Progression System Mk.II

Josh Walker shared this feedback 5 years ago
Submitted

Progression/Mainframe Block

So whilst I'm happy to see the introduction of a progression system within Space Engineers, I'm somewhat unsatisfied with how simple it, building a block to unlock new blocks just seems so basic, easy and frankly dull. Something I think could potentially make the progression system and possibly other aspects of the survival game experience, so this point will go slightly off track. Introducing a mainframe block to the game which can be fitted to stations and large ship grids, these mainframes would allow you to access a research tree. In this tree we should be able to progress down using various resources to perform research on these new blocks and their higher tier counterparts. Performing research should probably take some time to complete and maybe for the higher tier/end game research, you are required to construct multiple mainframes (These should work on a master/slave system like assemblers) which would of of course require more power to maintain but increasing the research speed. If the mainframes are destroyed, research should be reset to beginning however if you're able to find any damaged remnants of the mainframes you could get a percentage of the research progress of some blocks back, making the processing of recollecting the research not so harsh but fair. Finally on terms of progression for the mainframe, it would be particularly awesome if players and enemy players can transfer/steal research.


Mainframe Block

The research styled progression system I suggested above wouldn't be the only function of the mainframe block. Another idea I think could make things especially interesting and helpful is if within stations and large ship mainframes, we could also store blueprints (Especially one that aren't made public on the workshop), we should still be able to use blueprints we make and get off the workshop in projections but should remove the ability to take blueprints (Excluding Admin) of anything you want in survival mode. For instance your enemy shouldn't be able to steal a design of yours because they ran up to it and hit crtl+b, instead I propose they have to infiltrate or attack the station/L Ship and take the blueprints they're after. This could also be implemented into random NPC encounters, finding a random blueprint of a awesome ship, rover, mechs etc in a hostile abandoned moon outpost.

To step side away from the progression side a moment, I need to speak about the hacking process in Space Engineers, grinding down blocks to claim ownership really could do with being replaced. To me it doesn't really serve as a satisfying hacking process, it was okay as a placeholder but now I think we need a hacking tool, something that doesn't destroy a block but simply transfers ownership. Even if it was just the astronaut does interacting being the control panel on the block and on the one on his wrist, maybe attaching a cable whilst the hack progress is filled to requirement. Stepping back to progression, you use the hacking system as a way for people to access enemy mainframes and take selected research and blueprints, their objective shouldn't be to blow the mainframe up or disassemble it, if they decide to those that's on them.

So what is the point of the Mainframe block?

  1. Mainframe performs/stores research of blocks
  2. Mainframes work on master/slave system
  3. Master Mainframe destruction results in lost of tech tree
  4. Mainframes drops fragments of research progress upon destruction
  5. Research Fragments can be input into new mainframe for head start in research
  6. Mainframe can store blueprints which can be shared depending on mainframe share setting
  7. Hacking an enemy Mainframe gives access to locked research and blueprints

Replies (5)

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Hi. You might be intrested in already builded tier system, which is introduced at server called Omega by rebels-games. There is added tier upgrade for almost all blocks - sample on picture, from its webside. The basic mechanics of this feature is that block of highier tier -MK1 (for example arc furnance) required twice that much componets as vanilla furnance needs, but it refinig in duble speed with duble energy consumption. In addition to bulid one you have to assamble new componets, from new ingots in upgraded assebler MK that can produce it.

There are two types of upgraded blocks: MK1, MK2, MK3 - which contains (in required componets to build one) copper (Cu) and its blocks have shiny-brown elements, ADV1, ADV2 - which contains a lot of Au, and its blocks have shiny-yellow elements. All of new blocks are based on vanilla ones, so they fits into spaceengineers concept. Look at the picture.

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I should mention that blueprints could just be acquirable by interacting with a friendly mainframe and selecting it and research would unlock research for players who have first interacted a friendly mainframe, so you can't just join a faction and acquire all the tech research, you have to join the faction then go to the factions master mainframe to acquire the factions tech research and blueprints.

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I love the fact that there is now some kind of tech tree in the game for survival. I would personally like to see a hybrid of a research based system and the grind to learn system.

To start researching new blocks the player would need to find an example of that block and then submit the blueprint for analysis before it can be built or even appear in the tech tree at all. The more valuable or exotic the block is, the longer the research should take. Damaged blocks should also provide incomplete blueprints. Adding a time penalty to research. This would give players an additional reason to explore and to care about the random encounters they find.

I would suggest that the mainframe should be kept powered at all times. Loss of power would result in random data corruption. The mainframe would obviously be energy hungry.

The mainframe should also have a requirement to be kept cool. This would be done with oxygen. Tanks would feed a radiator system which would be a separate block connected via the conveyor system. If the player doesn't build enough radiators, they would begin venting gas as excess heat built up and eventually fail or explode if the player did not alleviate the problem by building more radiators or turning off the mainframe off.

Advance blueprints should only be accessible if the player has a proper comms link to the mainframe and it is powered on. This would include blueprints for complete grids. Which means the projector block would be slaved to the mainframe. I would however allow a projector to keep it's currently loaded blueprint. This would allow the mainframe to continue to serve an essential function after the player has unlocked the full tech tree.

I would also auto-balance modded blocks in survival by locking them down by default.

By adopting these rules. Losing a mainframe would be a massive setback for a player. It would make the mainframe the most valuable block in the game. And as such it should cost a lot of resources to build. It would also make it a prime target for NPCs and players.

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This is exactly what I had in my head with the addition of some fresh ideas, I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks like this 😁

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First, what you are describing is a supercomputer not a mainframe. Mainframes are transactional supercomputers are used for massive calculations. Using a Mainframe in the way you describe is technological regression. The current path we are now on is distributed scalable parallelized architectures. In 55 years that will still probably be the case and before anyone says 'quantum' they aren't suited to generalized computing tasks.

Second, loss of progress is a huge turn off for casual gamers.

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Mainframe used in the way that you describe sounds good in a way but in reality detract from the game. In its current state the game aplauds creativity and problem solving in that the more creative you are the better you fare. This would remove that creative element or downgrade it's value by creating a grind for knowledge or a barrier for access to those items. That already exists and we call it resourse mining. Adding in a grind like that is unimersive and makes the ge into a grind for grinding sake. That said I do believe that after a certain point playing yields no fun. Eventually you build your mining ship and your massive base, your space elevator or whatever and the game might as well end because there is nothing to do. The solution is not to elongate the current setup but to add more content and fill the world. Im talking npcs and aliens and basic survival mechanics like food and drink. Slowing down the progression of the game in its current state through a grind would make for a boring game imo.

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