Share your thoughts - What would make universe feel more alive?

[Droid_orat]

I have recently started another playthrough of Freelancer.

At some time it got me thinking what things/game elements made this game so intriguing as opposite to boring.

I would say that would be:


-fast pacing changing environments (alright, that is not the core deliverable for ED)
-abundant traffic - multi class ships, including npc only type of ships giving scale - super freighters, lifters other utility vessels - it gives sense of scale and variety.
-ships do differ depending on the sector - this kind of implemented, but constant re-occurrence negates the variety. With a such vast interstellar space colonised pweople still have same 3-5 types of space stantions and X number crafts which are available exactly everywhere?
-versatile space stations by function - shipyards, mining stations, trading stations and etc...

IN essence that is in line with the logics observed in other games - like X-com and etc.

Would you want similar approach in ED?

 

[FiddenUK]

More.... variety, certainly that would help.

Every location is rather carbon-copied off its neighbour, we need more events happening (no more wedding barges).

 

[loki12345]

- Shuttle traffic from/to planet
- global communication from npc
- spacestations with actually visible working (mining stations on planet working, space mining stations in astroid field, ...)
- repairteams at stations
- random events in space (supernova, comets passing by, strange anomalies, etc...)

Just some quick thoughts

 

[JimSpitfire]

Some background radio chatter would be nice (that you can toggle)

Just... stuff especially around the big stations like you say. For such largely populated stations they seem awfully quiet and empty.

 

[xondk]

More.... variety, certainly that would help.

Every location is rather carbon-copied off its neighbour, we need more events happening (no more wedding barges).

It would be cool if they did something to the big stations like outposts have, outposts seem to be at least partially procedurally constructed, in terms of layout, something like this with big stations would be cool.

 

[Crimson Kaim]

Simple: the universe should change if players wouldn't exist. Just imagine what would happen if they would remove players for one day. Right, nothing. No market changes, no powerplay changes. This is what people say with the galaxy being static.

A market with shares so I can have a passive income rather than moving my butt every single time I need to pay for my daily fuel.

Wars, more than just conflict zones.

Certainly anything that wasn't calculated by the player. Something unexpected. No, not NPCs pulling me out of SC. Some supernova, NPC groups changing their behavior and trying to expand by themselves without players needing to trade and do missions.

 

[Droid_orat]

I was thinking the other day - imagine you could own with proper multi million/billion downpayment of course A MOBILE REPAIR platform others could dock at for repairs.

Just park yourself next to RES and here is you cash cow...

 

[dubsdj]

- Someone in the art department who changes the advert billboards as its odd that the same companies get advertising rights throughout the whole galaxy.

- Some movement in the space stations. A few people dotted around just doing stuff like welding or speaking to one another.

- A bar or restaurant at the station which is essentially a chat room for pilots.

- A Galnet TV station which pilots can watch and it has some animated news reports.

- A lot more traffic in and around the station.

 

[Julio Montega]

As posted by previous participants:
- Radio chatter / immersive NPC talks (maybe about lucrative trade routes etc.)

additionally:
- immersive actions, like being able to intercept transmissions, find out when and where big transport convoys will be launching
- being able to effect the economy by pirating NPCs
- bigger ship traffic (where are those big bulk carriers?)
- cooping with NPCs, hiring them as wingmen or co-raiders (helping with the big fish)
- living minor factions, that actually do reward you for being allied (helping out, giving hints to riches/anomalies(lost ships, being hired as wingmen)

 

[aDuckOnQuack]

Call me ridiculous, but the ability to put in your own custom music in-game and have a slider bar and enable/disable button in the right panel, maybe under the part where you toggle orbit lines/lights/gears etc.
Maybe the ability to get the system map up, entirely, on the left hologram (not screen, the little circle thing that shows a little picture of what you highlighted).
Different docking entrances. Instead of the same letterbox for those stations, maybe different colours or wider entrances, maybe just a little alert that pops up welcoming you. Like when you get too close and it says "Too close - dropping" or something, but when entering it will say "Welcome to _____ Orbital" and such.
For the little outposts, the little letterbox could be enabled? I've often seen an unused blue letterbox entrance on a lot of outposts, it would be cool if you could use them instead of there being an invisible barrier blocking you.
And last of all, how about the ability to customize the auto-docking computer path? So you activate the "Create own" thingy, then from that point on, until you get inside the actual station/ docked at the outpost, it will remember that path and mirror it next time. So maybe set the docking computer to fly you into a star-port at 400 m/s [big grin]

I don't know, just ideas!
Happy flying commanders!

EDIT: Highlighted + Bold the main point of each idea/suggestion.

 

[KevinMillican]

• higher trading profits in anarchy systems
• robust authority ship response in Imperial / Federation / Alliance systems
• token thanks (cash, dropped goods) when assisting NPCs with fuel
• ability to legally scoop (rescue) any escape pods
• occasionally find some cargo that's been abandoned and free to scoop
• some acknowledgement from NPCs when you save them from pirates

 

[Macy]

Radio chatter. More ships. Stations that look different from each other. People walking around in stations and visible thru windows. Vehicles moving around at planet stations.

 

[Brian of Ardagh]

- Shuttle traffic from/to planet
- global communication from npc
- spacestations with actually visible working (mining stations on planet working, space mining stations in astroid field, ...)
- repairteams at stations
- random events in space (supernova, comets passing by, strange anomalies, etc...)

Just some quick thoughts

Imagine if you could get a mission to collect materials from comets?

 

[Leo Sagan]

All my ideas have been told already in the previous posts. But I'll keep monitoring this thread 'cause I'm pretty sure things I did not think about will come. Good thread

 

[Remus]

My contribution to this tread.


add more variety in systems.

• add newborn stars whit planets being form ( in nebulae for example )
• add cataclysmic events like supernovae ( even though they are VERY rare in real life ) , planet/moon collision or even moons being torn apart by its host planet ( like Saturn )
• add comets that will be very difficult to approach due to tons of debris being spilled at high velocity ( Armageddon comes to mind ) but still be possible to get close to ( land on ? )
• add accretion discs that surrounds black holes. ( it will give some incredible sights to those paying a visit to sag a* )
• would be nice that even if not scientifically accurate some nebula would keep some of the feature that make them exceptional nowadays ( eagle nebula comes to mind with the pillars of creation, now THAT would be a galactic tourism spot worth visiting IMO )

of course all this are just ideas that popped in my mind, I have literally 0 clue as if this is realistic or not [noob].

I would have added abandoned cities, remains of lost civilizations but I know this will eventually come in the future. [praise]

 

[Droid_orat]

My contribution to this tread.


add more variety in systems.

• add newborn stars whit planets being form ( in nebulae for example )
• add cataclysmic events like supernovae ( even though they are VERY rare in real life ) , planet/moon collision or even moons being torn apart by its host planet ( like Saturn )
• add comets that will be very difficult to approach due to tons of debris being spilled at high velocity ( Armageddon comes to mind ) but still be possible to get close to ( land on ? )
• add accretion discs that surrounds black holes. ( it will give some incredible sights to those paying a visit to sag a* )
• would be nice that even if not scientifically accurate some nebula would keep some of the feature that make them exceptional nowadays ( eagle nebula comes to mind with the pillars of creation, now THAT would be a galactic tourism spot worth visiting IMO )

of course all this are just ideas that popped in my mind, I have literally 0 clue as if this is realistic or not [noob].

I would have added abandoned cities, remains of lost civilizations but I know this will eventually come in the future. [praise]

Exactly - how come we do not see any wreckage, abandoned or severely crippled stations/depots we could loot? Also - space garbage/junk fields?

The idea of having destroyed by impact celestial bodies slowly drifting apart is absolutely amazing...

 

[Split]

Radio Chatter - definitely radio chatter. Freelancer was amazing like that.

 

[CMDR Muy Bien Gato]

1- If everything is going to be procedurally generated, there need to be rules in place.
-If a CMDR has been to a planet outside of the bubble, only then should wreckage spawn.
-AI should abide by the limits of their ships. No more eagles chasing my 30+ LY Asp across the galaxy.
-More USS risk in Anarchy/Feudal/etc. systems.
-More variance within USS. Wedding barge? Perhaps they get ambushed. Perhaps they're out of fuel. Perhaps it's a trap! This should also be determined by the system/minor faction.

2- Economy?
- Simple supply/demand would suffice. Players neglecting a system? Their demand for basic goods should go up.
- Are players buying a lot of ships in system X? Demand for electronics/industrials should go up.

3- RES
- AI Miner land a hot asteroid with painite/platinum? Perhaps allude to it through radio chatter. Pirates need something.
- Why is every minor faction involved in piracy? It seems as though EVERYONE is a di*k in space.
- Give larger, more dangerous ships "radio space". Think of elite enemies in games like Destiny/Diablo. Make them seem dangerous. Hell, have bounty hunters from other systems follow them. I'd love to see organic conversations between AI.

4- Stations
- Where are the fleets? AI wings need to exist outside of RES. Have them communicate and persist outside stations as well. Type-9 just land? Have his sidewinders chatter about that hot asteroid they found back in #3.
- Wanted players? Have System Sec chatter about "CMDR X".
- More traffic!
- Random CZ's spawning at stations in dangerous systems!
- Black market in safe systems = grey market in Anarchy. Let us actually buy narcotics from shady systems.
- Acknowledgement of rep. If I've built up a stellar reputation, I want the AI to know it (and additionally, not repeat the same lines over and over). "CMDR X! Your reputation proceeds you. So stoked you've docked at Station X today! Please, enjoy a discount on all our goods!"

Most of all, this is a multiplayer game. There needs to be emphasis on "emergence" by bringing players together through means that extend beyond typical RES/CZ farming. Not every USS should be instanced. Example: Alert every player within 40+ LY if a station is under attack in "System X", or if traffic in "System X" has seen a spike in activity.

 

[Droid_orat]

1- If everything is going to be procedurally generated, there need to be rules in place.
-If a CMDR has been to a planet outside of the bubble, only then should wreckage spawn.
-AI should abide by the limits of their ships. No more eagles chasing my 30+ LY Asp across the galaxy.
-More USS risk in Anarchy/Feudal/etc. systems.
-More variance within USS. Wedding barge? Perhaps they get ambushed. Perhaps they're out of fuel. Perhaps it's a trap! This should also be determined by the system/minor faction.

2- Economy?
- Simple supply/demand would suffice. Players neglecting a system? Their demand for basic goods should go up.
- Are players buying a lot of ships in system X? Demand for electronics/industrials should go up.

3- RES
- AI Miner land a hot asteroid with painite/platinum? Perhaps allude to it through radio chatter. Pirates need something.
- Why is every minor faction involved in piracy? It seems as though EVERYONE is a di*k in space.
- Give larger, more dangerous ships "radio space". Think of elite enemies in games like Destiny/Diablo. Make them seem dangerous. Hell, have bounty hunters from other systems follow them. I'd love to see organic conversations between AI.

4- Stations
- Where are the fleets? AI wings need to exist outside of RES. Have them communicate and persist outside stations as well. Type-9 just land? Have his sidewinders chatter about that hot asteroid they found back in #3.
- Wanted players? Have System Sec chatter about "CMDR X".
- More traffic!
- Random CZ's spawning at stations in dangerous systems!
- Black market in safe systems = grey market in Anarchy. Let us actually buy narcotics from shady systems.
- Acknowledgement of rep. If I've built up a stellar reputation, I want the AI to know it (and additionally, not repeat the same lines over and over). "CMDR X! Your reputation proceeds you. So stoked you've docked at Station X today! Please, enjoy a discount on all our goods!"

Most of all, this is a multiplayer game. There needs to be emphasis on "emergence" by bringing players together through means that extend beyond typical RES/CZ farming. Not every USS should be instanced. Example: Alert every player within 40+ LY if a station is under attack in "System X", or if traffic in "System X" has seen a spike in activity.

I like this shady systems approach.

Someone here already mentioned radio com traffic to identify convoys - but I guess it would not be wide to allow pirates to sell stuff back straight where the convoy has came from. They could take it elsewhere OR sell to shady grey merchants for staff to be brought back or forwarded. Here you are - the real life simulation

 

[Aewarin Jameson]

Obvious things:

- when you arrive in supercruise at a populated system it takes AGES for the NPCs to appear. There should already be NPCs in space.

- More variety of non player ships. Where are the medical vessels / science ships / super tankers / etc ?