Space Creatures (Full Version)

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Wade1000 -> Space Creatures (4/1/2010 3:33:13 PM)

Do you like the space creatures in Distant Worlds?

I do. Similiar to pirtaes I think they are fun and interesting and provide more to the game strategy elements. I wish for more varieties of them.

To some people that think the space creatures are silly, do you accept in some science fiction the idea of living starships, weapons, and tools for a civilization? If so, then these space creatures could be the evolved, mutated, or altered descendants of remnants of an ancient civilization.

Life could exist in places we think as unlikely; maybe on toxic(to us) hot or cold planets, maybe in gas giant planets, maybe on asteroids and comets, maybe in gas clouds, maybe in open space.

Also, I think that there is a Distant Worlds lore, historical, back story regarding the Space Creatures. Is that correct?



Ranbir -> RE: Space Creatures (4/1/2010 3:42:18 PM)

I like them because it's just another way to give space some 'life' to it. A lot of space games are very light, some going as far as not even having nebulae or other phenomenon. So having space creatures just gives this game more to enjoy and care about.



solops -> RE: Space Creatures (4/1/2010 3:42:30 PM)

No. Don't like them. Want an option to turn the OFF. SotS implemented the monster thing a bit better, but I don't care much for the idea. It is a nice option to have, though.



JonathanStrange -> RE: Space Creatures (4/1/2010 3:55:25 PM)

Space monsters, at first, seem out of place in a serious strategy game yet ...the universe is a mysterious place and this addition does make more for a living universe.



Wade1000 -> RE: Space Creatures (4/1/2010 3:57:32 PM)

If the Space Creatures ARE part of a historical, lore, back story then it will be unlikely that an option to disable them in game would be provided; unless the creature were to maybe be mentioned as an aside in such an option.



Webbco -> RE: Space Creatures (4/1/2010 6:31:30 PM)

Even on 'rare' setting I think there are too many.

Every 4 mins I get that alarm telling me a ship is getting attacked by a giant flippin kaltor. 



forsaken1111 -> RE: Space Creatures (4/1/2010 6:41:02 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Webbco

Even on 'rare' setting I think there are too many.

Every 4 mins I get that alarm telling me a ship is getting attacked by a giant flippin kaltor. 
So take your fleet and go kill them...



BletchleyGeek -> RE: Space Creatures (4/1/2010 6:52:50 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: solops

No. Don't like them. Want an option to turn the OFF. SotS implemented the monster thing a bit better, but I don't care much for the idea. It is a nice option to have, though.


SotS space monsters tended to become a threat even bigger than the AI alien empires - I think they outdid a bit the part of "improving on MOO2 Antareans". In DW space monsters are more like MOO2's - a nasty surprise or nuisance.



forsaken1111 -> RE: Space Creatures (4/1/2010 6:59:39 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Bletchley_Geek


quote:

ORIGINAL: solops

No. Don't like them. Want an option to turn the OFF. SotS implemented the monster thing a bit better, but I don't care much for the idea. It is a nice option to have, though.


SotS space monsters tended to become a threat even bigger than the AI alien empires - I think they outdid a bit the part of "improving on MOO2 Antareans". In DW space monsters are more like MOO2's - a nasty surprise or nuisance.
SotS 'space monsters' are also an integral part of the story. Both races introduced in the expansion packs were built off of 'space monster' encounters which changed and increased each time they put out a patch to fix bugs or add features, leading up to the expansion which brought the race fully into the game. They have said the same will hold true in the future, for SotS 2, where the current space monster encounters will become either playable races or add to the story in some way.



Sarissofoi -> RE: Space Creatures (4/1/2010 7:02:52 PM)

I dont really like space monsters in DW but for other reasons.
They are hard to track.
As many other things in this game.
I mean something attack and eat my ships. Ok I can live with that. But wait where I lost these ships?
I t should be possible to give orders like hunt space monsters for my Fleets.



jnpoint -> RE: Space Creatures (4/1/2010 7:15:02 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Sarissofoi

I dont really like space monsters in DW but for other reasons.
They are hard to track.
As many other things in this game.
I mean something attack and eat my ships. Ok I can live with that. But wait where I lost these ships?
I t should be possible to give orders like hunt space monsters for my Fleets.



I agree totally!!



forsaken1111 -> RE: Space Creatures (4/1/2010 7:15:48 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Sarissofoi

I dont really like space monsters in DW but for other reasons.
They are hard to track.
As many other things in this game.
I mean something attack and eat my ships. Ok I can live with that. But wait where I lost these ships?
I t should be possible to give orders like hunt space monsters for my Fleets.

I agree with this. Perhaps the automation AI should have some controls, or we can designate a specific focus for it at times. "Patrol for Pirates and Monsters"



Webbco -> RE: Space Creatures (4/1/2010 7:21:24 PM)

Yeah that would make a great addition.

Hunting damned space monsters is the last thing you want to keep track of manually when trying to co-ordinate bigger fleets.



Hertston -> RE: Space Creatures (4/1/2010 7:44:08 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: solops

No. Don't like them. Want an option to turn the OFF. SotS implemented the monster thing a bit better, but I don't care much for the idea. It is a nice option to have, though.


Likewise, although it's not a major issue. An 'off' option, as there is for pirates, would be nice.



licker -> RE: Space Creatures (4/1/2010 7:46:28 PM)

I'm also in the 'I'd turn them off if I could' camp.  I don't find that they add much of anything to my experience, and are just another annoyance that I have to use a somewhat clunky UI to deal with.

Now if they were a real threat (ala SotS) or provided some kind of benefit when you kill them I'd be more inclined to tolerate their existence.

However, if more control (or direction is a better word) over what kinds of missions your automated ships are tasked with is implemented I think my annoyance would nearly completely disappear.



Zakhal -> RE: Space Creatures (4/1/2010 7:50:43 PM)

I liked the space creatures in sots. I liked especially how they were brought out in the novel based to the game.



ASHBERY76 -> RE: Space Creatures (4/1/2010 7:51:04 PM)

I like space monsters and yes they could have been done with lots more variation rather than just eating ships.Something else for the expansion pack.



Wade1000 -> RE: Space Creatures (4/1/2010 8:13:04 PM)

One reward for defeating them is access to the space assets they were at. But, I do think there should be a sort of further reward for defeating them such as a discovery of technology, resources, or helpful information. Maybe they were guarding something that provided something to them like interest, warmth via radiation(from a derelict ship), etcetera; or maybe they had consumed a valuble object.

Many successful games are driven by a phycological, action and reward system.



HsojVvad -> RE: Space Creatures (4/1/2010 9:34:33 PM)

I like space creatures in the game. Why wouldn't there be any? It reminds me of the Star Trek The Next Generation episode where they had a baby suckling the Enterprise D. I think it adds flavour and morality to the game a bit. Do you kill them on site or only if you attack them?

I saw a space slug and was about to attack it, when I realized it went past my ships and didn't bother them. So I let it live. Will I regret this? Only time will tell. [8D]



Flaviusx -> RE: Space Creatures (4/2/2010 4:49:37 AM)

They need to drop loot, dammit.



mbar -> RE: Space Creatures (4/2/2010 2:23:18 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Flaviusx

They need to drop loot, dammit.

Ha ha. Good idea! They could drop tech they ate off other empires ships. [:D] I love it!



Gareth_Bryne -> RE: Space Creatures (7/19/2010 9:38:54 AM)

It seems that many people regard space creatures as annoyance instead as an integral part of the game. Here are my thoughts about them:

1. You should NOT be able to turn off space creatures. They are:
  • a part of the storyline;
  • serve as guardians for pHaT lEwT;
  • a part of the storyline[;)].
Besides, one of the main problems was that extremely annoying gas cloud false alarm bug, which (I hope) has been fixed by this time.

2. The space creatures concept must be expanded and upgraded. Some ideas for this are:
  • pHaT lEwT drop upon dying (for example, like a pirate starbase)
  • creatures being composed of certain resources, which can be collected upon killing or harvesting;
  • taming (that may be overkill, I know. Especially if you consider taming the megafleet of Kaltors by a certain starbase...[:D]);
  • creature procreation and growth (I know they already can be of different size, which can mean different loot and/or ship experience opportunity);
  • more creatures, some (relatively) peaceful, to serve as a resource harvesting set, a tourist attraction, etc.
3. There should also be supporting ideas, such as:
  • Ships getting experience for their crews, increasing fire accuracy, repair rate, maneuvering speed, etc. Then see above.
  • Extra resource types.
That should be enough for us to start thinking about uses for creatures. For instance, a creature that acts like a guardian fish, feeding off a ships waste and defending it from possible enemy (and creature) attacks.



sbach2o -> RE: Space Creatures (7/19/2010 10:04:05 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Sarissofoi

I dont really like space monsters in DW but for other reasons.
They are hard to track.
As many other things in this game.


This.

Unlike every other ship, they have no symbols on the galaxy map(s) or zoomed out main screen, making finding them a royal pain. It's even more painful than locating that abandoned base you noticed just then (completely by accident, btw) but lost track of again, and that's something.



Gareth_Bryne -> RE: Space Creatures (7/19/2010 11:22:38 AM)

Re sbach20:

It may be intentional. Then again it can be very simply bypassed (I think), by adding a monster danger or a general danger sign to the scheme. And there may be sense to add custom notes for users to make on the map.

P.S.: Oh, and by the way, if you write a fast reply on the forum, it makes it as though you're replying to the user message right above. Look at the lower right corner of the message[&:]. And it seems the same happens when you just post a reply...



Florestan -> RE: Space Creatures (7/19/2010 12:37:52 PM)

Well, if some people don't like them, how being able to remove them may be a problem to those that like them ?
Personally, I like the idea of having something to do with my fleets in the early game when the first pirate bases have been destroyed, before you stated any war.
I like the idea of having some guardians to the spaceship graveyards, so you have to do more than just claim them.
But I agree it should be possible to see them as an icon from far zooming.
When one is reported in a system, I often simply send a fleet in the system and let them find and kill it on their own, to avoid having to search for them.
It reminds me of Star Wars, when the Millennium Falcon flee Vader's super star destroyer Executor, if I'm not mistaken, towards an asteroid field and hide in a cave that happens to be a kind of giant space worm.
There also is an episode of Doctor Who about space whales.



Shark7 -> RE: Space Creatures (7/19/2010 3:00:15 PM)

I like them, but there are too many of them, even on few. Space creatures should be rare IMO. Deep space is harsh, survival of the fittest only and all that.



Icesavage -> RE: Space Creatures (7/19/2010 3:52:58 PM)

If space monsters are rare, then they need to be stronger, ie require a fleet of 10 ships to kill, and the reward for killing them should be something cool, like finding a rare resource in the system it is in or finding a splinter colony, or something of that nature.

Still variety is something to consider.  Ranged attack space creatures or a  swarm style creature.   Robotic creatures would be cool too.


I would also like to see stuff like left over Super Ships.  Something like a 1000 or 2000 size Ship that patrols a ship graveyard.  They wouldnt be like Pirate ships that follow fleets or attack mining bases in surrounding systems but get too close and get pulverized.



the1sean -> RE: Space Creatures (7/20/2010 3:52:24 AM)

I also miss the more diverse space monster lineup from MoO2 and Sword of the Stars:

Space Dragons: Guarded the best systems with multiple awesome planets/resources
Space Amoeba: would nest and reproduce at habitable worlds, then fan out and grow/attack like an infestation
Space Crystal: usually located at mineral rich planets, making players work to be able to claim it
Space Eels: like Space Crystal, but at planets with good environments, again making players work for great planets
Space Swarms: (like a killer beehive)
Von Neuman machines: machines that replicate, like the Space Amoeba, but at resource rich worlds

dont get me wrong, I have been extremely pleased and impressed with DW's variable event system, but I love variety of monsters, very vintage star-trekish :)



Pipewrench -> RE: Space Creatures (7/20/2010 11:40:46 AM)

I like the idea of the space monsters as they add depth to the story and give the player a speedbump in colonizing and exploration. Without them the unfollding of the galactic adventure would become stale.



Rebel Yell -> RE: Space Creatures (7/20/2010 4:47:47 PM)

Monsters are crap.

Monsters = off is one of the best improvements made.



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