Subject: Gameplay and Balance Improvement Suggestions (from a Veteran Player)

[Denis_Ikkert]

Dear Developers,

I am writing to you as a dedicated player who has been with your game since its very beginning. I have lovingly watched it grow and evolve, but unfortunately, in recent times, I've found myself increasingly disappointed by several outdated and unbalanced mechanics. I would like to share my thoughts and suggestions, hoping that they will be taken into consideration.

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Overall Experience and Key Issues

I love this game deeply, but certain aspects of the gameplay feel unnecessarily time-consuming and cumbersome, negatively impacting the overall experience. Specifically, I’d like to highlight the following points:

1. Docking with stations and launching from the hangar.
In today’s world, where most players use SSDs, having to watch physical processes that could easily be skipped feels outdated. Perhaps speeding up these processes or adding an option to skip them entirely would improve the game's pacing significantly.

2. System loading during hyperspace jumps.
The wait time for system loading during hyperspace jumps feels too long and monotonous. While I understand that this time is necessary for data loading, modern server technologies might allow for faster loading or the inclusion of interactive elements during the wait to make it more engaging.

3. Flora scanning system.
The idea of collecting flora is interesting, but the current implementation, which requires repeatedly scanning the same type of plants—especially during long expeditions—can become tedious. It would be great if one scan could provide all the necessary information, reducing the time investment.

4. Carrier ships.
The concept of carrier ships is fantastic, but the maintenance costs (high monetary expenses) deter many players from purchasing them. Perhaps reconsidering this system by making maintenance less burdensome or giving players more control over expenses would encourage more adoption. Additionally, the long charging and jump times for carriers are frustrating. More efficient resource and time management for such important features would be a welcome improvement.



Content and Game Balance Issues

1. Removal of old content.
I understand the desire to add new content, but removing older elements, such as Thargoids, is disappointing. It would be great to find a way to preserve older content while integrating it with the new, allowing players to enjoy a variety of gameplay options.

2. Game balance
The game often seems disrespectful of players' time, requiring many tedious actions. For example, the new engine consumes more fuel, increasing the frequency of star recharges—a process that takes time without offering any engaging return.

3. Player vs. AI balance
Unfortunately, the AI often has an unfair advantage in combat, ignoring physics (e.g., mass factors) and exhibiting strange behavior (e.g., ignoring a player who helps them). Conflict zones sometimes feel like theatrical setups where laser beams just "dance" without causing significant damage. Often, only players fight in these zones, while AI merely simulates participation.

4. Resource gathering and reputation systems.
Collecting resources and increasing reputation with factions often feel repetitive and lack depth. Missions can suffer from localization issues (different languages in descriptions and on maps), and the weapon/ship modification system appears unbalanced.

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Suggestions for Improvement

I would love to see the game offer more opportunities for peaceful interactions rather than being solely focused on player-vs-player conflict. At this stage, the game often brings more frustration than enjoyment. It can feel oppressive, constantly placing the player at a disadvantage. I hope the game becomes more engaging, dynamic, and fair, so players feel truly involved in the gameplay.

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Conclusion

I understand that improving the game takes time and effort, and I am confident that you are doing your best to develop this project. My comments, based on years of experience, may prove valuable for future updates. I hope they help make the game even better.

Thank you for your attention and hard work!

Sincerely,
[CMDR Ikkert_Denis]

 

[varonica]

That's just a wall of text, the dev's aren't going to read it, and it's almost impossible for players to read it, please break it up into paragraphs to make some sort of sense.

 

[Darrack]

Dear Developers,

I am writing to you as a dedicated player who has been with you since the very beginning of this game. I have lovingly watched its development, but unfortunately, lately I have been feeling increasingly frustrated due to a number of outdated and unbalanced mechanics. I want to share my thoughts and suggestions, hoping that you will pay attention to them.

I love this game very much, but unfortunately, some aspects of the gameplay seem outdated to me and take up too much time, which negatively affects the overall experience. In particular, I mean the following: the process of docking with the station and flying out of the hangar - in modern realities, when most players use SSDs, the need to watch these processes every time, which cannot be skipped, seems superfluous. Perhaps it is worth considering speeding up these processes or adding an option to skip them. This would greatly improve the dynamics of the game. Waiting for the system to load during a hyperjump also seems too long and monotonous. I understand that this is necessary to load data, but perhaps modern server technologies can speed up this process or add interactive elements during the wait to make it more interesting. Although the idea of scanning flora is interesting, the current implementation with the need to scan the same type of plant multiple times, especially during long expeditions, seems excessively tedious. It would be great to reduce the scanning price, making one scan enough to get all the information. The idea of a carrier ship is great, but the conditions for its maintenance (the need for constant payments) repel many players from purchasing it. Perhaps it is worth reconsidering this system, making maintenance less burdensome or giving players more control over maintenance costs. The long charging and jumping time of the carrier ship is also disappointing. I would like to see more efficient use of resources and time for such important actions. I understand the desire to add new content, but removing old content, especially something as interesting as the Thargoids, is a pity. It would be great to find a way to save the old content and add new ones so that players can enjoy a variety of gameplay options. The game seems to disrespect the player’s time, offering many tedious and unnecessary actions. For example, a new engine that consumes more fuel leads to the need to recharge more often at stars, which takes time without offering anything interesting in return. The balance between the player and the AI, unfortunately, leaves much to be desired. AI often has an unjustified advantage in combat, ignores the laws of physics (for example, the mass factor), and exhibits strange behavior (for example, ignoring a player who is helping). Conflict zones look like theatrical performances where laser beams just “dance” without doing significant damage. There is a semblance of battle, but it has no real consequences. It often happens that only players fight in such zones, and the AI just imitates the battle. Obtaining resources and increasing reputation with factions seems excessively laborious and not always justified. Tasks are often monotonous and may have localization problems (for example, different languages in the description and on the map). The system of modifying weapons and ships seems unbalanced. I would like the game to have more opportunities for the player to influence the world, and not just be a target for other players. At this stage, the game often causes more disappointment than pleasure. It seems that the game does not allow me to enjoy myself, but only humiliates me, constantly putting me at a disadvantage. I would like the game to be more interesting, dynamic, and fair so that players feel involved in the gameplay.

I understand that improving the game takes time and effort, and I am confident that you are doing everything possible to develop your project. But I hope that my comments, as a player with many years of experience, will be especially valuable to you and will be taken into account in your future work.

Thank you for your attention and hard work!

Sincerely,

[CMDR Ikkert_Denis]

My eyes!!

O7

 

[Denis_Ikkert]

That's just a wall of text, the dev's aren't going to read it, and it's almost impossible for players to read it, please break it up into paragraphs to make some sort of sense.

So, is that better, dear commander?

 

[aRJay]

Dear Developers,

I am writing to you as a dedicated player who has been with your game since its very beginning. I have lovingly watched it grow and evolve, but unfortunately, in recent times, I've found myself increasingly disappointed by several outdated and unbalanced mechanics. I would like to share my thoughts and suggestions, hoping that they will be taken into consideration.

---

Overall Experience and Key Issues

I love this game deeply, but certain aspects of the gameplay feel unnecessarily time-consuming and cumbersome, negatively impacting the overall experience. Specifically, I’d like to highlight the following points:

1. Docking with stations and launching from the hangar.
In today’s world, where most players use SSDs, having to watch physical processes that could easily be skipped feels outdated. Perhaps speeding up these processes or adding an option to skip them entirely would improve the game's pacing significantly.

I am not sure these are loading screens as such, more like transitions and negotiations between connections. So probably not skippable, besides they give you the chance to scan ships and acquire data, as well as being nice to look at.

2. System loading during hyperspace jumps.
The wait time for system loading during hyperspace jumps feels too long and monotonous. While I understand that this time is necessary for data loading, modern server technologies might allow for faster loading or the inclusion of interactive elements during the wait to make it more engaging.

Again it is not merely loading data but negotiating a connection to other commanders already there to form the instance. Pier to pier remember.

3. Flora scanning system.
The idea of collecting flora is interesting, but the current implementation, which requires repeatedly scanning the same type of plants—especially during long expeditions—can become tedious. It would be great if one scan could provide all the necessary information, reducing the time investment.

It is a huge improvement over what was originally implemented but most people seem to want something more involving with a science feel than click once and move on.

4. Carrier ships.
The concept of carrier ships is fantastic, but the maintenance costs (high monetary expenses) deter many players from purchasing them. Perhaps reconsidering this system by making maintenance less burdensome or giving players more control over expenses would encourage more adoption. Additionally, the long charging and jump times for carriers are frustrating. More efficient resource and time management for such important features would be a welcome improvement.

The high monetary expense for a carrier is a myth or at least the cost is only a burden to someone inexperienced enough or not playing enough to benefit from one.
The jump time was reduced to the current minimum variable system under protest by FDev who wanted a more consistent and reliable 2 hours plus for the task of rewriting a space station and contents out of all the code for one location and into the code for another.

Content and Game Balance Issues

1. Removal of old content.
I understand the desire to add new content, but removing older elements, such as Thargoids, is disappointing. It would be great to find a way to preserve older content while integrating it with the new, allowing players to enjoy a variety of gameplay options.

Tricky as like the real world time in ED moves forward continually. Besides who said the Titans have been removed they are probably merely somewhere else in the almost totally unexplored galaxy. Thargoids are still about if you know where to go.

2. Game balance
The game often seems disrespectful of players' time, requiring many tedious actions. For example, the new engine consumes more fuel, increasing the frequency of star recharges—a process that takes time without offering any engaging return.

The new engine is optional, you can use the original ones even if they waste much more time in a system and are much less fun while doing so.

3. Player vs. AI balance
Unfortunately, the AI often has an unfair advantage in combat, ignoring physics (e.g., mass factors) and exhibiting strange behavior (e.g., ignoring a player who helps them). Conflict zones sometimes feel like theatrical setups where laser beams just "dance" without causing significant damage. Often, only players fight in these zones, while AI merely simulates participation.

Not noticed that at all, but then to be fair I don't do many CZs or encounter many players.

4. Resource gathering and reputation systems.
Collecting resources and increasing reputation with factions often feel repetitive and lack depth. Missions can suffer from localization issues (different languages in descriptions and on maps), and the weapon/ship modification system appears unbalanced.

Again as missions are an option I rarely bother with I can't say I have noticed the localisations thing.

---

Suggestions for Improvement

I would love to see the game offer more opportunities for peaceful interactions rather than being solely focused on player-vs-player conflict. At this stage, the game often brings more frustration than enjoyment. It can feel oppressive, constantly placing the player at a disadvantage. I hope the game becomes more engaging, dynamic, and fair, so players feel truly involved in the gameplay.

The game world is a dystopia that destroys occupied ships for parking offences, a few of the players are worse, but there are all sorts of groups that peacefully interact despite that it just isn't hardwired into the game.

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Conclusion

I understand that improving the game takes time and effort, and I am confident that you are doing your best to develop this project. My comments, based on years of experience, may prove valuable for future updates. I hope they help make the game even better.

Thank you for your attention and hard work!

Sincerely,
[CMDR Ikkert_Denis]

Much more readable, if a little jazzy, thank you.

 

[Ian Doncaster]

ignoring physics (e.g., mass factors)

NPCs always hyperspace out of instances, rather than returning to supercruise, which always ignores mass-lock factors when a player does it too.

I think the only thing that NPCs get to cheat on is that their multicannons aren't limited in ammunition (but how they'd last long enough to tell...), and at a more meta level that the NPC can just appear where it needs to be whereas the player has to get from A to B first.

but the maintenance costs (high monetary expenses) deter many players from purchasing them.

The maintenance cost is roughly 1/1000th of the cost of buying the carrier. So if you were planning to buy the carrier in less than 20 years, you already know how to make money fast enough to support it. There are individual missions, exobiology scans or trade runs (each taking <15 minutes to do) which can fund a full-service carrier for two weeks and a lightweight carrier for two months.

The problem with the maintenance cost isn't the amount (which is trivial) but the principle of it at all: reducing it to 1 credit/year wouldn't remove any complaints.

(I don't feel the maintenance costs actually serve a useful in-game purpose, but the only deterrence they create is psychological)

Often, only players fight in these zones, while AI merely simulates participation.

A very tricky one to balance, though.
- if the AI gets fairly quick kills, then the zone ends before the player has a chance to be decisive, and even a skilled player will lose maybe a third of their zones just because the NPCs on their side got unlucky that time
- if the AI doesn't get fairly quick kills, the player is the one doing all the actual work

I would love to see the game offer more opportunities for peaceful interactions rather than being solely focused on player-vs-player conflict.

Pretty much the entire game is set up around cooperation, if only because the unlikeliness of meeting another player in most systems without prior arrangement means you're unlikely to end up hostile. It's got one "competition-focused" feature - Powerplay - which itself strongly encourages a peaceful "first come first served" approach to systems, and building up your own territory rather than attacking others.

You can engage in conflict but there's rarely any point in doing so unless you like the fights in and of themselves.

 

[Denis_Ikkert]

Я не уверен, что это экраны загрузки как таковые, скорее переходы и переговоры между соединениями. Так что, вероятно, их нельзя пропустить, кроме того, они дают вам возможность сканировать корабли и получать данные, а также на них приятно смотреть.

Опять же, это не просто загрузка данных, а согласование соединения с другими командирами, которые уже там, для формирования экземпляра. От пирса к пирсу помните.

Это значительное улучшение по сравнению с тем, что было реализовано изначально, но большинство людей, похоже, хотят чего-то более увлекательного с научной точки зрения, чем просто щелкнуть один раз и двигаться дальше.

Высокие денежные затраты на перевозчика — миф, или, по крайней мере, их стоимость является бременем только для тех, кто недостаточно опытен или недостаточно играет, чтобы извлечь из этого пользу.
Время прыжка было сокращено до текущей минимальной переменной системы из-за протеста FDev, который хотел получить более последовательное и надежное время более 2 часов для задачи переписывания космической станции и ее содержимого из всего кода для одного места в код для другого.

Сложно, как и в реальном мире, время в ED постоянно движется вперед. Кроме того, кто сказал, что Титаны были удалены, они, вероятно, просто где-то еще в почти полностью неисследованной галактике. Таргоиды все еще здесь, если вы знаете, куда идти.

Новый движок не является обязательным, вы можете использовать оригинальные, даже если они тратят гораздо больше времени в системе и при этом доставляют гораздо меньше удовольствия.

Вообще не замечал этого, но, честно говоря, я нечасто бываю в CZ и не встречаю много игроков.

Опять же, поскольку миссии — это опция, которой я редко заморачиваюсь, не могу сказать, что я заметил проблему локализации.


Игровой мир представляет собой антиутопию, в которой захваченные корабли уничтожаются за нарушение правил парковки, некоторые игроки ведут себя еще хуже, но есть всевозможные группы, которые мирно взаимодействуют, несмотря на то, что это просто не заложено в игру.

Гораздо более читабельно, хотя и немного вычурно, спасибо.

Спасибо большое, что нашли время дать такой развернутый ответ! Даже если мы иногда не соглашаемся, вы открыли мне глаза на многие вещи. Я пересмотрю некоторые аспекты своего возмущения. Возможно, оно кажется мне невыгодным из-за моего незнания многих механик. В конце концов, игра замечательная, но, к сожалению, она на английском языке, который я только изучаю. Я русский оккупант, как сейчас говорят.)

 

[Denis_Ikkert]

NPC всегда выходят из подземелий через гиперпространство, а не возвращаются в гиперкрейсерский режим, который всегда игнорирует факторы захвата массы, когда это делает игрок.

Я думаю, единственное , в чем NPC могут обмануть, так это в том, что их многоствольные пушки не ограничены в боеприпасах (но как они могут продержаться достаточно долго, чтобы это понять...), и на более метауровне то, что NPC может просто появиться там, где ему нужно быть, в то время как игроку сначала нужно добраться из пункта А в пункт Б.


Стоимость обслуживания составляет примерно 1/1000 стоимости покупки носителя. Так что если вы планировали купить носитель менее чем за 20 лет, вы уже знаете, как достаточно быстро заработать денег, чтобы его содержать. Существуют отдельные миссии, экзобиологические сканирования или торговые рейсы (каждый из которых занимает <15 минут), которые могут финансировать носитель полного обслуживания в течение двух недель и легкий носитель в течение двух месяцев.

Проблема со стоимостью обслуживания заключается не в сумме (которая незначительна), а в принципе: снижение ее до 1 кредита в год не устранит никаких жалоб.

(Я не думаю, что расходы на содержание действительно служат какой-либо полезной цели в игре, но единственное сдерживающее воздействие, которое они создают, — психологическое)


Хотя сбалансировать его очень сложно.
- если ИИ совершает достаточно быстрые убийства, то зона заканчивается до того, как у игрока появляется шанс проявить себя, и даже опытный игрок потеряет, возможно, треть своих зон только потому, что NPC на его стороне в тот раз не повезло
- если ИИ не может быстро убивать, то всю работу делает игрок


Почти вся игра построена на сотрудничестве, хотя бы потому, что маловероятность встречи с другим игроком в большинстве систем без предварительной договоренности означает, что вы вряд ли станете враждебным. В ней есть одна «соревновательно-ориентированная» функция — Powerplay — которая сама по себе настоятельно поощряет мирный подход к системам «первым пришел — первым обслужен» и создание собственной территории вместо нападения на других.

Вы можете вступать в конфликт, но в этом редко есть смысл, если только вам не нравятся ссоры сами по себе.

You are right in many ways, if you watch my daily streams on YouTube, there are many such moments when an NPC appears right in front of you screaming - Oh, you scoundrel! And starts shooting at you for no reason! When checking, I don't have any fines in the bubble, I'm also not wanted, only in the Colony I have a fine and a wanted list, but where is the Colony and where is the bubble? This is very strange, since in bubble there is no faction that is in the Colony. You also often fly through the sun, then through the station - it looks terribly scary, if this is a game bug due to the player exceeding the speed, but the AI has already calculated the exit and hyperspace, then I would have made it so that the ship would fly apart so beautifully into pieces from the impact)) otherwise the whole point of this bug is lost)) and so it will be the raisin on the cake! A game with a surprise))