[Discussion] ideas to improve "gathering"

Cyman · Post by **Cyman** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:54 am

For those of you who don't know "gathering" is when you kill the aliens for resources. (except in UN space, then you just pick them up) It seems to me that "gathering" is one of the most pointless parts of the game. This poll should show if you agree with me.

That said, even if it is pointless, I don't think we should just get rid of it. That's a waste of perfectly good artwork. So, how do we make it better?

I'll throw out some ideas to get the discussion started.

1. Make some of the aliens tougher. You get more XP and more resources from killing one.
2. Aliens can also drop shields.
3. Aliens sometimes drop resources when they get hit, not just when they die.

Cyman · Post by **Cyman** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 1:29 am

although i dont like the word "rock" anyone think of anything?

How does "crystal" sound?

Mua'Dib · Post by **Mua'Dib** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 2:54 am

Perhaps you arent aware but aliens have a purpose. They distract and/or absorb nukes during invasions.

GreenPeaSuit · Post by **GreenPeaSuit** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 3:10 am

I like the tougher alien idea. Indeed, i have played with several changes for aliens. The idea of tougher aliens is a good one, and i see it spitting out a sea of resources upn death the way the falcon's disruptor does to a fully loaded NPC. The tougher aliens would also add a small complication to invasion, as it might take more than a single nuke to kill it. Its shot could also do more damage than 1 shield, and even have slightly more weight.

Another idea I for aliens, while we are on the topic, is one that moves. Maybe not in an AI sort of may per NPCs, but bouncing in straight lines, deflecting off walls. If it were to contact the ship, it would do damage and be deflected. It too could yield more resources upon death.

Mua'Dib · Post by **Mua'Dib** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 6:39 am

Wtf aliens as tough as turrets?

MadAce · Post by **MadAce** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 2:22 pm

It's called grinding.

And I got some nice collutions here.

How about we use the crazy drag of gas giants to grind?

Pump up the aliens on gas giants so these become some kind of dungeon. w00t! 1007!! (loot)

Also pump up the exp and money gain et voila.

joebloe · Post by **joebloe** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 11:30 pm

What's wrong with having aliens drop more than one of a given resource? Say, 10 or 100 spice instead of 1?

No one would get rich off of 500 spice on a tiny desert but it would be worthwhile for new players or someone in desperate need of a little money.

I'm in favor of some bigger, badder aliens too. I think everyone is.

And if the bigger badder aliens have 5,000 or 10,000 hp, that's fine with me too!

Bagheera · Post by **Bagheera** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 12:16 am

I'm all for joebloe's ideas. Bigger, meaner aliens that are a serious threat, and some that even need more than one person to take down? Say it has a solar cannon esque weapon or something, but the rewards are exp, cash, and resources. Yes please.

Cyman · Post by **Cyman** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 12:13 am

Aliens could drop cargo in clusters like after a falcon's cargo disrupt. It would be nice if there were a different pic for each alien that corresponds to each resource type (so you could tell what it would drop before you kill it). And maybe a different color, or faster rate of fire for the ones that drop more. (On the other hand, if they dropped different kinds of cargo at the same time they might all look alike?)

Each planet could have a big "boss" alien that you have to defeat before you can plant a biodome. They would be worth a lot more XP, (like an npc) and could be different for each planet type. They would grow back eventually if you don't plant the dome.

Ocelotl · Post by **Ocelotl** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 12:31 am

Great ideas. The way it is now, even if you're green with 2 xp, it's not exactly worth it to mess with aliens. Sometimes I kill a few out of boredom, but only if I'm there on other business.

Something I'd really like to see would be a mirror-image playable alien race. Not alien ships, but something like giant space-cockroaches that would be the equivalent of human ships. Instead of invading colonies to govern them, your goal would be to kill colonists and set up hives or something. Instead of an escape pod, your alien could just die and "resurrect" (at a predetermined spawnpoint perhaps) as a clone from one of various castes, each superficially similar (in technical terms) to existing ships. Feel free to abuse every (cool) alien cliche in the sci-fi genre. Introduce wars of annihilation and all that. Instead of corps, it'd be broods. Instead of military ranks, it'd be instars and castes, etc.

I've actually thought about the idea a lot, but I resisted posting it because it's obviously really radical. Maybe in the sequel?

Jiachi · Post by **Jiachi** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 7:44 am

Ocelotl wrote:Great ideas. The way it is now, even if you're green with 2 xp, it's not exactly worth it to mess with aliens. Sometimes I kill a few out of boredom, but only if I'm there on other business.

Something I'd really like to see would be a mirror-image playable alien race. Not alien ships, but something like giant space-cockroaches that would be the equivalent of human ships. Instead of invading colonies to govern them, your goal would be to kill colonists and set up hives or something. Instead of an escape pod, your alien could just die and "resurrect" (at a predetermined spawnpoint perhaps) as a clone from one of various castes, each superficially similar (in technical terms) to existing ships. Feel free to abuse every (cool) alien cliche in the sci-fi genre. Introduce wars of annihilation and all that. Instead of corps, it'd be broods. Instead of military ranks, it'd be instars and castes, etc.

I've actually thought about the idea a lot, but I resisted posting it because it's obviously really radical. Maybe in the sequel?

WAY too much, I think. Personally, I'd stick with making aliens an acceptable threat to more than just people flying around with a peashooter and 100 shields, and maybe even tie in a little something else besides adding a second digit to exp gains per kill and such. You know, like a bit of positive rep, as acknowledgement from the UN that they are pleased with your assistive efforts in clearing the galaxy of these nuisances.

deno70 · Post by **deno70** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 7:15 pm

great idea about stronger alians and droping more reasorces but what i want to no is the person who acctually goes around killing alians all the time???!!!

Ralf the Dog · Post by **Ralf the Dog** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 8:11 pm

The best use for aliens I have found is when you are short 3 anarobs or 2 ore and don't wan't to go 4 jumps to get some.

I like the idea. How about red and yellow aliens?

Cyman · Post by **Cyman** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 9:05 pm

Cool. Does anybody think any of these ideas are good enough to get their own thread?

Also, should tougher aliens show up as more massive on neutrino scanners?

kragg · Post by **kragg** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 9:48 pm

I like the idea of tougher aliens and more xp for alien kills. I also like the idea of tougher aliens dropping more resources upon death. Maybe boss aliens could drop items or ship upgrades.

Cyman · Post by **Cyman** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 10:25 pm

Ok. I'm going to branch that into a new idea thread called [IDEA] meaner aliens.

Jiachi · Post by **Jiachi** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 2:07 am

Cyman wrote:Ok. I'm going to branch that into a new idea thread called [IDEA] meaner aliens.

kragg's 'tougher', or possibly 'better' might also do.

Starport: Galactic Empires

[Discussion] ideas to improve "gathering"

Do you ever go "gathering?"

[Discussion] ideas to improve "gathering"