Make travel more interesting
Hello. With some of the recent previews, we've seen a hint of fast-travel system between regions, which I think is not a good idea. Teleportation (including jump drives) makes game worlds feel really small and basically reduces them to a few desirable hot-spots with everything inbetween being almost meaningless after the first visit. Therefore I would like to push a better way.
Jump gates
Jump gates have also been hinted by Keen at the begining when the Almagest lore was first established alongside with the fact that jump drives should be a late-game technology. I think jump gates are a great way to travel between regions not only because they are interactive and in general more interesting than just pressing a button on your jump drive module, but also because we get to fly to, from and in between them. This time spent flying makes traveling between regions feel more meaningful and in turn gives a meaning to local things even if they aren't the best option in the game.
Obviously the gates should only have a single connection and if there are multiple ways out of a region, they should be spaced out so that you (for example) land at one gate, then fly to the next one and take it to the next region on your journey.
Another benefit is that the ships themselves don't need anything special to reasonably fly around if needed. Jump drives are no longer the key to mobility in the game.
Distinct regions
Now that there is a reason to fly around, it's time to decide how to make the environment intereting. I think the best way is by ensuring that each region has a distinct look to it even when traveling through it. This could be a planet, a distinct skybox or (for regions that don't have a planet) a landmark that's either visible from anywhere in the region or that is close to it's gates so that you meet it every time. The gates themselves could also vary between regions depending on the lore. There are just so many options for this part.
Only thing that I would keep consistent in this is gate sizes. I think all jump gates should be just as big so that you don't have to worry about not fitting through in the middle of a journey. Otherwise it's all open to being varied and interesting.
Jump drives
I know this whole point is about how to avoid having them but that doesn't mean they should be completely gone. Instead, they should be situational. You should use them when there is no other option. For example if the ship is too big to fit through gates or if you are for some reason trying to avoid them. This advantage should have a high cost with every jump and obviously require you to have the jump drive itself as a piece of end-game equipment.
Thanks for reading this and if you have any more ideas for meaningful (and not necessarily anoying) travel, feel free to expand on this.
I like this feedback
Jumping through space should not be instantaneous, but should be a reduced percentage of normal travel time. During jump flight the vessel should be considered as being in a contained bubble of space. This will give the idea of distance being travelled, and give a little time for arrival preparation during jump flight.
Jumping through space should not be instantaneous, but should be a reduced percentage of normal travel time. During jump flight the vessel should be considered as being in a contained bubble of space. This will give the idea of distance being travelled, and give a little time for arrival preparation during jump flight.
Jump gates
As we are in one system, I don't think jump gates makes a lot of sense. If we had the technology, constructing a jump gate between earth and mars for example would not make sense. If you can most likely use the same technology to create a jump drive in ships that are more efficient and less costly to make.
Also, if they add more systems so it does make sense, I hope they turn it into a block. So we need to build our own jump gates instead having items in the world that would be unobtainable. Creativity is key here.
I would also say that the Mass Effect mass relay would make more sense from a mechanics point of view. If we make a traditional jump gate, it's often a ring for the ship to fly through. So how big should the ring be? this would put a limit on how big we can build. How does the gate detect the different sizes of rings?
I think connecting to station that is aligned with another station, and making it shoot you forward like a railgun would be easier to design, program and model for the devs.
Also, jump gates would destroy the lore a bit. We are stranded in the Almagest system so if we would be able to construct a jump gate, why wouldn't we just go home again?
Distinct regions
Again, we play in a system not a galaxy. Like, our own solar system is relatively small with 9 planets orbiting a star. The Almagest system has 3 planets so way to small to have multiple and wildly different regions. Especially as space is kind of boring.
If we start to expand to different systems and they expand to a galaxy size, just like jump gates this would more sense.
Jump drives
For in-system traveling or going to other systems to construct a jump gate, this makes sense. As we had jump drives in SE1 there is no doubt we will get it in SE2. I hope however that it will just speed you up and not be instant plop into existence travel.
Recap
Good idea's, need some adjustments, most like to grand for the scale of the game but great idea's for expansions.
Jump gates
As we are in one system, I don't think jump gates makes a lot of sense. If we had the technology, constructing a jump gate between earth and mars for example would not make sense. If you can most likely use the same technology to create a jump drive in ships that are more efficient and less costly to make.
Also, if they add more systems so it does make sense, I hope they turn it into a block. So we need to build our own jump gates instead having items in the world that would be unobtainable. Creativity is key here.
I would also say that the Mass Effect mass relay would make more sense from a mechanics point of view. If we make a traditional jump gate, it's often a ring for the ship to fly through. So how big should the ring be? this would put a limit on how big we can build. How does the gate detect the different sizes of rings?
I think connecting to station that is aligned with another station, and making it shoot you forward like a railgun would be easier to design, program and model for the devs.
Also, jump gates would destroy the lore a bit. We are stranded in the Almagest system so if we would be able to construct a jump gate, why wouldn't we just go home again?
Distinct regions
Again, we play in a system not a galaxy. Like, our own solar system is relatively small with 9 planets orbiting a star. The Almagest system has 3 planets so way to small to have multiple and wildly different regions. Especially as space is kind of boring.
If we start to expand to different systems and they expand to a galaxy size, just like jump gates this would more sense.
Jump drives
For in-system traveling or going to other systems to construct a jump gate, this makes sense. As we had jump drives in SE1 there is no doubt we will get it in SE2. I hope however that it will just speed you up and not be instant plop into existence travel.
Recap
Good idea's, need some adjustments, most like to grand for the scale of the game but great idea's for expansions.
I’m pretty sure the way that it will work is like a current in the ocean that will allow you to travel faster. I’m pretty sure I seen a video of it, I can’t remember I watch too many videos!
I’m pretty sure the way that it will work is like a current in the ocean that will allow you to travel faster. I’m pretty sure I seen a video of it, I can’t remember I watch too many videos!
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