Mars Colony Frontier > Have your say on the new version

Expanding the Gameplay and Depth

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EmissionGeneration:
So, really enjoying the Game so far, very addictive, and at Phase 6 at the moment. One thing though that I've noticed and seem's to take some of the fun out of it, is when you go to new Phases [starting at Phase 3 with the Communication], another Team has been there and set it all up for you.

Personally I would like to be the 1 setting them up. The "Labor Team" comes down, puts the Equipment Casing down and adds the extra Modules, and then I come in and get it all running, like in the First Stage, with adding all the Components.

I enjoy the Management side of the Game, but just feel like after Phase 2, and some of Phase 3, it's mainly over with Installing Equipment, and focused more on Growth and Science. I like if we are still required to get the new Systems finished off before the Science and Growth. In my opinion, this will definitely expand the Gameplay through all of the Phases.

[v2.0 is said to have the ability to build your own Modules, so if this was already intended with that, then just ignore me]  :P

Thanks. =]

rditto48801:
Perhaps there could be an option to assist the work teams with setting stuff up, or even an option to do much of the work yourself. At least where possible/feasible. (baring stuff like heavy equipment a single person cannot handle, or stuff needing specialized skills the player's colonist might not yet have or not have developed enough yet).

For added steps... having to actually put soil into the planters and worm beds by using multiple large carried containers, or figuring out how to fill up the fish tank with water. Maybe a large insulated/heated water tank parked outside of the main airlock... and a larger  than normal water container just for that purpose... Maybe a wheeled water tank that can be 'pushed' around for that task.
Just need to hope health is not tracked to such a degree where over exertion or injury might come into play for working to hard for to long.


I can agree the game is addictive. I took like 40-50 hours to beat my first playthrough... most of the time spent in phase 6...

Ryder:
There are surprising things that add to depth... some are rather simple.

Audio is often overlooked, but the best immersive experiences seem to always have great sound.

For example: As opposed to always checking the status of systems... one might get a sense of them by changes in how they sound... pumps get noisy... clicky.  Having things sound different as they wear is a great clue to check the system more closely.


Another thing... and I learned this with Kerbal Space Program... was that adding other "players", beings that you could identify with, by name, really adds to the emotional satisfaction...  Of course this is covered in multiplayer in many respects, BUT, one can add players and the feeling of other players by seeing them at work.
For Example:  Supplies should arrive at the start of a game phase... not simply be there.  A landing craft should come, announcing itself on the radio, and we could watch it land, and hear the pilot(s).  We could then hear and even see them as they assist from above, lowering supplies to the surface where we can collect them... then they wave, close the cabin door, and immediately leave to make a hasty rendezvous or perhaps another stop at a different base. 

This should give a much wider sense to the game scope.  You KNOW there are others out there, because you've seen them... worked with them.

Comms from other stations warning of a storm hitting them... moving in... that and any other comms would seem to generate a sense of depth.

The very occasional surprise... out in the dunes... like an old Russian probe, or a Viking lander, covered in red dust, placed occasionally and at random, would be a thrill to find.

And even the small stuff... a heat shield maybe... or a crash site... or meteor strike (a bigger event with such a thin atmosphere).


The occasional rocket contrail crossing the sky... a supply lander heading back to orbit from a distant outpost.

These are all elements of a world that is host to expanding human activity.

rditto48801:
The idea of having a lander type craft delivering supplies is interesting, but in a way not practical.
The main factor being fuel. Unless it could be locally produced in sufficient quantities, fuel would need to be shipped from Earth. Not to mention needing to actually ship such a craft to, or construct and assemble it on, Mars. Anything shipped from Earth makes things time consuming and very expensive.

That makes rovers more practical and sensible just for delivering supplies earlier on.
The subject of landers and such is touched upon in another topic (I forget which one, but I think one started by Hyper).
If a lander does show up, it is either a one way trip (free spare parts/equipment/shelter?), or a dual stage craft with an ascent stage that is not going anywhere until they have whatever people or materials are going to be taken to orbit to an awaiting interplanetary transfer craft. (With a caravan arriving sooner or later with said people/stuff to be shipped to Earth?)

Also consider that it takes a good bit of time to prepare and launch even a single space mission, and the fact it takes a half year to get to Mars. That means seeing rocket contrails and rocket engine propelled flying craft are going to be extremely rare early on, not to mention the whole 'needle in a haystack' effect of such a lander/rocket passing nearby the player's position in the first place, so should be a rare event/sighting at best.
Now, if the Mars Constellation mission concept or the SKYLON based TROY Mars Mission concept were to become a reality, then it could be a more viable option to have (likely single use) landers used to deliver supplies/materials from an orbiting interplanetary transfer craft.
The cargo lander from the Mars Constellation could likely deliver supplies/materials for an entire base all by itself.

For me, it would nice to start a phase looking at one or more rovers as they pull away with the work team that had assembled structures and installed heavy equipment between phases, with several empty rover beds (and any 'extra' rovers at the base/outpost) give a better feel of 'where' those supplies came from. Perhaps toss in getting some sort of 'good luck' message from the work team as they leave (be it audio or just text in the message window). Toss in a larger 'caravan' type rover (or towed 'self propelled' trailers) that gives the impression it can carry a lot of people and supplies.
Even that has its own obstacles though. I don't think there is any sort of real AI in MC:C at present, so anything that moves on its own would be likely limited to being 'on rails', or otherwise controlled by a limited/restrict script of some sort.


I would agree it would be interesting to have equipment get different sounds based on their condition.
And warning klaxons/lights to help add to the impact when you get a message that something bad just happened, such as the filter in the air scrubber catching on fire... of which I had happen before. In hindsight, lack of clouds of smoke, flashing warning lights and warning klaxons made the event a little anti-climactic.

By 'players', do you mean actual players? Or do you mean just computer controlled characters? (as in NPCs, a.k.a. Non-Player Characters).


One of the other topics (I think one started by Hyper) already had people bring up the subject of finding assorted things, such as old probes and such, and of other things be added to improve immersion, such as random radio chatter and such.


I see there is a fellow KSP fan around. Imagine the issues with getting even a small automated rover to Duna if you had an astronomical bill (pun intended) tacked onto things. That is a factor to consider here. MC:C tries to stick to realism, scientific fact, etc. "Sounds cool" quickly clashes with "Where do we get the money for that?"

Ryder:
Of course a craft delivering supplies is practical... in fact, each new segment of the game includes this... but we never see it.  The phase starts... and the "stuff" is just there.  It got there somehow.

Why not show it?

"Players" is quoted... I tried to indicate that they are not necessarily human players.  Like in Kerbal Space Program... the characters in the game are not the player or other human players (except in multiplayer use).  You need SOME entities that can be identified with, or assisted, or lost/killed... that are not the player.  In other words, you need to not be alone in the universe...

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