TODAY'S PROGRESS REPORT!
We've further solidified the damage and response netcode, mostly about compressing as much data into as small a space as possible. Now that we've got our hands dirty with the real deal it's easier to spot easy areas to trim or beef up!
The Sonic Screwdriver
As the game evolves, we'll need a way for players to be able to get out of sticky situations (i.e. being sucked into space, or stranded on a planet).
To this end, we've devised a "swiss army knife" of sorts that a player will always have in their possession and can perform the following feats:
- Extract resources (equivalent of mining, does not remove blocks)
- Replicate (equivalent of crafting, makes devices but not blocks)
- Inventory (miniaturizes small items (tools, etc))
- Hacking (can get you through a door-lock in a pinch)
- Magnetize (allows you to magnetize yourself towards a ship if you've been ejected out)
- Life Support (provides momentary consciousness/protection in hostile environments i.e. space )
- Weapon (short range taser)
- Flare (glows and can be used to see in dark places)
- Move small non-organic objects (furniture, etc)
Inspired by Doctor Who's unstoppable Sonic Screwdriver, your character will start with this advanced and rare piece of technology not native to the Terran system. The device is a jack of all trades, but also a master of none with limitations:
For example: it has the ability to replicate small objects into the palm of your hands, but cannot compete with a full-scale replicator (Blockade Runner's equivalent to a crafting box from Minecraft). You'd need to make the larger replicator first to get access to the better tools, etc.
In this way, real-world dedicated devices in the game are far more effective than the "magic" pocket knife; your trusty little gadget will be there when you've got nothing else to save you.
A Name for the Sonic Screwdriver
"Sonic Screwdriver" is an apt way to describe it for Doctor Who fans, however it'd probably be best if we had a name more suited to Blockade Runner.
Here's a few names for the device we've heard so far:
- Multitool
- Omnitool (ME?)
- Sonic Spanner
- Hyperspanner
- Spanner
Got a good idea for a name? Let us hear it here in the forum thread!
Keep in mind the tool comes from an unknown(st to you but knownst to us) yet Human origin, and does not have any known manufacturer. Try and think of Navi from Ocarina of Time, where you're aided by Navi (LISTEN!) without any real knowledge of Navi's origin.
Tomorrow's Info
In-game interface mockup, and possibly a bit more info on the characters with a video of some early animation tests!
