If Hello Games added RPG elements to NMS

[Undeathical]

What does everyone think? Cities, talents, vendors, stuff like that

[Vivisector 9999]

Then it would be a better version of Starfield, which already has all of those elements, but needs most of the exploration stuff NMS has (ground vehicles, hostile planet conditions that aren't a mere annoyance, starships actually needing fuel, etc).

[Undeathical]

They could possibly even hire another indie dev team to help if this isn't their specialty if they wanted, I think it would add to the depth of the game.

[Lfod]

Hopefully we are talking story driven content and not more fetch quests. I don't think I could stomach any more fetch quests content. The game already has vendors in the space stations , small outposts found on planets. The game doesn't have large cities so I guess you could really could make larger more elaborate POI's you can find.

As for story driven content, it will give people a reason to play it but eventually they would finish it. People will play Starfield and finish all the story and side quests and will get bored. It happens with every game when you have done everything and at that point it is on you to make your own fun.

I'm not against the idea. I think it would be cool to have some more handcrafted areas for POI's or just to visit with more rpg like quest but I don't think the game needs it. I'm fine with them adding a new thing to go after once and awhile. The game is been out forever and I don't expect them to reinvent the wheel unless they really went all in on a massive expansion.

[UncreativelyNamed]

This wouldn't be something I'd be interested in. I do not like RPGs, and one of the big reasons why I chose to buy NMS is that it isn't an RPG. There are many, many RPGs to play out there and few games like NMS with the open world/exploration aspect that are not RPGs. So, I hope it is left as it is. If it becomes more RPG-like, I will not enjoy it and would likely quit playing it.

[Mr. Bufferlow]

You should research how the game is designed. Once you understand how it is built, you will begin to see why it would be extremely problematic to try to build an RPG or even have unique cities.

Settlements were the response to people asking for cities. Whatever gets put in, has to be replicated in every assortment of systems in every galaxy. The game just does not do unique. This is why you can play the main story in any galaxy- you can even change galaxies and it still works- because it is all based on very simple story elements at the same building that exists in every system in every galaxy.

In theory they could just pick one system and hand build something unique in it, but that actually kind of taints their claim to fame which is a virtually limitless play field. It also would demonstrate their major weakness. They are a very small group and it would take years, probably even a decade to produce something much smaller but at least comparable to what Starfield has in abundance. (now ask why would they want to do that when there is no paycheck for all that work...and always the risk that after a decade people would be going...what is the NMS you speak of?)

[Aliisa]

Depending on how it is implemented, I would probably add an "RPG Mode" to the Create New Game menu and separate them as completely separate systems, since adding RPG elements to the current system could make both halfway and break the system.

[VintageBones]

One Idea I have is planets that maybe once were sites to huge battles on the ground and in orbit. I'm talking planets littered with the remains of scrap, wrecked starships, freighters and craters, as well as tons of wrecked ships, freighters and space junk in orbit. Perhaps the occasional wrecked vessel may have treasure in it. Perhaps there can even be abandoned bunkers and forts. Perhaps there can be entire star systems like this just littered with leftovers from war. Kinda like a giant graveyard. I think that could very much visualise how much conflict the lore says there was.

[Ankido]

If No Man's Sky were to transition into an MMORPG, it would be a game-changer in many aspects. Initially, the network play as we know it might be disabled, with single-player mode still available. This shift could give more purpose to Expeditions, similar to Seasons, offering rewards that truly require effort to obtain and retain. Missing out on these rewards would mean a missed opportunity.

Moreover, this transformation could open the door to a different online network, where players can maintain their discoveries, but a fresh MMORPG universe would commence. In this new MMORPG setting, every player would initially land on the same planet, with a substantial radius allocated for Hellogames to orchestrate its MMORPG activities. These planets wouldn't permit discoveries or construction near questing areas. However, as players ventured deeper into space, it would become a free-for-all, providing an endless array of planets to claim and explore.

Such a move would potentially reshape the gaming landscape and pose a significant challenge to titles like Destiny 2 and Starfield. It could herald a new era for No Man's Sky, positioned as a formidable competitor to the likes of Star Citizen.

Wishful thinking!

[Ankido]

Also ....

The universe of No Man's Sky comprises 255 unique galaxies. In turn, these are composed of: 4.2 billion regions (the max value of a 32 bit unsigned integer). There are 18 Quintilian planets.

This would enable Hello Games to release DLCs featuring new story content set in a randomly generated galaxy, accessible solely through portal codes. This could be a promising avenue for them to explore.

[mrsicknasty]

the autophage camps is already a step in the right direction. i hope they add camps for other races as well. collecting parts, doing quests and rolling staffs is the most fun ive had since the first 100h of playing, back when everything is new. but please hellogames first give us more multitool slots before adding anything else

[Mr. Bufferlow]

Just another reality check:
It took eight years for Bethesda to create Starfield with at least 90 people working on it continuously for the last three years.

Hello Games has 26 people. Lets be generous and assume they could make one compelling "bethessa like" single storyline in five years. 2028 the game is 12 years old. Did they bother to refresh it up to those standards? Oh wait, that means some of the 26 need to keep doing that really basic support. Hopefully, players accustomed to four updates a year are willing to wait five years because it will take their full attention.

You get to wait another five years for part 2. 2033 the game is now 17 years old.

As already noted, anything with any depth and similar storytelling to a Bethesda game would just take a super long time to develop and then you have it in one system on one planet when your claim to fame is a limitless universe to explore.

Sorry, a story rich "talky" RPG or unique story content at one specific location is just not in the cards. The autophage type stories are probably the top of the mark that can be developed in a reasonable time frame and they work in multiple systems in any galaxy.

[gianlum]

Originally posted by Undeathical:

What does everyone think? Cities, talents, vendors, stuff like that

More than that, an option to start a new save like tha current expedition: with a ship on a station, a basic set of blueprint known (the ones you got at the end of the tutorial quests) and no story quests to follow. Everything else need to be purchased with some currency that you need to earn.

[Wolven]

I would prefer simulation which is in other space games like more of factions, bounty hunters, more of intelligent alliens, more of space stations and their types (some of them could be players versions, so they don't have to alter their main space station), which is also more close to the version of RPG I prefer.

But then I think that if they could have more of alliens/factions, they would have them already - I assume that is their interest to have as much variety as possible. I have bad feeling if it is embedded in the main story - 3 alliens remaining from all of attempts, or something like that...

I don't like the current generic task quests system aswell - it is good as basic, but I tend to look for patterns, and there is no pattern.

I wish they would expand their solar system rating - it seems that you should look for 3 stars, but there could be pattern/story behind the 1 star system and some other advantage - I wish for more of logical connection between all of those randomnes, which could be better for their databases aswell? If there would be smaller clusters of informations tied to each other rather than a few bigger?

Exploration is great, but I wish there would be 1 other deep system to support it.

EDIT:
I like autophage camps and gathering aswell - better than waiting for S game :p

[VintageBones]

Originally posted by Ankido:

If No Man's Sky were to transition into an MMORPG, it would be a game-changer in many aspects. Initially, the network play as we know it might be disabled, with single-player mode still available. This shift could give more purpose to Expeditions, similar to Seasons, offering rewards that truly require effort to obtain and retain. Missing out on these rewards would mean a missed opportunity.

Moreover, this transformation could open the door to a different online network, where players can maintain their discoveries, but a fresh MMORPG universe would commence. In this new MMORPG setting, every player would initially land on the same planet, with a substantial radius allocated for Hellogames to orchestrate its MMORPG activities. These planets wouldn't permit discoveries or construction near questing areas. However, as players ventured deeper into space, it would become a free-for-all, providing an endless array of planets to claim and explore.

Such a move would potentially reshape the gaming landscape and pose a significant challenge to titles like Destiny 2 and Starfield. It could herald a new era for No Man's Sky, positioned as a formidable competitor to the likes of Star Citizen.

Wishful thinking!

I feel making the expeditions different than they already are may not be viable, since you already will miss expeditions and their rewards. Every player starting on the same planet would be a total mess, not to mention all the players would branch out from there, meaning you wouldn't discover anything new for potentially hundreds of systems. This may also end up stranding some players away from their bases and favourite planets, or worse it might end up locking the veteran players out of their niches in the hidden galaxy 256. Your suggestion for this hardcore MMORPG may completely dismantle the charm of the game: WANDERLUST. The thirst for exploration and discovery. If we all branch out from the same planet and there's no way to start at a random one, there is also the risk for griefing. Even if you disable PVP they can terraform over your ship to keep you from leaving.

My goal is not to bash on your idea, but to critique it. No man's sky as we know it is not an MMORPG, and I think traditional MMORPG mechanics will change the game in ways that will make it's more loyal players, as well as those who love the game as a sandbox open exploration game, very upset. The player base would move to another game and be replaced. It wouldn't be no man's sky anymore.

Another note: No Man's Sky and Star Citizen are two VERY different games. If you want to play star citizen, I strongly recommend. It has all the mechanics you'd want, just not the same amount of play area (because entire galaxies are kinda rough). I think any RPG elements that NMS should ever have should lean into making the endless universe of the game feel more lived-in, like the three sentient species there are should have more precense especially on the surface of planets. Like maybe vykeen should occasionally send out squads to patrol the surface of planets, either by foot or exocraft. If by exocraft, imagine getting in their way and they have to stop and you just see one peek their head out and honk their horn till you move tf out the way. Imagine the gek planets having significantly more trading posts and perhaps many land-based trade routes to move goods to and from secure locations. Imagine the Korvax riding around in craft laden with research equipment and having enormous groups of scientist travelling together.

Originally posted by mrsicknasty:

the autophage camps is already a step in the right direction. i hope they add camps for other races as well. collecting parts, doing quests and rolling staffs is the most fun ive had since the first 100h of playing, back when everything is new. but please hellogames first give us more multitool slots before adding anything else

Yeah like the autophage camps but for everything else and maybe have npcs wander a little and maybe even make it possible to fight them, would be interesting. Like imagine getting cocky and challenging a Vykeen squad and they just absolutely pulverize you.

On another note: Perhaps you can find a vykeen ground squad engaging sentinels and struggling. Perhaps you could swoop in and save the day, proving to a vykeen that you are more than an interloper but actually worthy of their respect and, most of all, worthy to fight alongside the vykeen. I think the game could also benefit from the main story questline getting made loser, more engaging and less like a bottomless fetch quest. And some cutscenes here and there.

Sorry for the wall of text.
TL;DR No Man's Sky is meant to scratch an itch and fill a niche rather than compete with corporate giants. If it tried to copy them it wouldn't be NMS, so traditional MMORPG mechanics arent's really for NMS as we know it.

[momopovich]

Space stations are basically random cities (random mission board, random vendor inventories). They could use a complete overhaul to make the interior more diverse and lively. Also better mission/reputation system not like the empty feature we've had for years.

Talents ? Before that the game needs a lot more combat encounters. You can already upgrade your character in a million ways just to kill the same useless sentinel waves.