FD making the game they want - quite literally

Jay8ch · Jun 13, 2015

I know there's already lots of opinions and threads about powerplay, but it struck me that the people having the most fun with powerplay are FD themselves. They're the ones shaping things, they get to make dozens of people participate and react to whatever events they inject. It quite literally feels to me as if they are the ones playing the deep game, and we're just their pieces on the board.

Disclaimer - I'm not participating in powerplay.

Evil · Jun 13, 2015

Well they do want to make the best game they can.

Perseus · Jun 13, 2015

I'm really enjoying powerplay so far. I'm all for FD making the game they want.

Comrade Napoleon · Jun 13, 2015

Jay8ch said:
I know there's already lots of opinions and threads about powerplay, but it struck me that the people having the most fun with powerplay are FD themselves. They're the ones shaping things, they get to make dozens of people participate and react to whatever events they inject. It quite literally feels to me as if they are the ones playing the deep game, and we're just their pieces on the board.

Disclaimer - I'm not participating in powerplay.

That, is in fact a very interesting view, and it fits in with how the game works.....
Should I apply for a job at FD so I can play the real powerplay...

Cheers Cmdr's

salad · Jun 13, 2015

Well I'm glad, when Devs listen too much to the community we end up with Starbound.

Johnny Cyclops · Jun 13, 2015

I'm very happy with the game they've made / and continue to make. Bravo FD.

Arindor · Jun 13, 2015

Yep, they're making the game they want and I have worries that they've lost the plot with PP being such a big feature to the background simulation, so much so that the likes of Limit Theory and even Pioneer are starting to sound more interesting ...

But it's early days. Taking PP out of the equation (which does not equal the best game FD can make), I hope that ED will look spectacular in several years. Even though we are an v1.3 after all, PP has only compounded my struggle to keep the faith. If only FD had spent resources on something much better, like proper content. <Sigh>

Ebannaw · Jun 13, 2015

Power Play is awesome, and is a great idea, but at the moment the merit reward system needs a lot of tweaking, among other things.

kilvenny · Jun 13, 2015

I am fascinated to see how it develops. At the moment we are in a phase of building largely multiplayer content, but at some point there should be more for the soloists and explorers.

Viajero · Jun 13, 2015

kilvenny said:
I am fascinated to see how it develops. At the moment we are in a phase of building largely multiplayer content, but at some point there should be more for the soloists and explorers.

Agree and I hope so.

I am lucky in that I enjoy both aspects... that is why I am desperate for multiple avatars.

Lestenio · Jun 13, 2015

Arindor said:
But it's early days. Taking PP out of the equation (which does not equal the best game FD can make), I hope that ED will look spectacular in several years. Even though we are an v1.3 after all, PP has only compounded my struggle to keep the faith. If only FD had spent resources on something much better, like proper content. <Sigh>

I know FD put a lot of effort in to PP and they are very proud of it. I'm actually disappointed in myself that I hate it. I try to like PP but just can't. I'm not necessarily against what they tried to do, but Elite isn't a board game and having to deal with merits and CC points just ruins the immersion for me.

I think FD have lost their way a little, I dare say they are listening to much to the community and trying to provide content they think people want rather than sticking to the game they set out to build. I have every confidence in them but PP is a huge step in the wrong direction, for me.

/2cents

Coyote · Jun 13, 2015

Evil said:
Well they do want to make the best game they can.

The thing here though, is the definition of "best".

Steve50 · Jun 13, 2015

They started to make the game they wanted, I believe they went off track some time ago though.
Shame a certain Ian Bell wasn't involved.

Smugallo · Jun 13, 2015

Steve50 said:
They started to make the game they wanted, I believe they went off track some time ago though.
Shame a certain Ian Bell wasn't involved.

I doubt Ian Bell would have made it any better/worse. It's got more to do with the design decision for the game which I'm guess would be down to the lead game designer. Everything in this game is random and disconnected, it's a huge mess. Lot's of stupid game breaking bugs. Literally the only thing they got right was the feeling of being in an awesome ship. I still love just looking around my cockpit.

CMDR Hagglebeard · Jun 13, 2015

FD are making the game that they want, and we're just along for the ride. I hope it stays like that.

- - - Updated - - -

Smugallo said:
I doubt Ian Bell would have made it any better/worse. It's got more to do with the design decision for the game which I'm guess would be down to the lead game designer. Everything in this game is random and disconnected, it's a huge mess. Lot's of stupid game breaking bugs. Literally the only thing they got right was the feeling of being in an awesome ship. I still love just looking around my cockpit.

You think it's that bad? I still love it, and I sink too many hours into it every day, still.

Klab · Jun 13, 2015

What powerplay has done (for those that play it) is condense players into teams, and the best organised team should rise to the top. Love it or hate it, PP has brought players together & into a closer community, in order to serve a long term dedicated purpose. I think that's to be welcomed personally.

GJ51 · Jun 13, 2015

Smugallo said:
I doubt Ian Bell would have made it any better/worse. It's got more to do with the design decision for the game which I'm guess would be down to the lead game designer. Everything in this game is random and disconnected, it's a huge mess. Lot's of stupid game breaking bugs. Literally the only thing they got right was the feeling of being in an awesome ship. I still love just looking around my cockpit. Everything else is a clusterf*k.

+1 Rep

You've nailed it.

There's no sense of direction. Ages old bugs that were promised to be fixed just continue to linger through every release. Each new release adds to the bug pile while they focus on the next "great" feature set which won't likely be any more coherent than previous efforts.

Mission format is still boring and often confusing and/or bugged.
Rank progression still non-functional and unpredictable locking most new CMDR's out of the ability to get a Clipper if they want one.

Both design and QA teams need a clean sweep.
If I worked in either department I'd bail now before I had to put it on a resume for my next job.

CorruptedSoul · Jun 13, 2015

Well they can keep making the game they want but their target audience will keep shrinking. They do seem to listen to the forums about balance issues though. When there are enough people who want something made easier at least.

Andromalius · Jun 13, 2015

I'd like to have the game they want but without the bugs and with a working mission system, please.

Arksun · Jun 13, 2015

Jay8ch said:
I know there's already lots of opinions and threads about powerplay, but it struck me that the people having the most fun with powerplay are FD themselves. They're the ones shaping things, they get to make dozens of people participate and react to whatever events they inject. It quite literally feels to me as if they are the ones playing the deep game, and we're just their pieces on the board.

Disclaimer - I'm not participating in powerplay.

Well obviously, what else would you expect? If you were making a game, wouldn't you make the game YOU want to play? That's the only way to make anything good, in any art form. Be true to yourself, make what you like. The second you start making something based purely on what you think others will like, it won't be as good.