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Topic: We demand... (Read 6701 times)
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guesst
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Ancient Shofixti Warrior
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Okay, we're all thinking it. UQM sequel's looming on the horizion, (maybe it's just a truck stop, but it could be an UQM sequel) and while we're all trying to be cool and let FF & PR3 have the reigns, there's that little nagging voice in the back of our head that says "If it has/doesn't have _______ there's no way it'll be good."
So, what little ommision or blunder would ruin UQM2 for you? What little thing would make UQM2 rock for you?
I'll start.
First of all, storyline. Black Spathi Squadrin must be there somehow. I don't care if I get to play them or not, but I'm telling you, I'm going to be looking for them the whole time and if they're not there to be found I'm gonna mope.
The Mark II has to be there and I have to fly it at some point. If I can't fly it until the final battle of the game, I could live with that.
Gameplay. Space combat is a must. I can't see how the top-down combat of SC/UQM can be effectivly translated into 3D, and if they try they're going to have to do a bang up job on it. But personally I'd go with fighting on a 2D plane, even if you change the angle a bit. (Kinda like what SC3 did, but without the suck).
I don't know if they're planning on having the conversation portion of the game again, but I think that's why UQM rocked so hard. I'd be surprised if they ignore it.
Graphics. I don't see how the game can survive without 3D graphics in some way, and that's fine. But if the graphics are dark and "realistic" I'm not going to enjoy it. The brightness and visibility of SC/UQM's graphics is what sold it. Keep the graphics bright and colorful, and I'll be happy.
Okay, I'm done. But to be totally honest, I will buy and play whatever FF & PR3. I will extend every effort to like it. I just hope they don't ask too much of me.
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Deus Siddis
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But personally I'd go with fighting on a 2D plane,
Prepare to be let down on this point. If they do it, I think there is a 75% chance things will not be restricted to 2D travel.
But if the graphics are dark and "realistic" I'm not going to enjoy it. The brightness and visibility of SC/UQM's graphics is what sold it. Keep the graphics bright and colorful, and I'll be happy.
20% chance they make it a little darker. The rest is they keep it about the same.
Now here's another big question, would you prefer an Action/Strategy like SC1 or an Action/RPG like SC2 or a different genre, altogether?
One thing I would really like to see (in a number of games, actually) are advanced planets (terrain, ecosystems, machinery, etc,) perhaps a little like what Spore is trying to do only not quite as far (too much work for one game.)
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Culture20
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Thraddash Flower Child
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If they absolutely must use 3D somewhere, I'd use it on the planet, a la "Populous: the Beginning", a small 3D planet, slightly larger than that of the one in "the Little Prince", on which 3D mountains and oceans might hide riches and 3D beasties.
Space Combat could be done with OpenGL, but limited to a 2D plane.
Network Play ...duh
An SC1 portion would be nice.
If they added a portion of the game which was half MMORPG and half RTS (many units are real players, and a few players are chosen at random when they log in to have a "Command view" where they order people just like in a RTS. The players in ships would see arrows indicating where they should go, and target reticles on designated targets) , I'd love it, and it would follow TFB's history of genre-bending to make spectacular games.
Of course, an RPG is needed for completeness.
Tarnoon I want the &#*% beetles. My life is not complete without the beetles. 
It's been said, but: Configurable MarkII, preferably an Aircraft (Spacecraft) Carrier. Oh, and please, no cheesy rebuilding on Vela, we _know_ there are no minerals, and the factory control computer is gone. 
If there are colonies, make them just as interactive as the colonies in SC1: Nil. Micromanaging cities is for a game where I don't care about a plot. It distracts from action as well.
If something was meant to be a joke, or campaign color, please don't bring it to life just because people expect it. (Precursors, return of Chenjesu, Gg found surpisingly alive, etc).
The Captain. Not Zelnick, The Captain. 
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guesst
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Now here's another big question, would you prefer an Action/Strategy like SC1 or an Action/RPG like SC2 or a different genre, altogether?
I'm surprised I have to say this anymore. But, one more time, for the people who haven't heard it from me before....
Take Star Control 1's stragety map. Throw in Star Control 2's conversation screens before engagements. Add a bit of Advanced Wars-like missions/story advancement. Maybe even AW's CO powers to liven up the battle field. Use true 3D camera rotations to clarify the stragety map. Thow in a multi-branching storyline with multple endings. Bake for 6 months to 2 years at 365 degrees. Watch guesst die from joy.
What this plan lacks is customizability. One of the best things about UQM was that your main ship felt like it was yours. It wasn't too pretentious in it's customizability, which was good because I'm the sort of person that will spend all day customizing units if I have the ability and never get to the actual game. I don't know put customizability in this scheme, but to be sucessfull I think it defonately needs to be figured out.
There are other threads I have on these and PONAF where I delve into great detail about other things, but in a nut shell, if I were designing Star Control 3, or UQM2 or whatever, that's what I'd do.
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Megagun
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Well, but you're a nutcase, aren't you, Guesst?
What I'd do? Take a good look at Space Rangers 2!
I'd make the universe more vibrant, ALIVE.. The UQM universe, apart from the homeworlds and a few ships in hyperspace, didn't really feel alive.. Or it did, but the ships you met in space were all the same with their conversations, etc..
So what I'd do, is take Space Rangers 2's Othership-AI system (which makes AI ships have real lifecycles, etc) and put that in UQM2/SC4 (I'd rather call it SC4, really)...
2d battles generated in 3d would be neat.
Escorts joining in a battle would be neat.
Starcon-styled "Help help I'm getting my ass kicked please somekindafriend join me in ze battle by hitting 2nd player controls!" stuff would be neat.
It'd be neat to play as Zelnick.. Or maybe get the option to play as a new captain or as Zelnick at the start of the game... (developing time in years++)
So yes.. UQM, with more vibrant AI in-system ships, and sidequests.. We need sidequests.. A lot of them.. Just look at what quests did in Space Rangers 2, and copy that..
Example of a quest thing: "Hello there, Human captain! We know that your schedule is kind of not forgiving.. oh by the way are you REALLY going to join this year's Frungy championships? Nice.. Anyways, where was I.. ah.. right.. Some bastard stole our Queen's royal ship.. And we need YOU to return it to us... Unfortunately, there isn't much information we can give you, apart from the recording of a conversation between one of our Terminator starships and the Queen's ship.. Here, let me play it for you:
Terminator: Identify yourselves, captains of Yehat Force One!
YFO: <mumble> <giggle> Err. We're just.. errr.. technicians who modified the engine a bit and are now giving the ship for a spin a bit.. Yeah... <giggle>
So.. yeah... That's all we can give you.. I hope you can take it back.. Oh wait! Almost forgot! We've got an elite team of Yehat Warriors that'll aid you in the recapturing, and a gift: the Stunner gun. This baby will render an enemy's engine totally useless... Pretty great weapon, made by our finest Yehat technicians, and best of all it's totally 100% un-animal-tested...
You: Err.. How am I going to take over Yehat Force One, then?
Yehat guy: Hm, you don't have a boarding ship? Err.. I guess we can give you one for free... I think... Yeah... We can, it seems.. There, it should be there in a second. Use it wisely, and when you return with the Yehat Force One, we'll see if you can keep the thing or not.."
Ofcourse, this text should be Yehaterified, since it doesn't include BRAAK and HOOT etc yet..
But.. yeah.. quests sound nice.. And ofcourse you'd need the ability to do whatever you want, I guess... Like when you capture the Yehat Force One, you should be able to keep it and add it to your fleet, but ofcourse making the Yehat kind of mad..
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Deus Siddis
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I'd feel a little let down if the Precursor's team wasn't offered the job for the music writing/recording in this potential Star Control game. They are qualified many, many times over, and they've down a lot to increase the popularity of UQM. The same goes for the UQM coding team. Either way, I think it would be honorable for both groups to at least make it into the "Special Thanks" section of the credits.
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TiLT
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If TFB involved people from the UQM project, I don't see how that would be any more complicated than if they hired any other external people to do the job. If they actually used assets from UQM, *that* would complicate things, but TFB wouldn't do that.
Thank you for the vote of confidence, by the way. Being involved in a sequel to Star Control 2 would be like a dream come true, but I suspect it'll have to stay a dream.
And to stay on topic for a change: What would I demand from a Star Control 2 sequel? Only that TFB does a faithful sequel, which I know they will. Even if they change some of the fundamental gameplay from SC2, I'd be happy as long as it's FUN. I fear a lot of the hardcore Star Control fans are expecting a game completely similar to SC2. My hope is that TFB won't give in to the demands of these fans, and instead make the sequel THEY want to make.
2D, 3D, action, strategy, RPG... Whatever they decide upon, they'll have my money and my support. 
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Deus Siddis
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They may be under non-disclosure agreements, etc. with their publisher.
Simple. Then anyone TFB hired would have to sign said agreements, as well.
Also, it doesn't seem fair to me that they would ask people to work for free on a project that they would be making money off of. (Unless you meant paid jobs- which is probably even more complicated.)
I meant paid, and I don't see the complication of hiring proven, motivated, loyal professionals for a commercial project.
Being involved in a sequel to Star Control 2 would be like a dream come true, but I suspect it'll have to stay a dream.
Well, not too long ago, just having TFB mention making a Star Control game was a dream. In a year's time, people might be looking back on how it was once just a dream that a new Star Control game was under development at TFB. And around that time, you might be having to play dumb on this forum, because you had to sign a non-disclosure agreement before being hired onto the new project. Who knows what the future will bring.
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EEG
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I vote "yes" to hiring the precursors.
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Deus Siddis
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They also should give Greg Johnson of TJE a ring. If he is not too busy, his input will probably be necessary to receate the same "feel" of the first two games.
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