With the social hub demo still in the works, I thought it could be interesting to speak about the orbital station, since we'll all be bunking together for a while. I snore a bit, might want to bring your own earplugs.
Orbital Hangar Bay
From a gameplay perspective, it would need to be easily accessible (with either fast-travel to and from, or multiple of these around). Alternatively, a menu option to dropship to the planet without physically going to the hangar bay. While it would be awesome to see a Destiny or No Man's Sky dock where ships come and go and you could see player's frames and THMPRs being loaded in, perhaps even have the opportunity to inspect, too much effort for nothing but at least some static dropships and mechs around.
Example: Firefall's Transhub, but you can go anywhere. Destiny 2 tower, but less implication you're just materializing in and out of things.
Omniframe Mechanic(s)
Mechwarrior 5 Mercenaries had a hub zone where you could walk to where your mechs were stored and see them in their full glory. You could access everything through the menus, purely for the marvel. You could also sit your crafting station in here and modify your frames and THMPR.
Clothing/Cosmetic Stores
One of the complaints I personally had for Firefall was not always knowing what cosmetics actually looked like. If I saw a player with a cool colour or pattern, there was no in-game way outside of purchasing it to check what it would look like on you. The Astrek Association website was my go to, with a close second being asking the player if I could catch them. With the prevalence of super-special skins from the Patron, cosmetics both premium and purchased with IG currency, further still the ability to chop and change, try before you buy! A cosmetic hub would facilitate purchases and trials of cosmetic items and Grummz is quoted in CC 6 May 21 that "you can also re-sequence your current pilot. There will be a “New You” where you can change your appearance."
Bars
After a long day of fighting the good fight, you need a refreshing beverage and some decent pub grub right? Right! Sit down, full that belly and try not get into a fist fight with the locals. Also space dunny, because someone will bring it up.
Other Areas
Walkways, supply stores and storage areas for civilian supplies. Corporations may have their own separate areas for R&D. The Council, accessible by taxi. Bunkhouses, cafeterias, training facilities. For our wonderful Ark Lieges, you'll have your custom NPC in the final game, and they've got to go somewhere.
Guild/Army/Outfit Houses
You need a place to store all your dudes and things! This would act as an instanced zone accessible by all outfit members. Functionally, it operates as a social zone, logistics hub, storage facility for resources and mechs, and include a hangar bay. Overall outfit leaderboards could be held outside the entrance to the zone, or within, or both. Inside, perhaps an outfit player leaderboard for those groups that love to be competitive with each other.
Example: Warframe's Clan Dojo, but for more than just special crafting and doing P2P trades.
Outer Rim
Farmlands, factories, etc. Visible only from the station. Unless Grummz wants Stardew Valley or Factorio in space, we probably won't be going out there.
Big Space Window
Every big spaceship needs a cool space window where you can see SPACE. But more importantly, see Em-8ER and a graphical overlay of which territory we control.
Outside of the space window, hangar bay and omniframe mechanic, most of this would be post-launch content (though I'm feeling that tiki-theme bar from Sunken Harbour with some waifu posters). With the Social Hub demo getting closer what would you like to walk around and see? Have other games you've played built an interesting hub you've enjoyed?
Orbital Hangar Bay
From a gameplay perspective, it would need to be easily accessible (with either fast-travel to and from, or multiple of these around). Alternatively, a menu option to dropship to the planet without physically going to the hangar bay. While it would be awesome to see a Destiny or No Man's Sky dock where ships come and go and you could see player's frames and THMPRs being loaded in, perhaps even have the opportunity to inspect, too much effort for nothing but at least some static dropships and mechs around.
Example: Firefall's Transhub, but you can go anywhere. Destiny 2 tower, but less implication you're just materializing in and out of things.
Omniframe Mechanic(s)
Mechwarrior 5 Mercenaries had a hub zone where you could walk to where your mechs were stored and see them in their full glory. You could access everything through the menus, purely for the marvel. You could also sit your crafting station in here and modify your frames and THMPR.
Clothing/Cosmetic Stores
One of the complaints I personally had for Firefall was not always knowing what cosmetics actually looked like. If I saw a player with a cool colour or pattern, there was no in-game way outside of purchasing it to check what it would look like on you. The Astrek Association website was my go to, with a close second being asking the player if I could catch them. With the prevalence of super-special skins from the Patron, cosmetics both premium and purchased with IG currency, further still the ability to chop and change, try before you buy! A cosmetic hub would facilitate purchases and trials of cosmetic items and Grummz is quoted in CC 6 May 21 that "you can also re-sequence your current pilot. There will be a “New You” where you can change your appearance."
Bars
After a long day of fighting the good fight, you need a refreshing beverage and some decent pub grub right? Right! Sit down, full that belly and try not get into a fist fight with the locals. Also space dunny, because someone will bring it up.
Other Areas
Walkways, supply stores and storage areas for civilian supplies. Corporations may have their own separate areas for R&D. The Council, accessible by taxi. Bunkhouses, cafeterias, training facilities. For our wonderful Ark Lieges, you'll have your custom NPC in the final game, and they've got to go somewhere.
Guild/Army/Outfit Houses
You need a place to store all your dudes and things! This would act as an instanced zone accessible by all outfit members. Functionally, it operates as a social zone, logistics hub, storage facility for resources and mechs, and include a hangar bay. Overall outfit leaderboards could be held outside the entrance to the zone, or within, or both. Inside, perhaps an outfit player leaderboard for those groups that love to be competitive with each other.
Example: Warframe's Clan Dojo, but for more than just special crafting and doing P2P trades.
Outer Rim
Farmlands, factories, etc. Visible only from the station. Unless Grummz wants Stardew Valley or Factorio in space, we probably won't be going out there.
Big Space Window
Every big spaceship needs a cool space window where you can see SPACE. But more importantly, see Em-8ER and a graphical overlay of which territory we control.
Outside of the space window, hangar bay and omniframe mechanic, most of this would be post-launch content (though I'm feeling that tiki-theme bar from Sunken Harbour with some waifu posters). With the Social Hub demo getting closer what would you like to walk around and see? Have other games you've played built an interesting hub you've enjoyed?
