My Foray Into Open Play

[TheDayman]

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

It's probably the instances I get put into and the fact that I fly an A rated Viper, but I've been playing open since Beta and I never really get interdicted. Maybe a couple times in the past 6 months or so, but not anywhere near what you describe and I'm always in Anarchy systems.

It's so strange how one person's experiences can vary wildly from another. I guess that's what makes online play in E so dynamic and unpredictable.

 

[TheSpackman]

It's probably the instances I get put into and the fact that I fly an A rated Viper, but I've been playing open since Beta and I never really get interdicted. Maybe a couple times in the past 6 months or so, but not anywhere near what you describe and I'm always in Anarchy systems.

It's so strange how one person's experiences can vary wildly from another. I guess that's what makes online play in E so dynamic and unpredictable.

Yeah my experience probably is an extreme example but it was just such a contrast from the experience I'd had in Solo mode.

I mean I'm no stranger to high stakes PvP. Was in a lot of fights in Eve in ships worth billions that had no insurance payout worth caring about. But darn I was shell shocked and that totally surprised me

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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.

Cheers Flip - been meaning to look into this for a while. Will take a look see.

 

[dannysquid]

You don't have to travel far before you barely meet anybody. I actually thought my open play wasn't working for a while.

 

[tasev1]

I have been playing Open since release - and I have not been interdicted very many times by players. Not a single one destroyed me.....all of them politely asked for cargo. I was more than happy to oblige and was thrilled at the adventure of being interdicted by a player instead of NPC.

Oh, except the time I was being a pirate myself and a duo were defending traders in the system. Then I died. But I applauded their efforts.

I think you just had a bad luck-of-the-draw brother.

 

[Scoob]

Personally, I think that if a player kills another player (or NPC) that's NOT wanted, then they should be marked as Wanted with no option to clear their record my paying what is likely a nominal amount to them. The "killed" player has to live with potentially millions of cr in losses as well as the game time they've effectively had wiped out too. Personally, if a Player Kills another who looses 1 million cr in insurance fees + another million in lost cargo, that should be the minimum level for any "fine" if applied - we're all capitalists at heart so everything has a cr value

Basically the consequences for the humble trader playing in open are HUGE, the consequences for the murderer appear to be somewhat trivial by comparison. I'm all for properly roll-played piracy, but people who just go player killing need to have in-game mechanics in place to thwart them. We are seeing some good vigilante role-play by certain groups of players - this is GOOD - however the game should have it's own mechanism implemented too. A Capital Ship and supporting fleet arriving to quell excessive pirate activity would be dead cool...another dynamic event which players could take sides on potentially.

Scoob.

 

[DarQik]

... if a Player Kills another who looses 1 million cr in insurance fees + another million in lost cargo, that should be the minimum level for any "fine" if applied...

I really like that idea. Fine = (Insurance fees | repair costs) + Statutory Penalty

The Wanted flag is way to easy too clear right now. It allows you to play psycho, then go back to normal in moments with minimal penalties. My ammo is usually more than the fines I've generated by blasting clean targets to death. If the balance factor is new players experimenting, then threshold this, so that after x penalties, it is harder to clear.

I undock and immediately noticed it was busier in space generally. ...
...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.

And there's the problem with Open mode--Docking Denied, Docking Denied, Docking Denied, Docking Denied--screw it, back to solo/group.

This is similar to my experience. Space is busier. There's risk, but we came here to face it and experience it--not combat log at the first sign of trouble. Maybe stuff happens, and you get out of it, and then Docking Denied with no explanation, no queue and no hope of docking for repairs. I still go play in Open, but once I hit the Docking Denied, I'm usually done with open for a bit.


For our OP, CMDR TheSpackman, if you weren't denied docking, would you have repaired, taken a short break at the station to consider your next move, and ventured out to run for safer space in Open still?

 

[ChrisUK27]

I've played in Open since the Beta:

Number of times interdicted by CMDR's - Zero.

Number of times denied landing rights as it's too busy - Zero.

Clue:

Average CMDR ship movements in 24hrs at home station; Between 1 - 5

 

[DrDeathO5]

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.

Indeed this whole switching thing is a major problem... especially because the AI is so easy at the moment to avoid or to kill when you engage.

To OP: I guess you just had bad luck. Most of the times you can fly around pretty long before something happens.

 

[William J Smith]

I'm an open only player

Given the area I tend to lurk in gets some attention from other commanders, I have'nt seen the all out griefing and pirating because I stay out of the popular systems for the griefers and piraters

I have been interdicted by a couple of human pirates though, they were very nice about asking for a few items from my cargo hold, although they did'nt realise what a complete and
utter 2 faced backstabbing (word I dare not use) I am, hint: drop the most expensive thing.. wait until human goes to scoop it, then let him eat laser (or if I'm outgunned its time for Brave Sir Robin mode )

Most players coming through are just like me.. looking for a decent trade to upgrade their ships to an anaconda with a large plasma gun and take out those pesky griefers at Lave with a single shot

William Judas Smith

 

[Ipcress]

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.

Sounds just what i have been looking for

 

[DrDeathO5]

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.

Sure but the difference is that now it acts like an easy vs hard mode. Progress made in easy mode (single) should not be carried over into hard mode (multi).
Sure solo and open have to be exist. the way it is implemented now you can excape all consequences by switching to solo.
How can you properly balance stuff if all hardcore traders go to open and are able earn x-amount of money
At the moment staying in open punishes a player as far as profits are concerned, being anything else then a trader punishes a player as far as profits are concerned...
I wouldn't call that a bliss.
No one should be forced into a mode but when you pick a mode the consequences should be clear in advance.
At the moment you can escape every situation when you are in a loosing position in multiplayer. Instead of adapting playstyle you can switch to open as soon as it suits while adding the extra effect of maximising profits.

It's a bliss for players who don't wanna die but it's a burden for proper multi-player fans. Cmdr's should not be allowed to change into ghosts any time it suits them because it is not fair for the side who remains in open and are prepared to face the concequences of their actions.

 

[Dogeh]

I am in a quiet part of Empire space.
I have only seen five CMDRs all week.
And those that I have spoken to have been very pleasant.

 

[TheSpackman]

I really like that idea. Fine = (Insurance fees | repair costs) + Statutory Penalty

The Wanted flag is way to easy too clear right now. It allows you to play psycho, then go back to normal in moments with minimal penalties. My ammo is usually more than the fines I've generated by blasting clean targets to death. If the balance factor is new players experimenting, then threshold this, so that after x penalties, it is harder to clear.

And there's the problem with Open mode--Docking Denied, Docking Denied, Docking Denied, Docking Denied--screw it, back to solo/group.

This is similar to my experience. Space is busier. There's risk, but we came here to face it and experience it--not combat log at the first sign of trouble. Maybe stuff happens, and you get out of it, and then Docking Denied with no explanation, no queue and no hope of docking for repairs. I still go play in Open, but once I hit the Docking Denied, I'm usually done with open for a bit.


For our OP, CMDR TheSpackman, if you weren't denied docking, would you have repaired, taken a short break at the station to consider your next move, and ventured out to run for safer space in Open still?

No, I'd have logged into solo. Just wasn't doing a combat log so getting to the station without docking I deemed acceptable

 

[Kaburan]

Its experiences like yours that really depress me about Open Play. Call it carebear, call it having options, but reading how you jump into Open, get intimidated and run back to solo disappoints me. I play exclusively in Open Play because I believe HUMAN interaction is what DEEPENS the experience in ED both good or bad. Sure having the choice is wonderful, but I still think Character/Ships/Profiles shouldn't be able to switch between the two. Want to play in Group? Sure, use your Solo ship for PVE group only, etc. But Open play should be all about the Universe and its inhabitants and the decisions that are made in them can swing the tide of a faction, etc.

To each his own, but i'm glad you at least dipped your feet in Open. Hats off.

 

[TheSpackman]

Sure but the difference is that now it acts like an easy vs hard mode. Progress made in easy mode (single) should not be carried over into hard mode (multi).
Sure solo and open have to be exist. the way it is implemented now you can excape all consequences by switching to solo.
How can you properly balance stuff if all hardcore traders go to open and are able earn x-amount of money
At the moment staying in open punishes a player as far as profits are concerned, being anything else then a trader punishes a player as far as profits are concerned...
I wouldn't call that a bliss.

It is kind of easy and hard mode. Big deal? I get to choose what one I want to play at any time. Bliss.

I'm going to make the assumption your problem with people flitting between solo and open with the same character is the perception that they gain an advantage over players who stay only in open (apologies if I am wrong but this is the most common argument I've heard). Again I can only say, big deal. I fully expect to be utterly outclassed by the player with more time to play or a better controller (who knows how to use it) or an Oculus rift or some other aspect where they have an advantage I don't. And again, big deal. I don't see Elite as a hardcore pvp game where stuff like this actually matters. Stick me in a clan game of Counter Strike and I'll feel different.

Just cos I choose to counter my lack of play time to maximise profit in solo before jumping into Open for some potential player pew pew action, I see it as no different to the guy who has the money to get a HOTAS setup, Oculus rift and play 10hrs a day to become a master of the game and kicks my more easily obtained ships behind thoroughly.

Play it your way is a good thing for the majority of people.

Oh and as an Eve veteran with many hrs and days pvp under my belt, guess what I did to make money (to pay for pvp), went into easy mode (many ways to do that) and out of PvP to make money before jumping back into wars and pirating and any other available form of pvp till my money ran low again. I did this all in the same mode of course but it's the same premise. I can just it do it more easily in Elite.

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Its experiences like yours that really depress me about Open Play. Call it carebear, call it having options, but reading how you jump into Open, get intimidated and run back to solo disappoints me. I play exclusively in Open Play because I believe HUMAN interaction is what DEEPENS the experience in ED both good or bad. Sure having the choice is wonderful, but I still think Character/Ships/Profiles shouldn't be able to switch between the two. Want to play in Group? Sure, use your Solo ship for PVE group only, etc. But Open play should be all about the Universe and its inhabitants and the decisions that are made in them can swing the tide of a faction, etc.

To each his own, but i'm glad you at least dipped your feet in Open. Hats off.

Oh I agree that it deepens the experience and I plan to spend more time in open WHEN my situation better allows it. But when is my choice

 

[DrDeathO5]

It is kind of easy and hard mode. Big deal? I get to choose what one I want to play at any time. Bliss.

I'm going to make the assumption your problem with people flitting between solo and open with the same character is the perception that they gain an advantage over players who stay only in open (apologies if I am wrong but this is the most common argument I've heard). Again I can only say, big deal. I fully expect to be utterly outclassed by the player with more time to play or a better controller (who knows how to use it) or an Oculus rift or some other aspect where they have an advantage I don't. And again, big deal. I don't see Elite as a hardcore pvp game where stuff like this actually matters. Stick me in a clan game of Counter Strike and I'll feel different.

Just cos I choose to counter my lack of play time to maximise profit in solo before jumping into Open for some potential player pew pew action, I see it as no different to the guy who has the money to get a HOTAS setup, Oculus rift and play 10hrs a day to become a master of the game and kicks my more easily obtained ships behind thoroughly.

Play it your way is a good thing for the majority of people.

Oh and as an Eve veteran with many hrs and days pvp under my belt, guess what I did to make money (to pay for pvp), went into easy mode (many ways to do that) and out of PvP to make money before jumping back into wars and pirating and any other available form of pvp till my money ran low again. I did this all in the same mode of course but it's the same premise. I can just it do it more easily in Elite.

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Oh I agree that it deepens the experience and I plan to spend more time in open WHEN my situation better allows it. But when is my choice

The human mind works wonderfull...
once the choice have been givin you can not take it away from someone because they think it is supposed to work this way and they should always have a choice....
The most difficult kind of people to have a sensible discussion with are the ones that are conditioned by certain game-play elements. They keep thinking inside the box and fail to realise the downside of staying inside that box.

But hey big deal... it is only a game

 

[OBoile]

Sure but the difference is that now it acts like an easy vs hard mode. Progress made in easy mode (single) should not be carried over into hard mode (multi).
Sure solo and open have to be exist. the way it is implemented now you can excape all consequences by switching to solo.
How can you properly balance stuff if all hardcore traders go to open and are able earn x-amount of money
At the moment staying in open punishes a player as far as profits are concerned, being anything else then a trader punishes a player as far as profits are concerned...
I wouldn't call that a bliss.
No one should be forced into a mode but when you pick a mode the consequences should be clear in advance.
At the moment you can escape every situation when you are in a loosing position in multiplayer. Instead of adapting playstyle you can switch to open as soon as it suits while adding the extra effect of maximising profits.

It's a bliss for players who don't wanna die but it's a burden for proper multi-player fans. Cmdr's should not be allowed to change into ghosts any time it suits them because it is not fair for the side who remains in open and are prepared to face the concequences of their actions.

This really isn't true. Many of the good trade routes are in places where no one goes. Open = Solo in those places.
Forcing people to choose would simply relegate most people to Solo permanently. That wouldn't help open at all.

 

[ChrisUK27]

Oh I agree that it deepens the experience and I plan to spend more time in open WHEN my situation better allows it. But when is my choice

Is this not a sad indictment of the state of the game? A player who recognises the depth of Open play but feels somehow unprepared for it??

p.s. MODS this thread is perhaps going the way of 'Lets merge it into the Open v Solo Megathread'.

 

[TheSpackman]

The human mind works wonderfull...
once the choice have been givin you can not take it away from someone because they think it is supposed to work this way and they should always have a choice....
The most difficult kind of people to have a sensible discussion with are the ones that are conditioned by certain game-play elements. They keep thinking inside the box and fail to realise the downside of staying inside that box.

But hey big deal... it is only a game

Thanks for the personal attack and labelling me a type of person. Way to debate the person and not the point - sheesh.

Against my better judgement I have 2 things to say to that:

1 - This is the 1st time I've had a choice like this - It's a new box. I'm playing with it. I like it. I can get out and still see others.
2 - I've played games of all sorts intensively since I was 8. I'm 40 years old now. I have so many boxes my loft was full of them years ago.

Any chance we could get back to debating the points and not slipping into using statements like "kind of people" and other personal attacks. I have a few good ones up my sleeve based on what you just wrote but it really doesn't help.

 

[Robert Maynard]

p.s. MODS this thread is perhaps going the way of 'Lets merge it into the Open v Solo Megathread'.

It does seem to be heading that way, doesn't it....