The Powerplay discussion thread.

jprelph

J
PowerPlay Player Council

First off I'm really liking the PP update, the games running great for me and I like the core PP mechanic. I think it needs a few more varied ways of affecting control/preparation/expansion, but I'll give FD the benefit of the doubt on that one that they will beef up that aspect.

One thing that I think would make a massive difference though would be allowing not just a power comms channel (maybe just local) but a more structured power based "forum" in-game. Something that could allow tactics and targets to be discussed, I know there are Reddit pages already for that but it would obviously be easier in-game, plus it means that for other powers players to see the tactics being planned they'd have to have a mole on the inside (which obviously loses them a player from their own power).

The ability to allow votes on tactical suggestions and potentially allow targets that pass a vote to be marked as a target on the Galaxy map would be great (ie a set of "Player Council Priority" flags on systems). It seems to me that this would allow deeper emergent gameplay and more involvement, abd while I know this can be organised outside of the game I think it can be made better if integrated.
 

Cosmo

Cosmo
jprelph said:
One thing that I think would make a massive difference though would be allowing not just a power comms channel (maybe just local) but a more structured power based "forum" in-game. Something that could allow tactics and targets to be discussed, I know there are Reddit pages already for that but it would obviously be easier in-game, plus it means that for other powers players to see the tactics being planned they'd have to have a mole on the inside (which obviously loses them a player from their own power).

The ability to allow votes on tactical suggestions and potentially allow targets that pass a vote to be marked as a target on the Galaxy map would be great (ie a set of "Player Council Priority" flags on systems). It seems to me that this would allow deeper emergent gameplay and more involvement, abd while I know this can be organised outside of the game I think it can be made better if integrated.
Click to expand...

Seconded, there's a need for in-game features for players to communicate among all players who backed the same power to coordinate tactics.

I think you should post this in the Suggestions subforum.
 
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Katkon

K
Just had a great morning with PowerPlay - a lot of fun!

I've pledged to Arissa, but haven't done much to support her cause since I started. Not because I didn't want to, but because I wanted to get my Clipper a bit upgraded and better prepared for entering enemy territory. I think I earned a paltry 3 (THREE!) merits last week, and have only amassed about another 50 over the last couple of days. But you know what? I don't care about the merits. I love that PowerPlay has given the universe more personality, and a "face" - or several. I love that I now have a cause to fight for, beyond credits and upgrading my ship. So, onto this morning.

I decided to check the PowerPlay map to determine whether there were worrisome expansion attempts by non-Imperialists close to Arissa space. And sure enough, Hudson is in the process of expanding into space close by. So I decided to fly there in my semi-upgraded Clipper to disrupt his efforts, fully expecting to see Fed-aligned players flying around. And I wasn't disappointed. Lots of players, several in Anacondas, and one Elite combat-ranked in an Anaconda.

Of course the beauty of a fast Clipper is that I don't need to worry about interdiction attempts - I can escape from pretty much anyone. And sure enough, I was interdicted 3 times in a relatively short period of time (on my way to a Military Strike) - all Anacondas - and escaped without a scratch. I finally reach the MS and see two players flying around - one in an FDL and one in a Cobra. They hadn't seen me, judging by their flight paths, so I decided to creep up on the FDL and take down his shields. Once accomplished - happened quickly - he entered SC and left the MS. At the same time my shields were taking a hammering from a the player Cobra and a handful of Fed-aligned NPCs, so I boosted away to a safe distance to let my shields recharge (my shields were dropped before I had a chance to use a SCB). Once recharged, I flew towards the center of the MS and saw the same player Cobra engaging system defense forces. His shield was losing steam, and it didn't take long to get them down altogether. His Cobra was fast, and he did what any sane pilot would do: boosted away. He was trying to get into SC, but I had him mass-locked. He flipped around 180 degrees and boosted past me to create distance (a great tactic that I also frequently use). I did the same. This happened several times, until I unloaded some class 3 frag cannon rounds into his canopy as he boosted towards me the last time; a second later most of his hull was gone, and he must have clipped my ship, as he blew up.

I continued on for a bit, but eventually left to go to a conflict zone - to earn a bit of cash. We all know that the lower level NPCs are now quite a handful, so that proved great fun - not counting the additional interdiction attempts and text chats to and from CZ and MS.

PowerPlay, in my opinion, has added a lot of great content to the Elite franchise. I'm not getting "rich" by playing it, but I've found that being more focused on having FUN in this game is much more rewarding. And with that, I'll share a version of the in-game text chat between me and a Fed-aligned Elite CMDR in an Anaconda:

Me: You won't catch me, Fed!
Him: You run like an Imperial.
Me: Yes - fast.
Him: To be fair, I'd run too with that boost sound.
Me: :)

These sorts of interactions are fun. I could have stayed to fight, but against an Elite CMDR in an Anaconda with nothing but shield boosters and beam lasers.... that'd just be silly. Live to fight another day! PP is great fun!
 
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Katkon

K
Your post can basically be summarized as "I find PP boring as it doesn't net me credits fast enough". Try to focus on the strategy and tactics of play instead, fighting for your power and having fun. I can guarantee you that it's much more fun. If you "need" credits, simply do a bit of trading or go to a CZ.
 

Moosegun

Moosegun
What I dont understand is why some many people seem to think;

a/ if you do PP you need to grind to tier 5 in the first month
b/ if you do PP you are obliged to only do PP activities

I find just dipping in and out around my normal gameplay is just fine. Made enough credits for rank 3, could get to 4 if I wanted but will only do so if I fancy it. I never sit and wait for items to refresh, instead I run a trade route or got bounty hunting between pickups. If I am in the area of an opposing faction during my travels I might pop in and earn 100 merits killing 6-7 ships then continue, then again I might not bother.

I REALLY hope they improve the mechanics, I think it is a long way from where it can go, but I do feel it have made the game more interesting. It only becomes a real grind, if you grind it.

Also there are plenty of bounties to be had doing missions, I must have pulled in 2 mill today and only did them for an hour or so, infact including PP bonus make that 3mil.
 
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Nagual

Nagual
Katkon said:
Your post can basically be summarized as "I find PP boring as it doesn't net me credits fast enough". Try to focus on the strategy and tactics of play instead, fighting for your power and having fun. I can guarantee you that it's much more fun. If you "need" credits, simply do a bit of trading or go to a CZ.
Click to expand...

Indeed. The bonus you get for ratings is called a bonus for a reason. It's only a bonus, not meant to be a living. The real rewards are the trade,legal,bounty hunting %s, security changes etc etc.
 

Bazorlag

B
There is only one way to get combat merits in "reasonable" rate (I`m using the word in a very loose manner here). Undermining.

Even with the hassle of having to interdict the targets for 15-45 merits (groups I`ve seen are 1-3 ships mostly), you seem to get them faster than plugging away at the endless horde in combat zone copies that many factions offer for merit gain. But... It still takes hours and hours anyway. For rank 5 you have to be some kind of a lunatic, although this will depend on what the actual decay rate is. I`ve seen people suggesting 5000+ merit decay or 1250 merit decay at max rank over time. 1250 is doable and gives very good value for each kill until you hit the 10k mark (it won´t consume many days of your time weekly), but 5000+ every week... I´d rather not, thank you. At that point it becames buyers game only.
 

Moosegun

Moosegun
Bazorlag said:
There is only one way to get combat merits in "reasonable" rate (I`m using the word in a very loose manner here). Undermining.

Even with the hassle of having to interdict the targets for 15-45 merits (groups I`ve seen are 1-3 ships mostly), you seem to get them faster than plugging away at the endless horde in combat zone copies that many factions offer for merit gain. But... It still takes hours and hours anyway. For rank 5 you have to be some kind of a lunatic, although this will depend on what the actual decay rate is. I`ve seen people suggesting 5000+ merit decay or 1250 merit decay at max rank over time. 1250 is doable and gives very good value for each kill until you hit the 10k mark (it won´t consume many days of your time weekly), but 5000+ every week... I´d rather not, thank you. At that point it becames buyers game only.
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But why do you think we should all be able to hit the top rank in the first week or so???
 

CMDR Brock Samson

CMDR Brock Samson
Well, I guess the point is the satisfation to see your Power gain new systems and expand.If you don't care about credits and enjoy grinding merits.
Basically is the usual gameplay(haul stuff or destroy npcs and occasional pvp if you play in open) without the monetary payoff.The best thing about Power characters is the artwork, but that's not enough to make them feel "alive" to me.
Personally I'm not impressed by the current form of PP.
 
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YoBuck

YoBuck
"One of our founders is so bored of it, he has gone mining!!!! :eek:That is how bored he has become."
ahaha! Sorry.
 

MVP_Bluntman

MVP_Bluntman
Katkon said:
Your post can basically be summarized as "I find PP boring as it doesn't net me credits fast enough". Try to focus on the strategy and tactics of play instead, fighting for your power and having fun. I can guarantee you that it's much more fun. If you "need" credits, simply do a bit of trading or go to a CZ.
Click to expand...

Your post can be summarized as, I see Novice and Mostly Harmless every where I go, and thats OK.

- - - Updated - - -


indeed is the case, the bonus was an incentive to keep you inside the power, but its frivelous now, and its pointless because after the case I'm making as much as flying around in circles in a conflict zone, in a giant jousting match, laughing as anacondas fire their frag cannons from 1,500 meters away. All because of one spawn system bug.
 
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HurstLlama

H
If money is your only measure of success then you are not going to enjoy part of a game that is not about making money. Personally powerplay has given me a reason for wanting to get more money and a bigger ship and to communicate with other players. Each to their own.
 
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