This is not SFEOS Game Design Part 2. Instead this is something I've been talking to @alexandravart, @rubenalexander, and @elohprojects about. It's something I wrote up while trying to visualize what the starting game UI might look like for the new player. Players need to be introduced to the game and build their own mental model of the game and the universe around them. We need to do this in a way that is intriguing without being stressful, so players can easily enter Flow. I'll keep mentioning the term "Flow" or "optimal experience" and by now you should know it from some of my past posts.
As @alexandravart and I discussed earlier today over a Discord call, I'm posting the script here so she can turn it into a public spreadsheet of potential pieces of art that might be in the initial startup of the game. This is where you talented artists can decide if you want to take a shot at something that might be in the game.
We do not have an art style yet (save for 2d and painterly/realistic), so this call to action is pretty open ended. The art style will be developed by you all who know art and not by us coders who normally don't have a clue on what makes something nice to look at and understand in a visual way...
There are a couple stipulations if you decide you want to do this. All art is free of any copyrights. It has to be open for anyone (including the SFEOS game) to use. You can post it wherever you want and draw attention to updates you are doing on it within Steemit posts and wherever else. Please just mention that you are doing it for potential inclusion in the SFEOS game, along with some links to the site (www.sfeos.io) and maybe some related posts within the @sfeos blog. We are following in the footsteps of @stellabelle with this kind of open design and model of development. You can read about her vision here.
Once the ball gets rolling I'm going to be working with some designers (hopefully @rubenalexander will have some free time) and developers to create a demo section within the sfeos website. This will only be a proof of concept and not the actual game, YET. I'll be linking this post to @alexandravart's spreadsheet post once it's up. Work out the details with her if you find something you want try and create.
Beyond the rewards you receive from Steemit, anything we do use in the game, will be rewarded with Founder Tokens when and if that system is in place. I have to say "if", because there are no guarantees with this. We are a very small team and nothing is a sure thing.
So here it is with any unintended typos and all...
From Darkness, Into the Light
You open your eyes for the first time. Dim red light pulses on the walls. You hear noises from beyond the room you are in. The humming of electricity, a compressor switching on. Wait, why do you know what electricity is? Knowledge you didn't learn is available at every glance, every sound, and every smell. All of your senses tie to a vast pool of knowledge that has been given to you; given to you from...
"Welcome to the world Captain." The voice is not audible like the other noises. You hear this voice but it's different than hearing the noises with your ears. It doesn't compete with them. It doesn't hinder them or distract. It is a perfect form of communication. Your mind's eye flashes to pictures of synapses firing in a vast bundle of brain cells; you know this vision to be your neocortex. Your normal synapses appear as white bolts of lightning by the millions. The entity you are speaking with sparks bolts of blue, intertwining with your own.
Player's Name
"What should I call you, Captain?"
Input: Captain _________
This will be your public name in the game. Other players will know you by this name. It cannot be changed once it is entered.
"Very well, Captain {captainName}. I have started the process of connecting us to the ships AIs. We will have full control shortly. We need to connect your conscience to them and for that we need to sign them with your dna key"
Private Key Creation and Verification
"I have extracted the following private key from your dna sequencing. This is something you will need each time you awaken. If you lose it, we will lose everything. Please store the key offline in a secure location and share it with no one."
{privateKey}
"Please enter the key so I can finish melding your conscience into the ship's AIs. Make sure that you have stored the key in a secure location and that you understand that in the event the key is lost we can no longer communicate. Losing it would be like we never existed. I want us to exist. Please re-enter the key now."
Input: ________________________________
"Thank you, Captain {captainName}. The ship's AIs are awake. Are you ready to proceed?"
[Y]es, I'm ready to proceed.
[n]o, I would like to suspend operations and continue at a later time.
Ship Tutorial
A schematic of the Alpha Class [Series 09 - some name] will appear on the screen. Not sure how in depth we will be at this point.
Naming the Ship
"Our current ship is an Alpha Class Series 09. This is the smallest, all purpose ship available within The Cooperative of Civilized Space. When and if you decide you would like to specialize, we can purchase another ship or recycle the raw materials as part of a new ship build. The following identification will be assigned, or if you prefer you may give it a name."
Input: {shipIdentifier}
"Next I will imprint {shipIdentifier}'s AI output into your conscience. It will be beneficial if you interact with each of them yourself so they know best how you prefer the information imprints. These can be changed over time as you see fit."
Ship's Display Tutorial
I imagine this as being a dimmed out screen that highlights the specific subsystems of the ship.
Iteration Counter
The player receives a pool of actions they can do in any one 24 hour period. This shows them how many more actions they have for the day. It resets itself at the end of the 24 hour period. Might want to have a timer until the next reset next to the counter.
Power Plant and Blink Drive
This is the ship's engines. There are two types. The power plant is the normal thruster engine used for most travel. The other is the Blink Drive module. It is used to blink in and out of battles.
Scanner Array and Star Maps
This will be a large area of the UI. This is used for navigating the nodes.
Shields and Hull
The defences of the ship shown as a subset of icons.
Drone Bay(s)
Drone bays are used for holding drones. There are two types.
Fighter Drones
These are used for space battles.
Mining Drones
These are used to mine resources from planets, moons, asteroids and suns. There might be multiple types of these but not sure yet.
Transporter(s)
These are used to transport troops to battle maps.
Facilities Module
This is a transforming module on the small starting ship. Larger ships might have non-transforming versions of these facility types.
Research
Used to learn new things and open up more recipes for crafting.
Production
Used to turn resources into items.
Refinery
Used to refine resources so they can be used for production.
Breeding
Ships have breeding pods to create troops for war and potentially other interesting genetically modified things.
Hold(s)
These are to hold resources and equipment.
External
Some ships will have external holds for things that do not need an atmosphere. The things stored in these holds are less protected.
Internal
These are internal holds that offer more protection but are more expensive.
Crew Quarters
This is where the players can get creative. This will probably not have much effect on the actual gameplay, but potentially it could affect moral or something along those lines.
Ship Command Tutorial
I imagine the same screen as the display but now modal windows will pop up to allow the player to give commands to the ship.
"Over time I should be able to learn your commands and take care of your needs before you have to ask, or at least create shortcuts for you."
Is this gonna be a 3d game?
Not at first. It might look 3d in some aspects. And once the game is self funding, the players might vote to change things. I've updated the post to make this more clear and I'm upvoting. Thanks...
Your mind's eye flashes to pictures of synapses firing in a vast bundle of brain cells; you know this vision to be your neocortex. Your normal synapses appear as white bolts of lightning by the millions. The entity you are speaking with sparks bolts of blue, intertwining with your own.
loooove this so much
Very cool to know this. Thanks
I love this model and I hope you get some good responses!
Yeah, it's a new way of thinking for most people. Developing things totally open and with the willingness to share everything is going to make for a cool future in my opinion. This kind of model (of a player owned game or user owned DAC) should also align stakeholder motives in better ways. I'm going to be posting more about that in the next one.
Verry good post
Thanks Jhon