Should Rimworld be developed the same way the DF was ?

[JesterHell]

I don't get why so much people want RW to become like DF.

If you want something like DF go play DF.

Because DF is awesome and Every game should be more like DF. 


But imho DF is listed as a source of inspiration for RW so it not that surprising that some people want aspects of DF to be included, the most obvious difference between the two is that DF has a fantasy setting and RW is a Sci-fi setting so they feed different cravings.

[Fluffy (l2032)]

In my mind, DF is pretty much the ultimate story telling game. It goes a couple of levels beyond what RW does, actually modelling physics, world/faction interactions, and so much, much more. (Just for example, it has a gossip system, where knowledge is gradually spread.)

The things that you can do are pretty epic.
Have a long, narrow entrance, and a sword/spiky object laden minecart on a hill on the other end of that entrance. Raid comes, push down the cart, let it derail, and watch the spiky objects fly out and make mince meat of raids.
Pump up magma from the world's bowels, feed it to reservoirs build in the sky. Link it to switches to rain molten death on specific parts of the map.

There's much, much more where that came from.


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HOWEVER;
this is the life work of the developer, he's put more time and effort into it than anyone can reasonably expect.
it's in part possible because of a complete disregard for graphics and UI. Love it, hate it or learn to live with it - it's not really a viable way to develop a mass-market game.
it runs like crap. Modeling everything from thermodynamics, to the detailed history of thousands of persons of interest means it grinds to a halt - sooner or later your dwarfen kingdom will die an FPS death (if not killed by FUN first, of course).

DF fills a niche, and it really is a work of art. It should be used as an inspiration, but to attempt to copy it is both unnecessary and futile - it's not something that can be done by a team (not financially viable), and any single developer will have a decade long catch-up to do (while living off of donations - not something many people aspire to).

[JimmyAgnt007]

My friend and I are in the concept stage for a game similar to DF and RW.  Its a spaceship sim, i got a thread for it in 'Off-Topic' and I plan to give it a lot of depth like DF.

[keylocke]

DF wins when it comes to the intricacy of the gameplay mechanics. (z-levels, water, etc)

but rimworld wins in terms of it's RTS battlesystem mechanics. (cover system, enemy AI complexity, etc)

the only other game that i tried that comes close to a DF + rimworld combo is timber&stone, but it's not really a perfect fit.

so overall, rimworld battles are still the most awesome.

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as for development. as long as tynan provides significant upgrades in gameplay, more people are gonna buy copies. it would just keep snowballing coz almost every new update with significant changes is like playing a brand new game and generates more buzz among indie gamers.

he can probably add a donation button on his ludeon blog for each new update. i think the playerbase is generous enough, assuming they enjoy the new updates. 

as for prolonged development. i don't see why not?

if things like the water system, z-levels, multiplayer co-op & versus, etc.. would take a huge investment of development time and resources, he can probably make a new kickstarter project some time in the future and call it rimworld 2.

the way i see it, rimworld still has plenty of ways to go.

[cultist]

DF fills a niche, and it really is a work of art. It should be used as an inspiration, but to attempt to copy it is both unnecessary and futile - it's not something that can be done by a team (not financially viable), and any single developer will have a decade long catch-up to do (while living off of donations - not something many people aspire to).

I totally agree with this. I gave DF a spin a few years ago, and gave up almost at once. I believe it's an amazing game for the right people, but I don't want to spend half a day with a wiki just to learn the basics of a game that refuses to tell me anything about how it works, what the UI does, what the goal is, what the difference between the grey blobs and the brown blobs are... if you're going to have a very complex game with basically no graphics, you'd better have an amazing UI and a great presentation. DF has none of those.

[falcongrey]

DF fills a niche, and it really is a work of art. It should be used as an inspiration, but to attempt to copy it is both unnecessary and futile - it's not something that can be done by a team (not financially viable), and any single developer will have a decade long catch-up to do (while living off of donations - not something many people aspire to).

I totally agree with this. I gave DF a spin a few years ago, and gave up almost at once. I believe it's an amazing game for the right people, but I don't want to spend half a day with a wiki just to learn the basics of a game that refuses to tell me anything about how it works, what the UI does, what the goal is, what the difference between the grey blobs and the brown blobs are... if you're going to have a very complex game with basically no graphics, you'd better have an amazing UI and a great presentation. DF has none of those.

And this here is part of why I left this core world and set out for the Rimworlds... While I was amazed and fell in love with the dept and how detailed it was, because of the lack of graphics and UI (even with mods) I just couldn't become immersed into it like I find myself with Rimworld. Tynan has found an interesting balance within his game and every time it grows, the immersion becomes deeper and more complete. I've lost over a hundred hours into this game so far, perhaps hundreds. I've added a startup link to steam now on my base PC so I can start tracking the time.

DF has its place and will for a long time touch MANY games and developers, like Tynan. As for transforming Rimworld into something as complex and detailed as DF? Perhaps in time it will gain both of those. Perhaps in time, Tynan won't just have us building on the surface and into a mountain side but building up into mutli-level constructs, higher into mountains, and down into the depths of the planet we crashed landed on. Time will show how it unfolds and which direction the master story writer of the Rimworlds decides to take his creation.

[Fluffy (l2032)]

While it may be financially viable for Tynan to keep developping RimWorld forever - and heck, I would probably keep donating as long as he keeps improving the game -, I wouldn't for a moment blame him if he calls the game done in an alpha or two and moves on to other projects. It's already been what, several years of RW development? I wouldn't want to work on a single project for that long, it's bound to get boring and restraining - especially for the more creative types.

Also, someone above mentioned that the RW combat system is more intricate. This is just not true. DF has a lot more going on behind the scenes (e.g. different materials actually matter when it comes to weapons in a realistic way (weight, ability to hold an edge, strength), combat and wounds are much more complex than just the RNG RW uses, etc.). The difference is that RW has shiny guns, bullets spraying, and most importantly: exposions, blood and gore. It just feels more involved in that way. (DF has a hilariously detailed combat log thouh, which is always awesome to read).

[EscapeZeppelin]

Would be awesome... Honestly z levels alone would be huge.

Tynan has said that he'll consider continuing to developing the game as long as people keep buying it but z levels aren't happening. I believe the game would have to be completely rewritten. It's just not set up for it at all.

[Oxidus]

I don't get why so much people want RW to become like DF.

If you want something like DF go play DF.

Because Adventure Mode 

[mumblemumble]

Would be awesome... Honestly z levels alone would be huge.

Tynan has said that he'll consider continuing to developing the game as long as people keep buying it but z levels aren't happening. I believe the game would have to be completely rewritten. It's just not set up for it at all.

Oh I know almost everything would still need to be re-written, but its absolutely undeniable that z levels would still be absolutely HUGE for rimworld anyway.

The potential out of it would be worth it imo.