I posted this elsewhere last night and after waking up, decided it actually wasn't a terrible idea, unlike most I have.
The colonisation requirements should be expanded to provide alternative pathways. While I do not necessarily dislike the hauling aspect of colonisation (I try to focus on optimising my flying in my big, bulky Type 9), it is clear that others do not take the same interest. I worry that when it comes to larger constructions, the requirements may be rather daunting and put people off, even those in squadrons. It occurred to me that it should be possible to elaborate the construction game loop to include many, if not most, other game loops currently in the game.
For instance, there could be a base colonisation progress that is subject to a modifier. Do nothing, and the colony will fail.
To ensure the success of the project, a player could haul commodities and make a profit, just as they already do.
If straight up repetitive hauling isn't interesting, other activities could be added that contribute to the progress bar. For instance:
These could be chained together. For instance, the first mission in a chain is to scan a planetside data beacon - the colonising faction have got wind of an attack to sabotage the claim. The next link asks the player to defend a marshalling post at an Odyssey settlement. On successful completion, the next link asks them to attack an installation that's preparing an assault on the colonisation efforts. One could even include massacre missions in the chain.
The code for this already exists in the game; it just needs some tying into the current colonisation system. I have no idea how difficult that would be.
There would then be multiple ways to ensure the success of the effort; ways which could be combined - hauling and a mission or two each session. One could even poke it along at ~3% per day by just running a single mission or unloading commodities, but contribute commensurately more by engaging in more elaborate chained efforts. If a player fails a link in the chain mission, they keep progress up to that point.
Chain missions have been part of the game before. They should be again. This strikes me as a very fitting place for them: Players are working towards goals with readily observable effects on the game universe. Mission- based contributions like this would provide a framework of activity for colonisation that is more than straight up hauling. This would, I suspect, help drive player engagement in colonisation and therefore retention.
The colonisation requirements should be expanded to provide alternative pathways. While I do not necessarily dislike the hauling aspect of colonisation (I try to focus on optimising my flying in my big, bulky Type 9), it is clear that others do not take the same interest. I worry that when it comes to larger constructions, the requirements may be rather daunting and put people off, even those in squadrons. It occurred to me that it should be possible to elaborate the construction game loop to include many, if not most, other game loops currently in the game.
For instance, there could be a base colonisation progress that is subject to a modifier. Do nothing, and the colony will fail.
To ensure the success of the project, a player could haul commodities and make a profit, just as they already do.
If straight up repetitive hauling isn't interesting, other activities could be added that contribute to the progress bar. For instance:
- A player could take source-and-return missions.
- Alternatively, they could be asked to scan particular systems in detail in order to map "convoy" routes that produce colonisation USSes. These would include variants of combat or recovery scenarios common in USSes.
- Passenger missions to take construction workers, engineers or other specialists to the construction ship.
- Scenarios around orbital installations to defend a cargo transfer point.
- Convoy escort missions wherein the player protects cargo/data/etc in installation and USS scenarios in systems in and around the construction system.
- Odyssey missions to defend cargo canisters (these are surprisingly fun).
- Mining missions for reasonable quantities of non-market commodities, such as osmium, samarium or platinum.
- Any others I've forgotten.
These could be chained together. For instance, the first mission in a chain is to scan a planetside data beacon - the colonising faction have got wind of an attack to sabotage the claim. The next link asks the player to defend a marshalling post at an Odyssey settlement. On successful completion, the next link asks them to attack an installation that's preparing an assault on the colonisation efforts. One could even include massacre missions in the chain.
The code for this already exists in the game; it just needs some tying into the current colonisation system. I have no idea how difficult that would be.
There would then be multiple ways to ensure the success of the effort; ways which could be combined - hauling and a mission or two each session. One could even poke it along at ~3% per day by just running a single mission or unloading commodities, but contribute commensurately more by engaging in more elaborate chained efforts. If a player fails a link in the chain mission, they keep progress up to that point.
Chain missions have been part of the game before. They should be again. This strikes me as a very fitting place for them: Players are working towards goals with readily observable effects on the game universe. Mission- based contributions like this would provide a framework of activity for colonisation that is more than straight up hauling. This would, I suspect, help drive player engagement in colonisation and therefore retention.
Last edited:
