Collection of Ideas for Elite 4

[Steve O B Have]

Some other things that I would like to see in E4:

- A feel of ship scale. If I am in a little ship then a feeling of aproaching a big ship should translate in scale. Perhaps even being able to traverse the surface of the ship in a "Starship Troopersesq" style (remembering the scene where Carmen Ibanez flies through the space station near the start or Starwars flying over Star Destroyers). Massive

- A timeframe (maybe?) for the game with developing tech - so during the game you get things like - New ship available or a new laser system has been developed by Lance & Ferman etc.

- An encounter AI - i.e. the bigger the ship you have or the more experienced in combat causes the game AI to consider whether an attack or run scenario is followed. IMO The idea of leveling up your opponents whilst you level up is foolish and seems like an excuse for game designers like Asceron and Bethsda to avoid creating a more diverse environment.

- Following on from the encounter AI, the old elite games had the various political climates that in a way defined the likelihood of getting attacked by pirates and the like. This could be further developed by either war or a racial affiliation (I know possibly too controversial) where the type of technology exhibited on your ship possibly alters the manner in which a race reacts to you.

- In game ship design? The ability to integrate various technologies that change the outwards appearance of the ship?

- Being able to get up and walk around your own ship? Possibly interact in some manner with your crew? Submissions with stowaways etc?

 

[insidah]

i think there should be a series of updates that prolong the lifespan of the elite world-

these updates could work like the following suggestions;

1. the server sends a code to all people online, which then advances the game X number of years, which then reveals NEW things, such as updates, not normally accessable in the game. These should be hidden, and only accessable when the server sends the "proceed to next chapter" instruction. Therefore everyone gets to see what happens next at roughly the same time (or until they get online and get the update). If this were to happen every 6 months for about 2-3 years, then the players will stick to the game so that they can see what will happen next.


2. Each update/download/mod that comes from the developers actually adds to the game in a way that all players can see the changes. for instance, a cutscene or a newsbulletin, or something...



This is what i came up with - i didnt get this from anyone/anywhere, and i would like to see this feature included in elite4, should it eventuate.

 

[Steve O B Have]

Another thing that I'd like to see looked at is the way that ships react to atmosphere and whether or not they become aerodynmically viable in the thicker atmospheres. A transition to 'flying' would be quite a cool addition.

 

[insidah]

I remember begging for elite2 for xmas in the early 90s, after playing a pirated copy as a kid, then really really loving the game so much, that i nearly drove my parents insane, because i wanted the added extras that the game gives you, such as the star chart and the 3 accompanying books... (and yes, i regret even playing a pirated version of elite, but redeemed myself by purchasing elite2 and then elite3 (FFE) when it came out)

IMO i think games should bring back features that rely on physical things, which make the game -
such as the star chart, the story book, etc etc....

and with the fact that when/if elite 4 will come out, and with DB saying that elite4 will be a very intensive game, a suitable specific piece of hardware for the game would then be more than welcome - for instance, a joystick that had all the specific controls that could be used to pilot the ship, and the fact that mouse control would only be used for menu's when trading or doing other things, would then mean that there would be no software pirates, as they would end up having to buy the hardware that is needed for the game.

Thats my 2cents worth

(ive posted the same article on the alt.fan.elite newsgroup)

 

[VR jefranklin18]

Some other things that I would like to see in E4:

- A feel of ship scale. If I am in a little ship then a feeling of aproaching a big ship should translate in scale. Perhaps even being able to traverse the surface of the ship in a "Starship Troopersesq" style (remembering the scene where Carmen Ibanez flies through the space station near the start or Starwars flying over Star Destroyers). Massive

Definitely. What I like to refer to as capital class vessels. Having one with a Battlestar Galactica launch and retrieval mechanism would be cool.

- A timeframe (maybe?) for the game with developing tech - so during the game you get things like - New ship available or a new laser system has been developed by Lance & Ferman etc.

Could work. I would also like to see systems rise out of anarchy (or descend into it) depending on certain events (eg. a war between two parties comes to an end with victory for one side).

- An encounter AI - i.e. the bigger the ship you have or the more experienced in combat causes the game AI to consider whether an attack or run scenario is followed. IMO The idea of leveling up your opponents whilst you level up is foolish and seems like an excuse for game designers like Asceron and Bethsda to avoid creating a more diverse environment.

Definitely. Also more variety in Elite rating, I rarely met anything under Competent level and would have loved the opportunity to bug-swat a few harmless-level pilots.

- Following on from the encounter AI, the old elite games had the various political climates that in a way defined the likelihood of getting attacked by pirates and the like. This could be further developed by either war or a racial affiliation (I know possibly too controversial) where the type of technology exhibited on your ship possibly alters the manner in which a race reacts to you.

This could be extended to include your criminal record: you drop in to Sol and they see that you have been done by them before for piracy, immediately a load of police vipers escort you from the pub, sorry I meant system.

- In game ship design? The ability to integrate various technologies that change the outwards appearance of the ship?

Not just outside, furry dice are a must! Adding bumber stickers (that the player creates) would be fun as well.

- Being able to get up and walk around your own ship? Possibly interact in some manner with your crew? Submissions with stowaways etc?

Again, definitely. Ideally the crew will have personalities, so that when you are interviewing them & you ask why they want the job, if they respond "I need to get out of here", there's a chance they're manic depressives

2. Each update/download/mod that comes from the developers actually adds to the game in a way that all players can see the changes. for instance, a cutscene or a newsbulletin, or something...

While I would steer clear of too many cutscenes (as it is not the Frontier way), I think a news bulletin along the lines of those in Starship Troopers would be cool.

EDIT: Fixed a typo

 

[Steve O B Have]

Oh and I want cloud cities

 

[Prycon]

Oh and I want cloud cities

Like gass mine inside gass planets atmosphere?

 

[Steve O B Have]

Maybe LOL that would be well cool!

 

[Bounder]

underwater bases too

 

[VR jefranklin18]

Very Star Wars-like.

I would like to see ongoing tension between the Federation and the Empire. It would be pretty fun to hyperspace into a system and have a large naval battle going on between the two forces. Capital ships and fighters, the works...

 

[Steve O B Have]

Very Star Wars-like.

I would like to see ongoing tension between the Federation and the Empire. It would be pretty fun to hyperspace into a system and have a large naval battle going on between the two forces. Capital ships and fighters, the works...

yeah fully - like in the start of Serenity, that would be well cool.

 

[Steve O B Have]

I'm not entirely sure if it is ok to post this as it is an trailer for EVE Online, but it kinda captures the imagination about what E4 could look like, or better than. It is a bit of a false sell for EVE tho - it makes it look fast paced and exciting - exactly what it isn't...

Be warned it is a 100MB Download but should come down quite fast.

Link

EDIT: if the moderators have an issue with this I will remove.

 

[Moriarity]

Character Design

Hi.

If elite 4 has the option of walking around ships and stations, I hope you get to design your character and choose your sex, maybe even be an alien species. Would anyone else like to see a feature similar to this?

Cheers

Moriarity

 

[Prycon]

Hi.

If elite 4 has the option of walking around ships and stations, I hope you get to design your character and choose your sex, maybe even be an alien species. Would anyone else like to see a feature similar to this?

Cheers

Moriarity

I like the idea of choosing your own personality, like the way you look and stuff. I'd also like to have an option of choosing where I want to start, when starting a new game you could bring up the map and pick a starting place of your choice. I 'm a bit against having alien species in Elite 4 I really like the idea of only human colonizing space, keeping the mysteries sounding aliens existents. Most alien design in games is horrible they always look like some green monsters, lizards, snakehead or insects. Why can there be an alien species that look pretty and different for a change, and nothing from our animal kingdom?

I rather have humans only, or "Mr. Gray" aliens with big black eyes, than a humanoid with lizard head that talks English with a lizard dialect that wears 1800-century clothes.

 

[insidah]

I rather have humans only, or "Mr. Gray" aliens with big black eyes, than a humanoid with lizard head that talks English with a lizard dialect that wears 1800-century clothes.

very well said!!!

i also back the whole "lets make a new alien" idea.

how about giant algae?

 

[Jerry Rezet]

Maybe even collective mind? Can u imagine how it would be realised? Why it can't be? Or... may say ie species that dont need technical support for space exploring - as if all system is biological... Do u want your ship will growing? Maybe it's all possible to write in program, if pseudorandom method will used. And not only for generating starsystem and landscape, but for creating life form too - all over the Net many examples how it may be done.

But... I'm not even hope that game will thus much work out in details... It's a pity... Howewer in case if nevertheless E4 universe will be so detailed - it will be cool.

 

[Moriarity]

Biological Ships

Hi

Maybe even collective mind? Can u imagine how it would be realised? Why it can't be? Or... may say ie species that dont need technical support for space exploring - as if all system is biological...

I think that could be an interesting feature especialy for alien ships. I think they used this concept in Farscape where the entire ship was alive and could communicate through an entity known as pilot. Could be a good concept.


Cheers

Moriarity

 

[Bounder]

Isn't this already the case with the 'beatles' and their 'hive mind'? imo this is better than modelling accurate insectoid behaviour, what with all those pheromones and wierd dance moves. Seriously uncool.

 

[Steve O B Have]

Isn't this already the case with the 'beatles' and their 'hive mind'? imo this is better than modelling accurate insectoid behaviour, what with all those pheromones and wierd dance moves. Seriously uncool.

you know you want to learn the Bee Dance

 

[Jerry Rezet]

BioNavy

Isn't this already the case with the 'beatles' and their 'hive mind'? imo this is better than modelling accurate insectoid behaviour, what with all those pheromones and wierd dance moves. Seriously uncool.

Seems to be a hard to realise, but really - similar to Kha'aks from X2/X3. Hmm... But if the "collective of ships" "have a mind" (but not "alone ship") - how pilot can drive this entity? The condition "Pilot killed" happend when critical amount of "bioships" will knocked out? Idea is good... but realisation is strange und hard, imho... but cool... imho again

I think that could be an interesting feature especialy for alien ships. I think they used this concept in Farscape where the entire ship was alive and could communicate through an entity known as pilot. Could be a good concept.

And it will similar to RPG, when growing ship, which started like a small starboat (beginning of game) by the some time become a flagmship Extrimely interrrrrrrrrrrest... Raising of characters depending on kind of work: if u trade - increase of cargo upload, fighting - growth of new turret, increase of gun power... Cool if It will be included in game... But imho incredible that respected David B. become to think 'bout similar crud. Unfortunately...