Elite boring?

[Bacon Sarnie]

You lot might be finding it boring but finding this little beauty made me smile, while I know its nothing to look at it being the first world I've discovered in unpopulated space with carbon based life, all be they marine as its a water world, made me smile and feel happy to be playing and doing some exploring



If you're bored of this, then its not the game for you.
I got bored so found something new to do, Im loving it out here.

 

[kingchub]

Tl dr but This game is not boring. Have u tried pvp yet? Get an interdict or on ur ship and start interdicting combat vessels.

 

[Arksun]

Boring? lol, if anything I'll have to check myself into E.A.A soon (Elite Addicts Anonnymous)

 

[Saool]

Several , theme park, led by the hand, "kill 10 chickens and I will give you a magic sword (or which I have several hundred under my desk for everyone in line), games are available.

 

[Tullaian]

It isn't that it is boring , it is that it isn't very hard or strategic especially on the trading side of things with the underlying gameplay no different to Elite 25+ years ago. There is no feeling of life or purpose in the economy and no real challenge in finding profitable trade routes. Similarly there isn't any real challenge in flying those trade routes , I haven't been interdicted even by an NPC in days now.

There are many good trading games out there that have shown elements that could have been used to good effect in E but, it is still just largely static pricing A>B>A which was engaging back then but, has long been eclipsed by other games. With the underlying economics of the universe so moribund and the local faction system so shallow (though changes are coming in 1.3) it is hard to care about what you trade to who or why which is why so many people end up focusing on credits.

Just this morning I loaded up my Hauler with 18t of gold (current earth market price would be $723,000,000 for that btw) flew it 2 minutes away and pocketed my 20,000 credit profit. I didn't need any faction with the person selling the gold, any security or bond, no escorts and nobody troubled me despite transporting this vast wealth in the equivalent of a Kombi Van. If I owned a Type6 the gameplay would have been exactly the same (exactly) except I'd have bought 98t (current market value $3.9billion) of gold not 18. There'd still be no reason why the gold needed to go from A>B, why such a huge profit margin was being ignored by NPC traders and NPC corporations and no compelling reason to take it to C instead of B.

The issue isn't it being a sandbox or not , it is clearly a sandbox. There just isn't very many things in the sandpit to play with.

 

[KellyR]

It isn't that it is boring , it is that it isn't very hard or strategic especially on the trading side of things with the underlying gameplay no different to Elite 25+ years ago. There is no feeling of life or purpose in the economy and no real challenge in finding profitable trade routes. Similarly there isn't any real challenge in flying those trade routes , I haven't been interdicted even by an NPC in days now.

There are many good trading games out there that have shown elements that could have been used to good effect in E but, it is still just largely static pricing A>B>A which was engaging back then but, has long been eclipsed by other games. With the underlying economics of the universe so moribund and the local faction system so shallow (though changes are coming in 1.3) it is hard to care about what you trade to who or why which is why so many people end up focusing on credits.

Just this morning I loaded up my Hauler with 18t of gold (current earth market price would be $723,000,000 for that btw) flew it 2 minutes away and pocketed my 20,000 credit profit. I didn't need any faction with the person selling the gold, any security or bond, no escorts and nobody troubled me despite transporting this vast wealth in the equivalent of a Kombi Van. If I owned a Type6 the gameplay would have been exactly the same (exactly) except I'd have bought 98t (current market value $3.9billion) of gold not 18. There'd still be no reason why the gold needed to go from A>B, why such a huge profit margin was being ignored by NPC traders and NPC corporations and no compelling reason to take it to C instead of B.

The issue isn't it being a sandbox or not , it is clearly a sandbox. There just isn't very many things in the sandpit to play with.

Oh, there's a reason, but the reasons are such that they don't concern the transporters. We'll pay X amount of credits for each ton of gold (platinum, palladium, whatever) you bring us.

Hauler: Why do you need so much of this material?
Commodity market employee: Why do you care so long as you get your money? It's none of your business. Your business is bringing us the stuff. Our business is paying you for these items and then moving them on to where they need to go. We won't tell you how to haul, you don't tell us how to pay for and handle the goods brought in, and everyone's happy.

Do you think a truck driver cares who gets this load of furniture he just brought in to the loading dock? Or where it's going to go? No. He just wants their signature so his company (or he himself if he is an owner operator) can get paid.

The only reason to bring it to C instead of B is because C pays more.

 

[Tullaian]

Oh, there's a reason, but the reasons are such that they don't concern the transporters. We'll pay X amount of credits for each ton of gold (platinum, palladium, whatever) you bring us.

In a game though that makes for poor gameplay. Where are the interesting choices and tradeoffs in trading? There are none. You simply find A/B with the greatest profit per run , most people probably using a tool like Thrudds to find that A/B choice and fly the route. The actual gameplay involved is almost zero, some pretty scenery for a minute or two per run and the miniscule challenge of docking.

As a trader there isn't anything you can do from a gameplay perspective to alter that A/B min/max outcome and that leads to a lack of gameplay choices. You can't get involved in a merchant war between two rival corporations paying different rates , you can't skim cargo in a deal with pirates , you can't bribe the dockside workers to load your ship first to race another trader to an end point etc etc.

I agree with you sadly that leads you to the same conclusion you made "do you think the truck driver cares" and the answer is of course they don't. In a dull minimum wage job in real life that might be the price you have to pay to keep food on the table but, in a game to create a system where the player doesn't care at all doesn't make much of a game.

Also doesn't explain given how cheap/easy it is to haul stuff why manufacturing corporation X would pass up massive profits to Joe Independent Trucker especially when the transport distances are so small. I know this is a made up universe but, there are planets shipping in a single day the same industrial output for products like Gold that Earth mines in an entire year these resources just flooding out into the universe for no reason and to produce no goods/services.

 

[CMDR MrChips]

i think that developers must take a look at other games like x-rebirth. This game is potentially really interesting but now, is boring.

Nobody should ever look at x-rebirth, for any reason. The only thing that should happen to x-rebirth is for it to be driven into the woods and shot.

 

[kreuzbichler]

Several , theme park, led by the hand, "kill 10 chickens and I will give you a magic sword (or which I have several hundred under my desk for everyone in line), games are available.

you´re exactly decribing the game´s gameplay good Sir.
Kill 10 ships grind reputation and credits

how is that not a thempark /rolleyes

 

[Crank Larson]

As a trader there isn't anything you can do from a gameplay perspective to alter that A/B min/max outcome and that leads to a lack of gameplay choices. You can't get involved in a merchant war between two rival corporations paying different rates , you can't skim cargo in a deal with pirates , you can't bribe the dockside workers to load your ship first to race another trader to an end point etc etc.

There are some good ideas in here. Remember, E: D is still being developed and enhanced... Post these ideas in the suggestions thread, maybe they'll make an update or expansion (yes, it will take time - possibly a long time). And it will be interesting to see what 1.3 can provide in this area as some of these ideas seem appropriate to the mission system (which is being rewritten).

 

[CYB34]

you´re exactly decribing the game´s gameplay

I think about the experience, not the credits or progress.
Pirating, smuggling, trading and exploring do not really require a mission, you can create your own content.

But since many people love being told what to do, they look for purpose in completing predefined objectives.
Nothing wrong with that, actually. I think there should be options for everyone. Diversity is good.

 

[Sophieachi]

im getting enough money to then go into the background of elite dangerouse as i read that a groupe of people are testing the systems faction controll etc and it seems fun to do

 

[Rinxo]

I think about the experience, not the credits or progress.
Pirating, smuggling, trading and exploring do not really require a mission, you can create your own content.

But since many people love being told what to do, they look for purpose in completing predefined objectives.
Nothing wrong with that, actually. I think there should be options for everyone. Diversity is good.

The experience is empty, nothing to do with credits. If it was full frontier would have stopped adding content to each activity.
Also i get a condescending vibe when you say people like being told what to do.

 

[nosscar]

Nothing to do with credits, i have 150m, a nice Python ect, and i know i can go where i want, do any of the things there is to do, thing is i haven't played for over 2 weeks now, waiting for new content (1.3).

My trouble is i no longer find anything in the game fun to do, just tedious and repetitive, nothing much interests me enough to log back in just now. I hope 1.3 changes that in a big way, and not just again for a few days gameplay before it gets old.
It is not any good giving us new ships, and the means to fly with friends, if there is still nothing much interesting to do with them.

 

[Derath]

Sorry it's not the instant action game that you hoped for.

Elite is and always will be a space simulator. With 400 billion star systems to explore, I don't know why you're saying no real exploration. You can explore more in this game than any other game.

The game has never been about progression/ stat increases/ level gating or any other theme-park like MMO's. It's a sandbox. You do what you want, when you want, because you can.

If your sole purpose is trying to get the biggest and baddest ships in the quickest time possible, then you will have a boring time.

Can't resist replying to this as you are inadvertently arguing for the OP anyway.

Its fairly clear why he says there is no exploration, if you are satisfied jumping around arbitary systems to see marbles in slightly different orders then you will indeed be satisfied, but claiming you can explore more in this game than any other game is ludicrous, there is more genuine content to explore in a random dungeon rotation in diablo than there is in this , there isn't anything unique specific or exciting to find as once you have 400 billion systems everything is duplicated, the possible exception for this will be the rarer and funky star formations that always make me scratch my head when I look at the orbit lines.

I don't see anything about stat increases level gating or mmo mechanics in any way in the OP's post, he is merely stating that the only objective currently is to make money - I can't think of a sandbox that i've played ever which has nothing to do but make money, you could say X3 was about making money, but i actually think in that you make money to realise new gameplay opportunities not the reverse. (this is actually a very common sandbox approach where currency gates further gameplay opportunities)

For many the sole purpose is to get the biggest baddest ship in the quickest possible time, as its the only goal they are given, ranks both within factions and your status ranks are meaningless functions of time with no game-play attached there really isn't anything to work towards than a bigger and badder ship.

The reason I say you were arguing for the OP is by highlighting the things that elite does and does not do, you can see how much it actually lacks, if it wants to be classed as a sandbox it needs some more toys, if it wants some more mmo it will need progression in some area, and if anything it was the instant action he was hoping for, it didn't have the staying power he was looking for. Not everybody who complains wants a shallow experience infact i very rarely see a thread here where someones unhappy but they want it to be shallow.

 

[NeilF]

You lot might be finding it boring but finding this little beauty made me smile, while I know its nothing to look at it being the first world I've discovered in unpopulated space with carbon based life, all be they marine as its a water world, made me smile and feel happy to be playing and doing some exploring

View attachment 29410

If you're bored of this, then its not the game for you.
I got bored so found something new to do, Im loving it out here.

Been there, done that... ie: Seen an identical looking world, and had "carbon based life"... And that's part of the problem isn't it. Exploration is good fun (at least to start with), but we soon realise after a few dozen systems that every system is simply the same ingredients in different amounts/combinations.

IMHO exploration needs the risk/reward of some truly unique/special/interesting encounters/discoveries, which at the moment we know just don't exist. We can all travel from one side of the galaxy to the other, and we all know exactly what to expect...

Exploration, and space flight in ED needs a damn good kick IMHO - https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=95448

 

[nosscar]

Can't resist replying to this as you are inadvertently arguing for the OP anyway.

Its fairly clear why he says there is no exploration, if you are satisfied jumping around arbitary systems to see marbles in slightly different orders then you will indeed be satisfied, but claiming you can explore more in this game than any other game is ludicrous, there is more genuine content to explore in a random dungeon rotation in diablo than there is in this , there isn't anything unique specific or exciting to find as once you have 400 billion systems everything is duplicated, the possible exception for this will be the rarer and funky star formations that always make me scratch my head when I look at the orbit lines.

I don't see anything about stat increases level gating or mmo mechanics in any way in the OP's post, he is merely stating that the only objective currently is to make money - I can't think of a sandbox that i've played ever which has nothing to do but make money, you could say X3 was about making money, but i actually think in that you make money to realise new gameplay opportunities not the reverse. (this is actually a very common sandbox approach where currency gates further gameplay opportunities)

For many the sole purpose is to get the biggest baddest ship in the quickest possible time, as its the only goal they are given, ranks both within factions and your status ranks are meaningless functions of time with no game-play attached there really isn't anything to work towards than a bigger and badder ship.

The reason I say you were arguing for the OP is by highlighting the things that elite does and does not do, you can see how much it actually lacks, if it wants to be classed as a sandbox it needs some more toys, if it wants some more mmo it will need progression in some area, and if anything it was the instant action he was hoping for, it didn't have the staying power he was looking for. Not everybody who complains wants a shallow experience infact i very rarely see a thread here where someones unhappy but they want it to be shallow.

I fully agree with this ^. And doing something in a game, just because you can is not the case, it needs to be fun too, not just samey, samey.

Even a regular well known streamer who used to play ED all the time, stated he was bored with the game only yesterday when i was watching his channel, he is now streaming other games.

 

[Varrag]

Yes, game in its current shape is (mostly) boring, or becomes boring too quickly.

My only motive to play is to reach an Elite rank in exploration (I am almost there). Last time I've got back from an expedition I tried to change the pace and did some bounty hunting, chased some players around (and being chased myself), but it didn't take me more than few days to give up. Trade, missions, conflict zones, community goals or -God forbid- mining weren't even an option: all of it feels so artificial and theme park'ish that I just cannot force myself into any of that.

So, once I get that explo rank, I doubt that I'll be playing ED much. But I'll certainly keep an eye on it.

 

[Calrissian]

I wouldn't say that the game is boring but I do know a few people that are already burnt out of it. Pace yourself and you'll enjoy it. Play the game and don't be so caught up in obtaining credits. The joy is is the journey and remember that money can not buy you happiness.

Also keep in mind that the game isn't finished. I, myself don't see the point in exploration when there's no new alien races or organisms to meet/ run into/ combat but there is enough current intrigue to get one going. Considering that the mission system is getting updated, the political intrigue aspect of the game is only going to get better.

I'd like to see the Star Trek planet eating/destroying log be implemented into the game.

[video=youtube;C0KW3MUeiH0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0KW3MUeiH0[/video]

 

[Smugallo]

Sorry it's not the instant action game that you hoped for.

Elite is and always will be a space simulator. With 400 billion star systems to explore, I don't know why you're saying no real exploration. You can explore more in this game than any other game.

The game has never been about progression/ stat increases/ level gating or any other theme-park like MMO's. It's a sandbox. You do what you want, when you want, because you can.

If your sole purpose is trying to get the biggest and baddest ships in the quickest time possible, then you will have a boring time.

There is nothing to explore except different textured balls. The nebulas are nice, sems the only thing worth doing is taking cool screenshots.