Cutting on minor factions number?

[goemon]

With the new update, I see that we move from faceless mission from a faction, to static faces with names and such.

While the change is mainly for comfort to get the feeling to talk with a human being (waiting for the first person module one day), overall it doesn't seem to change a particular issue that I see with the mission screen: there are too many factions.

Every system has their own, and while they will theoretically expand, from what I understand hearing in the livestream about states; we still have a ton of systems with a ton of factions.

In ED, quantity is the paramount, and it seems that people like that (tons of places that you may never see, oh well, but is there), at the same time, isn't the excessive number of factions and mission givers, causing lack of attachment to any faction? IF you stay in a system for most of the time, then it make sense to grind to gain faction points, but if you travel and often never go back to a specific system, the concept of grind for the sake of it, just to complete another faction, feel almost like a duty, more than pleasure.

We have powers to give a sense of global scale organization, but for minor factions, we could benefit from a lesser number, which would give more missions maybe, to keep people interested, but in different systems.
This may end up causing grind allergy to certain players. And with the Engineers tied to certain factions, where you must raise your affiliation with a specific faction to gain the location of the engineer, it is the equivalent of a roulette, where you grind a faction, discover that you get no engineer location, and move to the next.

Hence, I would love to see LESS factions, but spread widely through the inhabited space...give me a reason to care about these people; slapping a static face on the mission givers does not make me feel more interested in their factions, to be honest. Ideally, the engineer location should be rewarded if you take any of the factions and make it become the dominant faction in that system; that would make more sense IMO, for the gaming perspective.
Which would also avoid the downside of having a player discovering which faction reward with the engineer location, and share it. Of course you need to grind rare material to get the modifications done, so from Frontier perspective, it doesn't matter how long it takes to players to find the engineers, the grind is still the wall to avoid that every player will get the overpowered modifications.

I find so hard to find anything in this game that give me a sense of attachment; and the sheer number of places to go and minor factions only accentuate that feeling. Probably the majority is just fine.

i always thought of powerplay offering exactly that: a small number of powers, with a face, where you can attach to. their ethos, their battles, ... their moduls ;-)

every star system is exactly this: a whole entity. that hit me hard with horizons coming: all those landable planets, with surface stations ... the galaxy got even bigger. i always have to chuckle when people claim, navy ships need jumprange - you'll nearby never see a npc-ship more then 20 ly from "home", more so a navy ship.

i wander around, pick a system or a couple of systems i want to stay in for a little. i get to know the minor factions. maybe i take sides. or i have a reason to be there, unblocking a rare good, or a community goal, or a group i want to help.

i do hope the same happens to engineers what happened to rare goods. one was found after a year being ingame.... last autumn. 3 or more are still not found.

 

[metatheurgist]

I think if they wanted players to care about factions, they should have required people to pledge to a faction and/or a superpower and not had player factions.

 

[the100thmonkey]

And this is how I did play so far; I don't care about the factions, I run missions, cash out and move to the next system.

But with the introduction of the engineers, unless I got it wrong, you will get their location through grinding with specific factions, that at one point will share with you, the location of the engineer base, if your standing is high enough.

I haven't seen any dev posts the exact effect that all engineer introductions will be through your relationship with a particular faction. That doesn't mean that it's not true though, and there is a retreat mechanic coming in 2.1 which will declutter systems as unsuccessful expansions are terminated. I'd guess though that should it be the case that all introduction s to engineers will be through minor faction standing, it will be through a native faction (maximum 5) or some other mechanic, at least initially. That would filter out all the other invasive factions.

That's speculation though, and I don't think it's particularly helpful to criticise a mechanic based on speculation before anyone has ever played the expansion.

This cause 2 issues: the blind grinding at random, to get the right faction that give you access to the engineer location (and you can't just go to the engineer base, from what I understand, you have to be introduced),

It will always be your choice to grind! Additionally, I've never seen any indication that there won't be some way to identify a system with an engineer in it.

and the fact that beside the grinding, there is fundamentally no attachment to a specific faction per se; which is why I pointed out that make more sense to help ANY minor faction to get to the point where they control a system, and then you will get your "introduction" to the engineer. In this way it doesn't matter where I am, I can continue to wander, max out one faction at random, and get to the engineer base.

I'm rather attached to the minor faction I represent; I've worked for them for over a year. When 2.1 goes live, I expect a bloody ticker-tape parade when I dock at one of their stations!

Plus, beside the engineers, I would love to care for a faction; ED is probably the most introverted MMO ever made (if an MMO could be introverted or extroverted of course). Too many of them, and you really could care less.

Frankly, I doubt that.

 

[Limoncello Lizard]

I'm rather attached to the minor faction I represent; I've worked for them for over a year. When 2.1 goes live, I expect a bloody ticker-tape parade when I dock at one of their stations!

They'll be lined up throwing fruit and vegetables, though with your avatar you probably won't mind
.
At least one engineer location has been given away. One of the rocks in Maia is going to have one. I bet there's been a few other clues scattered in among the Galnet articles over the last few months as well.

 

[the100thmonkey]

They'll be lined up throwing fruit and vegetables, though with your avatar you probably won't mind

Life is tough on the fringes!

At least one engineer location has been given away. One of the rocks in Maia is going to have one. I bet there's been a few other clues scattered in among the Galnet articles over the last few months as well.

I understand from the livestream that some engineers will be unlocked at launch and you'll only have to satisfy their criteria for helping you rather than be introduced.

Also, on reflection, the whole idea of grinding blindly is absurd. I'll be very surprised if there isn't some way to identify who you need to work for. It might require attention to detail or somesuch to spot it, and I'm sure some engineers are going to be very well-hidden, but yeah.

 

[darshie76]

I agree with OP

Actually there should be fewer NPCs to.
And CMDRs much less CMDRs

And people - jeez have you ever been to a big city?
People everywhere.
And I don't care about any of them.
Get rid of them.

Oh except this one time.
I lived in Redfern for like ten years.
And I did all these things with people.

Missions you you might call them.

I started a recording studio in an old meat works. Played in bands. Fell in love.
Made lots of good stuff happen. Got beat up.

And uh yeah, that became my home.

Community is is about knowing people and being known.

If you don't get out of the car and do some things with people then you won't connect to a place.

And you know - you still won't care much about the folks you don't know.

I agree, it can be applied to comments too.

I really don't get what your point is.
If you ask me to live a life, I totally do, I play 3 hours a week in ED....then it is real life with my job, family and friends. Sadly they do not care a single carrot about ED.

You mention "community", which is true; you meet people out there; but I met more people playing flight sims or any other MMO, compared to ED. Maybe when there will be a first person module, with locations on a station where to meet people, and have something similar to a "world" chat in a standard MMO; then it will be easier to find some fellas and go out doing something fun.

 

[darshie76]

There are reasons to care about specific minor factions, they're just not necessarily heavily promoted by the game. They include:

.........

As mentioned, I am not against them, I am against the sheer number of them, in a small area of space (few systems in every direction from a starting system).

I can play in the way that you mentioned; but is that fun for you? Elite was great, because you make your own stories and adventure...that was 30 years ago; and that game was made in that way because you could not do more than that. The limitation of the hardware were in fact design features, and people liked the idea (including me).
Now it is 2016; I expect that when I buy a game; someone put some effort in making something that allow me to enjoy an experience; like when you go to watch a movie. Instead you see more and more games, offering less and less content, and rely on what the players wants to do on their own. In GTA it works fine, but in star wars battlefront; that didn't work very well. I don't expect ED to have a story and become something else. I did put the nail in the coffin about hoping that ED will be different at this point; so at least, if I have to make my own stories, I would at least appreciate something that is not an ADHD nightmare, made of tons of bare systems, planets and factions that are totally disconnected from you, behind the great visual and the athmosphere that you get when you reach such places.

My last hope is to find a sort of "rp guild", as you suggested, among the player factions, and see if there is any group that remotely share my point of view. If that doesn't work either; I wasted a ton of money to pitch in this project, and end up playing it when I have nothing else to do, which is sad.

 

[darshie76]

i always thought of powerplay offering exactly that: a small number of powers, with a face, where you can attach to. their ethos, their battles, ... their moduls ;-) ....................

Fundamentally that's what I hoped; but then the implementation was another "surprise". The powers mechanic (now I see Mike Myers saying "yeah baby"), ended up being doing transport, assassination or retrieval of resources, to satisfy a specifc power.
I am mostly an explorer; and since I play very little time; and powers rep goes down if you don't keep up, cut me off completely from being engaged in that mechanic. The idea was awesome, but when applied in game; it introduced some inconsistencies that mined the fun that you can have with it. At least in my opinion.

I love the concept of "star system", but what is the reason to be there? Even if ED had all that NMS offers, like landing on any planet; walk around by foot and collect resources/explore; there is a lack of motivation "in game", which could be easily fixed if there was a sort of chapter or story related to a sequence of missions. Start in system A, bring stuff to system B; during the trip you get ambushed; you fight; you end up damaged on a planet; fix your ship; go back and figure out taht you are not helping with that stuff that you carry, but you are maybe the bad guy...moral choice about what to do; pick a side; attach to some NPC that has a mission and support a faction; become part of that faction....fight for that.

This is what I am talking about...there is nothing of this in ED, unless you made it up in your mind, which is sad if you ask me; because this is possible with the game mechanics that we have today, if implemented, and players would not need to made up "chapters" in their mind.

The game is already grind-heavy, so the hope is that with the engineers, we won't end up doing yet another faction, to get to that location for that engineer that make such shiny stuff.

I haven't seen any dev posts the exact effect that all engineer introductions will be through your relationship with a particular faction. .....t.

They mention it in the live stream; I have to watch it again and mention at what point in the stream they mention it. There was also a newsletter I believe, that did mention that engineers location is available only after that you bring your status up high enough in a faction...without mention the faction.
I may be wrong, but I recall clearly that this was the gist of what was said. I am not speculating a mechanic; I asked for less minor factions; and the engineering-related grinding is just part of it.

Also it was mentioned that you can't just find the engineers; unless you are willing to land on every planetoid and circumnavigate it; even if you can "scan" the system, maybe at the nav beacon; still you have a chance that is close to win a jackpot in a national lottery (200B systems, less than 100 engineers; odds are pretty low, even if it is just in the human bubble, it is still low).

You are attached to your faction because you settle in a system maybe? That's one way to play the game; but if you play as explorer, you find hard to get attached It is a legit way to play the game, but not the only one.

Anyone that played any MMO and that played ED, did mention the same thing: "sense of emptiness". Space is vast, but other space games do not have the same approach; not even Elite 2 and 3. This is why I ironically said that ED is "introverted"...you rarely see a soul.

I understand from the livestream that some engineers will be unlocked at launch and you'll only have to satisfy their criteria for helping you rather than be introduced.

Also, on reflection, the whole idea of grinding blindly is absurd. I'll be very surprised if there isn't some way to identify who you need to work for. It might require attention to detail or somesuch to spot it, and I'm sure some engineers are going to be very well-hidden, but yeah.

This can be considered speculation, about something that hasn't been released yet. I have to double check but they never mention "unlocking" at launch; you find them, you find the rare materials, you get their help. Some will need introduction, and these are the ones that give you the better shiny stuff.

I don't believe that they ever mention that there is a way to "spot them"; you may fly on every single planet...I wonder who would do that to be honest but there may be someone that search them in that way. But if there is a way to find them, then the grinding with the faciton become useless. Either way, I hope that they will make something that works for the majority...the rest will hate it and we move on; as we are doing since alpha.

 

[MDFification]

They dont want to remove factions (yet).

But the 2.1 update will bring a retreat state. So factions away from "home" will go home if their influence is constantly too low in a remote system.

This legitimately worries me. Worst case scenario, this means all player-backed factions will need to constantly put work into influence up at least until there are no other factions present in a system.
Not only does this necessitate a huge time commitment, it means that you can't have systems with distinct personalities if you want to expand your faction; instead of leaving local interests intact so long as you dominate, you'll be forced to eliminate all local factions present. On that basis, a successful expansionist faction would leave a bunch of mono-cultured, variety free systems in their wake.

I hope I'm wrong about this (and I'm on the verge of passing out so I probably am, oh well), but that could seriously mess up one of the game's large appeals for me. I'm really a fan of how ED is managing to have so many factions, because it gives us room to make interesting narratives with. Those narratives will be limited by several orders of magnitude if what I suggested above comes to pass.

 

[Agony_Aunt]

This legitimately worries me. If this is true, all player-backed factions will need to constantly put work into influence up at least until there are no other factions present in a system.

Nope, there will always be a mininum number of factions in a system, its not like all factions will start withdrawing from all systems. Only ones they have expanded into. Most systems have at least 4 factions that are native to it. They shouldn't go anywhere (unless there are bugs).

Player backed factions will more or less continue as they are, if you don't put effort it, things will remain fairly static unless someone is working the BGS in the system in a particular direction.

 

[darshie76]

Just in case someone read always the last page, and not the main post....IT IS NOT ABOUT THE ENGINEERS

They are mentioned as related to factions; but the main point is that there are too many factions in a too small area of star systems.

Better point out things, I've been in too many derailed posts

 

[Sapyx]

Nope, there will always be a mininum number of factions in a system, its not like all factions will start withdrawing from all systems. Only ones they have expanded into. Most systems have at least 4 factions that are native to it. They shouldn't go anywhere (unless there are bugs).

I'm not entirely sure that's correct; I have encountered (and earned bounties to claim from) factions with "System X" in their name, flown to that system... and not found them - they'd been expunged from their own homeworld by outside invaders, though they were still present in other systems thanks to earlier expansions. I would logically assume, unless FD have specifically coded to prevent this, that it would indeed possible to "exterminate" a faction entirely through careful manipulation of the BGS (and assuming no CMDR involvement in resisting this process). The "retreat" mechanism will merely allow this to happen faster and more logically.

Doing this, then eventually the OP's desire of reduced numbers of minor factions will come to pass, as the only factions to survive this Darwinian contest will be the ones with CMDR supporters.

 

[the100thmonkey]

This legitimately worries me. Worst case scenario, this means all player-backed factions will need to constantly put work into influence up at least until there are no other factions present in a system.
Not only does this necessitate a huge time commitment, it means that you can't have systems with distinct personalities if you want to expand your faction; instead of leaving local interests intact so long as you dominate, you'll be forced to eliminate all local factions present. On that basis, a successful expansionist faction would leave a bunch of mono-cultured, variety free systems in their wake.

I hope I'm wrong about this (and I'm on the verge of passing out so I probably am, oh well), but that could seriously mess up one of the game's large appeals for me. I'm really a fan of how ED is managing to have so many factions, because it gives us room to make interesting narratives with. Those narratives will be limited by several orders of magnitude if what I suggested above comes to pass.

Well, it would take a lot of pushing and juggling to expel native factions - you'd have to get other factions expanding in, keep them there long enough and then get more factions expanding in to remove the undesirable native faction before suppressing each invasive faction individually.

Having a one-faction system, however, would likely make it the prime expansion target for every other system in the sector. It wouldn't stay a one-party state for very long. Of that I'm certain.

They mention it in the live stream; I have to watch it again and mention at what point in the stream they mention it. There was also a newsletter I believe, that did mention that engineers location is available only after that you bring your status up high enough in a faction...without mention the faction.
I may be wrong, but I recall clearly that this was the gist of what was said. I am not speculating a mechanic; I asked for less minor factions; and the engineering-related grinding is just part of it.

I haven't had the chance to watch it yet. I'm given to understand, though, that some engineers are available to all.

Also it was mentioned that you can't just find the engineers; unless you are willing to land on every planetoid and circumnavigate it; even if you can "scan" the system, maybe at the nav beacon; still you have a chance that is close to win a jackpot in a national lottery (200B systems, less than 100 engineers; odds are pretty low, even if it is just in the human bubble, it is still low).

Why would the engineers be anywhere but in or around populated space? Mentioning 200b star systems is a little... odd to my mind. Players will undoubtedly communicate with others when they find one. Part of the meta in E|D game is the politics of information - some people will, I'm sure, find an engineer and only tell their friends, or perhaps even no one. Others will publish the information on a huge thread on the FD forums or on Reddit. I'm also fairly sure that some people will, eventually, find one by trial and error. That's fine by me - if it becomes impossible to play the game without engineer goodies, there will be an issue. Otherwise it's a matter of talking to the right people, playing attention to Galnet, the forums and Reddit, and working on rep with a suitable faction once it's confirmed. Thinking that the only way to find an engineer is to get allied with every faction in every system is an unusual approach.

It seems that finding the engineers, then, will be a community activity, just like the Unknown Artefact thread. To me, that's great - games need secrets and they need to foster collaboration and co-operation to encourage a community to build around it.

You are attached to your faction because you settle in a system maybe? That's one way to play the game; but if you play as explorer, you find hard to get attached It is a legit way to play the game, but not the only one.

No, not really. The faction I work for has expanded more than once. I also tend to vary my play so that I don't spend too much time doing one thing. I tend to do exploration in short spurts though, as it's the least engaging aspect of the game for me. I have a "home" system where I learned to play the game and built my character. I visit there regularly to keep in with the faction and look at local developments. I get involved with player factions and politics, collaborate and co-operate with groups we're friendly with and generally scoot about the bubble as and when the feeling takes me. It's a sandbox game for me, so I exercise the freedom to do what I like when I like.

Anyone that played any MMO and that played ED, did mention the same thing: "sense of emptiness". Space is vast, but other space games do not have the same approach; not even Elite 2 and 3. This is why I ironically said that ED is "introverted"...you rarely see a soul.

It's an unusual session where I don't see other CMDRs.

This can be considered speculation, about something that hasn't been released yet. I have to double check but they never mention "unlocking" at launch; you find them, you find the rare materials, you get their help. Some will need introduction, and these are the ones that give you the better shiny stuff.

I don't believe that they ever mention that there is a way to "spot them"; you may fly on every single planet...I wonder who would do that to be honest but there may be someone that search them in that way. But if there is a way to find them, then the grinding with the faciton become useless. Either way, I hope that they will make something that works for the majority...the rest will hate it and we move on; as we are doing since alpha.

Something like ships aligned to the faction chatting in supercruise about an engineer would work, as would noticing NPCs with enhanced weapons, for example, if you're interdicted or otherwise engaged in combat.

There are loads of different ways to communicate it without being "in your face" about it. FD do like to withhold information - there's still no official BGS manual after 18 months, and there probably never will be. They like players to work things out for themselves.

 

[excalibus]

I don't believe that I mention anything about "retreat from their home system" I sad "in their home system"; which I agree is grammatically incorrect....should be "to their home system".
I like the idea of the background simulation, with factions skirmishing for power in their system or with neighboring systems; but in my eyes, there should be a major faction, that has control over 10-15 systems; and maybe one opposing faction; with a random faction in one or 2 systems out of the 10-15 systems. In this way, you still retain that feeling of tug-o-war among the factions, but it is more entertaining for the player.

Simulate reality in a game, is not necessarily a success; otherwise why do we have sound in space and explosions?

that is what powerplay is about isn't it reallly? one faction out of 10 or so factions you can care about if you choose to?

Personally not long after release I moved myself to a fringe system and I care deeply for my chosen NPC minor faction, deeply enough to work the BGS to move it into and take over some of the neighbouring systems as it is my 'end game' goal to support my chosen minor faction and continue it's expansion into new terrirtories, I went to the fringe in the hopes that one day we will get automated colonisation into neighbouring empty systems which have resources to support the faction doing the expansion/colonisation

also as mentioned in the livestream last night, there are 70 somthing thousand minor factions, which is not that many really when you consider the size of the current colonised bubble

 

[darshie76]

I haven't had the chance to watch it yet. I'm given to understand, though, that some engineers are available to all. ..............

I am watching the live stream again; I think there is also the second part out there, it came out today.

If I recall correctly, the lore about the engineers is that they are people that live away from society; they have their own base for that purpose. IF you don't want to be with others; make sense to go in areas where nobody goes. If people find them by mistake, trial and error or whatever, my game experience won't change a bit; some may sit and wait until others find them; it happens all the time after all.

You consider it as "community goal" ? I don't agree; for the simple reason that find them is just one part of the deal; you have to find via grinding, the materials that they need, to even get a mod done. From what I recall, a community goal does not necessarily rely on hard to find materials, which is why I disagree with your view of engineers as yet another community goal. This is not a race to find then; it is yet another grind-friendly activity; which is fine to me...you focus on one and get the mod that you want.

We should move the conversation about engineers in another topic though.

From your description of your activity, I can tell that we go in different ways You have a home; my home is my ship, it goes wherever my hyperdive push it. Wander through the stars increase your chances that something may happen; I get mounty from interdiction, because they interdict me; I scan systems and make money; and while wandering, take a mission here and there; beside mining and piracy, I believe that exploring gives me the most complete experience, but that's how I play the game of course

I rarely see others; some times I don't even bother anymore to log in into open; I started play solo and I can't tell the difference at all, to be honest. I know where most players go; but I saw at most few players in that area; and most of the time it ended up in dogfighting.

I believe that many misunderstood the will of Frontier to "let the player discover", as a design choice made on purpose; with a more "down on earth" view that they deliberately leave things out to not bother, and to not be tied to anything in particular. The whole game has the same feeling, of something started and eventually be improved upon one day; which I understand. It has to face tough competition like NMS and SC; which are taking their sweet time to deliver, and releasing few years before give the advantage of the player base already set. I appreciate what Frontier do; I just built expectations too high for this group, but luckilly there are other games, which improve upon the competition, so this goes to the advantage of players in the end.

 

[darshie76]

that is what powerplay is about isn't it reallly? one faction out of 10 or so factions you can care about if you choose to?

Personally not long after release I moved myself to a fringe system and I care deeply for my chosen NPC minor faction, deeply enough to work the BGS to move it into and take over some of the neighbouring systems as it is my 'end game' goal to support my chosen minor faction and continue it's expansion into new terrirtories, I went to the fringe in the hopes that one day we will get automated colonisation into neighbouring empty systems which have resources to support the faction doing the expansion/colonisation

also as mentioned in the livestream last night, there are 70 somthing thousand minor factions, which is not that many really when you consider the size of the current colonised bubble

This is what powerplay was supposed to be; but in reality is not 100% accurate.

I did pick a faction in powerplay; but I can't increase my status because I don't grind 8 hours a day; the amount of time needed to "rank up" is beyond my available time; and the reward is not worth the hypothetical time that I could muster...I have to pick and choose, I wish I was 16 and with nothing else to do again

I like your RP approach; and I did try to play in that way, but got really no interest in it. I am at the point where I am not willing to compromise anymore with a game, making in my head what instead the game should offer. 25+ years spent playing D&D and AD&D on paper, gave me enough skill to make my own stories, but this is a computer game; you pay for this; so I would gladly see that my money goes toward a product that spoil me. This is my view of course; every person see a different value in every product. I just prefer 10 times to buy a Skyrim or a Witcher game, with rich story, quests and open world, where you can do whatever you want. But it is YOUR choice to not choose the quest line....it is not a case, where there is no quest at all, and you have to make it up by yourself if you want to have fun Anyway that's a side topic, sorry for bring it up.

I can't make a relation between 70K factions and the number of systems in the bubble; but to me, it seems like no more than few systems are affected by 2 major factions; it is mostly many fighting for one or 2 systems, pushing each other. As mentioned earlier, it is not like a world war, with big countries fighing over an extended area; it is more similar to a nort Africa area, where each small district is under a different tribe; and then you have the central government (the powerplay), which may or may not be interested.

If you ask me, I prefer a different approach, where my travel among 10 or more systems, result in mission that may benefit the same faction; which would imply less factions per set of solar systems, so you have like in every major political system, the opposition and the ruling party, with the occasional independent party that is in between the 2 major ones. A matter of taste I guess; many players that spent a ton of time in the game, got used to how things are, so it is complicate to change the point of view after so long.

 

[excalibus]

This is what powerplay was supposed to be; but in reality is not 100% accurate.

I did pick a faction in powerplay; but I can't increase my status because I don't grind 8 hours a day; the amount of time needed to "rank up" is beyond my available time; and the reward is not worth the hypothetical time that I could muster...I have to pick and choose, I wish I was 16 and with nothing else to do again

I like your RP approach; and I did try to play in that way, but got really no interest in it. I am at the point where I am not willing to compromise anymore with a game, making in my head what instead the game should offer. 25+ years spent playing D&D and AD&D on paper, gave me enough skill to make my own stories, but this is a computer game; you pay for this; so I would gladly see that my money goes toward a product that spoil me. This is my view of course; every person see a different value in every product. I just prefer 10 times to buy a Skyrim or a Witcher game, with rich story, quests and open world, where you can do whatever you want. But it is YOUR choice to not choose the quest line....it is not a case, where there is no quest at all, and you have to make it up by yourself if you want to have fun Anyway that's a side topic, sorry for bring it up.

I can't make a relation between 70K factions and the number of systems in the bubble; but to me, it seems like no more than few systems are affected by 2 major factions; it is mostly many fighting for one or 2 systems, pushing each other. As mentioned earlier, it is not like a world war, with big countries fighing over an extended area; it is more similar to a nort Africa area, where each small district is under a different tribe; and then you have the central government (the powerplay), which may or may not be interested.

If you ask me, I prefer a different approach, where my travel among 10 or more systems, result in mission that may benefit the same faction; which would imply less factions per set of solar systems, so you have like in every major political system, the opposition and the ruling party, with the occasional independent party that is in between the 2 major ones. A matter of taste I guess; many players that spent a ton of time in the game, got used to how things are, so it is complicate to change the point of view after so long.

Most importantly, remember it is a game, not a simulation, not a second job etc and as such needs to be fun and engaging...

I have not really made up much of a story line for my home faction beyond galnet submission postings which made it into the local area news etc...
I do missions for my chosen minor faction with the view of expanding them into nearby systems and then taking over those systems so I end up with a wide variety of missions, I take missions for opposing minor factions with the aim of undermining that minor factions standing by completing alternate endings to missions etc. Part of the motivation for that is as I mentioned, going towards my 'end game' plan for my minor faction, not that ED has an end game as such... But once I achieve 3E status then I will be looking at cashing in on that with my minor faction.

Part of my 'gameplay' is to get my minor faction into a self sustaining situation by controlling exctaction, industrial, refinery, High tech, agricultural and tourism systems (so far they only have ag and tourism left to obtain) so then I can do supply and demand trade runs and the whole time it benefits my minor faction.

I tried (and did not really like) powerplay. I hope that we have more 'tools / options' for actually circumventing power play from affecting our minor factions in the future, there are certain powers near my home system I would not like to see them be able to sieze any control over my minor factions systems.

 

[Dommarraa]

Or minor factions could group together at a level below faction. Could then have then have this new level of alliance compete amongst themselves and have maps to indicate their influence, even give them special items. We could call them powers or something. You would then have a logical discernable link from player to minor faction to power to major faction

 

[the100thmonkey]

We should move the conversation about engineers in another topic though.

I agree. My response is in spoiler tags as it keeps the thread clean.

Spoiler

You consider it as "community goal" ? I don't agree; for the simple reason that find them is just one part of the deal; you have to find via grinding, the materials that they need, to even get a mod done. From what I recall, a community goal does not necessarily rely on hard to find materials, which is why I disagree with your view of engineers as yet another community goal. This is not a race to find then; it is yet another grind-friendly activity; which is fine to me...you focus on one and get the mod that you want.

No, I don't consider it a community goal, at least not in the sense you are using it. I didn't use the phrase "community goal" for that reason. I called finding the engineers a community activity, just like the research activities that led to the creation of The Canonn player faction - investigating how the UAs behave, noting the sounds they make and their orientation, leading to the discovery that they broadcast Morse code descriptions of their location in space and any ships that approach them. This was all community-oriented content, with only the occasional hint from FD. I'm sure that the community will communicate both on these forums and Reddit about locations of engineers and their requirements.

I do think it's a worthwhile decision to tie engineers into the faction system though - it's another form of ranking, and I wouldn't be surprised if some engineers were Alliance, Federation or Empire partisans requiring you to have a good standing with those major factions, or perhaps even military rank for the Feds and Imps.

From your description of your activity, I can tell that we go in different ways You have a home; my home is my ship, it goes wherever my hyperdive push it. Wander through the stars increase your chances that something may happen; I get mounty from interdiction, because they interdict me; I scan systems and make money; and while wandering, take a mission here and there; beside mining and piracy, I believe that exploring gives me the most complete experience, but that's how I play the game of course

This is why I'm confused by your attitude to the factions - if you wander the bubble, you're unlikely to even want to become interested in the factions you interact with - they are all much of a muchness. by settling in a region of space, you have have the chance to develop a faction. It's quite satisfying seeing your faction expand and to have an influence on their stations, for example. One of the major draws of the game for me is the background sim; factions and the BGS are basically inseparable. If you don't care about factions, you'll never care about the BGS, and vice versa. It's more akin to a board game like Risk and real-time strategy games. It's fun. You should try it. It really doesn't matter which faction you pick; it matters that you pick.

I believe that many misunderstood the will of Frontier to "let the player discover", as a design choice made on purpose; with a more "down on earth" view that they deliberately leave things out to not bother, and to not be tied to anything in particular. The whole game has the same feeling, of something started and eventually be improved upon one day; which I understand.

Were that the case, then the developers would have plenty of opportunities to communicate that information in their livestreams, for example. They haven't so far. Indeed, in the BGS livestream a few weeks back, they basically said "don't ask us for a manual on the background sim, because you won't get it." The system does work, and is nowhere near as buggy as many people believe. My group believe that it's largely working as intended, and we've been able to manipulate the sim to our ends rather successfully. We worked it out ourselves and have enjoyed the experience immensely. In other words I think you're being rather uncharitable in your assessment of the devs releasing the game unfhinished because they basically can't be bothered to "finish" it. You mentioned a few posts back that you would like to see narrative missions in the game to tie you into a story, but that's fundamentally against the design ethos of the game as I've come to understand it. It really is about working it out for yourself/yourselves. The game is even marketed as a sandbox.

It has to face tough competition like NMS and SC; which are taking their sweet time to deliver, and releasing few years before give the advantage of the player base already set. I appreciate what Frontier do; I just built expectations too high for this group, but luckilly there are other games, which improve upon the competition, so this goes to the advantage of players in the end.

Rather than building expectations too high, I think you came to the game with misguided expectations. And No Man's Sky and Star Citizen aren't competition right now because they're not released games.

 

[Scoopy Doopy]

I agree with OP

Actually there should be fewer NPCs to.
And CMDRs much less CMDRs

And people - jeez have you ever been to a big city?
People everywhere.
And I don't care about any of them.
Get rid of them.

Oh except this one time.
I lived in Redfern for like ten years.
And I did all these things with people.

Missions you you might call them.

I started a recording studio in an old meat works. Played in bands. Fell in love.
Made lots of good stuff happen. Got beat up.

And uh yeah, that became my home.

Community is is about knowing people and being known.

If you don't get out of the car and do some things with people then you won't connect to a place.

And you know - you still won't care much about the folks you don't know.

Thank you for saying "fewer".