Idea: Fewer, bigger systems

[Fossaman]

Something of a random idea:

Would the game be more fun if systems were larger and had more stations, but there were fewer of them?

I've always found that double belt systems, or systems with a lot of individual loose asteroids with stations on them were the most entertaining. I liked the feeling of an actual economy and a 'living' game environment that provided.

Having fewer systems total would keep the total game time down, and prevent it from dragging. The early game systems could probably remain about the same in number, that's the only real chokepoint that I can see. You have Eridani-Rigel-Charon-St.K's all within 8-10 systems or so, it seems like. The experiment would have to be to see if more stations in a system allows upgrading equivalent to the same number of stations spread out over two systems.

[Yugi]

I'm all for bigger and fewer systems, and find the huge double (and sometimes triple) asteroid belt system to be the best (especially late-game).

However, the large systems I don't like are the nebulous ones

[Fossaman]

I wouldn't mind nebula systems if there were some higher level map roms that would reliably map them. Blundering into stuff that can kill you isn't fun.

[Yugi]

Blundering into stuff that can kill you isn't fun.

Makes for a good game as long as it doesn't happen too much, though.

[Cardinal]

Would the game be more fun if systems were larger and had more stations, but there were fewer of them?

Would this be compatible with another of your suggestions, the stargate network? http://neurohack.com/transcendence/foru ... .php?t=907

I'm not trying to be critical, but its difficult to strike a balance between a long, epic journey and a short, destructive mission to the galactic core.

Personally, I feel that the more systems the better. I like the randomness of the systems, some are big, some are small. I do love the ones with double asteroid belts though.

Perhaps options could be added to the game prior to starting a new ship,

Linear stargates or stargate network
Big systems, small systems or a mix
Random enemies out of normal system on/off
and so on...

[Fossaman]

I had thought about that, actually.

Incorporating both of these ideas could allow for a very, very wide range of play styles. You could clean out each and every system, and end up taking 12 or 15 hours, or you could just go straight ahead in 4 or 5 hours, or anywhere in between. Having larger systems, but less of them, would simplify making a network of gates.

It might be interesting to simply start by making the systems larger, and see how that plays.

I'm not trying to be critical, but its difficult to strike a balance between a long, epic journey and a short, destructive mission to the galactic core.

Please, do be critical. As long as you have reasons behind it, and you're not just saying "your idea is teh suxxorz!" for the heck of it. Most of the time when I make these threads, it's because I think something would be fun, or interesting to try at the very least. I don't always think these through. I prefer to let other people flesh out the ideas and add their own input, so it's everyone's idea in the long run.

[goat not sheep]

Aww...never make a text yellow. Its hard to read.

[Cardinal]

Aww...never make a text yellow. Its hard to read.

Sorry, fixed

Please, do be critical. As long as you have reasons behind it, and you're not just saying "your idea is teh suxxorz!" for the heck of it. Most of the time when I make these threads, it's because I think something would be fun, or interesting to try at the very least. I don't always think these through. I prefer to let other people flesh out the ideas and add their own input, so it's everyone's idea in the long run.

Thats cool. Unfortunately not everyone on the internet approches topics with your level of maturity. eg, hormonal teenagers... politicians...

[F50]

The smaller systems are a nice break. I also like the large systems without an asteroid belt. Preferably without too many asteroid clusters either. But yes, the rings and nebulae are fun if not used to much.

I would kind of like it of nebulous systems were smaller (say a half to one quarter the size), with more nebulae (patches of non-nebula with most of it being nebula until you leave the final "blue trace ring"). Except leave Sanctuary as is.

[evilbob]

hormonal teenagers...

Ahem. I think you'll find my hormones are quite raging, and I answer with maturity and intelligence.

[Yugi]

hormonal teenagers...

Ahem. I think you'll find my hormones are quite raging, and I answer with maturity and intelligence.

Same goes for me.

[Cardinal]

hormonal teenagers...

Ahem. I think you'll find my hormones are quite raging, and I answer with maturity and intelligence.

Same goes for me.

Then why waste your raging hormones by playing games?
Go out. Meet girls. Screw.

[Yugi]

Then why waste your raging hormones by playing games?
Go out. Meet girls. Screw.

Because I'm only fourteen.

I think this part of the conversation should be dropped

[Cardinal]

You put a good arguement.

Go out. Meet girls. Wait until your 16 or 18 or whatever the legal age is in your country and then screw

[goat not sheep]

haha. However, that is not needed for this..."topic".