Hi Frontier, hope that your continued development of Odyssey goes really well. In the selfish interest of getting a great product on console later in the year.
I have a suggestion, as It seems Odyssey is still very much in the developing concept stage - ED needs some campaign/storylines we can all get invested with - muttiple storyline branches with moral decsisions to make - e.g., good path, bad path. So, to tie in the on-foot espionage and space-legs FPS elements, plus the exobiology. There is a way to give it more meaning.
Develp a corporate espionage/intelligence story based on obtaining, by any means necessary, a fabled 'Molecular Sythesiser' Hey, this is 34th century, why not have a little sci-fi mixed with Alchemy? Professor Igneous Biggs has built the alchemists dream machine - a console, when built and running, that can turn one or more items into a totaly different product, 'dust into gold'! Alliance, Empire & Federation spies will do anything to be first to obtain the blueprints/design specs, including eliminating oher agents/factions who get too close. Crimial factions will use all means possible to be first!
You could send players on a corporate mystery trail over the Milky Way, locating clues from Professor Igneous, is it true or just an X-files mystery to be de-bunked. Visit planets, nav beacons, tourist beacons, signal sources and capture clues/hints, to blueprints. Slowly build up a blueprint/plan for the Molecular Syntehiser. Recruit an Actor to do the voice and leave some audio/video clips at treasure trail locations throughout the galaxy.
It could be a module that only fits into a certn clas of ship slot and might need other slots just like the refining hoppers. But, also requires a set of console screens accessed through the ships systems/computer, where the user does the 'science'. This can offer multiple options to mix and match 2, 3, 4 or more items (recipes) that might or might not produce anoher product. Science & alcheny are a commercially successful theme for Full metal Alchemist, so lets see it ina game please?
To obtain elementsd, minerals, manufactured items - we scan plants, structures as part of exobioligy, we steal or locate items in complexes, hacking into electronic safes - those items can be mixed together in 'discoverable' recipis/science and the Synthesiser producs/outputs a completely different product/element. We could further develop it to input manufactured products that transform them into other items e.g., input hybrid capacitor, output conductive polymers. It helps with the grind for materials we need, it helps as a sort of alternative to 'mining' to produce materials/elements we can sell for profit, it helps, like technology brokers, to build up supplies of high grade materials for engineering. It ties together, engineering grinds for weapons and ships, for spacelegs fps on planetside complexes, and exobioligy - giving it all a bit more meaning. Yo can give us optional choices - do we go after this holy grail machine as a good guy/girl or by any means necessry. Do we use it for good of the populous of for criminal counterfeiting as we follow the story across the Milky Way?
I know this thread risks the ire/riidicuke of keyboard warriors, but I really want Odysss t devlop and grow - so that It has something meaningful at Its core - some character and 'soul'!
The Professor Biggs storyline eventually leads us to Sol and Earth, the homeworld of humanity (where Professor Biggs started his research, before having to start the breadcrumb trail around the Milky Way, to throw factions off his scent; until he was ready to return to Earth and complete the final pieces of the puzzle). Now a barren, irradiated and 'disease' quarantined world. Orbiting satlites send out warnign broadcasts, 'Stay Away!' Professor Biggs has had to adopt the life of a nomadic hermit, making the next steps of discovery, broadcasting 'hints' through the bubb;es datasphere networks, th moving on to a new hiding place. His final hide was deep withn the nuclear bunker tunnels and 'train' systems beneath the site of GCHQ, Cheltenham. A ocation that protects him, but alsoo links to humanity and the stars throughsome of the still operational communications grid applications in the depths of the now ruined upper buildings of GCHQ.
Professor Biggs accesses classified data that reveals the true reasons for the human disapora into the stars! Way back from 1950's onwards, It transpires that UFOs were real, just as the Roswell incident. Guardian 'aliens' had made 1st contact with a number of Governments. Their gentle teaching and assistance helped us put a man on the moon. Thenceforward, Governments started to jealously vie for Gardian attention and get ahead = first through the cold war, then through espionage, politics and muscle flexing.
However, due to extended contact with Guardian aliens there were unforseen and, ultimately, tragic consequences. Guardians passed on microbial spores into our ecosystem. At first It caused a slow burn mutation of crops, animals and insects. During the late 2st Century, crop yields were drastically down, insect species and animals had ended with extinction. Scientists and eco-warriors all blamed gobal warming. Th was also a 'Stand on Zanzibar' event, as 3rd world populations exploded. Culiminating in a mass exodus from burnt out land to the richer ctral uropean locations. Governments reacted by posting more military presence and then bullets stted to fly.
Military posturing, submarines, warhips, armoured battle groups across our major continent disracted humankind from the real threat: The Guardian icrobial spores had mutated and started to cross from animal and plant species to humans. Thhus begins the 'Red Hex' plague. A crimson fever more virulent than 18th century plague. The bodies piled up. Rat and other rodent populations explode. The earth's resources are so stretched that vaccinations and herd immunity cmes too late and is too weak. There is just not enough to go around.
Governments, at the brink of war, implement the only remning solution - dispora into the stars inside the few jointly consucted generation ships, built from Guardian blue-prints. Only the people who have been fortunate enough to receive vaccination from 'Red Hex' can leave. Then the earth is slagged with thermonuclear devices and left with its stark 'Satellite arnings to would be scavengers. A little like the Island in Scotland where Anthrax taind animals are still buried.
Professor Biggs is so hrrifi and sickened th his work on the 'Molecular Synthesis' bgan. A genuine attempt to provide the nations among the stars a quick, efficient and easy way to mass produce vaccinatons and medicines out of 'dust', so that 'Red Hex' events neve get the chance to become reality again! Sadly, corporate and criminal greed saw th alternative and very powerful options to become a 'King Midas'! SO, he had to stay 'on the run'.
Where is Professor Biggs now? There are hints that he went on to develop the fabled 'Time Dilation Drive' and is now the first human to successfully make the interstellar jump to other galaxy's.
FDEV, I want Odyssey to develop and grow from beyond Its concept stag. There is no Sci-Fi themed world I would rather esconce myself. But, start thinking about inserting a little bit of story driven character into the game world. All of these suggestions tie together the various elements you are trying to provide in Odyssey - on foot exploring complexes, caves, structures; the FPS espionage; element/material grinding and even ties back into Horizons. Plus, with your planert tech, we can re-visit Earth. Put in a few iconic, but war damaged buildings and structures for good measure and we will get that 'Charlton Heston - Statue of Liberty' moment froom Planet of the Apes.
I am a free agent If you would like me to work for you as a creative conltant.
Best Wishes
Mark
I have a suggestion, as It seems Odyssey is still very much in the developing concept stage - ED needs some campaign/storylines we can all get invested with - muttiple storyline branches with moral decsisions to make - e.g., good path, bad path. So, to tie in the on-foot espionage and space-legs FPS elements, plus the exobiology. There is a way to give it more meaning.
Develp a corporate espionage/intelligence story based on obtaining, by any means necessary, a fabled 'Molecular Sythesiser' Hey, this is 34th century, why not have a little sci-fi mixed with Alchemy? Professor Igneous Biggs has built the alchemists dream machine - a console, when built and running, that can turn one or more items into a totaly different product, 'dust into gold'! Alliance, Empire & Federation spies will do anything to be first to obtain the blueprints/design specs, including eliminating oher agents/factions who get too close. Crimial factions will use all means possible to be first!
You could send players on a corporate mystery trail over the Milky Way, locating clues from Professor Igneous, is it true or just an X-files mystery to be de-bunked. Visit planets, nav beacons, tourist beacons, signal sources and capture clues/hints, to blueprints. Slowly build up a blueprint/plan for the Molecular Syntehiser. Recruit an Actor to do the voice and leave some audio/video clips at treasure trail locations throughout the galaxy.
It could be a module that only fits into a certn clas of ship slot and might need other slots just like the refining hoppers. But, also requires a set of console screens accessed through the ships systems/computer, where the user does the 'science'. This can offer multiple options to mix and match 2, 3, 4 or more items (recipes) that might or might not produce anoher product. Science & alcheny are a commercially successful theme for Full metal Alchemist, so lets see it ina game please?
To obtain elementsd, minerals, manufactured items - we scan plants, structures as part of exobioligy, we steal or locate items in complexes, hacking into electronic safes - those items can be mixed together in 'discoverable' recipis/science and the Synthesiser producs/outputs a completely different product/element. We could further develop it to input manufactured products that transform them into other items e.g., input hybrid capacitor, output conductive polymers. It helps with the grind for materials we need, it helps as a sort of alternative to 'mining' to produce materials/elements we can sell for profit, it helps, like technology brokers, to build up supplies of high grade materials for engineering. It ties together, engineering grinds for weapons and ships, for spacelegs fps on planetside complexes, and exobioligy - giving it all a bit more meaning. Yo can give us optional choices - do we go after this holy grail machine as a good guy/girl or by any means necessry. Do we use it for good of the populous of for criminal counterfeiting as we follow the story across the Milky Way?
I know this thread risks the ire/riidicuke of keyboard warriors, but I really want Odysss t devlop and grow - so that It has something meaningful at Its core - some character and 'soul'!
The Professor Biggs storyline eventually leads us to Sol and Earth, the homeworld of humanity (where Professor Biggs started his research, before having to start the breadcrumb trail around the Milky Way, to throw factions off his scent; until he was ready to return to Earth and complete the final pieces of the puzzle). Now a barren, irradiated and 'disease' quarantined world. Orbiting satlites send out warnign broadcasts, 'Stay Away!' Professor Biggs has had to adopt the life of a nomadic hermit, making the next steps of discovery, broadcasting 'hints' through the bubb;es datasphere networks, th moving on to a new hiding place. His final hide was deep withn the nuclear bunker tunnels and 'train' systems beneath the site of GCHQ, Cheltenham. A ocation that protects him, but alsoo links to humanity and the stars throughsome of the still operational communications grid applications in the depths of the now ruined upper buildings of GCHQ.
Professor Biggs accesses classified data that reveals the true reasons for the human disapora into the stars! Way back from 1950's onwards, It transpires that UFOs were real, just as the Roswell incident. Guardian 'aliens' had made 1st contact with a number of Governments. Their gentle teaching and assistance helped us put a man on the moon. Thenceforward, Governments started to jealously vie for Gardian attention and get ahead = first through the cold war, then through espionage, politics and muscle flexing.
However, due to extended contact with Guardian aliens there were unforseen and, ultimately, tragic consequences. Guardians passed on microbial spores into our ecosystem. At first It caused a slow burn mutation of crops, animals and insects. During the late 2st Century, crop yields were drastically down, insect species and animals had ended with extinction. Scientists and eco-warriors all blamed gobal warming. Th was also a 'Stand on Zanzibar' event, as 3rd world populations exploded. Culiminating in a mass exodus from burnt out land to the richer ctral uropean locations. Governments reacted by posting more military presence and then bullets stted to fly.
Military posturing, submarines, warhips, armoured battle groups across our major continent disracted humankind from the real threat: The Guardian icrobial spores had mutated and started to cross from animal and plant species to humans. Thhus begins the 'Red Hex' plague. A crimson fever more virulent than 18th century plague. The bodies piled up. Rat and other rodent populations explode. The earth's resources are so stretched that vaccinations and herd immunity cmes too late and is too weak. There is just not enough to go around.
Governments, at the brink of war, implement the only remning solution - dispora into the stars inside the few jointly consucted generation ships, built from Guardian blue-prints. Only the people who have been fortunate enough to receive vaccination from 'Red Hex' can leave. Then the earth is slagged with thermonuclear devices and left with its stark 'Satellite arnings to would be scavengers. A little like the Island in Scotland where Anthrax taind animals are still buried.
Professor Biggs is so hrrifi and sickened th his work on the 'Molecular Synthesis' bgan. A genuine attempt to provide the nations among the stars a quick, efficient and easy way to mass produce vaccinatons and medicines out of 'dust', so that 'Red Hex' events neve get the chance to become reality again! Sadly, corporate and criminal greed saw th alternative and very powerful options to become a 'King Midas'! SO, he had to stay 'on the run'.
Where is Professor Biggs now? There are hints that he went on to develop the fabled 'Time Dilation Drive' and is now the first human to successfully make the interstellar jump to other galaxy's.
FDEV, I want Odyssey to develop and grow from beyond Its concept stag. There is no Sci-Fi themed world I would rather esconce myself. But, start thinking about inserting a little bit of story driven character into the game world. All of these suggestions tie together the various elements you are trying to provide in Odyssey - on foot exploring complexes, caves, structures; the FPS espionage; element/material grinding and even ties back into Horizons. Plus, with your planert tech, we can re-visit Earth. Put in a few iconic, but war damaged buildings and structures for good measure and we will get that 'Charlton Heston - Statue of Liberty' moment froom Planet of the Apes.
I am a free agent If you would like me to work for you as a creative conltant.
Best Wishes
Mark
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