Start out with a visible shipwreck

[Mckee]

We already have cargo pods from the crash(es) dropping onto the map and we have graphics for the mechanoid ship drop.
I think it would be interesting for the game to start with the pawns emerging from a wreck, or, for wreckage dropping onto the map as an early game event.

The wreck could either be a purely decorative piece of terrain that looks good, or could be a source of salvage. In the case that the pawns start at the crash, dead passengers and regular start items could be strewn around the wreckage. The starting scenario currently seems rather under stated, considering the pawns just survived a spaceship crashlanding. I'm not knocking the current start, I feel the tone could be changed to a more dramatic one with some visible wreckage, smoke and dead bodies.

The other option, which might be a more interesting one, is to have part of the ship's debris crash out of orbit, smashing into the map.
The debris could be one of several modules, such as - Medbay (medical supplies + metal), Galley (Food - survival meals or raw foodstuffs), Cargo Bay (Industrial items/raw resources), Armory (weapons + armor), Quarters (Wounded survivor and misc items, such as clothing).
Drop the ship part in the open for an easy reward, or else have it drop into the mountains, requiring the player to hunt around for it a little.

Mainly, I like the idea of this debris altering the map somewhat, adding a lot of wreckage in an area and a notable landmark that breaks up the terrain. There is always the issue of balance, I wouldn't expect something like this to be a regular event - once per map or so. Personally, I'd rather this slightly more interesting event happen once than the countless pods of random goods dropping outside. I'm sure the idea could be expanded too.

[tommytom]

I like it. Goes with my idea of crashed survivors from previous "finished" games where you escaped.

[BetaSpectre]

TBH now the ship might be wrecked but it might be too far for gravity to pull the entire ship in. But if you fire pods then they could land like normal.

[Monkfish]

I made the same suggestions over in the "cryosleep early tech" thread.

I'll quote it here as this thread is more relevant.

I can't say I've ever used a Cryo casket; haven't seen the need for one yet. However, I think some interesting points have been made here and a few subtle changes could be applied to make the starts a little more interesting and in-line with the opening messages/lore as well as adding cryo early on without requiring research.

- Game loads, screen is blank. The muffled sound of sirens, wind, tearing metal and explosions are briefly heard before a loud impact before silence again.
- Screen fades up from blank showing the scene unfolding before you. The entire map is shrouded in a Fog of War, with a small clear bit centred on a large part of the now-destroyed ship you were travelling in.
- Colonists pop out of caskets
- Message displays:
"You awake from your cryosleep casket feeling unwell, unsure if this is because of the after effects of cryosleep or because your eyes and skin are telling you that you're on a planet rather than in space. Before it fizzles out and dies completely, the computer on what's left of the ship tells you that something catastrophic happened and you've crash landed on a rimworld. You squint as your eyes adjust to the sunlight on this strange planet and you take in your surroundings..."
- Message clears, game starts. FoW recedes away from crash site as colonists awake to find themselves stood inside a section of the ship that contained their cryo caskets. Smoke billows out from the wreckage and fires have started due to the hot metal (other ignition sources available).
- Some of the cryocaskets may still be functioning, or could be made to function with some repair. Power should be external (the ship section is dead)
- Ship can be stripped for resources instead of random items appearing next to escape pods.

- Add additional starting conditions as required.

Cryosleep caskets and a better start to the game; Done.

[Mckee]

The ship wreck mostly being stuck up in a stable orbit would make sense, but if that orbit decays, it gives a perfect excuse to have a chunk of it crash down onto the map during the game.

Overall, I wouldn't expect a map cluttered with debris, but some large pieces of wreckage are a reminder of your colonies origins, and adds a dramatic element.

Monkfish - I've got to admit, I skimmed over that thread and then checked to see if anyone had made similar suggestions before. I very much like your suggestion as a start option.

[hyperpeople]

I like the idea, but i think the beginning of each is intended to be a shipcrash, where the colonists use a rescue capsule to escape while the rest of the ship is burnt while entering the atmosphere.
Maybe you can use a mod like this, its goes in the direction of your intention.

[quxzcover]

Actually this idea would be fantastic as an early shelter. you might even be able to fill up the crashed ship a bit early on to provide a small functioning shelter with small defences and a little wiggle room. also the idea of parts of YOUR ship coming down like the armoury or Medbay or something falling out of orbit yielding a good amount of loot and a small change to the terrain. also make it so it cant land in you home zone. also being able to pull these pieces back to gether to make a space ship fortress and also an alternative for winning would just be fabulous. obiously it would cost a copious amount of uranium plasteel and steel but still. it would add alot more depth and a more futuristic feeling to the game opposed to a the medival feel with a few high tech gadgets laying around.

[Tynan]

It's actually something I've wanted to do for a while; it's just a matter of finding the time to actually do it. But yeah, sounds like a great idea.

[Mckee]

Thanks. I understand that there are a lot of other development goals that are probably more critical - it'd be cool to see something like this at some point down the line.

[Monkfish]

It's actually something I've wanted to do for a while; it's just a matter of finding the time to actually do it. But yeah, sounds like a great idea.

Aww yiss!

[Mathenaut]

Is this a parallel to the early cryotech idea or distinct from the other drop pod events?

[ja7833]

...you might even be able to fill up the crashed ship a bit early on to provide a small functioning shelter with small defenses and a little wiggle room...

A visible shipwreck with some resources (some "almost" buildings, a bed or two, maybe a damaged solar generator) might also be part of solution to the "How to bring the colonies out into the open again?" problem discussed here: https://ludeon.com/forums/index.php?topic=6365.0

in addition to things like changing mining speed, negative buffs for living underground, mining disaster events etc.

[Tynan]

This also seems like something that would be very natural as a mod.

It's a simple piece of additional content that doesn't conflict with vanilla or any other mod I can think of. Modders, go to it?

[skullywag]

Waaaaaay ahead of ya....almost there....juat having an issue containing it to where the colonists land (it doesnt have to be i suppose...). Using the droppod system for now.

[Elixiar]

I think it would be a fairly cool addition if maybe small chunks came down with the initial colonists around the map (Im thinking the Halo 4 intro). Maybe only as big as the ship reactor or the engine, just part of a curved hallway wall or something that offers small salvage.

Over the duration of the game, since from the menu and constant drop pods, I like to assume that the ships main body is in stable orbit but broken up (Think the Dead Space 3 debris field). A such, maybe a small part of a 'room' or section of a ship could replace the drop pods that normally bring food or medicine. Potentially even a small section of an armoury containing damaged but good quality weapons could be an exciting addition. For thrill factor, the debris could leave a small flame trail (5 tiles?) and if you don't recover the supplies quickly they are lost in the flames.

What are your thoughts guys?  Hopefully this wouldn't be too hard to implement either!