While we’re talking about liquid drum and bass, check out Adam F - Circles for another chill vibe. 🙂

I started making snippets for mission scripts, following Rasauul’s guidelines.

Here’s what I got so far:

"Misison Trigger": { "prefix": "trig", "body": [ "[Trigger]", "nickname = $1", "system = $2", "Cnd_$3 = $4", "Act_$5 = $6" ], "description": "A typical mission trigger" }, "Misison Objective Message": { "prefix": "nnobj", "body": [ "[NNObjective]", "nickname = $1", "state = ${2:HIDDEN}", "type = ${3:ids}, ${4:0}" ], "description": "A mission objective message without waypoints" }, "Misison Objective Clear": { "prefix": "nnnull", "body": [ "[NNObjective]", "nickname = null", "state = HIDDEN", "type = ids, 21660" ], "description": "A mission objective that clears away the current objective" }, "Misison Objective Mark Solar Object": { "prefix": "nnsol", "body": [ "[NNObjective]", "nickname = $1", "state = HIDDEN", "type = rep_inst, ${2:system}, ${3:ids_text}, 1, ${4:x}, ${5:y}, ${6:z}, ${7:solar_nickname}" ], "description": "A mission objective that puts a waypoint on a specific solar object" }, "Misison Objective Waypoint": { "prefix": "nnwp", "body": [ "[NNObjective]", "nickname = $1", "state = HIDDEN", "type = navmarker, ${2:system}, ${3:ids_text}, ${4:ids_info}, ${5:x}, ${6:y}, ${7:z}" ], "description": "A mission objective that puts a waypoint in open space" }, "Objective List": { "prefix": "objl", "body": [ "[ObjList]", "nickname = $1", "system = ${2:ALL}" ], "description": "A list of objectives for mission NPCs" }, "Objective List Follow": { "prefix": "objfol", "body": [ "[ObjList]", "nickname = $1", "system = ${2:ALL}", "SetPriority = ALWAYS_EXECUTE", "Follow = ${3:ship_name}, ${4:distance_behind}, ${5:x}, ${6:y}, ${7:z}" ], "description": "Gives an NPC orders to follow a certain ship" }, "Objective List Break Formation": { "prefix": "objbreak", "body": [ "[ObjList]", "nickname = $1", "system = ${2:ALL}", "BreakFormation = no_params" ], "description": "Gives an NPC orders to break formation" }, "Objective List Stay in Range": { "prefix": "objrange", "body": [ "[ObjList]", "nickname = $1", "system = ${2:ALL}", "StayInRange = ${3:x}, ${4:y}, ${5:z}, ${6:radius}" ], "description": "Gives an NPC orders to stay in range of a certain radius" }, "Objective List Go To Ship": { "prefix": "objgo", "body": [ "[ObjList]", "nickname = $1", "system = ${2:ALL}", "GotoShip = goto, ${3:ship_name}, ${4:distance}, true, -1" ], "description": "Gives an NPC orders to go to a certain ship" }

Will update with more snips when I get more time 🔨

The complications are relatively minor, honestly. At least from my point of view.

I do have the expertise needed to re-create FL-like game mechanics in Unity, and there are several buyable assets that make it somewhat easier. However, none of them get that sweet spot of perfection FL did, and personally I’m annoyed by the amount of work required to get there.

There’s a great deal of FL mechanics in Everspace, which I truly am a fan of. I find it especially interesting that almost everything seen in Everspace can be done as an FL mod, except for the procedural generation and VR mode (that’s sadly so half-baked)

My idea for a TCM is inspired by the original intention behind FL and “the Sirius system” being just one system (like in real life), but with a whole lots of content in it. For that purpose I looked around, Unreal engine seems fit for the visuals I have in mind, but FL nowadays has so much ready-made things like planets and suns, and plugins that would allow me to make high-poly ships and stations. Things that would either take a lot of time to implement from scratch or would cost a bunch for a non-profit project.

So, I suppose you can see where I’m going with this. As far as any similar game can go, the capabilities are mostly all there already waiting to be harnessed thanks to this amazing community 🙂

I’m just wondering what else can be done, and how far can we take it to be called a standalone game rather than TCM. Except for the code base not being shareware, of course…