For the Developers: Stuff to add to the game.

[Kyon the Incubus]

First off, I'd like to say for what it is, its a fun game with some fun and different spins on the genre.

So some suggestions in case this is ever looked by the developers.
1. Map icon descriptions: Most of the stuff on the overworld map is fairly staightfoward and maybe I missed the help button, but it would be nice if there was a key/screen that showed what all the stuff flying around is. Is it a supply ship, a void whale, junk squid, all that fun stuff. On that vein to mix it up, it would hilarious if some of the things flying around were unidentifiable except either by some trait or maybe later you can add helpful facilities to the Ark for quality of life stuff. Some random flying merchants, healers, or mini quest givers would be fun.

2. Notch up the roguelike element with some feels and story. There should be a list or a graveyard of all the poor bastards that died trying. Just a name, mugshot, some funny/somber epitapth and how they bit the bullet. Also, you could add so hilarious filler and voice overs for the bastards. Give them some background and character. Make them make comments on say item pick ups, where they are at, and why they want survive and leave the nebula.

If you some hype or investment, have an open contest for people that purchased the game to send in their own 'Bastard' stories and lines. If it is good enough to be used, have them sign a waiver to use such a thing, and boom. We have entertaining plot filler.

3. I noticed that many of the bastard's starting trait matches their background or crime. It would be cool to make such things unique traits that technically can't be twisted or exchanged. Stuff like, Rim Scavenger: Ammo pick ups yield more ammo. Z-ray vision: Can see enemies though walls, but not on the maps.

Another fun thought on traits would be mixed bagged deals. Like: Gaseous Giant: You periodically fart loudly and leave a radiation cloud in your wake every time you crouch. Get to the Chopper: When you run out of oxygen, you run twice as fast. Cornered Beast: You take twice as much damage, but when you are at 50 percent health, your own damage output triple.

Upgradable Traits: I would propose a DNA resource you either collect from dead enemies, previously expired Bastards, and again maybe an Ark facility. You would use this resource to upgrade your existing traits or minimize a negative one. Also, you can spend DNA to store a favorite trait in a data base so if your current bastard dies, they can pass something on to the next guy.

Ark Facilities: In the same vein, a facility to store extra stuff to pass on the next bastard when your current one dies would be fun too. Maybe a robotics facility that can manufacture scavenger drones to grab gear or maybe add some map traits or lead pirates and void whales away could be thing.

4. Other places to raid: It's fun plundering ships, but it would spice things up to scour places like pirate bases, abandoned asteroid stations, void whale nests, etc..

5. Traps would be a fun aspect to throw in for the security part of the game. Laser trip wires, random warp stuff, rooms that close and fill with gas or radiation at which you can pay your way out, or find the spout quickly and shoot it. And in true void bastard style you can lure enemies into said traps after subverting them.

Anyways, I got that out my system. Keep up the good work! -K

[PhotriusPyrelus]

Additional Save Slots would be nice. I'd really like to play again on a harder difficulty, but I don't really want to lose my save game. =(

I think it could be neat to have multi-level ships.

[Kyon the Incubus]

That would be nice. Lets say you have a specific strategy you want to try just because of the traits you got or started out with. Skulker, security expert, has all the big booms. I think three total save slots would be cool.

That could be a thing for the multilevel idea. Can't see why not except those fun levels where oxygen is low and the damn power cuts out just you are choking and just one darn room away from the airlock. Poor Thomas, you were the best of us. XD

Also, I was thinking if they added multiple endings, the thee I'd like to throw on would be
1. Water Not Included: In this ending you, subvert PAL/the computer and decide to take on the WCG. But of course you need an army. Oh hey, we have a near million people to rehydrate that just might have a chip on their shoulder. Rebellion!

2. You Are Management Now: Your tireless efforts as an unthinking or nearly unthinking cog in the machine. You become PAL right hand and lord all the ship and get to send other poor bastards to their demise for the glory of WCG.

3. Beat Them, And them Join Them: Anarchy in Space. You have taken down the leaders of the various space pirate factions, and rather than finishing the job, you realize your destiny and take the reins of power. You now the Pirate King, and the Sargasso Nebula is your empire. Commence the tributes of cheese and onion sandwiches! Arrrr!

[Shiro]

Originally posted by Kyon the Incubus:

Also, I was thinking if they added multiple endings, the thee I'd like to throw on would be

endings that are too kind to the player character would be out of place in the game about hell made by bureaucracy to wards slightest deviants. But different kinds of dead ends could arise instead of single unpreventable one. Maybe hard to achieve "true" ending that is not very happy but at least allows some "freedom"
for your ideas:
1 - you have million humans, but do you have food and life support system capability to supply them all? Don't forget, Void Ark is more of a freighter, with all those million being carried in suspended animation for most of the time. Whats more, even if you solve that AND find them weapons, WCG is still mega-corp which judged millions... they surely have means to deal with "slave rebellion"
2 - why would BACS need right hand man? Especially one who is a penal client. He was probably excused for utilizing clients as substitute work force, but actually giving client an official job would be entirely another matter. Not to mention that human in charge at Void Ark would be still blamed by WCG officials on what happened to Void Ark
(also did you called BACS PAL? those are two different machines)
3 - that one is possble, although I don't think there is real position of "pirate king" out there. Most likely, that elder lady pirate is just pirate captain with high reputation and power in their society; no outsider whom nobody knows can easily secure such position. But simply joining pirate faction seems very plausible.
In fact this can lead to "boss fight": pirates task you with killing next client BACS sends to prove your worth. You are then accepted into pirates... only for BACS to report it, which results in WCG sending spec ops into nebula soon after, hunting down "dangerous criminal". At which points pirates realise they are after you, betray you and you end up in WCG's indefinite detention anyway

as for possible "true" ending, you may somehow manage to find another vessel with working FTL and, despite restrictions upon you, somehow manage to make it operable. Maybe over multiple lives. You discard PAL and STEV and jump away from the nebula. Sure, you are criminal wanted by WCG, but at least now they don't know where to look for you, so you can forge another citizen ID card and live peacefu- nevermind, you just were arrested again for another "crime" of scale "smelled bad near high-ranked corporate". Well, at least they didn't recognize your old identity, and maybe this time you won't end in the nebula...

[Lucas]

Just saw this thread, copying my previous post from another thread:
____________________________________________________
I just hope the devs read this thread. I'm only 13 hours in the game and I already finish it... There is not much reason to replay since the enemies are the same and there are no more objectives left. Its a solid game tho but 100% agree it needs more content because the game itself has a huge potential.
------------------------------------------------I have to agree with this---------------
- Add some tapes, a la Bioshock. You can listen to them on the ship if you have time, or listen to them on the Stev.
- Massively increase the number of voice lines on each monster so that they are both louder and eerily educational. Same for the intercom messages.
- Add some scripted cutscenes or special events that appear at certain intervals or in specific places that you're guaranteed to see, a la Path of Exile (Atlas, specifically). Many of the Action Item ships don't change over different playthroughs.
---------------------------------------------And I would suggest even more-------------
More events in the game, and more possibilities:
>be able to raid pirate ships for best loot
>explore your own stev ship and have events there... like (your ship is getting invaded by whatever)
>neutral strong enemies like the big daddies from bioshock
>randomized bosses for gud loot (I know there is a mechanic similar to bosses, but I'm talking about unique bosses, not a standard enemy but stronger)
>be possible to follow a diferent objective and do not return to the main base.. since you are a prisioner makes sense not wanting to return. (the actual ending is funny but its somewhat predictable, would be neat to be able to diverge from the current objective)

And finally I guess everyone agree that we need more enemies
Not only more nebula mutated people, but I think we need nebula beasts, things that live there naturaly to invade your own ship or follow you like the pirates when you are traveling.

[Bleh!]

Totally agree with you guys,

I feel they need to make it more rogue-like to make it re-playable. They need a wider variety of ship layouts, more unique enemies and some actual bosses, maybe have a way to escape the WCG if you get through enough of the nebula, maybe you can drop down to a sixth level?

I dunno I really enjoyed it, but unlike other Roguelites there really isn't anything pulling me back to play it again, which is a shame.

[Kyon the Incubus]

Noted the endings were along the happy vein, but I still like to keep that bit of possibility or have a various mix. There are older games with dozens of ending elements that combined for a unique ending tailored to the player. Like New Vegas, or Generation of Chaos. Just saying, nothing wrong with fanciful escapism, and accomdating people's various tastes. Like just throwing it out there, the ending to GoT left a bad taste in my mouth, though one could argue logically, that was the kind of the vein R.R. Martin was going for. 'There are no prophesies, no magic heroes to save the day, life will go on and the toilets need to be flushed.' But even in the face of such bleak reality, I like to think we still have at least more than a zero percent chance to write our own destiny our own stores. Otherswise, why would the Emporah's Spcesh Mahrines keep fighting in the galactic bleakness that is game development.

But all very good points brought up. No game will ever satisfy everyone completely, I would say its about learning what worked and didn't work and using that to refine the next one, or to add content in thanks and response to the gamers input.

Definately the stuff Ferrez threw out there are all good things to sweeten the experience. Unique boss enemies, bounties, audio playback for lore... all excellent stuff.

Another idea would be randomized upgrades to the weapons ala Dead Space meets Isaac Afterbirth game, have trait booths for weapons. Do fun things like: Heat/Angst Seeking, area damage, or adding other status effects. Mainly just ways to get wild synergy effects for a unique experience.

Anyways, just keep throwing those ideas out there. Maybe if we generate enough buzz there can be future DLCs or the next game would be even better.

Buut Yaaaaaasss... Replayability is kinda nil. But if you could unlock stories about your surviving bastards or such... -humming ensues-

[Lucas]

Originally posted by Bleh!:

Totally agree with you guys,

I feel they need to make it more rogue-like to make it re-playable. They need a wider variety of ship layouts, more unique enemies and some actual bosses, maybe have a way to escape the WCG if you get through enough of the nebula, maybe you can drop down to a sixth level?

I dunno I really enjoyed it, but unlike other Roguelites there really isn't anything pulling me back to play it again, which is a shame.

Unfortunetly you are right, there is no big reason to go back and play it after ending the game.

Regarding DLCS:
I just rly hope they don't push paid DLC down the throat of the customer, like payday the heist and other games is a pain in the arse in that matter for a simple reason... Every single tiny addition to the game is paid... In time if you don't buy periodicaly while the devs are releasing those DLCS there is big chance in a year we return to the game when its full of content but costing double the actual price if you want all the dlcs.. and for me thats a big nono for returning to the game.