I'm not sure it's a niche game, being released (so far) for PC, Mac and Xbox, but whatever, because of how it is set up, requiring infrastructure on their end as well as constant development, niche or not, they need players (income), and that includes casual as well as hard core ones. That's obviously their 'problem' as they are trying to cater to everyone, very hard if not impossible to do, but it's clear that the different modes support that attempt as well as providing a concentrated point of disagreement between hardcore gamers and others.
Modes The Solo vs Open vs Groups Thread - Part the Second [Now With Added Platforms].
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I'm not sure it's a niche game, being released (so far) for PC, Mac and Xbox, but whatever, because of how it is set up, requiring infrastructure on their end as well as constant development, niche or not, they need players (income), and that includes casual as well as hard core ones. That's obviously their 'problem' as they are trying to cater to everyone, very hard if not impossible to do, but it's clear that the different modes support that attempt as well as providing a concentrated point of disagreement between hardcore gamers and others.
If they weren't in Open then they wouldn't have been interdicted. That is the wast of time. Removing yourself from the gaemplay with a 15 second timer or combat log...is exactly the same thing. The community demands pirates 'play the role'. When they do, they are faced with this. So why bother. Better to become a soul collector rather than a pirate.
People cannot have it both ways.
Now, should pirates be compelled to chase PC's over NPC's? Nope. However, NPC's 'never' carry anything of value...PC's almost always choose high price goods. THAT'S a problem...that's causing problems.
How can you loose everything? Don't run a shield-less ship with zero defenses, and you will be able to get away. Choose to MAXIMIZE your Cr/Hour profit with max cargo holds at the cost of survivibility, then don't complain when you get shot out of the sky. In your T9, run a large class shield with a single SCB, and I bet you can escape EVERY pirate.
but I digress... people would rather build their ships with zero defense to maximize their profits, and play in solo to avoid any real danger (because NPCs are programmed to fail), then pop back into open in their uber expensive combat vessle to pvp later. Yeah, this makes sense.
I guess as they say... a game can't be perfect for all people and all play styles. Some of us want (and apprecaite) more of a challenge than others. Some people want solo mode, and some people want to face danger. And to those of you that keep saying "I just want to relax and cruise around"... I don't remember the last time I encountered a dangerous CMDR outside normal busy areas, out and about exploring. If you are in a non-popular destination system, it will be relaxing 99% of the time ANYway... and for that 1% of the time a vicious CMDR finds you in your home system.. so what if you have to look away from your youtube playing on your second monitor to try and actively avoid a deadly scenario.
Back to your normally scheduled program.
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That's a somewhat evangelical pitch, big on belief but short on rationale. Let me quote my own post from earlier:
Reading your post in the light of mine it looks even worse for forced open. I've just had a steak, chips, and a load of spaghetti. I can barely move and my brain is really sluggish right now. I've got a pint of orange juice I am slurping at but I've still overeaten and I feel a bit lethargic. The last thing I want to do now if I play a game is to "be more careful" and I am certainly not in the mood to be "forced to learn new methods to ditching players who want to cause me harm". If I put Elite on in the next few hours I'm going to want to take it a bit easier, fly my imaginary ships with less likelyhood of hassle. This is what Solo is ideal for (although I'm probably going to stick Poker Night 2 on in a second).
Beyond that, your post is suffering somewhat from cognitive dissonance. You say "the benefits of open outweigh the occasional hassle of being pirated, or shot down by a crazy murderer." Those ARE the benefits of open. That's human interaction and inter-player activity. I hate pointless PvP, but I love getting pirated. Seeing some action, attacks, things like that. It's all part of Open.
Ridiculus. Solo or group play is in no way God mode. Otherwise I'd have infinite shields, infinite ammo and many other "features."
You are arguing about pvp play, which is (or is supposed to be) only one play style in open. You are conflating two different things. This is the problem most of us solo/group players have. You are not arguing about open; you are arguing about pvp.
< sighs >
Agreed. I understand they have to design for the median of the bell curve and not for the right hand tail.
Most players refuse to accept this fact. Honestly, it's always better to lose the top 3% than the middle 75%, as far as business is concerned.
NPC difficulty and intervention would be the only way to acceptably balance the differences between the modes. Particularly my only beef with them....that competing Community Goals force Open players into Private modes due to increased inefficiencies PC's add to Open.
If everyone was hindered equally in the various modes...with AI modelling PC action and numbers....I'm happy.
Originally posted by SteveLaw "In real life many people pursue high-risk pastimes for fun without getting paid. In fact it costs them money."
Just off the top of my head (and not one is professional): black diamond ski lane, snowboarding, sky diving, "xtreme" skateboarding, crossing the Atlantic in a tiny boat, swimming the English Channel, shark baiting, cliff diving, rock climbing, parasailing... on and on.
Just off the top of my head (and not one is professional): black diamond ski lane, snowboarding, sky diving, "xtreme" skateboarding, crossing the Atlantic in a tiny boat, swimming the English Channel, shark baiting, cliff diving, rock climbing, parasailing... on and on.
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Combat logging from the thread I see.
I don't' run sheildless even when I explore. I always have defenses because NPC's (which you think are programmed to fail which is a load of crap in it self as a comment) like to attack. You have no clue what so ever about solo play and with some of your other comments clearly don't have a clue about forum rules either.
And your assumptions on how others play is asinine in itself.
I understand your comments clearly now because you've shown that you've developed a vision of how you think others play and how they "should" play and you apparently think your the prophet to come and save us all and deliver us to the glory that is your version of open.
And only if we could end the thread there...
Whereas I'm happy regardless of you or anyone else. How very odd that you would measure your happiness with a game in how equally hindered everyone playing it should be.
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<nods> Aye!
Again, no idea what you're talking about. Maybe it's a language barrier. But I have been playing this game a long time, and I have never ONCE had an NPC pirate me, in ANY ship, with ANY combat rank, and come anywhere CLOSE to actually being a danger to me. Not once. And I have been interdicted by thousands of NPCs
NPCs that interdict you don't even use their boost to try and catch you. How can you say they are not programmed to fail? Of course they are.
I'm always terrified when I turn on my PC...
Agreed. It's a business first.
Regarding the NPC improvements, I couldn't agree more, and as I said, I think we've just seen the beginning of it. I don't get involved in CGs or PP, but I can see that there are some design issues there that need sorting out (as there are with missions in general). I guess with the instancing model, it would be very difficult to completely balance the modes, but in general, yes, if you are involved in a CG then there is no good reason why the game shouldn't spawn enemy NPCs when you venture into enemy territory.
What a shame you aren't playing for everyone else.
Welllll... one problem with that approach is that the "inhabited sphere" of the game is pretty small - after about 1000ly out, you won't find stations to trade at, or RES areas.
Another point is that the campers/pvpers pick systems, like Leesti and swarm there. These systems are among the first ones that new players learn about trading, and rares, and how to level up your credit balance.
I also see no point in choosing to camp outside known noob spawn sites and noob trading routes other than to kill noobs.
You have no idea what I'm talking about because you have no clue. You You You You no danger to you.. now.. one time I am betting they were, and since they are no longer, everyone must be just like you and NPC's are a joke. Well sorry charlie.. they are not.
Turn up your sound... I hear NPC's boosting all the dang time, INCLUDING when trying to catch me, in fact they have caught me. I'm in a Diamondback Scout with A4 powerplant and A4 thrusters.. and I've had NPC ships out boost me.
Again you are assuming and falling flat.
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