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STO and No Man's Sky - Exploration Hopes and Dreams

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  • ryghanryghan Member Posts: 138 Arc User
    Based on what I've seen and read I'm willing to try NMS. I won't give up STO or other games for it forever, but it will take up some chunks of my time if it plays as cool/good as I've seen a good number of folks saying. Personally, I *like* the idea of being able to explore, trade, survive and/or do combat. I miss the exploration aspect of Star Trek in this game..and can't wait to see what they come up with to fill that "gap" (when they do). I like games where I can log on and do what I feel like, not what I feel like I *have* to do (meaning I like more options in my games). I miss being able to play "support" when I'm in STO....
  • freightstopperfreightstopper Member Posts: 232 Arc User
    edited August 2016
    I've never seen ships as 'must have equipment' but 'alternate costumes' for your ship, so having, or getting, a ship just because it (supposedly) the best at killing everything on the map is never a consideration for me.

    I leveled a character up to mid 40s level using the exploration clusters, once they got removed I didn't make another Fed character until the Delta expansion, because I had 1x Fed doing the missions, 1x Fed doing the queues and 1x Fed doing foundry missions, so I didn't need another Fed leveling up the same way as a previous one so I ended up using the Duty Officer system to level after getting high enough.

    Exploration clusters were a viable way of leveling up without doing patrols or storylines.

    After the claim that we are explorers again exploring the 'timeline', I believe that there is no hope for anything being added for or replacing exploration, as -
    1) it would be hard to monetize,
    2) wouldn't, shouldn't, involve shooting everything in sight.

    So exploration is either now in the hands of the Foundry Authors, who incidentally can do map changes in turbolifts without a map-reload which it appears cryptic can't, or (much more likely to be honest) dead and gone.
  • warpnugget#0537 warpnugget Member Posts: 96 Arc User
    edited August 2016
    ive given up on both mmos of my favourite space ips,swtor and sto.
    yes i have both installed on my pc,login sto for special events and once in a while if i feel the need for some good space battles but that gets old really fast.
    same goes for swtor,if i want some ground combat (because lets face it,sto isnt known for its good ground combat,clunky,awkward and just plain bad) but again that gets old pretty fast.

    now there are two main reasons i have given up on both ips.

    first and foremost i HATE the current trend of subs+microtransactions,im an old school mmo players since the mid 90's and all this TRIBBLE just pisses me off,if i pay the sub i should have access to ALL content...that doesnt mean i want it for free but with enough work and dedication i should be able to achieve anything i want.

    and now the second reason which is directed to sto,star trek for me is exploration,diplomacy and space battles,well guess what? from a list of 3 im missing 2 so sto is 1 for 3,as somone wrote before:

    ''Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before.''

    yep,dont come into sto expecting that because you wont get it,all that you will find is a pew pew mmo with the star trek ip slapped into it for money making purposes.


    p.s. makes me laugh that some players think that new ships are content,face it new ships are glorified mounts which some people are paying out of the a$$ for,to be honest all the whales are the ones that are maintaining this game on life support,just let it die already,hopefully someone else will develope the star trek mmo we deserve.
  • peterconnorfirstpeterconnorfirst Member Posts: 6,225 Arc User
    lordgyor wrote: »
    What Cyptic needs to do that's realistic is hire someone to be a full time Foundry DM.

    What I mean is they play through a variety of foundry missions and organize the heck out of them, based on the types of missions, and then different locations would have a randomized set of missions that fit that location/theme.

    That idea sounds quiet cool. :)

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  • kavasekavase Member Posts: 771 Arc User
    edited August 2016
    I, like a small few, miss the old exploration clusters.

    Was it perfect. No, it wasn't even that great overall.

    But it certainly was a nice change of pace to do something a little different then going through the story arc or the dreaded queues.

    I really, really, really wished they had tried to find ways to even slightly improve or modify the old exploration clusters instead of just abandoning it entirely. Such a waste.

    As for NMS I can't commit on it as I haven't played it. If I do get it, it'll be on sale. It is an Indie game after all but with a AAA title price tag.
    Retired. I'm now in search for that perfect space anomaly.
  • taylor1701dtaylor1701d Member Posts: 3,099 Arc User
    Trust me, I encountered those 3rd Dynasty Borg missions. I levelled an entire character entirely on the Foundry because I couldn't bear playing through the story missions again.
    The 3rd Dynasty thing was the most excessive, but there were also those exploration missions where you scanned plants but they were supposed to be some device (or was it the other way around). And when you were investigating who shot those poor freighters (optionally with enemy ships around the place), you always found the exact same signatures but they pointed to different species each time.
    On the KDF side the Fed officers in some of those combat missions were ridicilous - they sounded like Captain Kirk - but the MIrror version. Threatening, aggressive, completely unfitting.

    But remind me - where the Widrab an actual alien Exploration Cluster species, or am I confusing things?


    I think some of the dialog problems could have been "fixed" with better templates. Each NPC group could have its own artifacts it would be looking for, for example.
    I think others were harder to fix - like NPCs spawning inside buildings, or on top of buildings, or whatever weird thing that happened.



    I wouldn't mind Cryptic revisiting exploration clusters or redesigning it. I think I would like to see more effort being put into two things:
    1) Also integrate some (hand-crafted) story line with it. Put NPC sin there and lots of generated content, but a few story missions that go along with those NPCs - an introduction, an ongoing conflict, and its resolution.

    2) Provide a sense that you're actually extending the knowledge of the Federation/Klingon Empire/Romulan Republic. Idealy with a real MMO component.

    The server wide event progress meter could be used for something like this. Each exploration Block (if such a thing would still exist) has one, and depending on how well the players overall progress in their explorations, it grants some rewards to players.

    I would also like to see things integrated with the DOFF and Admirality system. The Captain (or the Admiral) shouldn't have to scan all those plants and artifacts and what not himself - sometimes his officers and crewmen should take care of it.

    The bolded bit is a great idea to bring some "Meaning" to wondering around revamped Exploration Clusters. Great thinking Mustrum.
    Otherwise there's not much point, granted a lot of people here who liked the clusters wouldn't mind either way, but I'll bet if that progress bar was used to track server wide explorations, it would motivate people to go out and explore strange new worlds.
    Think you've done it mate. You've given the clusters a Purpose.

    The weekly rewards could be things like increased Technology points for upgrading gear, or bonus dilithium. All due to new found elements and technology that the factions have "found" through exploration and making connections with new races.
    [img][/img]OD5urLn.jpg
  • taylor1701dtaylor1701d Member Posts: 3,099 Arc User
    Also, got another 4 hours into NMS.
    It felt like 20 mins LOL

    Its really frikken good. :mrgreen:

    I got lost in a cavern on my Homeworld for over an hour last night, now, normally this would annoy me in most any other game, but I kept on making discoveries as I was trying to find my way out.
    It was an incredibly beautiful Mineral Cavern. I was blown away. Again.

    I really think a lot of people here would enjoy this game. Got 2 other friends playing it, and theyre loving every min as well.

    Spent about 7-8 Hours on my homeworld, and my progress meter just hit 85% last night.
    Its frikken incredible.

    Here's the beautiful launch trailer, great Soundtrack as well. Enjoy the wonder.

    https://youtu.be/aozqa_7PLhE

    [img][/img]OD5urLn.jpg
  • wendysue53wendysue53 Member Posts: 1,569 Arc User
    edited August 2016
    B)


    and someone said the graphics weren't any good?! I'm having trouble with that thought. It is - or seems to be - what STO and SW series should have been. STO was good for space things to an extent, and SW was good for ground. But it is all exactly the same after the first time you run it with those. Nothing new.

    not so with NMS! :)

    Been a long time since I've wanted to run out and buy a game (even if it is just ordering online). This game did that.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0 Arc User
    I don't think any of the devs have the skill level or imagination or time or resources to create any new animal or plant life you see in no mans sky. They sure as heck wouldn't have the man power. As much as I want to see a good exploration system in this game more than any other content ever a exploration system with no new alien life would be pointless and all cryptic would end up doing is using the badly out of date limited character creator for it.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited August 2016
    azrael605 wrote: »
    Check your facts, nobody created anything in NMS, its all procedurally generated. But go ahead and continue your nonsensical ranting, it would be funny if it wasn't so pathetic.

    the game made itself did it? Had no art team. OKy

    I don't think you know how a video works. NIce try though.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited August 2016
    azrael605 wrote: »
    Check your facts, nobody created anything in NMS, its all procedurally generated. But go ahead and continue your nonsensical ranting, it would be funny if it wasn't so pathetic.

    And since you don't have a sweet clue what you are talking about here is a link that shows the amount of work the art team did for all the life in no mans sky
    https://youtu.be/oYmkHTBiXDg
  • talonxvtalonxv Member Posts: 4,257 Arc User
    azrael605 wrote: »
    Check your facts, nobody created anything in NMS, its all procedurally generated. But go ahead and continue your nonsensical ranting, it would be funny if it wasn't so pathetic.

    14450588177-90j9x.gif

    That's priceless.
    afMSv4g.jpg
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited August 2016
    azrael605 wrote: »
    Rollseyes, of course the basics are laid out in the program, however in order to achieve their "billions" of worlds those basic factors are just a small part of the procedural generation, which their own pr has already stated. Do you actually think anyone spent the literal centuries of man- hours it would take to sculpt the plant life for each and every one of those billions of planets which are randomly generated as discovered by players? Smfh

    Smfh harder. Someone made every part of them of everything you see in game. They only and randomly generate the parts and colours together. I'm astounded you even know how to turn on a computer. A lot of hard work went into NMS work that crypic could never match. You're being a fanboy defending a game that has a T-rex jump around the screen in the air at you
  • mustrumridcully0mustrumridcully0 Member Posts: 12,963 Arc User
    azrael605 wrote: »
    Rollseyes, of course the basics are laid out in the program, however in order to achieve their "billions" of worlds those basic factors are just a small part of the procedural generation, which their own pr has already stated. Do you actually think anyone spent the literal centuries of man- hours it would take to sculpt the plant life for each and every one of those billions of planets which are randomly generated as discovered by players? Smfh

    And the basis for artwork must be done by someone, and the 2 man character art team is not going to do what the No Man's Sky art team did.
    Not to mention that the procedural generation itself also has to be programmed first and requires dedicated programmers and designers.
    Star Trek Online Advancement: You start with lowbie gear, you end with Lobi gear.
  • wendysue53wendysue53 Member Posts: 1,569 Arc User
    edited August 2016
    azrael605 wrote: »
    Check your facts, nobody created anything in NMS, its all procedurally generated. But go ahead and continue your nonsensical ranting, it would be funny if it wasn't so pathetic.

    the game made itself did it? Had no art team. OKy

    I don't think you know how a video works. NIce try though.

    The one thing the team of NMS didn't have? was an 'Art Team'. It wasn't necessary. It IS all created on the fly as you move around in the game and doesn't use a massive stock-footage systems, such as all games before it have done. It is why STO has to constantly be updated, due in large part to new Art graphics being added, increasing the size of the game.

    NMS doesn't do that. It's literally a math equation. Look it up. It isn't like any game ever made, and I'm not saying that due to personal bias.
    azrael605 wrote: »
    Check your facts, nobody created anything in NMS, its all procedurally generated. But go ahead and continue your nonsensical ranting, it would be funny if it wasn't so pathetic.
    What he said. Couldn't have said it better.

    It's like comparing a horse and cart against a nascar. Uncomparible. Sure, both are types of vehicles... but well... you get the point.



    Let me back up a sec. They had a basic art team. Not the kind found in most games. the math then takes what they have and changes it all. I can say that, but it still doesn't come across correctly. you need to know the system.
  • mustrumridcully0mustrumridcully0 Member Posts: 12,963 Arc User
    wendysue53 wrote: »
    azrael605 wrote: »
    Check your facts, nobody created anything in NMS, its all procedurally generated. But go ahead and continue your nonsensical ranting, it would be funny if it wasn't so pathetic.

    the game made itself did it? Had no art team. OKy

    I don't think you know how a video works. NIce try though.

    The one thing the team of NMS didn't have? was an 'Art Team'. It wasn't necessary..
    I point out this video, that was just mentioned a few posts ago:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYmkHTBiXDg

    People seem to concot a lot of myths on game development, and NMS might be the most mythical.
    Star Trek Online Advancement: You start with lowbie gear, you end with Lobi gear.
  • kavasekavase Member Posts: 771 Arc User
    Good lord people, even anyone who doesn't have any idea how video games work knows that NMS had an art team to some capacity.

    Anyway, in my mind NMS is just a start of something. I'm not even talking about DLCs for the game itself but perhaps something can be learned from this and be expanded to other current and/or future games. Or at least some elements from it.

    Perhaps even to STO...who knows.
    Retired. I'm now in search for that perfect space anomaly.
  • angrytargangrytarg Member Posts: 11,003 Arc User
    wendysue53 wrote: »
    The one thing the team of NMS didn't have? was an 'Art Team'. It wasn't necessary. It IS all created on the fly as you move around in the game and doesn't use a massive stock-footage systems, such as all games before it have done. It is why STO has to constantly be updated, due in large part to new Art graphics being added, increasing the size of the game.

    (...)

    I'm sure the artists working on NMS appreciate that statement...

    No, seriously, what the algorithm of NMS does is to combine countless elements together to create new worlds and creatures, that is true and it is impressive. However, every sindle part that can be combined was designed by hand by an artist. A algorithm cannot create a game for you, all the assets were designed by people. It's like using STOs aliengen and hit "random" - everything gets thrown together, but the single parts have been handmade and categorized so the computer knows what's an ear, a leg and so on. Those things do not spring from a line of code.​​
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  • taylor1701dtaylor1701d Member Posts: 3,099 Arc User
    edited August 2016
    kavase wrote: »
    Good lord people, even anyone who doesn't have any idea how video games work knows that NMS had an art team to some capacity.

    Anyway, in my mind NMS is just a start of something. I'm not even talking about DLCs for the game itself but perhaps something can be learned from this and be expanded to other current and/or future games. Or at least some elements from it.

    Perhaps even to STO...who knows.

    That's exactly how I feel.
    Even if things get dull in NMS.. Its a great time to be enjoying video games, we're on the cusp of really cool things to come.
    Hence why I also thought the Virtual Reality Star Trek game looked so promising.

    Like, I'm sure the VR Trek game will be super limited in what you can actually do....but wow. The potential is huge !
    And we get to live through a new age of game design ! Its really cool imo.

    Imagine the wonders that await us in 10-15 years time ? Sorry I just get really excited thinking about it.

    Edit: and I don't even want to compare the Devs from STO to NMS. Because Ive loved a lot of the work the Devs have done here !
    Theyre just 2 very different game designs.
    [img][/img]OD5urLn.jpg
  • snoggymack22snoggymack22 Member Posts: 7,084 Arc User
    edited August 2016
    Guys. Srsly. Guys. Come on now. Code Monkeys are NOT artists!

    Never the two shall mix!

    ;)

    (I say this as an artist and designer who went on to become a code monkey years ago for a web design firm).
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • talonxvtalonxv Member Posts: 4,257 Arc User
    edited August 2016
    People honestly believe that there was not an art team on NMS and it was all randomly generated by an algorithm?

    cvoU5Y9.gif

    Oh and I decided to drop down for the pregame package and take NMS for a spin. At a minimum it's another game tool around on since I only play about 4-5 right now, might mix it up.

    Not saying I'm dropping STO, dropped way too much money over the years to drop this old girl. Plus still the only major game to get that Star trek feeling.

    Though just finished the last chapter in SWTOR, ugh...might step off that game for A LONG time.
    afMSv4g.jpg
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  • kodachikunokodachikuno Member Posts: 6,020 Arc User1
    seriously.... why is everyone obsessed with a technicolor eyesore, thats FPS only and ridiculously overpriced?? Oh and one that seems to be a major bomb if the reviews are accurate
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    tacofangs wrote: »
    STO isn't canon, and neither are any of the books.
  • markhawkmanmarkhawkman Member Posts: 35,236 Arc User
    Yeah, as one person put it, NMS is a pretty picture to look at and do nothing with.
    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
    My character Tsin'xing
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  • necreliosis#4763 necreliosis Member Posts: 112 Arc User
    You are not authorized to go into deep space at this time, captain.
  • vengefuldjinnvengefuldjinn Member Posts: 1,521 Arc User
    You know, Sometimes I would just like to explore a pretty map, maybe see something I've never seen before.

    If cryptic could just incorporate this into the game using the old exploration system, maybe add some random crafting materials to help us upgrade our gear in these maps, (various levels of rarity depending on if you play it on normal, or whatever) they'd totally be worth exploring to me.

    Space and ground, then maybe add an NPC here and there to attack us, no conversation needed and I'd be cool with that.

    Some of those maps were wonderful, some were silly. But that's Trek too no?

    Then you could have players who explore, to sell what they find, it could open up a whole new way to play and add a new dimension of game play to crafting.
    tumblr_o2aau3b7nh1rkvl19o1_400.gif








  • starkaosstarkaos Member Posts: 11,556 Arc User
    Yeah, as one person put it, NMS is a pretty picture to look at and do nothing with.

    Well that is what a pure exploration game is. Exploration seems to always be the same. Go to this point of interest, grab what looks interesting, then go to the next. Even the environment hazards feel the same. Cold, heat, or radiation is all treated the same way. Find some shelter after a bit of travelling, go back to your ship, or repair your environmental protection. The only thing that changed exploration a bit was finding some underwater ruins, but that just adds a oxygen meter and using the jetpack to refill your oxygen.
  • monkeybone13monkeybone13 Member Posts: 4,640 Arc User
    No Man's Sky sounds boring as hell.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLAvRf0Z8KU
  • warpangelwarpangel Member Posts: 9,427 Arc User
    edited August 2016
    No Man's Sky sounds boring as hell.

    Agreed. No point in having a universe-sized sandbox, if you can't build sandcastles in it.
  • talonxvtalonxv Member Posts: 4,257 Arc User
    Yeah NMS is fun. Fun watching the opening animation, getting some white TRIBBLE through the middle then crash.

    Great job there developers. To fingers up. You can guess which fingers.
    afMSv4g.jpg
    Star Trek Battles member. Want to roll with a good group of people regardless of fleets and not have to worry about DPS while doing STFs? Come join the channel and join in the fun!

    http://forum.arcgames.com/startrekonline/discussion/1145998/star-trek-battles-channel-got-canon/p1
  • thunderfoot#5163 thunderfoot Member Posts: 4,545 Arc User
    This game's reviews are surprisingly negative. Especially from the users. Didn't read the reviews and comments on Steam but the comments posted on GameSpot and MetaCritic were far beyond nasty and mean.

    I think Hello Games and Sony brought this on themselves. Seems like they pandered to people's wildest expectations and then published something which has not lived up those same expectations. Albeit so far. Which is a shame really. The concept is not bad. But according the reviews I've read, the execution leaves a lot to be desired.

    I held off jumping into STO when it first appeared. For the reasons listed above. May try this one out a couple of years down the road. After all the hoopla dies down and the dev team for NMS gets serious about making the game better.
    A six year old boy and his starship. Living the dream.
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