dropping a scanning satellite near an enemy base/space station. Or it could be used to set up a warning system if someone starts building in a particular area.

 

If you read some of my posts on other threads, you might realize I am a little obsessed with the idea of stealth applications for stuff. :D 

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I really like the systems planned for DU. They have commonality in that if a player is not interested in something, they can skip over the fine details and still get a decent result. But for those that are interested, there is great depth to explore. The map system outlined here is a good example.

 

For those not interested, a players own star map could contain only planets with some pretty graphics with lines between systems indicating star gates and maybe setting some POI automatically based on maps purchased.

 

For those that are more interested could do things as laid out in this thread. With POI being added by actual scanning and exploration or just manually and then some or all of these POI being sold as separate starmap data.

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For those not interested, a players own star map could contain only planets with some pretty graphics with lines between systems indicating star gates and maybe setting some POI automatically based on maps purchased.

 

I like this idea. It could be easily implemented with the RDMS so that whatever stargates you have the rights to use, they would show up as spheres on the map. Marked POIs should also be a tradeable commodity.

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This idea would go well with warring if it extended to data about planet surfaces too, tbh. Especially with the way the respawn points work. As was mentioned in one of the interviews, destroying enemy respawn points would be a good way to get them out of the fight for an extended amount of time. Scouts out looking for these points and sending the info back to the attack forces would synergize well.

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