Powerplay kills the fun!

[Darkfyre99]

I was using inara to find trades, agronomic treatment was offered on a stronghold carrier in Xinca and being sold at a port about 28 ly's away (cant member the port or system name) then I was hauling indite (i think) back to the carrier. I think merits are based on profit for the trade. Unloading 736 tons of agronomic treatment paid about 10 million in profit and i'd get just over 10k merits for the trade. I did have to wait in line at the carrier for 5-10 minutes almost every trip, so i looked on inara for another station that was selling it, it was more expensive there but no wait and the merits dropped down to around 7k merits per load. The Indite also gave merits but far less because, i think, the profit was lower. Kinda like how the reputation and rank for trading work, more profit in the trip more progress for the rep and trade rank.

I felt like if i could do it not knowing much about PP, a player who has the knowledge could probably quadruple the merits.

Holy smoke. You said this was only a few days ago?

On the 9th of Jan, I did some test trades. One of those was selling 193 t of silver for a profit of 7.1M cr, which earned me a pathetic 668 merits. (The profit margin was enormous on that, as I was selling the silver for more than 10x the price I paid for it.)

Your results are more than a factor of ten better! Maybe I should retry my tests - have they retuned the merits for trading?

That’s the sort of merit : profit I’ve been getting too.

As I said earlier, I’ve identified four commodities that, when the stars align, have a tremendous merit : profit ratio. As a result, I keep an eye out such a situation, and will preferentially carry them when I have spare cargo space, just in case it arises. The thing is, like mining, this type of high merit trading is of very little strategic value. It can’t be used to undermine in particular, which is a pity.

 

[Brrokk]

Storing in the FC (even your own, without using the market interface) would remove the "is mined" flag and get you no merits at all.

No, that doesn't happen unless it's a very recent change. Buying from a carrier removes the mining tag.

 

[Ian Doncaster]

No, that doesn't happen unless it's a very recent change. Buying from a carrier removes the mining tag.

Interesting - probably not useful, but interesting given just how much does seem to remove that tag.

 

[KRISXR]

I did notice both system were in reinforcement, i believe both systems were in boom. The second port I bought agronomic treatment from was also in boom and controlled by the same PP faction, Arisa Lavigny Duval. My impression was the stronghold carrier was there offering the agronomic treatments to supply other nearby systems that were in a reinforcement state. I was just trying to get some trading in and as Darkfyre99 said, that the stars align and agronomic treatments are hot commodity. I've got to start paying more attention to PP and the current state of systems when playing.

 

[Felix DiCestria]

I achieved my objective;
View attachment 415269
in 10 days, so averaging 25k merits per day. I was in the 25% bracket last Thursday placed 65th for Delaine over the week. Probably be 25% again this Thursday.

As per expectations 25% finish in 78th position.

 

[Neilski]

I was just trying to get some trading in and as Darkfyre99 said, that the stars align and agronomic treatments are hot commodity.

Hot indeed, but surely no hotter than my 1000%-profit silver...?

As I said earlier, I’ve identified four commodities that, when the stars align, have a tremendous merit : profit ratio.

Are you saying that there are commodity-specific meritrofit ratios? That's useful info for sure...
I had thought it was just "make >= 40% profit" and then the merits were pretty mechanistic after that, based on absolute profits, albeit adjusted by some utterly perverse scheme which favours 1t-at-a-time trading because... well I have no clue why but can only infer that FD have some serious issues

 

[Darkfyre99]

I had thought it was just "make >= 40% profit" and then the merits were pretty mechanistic after that, based on absolute profits, albeit adjusted by some utterly perverse scheme which favours 1t-at-a-time trading because... well I have no clue why but can only infer that FD have some serious issues

As near as I can tell, when it comes to whatever calculation Frontier uses to calculate merits, markup is weighted far more than sale price, and the “bulk penalty” only applies to the sale price, not the markup.

Not that it matters in the long term strategic view. These commodities are more of a short-term bonus, than a strategy you can rely on.

 

[Jmanis]

As near as I can tell, when it comes to whatever calculation Frontier uses to calculate merits, markup is weighted far more than sale price, and the “bulk penalty” only applies to the sale price, not the markup.

Not that it matters in the long term strategic view. These commodities are more of a short-term bonus, than a strategy you can rely on.

Yep, "profit made" has always been the metric for effects for the BGS, as opposed to demand satisfied or other metrics, so unsurprised it's similar here

It's such a bizarre metric to measure success for a non- player entity like a faction though.... thinking about it from their perspective it's basically "take the worst possible deal on goods i might not even need, and it makes me more powerful".... there's a line I've towed before which I'd sum up as "trading for profit, or selling to no- demand lines should hurt a faction, while selling for a loss or to in- demand should help"... which naturally tapers off profitable conditions when over- exploited.

For powers, i guess it makes a bit more sense, though I'd still see it being an undermine to sell for big profit (well done agent, you've drawn resources away from them) and a reinforce to sell to high demand (needed goods) and/ or for loss (giving them good prices).

But anyways...

 

[Rat Catcher]

As per expectations 25% finish in 78th position.
View attachment 415461

Nice...

I was in the top whatever gets 5 million, I don't think there is much lower!

 

[Darkfyre99]

As per expectations 25% finish in 78th position.
View attachment 415461

To quote myself from another thread…

Just in case you're still gathering data (though I believe you've got plenty from the top 10%), I remembered to take screen shots for last week.

Despite dedicating a day to acquiring and engineering the newest ship of my collection:

Spoiler: This Ship is Too Good at it's Role

I still managed to generate 127,020 merits, which placed me in 181st place.

Spoiler: End of Week

Spoiler: Ranking

Spoiler: Top Ten last week

I was originally hoping to go on the offensive this week, but the system I've been reinforcing was undermined pretty heavily last week. Since I need it to be at least Fortified to negate the "behind front line" penalty, it looks like it'll be another week of reinforcement.

What amazes, and amuses me, is that aside from having to consider a few new factors introduced by PowerPlay 2.0, and the glut of both credits and materials it brings, my play style hasn’t changed at all that much. Still mostly mission driven, which is the source (directly or indirectly) of about 80% if my merits. What has changed is my definition of a play window. I think I squeezed in nine hours last week, when in the past I was lucky to get in five.

 

[Felix DiCestria]

What amazes, and amuses me, is that aside from having to consider a few new factors introduced by PowerPlay 2.0, and the glut of both credits and materials it brings, my play style hasn’t changed at all that much. Still mostly mission driven, which is the source (directly or indirectly) of about 80% if my merits. What has changed is my definition of a play window. I think I squeezed in nine hours last week, when in the past I was lucky to get in five.

For myself it was something of a repeat of my activities in the Thargoid war. I did a lot of AX restoration missions and for PP did a load of restoration missions in hostile systems whilst downloading & uploading PP data as well as picking up the contents of the PP boxes.

 

[[VR] Mad Mike]

Nice...

I was in the top whatever gets 5 million, I don't think there is much lower!

I got 2.5 mil this week

 

[Mussurana]

To quote myself from another thread…



What amazes, and amuses me, is that aside from having to consider a few new factors introduced by PowerPlay 2.0, and the glut of both credits and materials it brings, my play style hasn’t changed at all that much. Still mostly mission driven, which is the source (directly or indirectly) of about 80% if my merits. What has changed is my definition of a play window. I think I squeezed in nine hours last week, when in the past I was lucky to get in five.

Interesting.

What I've found is a rather satisfying little loop being a rapid response combat/rescue unit.

Wing into one of my adopted systems, scan the nav, and flit about rescuing our lads/lasses from their wrecks/ exacting just retribution upon their attackers if present/ interdict the gunrunning convoys of the slaver scum soiling her Smurfinesses sacred systems. Plus hazrez, trading, etc etc.

Not to mention having a good time wreaking revenge on said scum, and rescuing their victims (I have heard tell of a discord claiming to represent our Azure Angel's interests, but a quick look revealed they instead allied with said slavers, and as such can be disregarded).

 

[Jmanis]

What amazes, and amuses me, is that aside from having to consider a few new factors introduced by PowerPlay 2.0, and the glut of both credits and materials it brings, my play style hasn’t changed at all that much. Still mostly mission driven, which is the source (directly or indirectly) of about 80% if my merits. What has changed is my definition of a play window. I think I squeezed in nine hours last week, when in the past I was lucky to get in five.

This actually neatly sums up everything wrong with Powerplay 2, imo. Just to be clear @Darkfyre99 , absolutely nothing wrong with what you've written here, it just happens to be better than any words i could put together about it.

I mean, obviously as features go, anything that boosts rewards and increases flexibility of play is going to be seen positively. In that regard, i don't have any issue here.

But I'd echo a statement i made elsewhere: Powerplay just seems like a thin veneer for adding a reward layer over the top over the top of things. Is that really all that PP2 gives?

Sure, i do hear about people pushing their Power's agenda, but overwhelmingly, chatter is just about the rewards. Is this really what Powerplay is?

It's why I keep calling it a complete misfire. A reward pass could've been done with anything, a general balance pass... whatever. But as many others have said in the past, you can't bundle that up and market it to get people into the game.

So instead, it's arrived as Powerplay 2. I think it's fair to say it's a "popular" update and generally successful... but it seems like it's not because it delivered Powerplay 2, rather, it just delivered a mechanism that buffed rewards without offering anything new... thus my original sentiment of PP2 simply not having enough to stand on it's own two legs.

So... i guess people are happy with it... but much like going out for a steak, only to be given a thousand dollars (great!)... I'm still waiting for my steak.

Again, not singling out any disagreement with the quote... it washes will both with my experiences and everything i hear about Powerplay 2... which is why i think it's missed the mark in terms of actually delivering Powerplay 2.

 

[metatheurgist]

I want to see them let their game mechanics rest on their merits. Remove all the bribes rewards. Let's see how popular it is then.

 

[Jmanis]

I want to see them let their game mechanics rest on their merits. Remove all the bribes rewards. Let's see how popular it is then.

I mean, rewards are an important part of game loops... but they should be intrinsic to those activities, not just amplifying existing ones.... all the better when those rewards are unique to that activity as well.

 

[gumbie]

But I'd echo a statement i made elsewhere: Powerplay just seems like a thin veneer for adding a reward layer over the top over the top of things. Is that really all that PP2 gives?

Sure, i do hear about people pushing their Power's agenda, but overwhelmingly, chatter is just about the rewards. Is this really what Powerplay is?

It's why I keep calling it a complete misfire. A reward pass could've been done with anything, a general balance pass... whatever. But as many others have said in the past, you can't bundle that up and market it to get people into the game.

So instead, it's arrived as Powerplay 2. I think it's fair to say it's a "popular" update and generally successful... but it seems like it's not because it delivered Powerplay 2, rather, it just delivered a mechanism that buffed rewards without offering anything new... thus my original sentiment of PP2 simply not having enough to stand on it's own two legs.

So... i guess people are happy with it... but much like going out for a steak, only to be given a thousand dollars (great!)... I'm still waiting for my steak.

Again, not singling out any disagreement with the quote... it washes will both with my experiences and everything i hear about Powerplay 2... which is why i think it's missed the mark in terms of actually delivering Powerplay 2.

It sounds like you play the game alone.
PP2 is a multiplayer strategy game, get involved with your power's discord or even better a powerplay active squadron and you will see what it is all about.

 

[Jmanis]

It sounds like you play the game alone.
PP2 is a multiplayer strategy game, get involved with your power's discord or even better a powerplay active squadron and you will see what it is all about.

Lol... it's only what I've done since the game's release... but tell me how Powerplay changes that somehow.

What in- game effect that i should care about is going to happen if i bump out, say, Archer, and put in Torval, with my band of merry commanders? The various effects aren't worth getting out of bed for when you know what good rewards look like,,, so what's the draw?

 

[Felix DiCestria]

This actually neatly sums up everything wrong with Powerplay 2, imo. Just to be clear @Darkfyre99 , absolutely nothing wrong with what you've written here, it just happens to be better than any words i could put together about it.

I mean, obviously as features go, anything that boosts rewards and increases flexibility of play is going to be seen positively. In that regard, i don't have any issue here.

But I'd echo a statement i made elsewhere: Powerplay just seems like a thin veneer for adding a reward layer over the top over the top of things. Is that really all that PP2 gives?

Sure, i do hear about people pushing their Power's agenda, but overwhelmingly, chatter is just about the rewards. Is this really what Powerplay is?

It's why I keep calling it a complete misfire. A reward pass could've been done with anything, a general balance pass... whatever. But as many others have said in the past, you can't bundle that up and market it to get people into the game.

So instead, it's arrived as Powerplay 2. I think it's fair to say it's a "popular" update and generally successful... but it seems like it's not because it delivered Powerplay 2, rather, it just delivered a mechanism that buffed rewards without offering anything new... thus my original sentiment of PP2 simply not having enough to stand on it's own two legs.

So... i guess people are happy with it... but much like going out for a steak, only to be given a thousand dollars (great!)... I'm still waiting for my steak.

Again, not singling out any disagreement with the quote... it washes will both with my experiences and everything i hear about Powerplay 2... which is why i think it's missed the mark in terms of actually delivering Powerplay 2.

I think PP covers 2 possibly 3 player groups;
'Module Shoppers' such as myself who are in it for the rewards. We might represent the largest proportion of 'Power Players' though as the reward defines our activity, we're not likely to have more than passing interest in the Power's goals.
The more serious Power Players might only represent a couple of dozen Cmdrs per power.
There could also be Anti Power Players such as the groups in the Pleiades, though their effects seem muted in the Bubble.

 

[Jmanis]

I think PP covers 2 possibly 3 player groups;
'Module Shoppers' such as myself who are in it for the rewards. We might represent the largest proportion of 'Power Players' though as the reward defines our activity, we're not likely to have more than passing interest in the Power's goals.
The more serious Power Players might only represent a couple of dozen Cmdrs per power.
There could also be Anti Power Players such as the groups in the Pleiades, though their effects seem muted in the Bubble.

Yeah that about sums it up as I understand it too.

• Gief rewards, and
• My power is best power

What do you mean by the third group "anti powerplay"?

I always found it interesting when FD said they took feedback that "Players wanted to feel the difference the powers made in the galaxy", and interpreted that as "Locations will look different" instead of "This will shape what I need to do to spin a buck, for better or for worse".

I'd argue group number 1 is actually the best reason to do away with Power pledging, and just have everyone's activities either curry favour, or detract from, a particular Power. Maybe you do something to support Torval and earn some merits in the background... but then you do something to undermine her and lose them, but gain with another Power?

But also that starts to look like how the Superpowers should've always been instead of... what... a rep multiplier these days? That and permit unlocks are all I think they offer.