Osmos Suggestions, Improvements & Wishlists

[jeffplum]

Ok, I've decided to start a section where you all post your favourite ideas for improvements or options you would like to see. At the moment I can think of three things: a level editor/sandbox would be amazing fun for those who have completed the main game. I think invisble motes/black holes would be interesting too. Also, as I've mentioned in another thread, the option to switch on "expanded" time options - extreme slowdown and extreme speed-up.

So, I'd love to hear what everyone else would like to see. They can be as crazy as you like - this is a wishlist!

[lordnikon]

i think the next "must have" feature should be quite simply a third dimension imagine epicycles with a z-axis too maybe osmos 2?

as has been said elsewhere i'm sure, some kind of "ever-lasting free mode" would be good; am i alone in getting a little sad when i finish a level/become the hugest?

[Richard H]

I'm trying hard to imagine epicycles in the 3rd dimension as suggested. What perspective would you be looking at it from? Usually a successful conversion to 3D involves taking the characters and gameworld and transplanting them into a different play mechanic. But there's no rules, only exceptions. And yeah, I often keep eating once I'm through as I'm even a little surprised to have finished the level so quickly. I think the auto zoom out, while a good feature, sometimes makes me forget how big my sphere has become.

I think the level editor suggested here might be interesting. While I probably wouldn't take the time to make many levels myself I'm sure it would be interesting to see what levels a wider community might come up with. Especially when freed from the constraints and expectations of having to maintain the quality of the original levels. I imagine the current level design system might consist of placing key objects and setting their velocities and then seeding the rest according to a few parameters so part of design might be just trying out lots of different seeds to see which works best.

Just some extra levels would be good. While there is much that can be done just with the current system there might be some interesting AI variations to explore as well.

Multiplayer might be interesting. Though I can see a lot of reasons why it wouldn't be so good as well. Its the kind of game that just encourages you to explore but there's little time for that when you have an unpredictable human oppenent breathing down your neck.

[Richard H]

Thinking about multiplayer a little more, co-op would also be an option. The question would still remain as to whether there would be enough people that would want to play it that way to legitimise time spent overcoming all the difficulties involved in synchronising so many physical objects. But I digress ....

[spamalot]

How about a mote state change?

Example: Press a button or pick something up that makes your shell hard temporarily so you can bump into (larger?) motes to fling them away.



Mentioned this before, but for order's sake posting it again:
Maybe add a mote crash-system and tweaking the momentum calculations?

Examples:
- Two motes collide not exactly head-on. The resulting mote takes the momentum average of both... but it should also take in the collision angle so the speed vectors can result in a sideways trajectory as a result.
- Also, if two motes collide at high speed, maybe make them separable, as in make their cores spin around each other and rip out a smaller mote as a result instead of just melting the two.
- Mote spinning: Angled collisions could also result in a rotation of the resulting mote. Too large spin could then result in the mote splitting up instead of just growing and growing. (Maybe a hint at infinity levels?)



How about warping?
I know this takes out much of the beautiful simplicity, but some kind of "tunnelling effect" to warp through a larger mote blocking access to another area.


How about wall mazes?

[jeffplum]

I wanted to build some anti-matter mazes, that's why I wish there was a level editor or a sandbox to play with.

The natural progression in difficulty and maintaining interest would obviously be different combinations of motes on the same screen. For example, combinations could include: attractors and repulsors; attractors and AI motes; the Ferax and anti-matter motes. I could go on. Osmos development team, if you're reading this, you can ask me to design some new levels for you if you like! I'll draw you some diagrams!

[eddybox]

Hi everyone,

We're listening, and a level editor is high on our wish-list as well. Right now we're on support and the review/interview circuit full-time, but once that settles down...

@jeffplum: If you're up for some quick sketches, I'd love to see what you have in mind -- it may help us decide what kind of features to put into an editor.

Thanks, and keep the wish-list going...
Eddy

[Bulska]

I was also thinking about a level editor and multiplayer.
I was thinking of multiplayer so I can compete against my brother as I would compete against the Ferax.

Maybe add anti-matter AI motes? And the ability in multiplayer to put one player as matter and another as an anti-matter mote.

I see a lot of variation in multiplayer levels too... who of the players can become the biggest in a Impasse, Ambient, Zen Attractor or Deadly Ecology level?
I think small numbers of players should be most entertaining, too many will become chaotic.
I really see no way how to make a coöp multiplayer... so far I've seen each mote independant from another.

Normally I share my steam account with my brother, which uses the same PC's as I do, but we had to purchase an extra copy of Garry'smod in order to play the game multiplayer. If you imply the same for Osmos multiplayer, it could be worthwhile making multiplayer code. (Note: Just a thought)

Giving your lifeform more abilities could be interresting, such as hardening or forming gravity wells. Although I do enjoy the simplicity of this game, the freedom of extending the possibilities of your mote would be enjoyable.

[Shredding Day]

Spamalot's suggestion of player mote state changes sound interesting. To build on that suggestion, maybe a level where the other blobs alternate between matter and antimatter or a central gravity mote that goes from "attract" to "repel" and back.

I'd also like to see more Sentient stages if the developers have any more ideas for that.

[HoosTrax]

It'd be kind of cool to see either an in-game encyclopedia or a separate Wiki that describes the different types of motes and their abilities. Also maybe include some basic info on physics principles (mass, gravitational pull, momentum, etc).