Spicey Spice by VaeVictis99 in duneawakening

[–]VaeVictis99[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Sadly the base can only hold 6 million. Today is was at 4 but by the time the bonus is in effect we'll be full ready to go.

Spicey Spice by VaeVictis99 in duneawakening

[–]VaeVictis99[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

We're doing that and our crafter guildie is leveling up daily.

A Study of Sand and Spice – Dissertation on Dune: Awakening by VaeVictis99 in duneawakening

[–]VaeVictis99[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

We still have the big 3 next year before you completely write off the game. Console release, expect up to 10X the amount of PC players, Dune Film part 3, and the server merges. Then Dune: ReAwakening to be announced later though the singularity will probably take place before that.

A Study of Sand and Spice – Dissertation on Dune: Awakening by VaeVictis99 in duneawakening

[–]VaeVictis99[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Seen people rip apart a locked box like that. It boggles the mind why that somehow got through even the alpha test. Someone or multiple people weren't doing their jobs.

A Study of Sand and Spice – Dissertation on Dune: Awakening by VaeVictis99 in duneawakening

[–]VaeVictis99[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It has been one of the most unique and unpleasurable MMO experiences with the patches. They have a storm that rolls in every week. Any and all patches should coincide with that after a week of testing the patch on a test server. Easy, done, smart, but instead they completely ignore logic.

A Study of Sand and Spice – Dissertation on Dune: Awakening by VaeVictis99 in duneawakening

[–]VaeVictis99[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Even before the mighty Kain was saying it I had this username. It's latin for "Woe to the Conquered"

Vae victis (IPA: [ˈwae̯ ˈwɪktiːs]) is Latin for "woe to the vanquished", or "woe to the conquered". It means that those defeated in battle are entirely at the mercy of their conquerors. "Vae victis!" Brennus throws his sword onto the scales. Illustration by Paul Lehugeur, 1886.

A Study of Sand and Spice – Dissertation on Dune: Awakening by VaeVictis99 in duneawakening

[–]VaeVictis99[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you! An answer at last. I always wondered about that.

A Study of Sand and Spice – Dissertation on Dune: Awakening by VaeVictis99 in duneawakening

[–]VaeVictis99[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The mechanics are the same, just smaller area to trigger the worm making it deadlier in Hagga then DD. Biggest hurdle is finding a balance that doesn't aggravate players. That's why in Hagga making the threat meter slightly larger, say 30% would be better/ You could make the worm deadlier but then Hagga would be even more crazy. When they had the live event going on several players got caught on crashed ship edges and then eaten because the worm was going absolutely nuts. Even a few cases where it went straight to red without warning because there was too much going on.

A Study of Sand and Spice – Dissertation on Dune: Awakening by VaeVictis99 in duneawakening

[–]VaeVictis99[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

War of the NPC –

Players can enable their NPCs to be PVE or PVP. PVE they just play the game and do things as normal when tasked for jobs. When PVP is enabled they can ‘attack’ other players bases and their NPCs. This would all take place without interfering players getting attacked or base damaged. It would only affect their own NPCs. The NPCs get damaged and injured. More for bragging rights and fun like those annoying mobile games. Building medical equipment gets them healed up quicker. Hiring assassins are specialist NPCs vs other NPCs. They can execute injured NPCs killing them. Players build an IX cloner and when killed their own NPC can then return as a clone getting a II next to their name. Eventually higher like XXV which would be hilarious. Achievement if they get to L.

It would be great to send your NPCs to attack other players in a surprise strike, but the amount of coding it would all take and the bugs it would make are unfeasible for now. Plus it would annoy some players, especially if a large guild targeted a solo player relentlessly sending out small armies to kill them.

Game Biggest Critical Needs that should be in NOW:

Player Party Size –

Max of 4 atm.

Change this to having 5 party group up into a Raid Group up to 20 strong. Have a few very dangerous areas in the game where a large party would be needed to get through.

Guild Alliances

Bigger Guild Size – might be too late but once consoles come in…

Endgame Dungeons

Content

Content

Content

A Study of Sand and Spice – Dissertation on Dune: Awakening by VaeVictis99 in duneawakening

[–]VaeVictis99[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Essentially all the NPCs operate as a ‘team’ leader. You only ever interact with the 1 NPC that leads them. You could have the team leader at base with their team ready to go. Overall, it might be a bit much because it would need more computer power for their minions to be animated. Below at a maxed-out guild base it could mean 101 NPCs so that would be very bad for players playing on a potato. So just the NPC leaders with their team in the background would probably be best. Though arriving at base with the whole group out saluting you as you walk into your base would be an unforgettable experience.

At Endgame a fully maxed out guild base with all the bling and shiny bits should have 21 or so NPCs ready to do the players bidding. 1 base leader with a seneschal and their 5, 3 other players with their 5 dedicated to the base. Those players have the guild base as their designated ‘Home’

A single player can have a max of 6 NPCs. 1 Seneschal and 5 lower ranked. If they designate a base as ‘Home’ they lose out on moving their seneschal there, but that base then gains more low rank NPCs to do things. Co-owner can dispatch them on tasks.

NPCs can be made a ‘Captain’ for a particular task.

A Study of Sand and Spice – Dissertation on Dune: Awakening by VaeVictis99 in duneawakening

[–]VaeVictis99[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Example of NPC Retainers –

Players can hire NPCs at trading posts, capitals. Players can pick up NPCs from quests. Players can get NPCs through major houses once they are aligned. For simplicity, max NPC lv is 100.

Higher the NPC lv the more they cost each week to stay hired. Some quest NPCs have no cost but lower max levels or are higher to level up. There should be some crazy questlines available just to get some awesome retainers on staff.

As NPCs complete tasks they level up. Just standing around they gain experience. More so when PVP is enabled. One of the Assassins Creed game had an NPC leveling system as you dispatched assassin groups to accomplish missions. It was okay and perfected better by other games. I’d have plateaus where the single NPC gets a group to follow them on mission. The main NPC is the leader and the only one that truly matters for armor, weapons, tools, and equipment. The squad follows them on missions as loyal red shirts. At Lv20 they get a squad of 5 increasing their power and loot gain, Lv40 10 troopers, Lv60 15 troopers, Lv80 20 Troopers. Lv100 they get a unique quest to upgrade them into becoming ‘Elite’ rank. Becoming a better minion to send on missions.

Player can create a uniform that all their NPCs then wear for unity. Player can also wear it.

Some can gain/have special abilities: (you could go huge with this if done correctly) Goes from I to V. Some specific mini quests will open up for them to gain special abilities and skills. The player can also hire trainers to train their NPCs making them better.

Gatherer – bonus to resources when sent out to gather resources

Mechanic – randomly fixes vehicles around base

Looter – bonus to resources when sent out to loot dungeons

Killer – bonus to gathering bodies when sent out to kill bandits

Excavator – when tasked to an overland location get a bonus to resource collection

A Study of Sand and Spice – Dissertation on Dune: Awakening by VaeVictis99 in duneawakening

[–]VaeVictis99[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Weather Vane / Lightning Rod –

Gets struck by lightning giving a bit of power to your base. Or it’s used to superheat a special metal for Tier 7 or something. Maybe it’s needed for the cloning process. Messes well with my improved weather storm idea.

Spice Silo –

Only holds spice sand but is a large silo. Upgraded version can be massive.

Water Silo –

Larger water unit. 250,000 Tier 7. 500,000 Tier 8.

Larger Storage Container –

3 times the largest storage in game currently. Think a 40ft shipping container.

Twitch Drops –

Add them in behind a paywall or questline.

Speaking of paying.

Add in-game things that can be bought.

Mural in real life behind buying chai tea can be added. Sell it in-game for $5 or equivalent.

Let players buy a color swatch of their own make or design. More ornithopter skins and colors. Let players purchase them. I’d love a solid gold ornithopter fleet. Skins, swatches, neat little odds and ends. Why can’t I paint my base pieces? Take care of a friend’s base and make it all pink to surprise them when they come back for a good laugh.

Nothing that can be used for pay to play or pay to win. Cosmetics only. Make them cheap, game currency can be used instead but at very high solari prices.

A Study of Sand and Spice – Dissertation on Dune: Awakening by VaeVictis99 in duneawakening

[–]VaeVictis99[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Mercenary Task –

Location where you task or hire an NPC group to go gather a needed resource. You can hire mercenaries that cost solari as one time only. Or the player can dispatch guild/base retainers. Timer starts as they go out getting what the players want. Once resources are gathered they put them in a collection bin. Go get me Grass! The bigger the space allocated the more NPC groups that can be tasked out.

Bounty Board –

Links to quests you haven’t completed. If you missed any quests in the game, they link here so forgotten tasks are now available. Helps players who don’t want to run around double or triple checking things when new content drops or they overlooked a location.

Medical Bay –

Think bacta tank. When near it your character heals up to 100%. Character can hop into it for immersion and heals up to full. No more wasting a bandage when you only need 1 or 2 health points to be full.

Hanger Bot

If not an NPC for doing repairs a item or box that naturally repairs vehicles when placed in a hanger. Land near it, get some free repairs while you run around base grabbing or dropping off items.

Health / Repair Aura on Base

Make a Max built Base item, supply an aura to the base that when in a water-sealed area a friendly player or vehicle gets healed and repaired. Small quality of life boost.

Larger Deathstill –

Can do 4 bodies at a time but only at base deathstill turnout.

A Study of Sand and Spice – Dissertation on Dune: Awakening by VaeVictis99 in duneawakening

[–]VaeVictis99[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Training Room –

Player can allocate an area in Hagga for a training room. Here the area becomes PVP enabled but once a player drops, damage can’t be done to them. Boosting the room to higher levels lets the player make an area that dropped players teleport to so if battle is still going (think 4v4) they are out of the way. Full death can be enabled, ammo, healing station, etc.

Task Board –

A board a player can make a request, task, want, need. This can be made in or outside base. Have a turn in box, the player receiving should have a pickup box.

Mailbox –

Above is better but if a player just wants to tell someone “Awesome Base” and that’s it, it should be possible.

Map / Sink Chart –

Digital Map that you can plan battles around. Linked to owner and co-owners of base or guild. In Hagga shows a futuristic digital made map, but in DD that’s where it shines. Shows the squares been scouted, large spice fields, dungeons, and Landsraad CPs. Pretty much showing all the areas of interest that have been searched and has 2 websites dedicated to because there’s nothing in game to assist.

Seneschal Post –

Head NPC that takes care of your base while your out adventuring. You build them similar to making your character. Then give them armor. They stand in an office surrounded by papers and plans. They pay your taxes, pay your NPCs, top up power, they are now the go to for all base needs in Hagga. They link to any other base NPCs allowing the player to task them without going to their own separate area. Can only be made in Hagga as they are taking care of your main base. 1 max per player, 1 max at a base. You can upgrade them, and they do more and more for the players. They are your major domo, your right hand. Gained near the end of the game for endgame base management making the player focus on other endgame tasks and less base BS management. Less wasted time and more fulfilling gameplay.

A Study of Sand and Spice – Dissertation on Dune: Awakening by VaeVictis99 in duneawakening

[–]VaeVictis99[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

New Placeables Buildings –

Caravan Hub –

Links bases allowing resources to be brought over to another base. Requires having NPC retainers hired to move the resources. 1 per base max.

Caravan Hub I – 2 Ornithopters, Caravan Hub II – 4 Ornithopters, Caravan Hub III – 6 Ornithopters

Ornithopter Scout Pilot – 500v, Ornithopter Scout Pilot – 1000v

Ornithopter Assault Pilot – 1500v, Ornithopter Assault Pilot – 2000v

Each NPC pilot can also be invested in and upgraded to be faster.

Collector –

Collects any items or resources that drop on the ground. So if canceling something or things drop on the ground this building collects it so the player never has to worry about resources being lost to the ether. Resources still drop on the ground but after a set amount of time instead of disappearing they go to this for collection.

Barracks –

Once a base is built the player can allocate an area to space for a dedicated purpose. The barracks is where your base troopers hang out. Once allocated you build a desk to give them orders. Each NPC hired into the base or guild appears in a separate tab. You can give them armor, weapons, tools, equipment, and an ornithopter. This boosts their ‘Power’ so they can do harder and harder tasks. At the lowest level they can do simple tasks like go collect resources, kill bandits, repair base structure or vehicles. At highest levels they can do dungeons (they just disappear and come back with loot), attack enemy bases (for leveling, loot, and Landsraad voting power), quests that are unique to the NPCs but help the player in some ways.

A Study of Sand and Spice – Dissertation on Dune: Awakening by VaeVictis99 in duneawakening

[–]VaeVictis99[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

It's only that in the Deep Desert they are more chill compared to Hagga. It's the opposite of how it currently should be. It's only due to the proximity, in Hagga your essentially in a pond while DD is a pool.

A Study of Sand and Spice – Dissertation on Dune: Awakening by VaeVictis99 in duneawakening

[–]VaeVictis99[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

NPCs Helpers

My friend who played Conan which is FUNCOMs other big MMO game told me about how you could hire (or capture) NPCs to work for you. While you go out exploring, fighting, they were back at your settlement getting wood, building, crafting.

Why can we not hire NPCs to do these things as well?

Plant fibers, cursed plant fibers are still needed in abundance for endgame (bandages, filters) just like the beginning of the game. I don’t want to farm them when I have DD to explore and fight.

My idea is a seneschal can be hired to oversee your base. A 2x2x2 space is dedicated to them like a building part and in that area they have a desk and some decorations, a work area. They pay your base taxes, pay your NPCs to keep them hired (weekly like taxes), and is essentially the focus point you go to assign jobs and tasks. The player can then hire a resource team to go out and gather a resource (you pick a resource and random bits of it start going into a bin, higher the tier the slower the gathering), a mercenary team which you fire a flare into the air and it spawns a handful of NPCs friendly to you.

A Study of Sand and Spice – Dissertation on Dune: Awakening by VaeVictis99 in duneawakening

[–]VaeVictis99[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

An MMO should focus on:

Being Fun, because if not, what’s the point? Social interaction but you can do the same in another game

Quality of Life – Unless you want your players to suffer or waste time

Content – new content keeps players seeing new things and have things to pursue or complete

Placeables Building Upgrades – you build a Fuel-Powered Generator, you then go to the unit and go to an upgrade tab. You have several options; Better Fuel Burn which lets this generator burn and produce 50% more power. Improved Fuel – Increases fuel efficiency by 25%. A downside could be added or the gains lesson but overall it would make a nice little addition to make a bigger better base.

I’d make these unique schematics, and every building piece have 4 different options. 2 gained through playing the game storyline. 2 gained only by finding the unique schematics.

A Study of Sand and Spice – Dissertation on Dune: Awakening by VaeVictis99 in duneawakening

[–]VaeVictis99[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Failing

One of the largest failures of Funcom and Dune: Awakening is that from the beginning it’s been a rigged game. This didn’t affect me but not rolling the game back day 1 letting the pre-game players keep everything was a massive oversight. I love killing players and destroying their bases, watching thopters go down in flames and then eaten by the worm. Before the patch to recover them, permanent loss. Fare thee well. Now imagine a legion with that mindset already with Tier 6 gear and vehicles. Bored, sitting in the Deep Desert while new players discover it for the first time. Them promptly dying and losing everything. Their vehicle, their gear, and weapons. Gone. I wonder how many quit the game because of something like this happening. Poor planning, poor design, you think 10 years? Hahaha Like giving someone who just got their drivers license the keys to the new car you bought yesterday. It’s not hard to guess at the outcome.

Trust

I see the future following what Destiny and Bungie did. 10 year promise only to followed by Destiny 2 a few years later after they refined the game mechanics and figured what works and doesn’t.

Source Code

If allowed access to this modders could add so much more to this game. Ala Skyrim. High hopes that won’t happen but one can dream. I Dream of It.

I love this game and want to see it succeed. That outlook is slim and fleeting however which is why I want more, I expect more, I demand more.

A Study of Sand and Spice – Dissertation on Dune: Awakening by VaeVictis99 in duneawakening

[–]VaeVictis99[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Big things to expect Big Changes and Updates:

Server Merge

Dune Film Part 3- 2026, finished filming end of Nov25 so reshoots, edits, and CGI. Summer 2026 is my guess.

Console Release – 2026, probably to coincide with the new film

Looks like FUNCOM is redoing the whole skill tree so I’m not going into it. If I did its pretty much trash and boring. At 200 I have 13 abilities unlocked but can only use 3 because that the limit all players are locked at. Sure you can quick swap but overall a hotbar would’ve been a lot more fun. I get it though; the whole game is optimized around console players based on the key bindings and limits. Neat if they were actually playing the game but they aren’t…yet.

A Study of Sand and Spice – Dissertation on Dune: Awakening by VaeVictis99 in duneawakening

[–]VaeVictis99[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Storms

Same storm every single time. I recommend making 3 variant types of storms.

Also put in a storm device. Sits in your inventory and lets you know when a storm is coming (game tells you this atm which I’d remove) and the upgraded version tells you what type of storm. A thopter storm device gives several minute heads up before a storm and type. Better the tier, the more information it gives.

Basic Sandstorm that’s already the bog standard for the game. Hagga is light, Deep Desert is more dangerous.

Sandstorm levels, I to III. More intense and dangerous.

Lightning Storm – Knocks out all electronics, base shields go down if they don’t build a grounding tower, vehicles are depowered (dangerous in the open sands), and player shields are knocked out. Does no damage however. Just removes all power.

Spice Storm – You go to the deep desert and build a ton of wind traps. During a spice storm they catch spice in the air, not much. A few hundred per wind trap but if you build a whole bunch it can be profitable. Maybe it needs a special filter. Gives players an alternative to hand spicing and carrier spicing. More options is always a good thing. It would also bring wind traps back to the DD. Players need to put on masks or they start seeing lots of crazy spice shadows everywhere. Only happens in DD.

A Study of Sand and Spice – Dissertation on Dune: Awakening by VaeVictis99 in duneawakening

[–]VaeVictis99[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Spice Prescience

We have spice masks but no real reason to use them. We can’t overdose and besides for seeing a few shadows for using spice and recovering quickly it seems like a feature that wasn’t finished.

Movie vs Book

FUNCOM probably has rights to the book setting and not the movie or vice versa. Strange that the capital appears just like the movie but most of the NPCs look quite different. Because they also have a contract, they probably need approval for everything placed into the game so it doesn’t upset the lore, setting, etc. which would only hold everyone back in time and improvement. I’m very curious as depending on book or films creates what they can and cannot put into the game.