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A Sector Space Thought

SystemSystem Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
I'd been thinking a good deal about how Sector Space, to me, feels like a travel mechanism. In theory, it's supposed to be a social hub but aside from looking at people's ships as they go by, there's nothing terribly social about it and I'll admit I have a hard time socializing because there's this glaring disconnect for me. I am not my ship. I am someone playing a captain who is inside a ship and unless that ship is in combat or scanning anomalies, the ship just seems like an abstraction and sector space is an even bigger abstraction.

Enemy signal contacts are a nuissance as it stands, something that I spend most of the time avoiding so I can just make my "gryphon ride" from planet to planet. Unless I'm seeking one out for some quick teamplay but then they just become another roving mission, a planet that won't hold still.

So I was thinking about what sector space should be and how to get there.

I don't object to SS as an astrometrics display, a non-literal take on travel, and I think it's effective at conveying that. But I think that it can succeed at that without being anything special.

I think Sector Space needs anomalies. Hunting anomalies there would add a degree of life.

Beyond that, I'd suggest rethinking enemy contacts. Instead of pulling you into a separate map, which many people view as an inconvenience and will AFK through as their ship autopilots or instantly warp out of...

What if combat wasn't disabled in sector space? Obviously, this would require some reworking of what SS looks like as it would become less of an astrometrics display. But what if enemy signal contacts were actual mobs you fought in Sector Space? I think it would add to the social dynamic.

Just some morning musings here. Any thoughts?
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    I wouldn't mind seeing ship/ship combat in SS, especially when fedrats intrude on KLINgon space as tho it were thier own. it's NOT!!!
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    Krenn wrote: »
    I wouldn't mind seeing ship/ship combat in SS, especially when fedrats intrude on KLINgon space as tho it were thier own. it's NOT!!!

    That would also liven up the PvP Sector Space and give people a reason to go there aside from queueing.

    Obviously, turf control would be a nice longterm objective but what might be neat for the Neutral Zone is to make it an open PvP zone in sector space. Then add anomalies unique to that zone used to craft PvP items. So you're scanning SS for PvP crafting anomalies and fending off attackers.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    heh... if they had Genesis up and running as it was supposed to work, I'd frankly say, make Sector Space huge. I mean, HUGE. Transwarp gates between the main hub places, but make it a long time to get anywhere at normal warp. Then have Genesis start spawning missions, distress calls, spatial anomolies, medical relief efforts, derelict ships... whatever, as you go from place to place.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    my main problem with Sector Space is that the distances are wrong, sectors (not the blocks) are meant to be about 20 ly a side, but random events now and then to spice things up, happened often in Canon enougth times to put it in.
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