Questions, Feedback about latest gameplay video

[Archonious]

Hi

I was really happy to see early pre-alpha gameplay video and hope to see more in future. I fully understand, many things could be changed much, but I can speak about what we see.

 

1. Voxel Editing. I hope it was just to show how it will be changed. I hope to see some drills and other instruments for work. Of course, not 1 or 2, but many, when some allow increase radius, some allow getting rare resources and other. So basic question, will you have special instruments for digging?

 

2. It is a different model of construction I have seen before. Played Space Engineers and Robocraft. Both games based on cubes creations, so if you want to build a car, you need to use many armour blocks to create the frame. You model is more simple and more complex at the same time. So if compare with Space Engineers, will creating "Ship or Station" require welding? If yes, then how it will work? Video represented (as we call in SE) creative more, when you build everything instantly - want a Huge chunk of armour, just do it. So will final version contain any kind of frames, which should be welded by instruments or special ships modules?

 

3. Colours - that is very important part of the creativity. The video didn't show anything about that. There were few construction parts in beginning, but all of them same colour - dark brown (same as material). So will colourful palette be available?

 

4. Next thing, which is not about construction, is speed and acceleration. I find it too fast (both). If I'm not wrong, the station on video was about 8km far from the player, but it was reached in about 30 seconds (nearly speed of the sound). So actually, the player can fly around the planet in 10 minutes, which make but strange feeling. I don't speak about space fly. My opinion, speed in the atmosphere must not be so huge.

Same thing about acceleration. I could understand it was small ship with big thrusters. If that true, it is ok. But I didn't feel the effect of fly, honestly.

 

5. First person view (FPV). The first thing I was focused on. When you left the forest and was on the grass field, I got feeling the camera is too low, grass nearly hit the player face. That is just feeling, maybe that is kind of high grass, don't know.

If I'm not wrong, whole video (except GodMode) was FPV and no any third person view camera. Just a question, is it planned to have FPV only? As I know, some players simply can not adapt to it.

 

6. The planet's gravity. All objects have gravity (overall), which depend on their mass, size and other (I'm not a scientist, so we just discuss). So will planets have different gravity? Maybe some planets will require special abilities and equipment to survive on them.

 

7. When you landed on the station, I didn't see any landing equipment, like legs for lock or connector-dock. So Is that in a plan to release these elements to the game? Or maybe they are already in the game, but simply wasn't shown?

 

8. Docking ability. As maybe some of you, played Space Engineers, players can transfer items and resources from one ship to another one very easy, all you need to connect to each other.

 

9. And back again to editing. Just because editing is very simple (click and done), it could create massive troubles to players. Do you plan to add "Undo/Redo" abilities? Ofc if voxel creation will have frames, it will be not a big problem for removing unnecessary body structure. But bigger problem if player deletes something by mistake (it could be hard to make flat floor again (as an example). So this construction model little bit confuse and disappoint me.

 

10. As another part, damage from weapon and crashes. How it will work at all, since ships do not have body armour parts? Gatlin gun will create little holes in armour? Ok, that could be an answer, but next question then...

 

11. Repair. How will players repair damaged parts? It could be very hard to fix every minor hole from the bullet (if that will work this way).

 

So yeah, some of these presentations and attempt to understand how it must work, make me really confused. So if it possible, could you give some answers on that?

 

Thanks

Archonious

[Shynras]

Hi

I was really happy to see early pre-alpha gameplay video and hope to see more in future. I fully understand, many things could be changed much, but I can speak about what we see.

 

1. Voxel Editing. I hope it was just to show how it will be changed. I hope to see some drills and other instruments for work. Of course, not 1 or 2, but many, when some allow increase radius, some allow getting rare resources and other. So basic question, will you have special instruments for digging?

 

2. It is a different model of construction I have seen before. Played Space Engineers and Robocraft. Both games based on cubes creations, so if you want to build a car, you need to use many armour blocks to create the frame. You model is more simple and more complex at the same time. So if compare with Space Engineers, will creating "Ship or Station" require welding? If yes, then how it will work? Video represented (as we call in SE) creative more, when you build everything instantly - want a Huge chunk of armour, just do it. So will final version contain any kind of frames, which should be welded by instruments or special ships modules?

 

3. Colours - that is very important part of the creativity. The video didn't show anything about that. There were few construction parts in beginning, but all of them same colour - dark brown (same as material). So will colourful palette be available?

 

4. Next thing, which is not about construction, is speed and acceleration. I find it too fast (both). If I'm not wrong, the station on video was about 8km far from the player, but it was reached in about 30 seconds (nearly speed of the sound). So actually, the player can fly around the planet in 10 minutes, which make but strange feeling. I don't speak about space fly. My opinion, speed in the atmosphere must not be so huge.

Same thing about acceleration. I could understand it was small ship with big thrusters. If that true, it is ok. But I didn't feel the effect of fly, honestly.

 

5. First person view (FPV). The first thing I was focused on. When you left the forest and was on the grass field, I got feeling the camera is too low, grass nearly hit the player face. That is just feeling, maybe that is kind of high grass, don't know.

If I'm not wrong, whole video (except GodMode) was FPV and no any third person view camera. Just a question, is it planned to have FPV only? As I know, some players simply can not adapt to it.

 

6. The planet's gravity. All objects have gravity (overall), which depend on their mass, size and other (I'm not a scientist, so we just discuss). So will planets have different gravity? Maybe some planets will require special abilities and equipment to survive on them.

 

7. When you landed on the station, I didn't see any landing equipment, like legs for lock or connector-dock. So Is that in a plan to release these elements to the game? Or maybe they are already in the game, but simply wasn't shown?

 

8. Docking ability. As maybe some of you, played Space Engineers, players can transfer items and resources from one ship to another one very easy, all you need to connect to each other.

 

9. And back again to editing. Just because editing is very simple (click and done), it could create massive troubles to players. Do you plan to add "Undo/Redo" abilities? Ofc if voxel creation will have frames, it will be not a big problem for removing unnecessary body structure. But bigger problem if player deletes something by mistake (it could be hard to make flat floor again (as an example). So this construction model little bit confuse and disappoint me.

 

10. As another part, damage from weapon and crashes. How it will work at all, since ships do not have body armour parts? Gatlin gun will create little holes in armour? Ok, that could be an answer, but next question then...

 

11. Repair. How will players repair damaged parts? It could be very hard to fix every minor hole from the bullet (if that will work this way).

 

So yeah, some of these presentations and attempt to understand how it must work, make me really confused. So if it possible, could you give some answers on that?

 

Thanks

Archonious

 

1) Mining will be part of the game, so yes.

2) We don't know that for sure, but so far my impression is no welding, but like minecraft.

3) Yes

4) Planets are going to be more distant than the ones you saw on that video. They're close actually just to show them. The station was moved closer too. Planet size is not going to be realistic, but smaller, to increase social interaction and space travels. 

5) Third person view is planned.

6) Constructs will have mass. We don't know much about differences between planets, other than aesthetical, but I bet that there will be some kind of challenge.

7) They still have to add a lot of the so called "elements" (interactive blocks), at the moment the main game features are in place, they're creating the gameplay now. This means that we will probably see blocks to connect or land a ship, in the future.

8) I'm 99% sure it's planned.

9) There are way more tools in the voxel editor, you didn't see them all in the video, you can find more information in the relative devblog, or in the forum.

10) Constructs will have collision, as you saw in the video. We don't know yet if collision damage will be a thing, since it depends on the amount of load this will cause on the client and server. Opening holes into an enemy construct is something the devs want to add (to board it), but they're not sure how, because a full damage system is, again, something that could be too much for the game to handle, considering that they're planning huge battles with thousands of players.

11) We don't know that so far. However we know that "repairing" is something important enough that will require a player on a multicrew construct, to take care of. 

[Archonious]

So since I have aprove about answers, would like to make some feedback, based on them.

 

1. I really hope to see drilling instruments. Like it is in Space Engineers, or how it was presented in Nomads Planet. It gives drop of realism, which is important in games like this.

2. I think it is only one negative part about game now (for me). I find it very strange and wrong. As example, you see that something is comming to you, so you build massive wall instantly. Another thing, I see enemy ship, few clicks, one second, I'm inside, because huge amount of voxels can be removed. Understand, welding could be a trouble, since there is no cubes to weld. But zones area could be used as zone for welding. If it huge, weld time will take a lot of time. Grind can be similar as dig+weld - area and shape chosed by player, but time based on size and material. I don't tell this is perfect, but this is the first I get in my head after reading answers. I'm sure, if to search for better options, result will be even better.

3. Cool. Nothing else to say.

4. I worry more about acceleration and speed. 8km in 30 seconds for small planets, it looks bit wrong. Would like to see slower acceleration and maybe speed (or bigger planet, atmosphere and other). As I said before, realism in games like this very important for many players.

5. As was said on twitter, this is under question. Personally I like this. More hardcore survival aspects. But at the same time, worry about some players, who could have some troubles with that.

6. I would like combine this part with acceleration/speed. Gravity must affect much on fly in atmosphere (or better say gravity range). But different planet gravity could be great challenge for players - to have special ship and player suit. As for beginning it can be based on planet radius only (in the future some other asoects could be used as well, like materials on planet.

7. Yeah, that is true. And if that is incoming later, it would be great.

8. This part confused me a bit, because reply on twitter says otherway. But in that not planned, how everything will be stored? How everything will be transfered? Manually? Grab thousand kg and put somewhere else? I think docking and landing is one of the basic things in game. So I really hope to see docking connectors, so 2 ships can exchange/transfer everything between each other.

9. Hope it is useful instruments for editing, not just different shapes. But once again, I really hope to see welding process in construction.

10. All I can say, I hope it will work in the end. It is very hard to understand, how everything must work. This new voxel system is very unknown for majority, 100%.

11. I know that MMO game require team work, but don't try to make it too necessary. I think, most players want create own ships and to be pilots, not to walk on somebody's ship and fix it. This could make huge trubles in the end.

As it was said in one of AMA posts, actually nothing will secure you from players "sabotage". I don't want invite unknown players to my team and trust them control some part of my ship. Theoretical view is far from practical, while I was playing SpaceEngineers, I got good experience - Do not trust anyone. But I don't see much difference between SE and DU crafting/building side of game.

 

Thanks,

Archonious