Sunbeam sequence is implausible
WillemV
Dallas, TX Join Date: 2017-05-24 Member: 230737Members
Dallas, TX Join Date: 2017-05-24 Member: 230737Members
Impossible is expected from scifi/fantasy genre, but implausible becomes rather intolerable.
The Sunbeam is clearly visible at an obvious we're-pretty-close distance when they haven't even broken atmosphere.
When "breaking atmosphere" is announced they are well within the atmosphere and very visibly below cloud level. After the count down and the confusion about some "spike" they are allegedly breaking atmosphere without any visible cue that this is indeed happening.
Within the great quality of the game, the Sunbeam entry sequence comes across as a quick, cheap implementation of zooming in on a static picture.
You guys have a great game that is getting better with every update. Many great features are added and serious bugs are addressed. Please don't forget to address these little oddities (just like the stars shining *through* the big planet), though, as they do the game justice.
Cheers!
- Willem
Comments
My issue isn't with getting to see it, but with the mismatch in what you see and the statement that it is breaking atmosphere while it is already clearly below cloud level, and that the graphic representation is simply of lesser quality than the rest of the game.
Give the entry speech way before it is visible. Then give a time break up between the two portions.
And then the "energy spike" visible sunbeam and it's destruction.
Imo, the whole sequence of events between the radiation leak, reactor overlord, sunbeam messages and arrival are all very fast paced and could probably use more days/weeks in between each scene in game.
As for the critique, we're obviously aware but unsure yet what (if anything) we're going to do about it as it has zero effect on the actual gameplay itself.
Might I suggest good sir...
A crash animation where it doesn't just disintegrate, but the left over wreckage plummets into the ocean, perhaps a black box type of protection surviving the big boom cannon blast. Could add some kind of objective... "To retrieve some stuff to do things" (leaving that up to you dev type people, story wise
I think just changing the sequence so that the Sunbeam itself isn't even visible when the gun rotates and fires would be appropriate, along with a small explosion and streak of burning debris far in the distance to show what happened. This would also have the side benefit of having the destruction be so far off that the player instinctively knows that they're not going to be finding any debris near them. The PDA could also have a small blurb about the ship being completely destroyed with no survivors to clarify that the player isn't getting offworld on the Sunbeam.
If wreckage/loot would be an option (I'm aware of all practical objections to that), making a model a la the Aurora's findable would allow the Sunbeam to be held back more without cutting into the personal aspect of knowing what the ship looked like.
Now if I were to suggest a change, I would recommend after the Sunbeam is destroyed, perhaps a black box of sorts could show up as a ping way off in the distance (say 5000+ meters into the Void) a few game-days after it's destroyed? We already know the Aurora has black box data, so it's not unreasonable to assume the Sunbeam would have one as well (even though it is a six-seater vessel). If anything it could give the player another optional task to complete, what with the 'abrupt' end of the Sunbeam's story after all that's happened. It could be an audio file from Avery Quinn, maybe their manifesto, or even some form of technology we could adapt for a use or for fun.
Also I would recommend this as UWE is planning (according to the Trello) to make the Void dangerous to travel in (one possibility is spawning dangerous creatures to attack travellers). If this became a thing then it would be a fun risk/reward scenario: Do we try risking death by creature attack from trying to retrieve the black box/salvage for goodies, or do we leave it as a marker for the Sunbeam's final resting place? That's up to the player to decide.
Regardless, I feel that having the Sunbeam itself salvagable, whether for materials or an in-game prop wouldn't really be practical. Despite the fact the Sunbeam has its own model (as per Obraxis), and the fact a destroyed Cyclops retains its model for some time before sinking into the abyss, having an explorable Sunbeam wouldn't really add much to the gameplay value, in my opinion. But there needs to be some form of closure for this wonderful crew! Please consider this @Obraxis and UWE, if you guys are striving for ideas to implement post-1.0 release.
https://forums.unknownworlds.com/discussion/comment/2358405
You're right, it's not a game play ending issue. It's a visual thing -- kinda like the stars through the planet. So I understand that it's low on the list.
Currently, the erroneously placed PDAs and some of the loot crates (in the ground, for instance) are also not game play ending, but they do have an impact. I now see many first time players miss the PDAs because they just look like lights. Also, if I am dangerously out of water/health/food and my only possible recourse is a loot crate, it's pretty crappy if it's so deep in the ground that you can't retrieve whatever it holds.
Now, with all this critique, I cannot state enough that I think your dev team is absolutely fantastic and you're doing an amazing job. I easily know 20 other games that would sore to new heights if they had even just 10% of your involvement, attention, responsiveness, enthusiasm, and tenacity.
Where I work, the problem often is that there is too little testing and feedback, so I know how that hurts development.
Again, y'all are doing an outstanding job.
Cheers!
- Willem
Also, if they really want to "fix" it, all they need to do is change one line of the audio.
"Breaking atmosphere in..." change to "We should be in visual range in..." or something like that. Easy, and probably cheaper to get that voice actor a couple more bucks for that line than to re-jigger the sequence to match the audio.
An explorable Sunbeam wreck, or debris from it, would be pretty great, though. Maybe something for the future.
1. Precursor gun is too small.
2. Entire Island is too small
3. Facility is too small
4. Gun should destroy the ship before it even enters orbit.
5. Gun blast also kills the player.
6. Precursor tech is so awesomely powerful, the player should be annihilated before the game even begins...
But I guess nit picking this much might shorten the game too much for sales:
Game Starts. Game Ends.You died. Oops.
i can see where you are coming from but to make it somewhat real there would need to be sonic booms sound for a short time, effects of what looks like a fireball or a bright light and then vapor trails of the ship coming down, gravity would have a major effect and thrusters need to be deployed. you wouldn't see all that instantly, it would take a few minutes after the sonic booms to see the sunbeam coming.
i can see some of these being added to get an idea, but this is a spaceship on an alien world, things proably work a little differently.