Elite Dangerous | Powerplay 2.0 Questions and Answers

[Ian Doncaster]

I think that if a "chain" is chopped off at some point the territory will smimply stay as an exclave of that Power.

Perhaps - though that still doesn't rule out it becoming impossible/harder to reinforce systems in that exclave.

so even a single CMDR will make an impact if he's not countered by another player

If you have to get a system all the way from "Control" to "Stronghold" in a single week then that might end up being possible to fail even without other players pushing it the other way - but yes, the opposition won't quite be as predictable as in the Thargoid sim.

But then we will have the new UI that FDev said that will somehow "guide" players where they are needed the most

There certainly needs to be some coordination mechanism, given that potentially it's otherwise a 20,000-front battle, but I suspect it's mostly going to need to be player driven. "Which existing systems are being attacked the most" is easy enough to report on, but just serves to encourage turtling ... everything else I can't see an easy metric for which won't just lead to strongholding everything next to the HQ because everyone's pretending to be a Thargoid.

 

[Nowski]

I don't think this will be the case: considering the current situation there's plenty of bubbles unconnected already, I think that if a "chain" is chopped off at some point the territory will smimply stay as an exclave of that Power.

There's a relevant bit in Arf's interrogation of the design team: (link should go to 12:03 )

Arf:

So we've gone into a system we've exploited it and we've done that from a fortified system ... what happens if that fortified system changes power? ...

Zac:

That will depend on whether you have another system nearby that can help support the exploited systems ... If you don't have a system nearby that can help support them and protect them then you will lose them if one of your fortified systems for example gets demoted to an exploited system

Arf:

so ... you can expand quickly but there is a risk to that because if you just start daisy chaining systems you could have a break in that chain and then a lot of systems can fall ... out of the way pretty quickly if .. you're not ... creating supporting systems?

Zac:

[nods in agreement]

 

[Bard Voronwe]

There's a relevant bit in Arf's interrogation of the design team: (link should go to 12:03 )

Arf:


Zac:


Arf:


Zac:

The exploited systems behaviour is one of the things that's not been yet clarified in Powerplay 2.
Apparently fortified and stronghold systems will have a "sphere" that will allow systems to be exploited, but the same systems will automatically become uncontrolled as soon the fortified/stronghold system is lost.
I guess the confusion resides mostly in the name chosen (exploited) which is actually a "fixed" state in current Powerplay. I really, really, REALLY hope that an exhaustive guide is gonna be released at least one week before PP2 is out.

 

[Rubbernuke]

It will be interesting too if certain steps have more weighting, and that it gets harder to maintain strongholds.

 

[Rebel Yell]

Decentralisation means that there's no more powers friendly to others, unless FDEV structures the framework in a way to avoid certain overlaps... i.e. we can't exclude, at the moment, clashes between Hudson and Winters, Kaine and Mahon, or Duval and Torval even if the "so-called-gatekeepers" (leadership) are not looking to foster such clashes, where instead a bulky part of their pledged players' base goes for fostering them.

 

[Rubbernuke]

Decentralisation means that there's no more powers friendly to others, unless FDEV structures the framework in a way to avoid certain overlaps... i.e. we can't exclude, at the moment, clashes between Huston and Winters, Kaine and Mahon, or Duval and Torval even if the "so-called-gatekeepers" (leadership) are not looking to foster such clashes, where instead a bulky part of their pledged players' base goes for fostering them.

V2 very much needs to be

and much less

 

[aRJay]

If it is all going to be choreographed and staged then the more realistic approach of the second example would be better surely.
I know ED is just a game but it should have a feeling of realty.

 

[SergMx]

the opposition won't quite be as predictable as in the Thargoid sim.

I agree, we already knew about the attack on SD a month in advance.

 

[Darkfyre99]

V2 will allow 'individual ambition, initiative, and effort' but in the end it will still require people to be guided to places to focus effort. The difference is rival expansions won't screw up others.

Will players really need to be “guided,” though?

For my personal PowerPlay campaign, I need to keep track of only two things: my target system, and the fortified/stronghold system which covers it… and that assumes I’m not perfectly content with undermining other Powers activities in my target instead.

 

[Wily Rites]

V2 very much needs to be

and much less

Something like this might be a little more authentic:

The training for which of course, starts with yoga.

 

[Rubbernuke]

Will players really need to be “guided,” though?

For my personal PowerPlay campaign, I need to keep track of only two things: my target system, and the fortified/stronghold system which covers it… and that assumes I’m not perfectly content with undermining other Powers activities in my target instead.

It depends on how macro or micro you want to go (and its great the system allows both)- if you are content with doing your own local thing thats fine- many like co-coordinating with others to see a bigger picture though and thats where large groups come in.

Time will tell if lone wolves will see value in remaining lone wolves if effort comes to nothing in V2.

 

[Cosmo]

Those Commanders who'd prefer to treat Elite Dangerous as Euro Truck Simulator In Space aren't going to like that change.

The space truckers won't join Powerplay if there's not enough benefits. They usually play in solo mode. So the only risks for truckers in PP are NPCs of hostile powers.

 

[Rebel Yell]

Will players really need to be “guided,” though?

We have too few elements to answer to that question right now... we reckon that's matter is subject whether we have (as a premise) the possibility to share/send "guidelines" to the broadest possible players' (pledged) base, hence I do think that "powerplay communities" will have their role in the PP 2.0 but... really need to be “guided" the answer is "no" there shall no need for a "guide".

I mean, if the framework is going to promote decentralization, with sufficient dynamic mechanics... the "guidance" can be very local... where a big group of players follows its "guide" toward a direction which is not necessarly the same shared/agreed with other groups within the same power and/or with the rest of the powerplay community. A specific group in PP 2.0 may blaze its trail in powerplay in total autonomy/independence from such communities... whilst in PP 1.0 we do have powers which have litterally flattened to become unrelevant, because of the games of puppets.

There's not much that powerplay communities can do at that point... apart for aggregating players with same pledge and provide assistance/support along the direction(s) the power is taking. As I said in one of my Cycle reports, it's not a "lead driven to a direction" powerplay but a "direction driven" powerplay... where the direction(s) is(are) the sum of all the activities the pledged players decide to do.

 

[Rubbernuke]

 

[Bard Voronwe]

Everything will depend on how currently allied Powers will behave between each other.

If these Powers will be able to undermine each other and struggle for dominion over the same systems (even if in a more political way), the natural consequence is that those Powerplay communities are going inevitably to split, because they would become actually enemies, or at least "competitors".
Right now there's basically three major communities (Alliance, Empire, Federation) and 4 smaller ones (Kumo, Syrius, Utopia and Grom), I expect this situation to change in 12 independent communities, one for each Power.
The decentralization that seems will be a major characteristic of Powerplay 2 will make difficult (if even impossible) to maintain reliable diplomatic relationships between the different Powers, the only kind of diplomatic relationships will be between the communities supporting each Power and they will probably never represent a Power as a whole.

That's assuming that Allied Powers will be able to attack each other of course, which I believe (and hope) they will be able to, because a consequence might be people pledging other Powers to free systems for the Power of their own, and that would be a silly thing gameplay wise.

 

[Bard Voronwe]

The space truckers won't join Powerplay if there's not enough benefits. They usually play in solo mode. So the only risks for truckers in PP are NPCs of hostile powers.

I understand that particular factor (the new NPC security) is one of the biggest issues for that part of community. Basically they are afraid to be ganked by NPCs.
About the benefits... Powerplay will grant PLENTY of them, specifically:

• access to all modules
• bonuses
• weekly CG like competition (with even Arx as a reward)
• no merits decay -> such benefits are granted as long as you stay pledged

So yeah, there's gonna be PLENTY of individual reasons to stay pledged. Which is the reason why some people are bragging about being hasseled by Powerplay 2 being more "intrusive" gameplay wise than Powerplay 1.

 

[Rubbernuke]

Everything will depend on how currently allied Powers will behave between each other.

If these Powers will be able to undermine each other and struggle for dominion over the same systems (even if in a more political way), the natural consequence is that those Powerplay communities are going inevitably to split, because they would become actually enemies, or at least "competitors".
Right now there's basically three major communities (Alliance, Empire, Federation) and 4 smaller ones (Kumo, Syrius, Utopia and Grom), I expect this situation to change in 12 independent communities, one for each Power.
The decentralization that seems will be a major characteristic of Powerplay 2 will make difficult (if even impossible) to maintain reliable diplomatic relationships between the different Powers, the only kind of diplomatic relationships will be between the communities supporting each Power and they will probably never represent a Power as a whole.

That's assuming that Allied Powers will be able to attack each other of course, which I believe (and hope) they will be able to, because a consequence might be people pledging other Powers to free systems for the Power of their own, and that would be a silly thing gameplay wise.

Making all territory hostile would be a start, since everyone is out to be 'the best'.

What I'd love to see is the highest ranked power of that superpower group to be the only bonuses active for that superpower- so that there is then a reason for Imps, Feds and Alliance to fight to be top.

So if ALD, Kaine and Winters were the highest, they'd be the ones who 'lead' and impose the rewards for the Feds, Imps and Alliance.

 

[Bard Voronwe]

What I'd love to see is the highest ranked power of that superpower group to be the only bonuses active for that superpower- so that there is then a reason for Imps, Feds and Alliance to fight to be top.

Well that would be a little too much "extreme": it's fine that everyone has the bonuses they choose lol.
But what I would love to see is the Power being the stronger in their Superpowers have an effect lore-wise.
Felicia Winters is not that much supported? Then somebody could even take her place.
Aisling Duval becomes the first imperial Power? Then I expect her claim to the throne to become stronger.
Things like that, to have finally a way to actually do some changes in the Galaxy politically speaking, by playing the game.

 

[Wily Rites]

I'd love to see some tiny power invent some amazing new tech and completely blow a bigger power out of the water with it, you sunk my battleship!

 

[Kira Goto]

Basically they are afraid to be ganked by NPCs.

Considering the game’s current pirate NPCs are harmless enough that it does not discourage flying total paper planes of ships without a shield, hull or module reinforcements, and maximized only for cargo… that does not surprise me.

Even though it wouldn’t kill anybody to “only” be moving 728 tons and have a size 6 shield that resists an NPC attack fitted. Or not leave the military compartments on something like a Cutter empty. But it would probably take a lot to change player mentalities that have been established for a long time.