FQM Stellar Object Ability Descriptions

[Fyron]

For the ability descriptions of stellar objects (eg: storms, warp points), do you prefer flowery descriptions, or utilitarian descriptions?

flowery:
Sector [%ScopeSector%] contains gases which fluoresce in engine wakes, improving combat sensor targeting by 40%.

utilitarian:
Combat sensor gain: 40%

[Raapys]

Definitely 'flowery'. Having the explanation behind the occurrence is a big plus.

However, perhaps it could be set in such a format that the exact ability consequences could be easily read? From your example, how about doing something like:

[%ScopeSector%]: Combat sensor +40% - Sector contains gases which fluoresce in engine wakes, improving combat sensor targeting.

[AstralWanderer]

I'd agree with Raapys - flowery (organic or crystalline...) but with the key info at the start.

[Caduceus]

Give us flavor! Give us depth! I can ignore text after I have played it a few times.

[MisterBenn]

I voted Utilitarian. I also like flavour a lot, but those sector descriptions stack up in the top left of the screen, and if they are wordy then they can clutter a large amount of space!

My personal preference would have a terse description, such as:

"[1,4] Asteroids: Require sensor L10"
"[3,2] Storm: Combat sensors disrupted"
"[5,5] Space Port"

This would make the System Properties display less screen intensive but would help assessing the terrain of a system.

Of course that's just my opinion. I've been watching the beta 12 of FQM and I'm liking it a lot! Please keep up the good work.

[Fyron]

I went for a slightly hybrid model, which you can see in the PR4 posted last night. I seem to have forgotten to change the star text format, though.

Pockets of explosive gases lay in wait for unsuspecting ships in sector [%ScopeSector%]: [%Amount1%]

[Tnarg]

Checked out your latest beta. This is looking great and adds so much more flavor to the game. I am curious if it is at all possible to make some warp points only detecable if you have an appropriate level of scanner? Any way to mod in the random and verly rare super warp-point that will warp a ship accross the quadrant which would then become strategic centers of interest. Also curious what else you might have in the works for future updates?

[Fyron]

To my knowledge, it is not possible to mod hidden WPs. As soon as a ship is in range, the WP appears. You can make a WP cloak stuff in the sector like a storm, but there is hard-code in place that overrides anything else trying to cloak a WP (like a system scope sight obscuration ability).

In the data files, we have no control over how far apart the game will connect systems with WPs, or any way to tell it to make WPs that skip past a bunch of intermediate systems. The closest we can come would be a cluster type map. With a custom map generator hooking into the map compiler utility, it would be possible.

I don't currently have any more plans. If you have any suggestions or requests besides the WPs though...

[Kamog]

I voted for flowery. It makes the game more interesting and it's fun to imagine what the various objects look like by reading the descriptions.

[Tnarg]

Fyron said:
I don't currently have any more plans. If you have any suggestions or requests besides the WPs though...

Any way to give planets special abilities like:

Dangerous species running rampant on planet surface, planet suffers a 1M population per month loss. Treat it like a plague or something, just name it differently, and instead of medical facility bringing down the plague level(rampant dangerous species), call it a Galactic Dangerous Game Hunting Center or something that brings in tourists to hunt the critters keeping their population in check. Could maybe even give a slight bonus to organics. I think the facility would need to be modded in someone elses mod, I don't beleive you do that with your mod?

Would there be a way to also flavor planets to add some sort of ability description that plays off the radiation or gravity that is listed for a planet but does nothing. Example:

The immense gravity of this planet hinders all production by 20%.

Strong gamma, beta, x-ray (what ever kind messes with reproduction?) radiation on this planet will affect population growth by 50% do to many occupants becoming sterile.

A unique radiation found only on this planet has been known to increase fertiliy resulting in an explosive 10% population growth per year.

The low gravity of this planet is conducive to many research project resulting in a 15% research increase.

The temperature of this planet is considered an optimal range for vacationing species of your race. Planetary happiness is increased every year?

This water world is abundant with a species of highly reproductive fish that increases organic production by 20%.

A unique radioactive mineral found only on this planet is continually replenished due to the strong magnetic tides churning its core resulting in a 15% boost to radiative production.

Of course these types of planets would be rare but at least out there and either a boon or a bust to exploration and expansion.