Elite Dangerous | Powerplay 2.0 Update
- Thread starter Paul_Crowther
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Powerplay 2.0 zero rebuy + merits for kabooming enemy players IS part of the idea and it is not SMALL... both are great improvements from the old framework.
Unfortunately the NPC behavior rework, which caused a delay in the release, making them like lobotomized lemmings is another failure/missed opportunity (to improve and learn how to survive hostile encounters) given solo/PG players are not risking anything vs. open players. The "I don't play in open" for some reasons i.e. "because of gankers" or "because I don't like PvP" etc. are unsustainable excuses in the current framework.
This is my biggest annoyance and disappointment in PP2 by far.
For a while I thought FD were going to go half and make strongholds....er.....strong and be dangerous places. Whats doubly ironic is ATR (non PP) C+P having to bail out fleet carriers from SLF farming.
Sadly FD capitulated to (IMO) soft streamers who never broke the law or been shot at by security NPCs. FD themselves too share the blame for having nearly every drop have PP NPCs in it. Add these two together and its a PA round to both feet.
What really tweaks my jimmies is that this can be easily solved with small changes using whats in the BGS and wider game right now.
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"because i dont like PvP" is the perfect reason not to play in open but can still enjoy PP. it isnt an excuse and if you dont like it you are gonna have to lump it. Open needs to be able to live on its own 2 feet without trying to force players happily playing in their own modes . FD have created 2 versions of Power Play now neither of which have needed PvP to work so surely the assumption has to be now that you are incorrect about how PP needs to work. getting rid of rebuy may encourage some to dabble and if so that is great but they should not force the issue for players who have other reasons for not being interested.
I have an incredibly low tolerence of other players and IME other random players are a blight on multiplayer gaming. . this was reinforced when i went into the Forest game for the 1st time over xmas. in a supposed private game with friends it ended up being invaded by 2 random players who were cheating (jumping hire than trees and using a kick blocker), playing obnoxious music at us and were loud and proceeded to brick up our spawn point....... and this was in a supposed friends only game..
I could list many games where other players spoiled the game by acting berks...... including Elite, tho Elite is worse in a way as the potential to lose many hours of gameplay vs the attacker who risks nothing combined with the insane OP meta builds which make the game ludicrously dull if you use them for anything other than PvP so i keep away from them means Open is a mode i am unliklely to ever spend much time in again.
thankfully i do not need, or want to force players in open into my instance, and IF FD made the bone headed decision to try to force my hand i would be forced to block it my end.
now for the npcs, if FD chose to improve their AI and make them a little more skilled, that is fine with me.......... but i am in the becareful what you wish for camp here because the risk would be they keep the AI the same and just give them grade 5 meta builds........ and i have no interest in fighting that.
bullet sponges are another scourge of gaming imo, almost as bad as annoying players breaking the 4th wall.
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The thing is, no one asked for that- I myself for example asked for context sensitive AI that would ratchet up focus on those who are towards the top of the weekly leaderboards and in strongholds. Instead we have AI that is somehow a notch below PP1- that is, can barely fly forwards let alone make you sweat.
In the end its like ATR- PP NPCs should have a role making you think twice and have to switch gears as the week goes on. This does not mean the meat and potatoes targets become sponges, just that the other power has taken notice of your work. What we have now is one note monotone farming.
Once you pledge, you're fair game for any other enemy pledge CMDRs.
Full stop.
If one doesn't like PvP it's fine, but fly in open and just cope with the risk of being kaboomed without being able to fight back.
There is absolutely no reason to flight in open if you don't want to play with random players. You are not in the game for someone elses pleasure. The game has groups, solo in open for a reason.
And TBH, open is less stable, you can't do an big screenshot and random fights or just being static target for gankers are just waste of time, nothing more.
aaaaand, there is specific topic for that never eding discussion here:
Open-Only in PP2.0?
I'm just going to leave this here for people to comment on, since FDev have invited discussion and (potentially? Maybe?) left open the question of whether PP could be Open-Only in 2.0. Some questions to answer: How could OOPP improve or harm the functionality presented thus far? Are there areas...
As not to 'go there' but:There is absolutely no reason to flight in open if you don't want to play with random players. You are not in the game for someone elses pleasure. The game has groups, solo in open for a reason.
And TBH, open is less stable, you can't do an big screenshot and random fights or just being static target for gankers are just waste of time, nothing more.
aaaaand, there is specific topic for that never eding discussion here:
Open-Only in PP2.0?
I'm just going to leave this here for people to comment on, since FDev have invited discussion and (potentially? Maybe?) left open the question of whether PP could be Open-Only in 2.0. Some questions to answer: How could OOPP improve or harm the functionality presented thus far? Are there areas...forums.frontier.co.uk
One of the arguments for Open PP is that only other players can really stop others since PvE NPCs are so weak and flabby. FD (apparently) had strong AI which would have lessened this disparity (since it would apply an even pressure across modes) but instead scooped out NPC brains and made them weak as paper. So now you can farm and farm and farm without other powers presence being felt.
why? there is all downside and no upside for me........... Of all the areas where Elite D is not really working as initially pitched, this is one area which is pretty close to working as described.
anyway a certain (quality) song springs to mind and is probably where this chat should go to as PP2 is not a PvP or Open mode issue as it is working as intended in PG and solo.
Aight, given the other neverending thread was mentioned, so I'll stop here just to avoid further OT replies... as these are again only hypocritical justifications (truth is who does powerplay in solo/PG is only because it is the easiest mode).
Really? How quickly would someone last in Open if they had billions in bounties from murder accrued with Powerplay? How many G5 PP NPCs do you see?
I had hoped NPCs would be better in PP2 to at least provide a consistent and meaningful resistance given how PvE slanted PP2 is. However what we have simply enables people to leap through the rankings with ease.
It's generalization comes from narrow scope of sitiations.
Frontier know how much of PP moves comes from fights and how much comes from transport, salvage and any other paceful activities, you can't assume that everyone just fight and use solo pg only to avoid fighting with other players. It is just oversimplification how PP works.
PP brackets all activities with the threat of violence from other players and NPCs. Sadly, just like PP 1 NPCs never force you to run away enough or warrant the free rebuys given. Its this aspect that fuels the solo / PG is easy mode, because there is such a disparity in what you face.
In the end its making PvE against eleven other powers mean something other than simple farming.
whilst i do not doubt a PvP meta killer ship will be more powerful than anything in PG or solo i think you are still falling foul of
How so? Players rove around and yet FD disabled (AFAIK) similar PP NPCs and dialed back engineered NPCs to boot.
Unlike players who prioritize targets, NPCs can't do this in PP (unlike the BGS with ATR and bounty hunters) so its far easier to farm whatever you are doing in solo or PG. You'd think a rival power would target aces and make their lives a bit more difficult than let them just keep up the same tempo.
Bear in mind here I'm asking for better PvE and not 'Open Only'.
i was following the thread, Rebel yell posted players playing PP in PG or solo are only doing it because it is easier and that comments against open only were hypocrites.
Michael Ryan replied No
and you asked how so. I would put more but am on a yellow card already
i would be happier with more skilled AI and better contextual reactions from AI as well... what i dont want is another feature which only works in multiplayer..... like ships crew or the fact i never get to see so much as an SRV on a planet or a random npc scanning life forms for instance. PP2 works for all the people at the moment, tho i do hope they continue working on it.
Michael Ryan replied No
and you asked how so. I would put more but am on a yellow card already
i would be happier with more skilled AI and better contextual reactions from AI as well... what i dont want is another feature which only works in multiplayer..... like ships crew or the fact i never get to see so much as an SRV on a planet or a random npc scanning life forms for instance. PP2 works for all the people at the moment, tho i do hope they continue working on it.
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1. If something is easy for someone it doesn't mean it is easy for everyone
2. Not every player wants a challenge, playing on easy mode is just a choice
3. It is not a shame to play "on easy"
4. People are different, some players have disabilities and are not able to fight even with NPCs and this game is created for everyone, that's why we can choose how we want to play and if we want to fight with other players
5. Not everyone want to any kind of gameplay with random guys from the net
I don't argue that solo/pg is easier, but you said "everyone do it because it is easier", and this is just not true, because you can't say for everyone.
2. Not every player wants a challenge, playing on easy mode is just a choice
3. It is not a shame to play "on easy"
4. People are different, some players have disabilities and are not able to fight even with NPCs and this game is created for everyone, that's why we can choose how we want to play and if we want to fight with other players
5. Not everyone want to any kind of gameplay with random guys from the net
I don't argue that solo/pg is easier, but you said "everyone do it because it is easier", and this is just not true, because you can't say for everyone.
And it is easier- unless you block other players groups will keep an eye out for you once they know you are 'hot'. They also have the full gamut of weapons and engineering, something not seen in solo or PG. If you want to do a lot of work (instance permitting) its easier away from the gaze of others.i was following the thread, Rebel yell posted players playing in PP are only doing it because it is easier and that comments against open only were hypocrites.
Michael Ryan replied No
and you asked how so. I would put more but am on a yellow card already
i would be happier with more skilled AI and better contextual reactions from AI as well.
Case in point- in PP1 I was running about with billions in bounties (while having < 500 million credits) from BGS murder and ran for my life every time I saw a player. But, when there were no players abound I feared no NPC and carried on. Its this disconnect that needs addressing and that done well enough would make PP2 much more rewarding and responsive.
My beef in all this is that FD can design away this issue by grading NPC response- so that solo and PG have harder NPCs at various thresholds.
AFAIK NPCs have engineered ships
And not everone has a lot of bounties, becasue not everyone fight to do some powerplay work. We can't reduce everything and whole discussion to one specific kind of play.
And not everone has a lot of bounties, becasue not everyone fight to do some powerplay work. We can't reduce everything and whole discussion to one specific kind of play.
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