I'm concerned – the direction of the game.

[huskeonkel]

I don't know what limitations there will be to the all-group automatically. I think I've read that max players in a given instance will be 30 within a system. To me that sounds like a reasonable number as players probably mostly will be traders around the space station.

In regards to the filtering system I am 100% for it. I will be playing in the all-group and am looking forward to a living world, but I will also be weeding out the players that I consider to be griefers with no second thought or regret and I am glad that there finally is a game where I can do that.

 

[Frobitz]

I've come to the conclusion there are the opinions of a very vocal minority about how they think the game should be, and then there is the actual game FD are making.

Even a quick read in the Communication Interaction in the DDA proves this is a baseless theory:

Players can lock onto and hail any other player’s ship that is not ignoring them

Basically, it's probably best to take any gameplay suggestion not confirmed in the DDA or that the dev's don't directly comment on as unlikely.

It's all just uninformed speculation and wishful thinking.

Edit: Damn this thread moved fast! Went to answer the door and I see it's all being talked about 'being the barrier'.

Oh well, sounds like the majority want some level of identification of other players anyway, so big deal?

 

[brumster]

Detecting RWP's is easy at the moment, at least. The second I'm in F4A and my frame rate suddenly drops by a few fps, I start scanning the radar

I would prefer RWP and NPCs to be indistinguishable at first sight, but with an ability to "mark" known friends in the universe so that they become instantly recognisable. This might be achievable via the separation between "ship" and "commander", I think, although I don't spend much time in the DDF archives - I don't feel like contributions really matter much any more, so I've resigned to settling back and just hoping the game ticks the majority of boxes

 

[Cosmos]

It sounds as if you are making a distinction between PvP and PvE which I don't think is really there. When playing mutliplayer online, you're going to be limited to whatever the instance limit is for real people (32 I think has been mentioned) and the rest will be made up of NPCs.

I really don't want to see a Cobra Mk3 zipping around the cosmos with the handle xxCODL33tMasterxx above it. Nothing should be present to immediately identify human players, and arguably even when scanning, you shouldn't be able to make the distinction too easily.

I understand what you mean about the names.. Thats easily solved with rules for naming.

 

[Katkon]

If you cannot tell the difference between an NPC and a real-life player

1. I would be seriously impressed with Frontier's AI
2. How in the heck would that affect your gameplay?

Actually, not quite knowing if it was a real person or an AI is pretty awesome, I doubt they could pull it off, but incredible if they could.

Regardless you seem to be missing the point, DB has said MANY times they are making the game THEY want to play and are inviting you along for the ride.

I play Elder Scrolls Online - which is obviously very different, but a lot of fun. The studio implemented a nifty feature that basically hides NPC/player names from floating above characters names. So you arrive in a new place/city and it's not immediately obvious who's an NPC vs real player. If you point your cursor at a character it becomes more obvious - but you need to make an effort. I personally think it works incredibly well - makes the world feel much more alive as it's not obvious who's "real" vs. computer-generated, without effort. It's a simple but very effective feature for improving immersion.

 

[jabokai]

The trick as a player would be to teach oneself to mimic an NPC - at least at first contact.

No, not blurring the lines for "immersion's" sake as many claim... but simply using it as a gameplay device. I'm sure many would use the feature that way.

 

[AnnuverScotinExile]

The trick as a player would be to teach oneself to mimic an NPC - at least at first contact.

from where I sit, we know that it will become obvious eventually. Flying patterns, reaction to comms, etc., will all make NPCs reasonably clearly identifiable. But those things happen after you have started an encounter of some sort. If there are 15 ships on your radar, and one has a flashing blue light on it to show it is a PC, then that is just a griefer's charter. No one (including Cosmos - this has been rumbling on for a while in the alpha forum) has articluated any reason why they want that immediate identification other than wanting to know who to attack.

There are still comms that are going to be available to 'meet' people.

 

[JeffRyan]

I know the DDF discussion you're talking about and I was pretty much alone in fighting tooth and nail and as loudly as possible against this proposal which is just ridiculous to me. It's seriously the only discussion I've ever become heated about because like you I felt it was an incredibly wrong move.

 

[Cosmos]

Regardless you seem to be missing the point, DB has said MANY times they are making the game THEY want to play and are inviting you along for the ride.

I'm not convinced with this statement. its often used to marginalise someone's point when it conflicts with others. We've had discussions in the DDF that have made an impact on the game - super-cruise is a very good example.

I'm respectfully putting forward my view, that's all.

 

[JeffRyan]

I'm respectfully putting forward my view, that's all.

Yeah that argument doesn't wash or why have a DDF at all?

I'm glad this issue was raised again outside the DDF Cosmos, thanks.

 

[jabokai]

No one (including Cosmos - this has been rumbling on for a while in the alpha forum) has articluated any reason why they want that immediate identification other than wanting to know who to attack.

Completely untrue. You need to go back and read the thread again.

 

[Ben Ryder]

...I'd like to see the game bustling with players with the opportunity to make allies and enemies ..

I backed Elite Dangerous to be able to play a huge game of Elite with real people. I'd talked about it for years. I remember playing side-by-side with co-pilots and wishing we could all have our own ships and play together with other fans.

Now I'm getting the feeling it won't be as populated as I'd hoped for. Lots of very pretty stars and a lot of space but few encounters with fellow players. I hope the feeling I'm getting from the tone moves away from a clever clockwork simulated galaxy toward a big social galaxy populated by fun loving fans. Time will tell.

I guess we will make it what we can with what we are given and it will be down to the players to be social if they want. Roll on Beta. We are still in the very early stages with only a little space to play in. The Beta may dramatically change the mood and direction of the game in some very positive and surprising ways.

I hope that it doesn't become ships passing in the night against a very pretty back drop.

I find playing with others including strangers very exciting. However, to each his own.

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

I'm not convinced with this statement. its often used to marginalise someone's point when it conflicts with others. We've had discussions in the DDF that have made an impact on the game - super-cruise is a very good example.

I'm respectfully putting forward my view, that's all.

In regarding of FD preferences Sandro said he would prefer no id for players (I was one of forumians which started original discussion on Alpha forum where Sandro stated this). However opt-in is good idea and compromise.

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

I backed Elite Dangerous to be able to play a huge game of Elite with real people. I'd talked about it for years. I remember playing side-by-side with co-pilots and wishing we could all have our own ships and play together with other fans.

Now I'm getting the feeling it won't be as populated as I'd hoped for. Lots of very pretty stars and a lot of space but few encounters with fellow players. I hope the feeling I'm getting from the tone moves away from a clever clockwork simulated galaxy toward a big social galaxy populated by fun loving fans. Time will tell.

But this thread is actually about feature which could enable *more* people to play "All" group, as they would not have to be afraid for targeted griefing attacks due of no id of players feature.

 

[AnnuverScotinExile]

Sandro is proponent of not identifying players, so I guess FD will go with opt-in route. This could minimize risk of directed griefing too.

I didn't vote for the opt-in option (I voted for never being told, of course), but it seems like a sensible compromise (and certainly not lopsided as Cosmos claims). Only after it has been running for a while would FD get a clear indication of how people want to play it. Personally, I would switch it off, permanently (I would throw the batteries away if I could). Others would play with it always on. Some, I suspect, would sometimes have it on and sometimes off, perhaps depending on mood.

And this does all have to be considered along with the anti-griefing mechanisms that we have not seen yet (though we have a fair idea what they are). But if we end up with a solution where other players can find out that I am a PC, and they use that to attack me in a way that makes no in-game sense, then I will be forced into Solo Play, and a much worse experience of the game.

 

[StarTux]

I know the DDF discussion you're talking about and I was pretty much alone in fighting tooth and nail and as loudly as possible against this proposal which is just ridiculous to me. It's seriously the only discussion I've ever become heated about because like you I felt it was an incredibly wrong move.

This is why we have early access and betas, such things can and will be tested. Let them try it, as it may or may not be as bad as you think.

 

[JeffRyan]

I just think it's ridiculous that in a multiplayer game (with all that entails, online, network issues, loading stress, pings and lags and everything) that I CAN'T TELL WHO MY FELLOW PLAYERS ARE is just absolutely shocking.

I'm not happy really about any sort of compromise on this issue. If I didn't want that I'd play solo player online.

 

[jabokai]

In regarding of FD preferences Sandro said he would prefer no id for players (I was one of forumians which started original discussion on Alpha forum where Sandro stated this). However opt-in is good idea and compromise.

It's an idea, not sure about good idea. Doesn't work for me and I'd rather they went fully one way or the other OR just caved in to compromise properly and split the group in two. As far as I'm concerned it's a split group anyway just playing in the same space, but not properly ID'd and not properly obfuscated with NPCs... making it a bit of a mess.

 

[VR jefranklin18]

I understand what you mean about the names.. Thats easily solved with rules for naming.

But it is not just the name format I am referring to. If there is a CDR Cosmos floating above your Cobra when looking at the main game screen, for me that is an immersion breaker.

 

[AnnuverScotinExile]

Completely untrue. You need to go back and read the thread again.

OK, fair cop. You want it because it helps your view of immersion - that view that I fully accept you have, but cannot personally comprehend. I really do not recall anything else, and I have been deeply involved in the discussions.