Seeking community advice on multiplayer in elite dangerous

[eumaies]

Hi all. I bought and played a moderate amount of elite dangerous in 2015. Enjoyed it, but what I really felt was missing was an economic incentive to engage in interactions with other human players (and thus make those interactions less rare).

That said, there are many aspects of the game that are theoretically interactive, and I'm pretty sure I don't understand how they all actually work (e.g. power-play, community goals, etc...). Also, there's "wings", which is fine if you want to team up to kill an NPC or two.

I'm wondering if folks can provide a high level run down of what is in this game (including recent updates) that encourages players to interact and in any sense compete? So long as I get the gist of how those game systems work, that will tell me whether it's worth me spending more $ and money on this game to try to get better at it.

To be more specific, what I really was surprised the game seemed to be missing, was a reason and a way for me to find other players, friend or foe, and have a sensible reason to engage in battles or run away from or in other ways interact with them.

I get that there is piracy, if I take the time to find people who carry precious cargo and get a great piracy ship. And I get that there is bounty hunting, if I invest in an amazing ship and hunt down people with a notorious criminal history. In both cases, though, hunting other humans seems extremely innefficient relative to fighting NPCs, especially for someone with modest ship and resources.

What I felt was lacking was some connection between the politics of the universe and some sense of friend and foe. For instance, if I actually gained something from attacking human players loyal to the Empire (if my faction is at war with them) -- if I'm going to get into the political sphere is there anything that encourages players to engage in war activities, rather than simply carting goods to a random planet in order to shift some abstract political balance? Why have politics and allegiances if that isn't going to encourage player interaction of some kind?

Would appreciate any and all suggestions for whether this game includes features that really would encourage more multiplayer conflict. As it is, it's elite "dangerous" only in the random sense in that some guy with a Vulture and in a bad mood could decide he wants to kill me for fun and hunt me down and do that. And I wouldn't even mind when that happens if he was actually getting something for doing that! But since there's no benefit to him, it just feels like arbitrary aggression, and I can't even enjoy trying to run away or fight back. I'm looking for something economic in the game that allows for multiplayer interactions as a viable and logical thing to both engage in and have to look out for. I'm open to being convinced that that is piracy or bounty hunting or anything else. But I just don't yet see that there is a mutiplayer interaction mechanism that you can actually make a living doing, which basically means it's rare and random.

Thx all for the tips.

 

[Agony_Aunt]

I'm wondering if folks can provide a high level run down of what is in this game (including recent updates) that encourages players to interact and in any sense compete?

Probably can't be too much help to you. I simply do not feel the need to compete in ED. There are things like powerplay though, that are meant to introduce an element of compeition though.

 

[eumaies]

Probably can't be too much help to you. I simply do not feel the need to compete in ED. There are things like powerplay though, that are meant to introduce an element of compeition though.

Ok, sure not compete. But interact in a manner other than cooperation.

 

[Alex Brentnall]

To quote someone space is big, like really big. Count the players in Elite, remove those in a different timezone, those in solo/pg and those exploring and you have cut the number down from probably hundreds of thousands down to maybe 4000 if you are lucky.
Most of those are in CG systems or powerplay HQs or the starter systems.

My advice if you want constant community interaction is either community goals or player groups. The former is deadly unless in Mobius and doesnt guarentee teamwork of any sort.
The latter is my advice, find one or many groups that focus on different activities and jump between. Mining groups, trading groups, combat groups, powerplay, pvp, background sim etc. There have been huge exploration groups and then there are niche groups like the Fuel Rats.
Basically thats my advice for positive human interaction. Otherwise you are pretty much hoping to stumble across someone and then hoping they have time and want to work together.

 

[Thetele]

Elite dangerous have only minimal support for multiplayer. The in game communication tool are weak, wings (playing with up to 3 other players) is buggy and doesn't work at all to many people. Instancing can be really bad and you may never see your friends even if you go to same place because matchmaking doesn't put you two to same instance. Also you can't do missions with friends.

80% players in multiplayer will combat log if you try to interdict/shoot/pirate them and developers haven't done anything to sop that (this has been the situation for more than 2 years now). The power play (kind of faction war) favor grinding alone as players play it in solo or group so other players can't fight against them in any other way than out grinding them in solo. BGS is the same players that you can never see (because they play in solo) can destroy all your progress if you support one faction. Elite is kind of good game but don't get it if you want pvp or any player interaction inside the game. Factions and power play is 100% about who have more time to grind most not about one player group being better at the game. And player groups operate and interact 90% outside game because only support elite has for them is to name one faction after them (Yes a name nothing more or no mechanics/contend for groups). Elite isn't good multiplayer game.

 

[eumaies]

80% players in multiplayer will combat log if you try to interdict/shoot/pirate them and developers haven't done anything to sop that (this has been the situation for more than 2 years now). The power play (kind of faction war) favor grinding alone as players play it in solo or group so other players can't fight against them in any other way than out grinding them in solo. BGS is the same players that you can never see (because they play in solo) can destroy all your progress if you support one faction. Elite is kind of good game but don't get it if you want pvp or any player interaction inside the game. Factions and power play is 100% about who have more time to grind most not about one player group being better at the game. And player groups operate and interact 90% outside game because only support elite has for them is to name one faction after them (Yes a name nothing more or no mechanics/contend for groups). Elite isn't good multiplayer game.

Thanks this is very helpful advice. It's a shame, since the most promising idea of elite "dangerous" is if you actually felt like there was a reason to worry about an intelligent human opponent *sometimes* interfering with your missions or trading or something.... with a good reason to do so. That would be dangerous and exciting and make all the solo play time worthwhile because it would keep you on your toes. Too bad they haven't been able to make that happen.

 

[verminstar]

In all the time I've played here, I've never thought of it as anything but a single player game with an active forum and a multiplayer aspect which was poorly thought out bolted on fer good measure. Most of the "activities" are best off done in groups cos solo gets boring and open is a gankfest.

I still have no idea how to even use the chat functions because I've never had to learn...all the socializing I do is done here. I haven't even so much as seen a single player comment in months and wouldn't know how to reply even if I did.

Maybe things will improve...though it's not hard to improve on something that's garbage already.

So in answer to yer question...ED is one of the worst multiplayer games I've ever come across, but one of the best single player games ^^

 

[goemon]

there are some element of cooperative multiplayer, mainly around player groups and their minor factions - getting system control, expanding etc. see the dangerous group forum. there are also some scenarios better done as multiplayer/wing, like base assault or convoy attacks.

there are workaround for direct competive multiplayer, like buckyball racing club or the elite racers, setting up races, or the pvp league.

there are some elements of "indirect competition multiplayer", like competing at community goals (which mainly breaks down to time investment, but not all of it).

one of the core features of the game is, that you can play it in solo, in group ("with friends") or in open, switching at any point - e.g. non-consensual competitive multiplayer is very much optional.

 

[eumaies]

one of the core features of the game is, that you can play it in solo, in group ("with friends") or in open, switching at any point - e.g. non-consensual competitive multiplayer is very much optional.

Well said. It just seems strange though. All they would have to do is allow missions where the power you're sworn to (E.g. some Empire faction) gives you $ to kill enemy ships in enemy sectors for someone they're at war with (e.g. some Federation faction). Most of these would be NPCs but when human players of opposite allegiance run into each other they have the same incentive to kill or rob each other for those rewards.

People who don't want to be part of such a conflict could stay out of these war zones. People who want that kind of dangerous interaction could make a living in those kinds of warzones. Doesn't feel like you have to eliminate choice to give people who want to interact an economical way to do so.