SpaceSimCentral

Hi Maksw Was looking over the FAQ and Mod pages on your site and came across this: Initially – we want to allow you to mod the following ; 2D model textures2D artwork for emblems, logos, icons3D Models for vessels, weapon ordnance – with LOD’s, markup as appropriateBackstory/history/descriptions of civilisations/species/worldsConcept art – for others to take up and produce content fromSTRETCH GOAL : Planetary height maps / texture mapsSTRETCH GOAL : texturing and modelling of anatomy for each species, with rigging and animation Now reading over the basic story of Dominion, how will mods be processed into the game itself? Because you state that things you do in the SP game will reflect in the game world for others. So if I am grasping this right is that if someone creates something, like a new trade good or weapon. If accepted, it will now be in the game forever? What is the planned universe size for episode 1? I take it there will be sectors since you are using some options like FTL, WoD and gates. Will you only have areas accessible by discovery? So no matter how many wormholes/gates you use you will not find certain areas unless you explore. And will a player be able to construct a wormhole/gate to a specific area that is discovered for more easy access to this secret area? The way you setup the story it can go in a bunch of directions because you have the main factions and then you also have the fringe elements as well. Does everyone start off on a side or does that develop by the missions and actions you take within the game world? I really like the concept of a single person being able to impact the game for others. I'm not sure if your engine can handle this but how are you handling debris? I ask this because i'm sure players will get killed or destroy targets of interest will the remains of this destruction be seen by all? So if I make a run on a caravan of cargo ships and I was successful at their destruction would their derelicts be there for others to see for a short time. And as all people ask, how do you handle death in Dominion? Will it be painful, get a crap ship and have to build back up, will there be insurance, can you have multiple ships, or do you just simply respawn. Guess this is enough for now.... -D1-

Some fine questions there D1, nicely bundled up into one post  Ok - so it looks like you've stumbled across an inconsistency that's crept in from the original pitch to the new one - I'll clarify here and then rectify it on the site. The game I want for release would have online connectivity which means you're "in touch" with an online game universe which others also participate in - a kind of "not MMO" MMO... so if someone destroyed a space station - everyone felt the effects in their local single-player universe. The problem we had was actually getting people to understand the concept, as it's a bit counter-intuitive. So, we've now opted for a single stand-alone, not connected game - and we'll bring in the online aspects in future releases if we get that far. However, just like Portal on Steam or Half-Life - there will still be an online server where you can still get updates to the game content. Now, for Mod's - we'll let anyone and everyone create their own ships for use in their own local install, or share with others. But, you can also submit them into the game universe as part of the downloadable content, provided it gets approved by us (due to copyright/legal, suitability, etc.) That means that yes - you could model a Millennium Falcon and fly it in Dominion and even share it with your mates. But, it will never ever make it into the Dominion game universe for DLC or any expansion packs for obvious reasons. If you make something unique, and awesome (ala SolCommand) and it's accepted, it's now part of the Dominion lore forever, or unless you choose to get it pulled. One of the stretch-goals will expand on this to allow tweaking existing models, and also create missions and campaigns to share and/or upload into the game universe. I would love it if we can then let you get kickbacks when other players use your model... but I can only see that working when we're an MMO (ie. you get in-game credits as a royalty if someone buys your ship design). What is the planned universe size for episode 1? Dominion will have ~200,000 stars, somewhere close to 1,000,000 planets and then satellites, stations etc. on top. In the stand-alone release the "known" volume of space will largely be the Empire itself and the space around it (roughly one octant of the cluster) - with most of the rest of the galaxy waiting to be discovered, by you  New gates will form "dynamically" over time - based on the simulated trade routes - heavy traffic routes will mean systems building gates to speed up trade. Does everyone start off on a side or does that develop by the missions and actions you take within the game world? We're aiming for both and more. We're also planning to let you "jump" if you decide you've blown it - without killing your character or restarting. That'll have to be a stretch goal though I think. ...So if I make a run on a caravan of cargo ships and I was successful at their destruction would their derelicts be there for others to see for a short time. Ah, you're breaking my heart... the "online" version I envisioned would allow just this. As it stands regardless, the hulks of ships from battles will linger more or less forever (practically speaking) - or until salvaged/destroyed. Sadly, without online - you won't come across the wreckage of battles fought by other online players. More's the pity. Until Dominion v2.0 anyway  Certainly - in the single-player version, you can revisit past battles and visit the hulks left behind, recover wreckage, salvage it. In fact, this will be the basis for a number of jobs and missions in-game. ...how do you handle death in Dominion? Will it be painful, get a crap ship and have to build back up, will there be insurance, can you have multiple ships, or do you just simply respawn "Death is relative"... and so old fashioned in Dominon Nanite-implants provide the conceit for load/save via neural backups - and as such, all your character stat's stay put as you are still "you". Basically, once you have a character, it's permanent - despite death. You buy clones (or perhaps have insurance which buys them), and insurance recovers say 90% of your vessel and major upgrades. Even cargo could be insured. There has to be some kind of "penalty" for getting killed, otherwise there is no "risk" - but we don't want it to be a punishment either. We also don't want to bog the player down in insurance premiums, no claims bonuses - or maybe we should? More for the player to manage though... Chances are that - after re-cloning - you'll find yourself at a space station, with a shiny replacement ship and upgrades, and enough dosh to restock cargo. Your previous "assets" and credits will be passed across as well. That said, we will also allow "perma-death" where you can kill off the character and start a new one as you choose. None of this is final of course - but I hope it shows the basic ethos of where we're headed. It has to be fair, but it has to pose risk, and we don't want to frustrate, or punish anyone for playing in our dream! I hope that helps clarify instead of confuse! I'll make sure we clean up the site.