Hey, I'm new to Minecraft frontier, and the server seems like it has a lot of potential! One thing that I think would be really awesome would be having a strong influence from ships and trading. Historically speaking, the ocean has been the primary way of trade and the monetary influence it brings is very impactful. I think giving the ability to players to genuinely control real ships (maybe form groups of pirates or traders), would really make the game A LOT more fun and interactive. It could bring a lot of fun and dynamic gameplay. Maybe the ability to design and set sail on your own ships even. What immediately comes to mind with this idea, is the Archemedes ship mod, which is a good example of what I'm talking about. The mod allows players to build their own ship with its own unique design that they can then pilot and interact with the world in a really cool and unique way. I don't know if this is possible or if this fits with your goals for MF, but I think it would be such a cool core gameplay component. The necessity of crossing the ocean for trade could spark a lot of conflicts and alliances and make the server so much more interactive and fun!
@KanachoX I agree that would be really cool. However, due to limitations of Minecraft and how modding works. It would be too much of a pain for the users. Although, you never know what the future may hold.
Yeah, I'm not sure how much work it would be to implement something like that or if it's even possible without modding the game. Also, is there a place to register for the beta?
@KanachoX Yes, there is a link to register for beta. Head here for details about applying. If you want to go straight to google forms head here.
I think ships would be an amazing feature! It seems a bit complicated to add to a beta though. Buuut it is definitely possible without mods. There are a couple good ship plugins on bukkit. Maybe take some queues from them? Again not something I'd expect to see until sometime way into next year, but I think a lot of people would come flocking in just for that if it was ever added. Now if you'll excuse me I'll be thinking of a fancy name for my imaginary galleon.
@jamestiger When he was talking about Archemedes ship mod it is not possible due to modding. Sure there are ways already made. At this point they do not create the smoothest effect as it is jolting as each block must move one block at a time. That is why at this point in time it is unlikely to be implemented.
@KanachoX This is a great idea - and something I've been thinking about for a while now. The problem with the "ship piloting" mods is that they don't look that great. It relies on despawning and spawning blocks, giving you the illusion of a moving ship. Not only does it look a little iffy, it is also very demanding on the hardware. What I was thinking instead is sort of a "ship journey" experience. This would let you board a ship with other players and cooperate together to overcome the challenges of an open sea. It would not be so much about piloting the ship, but about attending to the ship in general. Some players would have to open up the sails, others would pour out water from the lower floors, some might plan the journey or fight off enemies that try to board you. I think this sort of gameplay would be really interesting - much more fun than simply using a vehicle to get from A to B. This is one of the more ambitious plans, so it will definitely not make it for the beta release. We have had some ships built though, as it is something we are considering in the long run.
This sounds like a great idea. Would be a good way to co-operate with players as well as make new friends. I'm guessing you would also receive rewards for actually keeping the ship afloat such as fish or maybe money for helping. Really like the idea though, sounds a lot like Fish Trawler from runescape
