KickStarter Star Traders: Frontiers - space sandbox game by Trese Brothers

[SausageInYourFace]

If you're enjoying the game and the continuous stream of major expansions without any DLCs

No shit, how on earth is that a viable business model for them.

 

[MadMaxHellfire]

they don't spend billions on marketing.

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

If you're enjoying the game and the continuous stream of major expansions without any DLCs

No shit, how on earth is that a viable business model for them.

Perhaps positive relations with player base (& Patreon) helps.

 

[Tyranicon]

Just bought this game, really neat so far. Hard to believe this was made by two guys in a cave with a box of scraps while AAAs make shit.

 

[MadMaxHellfire]

i'm more and more convinced that to do decent games with solid mechanics all it's required is wanting to do them. in this world of stackoverflow skill is overrated.

 

[Humanophage]

The interface is bizarre. For example, to move around a quadrant, you need to refuel between every couple of planets. For this to happen, you need to first enter a separate orbital screen for the planet, then a separate planetary screen where you refuel. This could be done with one click on the main screen instead of forcing the player to click through two additional screens for no reason every 20 seconds. When you travel around, you often encounter ships. Every time this happens, you get a 'loading screen' that flashes a little special effect on you while you cannot do anything for a few seconds. Going to the menu during battle is impossible and the only way out is F4.

It's pretty strange how a lot of newer good indie games have much clunkier interface than their predecessors. E.g., Space Rangers had no trouble addressing these things.

 

[Damned Registrations]

This could be done with one click on the main screen instead of forcing the player to click through two additional screens for no reason every 20 seconds.

There can be hazards both in orbit and on the ground that you might need to consider before refueling, as well as systems with multiple planets where you'd need to choose which one to land at to refuel, including the option to land in the wilderness to scavenge for fuel. Also, if you're refueling every 20 seconds, you're probably pretty short on fuel capacity. In short, the game is complicated and would be shittier if they dumbed it down just so you could refuel with 2 fewer button presses.

 

[just]

this game's great.
is it viable to play spy only? seems like you cant survive by selling intel

 

[lukaszek]

deterministic system > RNG

 

[Damned Registrations]

I didn't realize small crew = faster levelling. I've been going for large crews to get more skills to throw at my problems.

 

[lukaszek]

deterministic system > RNG

 

[ERYFKRAD]

deterministic escapes

Finally

 

[SausageInYourFace]

Are there deterministic escapes? I got fucked over in the past by being unable to escape from encounters and combat with shit that usually works.

 

[Damned Registrations]

There are but they're each situational. Smugglers give you an out vs other smugglers, merchants let you dump a random cargo to escape pirates, etc. I don't think there are any vs xenos though.

I've been unlock/acheivement hunting while playing and currently trying to get the really nasty exploration/xeno hunter ones. I haven't found the normal game very difficult on default settings.

 

[Kuattro]

Level 11 Navigator talent Skip Off the Void.

It gets you out of any encounter. Including xenos.

It fries your drive a bit, but it gets you out.

Its one of the priorities on any permadeath game, actually.

 

[SausageInYourFace]

I know that one. It requires fuel equal to a hyperwarp jump.

 

[Kuattro]

I know that one. It requires fuel equal to a hyperwarp jump.

Well, yeah, of course, there's no such thing as a free lunch.

But this is supposed to be an emergency button in situations where the mere idea of trying to escape from combat instead of directly from the encounter screen can make you crap your pants.

If your ship is big enough that the cost of a jump is so prohibitive as to not allow the use of this talent, why do you need to escape with such urgency in the first place if you're flying around in a carrier or a battlecruiser? Just get into combat and worse case scenario you can certainly take a couple hits from the enemy weapons while you escape (aided by your crew's talents that increase escape chances from combat?). Or you could blow them up, obviously.

If your ship is small enough as to need to use the talent more regularly (because getting into combat is a no-no), then the jump cost should be small enough as to allow you to store enough fuel to make use of it a couple of times. And you probably only need to use it once to get to a friendly port and refuel and repair.

 

[Damned Registrations]

From what I've seen, once you've invested a bit in your ship, escaping combat is trivially easy, barring enemy navigators using the guaranteed advancing talent. The ship escape/movement/closing/boarding modules are very powerful.

 

[lukaszek]

deterministic system > RNG

 

[Humanophage]

This could be done with one click on the main screen instead of forcing the player to click through two additional screens for no reason every 20 seconds.

There can be hazards both in orbit and on the ground that you might need to consider before refueling, as well as systems with multiple planets where you'd need to choose which one to land at to refuel, including the option to land in the wilderness to scavenge for fuel. Also, if you're refueling every 20 seconds, you're probably pretty short on fuel capacity. In short, the game is complicated and would be shittier if they dumbed it down just so you could refuel with 2 fewer button presses.

They shouldn't change the mechanics, just improve the interface. The encounter screen is pathetic. Just have a small window pop out and have the game paused. What is the rationale for having effectively a loading screen for this? With a ridiculous sound effect on top? Same goes for clicking through two screens for every stop - these can be done as a small menu at the bottom.

Another example: the log is inexplicably only 7 entries long. It's impossible to scroll. You are left guessing when did some crew member die or leave, and more importantly, which member is it.

 

[Lady_Error]

Hi everyone! How do you switch away from the default map? I couldn't find where to do it when creating a new captain.

 

[SausageInYourFace]

Hi everyone! How do you switch away from the default map? I couldn't find where to do it when creating a new captain.

If you click on "New Captain", after you chose your template, your first option is to change the map.

 

[Lady_Error]

Okay, another question: What is the endgame here, other than making moar and moar money? I have a mid-range freighter that defeats any ship it comes across, includind xeno. Defeated the Werewolf bounty hunter too. Will there be more scripted events that are challenging?

 

[lukaszek]

deterministic system > RNG

 

[Lady_Error]

I'm a smuggler, making big bux by selling rare goods on the black market or indie worlds.