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Q+A Madness - Jan/Feb 2019

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  • Alex said:
    For the designers here, can we get a clarification on the differences between some materials? Such as, duraleather vs polyleather, and syncloth vs duracloth vs polyfiber. The wiki doesn't make much of a differentiation between them (except to say polyfiber is "flowing" and more expensive), so it's tough to know which to go for when you're trying to create something.
    Definitely something that we'll expand, yep! We're aiming to use the wiki (wiki.starmourn.com) as our main information/lore reference, so we'll work on adding more details there s opportunity presents.
  • Based on the Shen picture on the wiki, female Shen do not seem to have hair due to the mottling patterns on those 6 long tube things. However, when I checked out the NPC descs, "six braids" were used to describe those tube things. Is it hair with wild colouring or is it longer tentacles?


    They're very tight braids, not tentacles.
  • kamyr said:
    This is gonna be kind of flow-of-consciousness ship stuff.

    What sort of new equipment do you have in mind for ships? Ignoring the fitting issues, it's pretty barren.

    Are npc ships going to respect cone of fire (CoF)? It's a little blah that getting behind them doesn't help.

    Will there be weapons with varying CoFs? Eg 'rearcannon' or 'rearblaster' or 'sidecannon'.
    Can we maybe set the cones?
    How about customizable cone display?

    Can skipdrives be made to allow non-forward movement without changing orientation/speed? I know someone made a suggestion somewhere about upping the range, which I don't hate either (maybe 2 different modules?).
    I also dislike that you can't even use them til late (you need the overload skill yeah?). Even a basic usage early would be nice.

    Can ship exteriors be customized? Something that'd be able to be displayed at the dock or if a ship is in starmap range or in a little readout inside the ship (not my idea but I liked it).

    Will there be spaceboss fights? I want to take a fleet out to surround a monster leviathan doing AoE gravity attacks and warping around the area and etc.


    - Ship Equipment: There's a bunch of ship modules coming in the very near future, weapons/utility/cosmetic mods will flesh out this area some more.

    - NPC Ships COF: They did until a couple of weeks ago, but we changed it as a response to "jousting" space mobs for easy bashing. The current solution isn't the best, and I hope to get something better in when we hit the ship pass in the coming timeframe.

    - Variable COF: Nothing planned there for the near term, no. Ship turning times etc are supposed to be factor.

    - Skipdrives: Maybe in the future, that brings a bunch of balancing issues (see turning times above for one). Skill order - yep, we'll be fixing that in the upcoming update.

    - Exteriors: Yeah, definitely something coming in the future.

    - Bosses: Definitely, yeah.

  • Vega said:
    Will there be the capability for Factions, Dynasties, and maybe even Clans to OWN an org ship in the future? Or will we be getting something else in its place. I personally think, that with how many neat room refits there are, it would be a great org location, but it would be hard to do so since if it doesn't belong to the org, it is way to easy to run off with.

    Thanks in advance!
    Nothing we're ruling out!
  • Arsentar said:
    Oh, that reminds me. Is there any chance or possibility we could get the ability to optionally give people powers to say, steer, fire weapons, or operate other modules in our ships? Essentially crew perms. People who want to do it all by themselves could, and people who want to rp being crew in a ship could do that as well.
    We designed everything as a single-player, since we weren't sure if the population would support multi-person crews. We'll likely add some teamwork properties there, but it's a fine balance as to any mechanical advantages to it etc. If we were to do it, likely we'd just restrict it to the larger superstructures.
  • Indi said:
    It's hard to know the state of engineer pvp without EM damage numbers being tweaked first.

    Is there a chance the EM numbers could be tweaked at least a few days before the class leads/reports thing is opened up?
    Yep, EM damage should be getting looked at this week.
  • will group hunting be more encouraged in the future? as it stands I can't help out people I leave in the dust since I would just be a giant black hole for experience while I personally don't mind not gaining anything while helping out lower levels.
  • What will the in-game economy look like in the long term?  Are you guys going to move forward with a completely player-run economy where everything we'll buy is player-made or are we looking at a more tweaked version of the current system?
    I'm Vianou, by the way.
  • Tecton said:
    Hylebos said:
    I had a couple Engineer based questions mostly, those being -

    1.  Just what in the heck does Bot Harass do? Does it actually incur a balance timer? If so, how long? Why can't we know these basic things?

    2. For the love of the ancients, could Gadgets Pull be used for bashing/pve to attempt to control or deal with aggro mobs?  That's what I thought it was at first and was 
    delighted at the possibilities. Then I found out it was pvp only. Boo.

    And as far as checking ship builds and templates and such in the Shipforge, could we pleaaase have some way to make full builds and such BEFORE having to buy a 
    bloody superstructure??  Thanks for the great game so far, been having fun the last week or so!
    1) Knocks your target off-balance, if they're already off balance, knocks them further off balance. Currently 2 seconds.
    2) Should work for most mobs, just wont work for certain enemies, like faction and cosmpiercer guards.
    3) Yep, we've got a major refit of the shipforge coming tonight or tomorrow, including this functionality.

     #2  Unless I'm missing something, this skill still doesn't work on any type of mob.  When you try, you get a message saying "You cannot target mobs with ranged attacks." 
           Have not been able to get it to work and don't know anyone who has either.
  • No repositioning skills sans smash really work since the change from what I've heard
  • Can we maybe just get ranged attacks on mobs to make all aggro/loyal mobs move to the attacker on a ranged attack, and throw the mobs either a tentacle tat or flight to minimize the power of fly bashing with airgrab in that case?


    Variable cone orientations and cap-based movement abilities still let turn speed, current speed, and relative positioning matter :/ Just allows some tweaking of the playing field.

    (And that's ignoring the >.> that is shipbuilders pointing all their guns and sensors forward in a small cone in SPESS, cause yeaaah gameplay>realism but uggghhhh it hurts me deep).


  • Jewelry pins seem to be bugged so only W'hoorn can wear them... on their wings?

    Just wondering if things like this are due for a fix soon or if I should get started converting pins to brooches.
  • So I imagine the level cap is going straight to unlimited or will go up to 100.  Are you going to stairstep the increase over time?  Or is it going to be all at once?  Are we going to be staying at 75 for a while?
  • I know Starmourn is new and current no-retirement time allows people to have a better idea, and prevents retiring from their main games in a hasty fashion. But there are also people who are already retired from other IRE games and it is a long wait for them rather then a matter of indecision. 

    Would it be possible to enable retirement credits one month earlier? 
  • edited February 2019
    Hopefully this comes through right, mobile forums are not the best.

    What does “beta” actually mean, in this case? Other games I’ve tested had a clear end date, a wipe at the end for release, something they wanted us to test. Some just abuse it as another round of advertising. I’m a bit confused as to what this means when you and others keep using the term “beta”, yet it seems like the game is in a fully released and revenue-generating state.

    Could you go into more detail, or point out a place you already talked about this if so, about why you made level and (random) equipment so much more important compared to other IRE games? I couldn't find anything when I searched for it earlier.

    Are there plans to expand the planets and other things into fully realised worlds, or are we mostly going to have smaller areas with a city or two and a representative zone and done?

    Are there any plans to have more interactive events, or are they all going to be as what the Blaze thing seemed to be, where it seemed there was nothing to interact with so much as something to watch happen?

    Thanks for all the hard work so far in making this a reality. I look forward to what it turns into in the future.
  • Mycroft said:
    What does “beta” actually mean, in this case? Other games I’ve tested had a clear end date, a wipe at the end for release, something they wanted us to test. Some just abuse it as another round of advertising. I’m a bit confused as to what this means when you and others keep using the term “beta”, yet it seems like the game is in a fully released and revenue-generating state.
    I feel like IRE's version of 'beta' is the same as modern-day 'Early Access' wherein the game is in a 'fully released' state, but it's labeled 'Beta' as some sort of cushion for bugs and what not. No wipes planned, etc.

    Could you go into more detail, or point out a place you already talked about this if so, about why you made level and (random) equipment so much more important compared to other IRE games? I couldn't find anything when I searched for it earlier.
    One reason is it's not meant to be like how other IRE games function. It's an entirely new set of rules behind the scenes, equipment was just one of those things meant as a way to broaden character customisation. iirc it was also to replace the 'lessons invested = power' thing that other IRE games have. Your equipment = power, instead of how much money you've spent IRL. Also gives something to those who like grinding, I suppose, instead of ever-increasing levels.

    Are there plans to expand the planets and other things into fully realised worlds, or are we mostly going to have smaller areas with a city or two and a representative zone and done?
    Pretty sure he answered that in this thread already, that more planets are on the cards.

    Are there any plans to have more interactive events, or are they all going to be as what the Blaze thing seemed to be, where it seemed there was nothing to interact with so much as something to watch happen?
    He said yes to this, as well, if you mean 'admin-driven' events. They've been wanting to get things up and running properly, first, before giving more attention to those things.

    Thanks for all the hard work so far in making this a reality. I look forward to what it turns into in the future.
    I'm not an IRE person, just speaking for things I've seen thus far.
  • I'm not sure what you mean by fully realized worlds, by insofar as what it means to me, it's not possible for us to build out multiple fully realized worlds. Achaea's been running for 20 years and hasn't built out the one world yet, and I'm fairly positive never actually will. There are whole continents that have never been touched there in terms of building. Worlds are massive, diverse places. Effectively, Starmourn Sector is "our world" here, it's just not contained on a single planet.
  • I love events, will there be anything like the UPCOMING command in Achaea to see when an event is coming up? Or will most of these be something more spontaneous? 
  • Is the Comms network for faction/dynasty/etc a voice network or a text network, as I was always under the assumption that since there wasnt any tone, or dialect used in it that it was just a network that you sent text messages through and recieved them on some sort of HUD or in your head via the mindsim but not hearing the exact person's voice.
  • I like the idea of it being a voice thing, myself. There was a debate about it on another thread, actually.
  • What is the Decheeran motivation to be affiliated with the Song Dominion? Obviously I understand that not every single Decheeran ever is loyal to Song, but a significant portion of their own unique technology and architectural sensibility was involved on the planet Song before the catastrophe and in Song City itself.

    But they're not just client races, or subjects, or victims of circumstance/proximity. They actively engage and celebrate the culture - at least, that's what I gathered from there being at least one confirmed Decheeran Lord Commander (and all the intrigue and power that involves that position).

    I just can't find any clues from the racial homepage, Martias and the Angel, and the Song Dominion page that would show a particular affinity to Song Dominion culture, and I can't figure any significant information from the NPCs on Atria either. So I've come hear to get an admin take on it!
  • Balthazar said:
    What is the Decheeran motivation to be affiliated with the Song Dominion? Obviously I understand that not every single Decheeran ever is loyal to Song, but a significant portion of their own unique technology and architectural sensibility was involved on the planet Song before the catastrophe and in Song City itself.

    But they're not just client races, or subjects, or victims of circumstance/proximity. They actively engage and celebrate the culture - at least, that's what I gathered from there being at least one confirmed Decheeran Lord Commander (and all the intrigue and power that involves that position).

    I just can't find any clues from the racial homepage, Martias and the Angel, and the Song Dominion page that would show a particular affinity to Song Dominion culture, and I can't figure any significant information from the NPCs on Atria either. So I've come hear to get an admin take on it!
    This is a great question that I'm dying to know the answer to. Especially considering that there are some Dech that have been around since the founding of the Dominion itself, or at least I'd assume so since the Dominion was founded in 24 AE and we're just now at 925 going on 926, and since Dech can live up to 1200 years there have to be some that lived through all the Ishvana wars. 

    So I +1 this, a lot! 
    Character: Vega
    Faction: Song Dominion
    Class: Engineer 

    note: I am always up for RP, antagonistic or friendly. If she's being a bitch, it's because you're from Scatterhome or she's trying to meet a deadline and has nothing to do with whether I want to RP with you or not. Thanks in advance for the RP!



  • Darios said:
    Now for the most important question, how were your travels Tecton?
    Very long! Just got back last night, so playing catch up on everything today!
  • Geariah said:
    will group hunting be more encouraged in the future? as it stands I can't help out people I leave in the dust since I would just be a giant black hole for experience while I personally don't mind not gaining anything while helping out lower levels.
    Definitely more tweaks and changes coming there as time goes on!
  • Paqu said:
    What will the in-game economy look like in the long term?  Are you guys going to move forward with a completely player-run economy where everything we'll buy is player-made or are we looking at a more tweaked version of the current system?
    The goal is a completely player-run economy, yes. Whether that plays out with the game's population, we'll have to wait and see.
  • Rylek said:
    No repositioning skills sans smash really work since the change from what I've heard
    Hmm, might be a side-effect from the other ranged changes. We'll take a look!
  • Cise said:
    Jewelry pins seem to be bugged so only W'hoorn can wear them... on their wings?

    Just wondering if things like this are due for a fix soon or if I should get started converting pins to brooches.
    Yeah, definitely something we'll fix up!
  • Secos said:
    So I imagine the level cap is going straight to unlimited or will go up to 100.  Are you going to stairstep the increase over time?  Or is it going to be all at once?  Are we going to be staying at 75 for a while?
    At current, the we'll probably go to 100 first, then uncapped later. But we'll likely look at the current state of things and possibly reshift when it's time to make that change.
  • Zhulkarn said:
    I know Starmourn is new and current no-retirement time allows people to have a better idea, and prevents retiring from their main games in a hasty fashion. But there are also people who are already retired from other IRE games and it is a long wait for them rather then a matter of indecision. 

    Would it be possible to enable retirement credits one month earlier? 
    Opening things up earlier is something we've been discussing! Stay tuned in-game for more information!
This discussion has been closed.