New programmer here

[dionn]

Experienced engineer (15+years) I've built games, engines from scratch, game servers, enterprise tools, military tracking equipment etc etc. More recently I've been building advertising-tech (sorry) for a company I founded last year. I don't have a ton of time but really enjoyed this game and felt it was missing a few things that I'd be happy to build.

First: Late game advancement is limited by metal/silver running out. I was thinking of adding travel to nearby maps and also adding mining vertically.

Second(and more important IMO): Multiplayer-lite followed by Multiplayer.

Multiplayer-lite:
Send your colonists (AI style) to attack/defend your buddies colony.
Trade with your friends (Just like you would from the AI traders)

Multiplayer:
Thinking single game state multiscreen (most likely direct connection, no server layer) will be able to tell feasibility after doing multiplayer-lite.

Adding these is easily within my skill range and unless straight up impossible would like to start working on it.

Feedback welcome, and if anyone else is working on these already let me know.

[RawCode]

You should contact RimWorld developers more "directly" with such skills by hand, since you can contribute to development of core features.
Most mods here XML defs based and only few feature c# assembly level, none feature deep integration with engine with exception of "EBN interface" that hooked to unity.

I had wasted some time on multiplayer like mod - dividing processing and rendering part of game engine require huge amount of time but no outstanding skills.
Only issue - there is no real way to automatically "branch" code for client and server, everything must be manually checked.

[nackblad]

As someone who loves multiplayer, it'd be brilliant! I remember reading somewhere that Ty said that multiplayer is technically possible but not something that he would prioritize.

I'd love to contribute, but I've got next to no programming/scripting experience.

[UrbanBourbon]

Adding travel to nearby maps would be awesome. What I've been wanting to see is to be able to send a few guys way out there into the world to complete some special tasks - make them pack some food, grab a gun and start walking... Or sling them out there in drop pods and get injured in the landing. One goal would then be to walk back before the food runs out. Or eat berries on the way. Shoot a muffalo and build a campfire. Depending on the terrain. Not much berries on glaciers or tundra. Majority of the building options could be disabled for the away-team.

RimWorld would need distant events to keep things interesting then. Things would have to happen occasionally in all those other sectors.  I'm not sure how I'd want the colony side to be handled while the away-team is being managed by the player. Just keep it in stasis?

On the other hand, starting from scratch in the sector next door could be exciting if the old colony remained in some form. It could turn into a planet domination/colonization simulator that includes the other rising factions. A colony could establish its dominance over a large area if it builds an airforce of some sort (a special building), just so that the player wouldn't have to build hundreds of colonies and take over the planet one sector at a time.

I mean, I just see huge potential in being able to enter neighboring sectors! I'd race an enemy faction away-team to a crashed ship just to get its tech and cargo. I'd fight them at the crash site if necessary. Hell, I'd race a friendly faction team and maybe even fight them over some unique once-in-a-gameplay stuff .

I'd rescue a team of injured pawns from three maps away if they were skilled enough and willing to join, and I'd fight anyone in the way.
I'd assault a raider colony if it was close enough. "How do you like sieges now!"
I'd track down and kill an elusive beast (or machine) that causes destruction in the neighborhood. (once)
I'd investigate unusual (weather) phenomena nearby. Why is there a snowy patch in the middle of a jungle?

I'd send guys out into an abandoned mech facility in a glacier just to get its secrets. If it's a suicide mission, so be it. I would drink real whiskey in the name of these tiny digital heroes, a former bunch of no-good colonists... and feel bad afterwards for getting rid of them with such passion.

First: Late game advancement is limited by metal/silver running out. I was thinking of adding travel to nearby maps and also adding mining vertically.

Metal isn't a problem, IMO. Sieges leave plenty of metal behind, and industrial traders always seem to carry ~1000. I find myself constantly swimming in excess metal. It just needs fetching from the field. However, this might be a difficulty level related issue. On easier difficulties it might be actually more difficult to get metal since there's less raiders = less loot! Anyway, I wouldn't oppose some building that would produce metal slowly but steadily. I suppose on peaceful play modes traders should carry more merchandise.

[dionn]

You should contact RimWorld developers more "directly" with such skills by hand, since you can contribute to development of core features.
Most mods here XML defs based and only few feature c# assembly level, none feature deep integration with engine with exception of "EBN interface" that hooked to unity.

I had wasted some time on multiplayer like mod - dividing processing and rendering part of game engine require huge amount of time but no outstanding skills.
Only issue - there is no real way to automatically "branch" code for client and server, everything must be manually checked.

Would love to add directly, didn't know Ty was open to that. I'll reach out to him.

[dionn]

Metal isn't a problem, IMO. Sieges leave plenty of metal behind, and industrial traders always seem to carry ~1000. I find myself constantly swimming in excess metal. It just needs fetching from the field. However, this might be a difficulty level related issue.

Yeah, I've been playing on wimpy mode (60% challenge) and I run out of metal/silver pretty quickly after mining the whole place

Love your other ideas btw, I was thinking about multi-map for resource gathering only but adding events in those areas could bring a unique challenge of 'how many sectors can you control at the same time'

[RemingtonRyder]

I've been using the Omni-gel mod as an alternative way of gaining metal.  It's worth a look!