Guys, I think it makes sense to spend some time discussing a possible patch/expansion to SCO that I would call a Director`s Cut (DC).
I think that it might even be sold rather than a free expansion|patch. So here are some ideas from me:
1) Make exploration more interesting. I have visited EVERY star and planet (save for Gas Giants) that are currently available in SCO. It is a bit boring to get the same modules every time after exploration of Ruins, Wrecks etc. So the idea is to add a bunch of, say, fuel tanks (and/or other modules) that all differ, you add different names to them and make sure that they can contain different amount of fuel, change color and/or pics that represent them. You can follow the same procedure for other modules (engines, scanners etc.). It will make exploration more interesting and shall be easy to implement.
2) Add more lines (even w/o voiceovers) that expand the lore. Old databanks, derelict ships` computers etc. with more info than 3-4 lines on species, events etc.
3) Go through all dialogs/descriptions/lines to make all more consistent. Add/remove things so that all dialogs/descriptions better reflect the current lore. Again, voiceovers are NOT a must.
4) It would be good to have some quests that involve one way or another all main species after your victory over Xraki (and i am not talking about Lexites quest line). A star where Xraki are trapped... so that you can still interact with them in some form or see line 6 below.
5) Add an ability to sell individual items in a group (like weapons etc.) rather than all of them. E.g. -1 forward cannon.
6) If possible add an ability to add @pocket@ universes. Age of Wonders Shadow Magic type of above and blow layers or HOMM3 underground level or Quasi space in SC2 (where you can actually have a system). So that we could make @pocket@ universe. Great for modding and various ideas.
7) Can we get a short story behind some of the artifacts that you find? Like talking to some alien and they say, oh, I see that you have an @orb@. Do you know that this @orb@ blah-blah. Just as an idea.
8) new game+ mode. Here you start your game from scratch - however your credits balance is the same like in your last save game, you have same equipment installed (save for quest items that get removed, like Pinthi spray or however that thing is called) and your cargohold is empty but you might retain the ships from the fleet. This will allow one to start the game from scratch in order to enjoy all the latest additions, get more immersed into the lore etc. w/o sorta grinding that you have to do in every game in the beginning. + Some more easter eggs just for the game+ mode can be added.
I am a lifetime founder. My main platform is Steam. But i additionally bought the game on GOG. I bought the game, expansion, soundtrack etc. again when TFB trying to remove it from sale. So I am sure that other people are still ready to support SCO and even pay a bit (if required) to get the Director`s Cut.
What are your thoughts on all that?
I agree that it would be awesome to improve upon the lore and story behind this new SC Universe as I love what Stardock has done with it. I think it would be a bit of a misnomer to call what you're proposing a "directors cut" and it would be more suited to a second eventual (hopeful) expansion.
1)I agree that exploration could be a bit more interesting, but things such as fuel tanks wouldn't really suffice imo. After all, once you get the Greater Fuel Tank and have access to the Precursor stations travel and fuel are almost negated unless you're out just surveying systems for the hell of it. Even then, getting to a station or a trader isn't that big of a deal. Doing colour swaps of fuel tanks and playing with variables really wouldn't be worth the Dev's time in any large way. Now perhaps if there were artifacts of importance with new lore significance that may be a possible incentive. Or perhaps even additional missions on the planets. A bit more work to be sure but they could be done in fewer quantity and would be more meaningful. Content for its own sake isn't always a good thing. Just look at No Man's Sky.
2)I think more lore text would be a great thing, they could be given to artifacts or ruins found while exploring and tie into the first point listed rather nicely.
3)Granted I'm not the most detail oriented person there is but I didn't find any inconsistencies in the existing lore. I think the Dev's efforts would be best served adding new content to expand upon the wonderful universe they've built rather than going back refining. It's effort that would probably go unnoticed by most.
4)Very much agreed on this. Then again something along those lines may be planned for in the future? I dunno. Perhaps a quest chain where a crashed Xraki's ships logs tell of an Xraki so insane that even other Xraki were afraid of it. Once tracked down and you meet them it turns out that by human standards they're actually quite sane! This could maybe lead to some kind of Xraki redemption arc where a small contingent who hid in our space after the Origin collapsed maybe join the human led Alliance? Just spit balling here.
5) That's a QOL Improvement that would be best suited for a regular patch rather than being tied to a paid DLC.
6) The idea of pocket universes or somehow traversing to the "above" and "below" or whatever colourwise is interesting, with more possibilities than I would even care to expand upon in this post. It is an idea, however, that once more would definitely be suited to an actual expansion rather than DLC labeled as a "directors cut" which connotationally tends to make people think that it just has a few minor bells and whistles added. This is meaty content. It would suck for the work to be put into it only for people not to buy it just because they gloss over it with a glance not realising that it was so rich in content.
7) This kind of ties into what I said in points 1 and 2. Lore, flavour text, whatever you wish to call it added to various ruins, artifacts, or ships that you find. It would both give more of a purpose for exploration after the main story line is done and flesh out the lore.
8) A new game+ is a pretty cool idea actually though not sure how much work it would take to implement. If it came between making this happen, or adding more content to the game proper, I'd always choose to have those programmer's hours going towards enriching the base game.
There are a lot of decent ideas here. As for as how it would be sold? I'd say similar to Earth Rising, as an Xpack or DLC. As for how much I'd pay for it? That of course would depend on how much content was in it! If it had most of what's listed here (i.e. the 'meatier' features) I'd definitely be willing to go 30$ on it. (I would say 40$ but it would be weird I think having an expansion cost as much as the base game? dunno).
