Reactions to Ancient Shadows and Suggestions

[Faulty Logic]

The UI was annoying.
The backwaters were all the same.
Winning the backwater battles seemed really simplistic (we are winning when you're there, but losing otherwise.
The new ships you got as a reward for your quest were underwhelming.

So, I was personally disappointed... before coming to my senses. These guys were nice enough to release a playable beta far earlier than they were obliged to.

The UI is still being developed, and will likely be streamlined.
The backwaters will not all be the same.
You get far better results giving direct orders to the champion than FRDing.
Any and every ship is an asset in this game, and the main reward is upgrading your invincible, free ship anyway. Also, you get another source of patrolling allies.

And any new vector of choice makes for more interesting games.

The only standout problem was the UI. Why not just have every normal player come with a champion?
The champion only player could remain a lobby option for just that: a player that only got a champion. For normal players who want to play without the champion, you could include a checkbox in the game lobby.

[Coppermantis]

Yeah, there's only a fraction of what's going to be added currently in the beta. There will of course also be the new AI Types and bonus fleet ships (A look into the graphics folder for the expansion shows some really interesting stuff, possibly the most interesting to me is the Dark Spire stuff) and if past behavior is any indication of the future, Arcen will be diligent in listening/responding to Customer feedback.

[contingencyplan]

The UI was annoying.

...

The UI is still being developed, and will likely be streamlined.


...


The only standout problem was the UI. Why not just have every normal player come with a champion?
The champion only player could remain a lobby option for just that: a player that only got a champion. For normal players who want to play without the champion, you could include a checkbox in the game lobby.

I just asked a similar question in the other thread. To save the devs repeating themselves, here's their reply: http://www.arcengames.com/forums/index.php/topic,11322.msg114893.html#msg114893

[chemical_art]

Where are the blue wormholes?

[keith.lamothe]

Where are the blue wormholes?

Around

I think there are about 8-10 in an 80 planet galaxy, and they're generated before anybody picks a homeworld so no relation to that.

[chemical_art]

Gotcha.

Consider making them as a filter on the galaxy map?

[keith.lamothe]

Gotcha.

Consider making them as a filter on the galaxy map?

I think the "unexplored wormholes" filter will show them since their initial "you don't know what's on the other side"-ness uses the same mechanic as that lobby setting.  Do they not show up there?

[chemical_art]

They do.

You can spot them since they are smaller then normal wormholes.

So there is no need 

[rallythelegions]

I, too, am looking forward to see what the new quests will be, and new ships, new modular thingies.

One thing I had a question on: When you upgrade your champion it switches you to a view of the world from the champion view, meaning your main force ships are now ally ships that you can control. This isn't detrimental to gameplay, but it is quite annoying. You can no longer use short cuts to select your main ships, and clicking on the ship button on the right hand side bar does not allow you to move those ships.

I keep looking through the controls and manuals and can't find any way to switch back to the normal view outside of quitting the game and reloading it up.

Am I just missing something?

[Coppermantis]

Go to STATS>Scores and it should list the Champion and the Fleet Player, as well as a "Switch UI to" button for both.

[Oralordos]

Ctrl-L also sends you back to your own view.

[Kahuna]

The only standout problem was the UI. Why not just have every normal player come with a champion?
The champion only player could remain a lobby option for just that: a player that only got a champion. For normal players who want to play without the champion, you could include a checkbox in the game lobby.

I agree with this 100%. The way it currently works is not bad but this^^ would be a lot better and less confusing for the player. Especially new players. I'm a bit confused too. Does the Champion ship count as a second player? If I'm using the Champion is it like playing with 2 home planets?

Also another thing. I think the background in the backwater systems is too bright. I like darker and more "grim" backgrounds which is why I've turned the "nebula slider" quite low. But that slider doesn't affect the background in the backwater systems. I'd like to be able to make the white/gray effect darker (see the screenshots).

Oh and the new fortress is awesome! It might help me survive those exos! Can't wait to see the new bonus ships.

[relmz32]

i think abstracting the player problem, and allowing a player to have a 'pet' champion via a checkbox is the optimal solution.

Either way, i would like it if switching between champ and 'normal' player UI was easier.

And this champ ship is a curb stomper at low levels (7 and 6 tested so far). Its a free mk2-3 spire siege tower, pre-upgrades, mainly do to bonus damage all over the place. I'm not sure that its ff gen protects other ships.

[Kahuna]

Btw.. isn't Helper player same as Champion player?
If every normal player would just get 1 Champion ship at the start the helper player would be same as Champion player now right?

[zebramatt]

The current model is awesome for co-op but rather unintuitive for single player. It just feels kinda wonky.

But I'm speaking from a position of limited knowledge here. I'd be interested to know the problems always having the Champions be a separate player solves; or the difficulty the alternative approach presents...