v1.5 EXP: Robinson Protocol 1+2 (new)

Oh... Right, just not written in the "benefits" section, but in the text above. Never mind... -.-

So much text everywhere...

 

A major issue with the system overall is not checking if something already have been done. Some peoples might now a bit and do some stuff early than attended.
This can be put in as an automatic check. That "Craft xxx" first do a "xxx in inventory then OK". Same for "Unlock Tech xxx".
Like "Create Detector" when already have made one. Or Already had unlocked the Portable Constructor.

 

For those who know 'something' isn't the RP designed for.
They can start on the Other Planets where Mission activates only by entering Activation Ranges.
You can always click Missions away/deactivate them.

 

Well that's not entirely true : one of the very first messages given to the new player is to check the Empyriopedia and other PDA content and learn from there. When crafting the first item the message tells players they can learn more on constructors by clicking the "i" icon. Then players are directed to discover the techtree, and after unlocking the portable constructor they are free to unlock what they want because they may already have 50+ unlock points (from picking up plants). From there nothing tells players about future steps that could be broken if they do something by themselves.

Up to now I played like an "obedient new player". Next attempts I will be the real new player that discovers he can make a deep hole in the ground as soon as getting out of the pod and picking up the survival tool, or just shoot at the wandering Talon patrol (cuz they look menacing)...

If we were really to "play-test" scenarios we could break them easily. I could have made a ship even before meeting the Talon chief and start messing around the whole playfield, maybe even get out to space just to check, etc. Quests really require that players "obey instructions" but mostly that when instruction vaguely to try things for themselves they should not really do that.

 

I have only one question: which... new... players?
IDK what's wrong with the devs these days but 90% of players get their hands on early versions, after which they don't care for the final product anymore. It's already spoiled for them. That's why closed beta exists - to limit the number of people who play unfinished games. By now, no one will ever bother firing off the Robinson Protocol, because IMHO everyone already knows the basics. It's like you are preparing the game to be sold on another planet where no one ever heard about Empyrion Galactic Survival. By the time it is mature enough to be released, it will be so heavily outdated - similar to what happened to Starmade (OMG, how I miss that game)

Sorry for the offtopic, but I actually created a new acccout just to say this...

 

@Germanicus
Some new players might have watched streams and YouTube content, liked and bought. When to play, they probably do RP, where remember some things from watching others.
Some might look into menus and options before RP have reached the step.

Of course can manually finish a step, but should not be needed.

 

Of course it should continue by itself.
No Player should do it manually for the PDA. But that's the problem. The PDA contains so many triggers that some can shut off others.... or whatever is happening here.

 

Funny : I had similar thoughts when I saw they reintroduced the Robinson Protocol in the main game, after making the prior move to have a separate tutorial. I saw very few players requesting the Robinson Protocol to be brought back, and some of them were old players that had put the game aside for a while and they were looking for it when starting a new game recently.

This kind of small story-bound tutorial still has its use in many other games. I know that when I go a long time without touching a game, even if the game did not change at all during this time, it helps to get a refresh of basics. Moreso in Empyrion, given the many changes happening over time. So this makes first steps in the game easier for both new players and old players that shelved the game after only a few hours played.

As for your "90% of players" I have no idea where you got this number from. I can only speak for myself, but I know that when/ if the game matures to be more stable in multiplayer and foot combat/ ship controls are polished more, I will gladly recommend the game to friends and relatives to make team-based "deathmatches" with custom playfields and content, as currently there is no other game that offers this with the amount of possibilities that Empyrion allows. Having an easy-to-follow tutorial can help them get a grasp of the game without having to play it for days just to be able to join the party, and most of my relatives will just not waste time on internet and forums to try to know how the game works : that is for nerds like you and I and the other spoiled grumpy players that haunt these forums... and that are welcoming you aboard, by the way.

 

I like the Robinson Protocols. They are an improvement from the last ones. However, there are a few issues. If you jump ahead at ALL, it screws it up. What I mean is, by the time I got to making a weapon, I could make a much better weapon than the pistol, so I made the shotgun and assault rifle. The quest didn't update, so I made the pistol. But, later I was supposed to make those same items. The quest updated correctly but for some reason never advanced to the story. I had to use PDA commands to get the storyline to progress. I still do, every time I get to the end of a story line chapter, I have to do PDA Brief <new chapter #> to get it to start.

Plus when I did Robinson Protocol 2, I ended up having to do it twice (2nd time I manually advanced through it since I had already finished it the first time. My conjecture is that I logged off right after finishing it, it did not advance to the story line like it should have so when I logged in the next morning it started over on the protocol. After finishing it the 2nd time I had to do the PDA Brief command to get the next chapter mission going again. My only guess why I'm having to do this is because I jumped the gun on the first Protocol.

Other issues I've seen on this update is with base attacks, often the drones get stuck on each other and cannot advance towards the base, they end up spiraling upwards trying to get off of each other.

But honestly, this, in my opinion is a great improvement not only of the Robinson Protocols, but so far the story line missions. I dislike the fact that there are no crashed capital vessels on my starting planet, and I can't strip the Heidleburg. But it is making me take it more slowly which can be a plus if done right. We'll see still fighting against not having my capital vessel before heading out into the stars... I dislike using SVs to warp, but that's personal preference.

 

New player here. Went straight to the beta and the tutorial. Had to start over once, I couldnt get it to advance to the next section at some point. I was more careful not to do anything in advance the second time and things went more smoothly. I did struggle with it a bit at times. So when I got to the end where I was to warp out, it would not complete the tutorial and I was left wondering if I didnt do something. I probably didnt but what I do not know. I chose a destination less than 30 lys and warped out. Never got anymore instruction after that. SO, what am I supposed to be doing? Was it supposed to end there? I tried reloading but that didnt help. Maybe I should go back to an earlier save and try again. At any rate, my biggest issue is not knowing how to continue at times like now. I say this as an avid gamer and I play other similar titles as well.

 

First:
Welcome to the Forum!

Second:
Beta? You mean you started the Experimental I presume?
If so, it is necessary to start a Default Survival Game to get the new PDA Mission going. The Tutorial is not intended to be used for it.

https://empyriononline.com/threads/v1-5-exp-robinson-protocol-1-2-new.97691/page-2#post-435455

 

EDIT: Sorry all, this was the Eden Reforged 1.4 scenario on a swamp starter planet. However, regarding Robinson Protocol I really do think the AI should be recommending to a player to build the motorcycle early.

Haven't played for a few months.. here is me trying to be a newbie and trying it out.

Everything was fine from the crash point... but as soon as I got to the mission where you have to access the base of the antenna I think it will be very frustrating for new players:

- Tells you to access base of antenna. Should tell new players to equip survival multitool by pressing TAB, dragging to toolslot, select it using number keys and right click to choose Resource mode. Too newbie unfriendly.
- IDA grammar error: "Reports of weaponsfire" = should be "weapons fire"
- The next mission is to locate the crashed ship BUT I think this is really bad recommendation from an AI... the AI should have you build your motorbike first using your survival constructor otherwise you are running around and your stamina and hunger will be impacted badly and you'll die leading to frustration
- After locating the UDH Heidelburg, a Korat-class cutter appeared doing a slow circle around the wreck. There was a mountain range next to the wreck and the Korat got wedged on the mountain. However once going out of visual range and returning, it had freed itself and was back patrolling.
- After running into the Korat-class cruisers laser range got hit twice and died. Died another 10 times trying to get the backpack back. Very frustrating for new players.
- Got bored with the constant deaths and quit the game. Will try again in a few days and append to this post.

Hope this helps you improve.

 

- After locating the UDH Heidelburg, a Korat-class cutter appeared doing a slow circle around the wreck. There was a mountain range next to the wreck and the Korat got wedged on the mountain. However once going out of visual range and returning, it had freed itself and was back patrolling.

Uhm..WHAT?

On what Planet did you start ...as a Pseudo-Newbie?
Neither the Temperate nor the Arid Planet in a Vanilla/Default Survival Game has this.

 

Sounds like the snow start.
Specifically, it sounds like the 1.4 RE snow start.

 

Yep, the need to dig out the base of the antenna is RE afaik...

 

If you are playing a custom scenario, please leave your feedback with the authors of that scenario.

This thread is for testing 1.5 experimental in the default game modes.

 

OK, ty for putting me on the right track. Doing the old tutorial wasnt a total loss since it got me going on how things work. SO now the new tutorial is going just fine. I do have one problem. It appears that maybe the "N" key is a hard coded key? If it isnt, what was it before I changed it? I use v b & n as left back and right. So naturally, I changed them. Guess I might have to go back to default keys so I can bring up the debug menu. Really hate using w a s d, like really bad. I couldnt find what the "N" key is set to on any list anywhere which led me to believe it is hard coded. If there is anyway I can set that to something besides N that would be great.


EDIT: nevermind, I got that, its build tools. All good now

EDIT 2: OK, completed and rewarded. I have to say that was short and sweet. The tutorial was pretty easy and gets you to the story part pretty quickly. Only thing to say is that if the tutorial had known what I set my keys to and used that, it would have been just fine and I would have breezed right through it without issue. That being said, if you stick with the default keys, its all good.

So now onto the story.
Is the story part of the feedback you want here or just the tutorial part?

 

Okay I discovered a SERIOUS issue with the new "com center" If you are playing with Regenerating POIs either in Single Player (as I tend to play) or in a multiplayer setting you CANNOT place the core on the com center and thereby NOT be able to continue it at all. I didn't check to see if I could manually advance that part. Also Again if you are playing this in Multiplayer OR CO-OP and one person places a core on the com center then no one else can continue doing the missions (or the base building tutorial as that seems to also want you to upgrade the comcenter, I cancelled that part as I didn't wish to continue that part of the "tutorial").