I would assume the 15LY cap was meant to be temporary to test the game " at scale" in a relative confined space to see how the game handles the commodity demand. It should probably be lifted entirely. My reasoning is that for those who want to travel far will have to invest massive time and resources to load up carriers and ship commodities to their destination. We should promote and commend them for doing so, it would be no small feat colonizing 500LY outside the bubble. What it does is free up systems merely being wasted to daisy chain to the systems for solo players or new players with limited resources to take closer systems. The issue we have is this was meant to be self sustaining but greed once again prevails over common sense and now you will have commodity deserts for those same casual players who have to leap frog with the greedy ones just to get a good system, only to find out none of the surrounding systems have any economy. The alternative is to grind system claims to a halt with a cooldown timer or build minimum. I do not like restricting the expansion and prefer to just lift the cap, maybe you pay 5 million per light year from the nearest claim system? That being said, what if you only get one beacon at a time and once your system reaches a certain level the colony beacon becomes a nav beacon and you have reclaimed your colony beacon and can then go and drop it anywhere you want? No need to have some colonization contact at all.
Elite Dangerous | System Colonisation Beta Details & Feedback
- Thread starter Paul_Crowther
- Start date
I've been deeply engaged with Elite Dangerous for many years, and I'm very excited about the "Trailblazer" update. I believe it has the potential to add a significant new layer to the game. However, I also have some feedback and suggestions that I hope you will consider.
Positive Aspects and Opportunities:
Positive Aspects and Opportunities:
- Knowledge-Driven Gameplay:
- The limited information provided about the colonization process creates a unique opportunity for players who invest time and effort into understanding the mechanics. This allows them to become valuable resources for other players and Squadrons, potentially leading to in-game services and economic interactions.
- This "knowledge gap" is not a flaw, but a feature that can enhance player engagement and create a more dynamic and interactive community. For example, players could specialize in specific aspects of colonization, such as resource management or infrastructure development, and offer their expertise to others for a fee.
- Strategic Depth:
- The complexity of the colonization process offers significant strategic depth, allowing players to develop long-term plans and strategies. Squadrons could coordinate their efforts to establish interconnected colonies, creating regional economic hubs.
- The limited expansion range, while it may seem limiting, adds strategy. For example, this forces players to evaluate carefully the systems that they plan to colonize.
- Player Interaction:
- The colonization system opens new ways to interact with other players. Squadrons could compete for control of strategic systems, or cooperate to develop shared infrastructure.
- Exploit and Cheat Mitigation:
- I'm deeply concerned about the potential for exploits and cheats to undermine the integrity of the colonization system. I urge you to prioritize the detection and prevention of these activities.
- Consider implementing measures to limit the rapid expansion of colonies, such as restrictions on the number of initial colonies per player or Squadron. For example, you could limit the amount of colonies that a single player or squadron can have, until they reach a specific amount of developed structures in the already colonized systems.
- Gameplay Diversification:
- While cargo transportation is a core element of the game, I believe the colonization process would benefit from more diverse gameplay activities.
- Consider adding missions related to system defense, resource gathering, and infrastructure development. For example, players could be tasked with defending colonies from pirate attacks, or with surveying new resource deposits.
- Implementing the option to use stolen goods, could be a good idea. This would add a new layer of gameplay, and give more uses to the pirate role.
- The possibility to "hire" NPC to do some of the build work, and the addition of the necessity to defend them, by doing bounty hunting missions in the system, could be a very good addition.
- Economic Ecosystem:
- It's crucial to ensure that colonized systems develop interconnected and realistic economies.
- Implement systems that encourage specialization and trade between colonies, preventing the creation of isolated and self-sufficient systems. For example, you could introduce economic bonuses for colonies that specialize in specific industries, and penalties for those that try to be self-sufficient.
- The economy of the near systems should have an impact on the new colonies.
- Background Simulation (BGS) and Future Development:
- The impact of colonization on the BGS is a major concern for many players.
- I hope the "Vanguard" update will address these concerns and provide new tools and opportunities for BGS-focused Squadrons.
- I hope that in the future, the assets that are not yet usable for construction will be made available.
there are no limits for factions to expand. @Ian Doncaster
i've colonized a system in the outside limit of the bubble, made a squadron linked to a colonia faction, the main base is complete and the faction has travelled the 22 000 LY to come in that colonized system.
i've colonized a system in the outside limit of the bubble, made a squadron linked to a colonia faction, the main base is complete and the faction has travelled the 22 000 LY to come in that colonized system.
A lot of the Colonia player groups are already essentially owners of two factions, which are one faction but with slightly different names e.g. Privateer's Alliance (Bubble) and Privateer's Alliance Expeditionary Force (Colonia), same owners. Likedeeler (LoMaC)/Likedeeler of Colonia, etc. Many others who took part in the CEI goals.
spansh is a better bet for this I think - try https://www.spansh.co.uk/stations/search/7779FA86-FF38-11EF-B72B-80D56034AB2F/1
Interesting, does seem like industrial settlements do cmm composites.
Totally agree with your point here and i believe your suggestions are on point.
I would add some QOL ideas that i believe is much needed for this system.
- Add a TAB on trnsactions focused on colonisation.
- In this tab, add each construction site with basic informations as system location, building status and materials needed, so we don't have to get in and out of the galaxy map to see what is needed at the moment.
- In the commodities markets, show what commodities you need for colonization, changing the color of the commoditie and adding a specialized icon, like the one from mission objectives, but for colonization.
And i would 100% approve the idea that you HAVE to develop a bit the sistem you colonized before going for the next one. I think we will soon have a scenario where we have thousants of systems with single outpost that just served as a bridge to the next created player bubble.
276 out of approx 46k Industrial Odyssey settlements. That's not a lot - not surprising we would miss it without looking
Some feedback regarding the internal mechanisms of being an System Architect and the Pilots handbook.
- The mechnisms regarding the effects of further development of the system are described opaque at best.
- We are told that there are some sliders "Development", "Wealth", "Standard of Living", "Tech Level" and "Security". What that actually means, remains unknown. Especially the difference between "Standard of Living", "Development" and "Wealth".
- We are being told that we can influence "the economy of markets around and on the local body". Does this mean that we cannot influence the markets that are not "on and around the local body"? This is rather important information. Because I have an Orbis that was placed for me around a Iovian. And there isn't any "on the local body". Does a building on a moon orbiting the Iovian count as "around and on the local body"?
- So now i build Refinery Hubs somewhere and nothing happens. Do i build another one somewhere else?
- Please be a bit less laconic about what actually happens in the game. The help files could use a bit more information in regards to how this actually is supposed to work.
- Please add a "cancel construction" button. Maybe even an "destroy installation/outpost" button (yes, this will open the flood gates of hacked accounts having their systems destroyed, so maybe "change type of installation" construction, where you can e.g. switch a Refinery Hub into an Extraction Hub). Would be ideal to get some of the materials back (optional), but with limited building slots it'd be highly appreciated if we could change installations in the system instead of having to colonize a new one and begin from scratch.
We are currently making decisions without knowing anything, spending lots of time on it (3 hours for a Refinery Hub, 6 hours for an outpost, 15+ hours for a Coriolis, 60+ for a large station, even more for a large surface port) and we have no idea how this actually works. It'd be very sad not to be able to at least salvage parts of this in case we made a mistake. Or just being able to switch the buildings in case we built ourselves into a corner. - Also it'd be highly appreciated to have an upgrade process for existing installations. e.g. building an Outpost into a Coriolis. Or a Coriolis into an Ocellus. Or a medium starport into a large starport.
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I think this is the big one for me. I have, space Dad solo style, built an industrial outpost, mining installation and large extraction settlement (in progress). I don't really know why (other than I like the idea of extraction/ mining), or what benefits it brings. I don't know what standard of living, security, wealth etc etc really means in terms of the system, how they fit together etc. Some pointers would be very useful, or the ability to swap out what we've built in order to properly shape the system once we know what we've put our time and effort into.
Not sure if this has been covered.
I can't seem to progress the election in my colonised system. None of the poll delivery missions have an effect. We're still at 0-0.
Anyone found a way to win days in colonised system elections?
I can't seem to progress the election in my colonised system. None of the poll delivery missions have an effect. We're still at 0-0.
Anyone found a way to win days in colonised system elections?
wealth and security parameters are pretty straight forward, you can see direct result in security level and both wealth and security bars in the state panels.
we investigating the standard of living atm but we suspect it does something to population as far as we can tell. there is some hinderance in our investigation atm which medical hub didnt give us flat pops unlike the space farm, we are expecting to see some increase pop from med hub later after their activation in weekly tick, else,, well i gotta build another one somewhere..
here i attach my states panel just for reference.
up to last screenshot there is :
Ocellus
surface outpost
refinery
military settlement x2
space outpost
refinery
^built in order.
and currently working on my 3rd refinery, which i expect to lose some more security points.
but yeah i agree some pointers or more clear parameters which do what would be nice, i was expecting development level will affect the economy paramater of the system but i think im wrong. whish we can hear more about the issues fixed soon
Attachments
Something to do with trade routes? I know most people don't look at the in-game trade routes feature, instead going to third party sites, but if a nearby system sells what the settlement needs, then maybe that's enough to produce CMMs?
There's reports that the BGS as a whole is stalled, at least for some factions in wars/elections.
Most of what you said is agreeable, except for the colonization range and your point about limiting rapid expansion. Those two points make it near impossible for smaller groups to get out of the bubble, to say nothing of actually getting out into the galaxy. My squadron is already pretty much locked in. The range needs to go away completely, and there shouldn't be limits on the speed of expansion. I don't want to play this game for the next five years trying to get out of the bubble using BGS and then trying to get where I want to go. That's a ridiculous ask.
The thousands of systems with single outposts can be avoided by a significant increase in or doing away with the range limitation. To limit us to a system until it is built up is a non starter for many, as well as myself. I don't want to play for the next 5 years to get where I want to go.
Thinking about this a bit more, I'd have seen it as an opportunity to introduce a new game play feature a lot have been asking for: EVA
Hauling is fine. Some love it. Many tolerate it (I'm that group). Some hate it, though.
Making this the only method was fine but limited. This is how I'd have done it:
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For this, I'd do something FD haven't done since 2021, add a new suit type: EVA suit.
The EVA suit's tool is the Arc Welder. The opposite of the Arc Cutter. The Welder can be used to repair damaged assets on foot and in space. It allows the usage of one primary weapon, one secondary weapon, and functions similarly to the Maverick suit. EVA is always done tethered to your ship, so you have a limited range of usage. With this, you don't run out of power. You can detach the tether if you reach an airlock (either your own ship or a target installation).
The main function of the suit is repairs (essentially the Arc Cutter mini game but used on broken items, needing the player to trace a path to repair an item - if they stray too much from the path, the item is damaged instead of repaired).
The secondary function is building. This game play is used for building a module as part of a surface or space installation. You take an item from your ship/srv to a location and weld it into place, taking care not to damage anything nearby. Some modules can require a lot of work, so having a team will make it faster (you can choose what module you want to build each time you begin).
Completion of a module reduces the build completion time dependent on the size of the module.
[Incidentally, I'd add the ability to use the Welder in your EVA suit to repair your ship's hull and modules, as an alternative to fitting the auto repair maintenance units/repair limpet controller]
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Any and all of these tasks/missions can be repeated. Each time, the timer is reduced by an amount dependent on the activity. In theory, a squadron could all work on a build separately, performing tasks that they enjoy the most.
Players who would just prefer to wait... can just wait and play the game elsewhere.
Hauling is fine. Some love it. Many tolerate it (I'm that group). Some hate it, though.
Making this the only method was fine but limited. This is how I'd have done it:
- Make it so building claims takes an initially set time frame. From 2 days up to 4 weeks, depending on the size of the build. This happens automatically, whether you do anything or not.
- Allow commanders to expedite this process via activities:
- Hauling, same as it is now. A list of requirements is provided based on how much time is left to complete the build. Everything you provide speeds that up by a linear rate (1T:1time)
- Add a new building game. On foot or EVA. More on this below, but the idea is you can speed up the build completion time by actually helping to build stuff.
- Add missions to the construction services menu:
- Security Sweep: fend off an attack of pirates, with varying difficulties (up to 4 player teams) in space. Or visit an instanced location on the build site (via EVA, then on foot, if in space, or just on foot otherwise), to kill pirates who have boarded/broken into the installation.
- Surveyor: gather intel on the locality (missions sending you to beacons, surface POIs, and a new EVA mission type where you get to explore a location on the build to gather information about the progress)
- Passengers: Bring more workers to the site from local systems. Take workers home after their shifts.
- Incident Management: Visit locations of the build (in ship & EVA), or enter instances via EVA and then on foot, or just on foot if on the surface, in order to extinguish fires, repair damaged modules, upload data to correct faulty software, or recover lost items/tools.
- Secure Funding: Once a day, funding missions are on offer, allowing commanders to donate credits to expedite the process
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For this, I'd do something FD haven't done since 2021, add a new suit type: EVA suit.
The EVA suit's tool is the Arc Welder. The opposite of the Arc Cutter. The Welder can be used to repair damaged assets on foot and in space. It allows the usage of one primary weapon, one secondary weapon, and functions similarly to the Maverick suit. EVA is always done tethered to your ship, so you have a limited range of usage. With this, you don't run out of power. You can detach the tether if you reach an airlock (either your own ship or a target installation).
The main function of the suit is repairs (essentially the Arc Cutter mini game but used on broken items, needing the player to trace a path to repair an item - if they stray too much from the path, the item is damaged instead of repaired).
The secondary function is building. This game play is used for building a module as part of a surface or space installation. You take an item from your ship/srv to a location and weld it into place, taking care not to damage anything nearby. Some modules can require a lot of work, so having a team will make it faster (you can choose what module you want to build each time you begin).
Completion of a module reduces the build completion time dependent on the size of the module.
[Incidentally, I'd add the ability to use the Welder in your EVA suit to repair your ship's hull and modules, as an alternative to fitting the auto repair maintenance units/repair limpet controller]
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Any and all of these tasks/missions can be repeated. Each time, the timer is reduced by an amount dependent on the activity. In theory, a squadron could all work on a build separately, performing tasks that they enjoy the most.
Players who would just prefer to wait... can just wait and play the game elsewhere.
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