The idea of the outpost was very good. I was hyped for it until I figured out it was just a fetch quest hub. Questing isn't really a thing that should be in a sandbox title let alone fetch questing. Another problem is none of the quests are multiplayer friendly, you must run dungeons and do quests for each person in your party. My suggestion is to use the only quest system (if there even needs to be one) in which quests are just awarded to you as you go along and are more of a tutorial not a chore. Use the outpost for shopping and buying ship upgrades, things of that nature. Maybe have a few quests and dungeons there but don't make them mandatory for progression. Starbounds open feel of being able to go anywhere and do anything is really held back with the new quest system, and I feel the outpost's potential was lost. Hopefully that is just a placeholder and new questing or even no questing is the future of this game.
The quests as they are are already going to be replaced with something hopefully better and not something as "chorey." But I don't think the game will benefit from having no quests at all. At the moment, having quests is one of the things that separates Starbound from all the other survival/build type games out there. I'm all for feeling like a bounty hunter and getting paid to do things, then kicking it back at relaxing in the home that I built or on my star ship cruiser counting my cash.
I agree with Xanirus. Although quests don't seem that sandbox-like, it gives Starbound something that deviates from the rest. The feeling of breaking away from the normal running around and enjoying something like a boss battle or collect quests that don't require you to mine for hours on end really can give some people the break from repetitive tasks. Sure more variety in quests and more things to do in the outpost are a given, but I believe they are going to be working on that before the full release of Starbound.
The quests seemed oddly specific and a chore, if they were more random, and more action oriented like missions it'd be more fun. Like 10% fetch, 50% Mission, 40% gags/jokes/in outpost easy. The quest hub is much better then proceduraly generated quests on each planet with each giver having a random quest fulfillment.
The Bounty-hunter thing is quite interesting really, maybe even an illegal arena fight show that you must make crumble from inside (wild idea, but doesn't sound bad inside my head ), I feel like the quests are indeed chore-like, I don't mind much the multi-player aspect for now, but feels like the game is missing a more intricate plot sometimes, since it's a bunch of quests, thrown in a boss, more quests, until you're left "only" to explode the hardest planets and talk play with friends. Making a comparison, it's better than a game that has nothing after the last boss, but less encouraging than a game that the last boss is only the beginning. I'm mildly aware of the situation of the game and it isn't finished, it still has a lot to go and that implies in a big potential. I'm also eager for a more concrete mod system/support for the game, not only as nobody wants to play exactly as others, but also as a feedback (like a mod being featured for skipping tutorials [ yes it exists but maybe it's not quite known/ is buggy? Didn't open it haha]). Maybe even an in-game choice between a more serious narration for roleplayers or a more "internet-base" for casual players, that would add a lot of trouble, though I think it would pay off well.
I see the words "using the outpost for something else" and I'm in. The outpost as is is pretty crappy and could be used for so much more.
not just bounty hunting, perhaps a job class system there could be a corispunding npc at the out post that could hire you to do a certen job and they would just be there all the time handing out randome missions that would some times take more thn one step like find a rare seed take it home farm it a bunch then take food out of it bounty hunter guild rep - puts out hit or capture missions food vender - wants certen amounts of rare crops ot food dishes weapon vender - sends you to find certin itams or weapons florin big game hunter - wants to hunt big monsters with you car sales man - build hover bikes and cars sell them to him or matirels miner - wants different ores and planit core just a few off the top of my head
I find it absurd that a place like the Outpost has custom signs store but no Weapons vendor. Especially if most of the universe is covered in hostile wildlife. Also , no guards? Even if theres no purpose for them its still better , it would make things look more legit.
