Designer tier ideas, PK also welcome.

[AspenShadow]

Fair enough I look forward to your addition (probably a mega beast?)

Mmm I'm really not sure about mega-beasts, I prefer creatures /plants that interact with the environment dynamically so a new addition to the world changes how the player tackles them, it's a bit like evolution in that the creation 'adapts' as it were to new additions to the game (biomes even) long after it's initial creation. But it requires a lot of thought, work and brainstorming to ensure it's not asking too much of Tynan and still fulfils my hopes.

Not to mention in my early years I was a lover of swarm-based organic threats like Warhammer's Tyranids, no I think it's likely I'll end up picking a creation that's used more widespread rather than once or twice as a BIG threat.

[SpaceEatingTrex]

Not to mention in my early years I was a lover of swarm-based organic threats like Warhammer's Tyranids, no I think it's likely I'll end up picking a creation that's used more widespread rather than once or twice as a BIG threat.

It will be really great to see how all the different Designer ideas come together to create RimWorld! I'm looking forward to AspenShadow's and salt1219's ideas in game.

I hope that the designs won't overwhelm the gameplay though. AspenShadow brought up a good comparison here between  how BIG a concept is vs. how widespread it is. If a design is a MegaBeast or super-powerful weapon it should be extraordinary (uncommon), whereas if a design shows up frequently it should have a more subtle effect. If the gameworld was covered in deadly robots or colonist-eating plants every game story would end early with all the colonists killed!

You guys talking about your cool ideas makes it very tempting to pledge at the Designer level, but that is an awful lot of money...

[salt1219]

I thought i would go into a bit more detail about the weapon i talked with Tynan about.



this is just a fun concept image, ultimately i'm leaving the look and other details up to Tynan after all the art style of the game isn't finalized.

   Weapon:
Salt's SpiderBot Deployer
(backpack/canister carrying 30 spiderbots)

   Fluff text:
Survey bots intended for cramped/dangerous areas, Modified for combat use by the pirate William Salt.  These things look dangerous.

   More info on spiderbots:
spiderbots are re-purposed survey bots for cramped/dangerous areas
they would work like autonomous mobile turrets
this weapon should be both rare and expensive.

- limited to 6 active at a time.
- minor explosion on death (explosion size should be the same as a boomrat)
- above average movement speed, short/medium firing distance with weak ammo.
- you can only have 6 active at a time.  To deploy more the spiderbots need to be deactivated and collected or destroyed.
- perhaps they power down like turrets do so you can select them and turn off their power?

if you guys enjoyed this maybe you would like to help me flesh out my pirate king


I'm calling him William Salt the reluctant pirate
(the picture above is a commissioned piece by Jack Cayless based on a picture of myself)

[SpaceEatingTrex]

*awesome stuff!*

Wow, I didn't expect you to have thought of so much detail already! And the commissioned image looks good! The half-concealed gun is a nice touch.

Spiderbots sound very cool! It's good that you're thinking of concepts like balance and their roles in the game. I think the concept image conveys the idea well.

I'm sure the forums would help you flesh out your character! You've mentioned he's a reluctant pirate, but otherwise we haven't heard much about him. What kind of backstory have you thought of so far?

[salt1219]

I'm sure the forums would help you flesh out your character! You've mentioned he's a reluctant pirate, but otherwise we haven't heard much about him. What kind of backstory have you thought of so far?

Well because you asked...  not all the details are finalized and I'm open to suggestions.

   Long name:
William Salt
Male Human Colonist, age 31.

   Short name:
Salt

   Childhood:
Midworlder
"Salt grew up with a interest in science, he went to a good school and learned the value of hard work."

   Adulthood:
Reluctant Pirate
"Salt was a Geologist till a near fatal collapse left him with artificial legs and deeply in debt.  He turned to piracy to get by."

   Skills:
Construction 3
Growing 3
Research 13
Mining 10
Shooting 5
Hand to Hand 7
Social 6
(salt's background as a geologist makes him great at research and mining.  As a pirate he learned to fight and mining made him a stronger brawler.  Leading a band of pirates required him to learn the power of negotiation)  -I think the fallowing skills reflect the story i want to tell about him.

   Incapable of:
(none)

   Traits:
*Artificial legs
*Body scars
^^ I think i should change this to reflect the concept image i have.

[SpaceEatingTrex]

*details*

Neat to see what you thought of salt1219! I'm glad you did something more creative than just a high-shooting pirate. I hope the system becomes robust enough for him to make use of his Mining and Research.

The artificial legs are interesting! What kind are you thinking of? A futuristic kind of robot legs? What kind of effect do you think they should have in game?

One thing I noticed on the Pirate King Kickstarter tier is that it mentions leading a group of raiders. Would Salt lead a group of raiders, or would the spiderbots be his group?

[salt1219]

Neat to see what you thought of salt1219! I'm glad you did something more creative than just a high-shooting pirate. I hope the system becomes robust enough for him to make use of his Mining and Research.

i hope so too, but if not it at least gives people a good recruit

The artificial legs are interesting! What kind are you thinking of? A futuristic kind of robot legs? What kind of effect do you think they should have in game?

i had given that a little thought, something like prostetic robot legs.
-artificial legs +1 speed
-body scars -1 social

One thing I noticed on the Pirate King Kickstarter tier is that it mentions leading a group of raiders. Would Salt lead a group of raiders, or would the spiderbots be his group?

well the spiderbots are spawned by his weapon so i would assume he would lead a party of raiders and spawn the bots.

[salt1219]

a quick and dirty minimalist concept, personally i think colonists should have a little hair and such to make them more identifiable.

apologies for the double post i felt this didn't fit in the last one

[salt1219]

I like how you balanced him with what he can't do vs what he's good at.  I think we can only have two traits but I may be wrong about that.
So do you have a look in mind for your pk and maybe a weapon he would spawn with?
Nice back stories BTW... So this mad scientist, is he related to the plant or animal your making?... No wait you said you were going more subtle.

[salt1219]

I'm watching friday the 13th Jason lives and thinking, it sure would be cool to design a lone unstoppable killing machine.

Not very creative but it would be fun to make.  The term "super assassin" is coming to mind.  Tynan mention that he was considering adding some.