Another marathon session, and I`ve got some balance points I`d like to mention.
(I)nspect:
Chasing down slain aliens and performing autopsies on their bodies is fun, and it nets you enough biodata to be worthwhile. On the other hand, hitting "I" a couple hundred times on a forest planet for 1 point each is considerably less fun. I think the old way of collecting plant data was better.
Resources:
Slightly more realistic, and a lot more interesting as far as making special planets -- how about making rare, valuable minerals (Transuranium (sp?), exotic gems, etc,) rarer on the surface of planets? Wandering around the surface could net you iron, copper, occasionally gold, non-exotic gems, aluminum, etc, but in order to get the really good stuff you would have to go under the surface of the planet. This means that mining-specialized players would be especially interested in finding caves, while more hunter-specialized players would search for high life planets.
On a related note, putting more of the minerals in rubble (especially underground) would make the mining devices much more critical. Mining devices could start at 500, and require say 50 oxygen to use. An improved mining device could cost 1500 and require 25 oxygen to use. Advanced mining devices cost about 5000 and require 10 oxygen to use. (the oxygen here represents time and work on behalf of the crew, not actual fuel for the device.)
Mobility:
Does anyone use hover platforms? I never have. Water isn`t enough of a barrier to bother me, and when it is I just land on the planet again. I suggest making more or all water deep (what good is shallow water in the game?) and ice dangerous to walk on -- a 1% chance of it cracking or you falling into a crevice. Suddenly hoverplatforms seem more attractive if i need to get around ALL water and ice safely.
How about adding rock-climbing gear to get around mountains? Maybe steal a page from ADOM and have two types of mountains, normal mountains and high mountains. If the water ice suggestion were also used, in the early game people would have to specialize in either mountainous terrain or watery terrain. Up the price on the Jumpjets to 3000/set of 5 and you push them into the midgame, which is where I think they belong.
Semi-special planets --
A bit more flavor text would be nice. Instead of just the super special planets (Sandworms, Apollo etc) getting flavor text, why not have more common types of planets also have flavor text?
For example:
--High vegatation worlds:
"Sensor reading report a thick layer of vegatation on this planet. What appears to be the surface of the planet is, in fact, a mid-level canopy of a planet-spanning rain forest."
--Large amounts of minerals:
"Sensor readings show an amazing amount of concentrated mineral deposits on or very near the surface."
--Earthquakes
"A high level of tectonic activity has been detected on the surface. It seems that this planet`s mantle is very thin, and magma leaks to the surface are dangerously common."
--Sub levels
"We are getting some strange readings from this planet. Apparently, this planet is honeycombed by massive subterranean caverns, reaching far below the surface."
Etc.
What do you think?
Author
Topic: Prospector, a roguelike in development (Read 284553 times)