COMPLETED CG Upgraded Xeno Scanner Requires Resources (Trade)

[Ian Doncaster]

Are people simply not participating, or is the goal set far higher than can be expected to be reached?

Totals for the last five trade CGs - all the ones starting this calendar year - have been (most recent first, rounded off)

• 57 Million (completed slightly early)
• 20 Million
• 20 Million
• 45 Million
• 29 Million (completed very early)

So a Tier 1 target of about 15 million is not apparently risky on that basis, though it is relatively high in its own right for T1. Four of those had module or cosmetic rewards; the most recent obviously had very high cash profits instead, so maybe they're not completely comparable but then nothing else is either.

The last full-week trade CG with neither high-value cargo nor a module/cosmetic reward nor a really low completion target was back in October and got 15 million, so even by that standard this one is looking quiet: if we take the 11 million Inara prediction, the only non-competitive non-Colonia trade CG since they restarted in 2020 to do worse than that was back in April 2022 (and that was taking place alongside three separate and reasonably popular AX CGs, so "non-competitive" perhaps isn't quite the right metric)

It looks like a lot of both: the goal is high but not entirely unreasonable; this is combined with an extremely low participation level, the combination means it will probably be a rare miss of T1.

 

[Dogsbody_D]

That Gold Rush CG may be part of the trouble for this CG. It's not just that the reward is relatively worse, (I mean they could have at least offered a free scanner to the top 75%) but lots of folks did LOTS of trade running lots of gold hauling last week and maybe they're trucked-out and want to go and do something else.

Unless someone organised like Ida er... or Hutton(?) decide to push the "ALL HANDS ON DECK" button, then I don't think this is going to hit Tier 1.

It's not like it's a Rare Goods CG where we expect Full Fleet Carriers to come jumping in at the last minute.

 

[Kira Goto]

Totals for the last five trade CGs - all the ones starting this calendar year - have been (most recent first, rounded off)

• 57 Million (completed slightly early)
• 20 Million
• 20 Million
• 45 Million
• 29 Million (completed very early)

So a Tier 1 target of about 15 million is not apparently risky on that basis, though it is relatively high in its own right for T1. Four of those had module or cosmetic rewards; the most recent obviously had very high cash profits instead, so maybe they're not completely comparable but then nothing else is either.

The last full-week trade CG with neither high-value cargo nor a module/cosmetic reward nor a really low completion target was back in October and got 15 million, so even by that standard this one is looking quiet: if we take the 11 million Inara prediction, the only non-competitive non-Colonia trade CG since they restarted in 2020 to do worse than that was back in April 2022 (and that was taking place alongside three separate and reasonably popular AX CGs, so "non-competitive" perhaps isn't quite the right metric)

It looks like a lot of both: the goal is high but not entirely unreasonable; this is combined with an extremely low participation level, the combination means it will probably be a rare miss of T1.

I feel like it’s going to be more than probable miss. I wouldn’t expect another ~6.7 million tons to manifest within less than two days, even if Op Ida jumped in on the deal now. And they probably won’t, looking at the preoccupation of dealing with the Thargoid front.

Thinking about keeping a top 10% placement(top 10 is unrealistic for me) in case there is a decision made to hand modified pulse scanners to those in that bracket and above… not that I expect it, and just see the whole thing treated as a ‘failure’(but 10-11 million tons would likely be more than sufficient to make a lot of those scanner modifications, or use them for whatever humanitarian purpose the CG text refers to).

 

[Kira Goto]

You know what, I think I might see the issue. The trade CG only displays… four (4) tiers when viewed in the mission board. Not 5 like always. Gee, Frontier, we’d already be at T1 if it was correct!

 

[Rainbro]

You know what, I think I might see the issue. The trade CG only displays… four (4) tiers when viewed in the mission board. Not 5 like always. Gee, Frontier, we’d already be at T1 if it was correct!

There isn't a standard number of tiers, and none of the recent trade CGs have had five tiers. Most of them only had three, in fact.

 

[DjVortex]

There isn't a standard number of tiers, and none of the recent trade CGs have had five tiers. Most of them only had three, in fact.

I have the recollection of, during the previous CG, sometimes seeing a glitched display if the tier graph where tiers 4 and 5 were overlapping the tiers 1-3. I am kicking myself in the posterior now for not having screenshotted that. I just didn't think much of it and just thought of it as a very small strange quirk.

 

[Rainbro]

I have the recollection of, during the previous CG, sometimes seeing a glitched display if the tier graph where tiers 4 and 5 were overlapping the tiers 1-3. I am kicking myself in the posterior now for not having screenshotted that. I just didn't think much of it and just thought of it as a very small strange quirk.

I think I know what you mean, but it's just a visual bug afaik. The true number of tiers is reported through the games API anyway.

 

[Ian Doncaster]

I have the recollection of, during the previous CG, sometimes seeing a glitched display if the tier graph where tiers 4 and 5 were overlapping the tiers 1-3. I am kicking myself in the posterior now for not having screenshotted that. I just didn't think much of it and just thought of it as a very small strange quirk.

It's one of those bugs which is too difficult to reproduce to get past the bug tracker. (It's not even particularly difficult to reproduce)

It happens when there are two CGs with a different number of tiers active: you look at the first one (in the left panel display) and that sets the positions for tiers 1-5. You look at the second one and that sets the positions for tiers 1-3 ... and doesn't erase the positions of tiers 4 and 5.

 

[Shurimal]

lots of folks did LOTS of trade running lots of gold hauling last week and maybe they're trucked-out and want to go and do something else.

That's precisely me. I'm not much of a hauler in the first place and only participate in hauling CG-s if it offers something special (modules, good credits). This time there is nothing to incentivise me.

On the other hand, I'm having a lot of fun doing bounty hunting "protecting the deliveries", trying out different weapons and engineering and collecting lots of engineering mats along the way. Plus, combat makes me a better pilot, hauling not

 

[Untilting]

That Gold Rush CG may be part of the trouble for this CG. It's not just that the reward is relatively worse, (I mean they could have at least offered a free scanner to the top 75%) but lots of folks did LOTS of trade running lots of gold hauling last week and maybe they're trucked-out and want to go and do something else.

Yep, there are probably a few reasons which would contribute to a lacklustre turnout.

Hauling fatigue after the previous get-richer-quick CG
No unique or high rewards
Unclear benefit/handicap (in practical terms what exactly will happen if it succeeds? Or fails? Are rescue ships going to go offline for lack of polymers?)
Release of Another Game which people may be trying out

 

[Kira Goto]

Well, I guess I’ll go find the bullet because I’m not interested in having a forced cooperation with Sirius. He probably just wants all in on that info so he can make more money off advanced genetic engineering, presuming that that’s what the Thargoids have done to people. Nevermind any biomechanical tech that might be in their bodies.

… though we’d probably still have had to work with the devil’s associate regardless, even if the initiative here succeeded.

(Has anyone figured out if we’re delivering for the scanner or the humanitarian initiative yet? I’m more inclined to believe the CG text but whoever was writing the GalNet that followed apparently thinks otherwise.)

 

[Hellrider]

Oh no, CGs not always complete.
Personally I think that fails should be more common, usually they are at bars "impossible to fail". Maybe not in CGs critical for story, but for smaller fillers? Yes.
Anyway, if they created new module, which is IMPORTANT in story...are you all believe, that they will down it in toilet, because failed CG?
We can get it even thanks to "donates" from sirius

Anyway, it is hillarious, how broken CG with 1/4 billion per run had nearly 60m units (and probably huge amounts without joining to CG), and CG which still can pay up to 15m per run having serious issues with hitting even 15m units.

PS: in elite galaxy there is no such thing as "good guys". Some are simpl honest about not being good, when other pretend, that they are heroes.

 

[DjVortex]

Anyway, it is hillarious, how broken CG with 1/4 billion per run had nearly 60m units (and probably huge amounts without joining to CG), and CG which still can pay up to 15m per run having serious issues with hitting even 15m units.

Well, lesson to learn: If you have a yearly "gold rush" CG where every participant gets filthy rich, perhaps the next CG should have some other incentive than merely credits. (In fact, preferably the next three or four CGs.)

 

[Rainbro]

Well, lesson to learn: If you have a yearly "gold rush" CG where every participant gets filthy rich, perhaps the next CG should have some other incentive than merely credits. (In fact, preferably the next three or four CGs.)

An update to a module would normally be seen as a pretty big incentive. People are probably getting fatigued from that as well, though, especially with another module likely to be needed in concert with this one. Assuming the update will come either way too, which tbh it probably will.

 

[Scoob]

It's just incredible that they release a Gold Rush unmissable CG the last week, then they launch a totally delusional CG on the subsequent one...

Why LOL!

And the game was plagued by server issues that week. I literally lost out on Billions of credits due to game crashes (coloured snake) issues, and very long delays jumping / entering an instance. Put me off playing for a bit. Again. And I'd not long returned. I was really in the zone for a bit of lucrative trading too.

 

[Untilting]

An update to a module would normally be seen as a pretty big incentive. People are probably getting fatigued from that as well, though, especially with another module likely to be needed in concert with this one. Assuming the update will come either way too, which tbh it probably will.

But this comes back to the confusion over what the CG is for - I am reading it that the module upgrade is a given, the CG is something to do with prepping the rescue ships for the expected influx of pod people. What success or failure means in gameplay terms is unclear.

 

[Shurimal]

An update to a module would normally be seen as a pretty big incentive.

Normally, yes. But this module is a very specific one with very narrow use case in late game content not everyone is even interested in.

I've put ~3000 hours into the game, but taken only two very shallow and brief dives to a Maelstrom, just to see what the fuzz is about. I do have a purpose-built FAS for it, but just don't find that maelstrom stuff too interesting. Never even been close enough to the center to trigger the Titan pulse; have collected only a small fraction of materials needed for the caustic sink; don't even plan to get the pulse neutraliser anytime soon. All the action that matters in the war is many lightyears away from Titans anyway.

 

[CMDR X]

Minor curious detail, but it seems like Frontier didn’t just randomly choose the materials for the CG… at least, in a way.

Thallium​

Produced by: Refinery (Surface)
Consumed by: High Tech

Thallium, Tl, atomic number 81. Melting point 577K. It is a post-transition metal. It has a number of technological uses including medical imaging, infra-red optics and high temperature super conductivity.

Neofabric Insulation​

Used by factions as a reward for mission contracts.
Consumed by: High Tech and Military

Neofabric insulation is a material using complementary fibre structures to retain, or protect from, heat build up.

At least, I see a good case to be made for the medical imaging component of thallium. The neofabric insulation, I only see some vague connection to the heat conductivity component of thallium.

No idea what they could want the polymers for. I doubt it(glue) is gonna be very helpful to keep any of the rescued humans contained if they aren’t quite as friendly as hoped for.

Yea, I guess requiring Crop Harvesters and Food Cartridges for this endeavor would be kind of, you know, weird.

 

[DjVortex]

I literally lost out on Billions of credits due to game crashes (coloured snake) issues, and very long delays jumping / entering an instance.

How do you lose credits due to the game crashing? In my experience even if it does crash, it remembers very well your current status.

Or do you mean that you lost time, and thus were not able to deliver as much as you could have?

 

[Dogsbody_D]

All the action that matters in the war is many lightyears away from Titans anyway.

The Thargoid ships taking part in that action come from the Titans. The Thargboid-Zombie-Dalekmen-crabhead-hybrid ground troops we are all expecting will come from the PodPeople on the Titans.
Rescuing pods from the Titans will undoubtedly affect whatever-it-is Tharg The Mighty was up to with them.
Who knows? It might be part of the way that we get the Titans to retreat. Perhaps the super-duper-enhanced Xeno Scanner would have revealed something else on the Titans, like a 2m thermal vent

At any rate, the Titans are the epicentres of the war.