Incentivizing exploration

[CaptainSodom]

For many of us exploration is a major motivator for playing E: D. What in-game mechanics should we expect which would encourage exploration, and even incentivize it through monetary rewards?

For example, whoever finds a new system with a rare raw material might be able to stake a legal claim on it, and sell that claim forward to a mining company (PC or NPC).

The exact definition of a claim is also important. Is it getting pulled by the gravity well of a planet, making one full orbit, or landing (I know not implemented currently)?

 

[Bromley86]

Surely all you need is the data and a regulated place to trade it? You want to make sure you don't sell your information only to have the mining company not pay you & v.v.

Interestingly, such a system puts pressure on the explorer to high-tail it back when they make a good find, as otherwise someone else might also locate it and sell the data before them.

Once the mining company has the data, they have the military muscle that players will lack to defend the area against others.

 

[Colonel Kenney]

I've been thinking about this too.

What are the rewards in this game?

Credits.. Faction praise. Your Elite rating.

Credit purchase better weapons better ships so you can make more money for better ships and weapons. Its the usual MMO treadmill really.

I know David himself said that the point of this game is that it shouldn't be too hard to get started but that you will never stop "learning" about the game. Even years down the road you could find something "new".

That is what exploration is all about. I'm just hoping the seeded galaxy will have so many thousands upon thousands of new things for us to discover.

But even then what is the point of discovering? Credits. You get credits you upgrade and continue on.

I guess the fun is in the journey. But if you are exploring alone it can get pretty boring!

I'm just hoping the exploration interface will be extremely rewarding with a LOT of data and information that would never ever cease to bore us with "another type g planet" etc..

 

[Ben Ryder]

Surely all you need is the data and a regulated place to trade it? You want to make sure you don't sell your information only to have the mining company not pay you & v.v.

Interestingly, such a system puts pressure on the explorer to high-tail it back when they make a good find, as otherwise someone else might also locate it and sell the data before them.

Once the mining company has the data, they have the military muscle that players will lack to defend the area against others.

That sounds cool. i like the idea of return to base missions for exploration and even for collecting bounties

 

[Asmodi]

Right so "No Man's Sky" the potential ED and SC killer came up with that and now you all want to steal it and use it in ED.

Its Elite...You trade, fight, buy bigger ship. Rinse and repeat.
For me all this game will be is a prettier and slightly more in depth version of Freelancer.
I hoped it would be more but I really don't think it will be now and Im good with that.

 

[Hellhawk666]

Right so "No Man's Sky" the potential ED and SC killer came up with that and now you all want to steal it and use it in ED.

Its Elite...You trade, fight, buy bigger ship. Rinse and repeat.
For me all this game will be is a prettier and slightly more in depth version of Freelancer.
I hoped it would be more but I really don't think it will be now and Im good with that.

I think you are mistaken :smilie: exploration and the mechanics for rewards and emergent gameplay associated with it have been part of the plan for a long time. Have a look at the DDA threads for details of the proposed game structure - it is extensive and complex in scope and I see no reason to assume that everything that has been promised will not be realised.

 

[Stoo]

Have a read of the DDF thread on exploration

http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6418

 

[Asmodi]

I will concede.
However I still don't see why you should be rewarded for discovering something.
Maybe you could get a random reward pack of some description or if it can be mined etc maybe some corporation will give you some credits or minerals etc.

 

[Bromley86]

However I still don't see why you should be rewarded for discovering something.

Real world supply and demand is one reason, gameplay fun the other.

 

[CaptainSodom]

While I and many others will explore just for the pure enjoyment of finding something no man has found before, many others won't. Nevertheless, it is a Good Idea to reward explorers for their efforts - this makes sense lore-wise and from a gaming perspective as already mentioned by others.

Monetary rewards in the form of being able to sell maps, route information, location of pirate bases, high-value raw materials, etc. is the most obvious one.

Making a claim is an extension of the above. Think gold rush in California. You find a planet with a high concentration of adamantium, stake your claim, sell the knowledge of that location and its contents at the next space station to the highest bidder, move one and let others exploit the resource.

What I'd like to know is to what extent are there plans to support this with in-game mechanics, and how much will be reliant on player-run organizations and gentlemen's agreement (I have zero trust in the latter two, coming from EVE ).

In addition we could have artifacts and other materials strewn around the Milky Way. These shouldn't take much cargo space - explorers usually run in small ships -, but have high value. This value could be in money, such as an ancient gold statue or location of a pirate warehouse, or lore items, such as stone tablets written by ancient civilizations, or perhaps star maps to far-away locations.

Have a read of the DDF thread on exploration

http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6418

That thread is exactly a year old, so an update would be welcome. And DDF is not the only place for discussion on the topic.

The thread lists some of the ideas already posted here, including the ability to sell knowledge of new locations to other players.

 

[Hellhawk666]

I will concede.
However I still don't see why you should be rewarded for discovering something.
Maybe you could get a random reward pack of some description or if it can be mined etc maybe some corporation will give you some credits or minerals etc.

Unlike the original Elite where you could only rise in reputation as a combat pilot, in ED you can achieve that rating by Combat, Wealth, Knowledge or Influence.

Consequently an important game system in ED, and one where it differs from many other games, is that information is an asset that can be traded. This can be information about almost anything. eg if you are the first to discover a valuable resource location you can trade that data to anyone who will buy it, the amount received depending on how much they value the information. This may also increase your reputation with them and will form part of the mission structure, bounty system, and so on.

 

[Bromley86]

What I'd like to know is to what extent are there plans to support this with in-game mechanics

There may be scope for player to player transactions (I hope not). There will be scope to sell to "authorities" (one would assume the Federation, Empire and alliance).

 

[popuptoaster]

I will concede.
However I still don't see why you should be rewarded for discovering something.

Because normal pilots with normal ships cannot make hyperspace jumps without up to date navigation data, the pilots federation maintains "control" of its pilots and earns itself credits by having up to date and comprehensive information of as much of the galaxy as possible.

It gets this information by paying explores who can jump with far less nav info to go see what's out there and then selling that nav data on to other pilots or interested parties such as mining corporations.

Even systems that are already known need to be re-surveyed to keep the map data up to date, this means those rare pilots who want to go out on the frontiers and be the frst human to see something have a way to pay for what is more than likely a desire or a need rather than just a career.

Earths history is full of explorers who went just because they could, not for money.

 

[CaptainSodom]

Earths history is full of explorers who went just because they could, not for money.

This is a game, so not really a compelling argument against monetary reward for exploration. Besides, many of the most intrepid explorers did go out for money, including Christopher Columbus and Marco Polo.

In fact, I'd say that exploration for its sake is an anomaly, rather than the rule. For every Amundsen and James Cameron who are independently wealthy dilettantes or well-motivated and externally funded experts doing exploration just because, there are thousands who do it for the riches.

Nevertheless, glory is a good idea for an added exploration incentive for E: D. The announced in-game newsfeed might announce major discoveries. In addition, maybe the in-game system information UI would say who first found the system. I'm sure many explorers would be thrilled to have their name plastered all over an orrery.

To take further lead from history, some major systems or regions might be named after their finder. Perhaps players could even get naming rights for systems they find!