SteveKing wrote:I would add just the one complication from the nicely simplified map. It would seem strange that you couldn't go directly to Galcop from the main concourse (as the people who live and work on the station might have reason to). Going via the dock would seem odd.
Norby wrote:I think if another level is accessible directly then reduce the feeling of a bigger movement and easy to mix up with a nearby area. The "Cargo" and "GalCop" are common words for a player so no problem to remind that these are in different levels and must go back to the dock to reach these. An extra step is slower but rewarded by a chance of an encounter and the list in main level is enough long already.
There are both pro and contra arguments imho so I leave the decision to BeetleB.
Personally, the only modification I would add to the simplified design it's the introduction of a transition location between the player ship and the Docks, that I define as Hangar. I need this location actually to manage some event check, at least for now. This means that the locations named Docks, Main Concourse and Recreation will became the level lobbies: they will work as the Lift spine that runs across the station structure, and will give access to the levels areas.
So the layout would be the following:
Code: Select all
[your ship] -- Hangar -- Docks -- Cargo Area -- Storage
(Lobby)
|
Main Concourse --+-- A Sector
(Lobby) +-- B Sector
| +-- C Sector
|
Recreation --+-- Entertainment
(Lobby) +-- Physical
| +-- Intellectual
|
Galcop Precinct -- Galcop Office
This means the lobbies menus will have 5 items for navigation (except the Galcop Precinct with 4), level locations on top, other lobbies on bottom.
I agree with the Maintenance removal, even if introducing the Hangar nullifies the simplification - but I want to characterize Hangar in a different way, linked to the player rather than to the station.
Another thing: I've dropped the "Area" word for every location except Cargo Area (because "Cargo" it doesn't sound good), maybe I could try to cut the length of the Recreation level areas, because "Intellectual Activity" is horrible, really.
Norby wrote:There are two special places where more dangerous and awardable missions can be found: the Storage where bad guys likely hiding and Jail where there are visitable captured bad guys. These places should be a bit harder to access so are not connected to the dock directly. The GalCop reception can ask for a fee to enter into the Jail as a visitor - they predict that you maybe will get a work so raise hands for some credits without officially admit the connection.
A possible quest to earn contracts: an encounter in the main level give an info about a package number in the storage area as a meeting place of suspicious pilots. Then go to the Storage enough often to once meet somebody who tell about a friend in the Jail (sometimes in another station) who seek somebody to do something. After this you will not only give free credits to the GalCop anymore when you visit the Jail.
That's an interesting idea. The player "stance" attribute hint to the player sympathies between the Law and the Crime (with a "dead" neutral zone around the 0 value). This attribute changes with player choices during random events or working specific tasks (e.g.: Galcop social services). I would do this: make the Storage and the Detainment areas closed as suggested, but requiring a fee or a specific legal stance (a matter of trust issues, basically). So:
- To enter the Storage area, player has to be sided with the criminals.
- To enter the Detainment, player has to be sided with Galcop.
I admit it seems a bit weird to enter the Detainment as a lawful character and pick a criminal mission, so probably I would introduce one item to fake a Galcop stance for a single access (and another to fake a criminal stance - and this could open additional plots, similar to the one Norby wrote).
Rorschachhamster wrote:Just a random thought...
Maybe a randomisation of the layout? Is that possible?
When I started thinking about the station structure, I though also at the amount of randomization I could implement. But the main structure has to be fixed, to create a standard and make the players used to it so they can learn the routes.
So I thought: I could create an entry to the inner maze of passages and corridors, far from the main areas. A simple maze, random-generated at every access. And then: the player could find items. Or enemies. So weapons to fight enemies. And so on.
I think it can be done, as a self-contained entity. It requires a good amount of analysis since it has to be very-very-simple (weapons should have a single attribute, no inventory, player can bring one weapon, one protection item, one equipment item), and good amount of work.
Maybe in the future.
It doesn't have to go anywhere, but there might be an encounter while-u-wait 
Perhaps in higher tech, could be 'Detainment Facility' 