I have been reading through some threads debating the SOLO effect on the BGS
So here is the question...
Surely by far the biggest effect on the BGS is by the NPC?
After all they go about their business 24/7 and there are far more of them than any other group.
So why the big hate on solo players effecting the BGS?
Oh and I play in open not solo.
Just looking for some informed answers if anyone can help.
I have been reading through some threads debating the SOLO effect on the BGS
So here is the question...
Surely by far the biggest effect on the BGS is by the NPC?
After all they go about their business 24/7 and there are far more of them than any other group.
So why the big hate on solo players effecting the BGS?
Oh and I play in open not solo.
Just looking for some informed answers if anyone can help.
I would agree. There are also the PC/MAC players affecting the BGS with whom we can't instance with, nor control what they do affecting the BGS in their version of open or solo... or private group mode.
The only folks you'll hear deriding solo mode are the PvP players who get annoyed there's no victims in their play park, the excuse that solo players are ruining their powerplay by 'interfering' is nonsense.
Besides all of that... the BGS is broken. Just try flipping a minor faction in a system and you'll understand.
I have been reading through some threads debating the SOLO effect on the BGS
So here is the question...
Surely by far the biggest effect on the BGS is by the NPC?
After all they go about their business 24/7 and there are far more of them than any other group.
So why the big hate on solo players effecting the BGS?
Oh and I play in open not solo.
Just looking for some informed answers if anyone can help.
So if the NPC have no effect on the BGS what happens to,for example,all the goods the NPC traders are constantly shifting around?
Do they not effect economies?
If you plunder a NPC you can use their goods to effect the BGS surely?
From a combat perspective surely most of your BGS effecting targets are NPC?
Sorry for all the questions but I do not follow the logic of NPCs have no effect on the BGS.
Enlighten me please I am genuinely interested.
So if the NPC have no effect on the BGS what happens to,for example,all the goods the NPC traders are constantly shifting around?
Do they not effect economies?
If you plunder a NPC you can use their goods to effect the BGS surely?
From a combat perspective surely most of your BGS effecting targets are NPC?
Sorry for all the questions but I do not follow the logic of NPCs have no effect on the BGS.
Enlighten me please I am genuinely interested.
Like powerplay, which was introduced to satisfy a PC backer/Kickstarter request to have player interaction have an effect on the BGS, the minor factions can only be affected by player interaction. The NPC's are merely shifting cargo which has no effect on the BGS or they are used as merely tools toward the goal of enabling human players to influence the BGS... be it through powerplay or minor faction alignment etc.
At least... that's how I see it. Roybe would be able to offer a better explaination though, he's very knowledgeable and experienced in the workings of ED as a whole... reading from his input into the PC section
So if the NPC have no effect on the BGS what happens to,for example,all the goods the NPC traders are constantly shifting around?
Do they not effect economies?
If you plunder a NPC you can use their goods to effect the BGS surely?
From a combat perspective surely most of your BGS effecting targets are NPC?
Sorry for all the questions but I do not follow the logic of NPCs have no effect on the BGS.
Enlighten me please I am genuinely interested.
every item has a 'galactic average', basically a set price. Let's say $100.
Each system has a 'set price' also. It is at the extreme above or below the 'average'.
So system X produces this item at $50
Sytem Y wants this item at $150
Everytime a player moves this item from X to Y the BGS notes this movement.
(as a side note, the prices change in a small manner over a day...but return to the days price through a 10 minute production tick, followed by a 10 minute consumption tick...which restocks the system listing)
At the daily tick..the BGS looks at the total movement of the day for all items between the systems and moves the prices on each side TOWARDS the average. After the BGS ticks..the profits for the next day are lowered...but steady at the new level.
The intraday pricing change is smaller and is recovered through the consumption/production ticks
Now the economy looks counterintuitive, however, if you think about it...production would ramp up in a system to provide the market with more goods...and the demand would be sated in the receiving system...so the pricing would move toward the average.
The final phase of the economy occurs when the profit is minimized and the commanders leave. Over a period a few days...the system pricing is relaxed to the extremes again...awaiting commanders to find the systems again.
Plundering an NPC has a very small effect on the economy based on supply and demand...however, there is a larger affect to the BGS through the faction reward/punishment system...as piracy affects security. With the introduction of a lockdown state, market changes SHOULD occur...however, they are so small, to be indiscernible.
So if the NPC have no effect on the BGS what happens to,for example,all the goods the NPC traders are constantly shifting around?
Do they not effect economies?
If you plunder a NPC you can use their goods to effect the BGS surely?
From a combat perspective surely most of your BGS effecting targets are NPC?
Sorry for all the questions but I do not follow the logic of NPCs have no effect on the BGS.
Enlighten me please I am genuinely interested.
To clarify what has been said... NPC's have no effect on the BGS unless they are interacted with by a person...kill one / pirate one / sell pirated goods from a NPC etc yes it has an effect.....Stand by and watch an NPC kill an NPC / watch a type 9 Dock with 400 slaves has no effect.
I would agree. There are also the PC/MAC players affecting the BGS with whom we can't instance with, nor control what they do affecting the BGS in their version of open or solo... or private group mode.
The only folks you'll hear deriding solo mode are the PvP players who get annoyed there's no victims in their play park, the excuse that solo players are ruining their powerplay by 'interfering' is nonsense.
Besides all of that... the BGS is broken. Just try flipping a minor faction in a system and you'll understand.
Have to respectfully disagree here, Mole. I know that this "Only Griefers Want People In Open" is the company line for those pilots who are pushing for Private Groups. But I most certainly disagree.
It's the same old argument over and over. I play in Open. I almost never PvP, unless a Power Play enemy presents itself. But none of us would ever, ever, ever, ever find wing mates or join player groups without Open. Relying on the forums and Reddit gives us a small percentage of gamers to interact with. You yourself play in Open, with a good number of people. You are all going to just disappear when Private Groups arrive on XBOX. So, I guess it's been good to know you while I still can?
Generating and tracking individual NPCs would require a lot more coding and computing than just creating them (and random cargo) as needed, despawning them when they're not, and dealing with any economic impact they might have in the abstract. I'm not entirely certain that this is the way FD handles things, but it would be a good bet.
You know, I am actually coming around on this. However, when I was complaining about it I was not a PvP'er looking for victims. Just a player looking for a full experience. In my opinion, a game that has no chance of me losing (or in Elites case being blown up and dealing with rebuy) whats the point?
In fairness, Elite PvE is not risky unless I willingly make it risky. Players on the other hand are risky. Are they friendly? Are they hostile? Do they know how to fight? What is their ship load out? etc... etc...
In any regard, at this time in the game, the BGS doesn't seem to be functioning the way it is envisioned to. So, I don't think anyone really affects it. Until it is working properly, I think I'm done talking about it. Once it is working properly, I will revisit my opinion. (Though I think playing in open with the added risk should warrant some added reward regardless of the BGS)
Thanks for all the replies.
I get it now,the NPC elements are just the means to the end.
Also now get why players of the BGS solo could undermine the efforts of open players in an annoying manner.
To clarify what has been said... NPC's have no effect on the BGS unless they are interacted with by a person...kill one / pirate one / sell pirated goods from a NPC etc yes it has an effect.....Stand by and watch an NPC kill an NPC / watch a type 9 Dock with 400 slaves has no effect.
Thanks for all the replies.
I get it now,the NPC elements are just the means to the end.
Also now get why players of the BGS solo could undermine the efforts of open players in an annoying manner.
The only 'annoyance' is that PvP has no 'real' effect on the BGS.
There are a handful of kill trader/assassinate BH type missions that CAN affect the BGS (who wants to wait around for 6 PC traders to come through a system?), that the only real way to affect the game is through PvE.
Basically, it is just really hard to get enough 'real people' into a system to affect it.
This 'annoyance' is directly related to the ideas the devs have about the ability of all players, on all platforms, regardless of their desired level of interaction with others...that basically..all modes MUST have equal input...NOT equivalent input.
This particular part of the game is 'non-negotiable' with the devs.
Whilst it might or might not be, I certainly can't recall the last time I read a comment from a purely PvE player complaining about Solo players affecting the BGS. I suspect since most purely PvE players play in solo mode already.
I could be wrong of course, I usually am according to my wife
Thanks for all the replies.
I get it now,the NPC elements are just the means to the end.
Also now get why players of the BGS solo could undermine the efforts of open players in an annoying manner.
All my in game activities are BGS related, I do it in open but work alone (not by choice, just haven't asked for help).
There is a limit on how much a single player can affect the BGS, especially if trying to undermine a minor faction which is player group backed. Also, if there is a lot of player traffic in the system it is almost impossible to influence anything as their random actions would be mess up your single actions.
Now a PC group 20,000 strong like Mobius, if mobilised to one cause could do some real damage.
Not true, but from a power play side in my experience. I once spent 3 hours harassing enemy CMDR's trying to work in an expansion system. I kept them out of it for the most part, and kept them from acquiring merits to advance their pledged powers expansion. No rebuys were made (I just couldn't catch them in that tubbly Python)... So in this case PvP did affect the BGS, be it the PP side, but still an effect.
