|
Starship Corporation has some really cool elements that we can see so far. As far as teasers go, the alpha has made me really hungry for more. I've been to the page to pre-order and contribute to the project.... but then I stop.
There is something that keeps nagging at me that prevents me from doing so.
In my 40+ years on this planet, I've played a LOT of video games. Way more than any person my age probably should (especially if you take my wife or kids word for it). The thing that makes some games great and other games flops is fun factor.
I've played lots of games that consist of really fun elements, but somehow when those elements come together, then end result is something that feels decidedly unfun. Often those elements don't fit together well or are set in a universe that offers little in the way of goals. It seems like it shouldn't be possible, but it happens a lot (even more so in recent memory).
Yes, the graphics are better now. Yes, you can play with others online. Even with all that technology has brought us in the last two decades, it still seems like many games are empty, unfun shells of what they could have been.
Which brings me to Starship Corporation. Designing ships is REALLY fun. Pushing my crew around to run the ship is fun (barring some interface clunkiness issues).
However, I worry about the long term draw of this game. There has to be a compelling reason to continue to build ship plans and train crew. As much fun as it is, I can see it getting old very quickly if there isn't some larger reason to do so.
Simply designing ships and supplying those ships to entities on both sides of a conflict doesn't really gain you anything in terms of real power. It just increases your pocketbook... but for what purpose.
You are a corporation... but it is your ultimate goal to take over a government (effectively making it a puppet to your corporate whims). Is your goal to help certain factions take over as they provider a better benefit to your corporation than another faction? Do you simply want to take everything over... just because you can.
Somehow, all of this "cool stuff" needs to exist in a world that is compelling and offers choice (with requisite benefits and drawbacks). Our efforts need to be rewarding in the larger sense.
If we make lots of money and send out battle fleets, what does all that fighting get us? Sure, we may capture other ships and plans, but I'm sure that will lose its luster quickly if that is the only goal. Most people will like THEIR designs best. Most people will take ideas from captured plans, but will likely only incorporate that knowledge into their own designs (or people will simply take the internet to do the same thing without the risk of battle).
The universe this game is set in I believe will make or break this game and all of its very cool elements. Every element will need to feel impactfull on a micro and macro scale. Choices made on a macro level, such as which factions to sell to/support, should impact the choices I have when outfitting my ship. Things I outfit my ship with should impact the factions I do business with, such as making sure the crew always has certain safety measures in place makes me more attractive to some factions that value crew safety.
I've seen few discussions about the battles or the world at large. This concerns me greatly. I think the setting will be the difference between a novel game that is interesting for 20-40 hours and is tossed aside and a game that is played for hundreds of hours by a wide diversity of people.
I can't help but feel the universe this game is set in will majorly impact the success of this game.
It doesn't need to be complicated. It just needs to be compelling with choices that are meaningful and impactful in a micro and macro sense. I would love to hear more about your vision for the game world that our corporation will live in.
|
Login
Register
FAQ
Search
