[Long post warning] The state & problems of Elite Dangerous

[maxpayne]

Since 2.2 patch, more gameplays were added to the game.
While personally I enjoy the game very much, I would like to take this opportunity to address the current state and problems in ED.
I hope FDev would take a look.
Please feel free to discuss!

1. Gameplay

The gameplay of ED in general is very very shallow. It is very straight forward to go to the RES, killing NPC and collect bounties. But in some aspects, there is a learning cliff and the gameplay is deep to a point that most player would not even bother. I would like to address them separately.

1.1. Tutorial
Please make it compulsory for any new player first login. It would help a lot. I invited 2 of my friends to join ED. One of them don't even know what he was doing and drop the game immediately. I have to teach him step by step on how to land the ship, station to station travel, star to star travel and etc. I think the tutorial in 2.2 has improved a lot. But starting the tutorial at first login would help a lot.

1.2 Mining
Mining seems easy (and boring IMO). But controlling the prospector limpet & collector limpet requires and managing the refinery require certain amount of knowledge. I have to watch a youtube video to know you have to lock onto the prospector so that the collector limpet would collect the fragment correctly.

Suggestion:
A tutorial maybe?

1.3 Trading
Trading is generally ok. But it requires player to search in the internet to see where the cargo should be transported so that they can make some profit.

Suggestion:
Show the "Station +Profit +Distance" information in the market for each cargo so that player can have an easier life instead of tabing out of the game constantly.

1.4 Signal source
It is one of the deep gameplay I mentioned above. There are so many types of signal sources in supercruise which I never bother to look at.
Especially it is very disencouraging for player to take some types of missions such as savage mission. I took savage mission for once, and search all over the signal source, finally gave up and never touch it again. It just doesn't worth the time.

Suggestion:
Maybe Nav beacon would show all the signals within the system?

1.5 Planetary landing
I am giving credit to the Fdev that the planet is indeed very beautiful.

There are some problems:
a. Controlling SRV on a HOTAS setup is very very difficult.
b. The POI is too rare to find (at least in my experience).
c. Even you find the POI, the thing you find is mostly not worth your time.
d. Air combat on planet above station is in too low attitude. The damage is mostly done by crashing.
d. We need more things to do on the planet!
e. It feels like what player can do on planet can also be done while in space.

Suggestion:
Please please please explore what exactly can player do on the planet.

2. Mission

Well there is a big problem. Generally the data/cargo transfer is straight-forward. But some missionare not:

2.1 Salvage Mission
It is way time-consuming and the payout is not worth it.
Wanted NPC might pop up and try to kill play when salvaging and it is too problematic.
There should be something straight forward for normal gameplay, for example salvaging pilot in space near the CZ.
And the pay out should be reasonable so that players can feel their kid by salvaging. The no-so-straight forward mission should be used to level up the rank with major fractions.

2.2 Payout
TBH, I think pre-2.2 ceo/sothis long hauling is an exploit.
For example, it does not make any sense to a fairly new player to pop into ceo/sothis run and earn millions within days so that they can upgrade their sidey directly to a conda.

Suggestions:
1. FDev should think about how much should the player to earn in an hour or so. Please take the ship size/type and player's assets into account.
2. Please think about should mission stacking be allowed?
3. For those boring mission, please increase the payout.
4. Chain mission
5. Story driven mission

3. UI
Three words to conclude the problem i face..."Too much words"
Mission bulletin board has too much words and no one would really read.
People are complaining they got "wanted" and killed for passenger missions after 2.2.
I know it is because they don't read about the mission information, but who does?
No one would ever read the station galnet news, market news and bla bla bla.

Suggestion:
More graphics instead of words. The UI plays a significant part of the game time. We are constantly looking at it and we need some eye candy.
For example, the sub-target and module panel would be displayed graphically instead of a list of words. The holographic of the target and the ship might be in color instead of monotone.
Voice acting in the bulletin board might help too! With such large number of mission generated, I believe the community would help in voice acting!

4. Powerplay
It totally needs a rework. It is another thing deep as f and I don't even bother with.
It is soooo complicated and it confuses with the major fraction and minor fractions.
I just don't know how should I play it. Orz

And I think the things like engineering is being constantly reviewing. So I don't put it here.

Please feel free to discuss! o7

 

[Hatchepsut]

Personally I can see were FD is going with this game.

They specifically said this was a 10 year project and we are still at the beginning.

I only joined this game with the introduction of PowerPlay June 2015 and the difference Is quite tangible. (with only a small NPC hiccup in between)

It took me perhaps a year to earn 1 Billion Cr via Mining, Trading and Bounty Hunting.

Also a year to rank up in the navy.

I also participated in Community Goals and admit to hauling manure from Sothis to assorted locations (but soon got bored).

While I might agree with a few points, for example I would like my onboard computer to STORE the last market prices from places I have visited.
( I will accept that these prices will fluctuate due to simulation running in the background)

Otherwise this game.... and its progressive additions/improvements ... is perfect, in fact I rarely see other games developers respond to the community and address bugs the same way FD seems to for this game.

 

[DoctorDanny]

Well thought out post, have some rep.

I'd like to add a suggestion to your salvaging point:

There should be permits for sale that allow you to legally salvage cargo and stuff like escape pods in a given jurisdiction.
Make them valid for a certain amount of time.

That way you'd add scavenging/salvaging and deep space rescue as a profession.

 

[DarthRavadge]

1.) Making the tutorial mandatory would be annoying. You could make it start you there with the option to skip.
2.)Missions do need a bit more variety and a serious look at the payouts
3.)I like the UI and I DO read the mission description. Keeps me from screwing things up
4.)Power play works fine but it does take some time to learn it's ins and outs. I do think a lot of the benefits are underwhelming. If there was better incentives more people would participate.

 

[Agent2090]

I'm going to have to slightly disagree with your view on trading. While it's certainly helpful in maximizing profits, it is not at all required to use third party sites when looking for a good trade route. All the tools needed are in the game, in the galaxy/system map.

 

[BigBANGtheory [VR]]

ED is a good game, it does currently struggle in two areas imho with no obvious solution(s) in sight just the promise of more to come:

1. Persistence and meaning, yes the galaxy is large but the simulation does not give the feeling of being able to effect it in any real way only superficial ways which don't count.

2. Progression, goals and the completion of tasks is heavily bias towards a commitment of a players time not skill. There is precious little activities in ED that demand skill most require knowledge and a willingness or patience to complete the repetitive actions to get them done.

I still treat ED as a building up to something game, this is the pre-build phase to me its how I deal with the above two points... It is also why I'm not a great fan of the Beluga and passenger mission because it just adds to what I see as the weak spot of ED.

 

[Mercury7]

1) Hmm - debatable.

1.1) First run, yes, with option to skip. It is right there in the main screen, so no excuse not to see it IMHO.

1.2) This is a basic operation for many functions. Collector limpets do not require a target.

1.3) Actually trading is an art. You have to do a bit of research, usually by finding what a station needs, and finding the best place to obtain it, and vice-versa for running the other way. Can be done with in-game tools, but not as efficiently.

1.4) It is well known that you scan the nav beacon (the mission even says to do this!). An ADS can be used for the same purpose. Mission gets updated with the target planet; you must then look for the source by flying around.

1.5 a) Not at all.
1.5 b) This could be improved, e.g. detectable from higher altitude so they are easier to see on the scanner/can sca n more planet surface faster.
1.5 c) That is not true - they have a purpose, only that purpose might not apply to you, at that moment.
1.5 d) Ideas?
1.5 e) Hmm... sort of.

2.1) It's not supposed to be easy! They usually pay good money (or did in 2.1)

2.2) Don't mention Sothis here! Mission stacking IS allowed - 20 mission limit is already imposed!!!!

3) If you don't read, how can you know...anything? It takes all of a few seconds (OK, if English is not your native language I can understand it taking longer).

4) I don't participate in it.

Just my opinions to the OP points!

 

[William J Smith]

By the time I'd finished reading that, the Thargoids had invaded and destroyed the bubble

Bill

Ps

I will answer a few bits though

The signal sources missions are fairly easy, IF you stop at the system nav beacon and scan it. You'll then get a target area to goto.
And thats in the mission description when you take it on too

Air combat on planets results in people crashing ... hmm strange thats how air combat works out here if you are'nt careful (try the phrase CFIT in google), and if you have problems at low level on planet combat, try climbing upto a more reasonable height (and dont complain when the guy below you shoves a seeker up your tailpipe)


yes I know there is very little sympathy in the above, but my first salvage mission went like
"Take mission, spend ages looking in target system until at a last ditch scanning the nav beacon, then traveling to the planent seeing the target, jumping in to see 4 trade data pods to pick up, opening the scoop and moving to grab the first one and seeing 4 heavily armed ships jump in with a "go get him message", about 20 seconds of panic later I'm looking at the rebuy screen.[mad]"
I can do them now... Fdev bless the collector limpets and an A grade engineered python

 

[maxpayne]

Well thought out post, have some rep.

I'd like to add a suggestion to your salvaging point:

There should be permits for sale that allow you to legally salvage cargo and stuff like escape pods in a given jurisdiction.
Make them valid for a certain amount of time.

That way you'd add scavenging/salvaging and deep space rescue as a profession.

True! The salvageable item should not be illegal unless you are the one blowing up the ship.

1.) Making the tutorial mandatory would be annoying. You could make it start you there with the option to skip.
2.)Missions do need a bit more variety and a serious look at the payouts
3.)I like the UI and I DO read the mission description. Keeps me from screwing things up
4.)Power play works fine but it does take some time to learn it's ins and outs. I do think a lot of the benefits are underwhelming. If there was better incentives more people would participate.

1. I agree that a skip option should be added.
3. I think the UI or the way to accept mission might be changed after we get spaceleg
4. One thing I concern is that if I pledge to one power, I will lose access to some systems because I become hostile to them. It might not worth it because I am not dedicated to power play all the time

 

[Garix]

1.) Making the tutorial mandatory would be annoying. You could make it start you there with the option to skip.
2.)Missions do need a bit more variety and a serious look at the payouts
3.)I like the UI and I DO read the mission description. Keeps me from screwing things up
4.)Power play works fine but it does take some time to learn it's ins and outs. I do think a lot of the benefits are underwhelming. If there was better incentives more people would participate.

Generally agree with point 1-3.

As to point 4.

When power play was released my first thoughts we're: "Well the items are OK, but I'm mainly interested in the passive bonuses like the 15% discounts on outfitting, the Imp Slaves discounts etc....hmmm which faction to join....What do you mean I don't need to be a member of the faction to get their benefits?! Stuff it then." Haven't looked at it since. Unfortunately it's well too late (I believe) to change it too how it should of been (IMO) in the first place.

 

[askavir]

On salvage missions, if you honk the discovery scanner or scan the nav beacon, you will get a mission update which says to which planetary body to go to find the correct signal source. Once you're there, the right signal source will pop up in a different color and with a message telling you the mission destination signal source.

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

TLDR Game is boring, pls increase credit payout.

Skip, next one.

edit: seriously, you can't say gameplay is very shallow, and then it is very deep that most players wouldn't bother. What is most likely you are right - or you just don't find whole setup appealing because it has slow burn gameplay which some players don't find appealing because it doesn't massage you with constant barrage of surprises?

Also please show non-shallow gameplay. No RPGs or handcrafted QTE activities. And please don't mention EvE, because it is just social experiment, not a game really.

 

[dynamicbob]

We all know this but boring dull event free exploration has a calming quite quality

 

[Mercury7]

The salvageable item should not be illegal unless you are the one blowing up the ship.

It's supposed to be hard this way (turns into a smuggling mission) because the items are not yours - they are being stolen!!

 

[maxpayne]

On salvage missions, if you honk the discovery scanner or scan the nav beacon, you will get a mission update which says to which planetary body to go to find the correct signal source. Once you're there, the right signal source will pop up in a different color and with a message telling you the mission destination signal source.

um... I dont know how the ship should be equipped to be effective.

 

[babelfisch]

1.1. Tutorial
Please make it compulsory for any new player first login. It would help a lot. I invited 2 of my friends to join ED. One of them don't even know what he was doing and drop the game immediately. I have to teach him step by step on how to land the ship, station to station travel, star to star travel and etc. I think the tutorial in 2.2 has improved a lot. But starting the tutorial at first login would help a lot.

I don't think that's a good idea, nothing wrong with reminding the player but make it skippable.

1.2 Mining
Mining seems easy (and boring IMO). But controlling the prospector limpet & collector limpet requires and managing the refinery require certain amount of knowledge. I have to watch a youtube video to know you have to lock onto the prospector so that the collector limpet would collect the fragment correctly.

Suggestion:
A tutorial maybe?

Wouldn't harm.

1.3 Trading
Trading is generally ok. But it requires player to search in the internet to see where the cargo should be transported so that they can make some profit.

Suggestion:
Show the "Station +Profit +Distance" information in the market for each cargo so that player can have an easier life instead of tabing out of the game constantly.

No thanks, trading doesn't require the player to search the internet. That's just because some players can't be bothered to play the games themselves, once you understand trading there is no need for out of game sources. Your suggestion would take dumbing down to a whole new level.

1.4 Signal source
It is one of the deep gameplay I mentioned above. There are so many types of signal sources in supercruise which I never bother to look at.
Especially it is very disencouraging for player to take some types of missions such as savage mission. I took savage mission for once, and search all over the signal source, finally gave up and never touch it again. It just doesn't worth the time.

Suggestion:
Maybe Nav beacon would show all the signals within the system?

This would turn the USS in a static rather than dynamic system. Don't know if this would be an improvement or not. On your problem: That's because you didn't read the mission description. Finding the relevant mission USS is quite easy, it's funny that lots of people demand more complex and engaging missions when others fail at simple tasks.

1.5 Planetary landing
I am giving credit to the Fdev that the planet is indeed very beautiful.

There are some problems:
a. Controlling SRV on a HOTAS setup is very very difficult.
b. The POI is too rare to find (at least in my experience).
c. Even you find the POI, the thing you find is mostly not worth your time.
d. Air combat on planet above station is in too low attitude. The damage is mostly done by crashing.
d. We need more things to do on the planet!
e. It feels like what player can do on planet can also be done while in space.

Suggestion:
Please please please explore what exactly can player do on the planet.

a. Actually it's very easy, have you tried using the default control scheme? If you have troubles with spinning try Drive Assist OFF.
b. The POI system is crap, should be redesigned completely.
c. Giving us better tools to find POIs could make them more rewarding because it could make them rarer at the same time.
d. Lure your enemies in higher altitudes if you have problems with crashing.
d. Yes.
e. You cannot attack bases or investigate alien archeological sites in space yet.

2. Mission

Well there is a big problem. Generally the data/cargo transfer is straight-forward. But some missionare not:

2.1 Salvage Mission
It is way time-consuming and the payout is not worth it.
Wanted NPC might pop up and try to kill play when salvaging and it is too problematic.
There should be something straight forward for normal gameplay, for example salvaging pilot in space near the CZ.
And the pay out should be reasonable so that players can feel their kid by salvaging. The no-so-straight forward mission should be used to level up the rank with major fractions.

I'd say salvage missions are currently one of the best missions ingame. There are lots of straight forward missions already, I'd like to see more complex stuff.

2.2 Payout
TBH, I think pre-2.2 ceo/sothis long hauling is an exploit.
For example, it does not make any sense to a fairly new player to pop into ceo/sothis run and earn millions within days so that they can upgrade their sidey directly to a conda.

Suggestions:
1. FDev should think about how much should the player to earn in an hour or so. Please take the ship size/type and player's assets into account.
2. Please think about should mission stacking be allowed?
3. For those boring mission, please increase the payout.
4. Chain mission
5. Story driven mission

Payouts seems to be something FDEV is continuously tweaking.

3. UI
Three words to conclude the problem i face..."Too much words"
Mission bulletin board has too much words and no one would really read.
People are complaining they got "wanted" and killed for passenger missions after 2.2.
I know it is because they don't read about the mission information, but who does?
No one would ever read the station galnet news, market news and bla bla bla.

Suggestion:
More graphics instead of words. The UI plays a significant part of the game time. We are constantly looking at it and we need some eye candy.
For example, the sub-target and module panel would be displayed graphically instead of a list of words. The holographic of the target and the ship might be in color instead of monotone.
Voice acting in the bulletin board might help too! With such large number of mission generated, I believe the community would help in voice acting!

I love the UI. I also like text. Maybe highlight the important lines.

4. Powerplay
It totally needs a rework. It is another thing deep as f and I don't even bother with.
It is soooo complicated and it confuses with the major fraction and minor fractions.
I just don't know how should I play it. Orz

I don't think that PP is complicated or confusing at all, I agree that it needs a complete overhaul though.

 

[Ouberos]

I disagree the gameplay is shallow. When you try to play above your level and think like an "Elite" the game play becomes very complex.

For instance: If you want to be an explorer you can just equip a scanner and scoop and jump off into the Black. But if you want to be an Elite Explorerer you have to pick up the correct loadout for max range. Then maybe Engineer some cool efficiencies and extra jump range, maybe farm materials for Jump range. Then it's a question for a route, finding some interesting areas of space and interrogating the gal map for clues to high paying areas of space.

I have no opinion on mining but trading seems a complicated animal to me. You are right with criticism of the amount we have to rely on 3rd party apps but let's face it some of them are very good. They rely on community involvement and players downloading them and uploading reports and net logs. IMO this adds to the game and gives a feeling of belonging to a club. Some people just use what's ibfront if them. Some people go out and find out what else could be possible.

I agree planetary landings can be a nightmare. Finding coordinates on a planet is freakishly hard. The Nav computer is being upgraded I believe but it would be good to have some kind of POI wave scanner onboard too. Yes the SRV is hard with a HOTAS but not impossible and my SRV is one of my favourite toys at the minute.

The payouts for missions vary so much with Rank and Reputation and Distance I can't see there isn't something for everyone.

Voice acting opportunities is a great idea but I'd wonder how scaleable that would be with foreign language packs etc. If you want to feel involved with different players and community try jumping on one of the group Discord channels. This really adds to your play and gives Wing up opportunities ( although as we know that can also be a nightmare )

I have no opinion on Powerplay.

Fly safe Cmdr

 

[Komemiute]

Wow, I possibly disagree with every, single point.
Literally.

Still, you're entitled to express your opinion so- ok. Thanks.

 

[maxpayne]

I don't think that's a good idea, nothing wrong with reminding the player but make it skippable.



Wouldn't harm.


No thanks, trading doesn't require the player to search the internet. That's just because some players can't be bothered to play the games themselves, once you understand trading there is no need for out of game sources. Your suggestion would take dumbing down to a whole new level.


This would turn the USS in a static rather than dynamic system. Don't know if this would be an improvement or not. On your problem: That's because you didn't read the mission description. Finding the relevant mission USS is quite easy, it's funny that lots of people demand more complex and engaging missions when others fail at simple tasks.



a. Actually it's very easy, have you tried using the default control scheme? If you have troubles with spinning try Drive Assist OFF.
b. The POI system is crap, should be redesigned completely.
c. Giving us better tools to find POIs could make them more rewarding because it could make them rarer at the same time.
d. Lure your enemies in higher altitudes if you have problems with crashing.
d. Yes.
e. You cannot attack bases or investigate alien archeological sites in space yet.

I'd say salvage missions are currently one of the best missions ingame. There are lots of straight forward missions already, I'd like to see more complex stuff.



Payouts seems to be something FDEV is continuously tweaking.


I love the UI. I also like text. Maybe highlight the important lines.

I don't think that PP is complicated or confusing at all, I agree that it needs a complete overhaul though.

Thanks for your reply!
May I know your SRV setting?
I custom-made my control for season 1 and bought season 2 separately. If I choose default setting, my mapping would be wiped.
I use a X55 hotas.

 

[babelfisch]

Thanks for your reply!
May I know your SRV setting?
I custom-made my control for season 1 and bought season 2 separately. If I choose default setting, my mapping would be wiped.
I use a X55 hotas.

I am using the default setup, there are default bindings in the game folder for your device. You can open them with a text editor and copy and paste to your custom config file (make a backup first). Or just load the default config and rebind the stuff you changed.