IBNobody IBNobody

Founders! Unite against a common foe!

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Founders! Unite against a common foe!

from StarControl Forums

My fellow founders...

 

It is time for us to gather together. Our game is in its infancy. Mechanics are being developed. Races are being drawn. Storylines are being crafted.

But... Those efforts could be overshadowed by a grievous inclusion in the game...

 

FETCH & FEDEX QUESTS

 

Many a game have fallen prey to these wicked quests, offered by NPCs too lazy to walk across town to retrieve a forgotten item. They are insidious additions that mock the intelligence of our crew. Our starships shall not be made into mail trucks and our pilots shall not be made into delivery drivers!

I know that sometimes these types of quests are requirements for other, more adventurous and interesting quests. Attempt to avoid these scenarios, and when this is not possible, embellish the fetch and FedEx portions of the quests to make them appealing.

 

(For example... You agree to transport a package from one starbase to another. During your journey, the package detonates, killing most of your crew and crippling your main ship. You are beset by space pirates and must fend them off in your weakened state. When your ship limps back to the starbase, you track down the original quest-giver and give him a taste of fiery retribution.)

 

I beseech you, my fellow founders. Unite against the menace of the fetch and fedex quests! 

53,263 views 32 replies
Reply #26 from StarControl Forums Top

Quoting IBNobody, reply 25


Quoting cuorebrave,
reply 23

Hey! Speak for yourself, mister! I loved the planetary scouting. Agreed you didn't need resources much, unlike in the beginning, and it became obsolete. BUT, to this very day, coming across a new planet - and all the endless possibilities it might hold - is one of the most exhilarating and just-plain-fun aspects of any game I've ever played! I've beaten the game countless times, and never once wished it was skippable. I'd cry if there was a way to skip it! What kind of space explorer would you be if you ACTUALLY had the real-life chance to visit a million new planets and you just skipped em because, well, they probably don't have anything you need anyway! 



I know you liked to explore. I do too. I want a reason to explore, though. Finding the same thing over and over (or finding nothing) is monotonous. Imagine searching for a needle in a haystack, finding it in the first minute, and spending the rest of the day searching through the hay and finding nothing. It's tedious. I want to have something motivating me. Otherwise, I'll go search a new open-world game.

I'll start the conversation of how long the game should be in a new thread.

I really like the exploration part of SC as well.  But I don't necessarily need to find anything practical - if the graphics and the environments of the game are always unique and immersive and beautiful I'd be happy exploring just for the eye-candy. 

Reply #27 from StarControl Forums Top

I think the script for the game should randomize locations of key items. I hate the idea of someone jumping on a wiki and finishing the game in a hour. Make the game truly more difficult. Each decision along the quest line changes the location of the item. Whether the item is moved because the protectors have discovered your after it or you changed a diplomatic situation and a system no longer is in the sphere of influence of that species and needs to be relocated. Some items will be static I understand but screw those wiki kiddies make it a bloody challenge!

Galactic Civilizations IV
Reply #28 from StarControl Forums Top

Quoting SavageMind1, reply 27

Some items will be static I understand but screw those wiki kiddies make it a bloody challenge!

Yeah! Screw them kids for wanting to play the game like they want to! Back in my day, we didn't have these new fangled wikis. We didn't even have FAQs. We had a 300 baud modem to dial up those long-distance BBS's, and we had to share the phone line with our gabby sister! Or we had to pay $1 a minute to get help from hint lines! (1-900-370-KLUE, or 1-900-STAR-WARS) Kids these days have it too damn easy!

/s

 

Edit: I'm not opposed to adding some randomness. It makes the game a little more replayable. However, I am opposed to having it done just to spite some objectionable gaming play-style. That's just mean spirited.

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Reply #29 from StarControl Forums Top

View it as you will. Having the game laid out in a wiki diminishes the work the developer did by handing out the answers to the game and removing the point of the game. Why play the game if your going to get screenies and walthroughs for it? That completely takes the fun our of the game. I'm no stranger to Acoustic Couplers and low baud modems. I SYSOP'd a BBS in the late 80's myself. I understand what your getting at. It's not just about "objectionable gaming play-style" it's about keeping the integrity of the game and encouraging the community to play the game how the developer intended.

Reply #30 from StarControl Forums Top

Quoting SavageMind1, reply 29

View it as you will. Having the game laid out in a wiki diminishes the work the developer did by handing out the answers to the game and removing the point of the game. Why play the game if your going to get screenies and walthroughs for it? That completely takes the fun our of the game. I'm no stranger to Acoustic Couplers and low baud modems. I SYSOP'd a BBS in the late 80's myself. I understand what your getting at. It's not just about "objectionable gaming play-style" it's about keeping the integrity of the game and encouraging the community to play the game how the developer intended.

http://www.abandonia.com/files/extras/Resource%20Guide.zip

 

 

 

The developers of Star Control 2 recognized that their game was hard. They would have preferred you not to have looked at outside material, but they were understanding as to how challenging their game was. Paul and Fred wrote the resource guide (hint book) to assist players that needed some guidance.

I understand that you feel that following hint books, reading FAQs, reading Wikis, and watching videos devalues the game experience. That's fine. Abstain from all of that if you feel it devalues your experience. But please refrain from telling me how I should play my own single player game, and please do not put words in the developers' mouths.

If Stardock wants to have an anti-wiki stance, let Stardock come out and say it.

 

 

(P.S. Stardock? If you're reading this, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE have Chris Bucholz write a hint book like this for SCR in addition to his normal scenario writing. I forgot how AWESOME this book was back in the day. I'm in nostalgia overload right now.)

 

Reply #31 from StarControl Forums Top

I loved local BBSs before Windows95 and the world wide web.  It was more fun having to find them, and then each was it's own little community.  There was something about it that was better than the internet in ways.  It's been like 25 years and I can still remember many of their names.

 

 

Reply #32 from StarControl Forums Top

At no time did I tell you how to play it. I stated my preference as you strongly stated yours and made it a point to try to make mine wrong because it doesn't fall in line with yours. Touche', you have won and I bow to your superior intellect and reasoning. I shall forever blindly agree to your supremely superior point of view. 

(\B):vulcan:(\B) :borg: