Thu Mar 13, 2003 8:28 am
6 things that I feel would be easily added by a patch/expans
These are in no particular order.
#1 - More ships/More sectors: This would obviously be more of an expansion pack item, but adding ships would be reletively easy. It'd just be a matter of somehow implementing this ship into the current world - maybe create 3-4 small bases (like the small outposts near certian jumpgates) that offer these new ships? Adding sectors could be explained through the construction of new jumpgates, or just by simply adding them and not explaining it - who cares? Although 48 sectors is a lot of space - maybe just add to the more sparce sectors instead of adding new ones....
#2 - A dynamic economy: Another expansion pack item, but one that I believe could be done with great effect on the longenvity of Freelancer. Imagine having the economy shift upon your actions - you bring "X" peices of water to Pittsburg, and the demand for water on Pittsburg drops for a "Y" amount of time. And then just make it fluctuate randomly to some extent as well to keep you from earning a million credits on one cargo path. I'm not sure how easy this would be to program.. but dang, what an addition that would be!
#3 - More Random Missions: This has been discussed to hell and back, but it's a must. Something that I believe could (and should) be added via a free patch. The 4 or so random mission types are, in reality, really just 1 type - "go here, kill everything." We need "escort this from point X to point Y (THROUGH MULTIPLE SECTORS!)", "go to this sector with this item (cargo run missions where you are rewarded not for the profits of the item, but via reputation and for your ability to deliver to the right base. It's not currently possible to gain rep without fighting.... Imagine having a mission where you had to travel from one side of the universe to another in a set amount of time - how much FUN would that be?!)", "Defend this base from a massive attack from this faction," "Transport this person to this planet in this amount of time," etc. There are SO MANY types that really wouldn't be that hard to implement. They've got all the coding there, it's just a matter of making it generate randomly with different conditions.
#4 - Better "minor NCP" conversations - These are maddening. I'm sorry, but they are terrible. This would probably again be an expansion pack item (as sound files are large and the hiring of people to record them is expensive) Either remove them and create a "rumor board" instead, of record a LOT more conversation types. Examples - "Hey Trent, haven't seen you for awhile - I just heard this rumor..." "Trent, good to see you. I have some information I thought you might be interested in." etc. etc. etc. etc. Nothing revolutionary, but just something to keep it from being SO *BORING*.
$5 - Ability to demand that transports drop their cargo: This could probably be added via a free patch, but I wouldn't start crying if it was an expansion pack feature. I never did see why you have to destroy a transport to pirate them. Pirates don't always destroy - they demand you drop your cargo THEN kill you. If we had this option, being a pirate would seem much "sleazier." The NCP's would then respond according to your level and your armement (like when they say over the comm "I'm not engaging, he's too tough"
. If you're armed to the teeth and they're in a level 1 Rhino, they drop their cargo or try to run away (Cruise disruptor!!). If you're just in a lightly armed frieghter or something, they say no and run away or attack you. Being a pirate would be infintely more enjoyable with this feature (in my opinion, of course).
#6 - Joystick support: Obviously a PATCH feature (although, if they bundled it with an expansion pack that had other good features, I wouldn't be that upset). I won't go into this, as everybody has heard the arguments 20 times. I and many others long to grab their joystick and fight - I do it instinctively sometimes, just because it feels so RIGHT with this game. I know that we aren't supposed to discuss this, but damnit! Microsoft's Allegiance has 20x the items on screen and is 20x as complicated to play (no joking) as Freelancer does/is, and it uses a combo of mouse AND joystick. It works flawlessly.
Edited by - Bacon_00 on 13-03-2003 08:39:15
#1 - More ships/More sectors: This would obviously be more of an expansion pack item, but adding ships would be reletively easy. It'd just be a matter of somehow implementing this ship into the current world - maybe create 3-4 small bases (like the small outposts near certian jumpgates) that offer these new ships? Adding sectors could be explained through the construction of new jumpgates, or just by simply adding them and not explaining it - who cares? Although 48 sectors is a lot of space - maybe just add to the more sparce sectors instead of adding new ones....
#2 - A dynamic economy: Another expansion pack item, but one that I believe could be done with great effect on the longenvity of Freelancer. Imagine having the economy shift upon your actions - you bring "X" peices of water to Pittsburg, and the demand for water on Pittsburg drops for a "Y" amount of time. And then just make it fluctuate randomly to some extent as well to keep you from earning a million credits on one cargo path. I'm not sure how easy this would be to program.. but dang, what an addition that would be!
#3 - More Random Missions: This has been discussed to hell and back, but it's a must. Something that I believe could (and should) be added via a free patch. The 4 or so random mission types are, in reality, really just 1 type - "go here, kill everything." We need "escort this from point X to point Y (THROUGH MULTIPLE SECTORS!)", "go to this sector with this item (cargo run missions where you are rewarded not for the profits of the item, but via reputation and for your ability to deliver to the right base. It's not currently possible to gain rep without fighting.... Imagine having a mission where you had to travel from one side of the universe to another in a set amount of time - how much FUN would that be?!)", "Defend this base from a massive attack from this faction," "Transport this person to this planet in this amount of time," etc. There are SO MANY types that really wouldn't be that hard to implement. They've got all the coding there, it's just a matter of making it generate randomly with different conditions.
#4 - Better "minor NCP" conversations - These are maddening. I'm sorry, but they are terrible. This would probably again be an expansion pack item (as sound files are large and the hiring of people to record them is expensive) Either remove them and create a "rumor board" instead, of record a LOT more conversation types. Examples - "Hey Trent, haven't seen you for awhile - I just heard this rumor..." "Trent, good to see you. I have some information I thought you might be interested in." etc. etc. etc. etc. Nothing revolutionary, but just something to keep it from being SO *BORING*.
$5 - Ability to demand that transports drop their cargo: This could probably be added via a free patch, but I wouldn't start crying if it was an expansion pack feature. I never did see why you have to destroy a transport to pirate them. Pirates don't always destroy - they demand you drop your cargo THEN kill you. If we had this option, being a pirate would seem much "sleazier." The NCP's would then respond according to your level and your armement (like when they say over the comm "I'm not engaging, he's too tough"
. If you're armed to the teeth and they're in a level 1 Rhino, they drop their cargo or try to run away (Cruise disruptor!!). If you're just in a lightly armed frieghter or something, they say no and run away or attack you. Being a pirate would be infintely more enjoyable with this feature (in my opinion, of course).
#6 - Joystick support: Obviously a PATCH feature (although, if they bundled it with an expansion pack that had other good features, I wouldn't be that upset). I won't go into this, as everybody has heard the arguments 20 times. I and many others long to grab their joystick and fight - I do it instinctively sometimes, just because it feels so RIGHT with this game. I know that we aren't supposed to discuss this, but damnit! Microsoft's Allegiance has 20x the items on screen and is 20x as complicated to play (no joking) as Freelancer does/is, and it uses a combo of mouse AND joystick. It works flawlessly.
Edited by - Bacon_00 on 13-03-2003 08:39:15
