If I stopped development on Airships right now and called it done, what would you be most disappointed about?
Don't panic, I'm not doing that. But I want you to tell me what Airships with its potential fulfilled would look like to you.
This may be really obvious to you. You may be thinking "well, of course he's going to add X, because X is the obvious thing that the game needs." But I can think of many different forms X can take, and I can't do them all, and you may have different ideas from me.
If you tell me now, three months before development is scheduled to conclude, I can take it into account.
Here's a list of things I can think of that might count as fulfilling the game's potential:
A linear storyline of missions: I've always maintained that Airships is a toy box, not a linear experience to be played through. But I could add one on top.
An economy system for the strategic mode: Moving from money to specific resources, adding trading and resource production.
Much bigger maps for strategic mode: Adding minor towns to conquer, and more and bigger enemy empires.
Many more modules: Many more weapons as well as more size and shape variations for existing modules.
Multiplayer strategic mode: This would suffer from the problem that you'd spend the majority of time spectating on battles that don't involve you. But I could try to put it in.
Many more options to visually customize and decorate the ships: different cosmetic appearances for armour and weapons, decorative modules like bowsprites and flags.
Cities that are visible in the combat mode: civilian buildings for the defenses to protect, and for the attackers to destroy.
You may want one or some of these, or you may want something different yet. I cannot do all of them. Tell me in the comments: what would make the game complete for you?
1.Many more options to visually customize and decorate the ships: different cosmetic appearances for armour and weapons, decorative modules like bowsprites and flags.
2.More monster types. Like uh..
Sky serpent. Basically a flying snake or sea serpent, or you could make them like the Asian Lung. They could be like one of the Kraken's tentacles, but that's its whole body. Maybe only the head can be damaged? Beating them could give you a new type of suspendium weapon think flamer thrower but narrower but further and not necessarily more damaging. Could also get like to be like dragon riders and/or serpent rider aircraft.
Sky whale: We all thought of it. Before and after the arrival of the Kraken we thought of it. If we have the squid the whales will come. I am not sure about any information about the creature, however. I figure it comes like the Kraken maybe it spawns after killing a few krakens since it might smell their blood? Not sure about its attack(s).
Not sure what you get from killing it. Maybe you get to add it to ships to provide lift? Like as seen in the 3rd picture.
Sky turtle. We have already seen them could be an interesting thing to note all creatures that feed on suspendiaum will grow from it given enough time, and considering how long turtles and or tortoises live for it would not be crazy for them to reach massive size. They could be more of a ramming type enemy, would make struts and other ramming modules more useful/needed.
Not sure what you get for beating them. Maybe suspendium infused armor?
I have no graphic suggestions just a really big suspendium turtle
Maybe steampunk mechanical suits. We have robots, while not men in metal suits. Not sure of the scale maybe huge maybe small or in between.
Not sure if they are added with the robots, fought an enemy and get their tech. (maybe both like with the dragon tech)
chimera species 2(3?) of them. Found in an abandoned facility. A big one and a small one a Lionhead and mane, with a reptile body. The visual differences outside of size are the fact that the smaller ones have reptile wings. The big ones can breathe fire similar to the dragons but with less maneuverability as they can't fly and maybe attack with their tails. Making them have more health in exchange for range, they rely on the small ones to board ships that are too high out of their reach. (If you add in the 3rd as a aircraft version it will be like an in-between of the original two. bigger than the small ones, can breathe fire but fly slower.)
Upon beating them you get the chimera technology (like with the dragons) that allow you to create both species. The big ones being made like the fresh-cracker and dragons, and the small/(medium) ones being in a module (hence the reason they are found in a building)
Lore wise: A mad scientist experiment with DNA, and was either killed or left after they broke out. And now his experiments are running wild in the facility attack nearby towns for food and nesting supplies. I figure them to be all different species. However, if you feel that they should be all 1 species you could make it a life cycle thing where they lose their wings as they grow older.
something like this. lion head and mane but with a reptilain body. Just add dragon wings.
@Respawn - I know all of them would be nice, but it's an unfeasible amount of work. What's the thing you'd miss the most, that's the question.
@DragoonIII - Noted. More monster types are coming in v9.5, eg Bob the Aerial Jelly. I also want to provide more resources for modders to make monsters.
Perhaps a way to save the status of ships after a battle or an editor for that. That way, one could play tournaments/strategic games and continue with damaged fleets.
I don't remember exactly where I saw it, but someone mentioned a little procedurally generated blurb at the beginning of the game describing what's going on. (I.E. The reason there are a bunch of city-states/provinces fighting for control of the continent) Sounds like an excellent idea for all my YouTube-RP (And otherwise only RP) needs.
I think we have a pretty non-convoluted amount of modules as is and I never cared much for multiplayer...
I have gone through the vast amount of replies I got across here, Steam, and zarkonnen.com. Unsurprisingly, not everyone wants the same thing. There seem to be roughly three groups: strategic conquest players, multiplayer players, and ship designers.
The most popular items, mentioned in a third of responses, were bigger strategic conquest maps and a more complex economy. Conveniently, this is the major thrust of the dev 10 release, so as soon as the new monsters are out of the door, I'll be concentrating on that.
The next most popular things, in about a sixth of responses each, were more modules, and multiplayer conquest. More modules will definitely happen. MP conquest, well, as previously stated, there are design and tech problems to overcome. I will see if I can make something work, but I really really can't promise anything.
Around one out of ten responses mentioned in-combat cities, more cosmetic options, diplomacy, or a tech tree. These are things that I'll keep in mind as nice-to-have, but not critical.
Finally, only a few people were interested in a linear story/campaign mode, so that's definitely not going to be a focus.
Although it should be noted that you asked these people what would be most desirable only in a drastic scenario where you suddenly stop development. I don't think it should substitute simply asking people what they want the most. (It's a small thing, but as Psyringe would say, it's food for thought)
Let's be honest: "City Defense" is IN THE GAME, but the advanced concept needs to be realized by a modder. Things like "More Advanced Economies" simply strengthens the feature.
Think it's the Attack/Defend feature in a Multiplayer Environment that's interesting. We may not get CO-OP - where the feature may come to fruition through a demand... say the other player controls monster nests, and it's a theme in an enabled MOD.
If anything, simply demands more condition controls.
Also, feel as if putting something on the list, like MP CONQUEST, then not being sure if it'll actually be done may have swayed the demand for a new city defense layer. Food for thought.
EDIT
Didn't vote MP CAMPAIGN because I thought it to be either:
"The most popular items, mentioned in a third of responses, were bigger strategic conquest maps and a more complex economy ... The next most popular things, in about a sixth of responses each, were more modules ... Around one out of ten responses mentioned ... Finally, only a few people were interested in a linear story/campaign mode, so that's definitely not going to be a focus."
Hmm, another interpretation is - you have already captured the conquest and multiplayer markets, and should focus your efforts on improving your appeal to the linear story adventure market.
I'm not dying, don't worry. I just wanted to figure out how to get the game into a good shape for declaring it "version 1.0".
Straker: That is a very good point. There's definitely a group of people who try the game and dislike it because, in their words "there's no content" - probably because they expect a linear story of some sort.
Polslava Ball: So something like the legs on Fleshcrackers?
Aerial Emperor
If I stopped development on Airships right now and called it done, what would you be most disappointed about?
Don't panic, I'm not doing that. But I want you to tell me what Airships with its potential fulfilled would look like to you.
This may be really obvious to you. You may be thinking "well, of course he's going to add X, because X is the obvious thing that the game needs." But I can think of many different forms X can take, and I can't do them all, and you may have different ideas from me.
If you tell me now, three months before development is scheduled to conclude, I can take it into account.
Here's a list of things I can think of that might count as fulfilling the game's potential:
You may want one or some of these, or you may want something different yet. I cannot do all of them. Tell me in the comments: what would make the game complete for you?
Air Admiral
Heh, is all of them a suitable answer?
Lieutenant
I would say:
1.Many more options to visually customize and decorate the ships: different cosmetic appearances for armour and weapons, decorative modules like bowsprites and flags.
2.More monster types. Like uh..
Heres 2 pictures just as examples:
Asian Lung, litteral flying snake
Not sure what you get from killing it. Maybe you get to add it to ships to provide lift? Like as seen in the 3rd picture.
pod of mtutated flying whales, just a whale in the air, captured whale
Not sure what you get for beating them. Maybe suspendium infused armor?
I have no graphic suggestions just a really big suspendium turtle
Not sure if they are added with the robots, fought an enemy and get their tech. (maybe both like with the dragon tech)
mecha gundam, mecha gundam with weapons, Propoganda/advertising, mech suit gunner
Upon beating them you get the chimera technology (like with the dragons) that allow you to create both species. The big ones being made like the fresh-cracker and dragons, and the small/(medium) ones being in a module (hence the reason they are found in a building)
Lore wise: A mad scientist experiment with DNA, and was either killed or left after they broke out. And now his experiments are running wild in the facility attack nearby towns for food and nesting supplies. I figure them to be all different species. However, if you feel that they should be all 1 species you could make it a life cycle thing where they lose their wings as they grow older.
something like this. lion head and mane but with a reptilain body. Just add dragon wings.
Commodore
Make the "Troops-Gone-Wild" DVD Special.
Where they can't fly but go wild.
Honestly, I'd be alright with skipping the rest if we had that. That plus the city defense would be pretty militia.
Aerial Emperor
@Respawn - I know all of them would be nice, but it's an unfeasible amount of work. What's the thing you'd miss the most, that's the question.
@DragoonIII - Noted. More monster types are coming in v9.5, eg Bob the Aerial Jelly. I also want to provide more resources for modders to make monsters.
Able Airman
Perhaps a way to save the status of ships after a battle or an editor for that. That way, one could play tournaments/strategic games and continue with damaged fleets.
Air Admiral
Oh. Well, if I had to pick my top 3...
Expanded economy and trading.
Expanded diplomacy and a tech tree.
A lot of things detailed in this thread
I don't remember exactly where I saw it, but someone mentioned a little procedurally generated blurb at the beginning of the game describing what's going on. (I.E. The reason there are a bunch of city-states/provinces fighting for control of the continent) Sounds like an excellent idea for all my YouTube-RP (And otherwise only RP) needs.
I think we have a pretty non-convoluted amount of modules as is and I never cared much for multiplayer...
Aerial Emperor
I have gone through the vast amount of replies I got across here, Steam, and zarkonnen.com. Unsurprisingly, not everyone wants the same thing. There seem to be roughly three groups: strategic conquest players, multiplayer players, and ship designers.
The most popular items, mentioned in a third of responses, were bigger strategic conquest maps and a more complex economy. Conveniently, this is the major thrust of the dev 10 release, so as soon as the new monsters are out of the door, I'll be concentrating on that.
The next most popular things, in about a sixth of responses each, were more modules, and multiplayer conquest. More modules will definitely happen. MP conquest, well, as previously stated, there are design and tech problems to overcome. I will see if I can make something work, but I really really can't promise anything.
Around one out of ten responses mentioned in-combat cities, more cosmetic options, diplomacy, or a tech tree. These are things that I'll keep in mind as nice-to-have, but not critical.
Finally, only a few people were interested in a linear story/campaign mode, so that's definitely not going to be a focus.
Onwards!
Commodore
Onwards! i am glad we can all concur on these suggestions for the future :D
Air Admiral
Yes! This is exactly what I wanted!
Although it should be noted that you asked these people what would be most desirable only in a drastic scenario where you suddenly stop development. I don't think it should substitute simply asking people what they want the most. (It's a small thing, but as Psyringe would say, it's food for thought)
Commodore
its what i would do, in preparation for if i suddenly died or something, or in the event of delayed development
Commodore
Let's be honest: "City Defense" is IN THE GAME, but the advanced concept needs to be realized by a modder. Things like "More Advanced Economies" simply strengthens the feature.
Think it's the Attack/Defend feature in a Multiplayer Environment that's interesting. We may not get CO-OP - where the feature may come to fruition through a demand... say the other player controls monster nests, and it's a theme in an enabled MOD.
If anything, simply demands more condition controls.
Commodore
Also, feel as if putting something on the list, like MP CONQUEST, then not being sure if it'll actually be done may have swayed the demand for a new city defense layer. Food for thought.
EDIT
Didn't vote MP CAMPAIGN because I thought it to be either:
or
It was a fun little promo boost.
Commander
"The most popular items, mentioned in a third of responses, were bigger strategic conquest maps and a more complex economy ... The next most popular things, in about a sixth of responses each, were more modules ... Around one out of ten responses mentioned ... Finally, only a few people were interested in a linear story/campaign mode, so that's definitely not going to be a focus."
Hmm, another interpretation is - you have already captured the conquest and multiplayer markets, and should focus your efforts on improving your appeal to the linear story adventure market.
Commodore
Maybe, Just maybe, bipedal humanoid legs. Really sturdy stuff, with good carry weight and moderate speed.
Aerial Emperor
Commodore
that idea for another pair of legs sounds cool, but i personally think the game needs more wheels and tracks
Air Admiral
Or hovercraft perhaps?
Commodore
Like the fleshcracker's legs, but a bit beefier probably. Hopefully not as stick-like, too? :D
Also, speaking of more wheels, Pedrail wheels would be nice.
EDIT: An please, please make walkers not so weak when it comes to tree-crushing.