No Man's Sky

[draykorinee]

A bad game is bad forever.

Yeah, if this was 1990 i'd agree.

[stellvia]

Yeah, if this was 1990 i'd agree.

On the flipside of your implication: The ability to easily patch a game after release has often led to sloppy release quality from companies. They already have your money and have to fix just enough to not boycott their next game...

[draykorinee]

On the flipside of your implication: The ability to easily patch a game after release has often led to sloppy release quality from companies. They already have your money and have to fix just enough to not boycott their next game...

Yes, that is also true.

[grandpab]

https://twitter.com/nomanssky/status/736686755139719168

The hell is with people...

[Edge-]

https://twitter.com/nomanssky/status/736686755139719168

The hell is with people...

Social media, man. Literally the worst thing.

[Tech614]

https://twitter.com/nomanssky/status/736686755139719168

The hell is with people...

Umm, pretty sure you get death threats just by being a known figure on the internet. If you're going to be on social media you should be prepared for it and not let it bother you.

[Remilia]

Well, considering his follow up comment.

Tell me when its safe to remove the marbles and oil from the stairs. It's getting really cumbersome, and I need the toilet

Eh, he knows it's dumb as hell.

[draykorinee]

Social media, man. Literally the worst thing.

Social media man would be the best super villain.

[Ethenil]

Hey people, I've been hearing about this game for some time and it has me interested but there's still some stuff I wanted to know, and you guys seem like you know your stuff.

So,
How is it possible to create so many different planets with so many variables and still not overload a computer?
I understand that when you find a planet you get to name it and all and you'll sometimes come across planets previously named by other people, so is this a multiplayer game? Is there a chance you will encounter another player?
Apart from exploring and cataloging, what is there actually to do in this game?

Thanks!

[Remilia]

In order to create so many planets you essentially make a very complex set of algorithm with a seed for each. Taking the seed it generates the planet accordingly. How much it differs is very dependent on how complex the algorithm. It may very well be absurdly complex and we'll get some very unique stuff but we'll see how it pans out in reality.

[Collected]

How is it possible to create so many different planets with so many variables and still not overload a computer?
I understand that when you find a planet you get to name it and all and you'll sometimes come across planets previously named by other people, so is this a multiplayer game? Is there a chance you will encounter another player?
Apart from exploring and cataloging, what is there actually to do in this game?

My very simple way of understanding it is each world has a "seed" which is a random long number. The game performs various calculations on this number to determine things on the planet. So each time the number changes.. so does the planet. So that's how you get random planets. Think of it as a bit like those fantasy books where you make choices and skip to a certain page to continue your adventure. Each time you make a different choice at the start.. you get a different adventure. But if you pick the same choice at the start, you get the same adventure. It's like that. The calculations are always the same.. it's just the number that changes the outcome.

The game will only render what's near you and it's rendered based on that number. So once a planet is created and has it's number set.. that planet will always look the same when you approach it because just like the fantasy book example.. it's following the same calculations (path) based on the same number. I'm sure the game will store some data but it's not like it's having to keep billions of planets in it's memory. It will only store things you interact with and generate the planets based on that magic number I mentioned above.

Is there a chance to encounter other players? This is actually a very good question. The creators say it's very unlikely due to how big the universe can be. Personally I suspect it's not possible. Why? Because they'd have to do a lot of coding to allow players to engage with each other in game.. why bother if the chances of encountering another player are next to zero. But I could be wrong on that. My gut feeling is it's not even possible to see other players in the game.

And the goal is another good question. Apparently you work towards the centre of the universe but my biggest concern for this game is it's not got enough of a hook to keep players playing. Once you've explored a hand full of random planets I suspect the appeal is going to start wearing a little thin without some established solid goals. Minecraft works in this respect because you're always busy doing STUFF like building things.. making bases.. exploring.. making new bases. That sort of thing. I fear No Mans Sky will struggle in this department simply because of it's scale and a general lack of real attractive goals.

I could be wrong on all of the above. I admit I've not followed NMS as closely as others have. But those are my thoughts.

[Slaughty8]

How is it possible to create so many different planets with so many variables and still not overload a computer?

It's very easy. Properly optimized database structure + proper code and that's it. All is rendered on the players PC and is being rendered and derendered on the flow. You can learn programming and do this in a browser just to get an idea.

[glowpipe]

So many people gonna get dissapointed when they think they gonna get to a new planet every minute and never see the same planet. Guess what. They are randomly generated. They still follow rules and after a short while. You have seen them all.

I am most likely going to get the game. Less chance now that it comes out when legion does. But i think the game will be really boring real fast.

[Deleted]

Can you do anything in the game besides exploring? I mean it's pretty cool for a week maybe but after that my exploration days are done and it's time to kill some scrubs!

[kenn9530]

Can you do anything in the game besides exploring? I mean it's pretty cool for a week maybe but after that my exploration days are done and it's time to kill some scrubs!

chances finding anyone at all are very slim let alone killing people, the game is designed for pure exploration in a galaxy you wont be able to go everywhere, they may at some point add building and stuff but you wont really go back to other planets much.

[Morae]

If you ever randomly bump into anyone, you should try lottery. It is extremely low chance. Even if you happen on a same planet, it is very unlikely you ever meet since the planet are... you know, planets. They are huge

Also I want to point out that in my opinion based on the stuff we know, NMS is actually more of a survival game than exploration. For example, you need ammo. You need materials to make those. You need to go somewhere potentially unsafe to collect those materials. Your ship needs fuel. Your armor needs upgrades. You gotta collect all the materials yourself that may or may not be easy to get.

Even in space you might be suddenly just ambushed by pirates. Good luck if you have a fat science ship. You need to get yourself a new ships. You need to upgrade it. Get fuel to it. ect. All over again.

I have a feeling that NMS isnt going to be very easy game.

[draykorinee]

The idea that you can't meet your friends etc is the biggest turn off for me.

[Ethenil]

If you ever randomly bump into anyone, you should try lottery. It is extremely low chance. Even if you happen on a same planet, it is very unlikely you ever meet since the planet are... you know, planets. They are huge

Also I want to point out that in my opinion based on the stuff we know, NMS is actually more of a survival game than exploration. For example, you need ammo. You need materials to make those. You need to go somewhere potentially unsafe to collect those materials. Your ship needs fuel. Your armor needs upgrades. You gotta collect all the materials yourself that may or may not be easy to get.

Even in space you might be suddenly just ambushed by pirates. Good luck if you have a fat science ship. You need to get yourself a new ships. You need to upgrade it. Get fuel to it. ect. All over again.

I have a feeling that NMS isnt going to be very easy game.

This seems cool, but I think it'd also be fun to have a localizer of sorts so you can meet with friends.

[Karon]

Sad. No mention of the possibility of running into another, intelligent race. To me, its just not a complete space exploration game, nor realistic, if you don't ever run into another intelligent race on a planet. But I guess to each their own. The game looks fun other then this one disappointment I have.

It would be unrealistic if there was another intelligent species in existence at the same time as humans.

[Slaughty8]

There are ways to meet with friends and people will find out how to meet other players. Stop saying stupid things like "you will never meet anyone" because we all know people will race to the center of the galaxy and there there will be alot of people fighting over sectors just like in EvE Online. You will see.
You can have billions of stars but whu cares aobut the outer galaxy areas? people will race to the center, the amount of stars there is much smaller.
So don't listen to the guys who say "the chances of meeting someone are lottery-like", you will see by yourself that people will meet and interact, especially in the center of the galaxy, which is the endgame.