Hi all,
Last week we put up an "Answers from the devs" post which looked at some of your commonly asked questions. We asked you on the thread to tell us what else you would like to ask and we would be sure to follow up.
Never one to break a promise, here is the second "Answers from the devs" thread.
As before, if you have more questiosn you would like answers on, pop them below and we shall get another list compiled shortly!
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I keep hearing about Xbox One updates. Is there anything to keep PC players happy?
Oh yes! The development team has never been bigger, and are split into multiple groups working on a number of different projects. A couple of weeks ago Mike Brookes mentioned there will be a trunk release for PC in one of the dev updates, we recently announced that the full game launch on Xbox One would be followed closely by the PC 1.4 CQC update, and of course we are - and have been for a long time - working hard on something we’ll be in position to announce in time for GamesCom. Our schedule is aggressive and we’re working hard to make it all happen.
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What exactly is the mechanism behind ranking?
There are multiple types of rank. Firstly you have rank within the Pilot’s Federation for combat, trade and exploration. These ranks increase as you successfully complete tasks pertaining to each type of rank. For example Selling exploration data will go towards increasing your exploration rank. Profit from Selling trade goods will increase your Trade Rank.
Combat works slightly differently, this is done on the number of kills, but the points you get for each kill are based on the combat rank of the target relative to your combat rank so if you are harmless and kill an Elite ship you will get a large number of points were as if you are Deadly and kill a ship below Expert you will not get any.
Then you get naval rank, which currently includes the Empire and the Federation. These ranks are awarded for completing missions for the appropriate navy’s high command. However, to gain access to such missions, you’ll need to be on good terms with the superpower involved. For example, you’ll only start seeing missions for the Imperial Navy if your reputation with the Empire is high. You can raise your reputation with a superpower by working with any minor faction that’s aligned with them. Trading, handing in bounties and supporting them in conflict are the kinds of activity that will increase your reputation with a minor faction, and when you complete them, a small amount of reputation trickles up to the superpower they are aligned with.
We are looking to give more attention to military ranks in the future, developing a more defined career structure. This should address issues of allegiance, as well as showing some love for the Alliance.
===
When will we be able to walk on our ships?
We have nothing to announce on this one, now or at Gamescom. Walking around on ships is in our plans, for sure, but it’s a very long way off.
===
According to some members of the community, Solo players should have a limited or no effect on Powerplay - or, alternatively, playing in Open should offer Powerplay bonuses. Is this something you are considering?
No. For us Solo, Groups and Open are all valid and equal ways to play the game.
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Currently it's more "profitable" from a merit-earning perspective to commit hostile actions in the territory of other Powers than to support your own Power's growth - unless you're willing to spend substantial credits on non-combat Powerplay actions. Are there any plans to change this, or is this working as intended?
Powerplay allows the background simulation to dynamically change on a much larger scale than interactions with minor factions. These changes are generally at their most interesting when they involve conflict – that’s partly why the premise of Powerplay is about territorial control; conflict is a great way of generating drama. With this in mind, we’re happy that hostile actions are incentivised.
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I think everyone here would love to see a battle around a large station. Is that not in the game for technical reasons (eg the AI keeps on crashing into the station) or artistic/gameplay reasons?
(From Michael Brookes) This is something we’re looking into changing – more details in the near future – or soon J
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How does the game calculate where to place you back in supercruise after an interdiction? Is it back to where you started to be or where you failed/submitted?
Wherever you are in normal space when you engage the frame shift determines where you will be in supercruise, and when you drop from supercruise your location there is used to determine where you are in normal space. However, because the scale change is enormous (the frame shift drive does a great job at compressing space!) there is an amount of uncertainty during the transition. Of course, the acceleration and speed ships are capable of reaching in supercruise makes short work of any difference!
===
We’d love to see the process of a ship design from start to finish. Will we ever see such a thing?
We’d love to do this. We’ve offered glimpses of it with certain ships in the newsletter’s Peek Of The Week, but we’ll definitely look into showing a ship being designed from the first lines in an artist’s sketchbook to the finished model. Watch this space.
===
Does the background sim take system economy (health and type) into account when determining NPC cargo?
We are constantly looking at ways to refine our in-game systems. At the moment the AI archetype determines the amount of cargo they are likely to carry and the cargo is based on the economies of the starports in that system. Certain high value goods are excluded.
Last week we put up an "Answers from the devs" post which looked at some of your commonly asked questions. We asked you on the thread to tell us what else you would like to ask and we would be sure to follow up.
Never one to break a promise, here is the second "Answers from the devs" thread.
As before, if you have more questiosn you would like answers on, pop them below and we shall get another list compiled shortly!
===
I keep hearing about Xbox One updates. Is there anything to keep PC players happy?
Oh yes! The development team has never been bigger, and are split into multiple groups working on a number of different projects. A couple of weeks ago Mike Brookes mentioned there will be a trunk release for PC in one of the dev updates, we recently announced that the full game launch on Xbox One would be followed closely by the PC 1.4 CQC update, and of course we are - and have been for a long time - working hard on something we’ll be in position to announce in time for GamesCom. Our schedule is aggressive and we’re working hard to make it all happen.
===
What exactly is the mechanism behind ranking?
There are multiple types of rank. Firstly you have rank within the Pilot’s Federation for combat, trade and exploration. These ranks increase as you successfully complete tasks pertaining to each type of rank. For example Selling exploration data will go towards increasing your exploration rank. Profit from Selling trade goods will increase your Trade Rank.
Combat works slightly differently, this is done on the number of kills, but the points you get for each kill are based on the combat rank of the target relative to your combat rank so if you are harmless and kill an Elite ship you will get a large number of points were as if you are Deadly and kill a ship below Expert you will not get any.
Then you get naval rank, which currently includes the Empire and the Federation. These ranks are awarded for completing missions for the appropriate navy’s high command. However, to gain access to such missions, you’ll need to be on good terms with the superpower involved. For example, you’ll only start seeing missions for the Imperial Navy if your reputation with the Empire is high. You can raise your reputation with a superpower by working with any minor faction that’s aligned with them. Trading, handing in bounties and supporting them in conflict are the kinds of activity that will increase your reputation with a minor faction, and when you complete them, a small amount of reputation trickles up to the superpower they are aligned with.
We are looking to give more attention to military ranks in the future, developing a more defined career structure. This should address issues of allegiance, as well as showing some love for the Alliance.
===
When will we be able to walk on our ships?
We have nothing to announce on this one, now or at Gamescom. Walking around on ships is in our plans, for sure, but it’s a very long way off.
===
According to some members of the community, Solo players should have a limited or no effect on Powerplay - or, alternatively, playing in Open should offer Powerplay bonuses. Is this something you are considering?
No. For us Solo, Groups and Open are all valid and equal ways to play the game.
===
Currently it's more "profitable" from a merit-earning perspective to commit hostile actions in the territory of other Powers than to support your own Power's growth - unless you're willing to spend substantial credits on non-combat Powerplay actions. Are there any plans to change this, or is this working as intended?
Powerplay allows the background simulation to dynamically change on a much larger scale than interactions with minor factions. These changes are generally at their most interesting when they involve conflict – that’s partly why the premise of Powerplay is about territorial control; conflict is a great way of generating drama. With this in mind, we’re happy that hostile actions are incentivised.
===
I think everyone here would love to see a battle around a large station. Is that not in the game for technical reasons (eg the AI keeps on crashing into the station) or artistic/gameplay reasons?
(From Michael Brookes) This is something we’re looking into changing – more details in the near future – or soon J
===
How does the game calculate where to place you back in supercruise after an interdiction? Is it back to where you started to be or where you failed/submitted?
Wherever you are in normal space when you engage the frame shift determines where you will be in supercruise, and when you drop from supercruise your location there is used to determine where you are in normal space. However, because the scale change is enormous (the frame shift drive does a great job at compressing space!) there is an amount of uncertainty during the transition. Of course, the acceleration and speed ships are capable of reaching in supercruise makes short work of any difference!
===
We’d love to see the process of a ship design from start to finish. Will we ever see such a thing?
We’d love to do this. We’ve offered glimpses of it with certain ships in the newsletter’s Peek Of The Week, but we’ll definitely look into showing a ship being designed from the first lines in an artist’s sketchbook to the finished model. Watch this space.
===
Does the background sim take system economy (health and type) into account when determining NPC cargo?
We are constantly looking at ways to refine our in-game systems. At the moment the AI archetype determines the amount of cargo they are likely to carry and the cargo is based on the economies of the starports in that system. Certain high value goods are excluded.
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