Survivors or Colonists? - Results/Discussion

[Mikhail Reign]

Ok - First off: this has been a roller-coaster success - more so then I ever suspected. There has been over 100 votes, which, while obviously isnt everyone who plays this game, is a decent sample size to see how people play this game.

Second off: I've had a few beers so please excuse any obvious spelling mistakes, long running sentences or bad grammar.

Third: The Results

The results of the poll have been pretty consistent through out the voting process so far - roughly 70% of votes identified their pawns as 'colonists', which means about 30% consider them 'survivors'.

This is rather interesting - I personally identify my pawns as colonists as well. The mental imagine that I have in my head is something similar to the town that I picture the bar that Malcolm Reynolds get thrown out of (complete with holograph window) resides in. Somewhere between 'Wild West' settlement and futuristic sci-fi.

For me personally the 'survivor' angle has always inhibited the story - if I was stranded on a deserted planet when my intended destination was some gliterworld, a war-zone or any of the other possible destinations, 110% of my effort would be directed at leaving the planet. If one of the other survivors that I was with suggested we should start making statues, or making export quality, clothes I would assume that they had gone crazy. Also as a 'survivor' it makes little sense not to throw in with one of the other established tribes/towns/pirates, instead of starving to death in the wild. When the pawns are considered 'survivors' its has a Gilligan's Island feel - they can make geothermal reactors, coconut radios, solar panels and automated doors in a few days, but a ship to leave is impossible (or at least a VERY long term project)

Change this to 'colonist', which in its self implies that the Rimworld is the intended destination, and the game changes instantly. This means the small area that inhabit is actually the pawns 'home'. This is where they intend to stay, live, thrive, grow and raise young. This changes the whole dynamic - beatifying their surrounding no longer seems like a waste of time and resources, but instead a logical, and almost required step.

I, for one, would very much like to see this game take a hard step in either (preferably the 'colonist') direction, instead of remaining in a grey middle areas.

Also, if Ty could post something in regards to this (I dont want say 'issue' as it is a loaded word, but I'm drunk and cant think of a better one) issue, the result of the poll and his opinion - preferably something substantial - that would be great. I greatly respect his opinion, and obviously this is his baby so his word is really the end all.

I will probably edit this post to make it a little clearer, to clean up spelling errors etc etc some time tomorrow afternoon. I just felt that the poll had reached a point where the data was readable and that a discussion was now possible.

DISCUSS

[Thane]

Makes sense they are both at the same time. Intent on turning the Rimworld into a glitterworld, along with a few thousand other people, when the ship shreds and you and two others along with emergency supplies end up on the surface.

You all went through colony basics ship side and the three of you decide to make a go of it near the crash site. Who knows there might be half the ship still left in the sky and you can go through with your original mission to gentrify this backwater planet.

This makes the ship almost equivalent to quitting.

[keylocke]

my thoughts on this is that players start as "survivors" at first and then slowly transition to "colonists" during the course of the gameplay as they take in more "immigrants".

in the older alphas, being able to build complicated buildings from scratch was the standard procedure, coz plenty of the necessary systems are still yet to be coded in. but now that there are low-tech alternatives to the high-tech gadgets, the technological advancement of your colony is becoming more gradually smoother (still not perfect though).

ideally you'd just start with stone-age level of technology, plus the things you can scavenge or trade, then transition to medieval level of technology (smithing), then modern level of technology(machining), and finally space faring technology... so as you can see, by the time you reach the level of technology required to build your own spaceship, you pretty much already have a badass colony going on.

of course the option to leave is still there, it's available to anyone who wishes to do so. but the option of staying and establishing a permanent colony should also be available.

-------------

if rimworld was purely a we-need-to-get-off-this-planet-asap survival game. then development of this game should've been over several alphas ago when tynan finally added the spaceship, and all the other systems like relationships, pets, art, etc.. are kinda pointless since getting off the rock does not really require those systems..

but people forget, rimworld isn't just about getting off the rock. at the core of the game it's essentially a sandbox "story generator".. which means that the stories that people create IS actually the main goal of the game.. so whether they choose to leave or not is entirely up to the player.

BOTH goals are valid.

[Mossy piglet]

I think getting on the spaceship is just wrong. When you leave, you just put your people's fate out of your control. All that work and koy and sorrow for what... credits. These people were on a ship, leaving somewhere. So, why not a new start on this rimworld. It's like minecraft, in a sense. Some people just chill and others try to beat the ender dragon. But me personally would rather colonize this planet.

[b0rsuk]

Neither Survivors nor Colonists illustrates the rate at which they lose limbs. From now on I'll call them Gingerbread Men.

[Havan_IronOak]

I tend to like games where I can organize and plan things. RimWorld is great for that and I tend to get invested in a colony. Especially after devoting hours to building it up.

I see my guys as colonists and don't really see the appeal of the ever escalating series of raiders even on Phoebe level.  Of course the occasional raid keeps it interesting but after a point it becomes too much.

[Shurp]

Neither Survivors nor Colonists illustrates the rate at which they lose limbs. From now on I'll call them Gingerbread Men.

LOL!

But considering their behavior, my preference is still Interstellar Cult Members.  Time to go brainwash another captive and prepare him for the voyage to Hale Bopp

[winddbourne]

Following development and watching lets plays up to alpha 14 I was content with "survivors". Swiss Family Robinson has always been one of my favorite classical books and the game followed it's plot arc beautifully.

I still longed for the scene at the end where they got the boat and realized getting on it forever was LOSING . . . One brother went off to college, but most everyone stayed and started a real colony.  But I understood that playing through that and transforming this into a colony management game with dozens of settlers, government, etc . . . might be asking a LOT.

Then alpha fifteen came out and I bought the game on steam. Suddenly "survivors" seems ludicrous and even being able to build a ship and "quit" seems like a huge loss . . . perhaps even something that could be removed from the game. As could the whole crash landed scenario. It simply doesn't fit.

The rich explorer came here on purpose. This is his destination. He is seeking the challenge. He'd never leave. Even if he DID want to leave he wouldn't cobble together a ship. He came down in a drop pod but his own ship is probably still in orbit. Even if it isn't he came down with tons of money and the ability to earn more . . . so why wouldn't he just buy what he needs from a local community or passing trader?

It's even more silly with the tribesmen. This is their home and their heritage. They'd never leave. They aim to rebuild their community and become strong enough to fight off the blood machines from the sky if they come again. If they are researching technology it is aiming towards that goal . . . turrets, walls, robot warriors . . . certainly not a space ship to flee into space. They wouldn't even DREAM of that!

Of course that's just two out of three "official" starting scenarios . . . but it's enough to make everything we can do so far seem like the bleeping prelude. At some point I want to be building statues to the heroic pioneers who made it safe enough to start the colony in earnest.

Government, roads, factions/politics, large scale farming, crafting, and trade . . . schools and families . . . sewers to prevent disease . . . what kind of colony is it? What sort of civilization am I planting on this primitive Rimworld?

[Serenity]

A survivor setting would make sense if you were truly alone on some unknown planet. But there are other factions and you have contact to spaceships you trade with. By that time you could buy passage off the planet.

Maybe you started as colonists, but then something went wrong and you crashlanded without the intended supplies. Kind of like in Firaxis's Alpha Centauri. Or the 90s TV show Earth 2

[Thyme]

Neither Survivors nor Colonists illustrates the rate at which they lose limbs. From now on I'll call them Gingerbread Men.

made my day.

I started playing RimWorld shortly before the scenario system was released (so crashlanded), did tribals after that, and did rich explorer finally (and every subsequent run). I like that most, get a free charge rifle with every run and Cassandra sends you lots of friends soon. Since then, my pawns are colonists, either by choice or persuasion. But, no matter which scenario, launching the ship is the hardest part.

[mew_the_pinkmin]

I see the original 3 (and escape pods) as survivors, the rest are settlers of the new colony. the first 3 should be sent on the ship(and pods) the rest stay. This makes for an interesting late game.