TextSpaced: An infinite and shared text-based universe.

Factors & Skills

The system for TextSpaced is based around personality factors, in fact the same personality factors that Raymond B. Cattell, Maurice Tatsuoka and Herbert Eber devised for the self-report personality test (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/16PF_Questionnaire). In total there are 16 personality factors that have negative and positive ranges such as reasoning, vigilance and warmth. Negative and positive in this case do not mean good or bad however, but rather how much of the personality factor your character presently exhibits.

Using warmth as an example, the more in the positive direction the warmth factor is, the more outgoing, attentive to others and kind you are. In the opposite direction, the more impersonal, cold-hearted and detached you are. In TextSpaced these have the same meanings to your character and through activity, training, room usage and 'criterion' these factors move either in the positive direction or negative direction. The scale is a simple -100% to 100%, with 0% being neutral. This can be conceptualised as a needle moving up and down a scale, with the middle being balanced. Sometimes when a factor changes, you will gain one skill point. You can use the points to unlock skills whenever you like, and skills to unlock become available at 10% increments of factors, for example at 10%, 20%, 30% and so on. The cost of skills to unlock is also the same as the absolute percentage, so a skill available at 10% will cost 10 skill points to unlock. Finally, some factors neutralise to zero over time these being boldness, imagination and solitude.

Skills are abilities or perks to unlock and can each be individually levelled, to a maximum skill level of 100 - or 100% effective. Skills are never lost meaning your factors can change over time allowing you to explore different play styles. Skills themselves can be wildly different things such as 'metallurgist', allowing you to mine more metal or 'wardroid' whereas an android you replace one of your arms with a directed energy weapon. Race specific skills are only available to characters of the specified race, these tend however, to be things that only make sense with the race - such as extending your life span as a clone, or data mining as an android.

The exciting thing about skills is firstly they allow a player to really personalise their character and their play-style, but they also allow for new skills too easily be added in the future to expand the game and mechanics available without hindering the player or causing regrettable choices.

In regard to factors, there is rub. Moving any factor will move all factors in some way but here are the major correlations these being:

  • Apprehension: Likely to increase vigilance and stability, while decreasing confidence and boldness.
  • Boldness: Likely to increase confidence and dominance, while decreasing apprehension and obedience.
  • Confidence: Likely to increase dominance and boldness, while decreasing apprehension and sensitivity.
  • Dominance: Likely to increase boldness and confidence, while decreasing obedience, sensitivity, and warmth.
  • Flexibility: Likely to increase imagination and reasoning, while decreasing stability and perfectionism.
  • Imagination: Likely to increase flexibility and liveliness, while decreasing stability and perfectionism.
  • Liveliness: Likely to increase imagination, boldness, and warmth, while decreasing stability and perfectionism.
  • Obedience: Likely to increase vigilance and stability, while decreasing boldness and dominance.
  • Perfectionism: Likely to increase stability and imagination, while decreasing liveliness and flexibility.
  • Reasoning: Likely to increase imagination and flexibility, while decreasing liveliness and boldness.
  • Sensitivity: Likely to increase warmth and imagination, while decreasing dominance and boldness.
  • Solitude: Likely to increase introspection and imagination, while decreasing liveliness and boldness.
  • Stability: Likely to increase obedience, vigilance, and confidence, while decreasing apprehension and tension.
  • Tension: Likely to increase apprehension and stability, while decreasing liveliness and boldness.
  • Vigilance: Likely to increase stability and obedience, while decreasing liveliness and imagination.
  • Warmth: Likely to increase other factors such as liveliness, sensitivity, and openness, while decreasing dominance and tension.

An example of this is when the warmth factor increases, the vigilance factor decreases as opposing factors are difficult to coexist. Additionally, each race starts off with some of these factors not at neutral, for example, clones start with less warmth and androids start with higher perfectionism. This naturally and elegantly results in the race having a tougher time moving the needles of these factors but it does play into what the race is all about.

The factors also allow for lots of interesting mechanics, and can be directly changed by 'criterions', moralistic decisions, completing activities and finishing missions.

A criterion is a special temporary event to you, which is effectively a binary story outcome - you would choose yes or no, stay or leave, in or out etc... and it would directly effect your factors. They pop up from time to time but disappear quickly if not actioned. A clear example of this is a vessel in need carrying valuable cargo. You could choose to take the cargo and leave the captain of the vessel to die, or to help the captain - your choice would then change your factors.

Factors

Apprehension

In its negative range you are self-assured, free of guilt and confident but you can also be complacent. In its positive range you are apprehensive and self-doubting as well as insecure and guilt-prone.

Boldness

In its negative range you are shy, hesitant and easily intimidated while in its positive range you are venturesome, thick-skinned and uninhibited.

Confidence

In its negative range you are group-oriented and a follower and dependent. In its positive range you are self-reliant and solitary as well as resourceful but can be individualistic.

Dominance

It is negative range you are cooperative and tend to avoid conflict being submissive, humble and obedient. In its positive range you are dominant, forceful and assertive but can also be aggressive, competitive and stubborn.

Flexibility

In its negative range you are traditional, conservative and respectful of ideas. In its positive range you are open to change and experimental being classed as liberal. You are also freethinking and highly analytical.

Imagination

In its negative range you lack imagination and are grounded, practical and solution oriented. In its positive range you are imaginative and abstract but can also be absentminded, impractical and become absorbed in ideas.

Liveliness

In its negative range the factor equates to you being serious, restrained and prudent while in its positive range you are lively, spontaneous as well as expressive and enthusiastic.

Obedience

In its negative range you are expedient and nonconforming with a disregard for the rules as well as indulgent. In its positive range you are rule-conscious, confirming and moralistic sometimes becoming rule-bound.

Perfectionism

In its negative range you tolerate disorder and could be classed as undisciplined and careless bordering on lax and laziness. In its positive form you are a perfectionist who is organised and compulsive. You can also be controlling and self-sentimental.

Reasoning

At its negative range you are lateral thinker but are less likely to be able to tackle abstract problems. In its positive range you are a faster-learner and able to abstractly and creatively solve problems.

Sensitivity

In its negative range you are objective, self-reliant and take no-nonsense sometimes becoming utilitarian. In its positive range you are sensitive, tender, intuitive and enjoy aesthetics.

Solitude

In its negative range you are are genuine, forthright but also naive and artless. In its positive range you are private and discreet. You can also be diplomatic and astute.

Stability

In its negative range you are reactive, adaptable and changeable. You are very effected by feelings and easily upset. In its positive range you are emotionally stable, mature and face reality calmly.

Tension

In its negative range you are relaxed, placid and patient. You can also be tranquil, composed and zen-like which can result in low drive. In its positive range you are tense, impatient at high-energy. But this can also equate to being driven and timely.

Vigilance

In its negative range you are trusting, unsuspecting and can be an easy mark. In its positive range you are vigilant, suspicious and skeptical. You can also be distrustful and oppositional.

Warmth

At its negative range you are more impersonal, distant and detached. But you are also cool under pressure and reserved. In its positive range the warmth factor equates to being more outgoing, attentive to others, kind and easygoing. You'll also enjoy participating with others and enjoy the company of people.

Core Skills

Although there are 110 skills to unlock and what ranges are needed to realise these are to be discovered, when you complete the basic flight training mission all the craft skills listed below are automatically realised, as they unlock new ship roles to command, expanding game-play.

The Attack Craft skill allows you to purchase and command attack role ships, started with the Fighter all the way up to large powerful ships like the Destroy. The Attack Craft skill can be realised when your dominance factor is 10% or higher.

The Construction Craft skills allows the purchase fo construction craft helping you expand your factions grasp. This skill is available realise when your sensitivity factor is -10% or lower.

Similar to attack craft, the Defence Craft skill unlocks defence role craft starting with the Frigate leading all the way to ships like Juggernaut. It can be realised when your dominance factor is -10% or lower.

The Logistics Craft skill opens up logistic craft such as the Tanker, ships designed to move a lot of cargo around quickly. This skill can be realised when your solitude factor is -10% or lower.

The Mining Craft skill unlocks ships best in class for mining starting with the Barge and moving up to much larger vessels. The skill can be realised when your tension factor is at -10% or lower.

Operations Craft allows you to purchase and command operations role ships, ships that provide superiority in the battlefield. This skill can be realised when apprehension factor is at -10% or lower.

The Recon Craft skill unlocks fast ships designed to discover new systems and head out into the frontier. The skill can be realised once your flexibility factor is 10% or higher.

Support Craft are vessels that excel in aiding others and their corresponding skill can be realised when your warmth factor is at 10% or higher.

Lastly, Transport Craft are centered around transporting other vessels or people and the skill can be realised once your vigilance factor is at -10% or lower.

Stats

Character stats known as EIDOS represent how well your character is able to harness an activity, mainly in personal combat. EIDOS stands for Evasion, Intelligence, Defence, Offence and Speed. The EIDOS stats range from 1 to 100 with 100 being 100 percent effectiveness. This means for example, if you have 100% offence that your attacks can be completely utilised resulting in the maximum amount of damage being supplied during personal combat.

Personal Combat

Personal Combat is combat between players or wildlife and not ships. With this type of combat the EIDOS stats come into play as well as a separate gear to use, with skills to realise new personal weapons that can be used as gear.

Metrics

Metrics give you an insight into your own capability to perform certain tasks. These metrics are influenced by your skills, your ship, any equipment fitted to your ship and crew. The metrics cover all sorts of activities such as charting, mining and trading. As you progress in the game you can focus on the metrics that matter to you, decreasing or increasing these via the means mentioned previously.

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