Gameplay

[PetraRoma]

Hello,
I find it unfortunate that ultimately the game is only based on money. I would have preferred to see a search and loot system to get the schematics via the produced elements themselves and improve them afterwards.
In the end, only large corporations will be able to evolve ...
The goons will arrive and they will be the masters until the death of the game like Eve ...

[Penwith]

As a former Goon, your search and loot system is of more benefit to a large org, than it would be to small orgs and solo players.

 

If the schematics were closed, except to those lucky enough to discover them, then there would still be an outcry, probably on a much wider scale.

 

The real issue is the balance between the cost to starting industry vs time invested in the game. If industry were viewed in the way it should be, in my opinion, it would be seen as mid-game to late-game, instead of early-game. Which is the heart of the problem, because of the perception that the only true means to personal progression and success is producing for your own needs in order to have the cash to spend on things you do not want to produce or cannot (like paying for the cost of claimsed hexes).

 

This perception is largely supported by systems and activities that are currently absent or non-functioning, but of which some are promised and/or talked about (such as in this last stream from JC).

 

This game is a WIP, not the final result. Some take issue with its status as a beta vs alpha, but honestly, I think this really is an indication of the situation in the computer game industry, not solely of NQ's decision path. We are seeing a lot more early release or closed beta games, which often have very significant changes prior to release...if they ever get released.

 

Someone unhappy with the game now, may love it later; someone enjoying it now, may well be unhappy at full release. This is a given.

 

The core concepts of building ground facilities and spaceships/stations, using a voxel-based system, with players producing the elements and materials for this, is a sound one, most certainly. It needs to be supported by a viable industry and market economy that promote player interaction and not solo play, which to be honest, the pre-patch industry was fully supportive of solo play and had little regard for player interaction.

 

While this may seem to be tangential to your post, it's actually a central argument as to why the schematic system is far better a means to achieve the industrial ends than what we had previously. Now, the issue is cost. What should the initial foray into industry cost vs the long-term cost of schematics and fully-realized production lines. I think the initial cost may be a little too high, by about 25-33%, but from looking at many of the higher end elements, I think most of those are in line with what I'd expect, apart from some engine schematics that seem to be far too costly.

 

Luckily, many of the t1 elements can be easily produced right out of the nanopack, and I do think that is where more attention should be paid, both in terms of what can be produced, but also I think the devs should really emphasize nanopack production as a quick-start method for new players. They do give it a little attention, but more emphasis is needed. And that it does not require any schematics, is a very good thing.