Exploration Activities

[Buglish]

With this game’s development still being far away from release, this thread’s aim is to analyze confirmed exploration dynamics and also desired activities still to be added to that can be added to enhance the existing exploration.

 

Normal Exploration Activities:

• Jump gate searching
• Resources scanning (minerals in space and on planet)
• Rare items (space junk or archeological sites)

 

Desired Activities:

• Wreck or cargo drops from fleet engagements
• Random missions on land and in space
• Corporation scouting for resources

 

As a player of numerous Space Sim and MMO games such as the X series, EVE or STO; exploration is not always a standalone activity and normally serves as a time kill activity such as fishing or grinding. If the activity is not accommodated for in the same way as a core component it becomes a side gimmick. This is clear in EVE where they tried to add more activities, hype it and it still is just a side aspect were it’s not fun or seem special in any away. Sure you want some sort of random instancing or spawns of rare items but it feels more like a hack to keep the explores happy. Exploration should be part of the game dynamic and not just a span drop.

 

Fleet Engagements

When you think of activities happening in the game as core you think fleet engagements and always there are derelicts after such a battle. In a user VS user battle normally the winner loots the wreck. But with the new economy there is the aspect of fleet engagements that are NPC driven whether it is trade route protection or sourcing of building material. This in itself is a random mission generation as it is built on a dynamic system that is not scripted. All these interactions will have some sort of engagement that results in a derelict or cargo that is lost in space. It would be great if this is capitalized on to have either wrecks stay there until they are looted and salvaged or cargo is floating near or in the battle zone. This might create some performance issues for a persistent universe but some sort of mechanic can be created to manage the scope of stuff floating everywhere.

 

Random Missions

In STO they utilize a scripted mission catalogue to randomly give access to them through spawn points in a specific area. This in itself is not a bad idea but as it only happens in an area makes it feel removed or part of side missions and not a core component of a game. Since SC is both Space and Land based a similar mission module can be utilized that is scanned or found on a message board (distress signals reported) that are in all spaces of the game rather than a mysterious cloud where random stuff can be found. Having random instances in all parts of the game of all difficulty levels has shown to make a game feel alive and keep people playing for many years after release in all the areas. With distress signals making use of your sensory equipment in your cockpit to show a identified signal where the player can either investigate or report such a signal can greatly improve the immersion.

 

Resource Points

In SC the economy needs raw resources to build the items sold on the market. Normally a resource point is simply randomly spawned or on same spot. This gives the impression that resources are easily found and makes it common. If the mechanic of resource gathering can include searching for ore fields it will greatly increase the rareness and value of ore sites. These ore sites can then be sold to a mining corporation (player or NPC run) where the corporation can either send its mining fleet or publish the mining missions to players. One might think that that will make mining on its own too hard and not worth the effort. But when implemented correctly, where a mining corporation send out their own NPC scouts or scanning missions to players too search for mining sites; mining can still be cost effective if you work for the mining company or the player corporation have their own mining sites they publish the locations to their employees. This will also create espionage activities which many players also like partaking in and create a whole activity for those players. Using this method of resource scanning rather than presenting it on a silver platter will make bot mining harder in some way. Solo mining will then also require the player to scan their sites down and if they don’t share the location they can make a consistent income if the location is not found by others.

 

There are many ways of making exploration fun and exciting but for me its building exploration into the game dynamics.

 

What other exploration activities do you think might be fun?

 

“See you in the verse”

[Zeltchoron]

Would be very cool if you could find a wreckage of a very large ship that is now inhabited by some alien lifeforms, and you can explore through it and fight for some valuable resources that hide within! However I do not believe they would be inhabited by "some alien lifeforms" D:

[Buglish]

Please no more zombies!!!!!!

 

Yeah having a alien that has taken over the ship and boarded where you need to fight them off by boarding yourself would be awesome. It can even be a rescue mission or fight for the ship with a group of marines...capture the flag/bridge type of FPS

[Tiiga]

good points there. once you are a full member check our squadron out.

 

i think you might find more information there.

[TheGeneral9395]

Gee you aren't even a full member yet, good post.

[Buglish]

Is the imperium fleet I had to join with the registration process not the only fleet?

[JoshTheReaper]

I really hope they add scientific activities, such as actually getting things into orbit, and preventing ships from burning up and exploding when entering an atmosphere. 

[Ukhtral]

Is the imperium fleet I had to join with the registration process not the only fleet?

You can apply here: http://starcitizenbase.com/recruitment/index.php

[Buglish]

I have been discussing this topic on the RSI forum and I think that some good might yet come of this discussion. 

Random event driven responses to the actions of payers would make the game unique and make surprising actions which you didn't expect.

 

https://forums.robertsspaceindustries.com/discussion/74155/exploration-activities

[Buglish]

An activity for exploration that would be neat is to drag a item you found to a place that is harder to find. Lets say you find a wreck and you want to hide it, perhaps you can drag it into a asteroid field. Another method could be to put a gas cloud around the thing you found.

[luconis]

Would be very cool if you could find a wreckage of a very large ship that is now inhabited by some alien lifeforms, and you can explore through it and fight for some valuable resources that hide within! However I do not believe they would be inhabited by "some alien lifeforms" D:

 

I would love to find and salvage ant wreckage in space .... might get lots of materials plus maybe useless loot .... and it will be such a magnificant sight ...

[AdmiralBoom]

I might be mistake but I think CR has mentioned stuff like this in the Wingman's Hangar episodes

[Wred Wren]

Will probably run a salvage detail when I play the game... Gotta get that scrap.

[Stubb]

But there is a difference between salvage and exploring, I don't think an explore ship is equipped too also salvage a ship wreck, but it could mark it for others too salvage from the fleet, we did get a dedicated salvage ship in the stretch goal, so it would properly not be possible too mount a exploration and salvage build on the same ship. But then again I always think of exploration as a small fleet in it self, with sensor ships, escort and supply ships all around.

[Wred Wren]

Looking forward to being useful in our Exploration exploits.

[Stubb]

Same here, its going too be so epic the first time you dock to a abandon ship, hearing the hissing noise from the clamps as they lock in place, and then seen the door opening op into the dark interior of long forgotten dreams and hopes......dammit now I really want to play it even more.  

[-Spooky-]

Indeed. I hope we can cartograph planets too ..

[PachalT]

  I'm hoping for a sort of 'Security detail' experience. While a crew is investigating an abandoned ship or generally traversing through space  someone should be watching the stars for pirates who are waiting for an opportunity to ambush an unsuspecting exploration party. I imagine it could get pretty boring at times though, it's not like people are going to be attacking every time we turn our backs to look at something interesting. When the moment does come however; The responsibility of making sure we survive and they die feels like it would be pretty satisfying. 

[AdmiralBoom]

Well they better hope they arent picking on the Imperium explorers for no reason. Cause if so I am sure our Combat Division will have some choice words for them

[J-Kopf]

Why would you go for exploration ships anyway. Nothing to get there. Beside some supllies. I think merchants are better targets for pirats.

(Or you had to ambush returning exploration ships.)

[CC-Corp]

The reason to target explorers is for jump point data which is valuable and rare alien weapons because I can see the lone wolf explorers having a lot of alien tech, I'm personally going to be suiting up my combat ops buddy's with some sweet alien tech I find I'm not going to keep not all but were imperium, the other guys will be like an alien gold mine for pirates

[Anikotos]

Aside from potential gains such as jump point data and tech, a lot of explorers are going to be attacked because of the simple fact that they are in a ship, and the pirate or whomever simply sees them. In theory, a large portion of exploration will be done in SC equivalent of Nullsec, which means attacks will happen for little to no cause. Fighting back in an exploration ship, as a generalization, seems like a poor idea. I would rather deck my ship out with advanced alien engine mods, over weapons. This should help escape and survival chances. Pirates will almost always be better armed, since combat is their life blood. 

[AdmiralBoom]

Correct, pirates dont exactly know what everyone will be carrying. They seem to be quite the opportunistic type. If they see a ship they think they can take, they will try to take it.

[stefmarster]

Correct, pirates dont exactly know what everyone will be carrying. They seem to be quite the opportunistic type. If they see a ship they think they can take, they will try to take it.

Speaking of pirates, I've been thinking of somehow to be able to start an SAR (Search and rescue) fleet or team, in case of any from The exploration fleet gets in trouble or simply gets destroyed out there, to get rescued ASAP. Or IF any of The other fleets Are in need

[Stubb]

I'm counting on that there will not be lone explorations ships out there, that it will be small fleets of 5-10 ships, so that lone pirates will think again before engaging one of our explore ships.