Reality-check on get-rich-quick "nerfs"

[Flappers]

I might also add that the series lack of content means that the game has become about earning credits to gain better ships.

.

I disagree.
I play the game for fun, not for progressing my way to the top.
The problem with modern game culture is that most games these days are based solely around progression and getting the best stuff in the game.
ED has stuck with it's roots by not having such a system in the game.

It's not a game which holds your hand, tells you to goes out and come back for a hug and then allow you to go to the next level capped area.
If you want that kind of experience, then this is not the game to play.

The game is about creating your own story in the galaxy, making everything out as you will. Want to explore a far away system? There's nothing stopping you.

Ships are expensive, as it's around a simulator experience. In real life, if I want to buy a car outright, I'd need to either have a stupidly overpayed job, or save up for months and months in order to buy it. Sound familiar? That's because ED has adopted this.

I fly around in my Cobra, and just have fun. I have no intention of forcing myself to earn as much credits as possible to buy the biggest ship in the game. Because that's the wrong mentality to have with the game.
You'll just burn yourself out when you do it.
And once you get there, you'll complain about lack of content.

The rest of the players who are not adopting the "grind" as they call it, are having fun in the game. And will continue to have fun while new content is gradually added.

 

[Quineloe]

Yeah lets blame the symptom instead of the cause.

If that were the case, I'd fit my clipper with 240t cargo and AB trade all day.

I'd rather make 3 millions after 2 hours than 400k every 6 minutes, though, and that's how I play.

Except I'm not making 3m after 2 hours, I'm making a lot less than that. (and there are no activities that take 2 hours anyways) AB trading is still much stronger than anything else you can do in this game.

 

[Magic Man]

Well said OP, fully agree. Some people just don't get what Elite is about and want instant gratification.
You make your own 'game' - if you're bored after 'exploring' (800 billions systems in a few weeks?) or doing what you consider is all there is to the game then you've missed the point.

If you are 'grinding' then you are playing the wrong game.

 

[Ghostickles]

Maybe Trade wont have to be the only payday. The Beta is seeing some changes to payouts across the board from what I can tell so far, trying to get you all some decent pay for all your activities through feedback.
Hopefully it makes enjoying what you enjoy more enjoyable.

 

[DoneWithFD]

The word "grinding" is interesting with regards to a PERSISTENT game. It is not physically possible for them to be able to put enough content into a PERSISTENT game that it can be played for the intended weeks, months, or years without some amount of repetition. In fact, there are few games in history that didn't involve some form of doing the same basic thing over and over.

This is true, but I feel the usual problems are magnified exponentially by the nature of Elite Dangerous, there's little variety in station exteriors and even less when it comes to interiors. It's just that there's so little variety. In other games you can for example visit multiple town with distinct architectures, go hiking in the mountains, drive cars, fly helicopters/planes and a wide array of other visually and mechanically distinct activities - all in the same, seamless game world. Elite: Dangerous is extremely limited, unless you're absolutely into picking out minute differences in star systems and if you're really lucky stumble on the odd visually pleasing constellation.

 

[flynnmichael81]

its always great when you get an unexpected windfall (that epic drop from a random mob) and it gives your game a significant boost. I think we need something similar in the game. Something that makes you shout "Hell Yeah" and moves your game on a significant amount.

Hmmm, I like the idea behind this! A very occasional bounty for 1m or a similar prize for the first to find a black hole. Nothing too crazy but just to add a bit more excitement to the career paths.

 

[Vincent Starson]

Do people forget that reaching Elite status in trading is one of the goals in the game? It's not all about smelling the shield cells in combat for me, it's all about the credits! So yeah, when Frontier devs say they want to keep professions earning potential in line with each other, I didn't expect them to nerf trading!

I wanted them to BUFF the other professions to bring it in line with trading! Sadly, this hasn't happened and without enough whinging it won't change. As you can see from the dev posts here, they respond to the squeekiest wheels with the poorest sentence structure and clickbait titles.

Please consider the following: Starting at 0 trading credits:

At my old rate of 7 million credits per hour, you would reach trader elite in 142 hours.
At 5 million per hour, it'll take 200 hours.
At 3 million per hour, it'll take 333 hours.
At 1 million credits per hour, it will take you 1000 hours.

You can see that even a few million per hour difference equals DAYS worth of playing time. Time is a valuable resource and that's why we are complaining.

 

[BlackReign]

@ the OP,

Your argument is void of any facts to support your views, simply subjective conjecture of what you think the game should be. Well, nothing you say has been expressed by FD, so your views are simply your views, as mine are mine.

Your comments seem to suggest that ED should be a long protracted grind, with a complete absence of "economic rushes" to break the monotony. If FD's "silent mission" is congruent with your assertions, this game's popularity will not be sustainable over the next year. You need to take a step back and ask yourself "what provides greater entertainment value: a long grind, or grind with some economic volatility?"

Your assertions about "end game ships" is completely wrong and demonstrates your utter lack of what the game is really about. I can have every ship in my inventory and the game is not over. As a matter of fact, when you have a fleet of ships, the game is really just beginning. In ED, money gives you options. Less money, less options, period.

Arguments from the "economic nerfing" crew like you just ensure the game will continue to lack staying power. And after a few months, you be out here wondering where all the commanders went.....they left for StarCitizen (assuming it becomes reality) and other games.

The game needs more dynamic opportunities to break the monotony. I don't have a problem with someone having a billion dollars, it has no impact on my game. What I would like to hear you explain is why you and others are sooooo concerned with the economic success of another CMDR? How does it impact your gameplay in anyway?

Rares for example:
Alot of CMDRs made a ton selling rares. What did FD do? Nerfed it. They didn't think of creative ways to make it more attractive while removing some attributes about the Rares, instead, they nuked them. Guess what? No cmdr that made millions from rares has any negative impact on my gameplay or yours. They simply took advantage of an economic opportunity.

But don't worry, the way FD is going with all this nerfing and meddling in the game mechanics, will soon result in a very quiet community and you won't have to post anymore of these topics asking for people to "get over it" and "stop asking for easier x".

 

[Halo Moon]

I say reduce the price of the stock ships so peeps get the experience of owning the available ships and if there must be a huge-grind; make improving module ranks more expensive. then peeps can settle on a ship of choice and focus on twinking it.
AND
Lets not make it a sin for people wanting to fly/experience the available ships.

 

[Elianydd]

This is true, but I feel the usual problems are magnified exponentially by the nature of Elite Dangerous, there's little variety in station exteriors and even less when it comes to interiors. It's just that there's so little variety. In other games you can for example visit multiple town with distinct architectures, go hiking in the mountains, drive cars, fly helicopters/planes and a wide array of other visually and mechanically distinct activities - all in the same, seamless game world. Elite: Dangerous is extremely limited, unless you're absolutely into picking out minute differences in star systems and if you're really lucky stumble on the odd visually pleasing constellation.

True enough. And let's hope that Frontier has big plans for adding lots more variety and lots more to do in the game within the next year or so. I'm sure there's a lot (more) they'd love to do with the game; it's just a matter of them having the time and resources to DO it.

 

[jamotide]

If that were the case, I'd fit my clipper with 240t cargo and AB trade all day.

The case was the OP blaming the symptom (negativity) instead of blaming the cause of aforementioned negativity. According to you this would result in you fitting your clipper with 240t cargo and AB trading all day. What are you trying to say and how does it make sense?

 

[specialsymbol]

True, it isn't an old-school single player game from the 80's.

However, being a MMO doesn't make it more fun. I befriended another Commander - and can't send him messages. I don't see where he is. If it were - would I then need the grind? No, I'd prefer playing along with him, of course showing off what I achieved or not, but still this would even be possible without the grind. It would rather show my preferences.


I don't feel like I achieved something when I finally can buy the Anaconda. If I get one - then what? Then I have an Anaconda.
I feel like I achieved something when I had a great time with some other commanders or even on my own. Do I need grind for that? No, it's just a hinderance.


That's the true difference between the games from back from the 80's and today's MMOs: the 80's and 90's games were fun when you played them.
MMOs are fun when you achieve something - and god prevent that you run out of goals.

 

[BlackReign]

Yep this is cool ! Back in early beta I jumped into a USS and found 5 canisters of gold floating around, that made my day. haven't seen that since.

Careful Brad, don't speak too loudly about this, or FD will consider it an exploit or economic opportunity that requires nerfing.

 

[stramasher]

I'm looking to get into a T7 at the moment and had 5 days of PerfEhs from my station to the seeking luxury T9s 6ly out. About 5mins there and back.

Now thanks to the latest mods I have put shields back on my Asp and earning bigger cash properly trading and piloting and getting interdicted etc. again instead of what I considered real grinding.

 

[BlackReign]

Do people forget that reaching Elite status in trading is one of the goals in the game? It's not all about smelling the shield cells in combat for me, it's all about the credits! So yeah, when Frontier devs say they want to keep professions earning potential in line with each other, I didn't expect them to nerf trading!

I wanted them to BUFF the other professions to bring it in line with trading! Sadly, this hasn't happened and without enough whinging it won't change. As you can see from the dev posts here, they respond to the squeekiest wheels with the poorest sentence structure and clickbait titles.

Please consider the following: Starting at 0 trading credits:

At my old rate of 7 million credits per hour, you would reach trader elite in 142 hours.
At 5 million per hour, it'll take 200 hours.
At 3 million per hour, it'll take 333 hours.
At 1 million credits per hour, it will take you 1000 hours.

You can see that even a few million per hour difference equals DAYS worth of playing time. Time is a valuable resource and that's why we are complaining.

Well said, repped.

 

[goxy]

you want what in Freelancer exist, ED developers pls play Freelancer Discovery mode 1 day and you ll understand what we want, and take a look how planet landing is regulated in Discovery mode

thank you

 

[Elianydd]

Your argument is void of any facts to support your views

True enough. I did not give any factual evidence whatsoever to support my opinion. I did, however, state that it was in fact, just my opinion.

Your comments seem to suggest that ED should be a long protracted grind, with a complete absence of "economic rushes" to break the monotony.

Not at all. The occasional "economic rush" adds excitement and fun to the game. It's the SUSTAINED "economic rushes" that are a problem; the ones where EVERYONE can go, and for an extended period of time, make a huge windfall of profit.

Your assertions about "end game ships" is completely wrong and demonstrates your utter lack of what the game is really about. I can have every ship in my inventory and the game is not over. As a matter of fact, when you have a fleet of ships, the game is really just beginning.

I will admit to having NO top-tier ships. And I will certainly agree that the game should not be "over" just because one does have those ships, but I would also disagree that the game is "just beginning" at that point. Ship progression -- and yes, again, *IMO* and based on what I've seen and experienced of the game first-hand and not based on any inside knowledge on what Frontier INTENDED -- should be ONE OF the not-instantaneous means of progression in the game. If they wanted everyone to have huge ships RIGHT AWAY they probably wouldn't have put such huge price tags on them in the first place, or made them so expensive to maintain. I will readily admit that (from what I've read in the forums only) there must be issues with regards to costs of maintaining such huge ships (which is one of the reasons I have yet to pursue actually having one, 'cause I'm too darn cheap!), but if the only way to be able to "afford to run" one of those is through "grinding" profit loopholes for millions in minutes, then I would say that there is a more fundamental issue there that needs to be addressed (in some other way.)

The game needs more dynamic opportunities to break the monotony.

Yes! But they shouldn't be PERSISTENT enough to be posted here and have everyone in the game run there and reap billions of credits for days or weeks on end. Does it have any DIRECT impact on MY gameplay at that point? Not at all. But I WOULD argue that if everyone "gets rich quick" that that will SHORTEN the game's lifespan which DOES eventually impact me and everyone else in the game, if it shuts down 'cause everyone came, got rich quick, got bored, and left.

They didn't think of creative ways to make it more attractive while removing some attributes about the Rares, instead, they nuked them.

To paraphrase a cliche, if your ship is leaking the FIRST thing to do is to PLUG THE LEAK. They've done that. There is nothing stopping them from later -- once they've had more time to think things out and design better methods -- adding/changing things to make them "fancier" or better or whatever.

 

[Logios]

Do you know what irrelevant means?
OP is allowed to have an opinion, just because it differs to yours, it does not automatically mean that he is not allowed to share his views.
Irrelevant means something that is not relevant to the subject in question.
Since he is talking about ED, then I would say that it is highly relevant to the game.

Poor choice of words there pal.

No, sorry but you can't spout nonsense backed by nothing and then hide behind "well that's my opinion man". That's not an opinion, that's just being wrong.

 

[BlackReign]

Yes! But they shouldn't be PERSISTENT enough to be posted here and have everyone in the game run there and reap billions of credits for days or weeks on end. Does it have any DIRECT impact on MY gameplay at that point? Not at all. But I WOULD argue that if everyone "gets rich quick" that that will SHORTEN the game's lifespan which DOES eventually impact me and everyone else in the game, if it shuts down 'cause every came, got rich quick, got bored, and left.

Sounds like we disagree on what Persistent means, and that's cool. And you never answered the question: "how does this impact your gameplay experience?"

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No, sorry but you can't spout nonsense backed by nothing and then hide behind "well that's my opinion man". That's not an opinion, that's just being wrong.

trust me, I'm not defending the OP at all, but it's still his opinion. Try Webster.com for guidance. We can disagree, even vehemently, but refusing to even acknowledge the opinions of those you dont agree with is uncool and disrespectful. No need to go there....

 

[Rifter]

I disagree.
I play the game for fun, not for progressing my way to the top.
The problem with modern game culture is that most games these days are based solely around progression and getting the best stuff in the game.
ED has stuck with it's roots by not having such a system in the game.

It's not a game which holds your hand, tells you to goes out and come back for a hug and then allow you to go to the next level capped area.
If you want that kind of experience, then this is not the game to play.

If I wanted to play the roots of Elite.. I would load up well elite 1984.

This is 2015 and I wanted to see Elite 2015 not Elite 1984 with better graphics.

And I think if the latter is true then ED is going to fall flat on it's face after 6 months.

Rifter.