So I was thinking about Conflict Zones and streaming it via Steam's spectating/broadcasting function when a few people watching mentioned that (a) they couldn't really see much and (b) that it looked rather boring. I believe the later opinion was a function of the former: that it was hard to see things and after a few hundred meters and that it doesn't present itself as well as it should visually. While the obvious explanation is that "well, you're in deep space" is correct, the problem is that is the statement more often than not. It highlighted that in CZs (and sometimes in RES sites), the scenery isn't especially spectacular. Interestingly, I sent some of those people this video link for a new Star Citizen ship:
[video=youtube;wPvPQcU_Z6c]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPvPQcU_Z6c[/video]
...and they were immediately blown away. It didn't stand out to me immediately but after looking at it again, I realized why: the battle was going on *right next to a planet*. The planet provided all the scenery and brightness to see what was going on and who was fighting who while leveraging the design work put into the planet to provide a really nice setting/eye candy.
Compare with a typical PvP or CZ combat video for ED:
[video=youtube;etNMNLMoFjI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etNMNLMoFjI[/video]
and the difference is apparent.
Elite Dangerous has some of the most beautiful, often picturesque celestial bodies in any game I've ever played, but there is absolutely no incentive to go near them beyond taking some screen shots. That's a waste. So my suggestion is thus: Why not place as many Conflict Zones as close as possible (near orbit distance) from nearby celestial bodies? How awesome would it be to fight next to a star (well out of range of the heat, but close enough for it to take up most of the background when it's in front of you)? Not a million miles away like they are now most of the time, but actually close enough to a planet that you can see the planetary storms and the surface land features?
Imagine if your next Conflict Zone/RES fight looked like right behind the battle:
...instead of an endless void of black. Yea it'd still be the same game with the same ships and the same guns, but the eye candy would increase 1,000-fold. Oh and the work added for FD would be minimal since the great looking celestial bodies are already there.
So that's my idea. Move CZs to just outside of the safe distance limit of celestial bodies. Maybe even do the same for some RES sites as well if/where rings can be closer to planets than they are now. And thereby instantly increase combat satisfaction by things being brighter and easier to see, battles more breath-taking thanks to the huge bit of eye candy, and more enjoyable to watch and look at for players and spectators. This game's planets and stars are too beautiful for them to remain relegated to distant decoration and things you pass on the way to a station like gas stations being passed on the highway. You made them: put them right in our faces as often as you can so that we can appreciate them even more, FD.
[video=youtube;wPvPQcU_Z6c]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPvPQcU_Z6c[/video]
...and they were immediately blown away. It didn't stand out to me immediately but after looking at it again, I realized why: the battle was going on *right next to a planet*. The planet provided all the scenery and brightness to see what was going on and who was fighting who while leveraging the design work put into the planet to provide a really nice setting/eye candy.
Compare with a typical PvP or CZ combat video for ED:
[video=youtube;etNMNLMoFjI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etNMNLMoFjI[/video]
and the difference is apparent.
Elite Dangerous has some of the most beautiful, often picturesque celestial bodies in any game I've ever played, but there is absolutely no incentive to go near them beyond taking some screen shots. That's a waste. So my suggestion is thus: Why not place as many Conflict Zones as close as possible (near orbit distance) from nearby celestial bodies? How awesome would it be to fight next to a star (well out of range of the heat, but close enough for it to take up most of the background when it's in front of you)? Not a million miles away like they are now most of the time, but actually close enough to a planet that you can see the planetary storms and the surface land features?
Imagine if your next Conflict Zone/RES fight looked like right behind the battle:
...instead of an endless void of black. Yea it'd still be the same game with the same ships and the same guns, but the eye candy would increase 1,000-fold. Oh and the work added for FD would be minimal since the great looking celestial bodies are already there.
So that's my idea. Move CZs to just outside of the safe distance limit of celestial bodies. Maybe even do the same for some RES sites as well if/where rings can be closer to planets than they are now. And thereby instantly increase combat satisfaction by things being brighter and easier to see, battles more breath-taking thanks to the huge bit of eye candy, and more enjoyable to watch and look at for players and spectators. This game's planets and stars are too beautiful for them to remain relegated to distant decoration and things you pass on the way to a station like gas stations being passed on the highway. You made them: put them right in our faces as often as you can so that we can appreciate them even more, FD.
