Well...aren't we clever.
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Is switching between open and solo play to gain new missions considered a punishable exploit?
- Thread starter Xenharmonic
- Start date
Well...aren't we clever.
In my experience, when they added long range missions in 1.4 they made the mission payout depend on the distance involved. So when you have a system that's 400LY away that's going to be very obvious - as an example, a legal "deliver these documents in 30 minutes" mission I took from sothis the day before yesterday, which normally pays peanuts, paid a few hundred thousand credits. And that had no risk whatsoever, I flew the ~500LY completely unmolested and the only "risk" was making sure I didn't get toasted while fuel scooping.
Wrong.
Using how code works to get unintended results is exploiting, typically done through the use of bugs known or not, but also done using mechanics in a way not originally intended. What is being done is exactly this, changing mode to bypass the timer mechanism on BB mission replenishment, something that FD is aware of and hasn't stated is something they frown upon to date.
Cheats/hacks are used to BYPASS how the code is supposed to work, such as aimbots, wallhacks, unlimited ammo/health, and so on.
A rather marked difference there, and one that's rather well known, and not just in the video game world I might add.
Now, as I said, and as others have said, this particular exploit is not one that FD has stated is something they care about to date and they are fully aware that people have been using it to get naval rank via charity missions at certain stations. I would guess they didn't care because the manner of the exploit is COSTING the players credits, so the gain in rank is actually costing them what it should in game costs, they are just bypassing the time requirement. Since even FD has noted that naval rank progression is subject to some rather odd bugs, they've decided it's not an issue, after all, credits are being spent, so there IS a drawback for the players, it's not a win/win exploit.
With the way it's being touted NOW, to bypass the BB replenishment and get mission faster to make credits faster, THAT could be something FD has an issue with as this is a pure win/win exploit on the player's part, and those are the types of exploits that devs tend to frown upon and take action on.
Anything that is too good to be true in a video game IS too good to be true and something will be done about it by the devs sooner or later, this is a truism for online gaming and has been for decades now. So, in this case, odds are FD will change how the BB mission refreshing works so that changing modes doesn't work anymore, simple fix really, without messing up how RES's work so that resetting the instance to change spawns will still work. It will mess up people trying to rank up quickly, which isn't something FD has had any issues with publically, what they really think about it behind closed doors, we don't know, but I rather doubt DB was happy about that, he's never been happy with people doing things to bypass his intended mechanics after all.
Or they could just say 'who cares?' and let it go, we don't know, we won't know until they tell us, all we DO know is they are looking into this now.
So exploiting the game mechanics in order to change the BGS in a manner you want is ok? That is just as much a negative exploit to me as using it to get rich quick, both are simply bypassing the built in mechanics of the BB mission refreshing to get an advantage.
Knowing that people are using this to make changes in the BGS makes me hope FD will fix it, as that has much bigger implications than people just getting lots of creds quick and easy.
The fact that missions are reseting every 10 min is not a problem, and I think timing is perfectly set. If I am willing to spend hour or two just pulling the lever on ED slot machine, than let it be.
Problem is only where different modes generate different missions. And that can be easily solved I think.
Problem is only where different modes generate different missions. And that can be easily solved I think.
I don't have to log out/in to refresh the BB. Simply wait 5 min for the BB to refresh on it's own. Is that exploiting? I think not. Either way, I'm waiting until my cargo hold is full before heading out. So, I get a full cargo hold in 30 min because I force the BB to refresh every 2-3 min or I get a full cargo hold in 1 hour because I wait for the BB to refresh on it's own. Either way, I get filthy, stinking, money-overflowing rich. Both methods improve profitability but, somehow through the magic of whim, one is an exploit, one is not.
rootsrat
Volunteer Moderator
It's not an exploit from game rules point of view AFAIK.
Morally? That's subjective
It's clever use of game mechanics.
Don't know if it is an exploit, and it doesn't affect me so frankly, I don't care. It isn't something I'd do as it sounds boring.
I suppose it comes down to why you play, if the accrual of wealth is paramount to you then it is one way of doing that I suppose. I ask you though, what about when you have the money? What then? Bigger ship? Then what? etc
I suppose it comes down to why you play, if the accrual of wealth is paramount to you then it is one way of doing that I suppose. I ask you though, what about when you have the money? What then? Bigger ship? Then what? etc
There once was a bug where if you spammed the sell button you could repeatedly sell the same goods over and over again in the commodities market.
Effectively limitless CR
By you definition that would not be an exploit.
Doesn't bother me in the least if someone does it, but on a personal level if your definition of "playing a videogame" at any point involves exiting the game as a normal part of strategy, I'm going to laugh at you and think you're kind of a dork.
Doesn't bother me in the least if someone does it, but on a personal level if your definition of "playing a videogame" at any point involves exiting the game as a normal part of strategy, I'm going to laugh at you and think you're kind of a dork.
There was a thread about doing it broking immersion in the game as well.
That was for RES relogging for better spawns.
ED is a game in a world we call real life. Unless you are from another dimension?
Anyway, to save arguing I will stop beating about the bush. You can read the EULA here that explains you cannot do just whatever you want, simply because you paid money:
https://www.frontierstore.net/ed-eula/
3(c) covers cheating.
Is cheating metagaming? No. Cheating is cheating.
Is logging in and out/mode switching metagaming? Yes.
Metagaming is when you implement strategies based on the learned rules of a game (or players of that game) rules that govern every player and are therefore fair.
Cheating is when you break the rules of the game, to gain an unfair advantage.
I wouldn't call it an exploit, I have done it to refresh the BB when it had nothing I was interested in. Beyond that, I wouldn't ever do it to stack a bunch of missions for a bigger pay out. Lame way to play imo and I'd bore myself out of the game. I would be okay if there was a way to maybe earn consistent missions that suit your play style, maybe via factions or if missions generated based on how you play and could be reverted by playing another way, then this topic wouldn't even exist. It's not as if stacking via mode switching is new, I'm sure if it was an exploit we would have heard about it and it would be patched out.
Lots of opinions here, maybe we should put it to a vote. Also pls leave a comment as to what you think and to keep the pole going for a few hours.
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=191702
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=191702
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Your comment makes no sense to me. Why would playing Elite Dangerous cause unusual crying except for tears of joy over the immense amount of credits to be gained?
yes. it's not immersive, not planned, not designed for and is cheap.
You have to balance the game around the fact that this exists. Cant make missions too good payout or else people can "cheat" like this. That means if you don't use this "cheat" you are missing out.
Mode switching yes.
They never said anything about missions repopulating at all. It's an unintended effect that is throwing off the balance of income for professions.
You have to balance the game around the fact that this exists. Cant make missions too good payout or else people can "cheat" like this. That means if you don't use this "cheat" you are missing out.
Mode switching yes.
They never said anything about missions repopulating at all. It's an unintended effect that is throwing off the balance of income for professions.
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It is if you run into my beefed-up combat asp in Sothis while carrying illegal goods - it's cunningly disguised as a smuggling asp...
Chortle chortle