Comprehensive Feedback on the October Vault
StarControl Forums
Hello All,
This is my first of many comprehensive feedback posts. My critiques this time target current October Vault and it is my hope that the developers and community find this information helpful:
PART 1: PLOT/LORE
While I don't have a major issue with some of the backstory that was provided so far, I do want to point out some key points that I believe made Star Control II successful. If the development team hasn't, they should read this post and use it as a reference going forward:
http://www.star-control.com/hosted/usc2/story.shtml
As you can see above the backstory of Star Control II is extremely rich and full of mystery. One of the major devices used in Star Control II's setting was the smallness of man and the vastness of the universe. In a game of space exploration and alien diplomacy, I think it is important to keep the story from being too human-centric. Humanity should feel very small and caught up in interstellar events that are far beyond their control.
Star Control II did an excellent job of this. The captain's ship wasn't human in nature, fostering the need for humanity to use advanced technology beyond their understanding to challenge a much more powerful foe. Even then, the precursor vessel in Star Control II was referenced as a "precursor transport vessel" and wasn't even military in nature.
In the Star Control II universe, humans were just a small and almost insignificant piece of the Alliance of Free Stars, with the de-facto leaders being the infinitely wise Chenjesu and later the Chmmr.
Making man small in the right way makes the universe big and a star control game must FEEL big to succeed.
One concern that I do have is that there are only 12 alien races so far, which is a small number in comparison to Starcontrol II's 25 (although some were not major plot points, such as the androsynth). I am hoping that the 12 races that we do get to interact with are heavily fleshed out with very deep cultures and philosophies.
Even if the actual number of interactive alien races is small, deep plot points can be added in the form of mysterious quests and information about other alien races that players can stumble across. An example of how this was done so well in Star Control II is with the Androsynth and their mysterious disappearance -which gives me chills when I think about the Orz to this very day. While the Androsynth were never interactive in Star Control II, they served the purpose of providing a very good addition to the lore and air of mystery.
I also do want to comment on the style of the plot and game so far -which is a bit more cartoony and light hearted than Star Control II. While Star Control II had funny moments, it had serious ones too (such as the revelation of what happened to the Syreen Homeworld at the hands of the Mycon, the crazy data entry that the ship's scientist provides you when you explore the remnants of the androsynth homeworld).
Star Control II dealt with some very dire situations and Origins should explore both serious and comical events. If the game goes to far into the child and comedy realm, it will fail to be a star control game (there was even a sex scene in Star Con II, which was unheard of at the time).
PART 2: SHIPS AND RACES
The ship designs have a very borderlands style feel and art to them, which detracts from their uniqueness. Examples being the Human, Drenkend, and Menkmack ships looking like they could have come from the same borderlands shipyard. I personally would prefer more distinguishable difference in technology design and I think the Phamysht and Pinthi ships pull this off very well with their strange and mysterious organic designs.
Because there are only a few alien races, the ships and races need to feel and look very unique in all aspects.
I do find it interesting that there was a ship in an earlier package that showed a fusion between the antagonistic Scryve and Dan'Nath blackhole technology. It makes me wonder what major plot point in the future causes this to happen.
Out of all the ships and description, you can infer a lot from the Phamysht. The whole idea of them turning your crew into some sort of parasite that eats other crew members makes them extremely interesting. I imagine they are some kind of grey-goo type race. I do recommend changing the name though, when I think of Phamysht the SHT at the end of the name just instantly correlates with the curse word in my head and I'm sure other people get this too. For simplicity's sake you can just change it to "Phamysh" and drop the "T."
I will hold off on critiquing the ship abilities until Super Melee comes out, but they look conceptually simple and solid. Considering that Starcontrol II space combat is built off of simplicity and ease of access, the simple approach adheres to the traditional super melee and is perfectly fine in my book.
I will make a note that special care should be made to make the Tywom very interesting. From the opening cinematic it looks like the Scryve shot down a Tywom ship at Titan and it is where the beginning distress beacon is coming from. The Tywom may potentially be the very first alien race we encounter and should make a strong first impression -especially if they are the heralds of the "the universe's sky is falling, evil evil everywhere" plot tropes that may possibly kick off the game.
PART 3: STAR MAP
This is by far the best part of the vault by far. I like how the whole milky way is mapped out for future expansions. Good forward thinking and excellent work.
