Hello Antares! Now that the customary excited greeting is out of the way I start talking about something that's been bothering me for a while. Everyone knows that Antares is supposed to be a frontier sector, but you would never think that by looking at the colonies on the server. Now I know this isn't the best time to bring this up due to the surplus of colonies that have popped up, but I still think that it's worth mentioning. A frontier shouldn't have bustling cities and resorts everywhere you go. Sure you could argue that one or two could exist on a frontier, but right now a "peaceful and happy colony where no guns or weapons are allowed!" pretty much describes every colony. What I would like to see on this server is a colony or two that could be described by the words poor, shantytown, or slums. I've seen a couple of people complain on the forums about how they can't do much with an evil character due to their inability to carry guns and or various other weapons anywhere. A poor colony would not only fit in with a "frontier" atmosphere better, but it would also give some characters a goal of setting up a more peaceful colony or stabilizing the colony that they are on. A slum colony wouldn't have to very violent either, there might only be one or two incidents there a month, but it would at least open up more possibilities for rp. The last issue that I'm going to mention is what I believe is one of the main causes of the creation of the colonies that are currently being used in Antares. I think that many people who can build very intricate and pretty buildings feel the need to do so in order to show off their building skills or make a nice looking backdrop for other people to look at while role playing. There's nothing wrong with being a talented builder, heck I wish I was better at it, but I think that pretty, clean, and luxurious shouldn't be words that are used to describe frontier colonies. So in short what I'm asking for are colonies that better fit a frontier setting. (and no this does not mean super edgy and gritty, it just means let''s have less super safe and resort type areas) Thanks for taking the time to read this, I know my argument got a bit repetitive and rant-ish so I'm glad that at least some of you have read it to the end, I'd also love to know what you all think about this so feel free to reply and discuss what you would like to see in the future colonies of Antares.
Well, 'Evil' characters and colonies are two totally different issues with a lot of core problems that have gone unsolved. But I agree. We've always had a trend to have vastly prosperous colonies in the frontier. In most cases, these are quickly put together to fill space (such as Avalon, Gum, etc.) However I, personally, have always found themed colonies to have a better atmosphere. The industrial colony Liberty Mills, or the rust bucket Tetanus Fields. Even colonies like Avalon and Taranis, though not 'slums', fit in as themed colonies built to represent different racial groups within the frontier. All to often we fall back on generic colonies and even niche things like bars and restaurants. And while there isn't an ISSUE with that, it would be very nice to see things more stylized.
Honestly, what first comes to mind when talking about the frontier in space is neither a metropolis or a poor shanty town. Its this.
I've planned several ways in which I or somebody else could begin to implement this style of frontier but the majority of the server doesn't seem to care much for slow progress. Colonies just seem to pop up overnight, and even if they do wait for awhile its only OOC, there is no IC interaction for growth and development in colonies. Lots of factions do this too. While its acceptable that they have their operations everywhere it'd be nice if they involved themselves in colonies more rather than just advertise their services and products through radio and forum posts. I'd recommend them both to take the initiative. Set up shops in colonies or establish contracts in which you HAVE TO be present and roleplay rather than just say you did it and be done with it.
Prefabs are hard to do in Starbound and make appealing, though the Fracture colony did rather well. But that shows a good point. Our idea of the 'frontier' is skewed. A Frontier isn't the wild west that we're taught it was. It's usually a place of opportunity and even prosperity, though it may take hard work to reach that prosperity. Conflicts arise in the displacement of local populations and the struggle for limited territory and resources, but in a space frontier as rich in habitable worlds as Starbound, these two things aren't an issue. Someone settled a mineral rich planet? Fly three star systems over and settle there. Given that, in the game's environment, playing a bunch of space-farmers or other realistic-colonist-related duties would be rather boring (it actually sounds like an enjoyable forum RP, if mundane). This is especially an issue with built colonies. And usually it is handwaved by 'drone labor' or 'behind-the-scenes building'. But it's... well it's an issue because it discourages interaction and it discourages loyalty. If you don't have to invest any personal hardship into a colony, you're just a tenant renting an apartment. If that colony goes up in flames, someone's bound to build another apartment complex for you to move to. Security forces aren't anchored by loyalty, they simply leave when a better/different job calls. Citizens aren't contributing to the colony beyond paying rent for their home. It's one of the reasons I enjoyed 'refugee' colonies. Colonies that were ramshackle and freebuilt, but slowly refined overtime as the settlers bound together carve out a safe haven. But those days were during the youth of Starbound. Now, with all our cheat mods and material spawning, people get grand ideas to build vast colonies without particularly thinking about how to fill them or WHO will fill them. It makes colonies a consumable. They're not a settlement to be loyal to or a group to be friends with, they're the flavor of the week, and when that flavor gets old, someone burns it down and everyone moves to the next flavor.
I would love to see more colonies actually grow organically as people move in and set up shop. The Outpost has those shipping containers. Noticed that the terramart, the penguin bay and infinity express are all just modified shipping containers? That seems appropriate for homes to be built out of on the frontier. My faction world/colony grew as we had characters move in and buildings with functions we realised we needed. We didn't build it all and then have people move in once it was complete. Someone should make a single home, then someone else might be a doctor and move in setting up a clinic, then someone else might set up a security station etc
I'm accidentally doing this, actually. At least, a little bit. My character had a modular house built on one planet, and she's lived there alone, with a little lab in her basement. Other scientist characters are interested in helping her, and she's received enough attention and support for a laboratory to be set up there, which includes a small apartment complex. -theoretical below- As people move in, maybe I could make another complex, with the intention of housing more scientists. Maybe someone comes along who doesn't have a place to go and I offer them a place to stay. Maybe they set up a little shop, or start some other business here. People get attracted to it. He gets more employees. More apartments. Population enough for a bar, or some place of entertainment. -theoretical end- The birth of a colony? Maybe. If it happens. I don't mind if it stops at the lab. That's cool. My point is, though, that this could happen if done right. See, a colony doesn't necessarily have to start out as a finished product. Actually, you really don't even need the intention of having it become a colony. Build a little house, or a place to start your little business, and see where it carries you. The best roleplay I have ever experienced has ALWAYS happened by chance. I mean, planning stuff is important of course, but allowing a little chance adds variety, unexpected experiences, and sometimes unexpected experiences happen to be the best kind. STEPS (hypothetical): Solo build a house (maybe with a friend or two) Maybe start some business thing? People come, including clients and employees Employees need a place to stay, why not by your little house and business? Convenient! Have a housing/apartment complex built. Employees move in, maybe bring friends? Other people come for your low apartment rates? Someone wants to start their business here too? Sure! Return to step 3. I dont know. Maybe.
I really like where this thread is going so far and I think most of the points that have been made are pretty valid. I think was a really good point because when we say metropolis and shanty town, we tend to imagine those things as they exist today. But who knows, maybe as technology gets cheaper in the future a "poor" part of town could very well look like that. I also agree with felonius when he says that the average opinion of the frontier is a bit skewed. I think that if a colony was built without some of the more permanent structures and used some more temporary looking ones it would look better and look more natural than an apartment complex that suddenly springs up over night. It would also be pretty neat if a player's homestead gradually grew into something that could be considered a "colony" not only because it would look like a naturally evolved settlement, but also because it would be pretty cool to watch the areas grow over time.
This is just a theory on my part, but I think part of the reason you see places having these "no guns/weapons/etc." rules is because some people, ICly and OOCly, don't want to deal with the threat of Chaotic Evil/Stupid characters coming along to blow the place up "for teh evulz". I'm not going to list any specific groups, but I could see people not wanting to OOCly deal with certain groups who like to go around causing general mayhem for no apparent reason with their seemingly inexhaustible supply of disposable alts.
OOC crap aside, here are IC reasons for the firearm and explosive ban on Gryphon's Peak: 1. The faction consists of Glitch Knights, who's closest thing to a firearm in their arsenal is an automatic crossbow. The armour is designed to protect against blades, so the only thing that stops a Glitch Knight from getting shot to death is something thicker than him/herself, such as a stone-wall or a thick Greatshield. 2. Back in Taranis, the Order got their Inn and Apothecary blown up by terrorists. Obvious response was to make the new colony's beaming-pad be outside the actual city, so walking-armoury types are kept out. One could still easily sneak in smaller, concealable weapons, such as grenades, pistols, or even bigger firearms in parts inside a backpack. (mosly due to the IC tech-limitations with the medieval culture, and the OOC outcry against weapon-scanners). 3. Why on earth would Glitch Knights after aforementioned incidences trust outsiders with weapons in their home? TL;DR Glitch Knights dislike guns and explosives, city's made of stone and designed to put armed aggressors under severe disadvantage etc. I conclude my contribution to the topic with a good night, it's freaking late.
I understand the IC and OOC reasons behind colonies banning weapons, I just also understand that if no colony allows weapons then, it becomes restrictive to some people when they wish to rp as an evil/violent character. There were some people a while back who were wondering why Antares had suddenly become pretty peaceful (I guess it typically isn't?) and the only reason I can think of is that all of the current player hubs ban weapons. I think weapon banning is fine as long as there is somewhere that doesn't have these restrictions, and to my current knowledge such a place does not currently exist
This is something that a true 'frontier' colony might benefit from. In a frontier, you have to worry about things like defending yourself from animals and hunting, so restricting weapons would be detrimental to settlers. Banning weapons and monitoring population would be difficult in a natural-growth setting. Now, there are issues with people who play villains as 'I kill all the things ever!' If you want to roleplay a villain, roleplay smuggling weapons into somewhere if you want to use them in a settlement. That's still an option. Just make sure that the settlement's guards are aware that you're smuggling them in (OOC, if there are meta issues, call a mod), so that if you do decide to use them, things don't break down into "We took your weapons away! VOID! VOID IT ALL!" Communication is key, and fair play is key as well, guards.
