Does this game need more players, or more players per area instance?

[tfm217]

I am noticing two things which are kind of disappointing:

1. Areas don't have many players in them at the same time.
2. If you go more than a few jumps out, you stop seeing players in most areas.

Does anyone have the release data to know how many people are playing this game? Do you think there are too few players, or we just need to give it time?

The holidays are upon us and for that reason I'm hoping a lot more people are picking up the game this week.

Feel free to let me know if you think I'm completely wrong about all of this

 

[Sandmann]

400 billion systems.. something like 20000 players at any given time. Frankly you should consider yourself lucky if you see a real person - it's all down to the maths.

 

[tfm217]

400 billion systems.. something like 20000 players at any given time. Frankly you should consider yourself lucky if you see a real person - it's all down to the maths.

So... ok..

There are the "starting areas". A lot of people have ended up starting in LHS 3447. A LOT. There are popular places such as Lave, Sol, Tau Ceti, and a few other places I can't remember right now. If they evenly spread starting areas among a few different zones, we would see very high populations in a few different areas. But for the most part, it seems to be that a LOT of people started in LHS 3447.

Really I am just wondering how many people are playing at any one time. The best representation I have of this is the traffic reports at certain stations.

 

[rupok]

400 billion systems.. something like 20000 players at any given time. Frankly you should consider yourself lucky if you see a real person - it's all down to the maths.

I always see people. It just depends on where you are. The problem is nobody replies back when I talk to them but when someone does its always a good conversation. If you are in the middle of nowhere you won't see people, if you are in the popular trading or other areas you see people all the time.

 

[Chromehound]

Also consider how many play in private group over Open......not to mention Solo. Which you probably did, but I'm bored at work so I'll add in my half cent

 

[DocMoriarty]

I'm fairly far out in my favorite trade spot. I see maybe 1-2 players per day. Thats how it is. Would require a galaxy or at least fation wide chat channel to change something about the boredom that can come up there.

 

[nariquo]

well there would be more people if you would have any advantage to play open.
why should i play as trader in open play so any pirate can jsut blow me off.
i only go open for pvp

 

[Roybe]

Take it for what it's worth...space is a large and lonely place. The dilution of players over a large area is to be expected. There will be outposts of activity, some player generated, some dev generated. But overall, no matter the overall population, it is rare to see people. The comms system is wonky, and many times the player you message will not have time to answer, (many that play are not the chatty type). I suggest checking to see if there are any groups that are sharing your interest and join up with them to scratch the social itch currently.

 

[Eros]

Yes but no...

Yes there should be more players per instance, BUT not if it significantly reduces performance/lag/etc

basically i see the current model as a starting point and something that will be improved upon as and when things come about. But to point out what has already been said, space is kind of lonely, it would be in reality.

 

[nariquo]

and even if the would be a lot of people in open play and bigger instances. you cant really do something with them.
talk and kill. so well...

 

[EpicExecution]

400 Billion star systems. Enough said.

 

[Sandmann]

So... ok..

There are the "starting areas". A lot of people have ended up starting in LHS 3447. A LOT. There are popular places such as Lave, Sol, Tau Ceti, and a few other places I can't remember right now. If they evenly spread starting areas among a few different zones, we would see very high populations in a few different areas. But for the most part, it seems to be that a LOT of people started in LHS 3447.

Really I am just wondering how many people are playing at any one time. The best representation I have of this is the traffic reports at certain stations.

Yah I started in LHS 3447... still not too far from there, but obviously far enough that I'm "away from the madding crowd", since I've seen one real person in the last week... and that includes a sight seeing trip to Sol and back too, which surprised me.

Thing is that popularity of the starting areas and the numbers of people playing in solo or in groups just adds to the scarcity in any of the other 399 999 900 systems.

As to how many? Friend of mine joined in the last week of Premium Beta and his "backer number" was around 60000, so I'd guess there's got to be at least double that now, but playing at any one time? Hard to tell and with instances of max 16 players it's fairly irrelevant.

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View attachment 5753

I'd never realised just how NOT beaten up Bruce looked in that scene. Continuity much?

 

[tfm217]

Yah I started in LHS 3447... still not too far from there, but obviously far enough that I'm "away from the madding crowd", since I've seen one real person in the last week... and that includes a sight seeing trip to Sol and back too, which surprised me.

Thing is that popularity of the starting areas and the numbers of people playing in solo or in groups just adds to the scarcity in any of the other 399 999 900 systems.

As to how many? Friend of mine joined in the last week of Premium Beta and his "backer number" was around 60000, so I'd guess there's got to be at least double that now, but playing at any one time? Hard to tell and with instances of max 16 players it's fairly irrelevant.

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I'd never realised just how NOT beaten up Bruce looked in that scene. Continuity much?

Is it 16 right now? I thought I saw 32 somewhere.

 

[Connatic]

Also consider how many play in private group over Open......not to mention Solo. Which you probably did, but I'm bored at work so I'll add in my half cent

I play in Open mode. When i check the traffic report, is that the player count in the system ONLY in Open mode, or in all modes, Solo and Group as well?

 

[kylania]

It's a single player game with virtually no multiplayer features or systems, so no, we don't need more people per instance. You wouldn't be able to do anything but gank or wave to them anyway. Well, actually, since there's no exterior view there's no externally visible avatars so can't even wave.

 

[MACMAN86]

How do we actually tell if players are real? Those AI with 1st & 2nd full names are so obviously not real players.
If I find a real player can I communicate in Comms by targeting them?

 

[Sandmann]

Is it 16 right now? I thought I saw 32 somewhere.

You may be right come to think of it. I know they were talking about increasing it to 32 back in beta.

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How do we actually tell if players are real? Those AI with 1st & 2nd full names are so obviously not real players.
If I find a real player can I communicate in Comms by targeting them?

Anyone with CMDR in front of their name is a real person. Anyone who appears as a HOLLOW square or triangle on the scanner (not a filled in square/triangle) is a real person.
[edit] To communicate with them you need to access the comms menu (check in your settings for how to do it with your controller), then you can either send them a text message or place a voice call to them.

 

[Balance]

Really I am just wondering how many people are playing at any one time.

Look man, this game is massive. Exploring and trading are probably 95% of the player activity at the moment, meaning people travel (and smart people travel quickly, frequently). You are never going to see gigantic numbers and people tripping over each other unless some form of event draws them there.

I highly suggest organizing with like-minded players, or sticking to the LHS 3447 (ish) areas.

 

[Aravan Darkvale]

Correct me if I'm wrong...Isn't the server limit set to 32 ship max in an "instance" at a time? So, no matter how many players are in your area, it'll just be you and 31 others visible at any given time. So even if Elite had tens of thousands of Commanders online at the same time, you'll always be just 1 of 32 on your grid.

 

[tfm217]

Correct me if I'm wrong...Isn't the server limit set to 32 ship max in an "instance" at a time? So, no matter how many players are in your area, it'll just be you and 31 others visible at any given time. So even if Elite had tens of thousands of Commanders online at the same time, you'll always be just 1 of 32 on your grid.

True, but I am usually lucky if I see 6 or 7 in one of the most populated areas of the game. The servers are probably load balancing that, though.