[UI] Dark Orbit - Open World

yeah, like we need to interact with our planets, like land on its surface, interact with its base, or to even explore other planets.

 

I actually love this idea of the original poster. Having an open world would really bring some excitement towards the game even if it was just an event during the weekends or within selected methods to enter (via a portal or special jump CHIP).

It would be a great way to stop being so reliant on groups for fighting as well, this is why I'd especially love this idea. Obviously, if you mean actually open world like Zelda, that isn't going to happen because this is an MMO game.

However, you'd get the problem that some UFE/Semi-UFE players are so bad at this game that all they can do is hunt new players so this kind of players would never use it if they don't have to.

 

The game doesn't work very well in the current status and the emerging light is a rebalance that is years too late.
Unless of course DO has something spectacular up it's sleeve. I'm pretty sure they don't because it would have already happened?!

The idea that springs to mind for me is; Bigpoint could actually re-invent the game with an add on. Let's say for instance 'Dark Orbit 2.1 Ultra Reloaded'.

The loyal players could get the opportunity to explore the new 'open world' through a portal and as an added extra the game could also reinvent itself by starting from scratch 'giving totally new players a fresh start' in an open world.

The development may take a year but who would care, no one! Because the players have anticipated long drawn out updates in the past...Therefore, I'm pretty sure it would not interfere with the current game because developers wouldn't have to put in the current maps, would they? Of course it it a hefty project and more work but I'm certain it would be a massive hit and the game will be salvaged considerably...
Imagine, new players wouldn't have to be glued to portals in maps that are currently always governed by clans that hunt newbs reliant on resources and the lack of aliens to build credits. Not to mention events that have exactly the same problem.

Its no secret that the game needs a reset and be relaunched as something totally different to its current playability... An open world theme is a reasonable idea and some of the players have mentioned in this thread- being able to do things like other playable internet games have already adopted, for instance; getting more freedom as a pilot, being able to walk around as a character, and many more features which would result in a more varied playabel game.

To sum up...The game is unique and not much can compare to it. However, It seems that the much needed server merges probably wont do much at this stage, unless new maps (that dont take 1 day to be explored and then left empty) featuring whole new communities of real time players are added resulting in the changing of the theme and storyline of DO... Something not to be overlooked!

 

@Λℓмоѕт•Fαмоυѕ

I totally agree that ufe players would hunt newbs still. However, in such a vast environment the game design could be altered considerably.

Imagine huge aliens that only very strong groups could tackle, medium sized aliens and very weak aliens (for newbs) scattered over a huge area.
4.5 map kind of already has this feature and could be extended. However, 4.5 has been around for sometime and is no longer satifying or exciting. Another thing about 4.5 is you get a huge amount of aliens running after you (mainly ubers) which I do not like.

Lets look at the current gameplay, Cubes for instance spawn in certain areas and hunters usually pick off weaker players in either: 1.6, 2.6 & 3.6. This has been going on for years and if there was a map with all different types of cubes of different powers spread out for miles at certain times would enhance the mystery of the game once again...

What I vision in an open world is a storyline and mini quests with huge aliens similar to that in q-zone. To be more precise aliens either randomly or fixed in situated areas of the map. The open world could also appear closed at certain times. They could also make it 'open' for newbs only in particular instances. On the other hand, they could make it like ??? (cube graveyard), A pilot gets in and stay in until they pop out! This is a reasonable suggestion because the normal maps still need to be played.

With so many things to explore in a massive area it would increase the chance of weaker players not being found or hunted because of the fact they are more obscure and not as easy prey whilst not being confined to such a small area.


Another thing, about the Zelda game concept...Yes, I get your point!
All I am trying to do is suggest that they make maps more: random, playable, user friendly and exciting... An MMO game that has more action and adventure would be superb!

 

You are trying to tackle a problem with the wrong solution. A newbie won't have an easier time to survive if there was an open world map. In fact you would take away 2 very important aspects for their survival: Nearby safe zones and the ability to run to another map if necessary.

Open world is a nice thing. it fits in many games, but those games are based around this concept. Darkorbit is based around a map-based system and has been bound to that for many years. I think that open world would't be hard to implement. In fact we just need one giant map with coordinates of like 5000/5000. With that we get 2 problems:

• Alien spawn rates need to be fit to that accordingly. With that comes the problem of how the NPC's pile up. You see, if you ever go to 4-5, you come across the problem that in certain spaces there aren't any NPC's while on another spot there are like 8 or 9 of them. Imagine this on a gigantic map. You could fly around seeing nothing and suddenly you get invaded by 30+ NPC's.
• This would also bring up performance problems. We all know that Darkorbit isn't really optimized. Sure, stuff is loaded in at a certain distance, I think 50 coordinates is the distance. of the things loading in. But the server also sends you the position of all the other NPC's around you. They don't just spawn in when you get close. This would cause heavy performance issues.

Now I don't want to say that Open world would suck in Darkorbit. It definitely wouldn't, actually I would appreciate it. At the same time the extend of work connected to it and the amount of optimization problems it would bring with it are making an implementation of this idea almost impossible.

For a new set of NPC's we would theoretically only need 1 new map. With the size of the 4-5 Map. On there we could put smaller NPC's and bigger NPC's, each of them having a higher reward ratio than Cubi. If that happens, lower maps will become a little less populated by UFE's. However, no guarantees given by that.

Regards -

 

zyn like all your ideas make it happen gb1 server

 

@Zecora
I know what you mean,
However, DO is actually a cutting edge piece of game and in the future it will move forward up to todays' standard. Therefore anything is possible. Heck if facebook had shares in this game it could well become DARK Orbit VR...Who knows?
In the meantime, the newbie thing could easily be worked out. For instance, only certain level players can go into theOpen World at certain times. Or, it could be a no attack zone, or similary a loss of honour for shooting anyone of a lower lvl. After all the level system hasn't ever really been implemented in the game properly and now could be the time...Couldn't it? Fixed gates could show up at co ordinates throughout the open world and only multiple players could go through at a time...The options are limitless.
4.5 is a good 'base concept' for this game but unfortunately the map aliens are not that good and nothing really happens in 4.5 lets's say the engine of 4.5 is workable and could be in the infancy stages of the future for this game...]

Like I intially have said, an open world would be ideal and aliens should be fixed in certain areas of maps similar to the same idea where newbs collect ore in the lowers...Aliens do not have to move much...That's why cubes are good because they rotate... I would like to see uber cubes, ultra uber cubie and super uber cubes in the future...

 

The idea is a workable one but the NPC's need to be locked to a Sector of the map. The problems with D O map NPC's are they follow a pilot until the DIE or Jump then just hang out until a new pilot is found to follow, thus leaving a mass of NPC's in one area and none in others. The Concept of the 5-x (one way) maps would have been a good thing except the need to EXCHANGE Pally in 5-2 was cause for the "Parking" of ships at that base thus defeating the concept created.

These NEW maps/world would need to be set to be ONE WAY progression and the entry portal would have to segregate the players according to equipment on ship and block the WARP/Cloaking features so any PvP is truly a FAIR Fight with the exception of the stalker who attacks as the battle ends and you are low HP from killing NPC's.

Being another GROUP Based area is not a good idea. There are too many areas (Low Gate, Q-Zone, Hades Gate) that limit the people who can play them as some of us do not have a large "friend" base and find it very difficult to create a group that does not make you the strongest player in it thus the only one attacked when engaging an Alien. I have been forced to NOT take UBK Missions as every time I take one I end up soloing them as the members of my group POP while I am pulling out of the fight trying to rep before I die from taking all of the hits from it while engaging them.

 

What I think you're suggesting is actually the way deepolis (another bugpoint game) works, so (being BP brand as well) it shouldn´t be a problem to implement. From experience, I remember that the system works and I do not think it is worse than ours. So yup thumbs up for the idea

 

Yeah I like what you guys are saying..And if they already have an engine then that's perfect.


I agree about what you saying about the cloud of aliens that follow you, that is why some aliens shouldn't be ale to follow. The closest they have gotten to fixed aliens is unfortunately in q-zone; the big spider is stuck in the corner.

 

Hiya,

Due to the inactivity of this idea it will be close, archived and listed on the Update&Idea Pool index.

Closing as inactive, archived and set to Index.