DevTracker

[Ronyn]

be afraid....

 

[Grummz]

Just a heads up, we've got a teaser for the full alien art up:

http://crixa.io/2016/08/alien-concept-art-done-full-post-soontm/

 

[Grummz]

We just don't know what method of procedural generation we will use yet. We have to look at every option from real-time to pre-proessed procedural generation that generate a library of maps that are randomly drawn upon. Sorry I don't have more info. All I know it we can't handcraft the maps like we did with Firefall and we need to find ways to generate a lot of terrain, and a good variety, with a very tiny team and budget.

 

[Grummz]

We're going to be using *some* kind of procedural generation. This might be based on algorithms, or by assembling random tiles. The actual methods and results have yet to be explored.

Ember needs big zones with lots of room. Doing all of this by hand would be prohibitive for a tiny dev team and limited budget.

We'll start with one planet. A very large planet. You'll open up terraforming "pockets" (i.e. zones) on this planet to explore for resources and build bases. If we get the budget and support, we may open it up to multiple planets. But we need to take it one small step at a time.

A note on Terraforming: Right now all terraforming means is locating a new place on the planetary map and dropping down a terraforming machine. That will clear a space on the planet. Zones will not be connected, as its far simpler and cheaper to have separated pockets with loading. We're a small small team.

 

[Grummz]

Allow me to throw you an additional idea in the mix.

People buy premium currency (such as Red Beans in FF) to buy cosmetic items. You can unlock zones with real money. Now if you are going to implement an exchange market (such as Red Bean exhange in FF) where we can exchange premium currency with non-premium currency (such as Crystite, The good stuff™) then we can unlock new zones with said premium currency at a slightly higher price(to promote new purchases with real $$$). People willing to spend extra cash on Ember will buy the unlock, people not willing to spend any more on ember could buy up premium currency from other players and unlock the zone tat way. This premium currency at the exchange will never lose it's value. In order to limit the P2W aspect of selling premium currency to buy the best gear on the market and making a profit out of the market you could impose a tax on the seller. After selling your premium currency the amount of non premium currency you get gets reduced by ~10%.

People here seemed to be worried about paying to unlock zones? I was thinking of having a couple of mini-expansions to the game. So instead of unlocking zones, you would be unlocking a combination of new features and content.