Hmmm, Remote Cameras?

MycroftCanadaNS

Hi.

I noticed lately that when you throw a flare you are locked into a cam shot which is why we are getting that wonky twisting & turning. Now I don't know if that is a bug but it sure made me wonder if you folks will be adding in remote cameras?

I place a beacon or camera, and I can access the video feed from anywhere by using either #1: The PDA, and/or #2: A remote camera PDA on a sub we create?

Just interested...

SteveRock

hmm this is a neat idea. technically, we could only let you look "into" one camera at a time, and there would be a bit of transition time. do-able though..will toss the idea to the team!

MycroftCanadaNS

SteveRock wrote: »

hmm this is a neat idea. technically, we could only let you look "into" one camera at a time, and there would be a bit of transition time. do-able though..will toss the idea to the team!

Yeah, just thinking how cool that would be. I was thinking how hard it would be to tie it into the tour player itself, and when you send out remote it would save it as a tour file, and you open a pda or something, and it would have the remote name, you click on it, and it would play that remote tour file inside of the pda (not take up the whole screen).

I don't know, I'm just thinking out loud.

Cheers!

Nairit

Sounds cool but not sure what would it be good for. What could we see on such cameras that would be useful gameplay wise?

Not that i can't come up with reasons, for example you place a camera by your kelp field and when at sometime later your proximity alarm goes of you turn on the camera and see a gasopod has wondered in and destroying your crop, so your grab a canister of gasopod repellant and head out... I can come up with dozens more ways to make camera useful it's just that at the moment nothing like this is in the game.

Also it seems logical to place such cameras on seaglides or similar rigs, add remote controls and then send drones into caves and other dangerous areas. To make sure drone doesn't completely replace the character - drone would only be able to scout, if you want to collect materials you'll have to go yourself and face the danger, but at least you will not be going blind.

MycroftCanadaNS

Have the dev team allow it, then leave it up to the imagination of the player. Sometimes things don't need to have a purpose as far as overall gameplay is concerned, it's about allowing the player to think of ways to make their experience more fulfilling.

For instance, take Morrowind, they packed in so may books into that game that it's mind boggling, and the majority of the books will never be read, but it's about experience, and the richness of the game world. Sure in your mind you may argue that having so many books is useless, a waste of time, but I disagree.

Take EVE Online, they gave the players the tools with no story to follow, and look how the players turned a lifeless universe into one of the most incredible online experiences anyone could have, and is still going strong. Now start to wonder if they decided that everything had to have a purpose, EVE online would not be the smash hit it is today.

Give people the ability to attach cameras, and let them decide.

Heck, even add in the ability to attach cameras to creatures, and monitor what they are up too. Attach the camera to a creature that lives only in the deepest recesses of the ocean, and only comes out at night.

Imagination can be a very cool thing when all you need to add is a simple camera.

dottedfish

Nairit wrote: »

Sounds cool but not sure what would it be good for. What could we see on such cameras that would be useful gameplay wise?

Seeing the list of hostile / dangerous creatures grow and also witnessing mean little surprises like volcano bursts in caves I'd say a remote drone would make sense.

Also a simple remote camera could have great gameplay impact if placed in front of a cave entrance / tunnel that hides a nasty life form like the one we've seen in the new intro video

Not saying it's a must - but I certainly like the idea.