I believe the interview mentioned can be found at:JoshParnell wrote:Welcome, Rhino! And congrats, you've just reinvented the LT mission system
My concept for mission generation is almost exactly what you've written here...so there's really nothing "alternate" about this idea!
Literally, this is exactly how it will work (assuming implementation goes well). I'm pretty sure I detailed this in an interview somewhere. But the system you've described is exactly what I am working towards!Bryce wrote:1) NPC using the HLAI decides on a long term goal (e.g. expand into area X)
2) this long term goal is split into smaller tasks
3) these tasks are handed out to individuals to perform - and these are the missions
So...that's that I suppose
http://www.vg247.com/2012/12/05/limit-t ... the-stars/
(Limited) Discussion here:
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=202
VG247 Article wrote:Within that space, the player is doled out missions that are also procedurally generated, including information gathering, resource mining and more. However, completing missions doesn’t just result in a small fee and a pat on the back – it actually changes the game world further. For example, if a faction wants information on an uncharted area of space, you could go mining there and scan new planets or zones to help that faction’s expansion there.
“After completing the mission, the player would, of course, obtain a reward in return for the scanned data. But what’s important to note is that this action doesn’t just represent a fleeting monetary transaction. In finding and providing the requested information, the player has actually affected the knowledge of that particular faction in a very real way.
“The sheer amount of learning, of brain-stretching, of hours of frustration but moments of revelation… it excites me now, just thinking about it. Learning is something that can’t be revoked. It’s like money that you get to keep forever.”
“In all likelihood, the faction will go on to set up an outpost in the observed system, and perhaps begin a new operation therein. If the player returns to the system later, they may find new stations, mining barges, and other factional assets roaming about the system, indicating that the knowledge transaction actually had a heavy impact on the universe.
“Had an NPC beaten the player to the job and provided information concerning a different system, the faction might have expanded into an entirely different area. In this manner, I hope to imbue missions with a certain level of meaning, despite the fact that they’re procedural.”
Complete enough missions to become an influential name across the cosmos, and you might just find yourself in command of a whole fleet of ships, adding RTS elements into the mix. Add to this limitless exploration, mining for resources, escorting ships through lawless space for a fee, hunting down bounties across the stars and building a respected fleet, and you have an incredibly ambitious project.