Open-Only in PP2.0?

[Rebel Yell]

Open is open.

And if you're not Kumo, you're enemy!

 

[Robert Maynard]

And if you're not Kumo, you're enemy!

Burgers, surely?

 

[WhiteHaulerMan]

Spawn rules dictate how powerful NPCs ships will be. Change the spawn rules, and the NPCs will be better armed then they are currently.

As a slightly off-topic sidebar, I do worry how the community (particularly those who post on these Forums) would receive a bump in the increase in difficulty for NPCs.

And how quickly FDev would cave to their demands of making it easier again, like they have done with countless things in the past.

 

[Mrc_NorthEast]

As a slightly off-topic sidebar, I do worry how the community (particularly those who post on these Forums) would receive a bump in the increase in difficulty for NPCs.

If the new npcs only visit while I am pledged to a pp2.0 power, it would not bother me if any mode. But we have not seen the pp2.0 space po po yet, so I reserve the right to change my opinion. Like chain interdictions of wings of 4, fully g5'd all Elite npc's... I am 'only' dangerous level in combat currently. So we shall see what Fdev delivers and how exactly it all works

edited: spelling

 

[varonica]

As a slightly off-topic sidebar, I do worry how the community (particularly those who post on these Forums) would receive a bump in the increase in difficulty for NPCs.

And how quickly FDev would cave to their demands of making it easier again, like they have done with countless things in the past.

FDEV have access to data we don't, if they see a sudden sharp drop in player participation just after increasing the difficulty of NPC's, and maybe even less players in game, you don't think they will take steps to address that? I mean they are all about running a business here, making a change that drives away customers just doesn't make sense in any business model. A business isn't just about catering to the 1%, they would rather lose the 1% and keep the 99%, so yes they would change it if it made sense!

 

[Rubbernuke]

As a slightly off-topic sidebar, I do worry how the community (particularly those who post on these Forums) would receive a bump in the increase in difficulty for NPCs.

And how quickly FDev would cave to their demands of making it easier again, like they have done with countless things in the past.

You wouldn't have the problem if effort was linked to NPC difficulty that week.

It makes sense as well, considering one of V2s PvP nods is knowing the 'effort rank' of targeted players, which should be mirrored by NPCs wanting the 'aces' shot down.

 

[Mr Jack Burton]

FDEV have access to data we don't, if they see a sudden sharp drop in player participation just after increasing the difficulty of NPC's, and maybe even less players in game, you don't think they will take steps to address that? I mean they are all about running a business here, making a change that drives away customers just doesn't make sense in any business model. A business isn't just about catering to the 1%, they would rather lose the 1% and keep the 99%, so yes they would change it if it made sense!

 

[Rubbernuke]

View attachment 404352

What FD need to do is make a proper difficulty curve that rewards everyone at various points in their time in Powerplay (and ED). The bottom 1% might very well eventually become the top 1% and if these players find nothing waiting for them, they'll get bored and stop playing.

 

[Robert Maynard]

FDEV have access to data we don't, if they see a sudden sharp drop in player participation just after increasing the difficulty of NPC's, and maybe even less players in game, you don't think they will take steps to address that? I mean they are all about running a business here, making a change that drives away customers just doesn't make sense in any business model. A business isn't just about catering to the 1%, they would rather lose the 1% and keep the 99%, so yes they would change it if it made sense!

Exactly - noting the swift reversion (as well as bug fixes) after the release of 2.1, and the addition of opt-in more challenging NPCs since then.

 

[Rubbernuke]

Exactly - noting the swift reversion (as well as bug fixes) after the release of 2.1, and the addition of opt-in more challenging NPCs since then.

Powerplay is opt in though too

 

[Robert Maynard]

Powerplay is opt in though too

True, however it has posed the challenge it has for over nine years - a sudden step change as part of a major feature update awaited by all players would be unlikely to be well received by some.

 

[Rubbernuke]

True, however it has posed the challenge it has for over nine years - a sudden step change as part of a major feature update awaited by all players would be unlikely to be well received by some.

Looks across at Thargoid gameplay, and the thousands of destroyed player ships

 

[Robert Maynard]

Looks across at Thargoid gameplay, and the thousands of destroyed player ships

Indeed - noting that it was made more accessible over time, with the addition of FOMO rewards to increase participation in the takedown of each Titan - also noting Zac's statement regarding "a lot" of players who don't engage in combat at all. It will be interesting to see what NPC challenge Powerplay 2.0 launches with and how it changes during the inevitable initial tweaking phase.

 

[varonica]

Looks across at Thargoid gameplay, and the thousands of destroyed player ships

Looking at the fact that Thargoids were "introduced" as difficult opponents, not as easy ones suddenly made much harder when everyone got used to one level of difficulty!

 

[Mr Jack Burton]

Indeed - noting that it was made more accessible over time - also noting Zac's statement regarding "a lot" of players who don't engage in combat at all. It will be interesting to see what NPC challenge Powerplay 2.0 launches with and how it changes during the inevitable initial tweaking phase.

In my opinion, it’s pretty pointless to discuss statistics we don’t have. Also, a company might focus more on players who are not currently engaged, rather than on those who are already engaged and, despite having complaints, will ultimately continue playing anyway

 

[Rubbernuke]

Indeed - noting that it was made more accessible over time, with the addition of FOMO rewards to increase participation in the takedown of each Titan - also noting Zac's statement regarding "a lot" of players who don't engage in combat at all. It will be interesting to see what NPC challenge Powerplay 2.0 launches with and how it changes during the inevitable initial tweaking phase.

Noting the devs say:

....for this star system and at that point essentially the gloves are off, so now it's about also showing why the other power is not a good choice and you basically just get to have a fight with them you as I said gloves off right, so go and kill the other power members go and kill their ships go and stop them doing anything that they're going to do like have an all out battle in that star system that makes you look like the Victor if you equally you can carry on doing what you were doing before as well so let's using the finance thing if you're a trader right, dodge the fights but still show them that you can like trade like crazy in even in this scenario and that will also still contribute towards this.

Sounds cuddly, right?

 

[Rubbernuke]

Looking at the fact that Thargoids were "introduced" as difficult opponents, not as easy ones suddenly made much harder when everyone got used to one level of difficulty!

And, go read my other response above that one where I talk about making a difficulty curve that keeps up with players....

 

[Robert Maynard]

In my opinion, it’s pretty pointless to discuss statistics we don’t have. Also, a company might focus more on players who are not currently engaged, rather than on those who are already engaged and, despite having complaints, will ultimately continue playing anyway

What Frontier have actually said over the years regarding their understanding of the player-base is, at the very least, of interest.

 

[Robert Maynard]

Noting the devs say:

Sounds cuddly, right?

Indeed - if it's fun then players will engage with it. If being targeted by the NPCs of the other eleven powers all the time isn't fun then they won't. We'll see in time whether player interest meets Frontier's expectations for the level of development time that they have invested in Powerplay 2.0.

 

[Mr Jack Burton]

What Frontier have actually said over the years regarding their understanding of the player-base is, at the very least, of interest.

Sure, but it's like having an interest in Black Holes. Even if you know everything about them, you still know nothing. It’s not your fault or mine, but over the years, FDEV has taken unpredictable paths, usually leading to the worst solutions (e.g., Powerplay weapon nerfs, experimental effects nerfs, immortal crew members, console dev drop etc.)
While discussing what could be improved is a productive conversation, hiding behind interpretations of others' words is much less so.