Horizons Player Difficulty Levels now needed in Elite Dangerous

[Captain Willard]

I lost my asp gunship on the first fight I picked against another asp, not long after lost my python trader and thought WOW. Ran home to momma. Sold 3 asp's, a DB scout, and my A spec FAS. updated my python trader to a trading fortress and bought another python and went to town kitting it. I don't care the cost , I don't want to go back to a weak ai. Pls don't suggest I get a bigger ship, I bought an annie, turned around and sold it same day.

 

[Lucifer Hate]

No you cannot have a difficulty slider that makes 1 mode easier unless you separate the BGS and universes. It would not be fair to make 1 mode easier as it has been said all modes are equal and if you are gonna affect the same universe equally in solo as a player in open you better face the same threats. Solo is not singleplayer it is as it has been said like a private group with no one else invited. There is breaking news that will help even the worst pilots though. There is a new feature called wings that allows you to team up with others to the mutual benefit of all in the wing


Face the facts the exploit of solo farming is dead

 

[CMDR Kantos Kan]

No you cannot have a difficulty slider that makes 1 mode easier unless you separate the BGS and universes. It would not be fair to make 1 mode easier as it has been said all modes are equal and if you are gonna affect the same universe equally in solo as a player in open you better face the same threats. Solo is not singleplayer it is as it has been said like a private group with no one else invited. There is breaking news that will help even the worst pilots though. There is a new feature called wings that allows you to team up with others to the mutual benefit of all in the wing


Face the facts the exploit of solo farming is dead

Maybe the difficulty slider could be made to control how skilled the NPCs your face are? Like easy, where all NPCs would have a combat rank inferior to yours, medium where the NPCs would have a combat rank equal or inferior to yours, hard where the NPCs combat ranks would be between your combat rank and dangerous and hardcore where NCPs combat ranks would be between 2 ranks above yours up to elite?

Seriously, I fail to see how the argument that having an easier setting is not fair. What is more fair? New players having to fight elite in all maxed up ships? Is that more fair? Not only that but how is a new player going to seriously affect the BGS and the galaxy? I'm not speaking for me, I have a fully kitted Cutter, a Corvette, an Anaconda, 2 Pythons, I can hold my own but I'm thinking about how it was difficult when I started. And I think that Frontier needs to keep all the new players it can attract.

 

[Jeroll3d]

NPC still very har and with a 'magical weapons'. In hight security System or extract zone, all ELITE ou Master. Alone, u death! With other NPCs like security frces, i can try live.

This mechanic is terrible! Problem not is how NPC fly, but how this NPC kill u with 'magical weapons' (give MUCH dps). Update solved any problem? Noups, sorry team dev, bad direction!

 

[Susanna]

Maybe the difficulty slider could be made to control how skilled the NPCs your face are? Like easy, where all NPCs would have a combat rank inferior to yours, medium where the NPCs would have a combat rank equal or inferior to yours, hard where the NPCs combat ranks would be between your combat rank and dangerous and hardcore where NCPs combat ranks would be between 2 ranks above yours up to elite?

Seriously, I fail to see how the argument that having an easier setting is not fair. What is more fair? New players having to fight elite in all maxed up ships? Is that more fair? Not only that but how is a new player going to seriously affect the BGS and the galaxy? I'm not speaking for me, I have a fully kitted Cutter, a Corvette, an Anaconda, 2 Pythons, I can hold my own but I'm thinking about how it was difficult when I started. And I think that Frontier needs to keep all the new players it can attract.

It's nice to see an experienced play support new players with sensible comments rather than the Git Gud variety. Thank you. +1 rep.

 

[Otherwhere]

I'm a noob to this game. I've only been playing for 2 weeks now. I got it because I wanted to do exploration, maybe a little mining, and relax and have fun. I have combat-oriented games, and ED offered me a chance to do something different. I thought. Instead, I was interdicted and destroyed after my first 5.something-ly jump, with NO CARGO, no bounty, no mission. I was simply getting used to my ship, and jumping, and docking. And then it happened again. And again. I was ready to quit after 2 days of this, being destroyed 5 times. Steep learning curve? Nope. Buggy AI that was acting overly aggressive. That and OP weapons the designers didn't intend. And it wasn't just me, but veteran players who were getting interdicted and destroyed.

Not a good first impression, and I'm not investing any more in ED until this is either corrected or they make it clear the game isn't for casual, new players.

 

[frostypaw]

Maybe the difficulty slider could be made to control how skilled the NPCs your face are? Like easy, where all NPCs would have a combat rank inferior to yours, medium where the NPCs would have a combat rank equal or inferior to yours, hard where the NPCs combat ranks would be between your combat rank and dangerous and hardcore where NCPs combat ranks would be between 2 ranks above yours up to elite?

Seriously, I fail to see how the argument that having an easier setting is not fair. What is more fair? New players having to fight elite in all maxed up ships? Is that more fair? Not only that but how is a new player going to seriously affect the BGS and the galaxy? I'm not speaking for me, I have a fully kitted Cutter, a Corvette, an Anaconda, 2 Pythons, I can hold my own but I'm thinking about how it was difficult when I started. And I think that Frontier needs to keep all the new players it can attract.

They don't have to. There are several regular posters who have either reset their saves or asked for their combat ranks to be reset and their experience is nothing like that. They see low ranks, they're just as dumb as before.

Will the difficulty slider apply to any alien threats? Because wouldn't it really cause a VAST amount of hurt and upset if all of the people playing on "Normal" or "Hard" found out someone on "Easy" had fought through to the alien's homeworld and "won", spoiling the game for potentially over a million others players?

These ideas are fine but they don't work in a galaxy we share. People need to - and can - select their own difficulty and challenge levels by where they go and what they do, not by breaking the game for others. This *is* a fair compromise - the bubble is not that small, the galaxy is mostly empty - you have choice and control over your game but the freedom comes with the responsibility of learning to watch your six

 

[CMDR Kantos Kan]

They don't have to. There are several regular posters who have either reset their saves or asked for their combat ranks to be reset and their experience is nothing like that. They see low ranks, they're just as dumb as before.

Will the difficulty slider apply to any alien threats? Because wouldn't it really cause a VAST amount of hurt and upset if all of the people playing on "Normal" or "Hard" found out someone on "Easy" had fought through to the alien's homeworld and "won", spoiling the game for potentially over a million others players?

These ideas are fine but they don't work in a galaxy we share. People need to - and can - select their own difficulty and challenge levels by where they go and what they do, not by breaking the game for others. This *is* a fair compromise - the bubble is not that small, the galaxy is mostly empty - you have choice and control over your game but the freedom comes with the responsibility of learning to watch your six

Please, explain to me how a newbie who can barely escape the slot can make significant changes to the galaxy?

Oh, and about those who reset their saves, it's nothing compared when you started. There is a vast knowledge that you accumulate as you play that will give you an incredible edge when you start a new that no new player will have.

I still believe that Frontier could do a better job by better matching NPCs with the skill levels of the commander being interdicted.

 

[eqinox]

If only we had offline mode, we could also have difficulty levels.

On the other hand, if the difficulty slider also affected how much of an influence actions have on the BGS? I doubt those who want the game to be easier care about affecting the galaxy anyhow..

 

[Senzafine]

Completely agree with the OP. I've spent the past 18 months far away from the habitable bubble just to avoid the pew-pew and it looks like I won't be going back any time soon considering the posts regarding stupidly belligerent AI is anything to go by. A pity really as I'd like to upgrade from my Adder to a Cobra MkIII and get an SRV but it's not worth it if I'm just going to get blown away. It's fab exploring the galaxy and seeing the sights but it would also be great to check out all the sights in the habitable zone - I think a lot of us play this game because we love space and basically want to explore and gawp at the wonders and you can't do that if it's a constant battle for survival. Part of what drove me out into the galaxy was because every time I dropped into a planetary ring to enjoy the vista within a minute or two an npc would appear and a fight would be on the cards. Complete pain in the neck.

 

[frostypaw]

Please, explain to me how a newbie who can barely escape the slot can make significant changes to the galaxy?

*scratches head*

Really?

You're suggesting a difficulty setting - were you thinking that should only apply when people are newbies and then it turns off? Because if not then the difficulty setting will still applies months after they've finished being newbies

Offline mode would have to be a different game - but why not if there's demand for it.

 

[SMcA]

Completely agree with the OP. I've spent the past 18 months far away from the habitable bubble just to avoid the pew-pew and it looks like I won't be going back any time soon considering the posts regarding stupidly belligerent AI is anything to go by. A pity really as I'd like to upgrade from my Adder to a Cobra MkIII and get an SRV but it's not worth it if I'm just going to get blown away.

It is not worth it. But I think that there are enough people here who would be willing to form an escort back to the bubble for people who had been in the Black for such a long period. It sounds a worthwhile thing to do.
And you must try out the SRV's they are fun. Not to mention you must be needing a bit of repair work done.

It's fab exploring the galaxy and seeing the sights but it would also be great to check out all the sights in the habitable zone - I think a lot of us play this game because we love space and basically want to explore and gawp at the wonders and you can't do that if it's a constant battle for survival.

+1 for this. 'Cause it is true for me.

Part of what drove me out into the galaxy was because every time I dropped into a planetary ring to enjoy the vista within a minute or two an npc would appear and a fight would be on the cards. Complete pain in the neck.

You can drop into ring systems away from the Res's and shouldn't be bothered unless things have changed.

 

[SMcA]

*scratches head*

Really?

You're suggesting a difficulty setting - were you thinking that should only apply when people are newbies and then it turns off? Because if not then the difficulty setting will still applies months after they've finished being newbies

Not necessarily. You could have lower levels giving lower rewards. Then people would want to progress to higher levels with the greater dangers and rewards.
This would only apply to the NCPs which interact with you, of course.

Offline mode would have to be a different game - but why not if there's demand for it.

There has been a demand for it since before release. Lots of us were disappointed when it was dropped. But it was for technical reasons so don't hold your breath waiting for offline mode.

 

[Senzafine]

It is not worth it. But I think that there are enough people here who would be willing to form an escort back to the bubble for people who had been in the Black for such a long period. It sounds a worthwhile thing to do.
And you must try out the SRV's they are fun. Not to mention you must be needing a bit of repair work done.

Not doing too badly actually - at 98% overall, but then I'm a very careful pilot. That's a good idea to request an escort when I eventually do make it home again.

 

[frostypaw]

Not necessarily. You could have lower levels giving lower rewards. Then people would want to progress to higher levels with the greater dangers and rewards.
This would only apply to the NCPs which interact with you, of course.

But what if they don't?

Almost all the solutions suggested fail at the hurdle of curtailing players abusing them to 'finish early' as such and jump the game's gun. The progress up from being unskilled to being skilled literally IS the game - the ranking is the difficulty level otherwise it becomes unfair on other players.

It's a real pain I know, but if you follow it through logically it's the only way. We can debate how system or mission threat levels are policed/shown/experienced until the cows come home happily and make progress, but we can't let people break the game.

I'm in no rush for offline mode don't worry, it's just the only way you can really do this so it's sold as a single player experience and people can entirely choose their own rates of progress and difficulty with no threat of alien invasion or war or things they can't beat - nothing wrong with wanting that, just can't coexist with their opposites in the same systems in the same online galaxy.

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Completely agree with the OP. I've spent the past 18 months far away from the habitable bubble just to avoid the pew-pew and it looks like I won't be going back any time soon considering the posts regarding stupidly belligerent AI is anything to go by.

Do you have a cargo hold?

Best we can tell the problems are some NPCs go after everything with a cargo hold indiscriminately, yet still turn out to be high-end pirates rather than the desperate scumbags in a bucket of bolts that'd go about it like that.... if you're cargo hold free you'll get very little attention. Worth considering before you let the panic-stirrers get to you too much

 

[Senzafine]

Do you have a cargo hold?

Best we can tell the problems are some NPCs go after everything with a cargo hold indiscriminately, yet still turn out to be high-end pirates rather than the desperate scumbags in a bucket of bolts that'd go about it like that.... if you're cargo hold free you'll get very little attention. Worth considering before you let the panic-stirrers get to you too much

No cargo hold - I swapped it out for an extra fuel tank. So if what you say is true then I might get by unmolested arriving home but when I upgrade and get an SRV and a cargo hold that would immediately make me a target. Seems to me npcs should leave you alone if a scan shows you're not transporting anything valuable, in a properly balanced game.

 

[frostypaw]

No cargo hold - I swapped it out for an extra fuel tank. So if what you say is true then I might get by unmolested arriving home but when I upgrade and get an SRV and a cargo hold that would immediately make me a target. Seems to me npcs should leave you alone if a scan shows you're not transporting anything valuable, in a properly balanced game.

They do - but they'll still pull you out for a scan, then there's a chance one or two will be        off at wasting their time but that's much how it was before too.

If you're worried do wing in with someone, and it's always worth swinging by an outer peaceful colony for a quick soup-up smaller-jump refit just don't let them terrify you - if you're not highly combat ranked you should be fine.

 

[SMcA]

Not necessarily. You could have lower levels giving lower rewards. Then people would want to progress to higher levels with the greater dangers and rewards.

But what if they don't?

So, what if they don't? How does that affect my, or your, game?

In case you missed the inference in my post. Easy Mode would only give you a percentage of the rewards (cash and rank) that you get for combat, exploring and trading. So someone on Easy Street would find it difficult to upgrade to better ships and weapons.

Almost all the solutions suggested fail at the hurdle of curtailing players abusing them to 'finish early' as such and jump the game's gun.

There is a "Finish" in the game? Does that mean that I'll have to stop when I get to Elite? I don't think so...

The progress up from being unskilled to being skilled literally IS the game

100 percent agree with you.

- the ranking is the difficulty level otherwise it becomes unfair on other players.

How does it make it unfair, I fail to follow?
If I come across a beginner in PvP (not that I do PvP myself) who styles himself Elite by playing Easy Mode. Will that make him better in combat than me. Anymore than buying a shark's teeth paint job.

I'm in no rush for offline mode don't worry,

That is good because we won't get it. FD has said it often enough.
The only reason I would like it is that I travel a lot and often don't have an internet connection.

 

[Khelder]

If I come across a beginner in PvP (not that I do PvP myself) who styles himself Elite by playing Easy Mode. Will that make him better in combat than me.

No. But it would technically make it easier for that player to acquire equipment that would make up for lack of ability. For example, I might struggle doing everything the "hard" way and get myself up to an Asp. Someone else might take advantage of "easy" mode to quickly build up to an Anaconda. Playing by themselves, well, it wouldn't really make a lot of difference (in this particular scenario - you'd also have to look at PP, etc). When the two of us come into a PvP situation, however, the odds are clearly stacked to those who took the "easy" path.

Bear in mind that just because I chose to take the "hard" path, doesn't necessarily mean that I have greater skill. It may just be that I chose to struggle with it.

All theoretical. I don't PvP either. But I can see the issue.

 

[SMcA]

No. But it would technically make it easier for that player to acquire equipment that would make up for lack of ability. For example, I might struggle doing everything the "hard" way and get myself up to an Asp. Someone else might take advantage of "easy" mode to quickly build up to an Anaconda. Playing by themselves, well, it wouldn't really make a lot of difference (in this particular scenario - you'd also have to look at PP, etc). When the two of us come into a PvP situation, however, the odds are clearly stacked to those who took the "easy" path.

I think you missed the bit* where I said the rewards in easy mode were less and it would be harder and take longer to rise in rank and ship.
You could also set the levels so that in Lev 1 you can only progress to buying an ASP and any ship above an ASP cannot go into Lev 1. And so on..
So you get a naturally graded progression.

Bear in mind that just because I chose to take the "hard" path, doesn't necessarily mean that I have greater skill. It may just be that I chose to struggle with it.

No, but I bet a pound to a penny that you would end up better after struggling.

All theoretical. I don't PvP either. But I can see the issue.

All theoretical, indeed. It is not as if FD has ever said**. "That's a good idea. We will do it."





*That's if I said it in this part of the thread.

** They say that they listen to feedback and I am sure they do. But they are playing their own rules. (Not a criticism it is how they manage the game and it is not a job I would be willing to take on.)