My Foray Into Open Play

[TheSpackman]

Since starting ED I've always opted for the nice controllable Solo option. I have my reasons and I'll not bore you with them. Anyway, decided it was time to man up so click "Open" for the first time on game type.

Was looking for a part for my Viper - All I had to do was jump 2 systems and dock. I had no wish for combat, just wanted to dip my toes in.

I undock and immediately noticed it was busier in space generally. The icons on the radar looked different, guessing it was players. Everywhere I went, it was busy and the feeling of general safety I’d enjoyed previously, was gone. I'm an old veteran of Eve Online and PvP'd a lot there, done pretty well too. This also left me very aware of the number of hostile players that were likely around with way more ED PvP experience than me.

I got to my target system and when I jumped in the area was mobbed with players! It was also an Anarchy system - doh. I high tailed it for my station, approx. 800Lsecs away and very quickly, boom – interdicted and instantly set upon by a player. No Hello, no gies yer stuff just pew pew so no questions what they planned. I legged it and managed to escape. Back into supercruise mode. Boom – interdicted again. Escaped again. Back into supercruise – boom interdicted. Escaped.

Eventually got to the station like a fox chased by hounds. Tried to dock – denied!! All the landing pads were full. Never had that happen before. The panic had properly set in by this point and I was just waiting to get blown out the sky at any moment. I was a flapping mess

I parked next to the station and logged off Open play and back into Solo.

Aaaaaaaaaah. That’s better.

Seriously, it’s not safe in space! Open play was like walking down a quiet street you thought you knew well only to suddenly realise you’re not on the quiet street you know but gang warfare turf in Harlem!!

It seems obvious now but Open Play totally transformed the game. I think that's a good thing but for me demonstrated clearly why many people just don't want to play in Open.

It may sound surprising after the sheer terror Open play set upon me but I will jump into it for sure. It is a completely different game. It's nice to know it's there waiting when my gaming time better suits playing it.


The game rocks though. Utterly engrossed by it and slowly getting better all the time. Soon I'll shoot back in Open and see how I measure up

 

[Lupin]

Open play might be a bit more of a problem in popular areas, but space is BIG, there are lots places to go.

Regardless of open or solo, NPC will be a pain You need to learn the skills to stay alive one way or the other.

 

[Tempus-Fugit]

I play open but well away from the populated areas. The few people I meet are usually a nice surprise. Sometime we chat (when chat works) mostly we don't but its just good to see another player. I've been playing this way since beta and it suits me fine. If I want some action I can always travel to the hi-pop areas.

 

[[VR] Frank_G]

I hate being shot at by other players, just for the reason i have a CMDR in front of my name, but actually i love it, if the "evil" pirate player taunts over the comms with a nice "yarrrr, gimme all your cargo or be blown to bits" and there is actually some sort of playing going on. Unbeatable, with lots of funny unexpected moments. Also communicating with friendly commanders is awesome. I would never ever want to miss that. It gives just the extra kick of immersion, that makes all the difference. I strongly recommend to give it another try

 

[Devil's Refugee]

I've not really had much of a problem with Open just now but I haven't really gone into the really busy systems, partly because I've been there and don't need to go back to them. I do enjoy the pew pew with a couple of fellow CMDRs at Nav Beacons and seeing a new one pop up on the radar is always a nice thing, I pop a message to say 'Hi' and they often respond. Doesn't need to end in a Friend Request but the little interaction is always welcome. I can see the queuing system at Stations always being a problem with the busier systems but when you start venturing out a little more it's less problematic. I quite enjoy the odd heart-stopping moments that break the routine though, but do think that pirates should stick to a code of conduct and at least state intentions rather than bloodlust. But then I'm old fashioned lol

 

[Deleted member 38366]

-- Deleted --

 

[jockmcplop]

- no way to ever trust another Player

The entire ELITE universe is ruled by : distrust.
Noone has any way of telling what another Player might be up to. Noone.
You could be seeing the friendliest Anaconda Trader doing Reputation grind for the very same Faction you might already be allied with...
You both might be carrying high Ranks with the very same governments...
You both could even have exactly the same goals...

...but for all you know, that other guy might as well be the worst griefer that just took a short vacation from Lave.
There's no way of telling, nada. N/A.

.

Elite is from the Thatcher era of gaming

 

[TheSpackman]

Yeah I was likely just unlucky that I picked a busy set of systems to dip my toe into open but it was more the shock of it all I wanted to convey

I really do need to get into open as I know I'm missing out on a more interesting game. Thing is, with my limited game time I just want a nice controllable world to enjoy flying in. I know if I hang back too long I'll never make it out solo - lol.

Tell you what, once I complete my first rares run, I'll use the profit to kit out a modest Eagle and head in for a longer experience

 

[TheSpackman]

Elite is from the Thatcher era of gaming

lol

Some seem to think it's the worst crime in the universe but I see myself making money in Solo relatively safely then popping into Open with a combat ship I don't mind losing for pretty much just that reason. My game time is way too precious to spend most of it making up for huge credit losses and I'll never be one of the better pilots for the same reason of little time to play so I will take a lot of losses if I get into regular combat.

I expect the bounty system will be heavily revised over time. TBH in 2 years the game will probably be unrecognisable. Enjoying what's there so far I must say.

 

[Bigcheese]

Kind of stinks open is the pvp playground instead of a more dynamic universe. That's what happens when you allow mode switching though. Probably the biggest mistake FD has made so far, SO much interaction and opportunities lost. My dreams of convoys will never see reality.

No need to balance system security or mechanics, just say "screw it" and allow mode switching. Such a cop out.

 

[Stein]

- no way to ever trust another Player

Original Elite is from 1984.
It really captures the essense from that book. (recommended reading if you haven't already)
Never trust anyone.
Your life means nothing.
Nothing you can do changes anything.
Big Brother is watching you.

 

[Ian Skippy]

- no way to ever trust another Player

The entire ELITE universe is ruled by : distrust.
Noone has any way of telling what another Player might be up to. Noone.
You could be seeing the friendliest Anaconda Trader doing Reputation grind for the very same Faction you might already be allied with...
You both might be carrying high Ranks with the very same governments...
You both could even have exactly the same goals...
You could even be running for exactly the same Community Goal...

...but for all you know, that other guy might as well be the worst griefer that just took a short vacation from Lave.
There's no way of telling, nada. N/A.

And in that kind of environment - how could any spirit of cooperation and support ever grow, let alone flourish or even excel ?!
For the most part - it's really not the other Ships or their potential abilities I mind in Open Play.
It's the endless uncertainty, never knowing who that other guy is or what he's up to.
This permanent, fundamentally unbreakable and (by now) extremely deep-rooted, complete lack of trust in any other Player is what effectively made me go Solo.
Because this is an environment I can understand, get used to and expect in Anarchy/Chaos Warzones - but not throughout the entire civilized space.

In Open Play, the only safe sanctuary is either being inside a Hangar - or >500LY away.
Ironically, you might at any given moment be completely surrounded by Friendlies - but since you never know, you have to treat your Friendies like any other Threat. And they'll be well-advised to do exactly the same.

Because if you stay away from humans - you and your ship will simply live longer.
This is the key lession the current ELITE teaches the Player over time : trust noone - or you will be betrayed.

Or rather; trust but verify. Really, is real life any different? If I knock on your door one day would you be paranoid just because you don't know for sure I am not a deranged lunatic? Spirit and cooperation grows in the same way in the game as in life: by talking to others. It is just easier in ED because there are consequences to speak of, compared to what could happen if you run into a real-life 'griefer'. I find that just acting like a somewhat-sane person is all you need to get along fine with the vast majority of players. As to that little minority: thats why you keep an eye on the radar. Just in case.

 

[Chevy66]

I've never been attacked by a real player, couple of time I've gone bounty hunting in a RES and another player has turned up, each time we ended up facing each other suspiciously, neither one fired and we both went off to shoot NPC's

I've no desire to attack other players, but I quite like that moment of suspicion

 

[tagos]

The entire ELITE universe is ruled by : distrust.
Noone has any way of telling what another Player might be up to. Noone.
You could be seeing the friendliest Anaconda Trader doing Reputation grind for the very same Faction you might already be allied with...
You both might be carrying high Ranks with the very same governments...
You both could even have exactly the same goals...
You could even be running for exactly the same Community Goal...

This is true. It's best to always go completely out of your way to evade other players. You do get an instinct for what they're up to but best to evade them. It really cuts the interdictions.

I just assume every player is a pirate and fly accordingly and if interdicted I start shooting. I'm in an Asp so even if i'm against a bigger ship I can at minimum hand out a huge repair bill.

 

[TheSpackman]

Kind of stinks open is the pvp playground instead of a more dynamic universe. That's what happens when you allow mode switching though. Probably the biggest mistake FD has made so far, SO much interaction and opportunities lost. My dreams of convoys will never see reality.

No need to balance system security or mechanics, just say "screw it" and allow mode switching. Such a cop out.

I believe it was their best design move.

Why do you think forcing an "either or" approach to Open and Solo would improve the Open world game? The Open game still needs balanced regardless of mode switching?

Still never heard one good argument why allowing people to play the way they want to is a bad thing. Mode switching allows that (I include Group mode in this).

 

[Whiterose]

I play open but well away from the populated areas. The few people I meet are usually a nice surprise. Sometime we chat (when chat works) mostly we don't but its just good to see another player. I've been playing this way since beta and it suits me fine. If I want some action I can always travel to the hi-pop areas.

I concur. Exactly what i do. looking at the traffic where I was last night in Empire Space there were 3 visits in the last 24 hours. 2 of those were mine. A sole Eagle had visited.

 

[Bigcheese]

I believe it was their best design move.

Why do you think forcing an "either or" approach to Open and Solo would improve the Open world game?

You're joking, right? Think of all the gameplay types that are completely absent in Elite (escorts etc). People also trade in solo for the most part, which makes sense. This undermines everything, and I don't pirate.

Come on now, this isn't even complicated...

 

[Flip]

If you want a mix of open play and solo mode, you could try the Mobius PvE group. We have more than 4300 members at the moment, so you often meet other commanders, and you can be pretty confident that you won't be attacked just for the lulz of it. Click the link in my sig for more info.

 

[OBoile]

I believe it was their best design move.

Why do you think forcing an "either or" approach to Open and Solo would improve the Open world game? The Open game still needs balanced regardless of mode switching?

Still never heard one good argument why allowing people to play the way they want to is a bad thing. Mode switching allows that (I include Group mode in this).

Agreed. I like having the choice.

 

[TheSpackman]

You're joking, right? Think of all the gameplay types that are completely absent in Elite (escorts etc). People also trade in solo for the most part, which makes sense. This undermines everything, and I don't pirate.

Come on now, this isn't even complicated...

Nope - I think allowing people to play the way they want to > forcing into a mode that suits a minority and compromises for a majority.

I (and for interest everyone else in RL I know interested or playing the game) thinks what is there in regards to modes is fantastic. The ability to control the level of interaction with other people to a degree is bliss.