Adding spice to the game...

[Phoenix-D]

Some of it will take hard code.

But you don't always have to do the work yourself to enjoy modding. I've got a campaign in the works, for example. The map's done..and its twice as big as the original game's.

[Wdll]

I don't know their names or anything, so I was wondering, do the developers of this game read the forums or do they plan to add some of the above/below actualy recommendations? I too would like to see the original poster's ideas implemented in the game with a patch. Is malfador planning to add things like that to the game? I am not in a great hurry since I don't own the full game yet, but with the disgrace of the control system of X2 I just have to have my elite fix soon :-)

[Baron Munchausen]

Most of these requests would require code changes, yes. But there is one way that modding could add "spice" to the game, though...

We need more variety of ships. It's ridiculous that every freighter of every race looks exactly the same. Is there some galaxy-wide merchant cartel with military efficiency that controls all trade? We need at the very least different style freighters for each race, and ideally a wide variety of freighters, especially for the Terrans. Where are the commercial services? Shouldn't there be various sizes of freighters from specific companies? Shouldn't there be an inter-stellar equivalent of UPS with a distinctive ship design and logo? (Call it 'Q-Haul' ) Shouldn't there be broken down old 'tramp' traders in lots of odd designs? Shouldn't there be passenger liners? For that matter, shouldnt there be some other activity in space besides trade? How about some research ships? How about a colony ship heading out to start a new outpost?

If there is one thing that all the anxious modders out there can do to make this game 'look and feel' realistic it's add a wide range of 'civilian' ships.

[ February 12, 2004, 02:44: Message edited by: Baron Munchausen ]

[Baron Munchausen]

Oh, btw...

I think we ought to be able to target and fire on those 'cargo box' things. Then the Terrans and Abbidon could dispose of that 'illegal cargo' they are so uptight about.

[Drake113]

I was working on a planetary defense mod, which would basically treat planets as ships. I even had a pretty nifty display to go along with it, and you could still do all the regular stuff you could do on planets (go to spacedock, talk to contacts, etc). Unfortunately, there's no way to get the planet to show up correctly on the system map, which caused me to abandon my work on it. It would be great if there was some sort of toggle in the system map file that would allow you to choose the type of sensor contact associated to a particular object. Sigh.

[Hok]

I'm waiting the release Version to be shipped, after that I'll play it and see how much better is than the demo.

After playing for a while I'll also take modding into account, if that is the case.

About adding variety...
I think that there are fondamentally two ways to add spice, variety and "life" to a game:

1) Simulate it: you place events into specific game points and let objects appear in certain locations but the objects themselves don't know why they are there, they just behave like they are programmed to do (e.g.: pirate ships).

2) Add real behaviour to the game: you program objects of the game to interact with the environment and you (programmer) put into them the knowledge to react with self generated events.

The first method is the one which seems to be implemented at the present time in SF.
The second one is much more difficult and needs more time to plan and program.

That's my opinion at least.

[PaladinX]

Alternatively you could ferry some people on sightseeing across the galaxy for a price (almost like the planet scanning missions: you have some planets to visit but the difference is that you must bring the passengers back home at the end).

Only if I can take their money up front, and then take them to a pirate world and sell them as slaves