Proposal Discussion What the ED Universe Needs - People

Baldrick0712

B
This is my first post here, so first of all I would like to say hi to everyone and I look forward to being an active part of the Elite Dangerous community.

After numerous landings at space stations in the fantastic Elite Dangerous game world I think the only thing really lacking at the moment is the complete absence of human beings - or rather their graphical representations. I would love to see some space suited people standing around near the landing pads, maybe waving light sticks to help guide you in or just reading clipboards or something. They would lend the station such a great sense of scale. People visible through the windows of the hanger buildings you see in front of your ship when you touch down would also be very welcome.

I know its only the beta and there are plans for more things to be added but just putting it out there that this is what I think the game lacks right now.

One of the plans I read was that you will eventually be able to walk around your cockpit and even get out of the ship. Well, those hanger buildings in front of each landing pad look like a very inviting place to start! I would love to be able to get out of the ship, stroll across the pad and go inside one of those buildings. I hope there is somewhere to sit down and buy a coffee!
 

[SI] Bobdelion

[SI] Bobdelion
Well the E3 trailer featured little people milling around the parked ships so this is definitely something on Frontiers radar. As for Walking On Ships I think it is scheduled for one of the expansions, but is a big selling point for many people here it would seem. It will defiantly change the game substantially and what it feels like to play/exist in that world.
 

SAB380

SAB380
Bobdelion said:
Well the E3 trailer featured little people milling around the parked ships so this is definitely something on Frontiers radar. As for Walking On Ships I think it is scheduled for one of the expansions, but is a big selling point for many people here it would seem. It will defiantly change the game substantially and what it feels like to play/exist in that world.
Click to expand...

Yeah I'd definitely like to see some NPC people walking around inside the stations for some extra atmosphere like we saw in that trailer.

Gives the ships some scale and perspective as well.
 

Sandmann

Sandmann
This request fits in nicely with another recent one for "fluff ships"... ie: ships of a more "civilian" sort... shuttles, private vessels, older ships etc, piloted by npc's and designed to make the universe seem more "alive".

You can find that thread here.
 

Cmdr Eagleboy

Cmdr Eagleboy
If you are talking about avatars, then Michael have said that's something they want to do, but they don't know if they will make it for first release, as they have already so much on plate.

But they will be there eventually.
 

Skizomeuh

Skizomeuh
Just "simple" animated textures of people's silhouettes moving behind the windows of the control towers we're facing while docked would bring a lot to immersion.
 

Patrick_68000

Patrick_68000
Skizomeuh said:
Just "simple" animated textures of people's silhouettes moving behind the windows of the control towers we're facing while docked would bring a lot to immersion.
Click to expand...

Yes I thought like you, when I spoke of human presence. The shadow of silhouettes

5942011.jpg
 

CaptainSodom

CaptainSodom
Agreed.

When I dock in a station, I want a guy with a bucket and a squeegee to clean my windshield, regardless of whether it needs cleaning or not. :p

I like the idea of fluff ships as well.
 

Winterwalker

Winterwalker
This is going to be a big challenge to build you feel.

It would be nice to see even placeholder people around the ships, but hopefully later we'll be able to interact with them.

Like everything, I hope figures aren't just added for the sake of it, but done well when the time comes.
 

lysan

lysan
It could be fun to get through customs and make some kind of declaration.

And of course you could chose to evade the customs control, and just unload the cargo to some shady person.

I would also like to see my cargo being unloaded, not just magical disappear from my hull.
 

robo

robo
DB has already mentioned stowing away on ships, as in the fps expansion for walking around space stations, so I would imagine we'd be allowed to walk around the docking area of a ship. It's going to be one hell of a trip standing on the edge of a docking bay, whilst watching a ship touch down, don't know what they'll do about life & death if you get squished though, maybe you don't die, but you'd have to pay medical fees, instead of insurance.
 
Last edited:

nats

Banned
nats
Baldrick0712 said:
After numerous landings at space stations in the fantastic Elite Dangerous game world I think the only thing really lacking at the moment is the complete absence of human beings - or rather their graphical representations. I would love to see some space suited people standing around near the landing pads, maybe waving light sticks to help guide you in or just reading clipboards or something. They would lend the station such a great sense of scale. People visible through the windows of the hanger buildings you see in front of your ship when you touch down would also be very welcome.
Click to expand...

I agree when I saw that fantastic beta video with all the people walking around the bays I thought wow that looks great, but when you actually get there in the game there is nobody there! I would love to see people coming to refuel your ship and repair it if you select those things.

But there is a balance to be made though between repetitive animations that you will get sick of seeing and gameplay immersion as you see a world of life around you. Perhaps just having the odd person walking around other unused bays or near your ship might do the trick? I would like tos ee some kind of animation for refuelling and repair though other than it magically getting done in a split second then flying off again. But this could be configurable in the graphics menu maybe for people who dont want to wait.

At the moment though the game is a bit static - other than the other ships you never see any signs of life. Even the bulletin board/trade menu doesnt seem to change as you watch it. there should be passengers signing in for transporting etc trade goods being bought and sold, possibly the odd emergency or station attack even to deal with.

Its a good start though - many games dont even have the degree of artificial life that this game shows already. But I look forward to seeing how Frontier develop this aspect of a living universe in future versions of the game. Its one of the things I am most intersted in seeing.
 

Tohtori

T
Baldrick0712 said:
This is my first post here, so first of all I would like to say hi to everyone and I look forward to being an active part of the Elite Dangerous community.

After numerous landings at space stations in the fantastic Elite Dangerous game world I think the only thing really lacking at the moment is the complete absence of human beings - or rather their graphical representations. I would love to see some space suited people standing around near the landing pads, maybe waving light sticks to help guide you in or just reading clipboards or something. They would lend the station such a great sense of scale. People visible through the windows of the hanger buildings you see in front of your ship when you touch down would also be very welcome.

I know its only the beta and there are plans for more things to be added but just putting it out there that this is what I think the game lacks right now.

One of the plans I read was that you will eventually be able to walk around your cockpit and even get out of the ship. Well, those hanger buildings in front of each landing pad look like a very inviting place to start! I would love to be able to get out of the ship, stroll across the pad and go inside one of those buildings. I hope there is somewhere to sit down and buy a coffee!
Click to expand...

Careless thrust control would of course toss these guys bouncing around the docking area:D
 

jackdstripper

J
what this game really needs right now is some player interaction. Don't get me wrong i love just about everything i've experienced so far in Elite, except for trying to talk to players in game.
yesterday just for fun i messaged every single person i could for about 3 hours, and not 1 person said a thing....:eek:
it makes this game feel like a single player game. they should tweak the player messages so that no matter what you are doing you get an "incoming transmission" or something. make this game more sociable.
 

Komemiute

Komemiute
@ O.P.: Heheh, I know- I really agree...

I'd love to get up form the commander chair, after docking to get down to the pad and "Sign" the transaction for those tons of Consumer Electronics with my digital pen or maybe even just a Thumb-on-the-screen.

I'd love to go to the Technician and ask him to check the landing gear- they're a bit sticky. :D

And off, on those little cars to the downtown where I'm going to meet this fence-guy to try and sell Bio-engineered tear sacks with duct "found" in a spaceship hull not far off the System nav beacon...
 

[VR] Mad Mike

[VR] Mad Mike
Pecisk said:
If you are talking about avatars, then Michael have said that's something they want to do, but they don't know if they will make it for first release, as they have already so much on plate.

But they will be there eventually.
Click to expand...

I dont have much negative to say against FD, pretty much everything about elite is nailed on.......

however...........

IF that is true, then it is a little bit naughty having those videos with people on on the front page imo.

also, I am pretty sure the level of detail on the space station on the front page, is higher than it is ingame at the moment isnt it?.

If that is just because it is based on an internal build then that is fine, however if it is a mockup and does not represent in engine then, as I said, a little big naughty imo.

Elite looks good enough without doing bullshots.
 

PacalB

PacalB
Patrick_68000 said:
Yes I thought like you, when I spoke of human presence. The shadow of silhouettes

5942011.jpg
Click to expand...

Agreed.

Tell you what I'd like to see in respects to what you suggest as well, people dashing to windows when a ship explodes in the station then slowly filtering away as the action dies down. You know what humans are like when things go wrong, everyone and their grandmothers are rubbernecking to see what's going on. Perfect for your silhouettes there and a little bit creepy as well. :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom