I'm wondering if anyone else feels like the current blueprint system for playing in survival is more like a cheat than it should be. I really see two aspects that seem to me to be unbalanced. 1. Other than level there are no skill requirements or any building requirements to create something from a blueprint. 2. You can just put anything into the blueprint factory and it decomposes that item into raw materials that can be used to build. I know it is super convenient to use and it is great to be able to build something in creative or pull something from the workshop. But I think it's currently too good. Suggestions I have are 1. Don't use raw materials use parts. So to build the basic parts and put parts in. This means you gotta have the materials and make the basic component parts in your constructor so you gotta have a constructor that can make the parts. I don't mean building the product like a thruster I mean like the computers, electronics, steel plates, etc. 2. Only allow for basic parts to be put into the blue print factory. So you can get parts by salvaging things, deconstructing, and producing them in a constructor. 3. Include a skill check with blueprints in addition to level. If the blue print needs a warp engine and you have not unlocked the skill to make a warp engine than the blue print factory will not allow you to make that blue print. Anyway just some of my thoughts... Sorry if this is a rehash.
It's only a placeholder fot the moment, it will eventualy be a device you'll need to place in a base or possibly a CV that will work as a shipyard As for bases you'll probably need to place a device on the ground that will eventualy build the base BP
And if we go the "Space engineers" Or " Planet Nomads" grinding boring takes forever to build a base, then we will have players leave in droves. Want to know why planet nomads is dead? grindy grindy grindy make one component at a time and then build with it. We have people come up with this idea all the time? I don't like people having fun playing this game...waaaaaah. You can build one component at at time and build your ship that way. And what exactly...using small words is op about it. I think people just use that when they want to tell other people how to play a sandbox game. Exactly what is OP? And exactly how do you get to tell me how to play a game that I and others spend 90 percent of the time in SP? If you want grindy then Space enginneers and planet nomads are still available...pls just stop throwing the OP description around becasue you hate fun.
I do think that it is a bit OP but not totally. Seeing as I have to collect the mats already to make the Blueprint and server owners can control how long it takes to construct a blueprint, I think there is already a bit of balance. What I'd like to see from the eventual move towards an in-game-world "shipyard" is clear progression. As a new player, I often just find myself speed leveling to lvl 10 so I can make a warp SV and leave the planet. I'd like to see some more progression steps to getting a shipyard to build better blueprints. Gaining mats for building blueprints can be harder if you play a scenario that has rare resources off world as well.
I feel the same as you. It feels a bit cheaty in its current temporary form. Some sort of progression (when it's no longer a placeholder) would be great. I wouldn't want there to be a huge grind since in the end we are still collecting the resources. However, instead of plopping in resources and *POOF* a blueprint is magically summoned into reality, it'd be neat if there was some visual or stages of creation. Like maybe something similar to Space Engineers hologram would show a shadow of the blueprint. Then maybe a framework of the hull would form. Various mechanics get built, interior, and then the hull framework and exterior bits start to build. Then gameplay-wise it'd be nice if we had some options available to be set at game creation/server options beyond the speed of production, size, etc that we currently have. Like not allowing things to be built if you don't have the required technologies researched. Or maybe things can be built if you don't, but are faster/cheaper if you do have them researched. An option whether to allow the current placeholder system to instantly *POOF* things or to use the future facility system. Another thing I'd like to see is an option to require certain sizes of construction facilities to produce different sizes of blueprints. The idea being that a person can't just use their suit constructor to create a large base/vehicle. Like maybe the portable constructor can be used to create very small HVs directly and also able to make a small place-able blueprint construction device/facility (think the current "starter" blocks but have it be a place-able machine). The small "facility" device created by the portable constructor could be used to make small bases or slightly larger HVs maybe. Then the medium and large facilities would need to be installed in a base/station (maybe allow CVs to have the medium facility) and can create larger items as appropriate. Just throwing out rough ideas here. Maybe the different size facilities are restricted in what they can build by block count, size tier, CPU count, or some other metrics not existing yet. Maybe there's less or more sized facilities. Maybe they require different amounts of power to create different size items (X gigawatts, pentaxid, etc). Maybe the small facility counts as part of the blueprint construction cost and disassembles itself as part of the end process. Maybe these facilities use drones similar to our backpack drone.
The problem with the blueprint system has always been its lack of energy and volume consumption; that, in essence, is why it's rather cheaty. The blueprint factory should be localized to a physical device and require significant input power. I agree with @Kalizaar's suggestion of a progression in size/capabilities of blueprint factories, from a terrain-placeable unit to a very large or modular system for building very large ships. And it'd be especially nice if the system integrated upgrade (i.e. switch blueprint) and deconstruction abilities.
I don't want it to grindy but I don't want it to invalidate progression and other aspects of the game. There are only two aspects of it that I feel need to be reworked. 1. building things without regard for skills & equipment (ie I don't know how to make an sv warp engineer but can build a ship in the BP with on). Maybe if there was a blueprint factory machine you had to build with various levels of complexity. So a simple one that did lower end stuff and a better one that did better gear but all the way more expensive than a constructor since you want to keep the constructor as valuable. 2. remove the deconstructing function. We got a deconstructor and we can salvage. Use stuff you get from salvage or raw materials. I don't think this makes it grindy it just makes it fit better with the game progression.
Not OP for me, I do not like mass & volume for cargo even (fortunately an easy option to change). I see this EGS fantasy world as having technology far beyond "IRL", along with some differences in physical rules. On SP then you choose how to play, you do not need to use functions/game_mechanics even if you can. Make your own rules on what you allow yourself to do. Say you have to build a special base and go there to place a BP. And/or place stuff in BP Factory. Too fast then just wait before spawning. Too cheap, then throw away resources accordingly. On a server then admin can set that BP can not be used, or RolePlay the above (server rule), or use whatever settings and mods available. Then you find a server suited for you or make one yourself.
