Post-Release Plans

[BossConstructor]

Since all of the items from the game's roadmap are finished, BossConstructor will leave Early Access soon. I'm currently cleaning up the remaining bugs and tweaking the balance a bit, but basically it's done. :)

Working on BossConstructor has been a lot of fun and the great community here on Steam really helped me make the game as good as it is and I'm very thankful for that! Therefore, as a thank you, I intend to make three awesome free bonus DLC patches after release. Each patch is going to contain new features that you can propose in this thread and then, in a few weeks, vote for in-game.

The current things on my list are these:

• More modules.
  
• More music tracks.
  
• More mission objectives.
  
• More options for coloring modules.
  
• More alternative skins for modules.
  
• Time-warp mechanics. (e.g. time distortion fields, time slowing modules etc.)
  
• Named legendary items (like in Diablo, e.g. "BossConstructor's laser of death" with special properties; heavy users of this forum get to propose them :D ).
  
• Hybrid module variations with two attributes (e.g. long-range & fast versions).
  
• More options for setting up the exploration mode (e.g. galaxy shape options, modifiers etc.)
  
• Each Faction/race has a unique champion and/or module. To get the highest standing with each one, you have to beat their champion.
  
• More options for new game+ (e.g. how the difficulty changes).
  
• More background images.
  
• Platinum Loot Box (rare in quanity, contains valuable or legendary modules)
  
• More rounded armor pieces to allow more rounded ships.
  
• Larger ships (Increased grid area in ship designer.)
  
• Synergy effects between adjacent modules. (Suggested by lakf)
  
• Weapons/modules can be set to autofire. (Suggested by Frice)
  
• Non-square maximum ship sizes (e.g. long or x-shaped ships). (Suggested by Bongobong)
  
• Module stats (weapon damage, hitpoints etc.) can be edited by players via a text file.

Please feel welcome to add to this list by posting your ideas below. Thanks!

[CmdrNoval]

Let me be the first to say, Congrats!

And a thank you is in order, for the level of inclusion the community has been given during EA.

All of the above listed bonus patch ideas have merit. No doubt it will be tough to choose.

The ones that stand out to me are:

- More modules:

The Deflector, Advanced Carrier, & Strength Enhancer (weapon) modules, especially

- Time Warp Mechanics:

Perhaps a weapon module that fires a time-slowing energy ball, or a module similar to the Cloak, that slows time within a range.

- Named Legendary Items:

Special properties being the most important part

- Hybrid Module Variations:

Strong & Long Range will be most valuable, especially where missles are concerned. (Their range is pretty good now, but strength can be an issue.)

-Additional Items:

New Loot Box. Since we have Silver & Gold, perhaps a light blue Platinum one. Boxes should be rare in quanity, but should contain valuable or legendary modules. Could be spawned only by destroyed Bosses, or perhaps, Artifact missions...

New Armor pieces. Creating 'rounded' or disc-shaped ship designs is not a simple task with the current armor pieces. A 1x3 armor piece with a nice curvature would be quite handy.

Increased grid area in ship designer. Many have suggested this, and it may not be feasible without complications. But, it would be nice to expand a ship to a larger volume than a Boss. (Perhaps an idea for the Special property of a new Named Legendary Item.)

[BossConstructor]

Originally posted by CmdrNoval:

Let me be the first to say, Congrats!

And a thank you is in order, for the level of inclusion the community has been given during EA.

All of the above listed bonus patch ideas have merit. No doubt it will be tough to choose.

The ones that stand out to me are:

- More modules:

The Deflector, Advanced Carrier, & Strength Enhancer (weapon) modules, especially

- Time Warp Mechanics:

Perhaps a weapon module that fires a time-slowing energy ball, or a module similar to the Cloak, that slows time within a range.

- Named Legendary Items:

Special properties being the most important part

- Hybrid Module Variations:

Strong & Long Range will be most valuable, especially where missles are concerned. (Their range is pretty good now, but strength can be an issue.)

-Additional Items:

New Loot Box. Since we have Silver & Gold, perhaps a light blue Platinum one. Boxes should be rare in quanity, but should contain valuable or legendary modules. Could be spawned only by destroyed Bosses, or perhaps, Artifact missions...

New Armor pieces. Creating 'rounded' or disc-shaped ship designs is not a simple task with the current armor pieces. A 1x3 armor piece with a nice curvature would be quite handy.

Increased grid area in ship designer. Many have suggested this, and it may not be feasible without complications. But, it would be nice to expand a ship to a larger volume than a Boss. (Perhaps an idea for the Special property of a new Named Legendary Item.)

Added! Thank you :)

[keklolgloat]

A humble suggestion from someone that enjoys your game and has been playing such games since an infant (Escape Velocity!).

The suggestion: Be able to toggle your weapons to fire auto-matically. <----

(Backstory:) I found a bug in your game today. Upon landing to drop a load of minerals while under fire from baddies I landed while still firing my own weapons.

Upon returning from the station to sell my goods I was still firing my weapons. At first I was dismayed (bugs in general make me zzz) but then it made me think:

--What if this could be a feature?--

My ship isn't a regular design. I have upgraded port/starboard missle arrays which I use to spam my foes while keeping my distance, only problem is a PC's keyboard craps out when you try and use all three arrow keys while also maneuvering - your keyboard locks up.

This feature would make it possible to still "fire all guns" while you maneuver your way to safety.

http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/397833649918626849/A8B997F20EADD6E337FFB614D8F1C387A85C099C/

(My ship happily enjoying the "bug" in question that I hope one day can become a feature!

Cheers!

[BossConstructor]

Hi Frice, thank you for the suggestion. I've added it to the list!

In fact pressing multiple keys simultaneously can sometimes lead to problems. It depends on the type of keyboard as well as the keys which are pressed. Usually, the number of keys handled correctly are between 2 and 6. Unfortunately this is an hardware issue so there is not much I can do on this front. What you can usually do when this happens is to hit the key causing the problem again.

In previous versions of the game you could set a key to be toggle instead of impulse, which would lead to the behavior you mention. What I could add is that pressing a modifier key triggers this behavior - for example, pressing shift-left could switch the left firing weapons on, pressing it again would turn it off. What do you think?

[keklolgloat]

"for example, pressing shift-left could switch the left firing weapons on, pressing it again would turn it off. What do you think?"

Sounds like a great idea to me. Thanks for taking the time out to awnser my request!

cheers!

[King Maelstrom the Esoteric]

Just wanted to say, great game! Different types of carrier modules would be cool. Less advanced weaponry might be interesting too.

[Arumba]

I would like to see the ability to modify armor plates in the exploration mode so that they are pretty. I often end up with two 'titan armor' pieces, but they aren't the 'right type' to look pretty on the ship. Since functionally they are the same, why not allow for a button that 'rotates' the piece, or alters it between the different types of that specific armor module. This would go a long way toward helping my symmetry obsession. Please.

[keklolgloat]

Reading Arumba's request I remembered a fix that I had been thinking of for 'nano armor'.

Currently it is symettrical and fairly difficult to see which way is supposed to "face out" in order to absord the damage correctly.

Suggestion: Make the "arrow" more profound (I know there is currently an arrow showing 'this side up'), it is far to subtle for nano-armor and I found myself scanning my ship like a detective to make all my armor correct.

Thanks again for the great content!

[King Maelstrom the Esoteric]

Something that'd be REALLY awesome, is a modding GUI that allows me to modify values of various stats easily. But I figure that'd be a bit of work. Starcraft had a great example of this in the map editor. I just want something that goes beyond what SC had.

[huhnmon]

I like the idea of a developing game very much. Some wishes ;)


- More interesting Shops! I do have the money but have no real use for it. Make us go into a shop and want to spend twice the amount we have ;)

- Make it possible to upgrade modules which are currently in the ship design. Those are the ones i realy need to improve and not the "trash" in the depot.

- Shields i can shoot through. Otherwise they are just like energy based armor and boring. Have you ever played stardrive? Great ship editor and overlapping canopy-shields feel just awesome :)

- More diverse Levels. Usualy i enter the Level, kill every oponent and then comes the boring 5min just fulfilling the mission and mine some chrystals. It just feels like work and is no fun.
There is one mission where an unexpected opponent appears after scanning an artifact. THATS fun! Please more of this ;)

- Last idea: option to deactivate modules during a mission (for example by clicking in the status menue). Imagine 3 Engines on each side of your ship and 2 of the left are destroyed. Right now you can quit the mission, because you wont be able to steer anywhere. Let me manualy deactivate the 2 right engines and i have a slow, but combat ready ship!

Thanks for the funny little game so far. This might mecome a true jewl in some time :)

[BossConstructor]

Originally posted by Arumba:

I would like to see the ability to modify armor plates in the exploration mode so that they are pretty. I often end up with two 'titan armor' pieces, but they aren't the 'right type' to look pretty on the ship. Since functionally they are the same, why not allow for a button that 'rotates' the piece, or alters it between the different types of that specific armor module. This would go a long way toward helping my symmetry obsession. Please.

Fair enough, I'll add it to my todo list!

[BossConstructor]

Originally posted by Frice:

Reading Arumba's request I remembered a fix that I had been thinking of for 'nano armor'.

Currently it is symettrical and fairly difficult to see which way is supposed to "face out" in order to absord the damage correctly.

Suggestion: Make the "arrow" more profound (I know there is currently an arrow showing 'this side up'), it is far to subtle for nano-armor and I found myself scanning my ship like a detective to make all my armor correct.

Thanks again for the great content!

Small immersion spoiler here: The direction is purely aesthetic and does not influence the module's effect in any way. :)

[BossConstructor]

Originally posted by Cyber_Donkey:

Something that'd be REALLY awesome, is a modding GUI that allows me to modify values of various stats easily. But I figure that'd be a bit of work. Starcraft had a great example of this in the map editor. I just want something that goes beyond what SC had.

What types of stats do you have in mind. Module stats?
A full GUI for editing these numbers would be a lot of work. However, I have considered putting some of these numbers into a text file that players can edit if they so desire. What do you think?

[BossConstructor]

Originally posted by huhnmon:

I like the idea of a developing game very much. Some wishes ;)


- More interesting Shops! I do have the money but have no real use for it. Make us go into a shop and want to spend twice the amount we have ;)

- Make it possible to upgrade modules which are currently in the ship design. Those are the ones i realy need to improve and not the "trash" in the depot.

- Shields i can shoot through. Otherwise they are just like energy based armor and boring. Have you ever played stardrive? Great ship editor and overlapping canopy-shields feel just awesome :)

- More diverse Levels. Usualy i enter the Level, kill every oponent and then comes the boring 5min just fulfilling the mission and mine some chrystals. It just feels like work and is no fun.
There is one mission where an unexpected opponent appears after scanning an artifact. THATS fun! Please more of this ;)

- Last idea: option to deactivate modules during a mission (for example by clicking in the status menue). Imagine 3 Engines on each side of your ship and 2 of the left are destroyed. Right now you can quit the mission, because you wont be able to steer anywhere. Let me manualy deactivate the 2 right engines and i have a slow, but combat ready ship!

Thanks for the funny little game so far. This might mecome a true jewl in some time :)

Thanks! :)
@1: What do you have in mind? What would these shops sell?
@2: Good point, I'll put it on my todo list.
@3: You can shoot through the rotating shields. I guess I could make a shield module which is somewhat weaker than the normal shield module but allows your shots to pass.
@5: For thoses situations, the control processor module is worth its weight in gold. :)

[keklolgloat]

Originally posted by BossConstructor:

Originally posted by Frice:

Reading Arumba's request I remembered a fix that I had been thinking of for 'nano armor'.

Currently it is symettrical and fairly difficult to see which way is supposed to "face out" in order to absord the damage correctly.

Suggestion: Make the "arrow" more profound (I know there is currently an arrow showing 'this side up'), it is far to subtle for nano-armor and I found myself scanning my ship like a detective to make all my armor correct.

Thanks again for the great content!

Small immersion spoiler here: The direction is purely aesthetic and does not influence the module's effect in any way. :)

Hah! I thought that might be the case but never really 'trail-errored' to find out. Thank-you for the feedback and your amazing game!

-Frice

Edit: Just thought of something else; was wondering if it would be possible to make the 'ship name' tile overlap ontop of armor/batteries/etc so we can all enjoy a ship name without the tradeoff of losing core-systems just for an aesthetic feature.

tl;dr make the 'ship-name' stackable ontop of other mods.