Possibilities for player/community made elements

[Stig92]

One of the strengths of DU is that it is made as a MMO, but this also sets limits. Developers only have time to create limited amount content and especially in building games this limits things (look at space engineers, vanilla ships are really boring inside). Usually modding community can help this, but as stated DU is MMO so you can't have people creating any an all overpowered components that they want. I still think there are some ways that players could bring in content or help to add to the game. I'd like to hear what people think and for some ideas if they could even be done. 

 

 

1. Images and sounds for elements

The world would already benefit greatly if the game has screen and sound elements and if players can load images/sounds they want to use instead of some limited preset options. Best would be if it wasn't any kind of "mod" but just something that you could load from file on the computer to game and screen in-game, for example the logo of your organisation, or signs you use to guide people in your builds. This could be useful in many ways and would be great addition for ability to make things look better, but it shouldn't affect the game balance. 

 

2. Design contests/screening of ideas.

Basically instead of just uploading mod to be used NQ could have either contest where people could submit proposals to ad to the game (raw concepts, full artistic designs or something that already has code in it) Things that NQ likes and community likes that are/can be made +balanced, would be added to the game either in update or next expansion (Maybe have contest when starting to make each expansion to see what people want and come up with).

 

People who made the proposals should get some rewards. Maybe if you had just a concept but it was good enough to end up in the game you get some DACs in-game. If you practically programmed the whole thing you should be rewarded even better. 

 

3. Design frames. (better term can be made.)

Due to the MMO model balancing is the major hurdle to player made elements, but if things effecting that are locked the more artistic individuals in the community could still contribute to make the DU world feel wider with larger variety of options. This is the idea where I don't really know if technical limitations would prevent it, but someone who knows better can clarify that. 

 

Basically the idea is that NQ makes "frames" that preset everything for an element that affects it's balance. For weapons this would include at least range, firing speed, damage, dps, turn rate, -speed and -angle, acuracy, energy/ammo cost, durability etc. as well as build cost and limits for min and max size. Then players could design the actual visual appearance of the weapons that doesn't affect balance. Do you want dome shaped turret or something that looks like battleship turret (accounting for the set elevation angle). For less functional blocks like THE ALMIGHTY SOFA there would be mainly size limits cost and functionality that you can sit on it. 

 

The could also be vetting process before design is allowed in game to avoid things that just look silly and/or immersion breaking (Like making a turret that looks like a monkey throwing bananas at the enemy or gray non textured box that just has laser beam come out of it.). 

 

I think something like this could help to make DU at least more visually diverse, even if NQ can design and balance only so many elements. Different players/organisations could also create their own styles down to the elements they use. 

[Shynras]

1. If you upload a custom image/sound, that file (or any kind of information) is stored in your PC, it means that noone else can see or hear it. If you want other people to experience those, the server would need to download the files from your pc, and send the information to all the other players in a certain range. This clearly consumes bandwith and slow down the servers, expecially if your construct has a high number of custom voxels/images/sounds/whatever, or if there's a high number of players the server has to send the informations to. That's simply not feasible and not in line with the scope of the game, that aims to be massively multiplayer. That's why we only have premade voxels/elements/images and sounds, already in the game files that everyone has: other players PC already know most of the "object" informations, the servers just need to send the position information and not much else. At most, they may allow for a limited number of images (like 1), to be placed on a single construct. 

Other than that, there's a problem about copyrights, and malicious images (racists, sexual, ...) they can't verify automatically or manually (requires too much manpower for little gain). 

 

2. Players are not always right, if an idea is popular they may want to try to make it real, but they need to check first if it may break the game or not.

 

3. Read 1

 

[Lethys]

Though I like the idea, I see one major drawback: as shynras already said, they'd need to test and thoroughly look over the code anyway (so that we don't end up with certain cheat elements if you know how to trigger them). This would take a lot of time so they're better off to do it themselves

[Croomar]

This is something that's been bothering me ever since I've learned of DU.
The seemingly endless possibilities of the game are ultimately limited by the tools the devs can give you. More tools means more possibilities, and that's a good thing. But devs can only deliver so many tools, and let's consider elements as a part of these. The idea to have players create more elements increases the overall content you can find in the game and players are often able to come up with ideas that devs wouldn't initially think of. I'm all for player created tools. But yes, the problem is balancing. Nonetheless, I'd like to make an example coming from another game.

Warframe has been one of the most succesful f2p games in the past years and attracted a huge playerbase. The devs try to deliver a steady flow of new content, but they, too, a limited to how much they can do. So they decided to include players in it. It initially started out in pretty much the exact way your second point is being described. 
The devs made a contest for a new enemy. It was very succesful because a large amount of players brang in a lot of creative ideas. Today, these enemies are a key component in regular gameplay. The winners of the contest got a reward of premium currency. Afterwards, they made a contest for skins. The winners got 40% of the premium currency with every skin sold. Then they made a contest for weapons, which was just as succesful. But every time the devs had a concept they had to program themselves. This wasn't really the effect they'd been hoping for, so they changed the system. 
They included the Steam workshop in it and allowed players to upload custom skins for the game's characters (Warframes). Players could then vote on which skin they'd like to see in-game and the devs just took the skins, implemented them in the game and set it up for players to buy with their steam wallet for real life currency (because of Steam's workshop policy). That way, the devs now have a steady flow of custom, player made content they don't need to check or programm much. So let's think about how NQ could adapt this.

Similar to the Steam Workshop, NQ could set up a portal on their website to allow players to link the 3D models of custom elements they create. They could add requirements such as a name for the element or a description. But until that point, it's just a model that could be used in the game. Other players can view this portal and vote on elements they'd like to see in the game. NQ can then add the winner creations to the game in regular intervals.
As for the stats of the element, there could be two ways to handle it, but in no case should players be allowed to programm the elements themselves.
1. NQ takes the most voted models, checks them and just fills in a pre-defined code for functionality and fitting stats. In that case, NQ can save at least the time (and money) on creating ideas and models for new elements.
2. Before a contest round starts, NQ researches what elements the game lacks, for example engines. They can go ahead and come up with a stat concept for these engines that they publish on the upload portal. Players can now design a fitting engine that will have these stats and functions that are pre-defined by NQ. In that case as well, players can't take everything from the devs, but they can at least help in the process and bring in their ideas.

In the end, I believe the contest idea is a good way to go. 

[0something0]

What about a "resource pack"? you basically can change the textures and some models however you wish but only you can see it. 

[Hextaku]

@0something0 This maybe would solve the Problem with "Costume" models and textures, but in my opinion, changing something in this would destroy the connection of the community.
f.e. In Minecraft a "resource pack" changes the whole appearance of a building/construct, so different Players have different opinions about a thing, just because it's shown differently.

In DU where we even have the ability to build custom UI for our constroucts, this isn't the right way, i think.

[0something0]

Or, what about coustum-building turrets/equipment/whatever out of voxels (I know this has been suggested before)

[Hextaku]

This would be nice ^^
But the Designed 3D models have a lot higher quality, then all would player could make out voxel in game tolls.

And maybe it would make similar problems like @Shynras called in his post.

[DamianKnight]

On 7/23/2017 at 6:42 AM, Stig92 said:

1. Images and sounds for elements

The world would already benefit greatly if the game has screen and sound elements and if players can load images/sounds they want to use instead of some limited preset options. Best would be if it wasn't any kind of "mod" but just something that you could load from file on the computer to game and screen in-game, for example the logo of your organisation, or signs you use to guide people in your builds. This could be useful in many ways and would be great addition for ability to make things look better, but it shouldn't affect the game balance. 

I think this is a great idea ...

Can you imagine the cities filled with billboards and advertisements and art works ...

Now for the concern of COPY-WRITE or malicious content thats easy make it so imported content can be flagged easily like you would flag a nude image on facebook like a lil button to file a complaint that is easy enough right there and to help the issue you put the general TOS stuff like youtube does that says what is not allowed and punishment and that the person loading the image is fully responcibly and you can even include on the same complaint button a way to file DMCA copywrite complaints to have it pulled.... 

This has worked out well for many other games and the above protection could even work for my following idea...

I think this idea could go even further with being being able to load in short video or better yet hot-load or embed video then we could have moving vid billboards and ads and such and even more maybe 1 YouTuber might decide to embed all his videos of his adventures in DU into some kinda theater!!! 

[0something0]

Another problem with this is that computer storage is finite, and what do you do when a bunch of people start uploading gigabyte hour-long hd videos? I think there should be a limit on how much you can upload in terms of bytes.

[mrjacobean]

15 hours ago, 0something0 said:

Another problem with this is that computer storage is finite, and what do you do when a bunch of people start uploading gigabyte hour-long hd videos? I think there should be a limit on how much you can upload in terms of bytes.

Have the display link to a youtube video

[Kuritho]

I perfectly agree with you.

I hope modders can submit stuff to a "Workshop"-like area, with it's code publicly displayed. Of course there would be empty models, and simple code for anybody to use.

Maybe even making it so that everytime somebody makes the model, a little sliver of the resources goes to them.