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Rose Redfoxx Apr 11, 2024 @ 5:18am

Game play question

Will there be a time dilation built in ? As a 1 to 1 ratio might get seriously boring. If you wanted to fly to a distant star that'll take an hour, sitting at the computer an hour twiddling your thumbs, yeah... Or, if you wanted to, for giggles, fly from one edge of the galaxy to the other, that'll be days your computer is tied up while it does so. But I know some games speed up time a bit. Like, for example, American Truck Simulator, if it's a 5 hour drive from pick up to destination, you aren't driving the entire 5 hours, it's maybe 30 min or so. So I was curious if there was going to be something similar for long flights?

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Showing 1-15 of 24 comments

kandnil Apr 11, 2024 @ 5:55am

Just my 2 bits: To me, the game play wouldn't be about the destination, it would be about the journey. I would not mind journeys to take several days, if the ship offers things to do for the players and from what I understand, that is very much the idea. Engineers will have to keep the ship from falling apart, medics are there to fix the rest of us up if there's a mishap, and so on. Addto that the unknown ahead. Will we encounter aliens? What will we do then? Will we get our hands on new tech for our science officer to work on? At least, all this is something that would fill the days with purpose.

Rose Redfoxx Apr 11, 2024 @ 8:58am

So in the end it'll be an MMO, not single player. * hmm *

kandnil Apr 11, 2024 @ 9:17am

As of this moment, I can't see why a single player couldn't run the entire ship, if the player wants to be hyper busy all hours of the day not mentioning when things go south and you need all hands on deck, so to speak.

Faithlight Apr 11, 2024 @ 9:30am

Ahemm Hands AND webbed feet. You are forgetting Cluck

VoT | Xelaph Apr 11, 2024 @ 9:41am

Time dilation will not be put in. Flying somewhere will take some time, though you don't have to be idle because there will be tasks generated for everyone. The game will be fully playable in singleplayer because the npc crew will do all the other tasks. There will be multiplayer, but it is not an MMO.

Faithlight Apr 11, 2024 @ 9:44am

I think there is a 200 person crew (including you) I think MP will allow 8 players (based on 8 roles, one being passenger, so just log in and LOAF)

Buckshot Apr 11, 2024 @ 10:42am

Originally posted by BelGarion:
Will there be a time dilation built in ? As a 1 to 1 ratio might get seriously boring. If you wanted to fly to a distant star that'll take an hour, sitting at the computer an hour twiddling your thumbs, yeah... Or, if you wanted to, for giggles, fly from one edge of the galaxy to the other, that'll be days your computer is tied up while it does so. But I know some games speed up time a bit. Like, for example, American Truck Simulator, if it's a 5 hour drive from pick up to destination, you aren't driving the entire 5 hours, it's maybe 30 min or so. So I was curious if there was going to be something similar for long flights?

In this game, it is not all about the destination. It is about the journey. There are so many unique planets and star systems to explore along the way. Right now I am currently on my own personal mission to get to the center of the galaxy which is taking days to get there but I am in no hurry. Ive got plenty of screenshots of different planets I am visiting along the way. No such thing as time acceleration in this game. This game is a 1:1 experience whereas ATS is 20:1. As far as being bored, it may be a little bit that way now but this is still very early in game development. Once everything is up and running and the game is complete, there will be 199 NPC crew and yourself and there will be daily tasks and such to do every day...so there will be no time for boredom then. If you want to play multiplayer, there can be up to 8 players and then there would be up to 192 NPC crew totalling 200 crew altogether. Dan (the main dev) has huge plans for this game but it may take years to get there until this game is fully released. Im very excited about this.

Last edited by Buckshot; Apr 11, 2024 @ 10:51am

Tazmo Apr 11, 2024 @ 11:05am

If someone wanted to travel from edge to edge it is most likely because it is a challenge. If you reduce the time just for giggles then you remove that challenge thus making it a pointless endeavor. The Milky Way Galaxy is vast, lets not diminish it too much.

Buckshot Apr 11, 2024 @ 11:15am

Originally posted by Tazmo:
If someone wanted to travel from edge to edge it is most likely because it is a challenge. If you reduce the time just for giggles then you remove that challenge thus making it a pointless endeavor. The Milky Way Galaxy is vast, lets not diminish it too much.

Oh I know the galaxy is vast. LOL. From the Sol system I am trying to get to the center of the galaxy (no rush though) and it has taken me many days and I still have many more days to go. LOL. Its not about the destination. Its about the journey

kandnil Apr 11, 2024 @ 11:26am

This discussion reminded me for some reason of some of the most insane rescue missions by the Fuel Rats over at Elite Dangerous. Those fellow players would spend days if not weeks on end to get to that ship in distress. I love games that allow for that sort of things.

#10

Tazmo Apr 11, 2024 @ 11:26am

Originally posted by Buckshot:
Originally posted by Tazmo:
If someone wanted to travel from edge to edge it is most likely because it is a challenge. If you reduce the time just for giggles then you remove that challenge thus making it a pointless endeavor. The Milky Way Galaxy is vast, lets not diminish it too much.
Oh I know the galaxy is vast. LOL. From the Sol system I am trying to get to the center of the galaxy (no rush though) and it has taken me many days and I still have many more days to go. LOL. Its not about the destination. Its about the journey

I agree with you about it being about the journey. But, as the OP suggested, how would you feel if your trip only took 10 or 15 minutes (the half way point)? Would that diminish the game for you?

#11

kandnil Apr 11, 2024 @ 11:28am

Originally posted by Tazmo:
But, as the OP suggested, how would you feel if your trip only took 10 or 15 minutes (the half way point)? Would that diminish the game for you?

Just my 2 bits again. For me, a resounding yes, it would diminish the game tremendously.

EDIT: Got me thinking of this food channel on youtube I'm watching every now and then, and this one was about airplane food. Back in the days, with propeller airliners and travelling times of several hours, food onboard would sometimes match what you would find on finer restaurants. Enter the jet age and shorter travelling times. Now this was only one reason for what followed bur what followed was: Airplane food? No thank you, I'm good.

Shorter travelling times in this game would to me be like going from roast beef cut for you in the aisle to a bag of peanuts.

Last edited by kandnil; Apr 11, 2024 @ 11:36am

#12

ODST_General Apr 11, 2024 @ 7:49pm

Originally posted by BelGarion:
Will there be a time dilation built in ? As a 1 to 1 ratio might get seriously boring. If you wanted to fly to a distant star that'll take an hour, sitting at the computer an hour twiddling your thumbs, yeah... Or, if you wanted to, for giggles, fly from one edge of the galaxy to the other, that'll be days your computer is tied up while it does so. But I know some games speed up time a bit. Like, for example, American Truck Simulator, if it's a 5 hour drive from pick up to destination, you aren't driving the entire 5 hours, it's maybe 30 min or so. So I was curious if there was going to be something similar for long flights?

As others have said time dilation will not be a thing. Fuel consumption will also be added, which means you will be unable to just fly for days without stopping eventually. So you will be forced to slow down for resupply.

However wormholes will be in and able to transport you to another location. Additionally you may be able to discover and use alternative FTL types, which could increase the speed of the ship potentially.

#13

Buckshot Apr 11, 2024 @ 9:39pm

Originally posted by ODST_General:
Originally posted by BelGarion:
Will there be a time dilation built in ? As a 1 to 1 ratio might get seriously boring. If you wanted to fly to a distant star that'll take an hour, sitting at the computer an hour twiddling your thumbs, yeah... Or, if you wanted to, for giggles, fly from one edge of the galaxy to the other, that'll be days your computer is tied up while it does so. But I know some games speed up time a bit. Like, for example, American Truck Simulator, if it's a 5 hour drive from pick up to destination, you aren't driving the entire 5 hours, it's maybe 30 min or so. So I was curious if there was going to be something similar for long flights?

As others have said time dilation will not be a thing. Fuel consumption will also be added, which means you will be unable to just fly for days without stopping eventually. So you will be forced to slow down for resupply.

However wormholes will be in and able to transport you to another location. Additionally you may be able to discover and use alternative FTL types, which could increase the speed of the ship potentially.

Very true....but....will worm holes take you to exact point in the galaxy every time or will be a random thing? From what I understand from Dan, wormholes will be a random thing and their destination will also be random. I could be wrong on this.

#14