A call for bite size space content

Incoming · Post by **Incoming** » Fri Oct 09, 2015 12:44 am #124539

So space is boring, by design some would argue. This used to be fine by itself, but with the death of SPACE CUBE and the rise of SPACE DOUGHNUT TORUS we've reached a point where it's become obvious that running into stuff in space is fantastically rare. It is extremely easy to throw someone into space only for them to pop back up on the other side or bounce off a wall and reappear right at your door.

Basically our doughnut is thin, and we need to thicken it up. Adding a ton of empty z levels will help with the thinness but won't make spacing bodies any more effective, which means it's time for content.

What I'm looking for are small scale structures that could reasonably be found in space. Much like secret rooms in the asteroid these little bits of stuff can be RNG scattered every round to the various empty z-levels (except 6, which needs to remain completely vacant for REASONS).

IN SHORT
Post ideas, mockups, or actual map files of small structures to be found in space randomly. I'm talking SMALL structures, things you can all see on one screen (so 15x15 maximum, preferably smaller [7x7ish]). Feel free to throw as much out as many ideas as you want.

THINGS TO AVOID
1. Not every structure needs a "prize" for finding it. Even where a prize is provided it shouldn't be anything that would be hideously unbalancing if someone brought it back to the station. If your prize would cause players to space themselves every round vying to find it, it's too good.
2. Most structures should have some objects/turf on them that are actually dense. The idea is just as much to catch up corpses as it is to make space interesting. Some "lattice only" structures can be interesting, but they should be kept to a minimum.
3. If your structure has electrical needs, it should probably start without power. Sticking a battery and an APC somewhere is ok, but if you don't NEED these things you should leave them out.
4. If your structure has mob(s) that aren't dead make sure they can't wander off into deep space and ruin someone's day without their permission. Most structures probably shouldn't have the means to kill people.

A NOTE ON BOUNCING CORPSES
The way the physics of a mob works in space is that if they are thrown or launched they will fly extremely fast. In this state the body won't stop for floors or grating. They will bounce off a dense object and enter a slower drifting.
A body that starts from drifting (for example by getting sucked/pushed out an airlock) or enters it post bounce will stop if it ends up adjacent to any dense object or lattice.
This means that if the outside edge of your structure is dense and a straight line, a body thrown straight out into it will bounce back to its origin. Most space structures should have some lattice nearby (derelict style) and/or a rough jagged side (asteroid style).

Post by **lumipharon** » Fri Oct 09, 2015 12:48 am #124540

The new space layout is really shit because if you try space a body, 90% of the time it will land back at station.

Wyzack · Post by **Wyzack** » Fri Oct 09, 2015 12:49 am #124541

inb4 b-but then everyone will leave the station every round never to return!

DrPillzRedux · Fri Oct 09, 2015 12:53 am

I'd use goons space areas as a model.

- Rewards in space that are randomized each round, but it's no overpowered stuff. Just things to get departments better results.
- Mobs that cannot change z-levels but will fuck your shit up going for rewards unprepared.
- Themed areas like broken Russian shuttles, alien tombs, little bits of lore through papers or recorders

newfren · Post by **newfren** » Fri Oct 09, 2015 5:51 am #124590

http://imgur.com/a/fUx3B

Just a few quick ideas I sketched out in paint. Dunno how to actually map so I figure this is the closest thing.

Bawhoppennn · Post by **Bawhoppennn** » Fri Oct 09, 2015 6:58 am #124594

Heres a little mech cargo ship thingy I made, on the left is what it would be if it wasn't ruined, on the right is obviously the assblasted one that would actually exist. It has 2 abandoned crates and 1 ripley.

allura · Post by **allura** » Fri Oct 09, 2015 10:13 pm #124773

newfren wrote:http://imgur.com/a/fUx3B

Just a few quick ideas I sketched out in paint. Dunno how to actually map so I figure this is the closest thing.

That's my best shot using what I could understand.

EndgamerAzari · Fri Oct 09, 2015 10:53 pm

Random-named corpses with random loot on them would be an interesting way to add some variety, as well as adding an extra dash of paranoia.

DrPillzRedux · Sat Oct 10, 2015 1:12 am

The loot needs to be randomized. You don't want people bumrushing spots every round for specific things.

Incoming · Post by **Incoming** » Sat Oct 10, 2015 1:21 am #124819

The loot won't be randomized, the content itself will be. Not every one of these will be discoverable every round, because they won't even be in accessible space. Some are placed, others aren't. The idea is to get enough of these to where looking for one specifically is a snipe hunt. If you're going deep space spelunking you'll be rolling those dice hard.

newfren · Post by **newfren** » Sat Oct 10, 2015 1:50 am #124824

allura wrote:
newfren wrote:http://imgur.com/a/fUx3B

Just a few quick ideas I sketched out in paint. Dunno how to actually map so I figure this is the closest thing.

That's my best shot using what I could understand.

I meant for those dug out tiles in the last one to be like gibonite had gone off nearby or you'd already dug them with a shovel, lore wise it's supposed to be a chunk of the asteroid that's been blown off by a gibonite explosion, catching some poor miner as it went off.

Bawhoppennn · Post by **Bawhoppennn** » Sat Oct 10, 2015 9:12 am #124879

This may be a little too big but I'mma submit it anyways.
It's supposed to be a bio-research containment station kind of thing which houses specimens. Left is pristine, Right is +FUN actual version.

Shields start on.

Miauw · Post by **Miauw** » Sat Oct 10, 2015 10:01 am #124883

wires to the alien containment should be broken, maybe some more breaches. seems ok otherwise.

i also suggest we add these things to 2 new z-levels instead of adding them to the current z-levels, so its easier to space corpses.

also, i don't think making randomly generated asteroid belts would be that hard. (they would be all high-value tiles without mobs, probably)

E:

I have an idea for a map fragment:

some sort of "gang bar", which would basically just be a cobbled-togheter heap of junk with an airtight area for the barman (and a back area out of sight of the rest), a "parking lot" with pods, and a button for the barman to space the rest of the bar when things get too rough.

Also, revolutionary hideout, basically a hollowed out asteroid with asteroid-colored shutters as entrance and rev-related rooms.

Steelpoint · Post by **Steelpoint** » Sat Oct 10, 2015 10:55 am #124891

>pods

Good luck doing that, me thinks Startoad was the last guy on that feature.

Otherwise I might look into conjuring up something, lord knows the things I put up for Lavaland will never get used.

Bawhoppennn · Sat Oct 10, 2015 11:16 am

Miauw wrote: I have an idea for a map fragment:

some sort of "gang bar", which would basically just be a cobbled-togheter heap of junk with an airtight area for the barman (and a back area out of sight of the rest), a "parking lot" with pods, and a button for the barman to space the rest of the bar when things get too rough.

As cool as the bar sounds, I don't think it would work. So either you have the bar just be empty (boring but its feasible then), or you have actual customers and a barman in it. If you want to have people in it then you want them to actual do stuff instead of just wander around retardedly, so the best course would be to use SNPCs and make some modules, but you'd need to program in them talking to each other (aswell as add a specific quiet talk where you can't hear from across the room, because who just talks loudly in a bar so everyone can hear you), and if you fuck around with them they would logically get mad and attack you like a real person, so they would fight you and bystanders could get involved, and the barkeeper would get pissed off and say to knock it off or else, and theres a chance for the SNPC to quit fighting you, but if you keep fighting they'll keep fighting and the barman will shoot you or whatever, and if the SNPC keeps fighting the barman will do that to him.
There would need to be a way for the NPCs to enter and exit preferably alone or in groups of 2-3 at a time, and while pods sound cool a player could fuck with them and ride in them, so that wouldn't work. The best solution would to be have an NPC only beam out pad where they teleport out but a player can't use.
You'd need a way to interact with the barkeeper and pay and purchase drinks, so I'd assume you would need to say what you want, and then put money on a counter adjacent to him and he takes it and serves the drink you asked for, and if you keep saying things the NPC doesn't understand he gets pissed off and tells you to leave, and if you leave you're fine but otherwise he tries to shoot you and forcefully kick you out. You would need multiple common variations of the terms for drinks aswell.
There could be different outfits for the different patrons of the bar, like syndie clothes, rugged clothes, gang attire, etc.

But I doubt anyone wants to code all that shit, so if it does get added it will probably just be a boring empty bar.

PS: if it did get implemented, The barman would need to be a real shitler who overcharges for drinks and gets mad easily, and his name would have to be 'Seedy B.'

Post by **lumipharon** » Sat Oct 10, 2015 11:32 am #124895

White ship can get new destinations super easy with new shuttle code.

So like the space bar suggestion, you could easily setup a new destination in the parking lot for the white ship, for example.

Steelpoint · Post by **Steelpoint** » Sat Oct 10, 2015 11:37 am #124897

If you want to use the white ship for that you would want to slim it down so it can fit into smaller ports, I would suggest using metastation's white ship as a base, minus the excessive content on it since that got some people's knickers in a twist last time.

Bawhoppennn · Sat Oct 10, 2015 11:41 am

Don't fucking change the white ship, that thing is a relic from a different era of spessmens

Post by **lumipharon** » Sat Oct 10, 2015 12:03 pm #124902

There's no reason why you couldn't add additional ships, for that matter.

Incoming · Post by **Incoming** » Sat Oct 10, 2015 8:00 pm #124959

The reason we can't add more functional ships is that each one of them would need a unique place to park on every map, or they could "overwrite" each other if another comes in to dock while a ship is already there. No limit on abandoned ships though.

If you have an idea that requires new non coded objects that's probably not going to get done for this pull.

If you actually opened up dream maker and sketched up an idea please post the .dmm somewhere so I can use it. Otherwise I'd just have to remake it anyways.

I'm not killing the white ship, or the other existent z-levels for that matter.

Post by **lumipharon** » Sat Oct 10, 2015 9:32 pm #124973

they dont all have to have the same list of destinations yo.

Miauw · Post by **Miauw** » Sat Oct 10, 2015 9:45 pm #124978

Bawhoppennn wrote:
Miauw wrote: I have an idea for a map fragment:

some sort of "gang bar", which would basically just be a cobbled-togheter heap of junk with an airtight area for the barman (and a back area out of sight of the rest), a "parking lot" with pods, and a button for the barman to space the rest of the bar when things get too rough.
As cool as the bar sounds, I don't think it would work. So either you have the bar just be empty (boring but its feasible then), or you have actual customers and a barman in it. If you want to have people in it then you want them to actual do stuff instead of just wander around retardedly, so the best course would be to use SNPCs and make some modules, but you'd need to program in them talking to each other (aswell as add a specific quiet talk where you can't hear from across the room, because who just talks loudly in a bar so everyone can hear you), and if you fuck around with them they would logically get mad and attack you like a real person, so they would fight you and bystanders could get involved, and the barkeeper would get pissed off and say to knock it off or else, and theres a chance for the SNPC to quit fighting you, but if you keep fighting they'll keep fighting and the barman will shoot you or whatever, and if the SNPC keeps fighting the barman will do that to him.
There would need to be a way for the NPCs to enter and exit preferably alone or in groups of 2-3 at a time, and while pods sound cool a player could fuck with them and ride in them, so that wouldn't work. The best solution would to be have an NPC only beam out pad where they teleport out but a player can't use.
You'd need a way to interact with the barkeeper and pay and purchase drinks, so I'd assume you would need to say what you want, and then put money on a counter adjacent to him and he takes it and serves the drink you asked for, and if you keep saying things the NPC doesn't understand he gets pissed off and tells you to leave, and if you leave you're fine but otherwise he tries to shoot you and forcefully kick you out. You would need multiple common variations of the terms for drinks aswell.
There could be different outfits for the different patrons of the bar, like syndie clothes, rugged clothes, gang attire, etc.

But I doubt anyone wants to code all that shit, so if it does get added it will probably just be a boring empty bar.

PS: if it did get implemented, The barman would need to be a real shitler who overcharges for drinks and gets mad easily, and his name would have to be 'Seedy B.'

it would be empty and basically ruined, like all space sturctures.

also by parking lot for pods i literally just mean some fake escape pods.

DaemonBomb · Post by **DaemonBomb** » Sat Oct 10, 2015 10:02 pm #124983

Currently mapping out a dilapidated Satellite of Love while I wait for Kor's corpse spawning PR to get merged so I can finish a little plasmaman ship that had an oxygen fire.

Bawhoppennn · Post by **Bawhoppennn** » Sun Oct 11, 2015 3:45 am #125080

Miauw wrote: it would be empty and basically ruined, like all space sturctures.

See, that would be no fun, like how many lifeless abandoned structures are there in fucking space?

DaemonBomb · Post by **DaemonBomb** » Sun Oct 11, 2015 4:17 am #125084

If we added more space ambiance, I bet a lot of those structures would feel less lifeless and more creepy.

onleavedontatme · Sun Oct 11, 2015 4:22 am

Spawners for ghosts to come back as a space bartender would be possible. I'd planned something similar for lavaworld.

TheDoorman · Post by **TheDoorman** » Sun Oct 11, 2015 6:25 am #125097

What about some kind of space temple to an elder god on a small meteorite? doesn't really need anything specifically good in it i jut thinks it adds to the whole paranoia theme you know since cult rounds are,in fact, things.

Bawhoppennn · Post by **Bawhoppennn** » Sun Oct 11, 2015 3:15 pm #125162

Kor wrote:Spawners for ghosts to come back as a space bartender would be possible. I'd planned something similar for lavaworld.

The first time I read your post I skimmed past it, but now that I re-read it, thats a fucking AMAZING idea.
Make it so ghosts can respawn as customers and the barman, and then THAT becomes the vallhala, and they can hang out there, and if any enterprising spess explorers go there they can talk to them and shit
(of course give them a big prompt 'STAY IN THE BAR AND DON'T INTERFERE WITH THE ROUND')

Bawhoppennn · Post by **Bawhoppennn** » Sun Oct 11, 2015 3:15 pm #125163

fuck me, double post

Bawhoppennn · Post by **Bawhoppennn** » Wed Oct 14, 2015 5:14 am #126036

Ayyylmao Russian Military Outpost.

I was going to add fluff text onto a piece of paper in actual russian, but maybe later

Not-Dorsidarf · Wed Oct 14, 2015 9:23 am

Put CYKA graffiti on the outside

Miauw · Post by **Miauw** » Wed Oct 14, 2015 11:35 am #126104

needs more breaches/10

also you could put a gun without ammo in there, and then have ammo for another type of gun.
i think that might be balanced?

Bawhoppennn · Wed Oct 14, 2015 11:50 am

Well the idea is it was abandoned in haste due to military/political reasons, and not because it got breached or anything. My idea for it originally was to remains and a deathsquad helmet and a toy laser gun that was sprited as a pulse rifle, but I decided against it.

Also if theres going to be so much content, I don't know if adding guns to every single one is a good idea.

Miauw · Post by **Miauw** » Wed Oct 14, 2015 2:56 pm #126168

both good points.

Bawhoppennn · Post by **Bawhoppennn** » Wed Oct 14, 2015 4:12 pm #126200

Lizard gassing facility.

(It had to happen)

JackHunt · Post by **JackHunt** » Wed Oct 14, 2015 7:12 pm #126230

Most of these should have some sort of exterior lattice/solar array to help indicate that they are essentially satellites. Really liking some of the ideas though. I am all for bigger and more varied space content.

InsaneHyena · Post by **InsaneHyena** » Wed Oct 14, 2015 7:27 pm #126238

Bawhoppennn wrote:Lizard gassing facility.

(It had to happen)

I absolutely love this.

DaemonBomb · Post by **DaemonBomb** » Wed Oct 14, 2015 9:02 pm #126268

The gassing facility is hilarious.
I'm working on a bunch of things, but my laptop is currently... undergoing a bit of maintenance, so I can't show them yet.

Post by **lumipharon** » Wed Oct 14, 2015 10:52 pm #126290

Gassing is slow and inefficient.
Make a room with a bunch of incinerators, with emagged crushers + conveyors leading to them.

Bawhoppennn · Post by **Bawhoppennn** » Fri Oct 16, 2015 1:38 pm #126890

JackHunt wrote:Most of these should have some sort of exterior lattice/solar array to help indicate that they are essentially satellites. Really liking some of the ideas though. I am all for bigger and more varied space content.

I knew I was forgetting something.

lumipharon wrote:Gassing is slow and inefficient.
Make a room with a bunch of incinerators, with emagged crushers + conveyors leading to them.

Gassing is more thematically correct imo.

I have one concern about making new zlevel content though.
If we make hundreds of different small structures, we're going to see alot of similar things, How many military spy outposts can there be? How many abandoned shuttles can there be?
When we make all these different things, we'll see the same items, same walls, same floors, and same themes. Right now with our few zlevel structures they're relatively diverse, A russian DJ station, a old derelict station, an abandoned satellite, an ancient ship, and thats about it.
If we see all these reused objects, it helps make the universe feel small and game-y, where as having items and structures for specific pieces of content will help make the universe feel bigger, where there's different crap for different groups of people, instead of the same items being used by everyone.

What we need is just a bunch of fluff objects, to help pad out the world.

JackHunt · Post by **JackHunt** » Fri Oct 16, 2015 2:14 pm #126896

Asteroids, shuttles, aliens, cults structures, changeling things, clowns, mimes, NT, Syndicate, Russians, Old Earth stuff ect, all have a reason to be in space. There is an absolute crap ton of content in SS13 and all you need to do is find a way to package it up neatly.

Bawhoppennn · Post by **Bawhoppennn** » Fri Oct 16, 2015 2:28 pm #126898

JackHunt wrote:Asteroids, shuttles, aliens, cults structures, changeling things, clowns, mimes, NT, Syndicate, Russians, Old Earth stuff ect, all have a reason to be in space. There is an absolute crap ton of content in SS13 and all you need to do is find a way to package it up neatly.

Yes, but I see just alot of similar things being reused between content, and just a huge lack of diversity. I still think there definitely needs to be some specific items for just space content, and maybe a few new wall types.

DeutscherMajor · Fri Oct 16, 2015 4:44 pm

Amish station. With wooden doors, and wooden floors, and wooden walls.
The reason its abandoned?
The outher "airlocks" are wooden doors, too.

DaemonBomb · Post by **DaemonBomb** » Fri Oct 16, 2015 4:58 pm #126943

IN THE NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE!
NEXT SUNDAY AD!
THERE WAS A GUY NAMED JOEL!
NOT TOO DIFFERENT FROM YOU OR ME!
HE WORKED IN GIZMONIC INSTITUTE!
JUST ANOTHER FACE IN A RED JUMPSUIT!
HE DID A GOOD JOB CLEANING UP THE PLACE!
BUT HIS BOSSES DIDN'T LIKE HIM SO THEY SHOT HIM INTO SPACE!

We'll send him cheesy movies! (Lalala!)
The worst, we can find! (Lalala!)
He'll have to sit and watch them all!
While we monitor his mind!
Now, keep in mind, Joel can't control,
When the movies begin or end,
Because he used those special parts!
To make his robot friends!

ROBOT ROLL CALL!
CAMBOT!

GYPSY!

TOM SERVO!

CROOOOOW!

If you're wondering how he eats and breathes,
And other science facts,
Repeat to yourself "It's just a show
I should really just relax!"
For...
MYSTERY
SCIENCE
THEATRE
THREETHOOOUSAAAAND!!!
(Breeoooow)

JackHunt · Post by **JackHunt** » Fri Oct 16, 2015 5:45 pm #126948

That satellite of love is perfect. I literally want to throw together a PR with all the stuff in this thread right this second.

Incoming · Post by **Incoming** » Fri Oct 16, 2015 5:47 pm #126949

Again if you guys who are actually taking the time to map these things could post the actual map files somewhere it'd save everyone a lot of work later

Bawhoppennn · Post by **Bawhoppennn** » Fri Oct 16, 2015 6:00 pm #126951

Incoming wrote:Again if you guys who are actually taking the time to map these things could post the actual map files somewhere it'd save everyone a lot of work later

I plan to make more things. I will send a .dmm file when I feel I did alot of things I wanted to.

Bawhoppennn · Post by **Bawhoppennn** » Fri Oct 16, 2015 6:12 pm #126953

DaemonBomb wrote: fun stuff

ayy.lmao

also why is there fucking rust in space and whats with the random rwall spots

DaemonBomb · Post by **DaemonBomb** » Fri Oct 16, 2015 6:39 pm #126960

The R-walls are because the satellite of love has a lot of texture and business, but I didn't want to make it too annoying to enter from the outside. I might remove the rust though, cause it is pretty ugly...
I didn't notice that diagonal walls like that existed. I'll fix that.
Anything else?
Oh, and I'll put up a .dmm soon. I got some other stuff I'm working on, and I put them all on the same .dll for ease of copy-pasting

Plasmaman Oxygen Fire
White Version:

More Plasma Version:

Spoiler:

Generic dead spaceship

Spoiler:

Bawhoppennn · Post by **Bawhoppennn** » Fri Oct 16, 2015 6:46 pm #126962

DaemonBomb wrote: I didn't notice that diagonal walls like that existed. I'll fix that.

They don't exist. I made them just for that.