News 2.3 Dev Update

[Mengy]

Thanks for the update! Multicrew seems to be exactly what we all thought it would be: a pure combat feature. I’m happy for all of the combat players, but I’m let down that yet another major feature has absolutely zero use to me. I hope we get more details soon on what else is coming with 2.3 so that us non-combat players can maybe get something to look forward to as well.

I am curious about new camera features though, we need more details about that. Hopefully it will be a more functional version of the exterior debut cam for taking screenshots.

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

The issue is not "at first time". The issue is ambition and the way of minimal effort. Come on, you've been playing too, and as good as the game might be to certain mindsests (that we both must be), the features are always as barebones as it can get. It's not a development story - it's a game design approach, and maybe a "run after the clock/budget" one too.

Unless you just wanted to dismiss everything I can say it I don't have a master's degree in every spaceships game development history, then I can't help with that. Star citizen (sorry) is obviously not released, but its first iteration of multi-crew was much more ambitious. Unreleased as it is, it works as fun. Guns of icarus has had a real "team in a ship" from the get-go with a repairman, but this one's a dedicated game, as artemis spaceship bridge is. + you got legs. One would say you can't compare then, but still, use the inspiration no?

But again, ambition. Looking at what's done next to you and just... not going for it. Porting SRV turret to the ship only. And don't tell me about balance. Did they balance things before engineers? is the game balanced now? should that mean they just have to restrict from any bold move? It's not jumping through hops, they put cliffs under their feet.

As far as I know repair part is planned as EVA - judging from concept art from art book - and most likely is part of space legs.

So yes, they KNOW what people want and what aspirations are. You just assume that having such game is matter of money thrown at update and "ambition" - it's all . It is work, hard work, making game to work so complex takes time.

 

[who?]

A nice little tweak would be the ability to negotiate the share. So instead of an equal 3-way split, you could offer a bigger share for a good Cmdr.

 

[TheCrusader]

Awesome news, very much agree with the implementation outlined in the dev-post.
Cant wait to see it in action!

 

[grnbrg]

Probably get buried, but as a suggestion: Can "Players can also simply come along for the ride, with the pilot in a mentoring role." (or perhaps an active, but still limited role) be available for people who have only bought ($5?) Arena?

This benefits everyone:

• Pilots have an expanded pool of crew to select from (Assuming Arena pilots can do anything, I suppose.)
• Players who own the full game, but are interested in Arena would benefit from more people using the stand-alone Arena editon
• Players who have only purchased Arena get to experience the full game without risk
• Frontier reaps the free advertising, as some Arena players will likely decide to purchase the full game, having experienced it as crew

My 0.02Cr.



CMDR grnbrg.

 

[NeoTron]

Here we go again with the magic teleport floo network..

Because having a fun feature in a game is such a bad aspect yes? What is it with people that actively try to ruin cool features.

- - - Updated - - -

Probably get buried, but as a suggestion: Can "Players can also simply come along for the ride, with the pilot in a mentoring role." (or perhaps an active, but still limited role) be available for people who have only bought ($5?) Arena?

Yes, Please please. This would be awesome.

 

[wstephenson]

What happened to the Engineer role? I was hoping for something like a defensive version of the described turret gameplay, but controlling shield energy allocation across a ship-dependent number of zones, getting the last bit of radiator efficiency, triggering ECM and performing power management. Too cerebral?

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

Waiting for ship transfers and module transfers only affects a single person and is a convenience thing mostly. Forcing people to meet up at a station in order to multicrew severely limits access to this feature.

To play devil's advocate - like Wings?

I think major point is here that Wings already works - or doesn't, depending on your POV - and that requires you to meet each other already. Obviously, FD want this feature to be more friendly - considering there's a bit less balancing issues as players can't take role of commander besides ship owner and their ships are left where they were - so telepresence works for me here. I hope when and if space legs come, it will add another layer where actual joining your friends on ship is required, because I don't see how ghosts can repel boarding party

 

[horizone]

Dying and instantly popping back up in your ship exactly as configured in the last station you visited is not very simulator like. I'd prefer to float around in space in an escape pod until I am picked up by the management firm and/or a pirate and sold into slavery. And if someone decides that they want to destroy my pod, then I want to restart in a sidewinder as a new commander and re-establish myself in the galaxy.

/sarcasm.

But really.

So much of this game is spent flying between systems, especially if you aren't already in a fully kitted end game ship. Please don't force 3 people to waste their game time flying to the same station in order to multicrew and subsequently fly out to ANOTHER system to do whatever it is they wanted to do. Immersion is just not worth that penalty. Consuming the time of 3 people, all of whom may be doing other things when we have a chance to play together, in order to crew up and have some fun together is bad news -- for EVERYONE.

If one of my friends, who is an explorer, happens to be outside of the bubble a good distance, he has to drop that expedition if he wants to crew with us. So he spends a day+ flying back to where his friends are, and abandons his overall goal of that exploration trip. His friends have to abandon what they're doing, as well. Have a ship full of cargo on a long haul delivery? I either abandon that and eject the cargo, continue on with the mission for 30-45 minutes before flying out to join my friends (another 30-45 minutes of jumping).

It's just not conducive to good gameplay.

Waiting for ship transfers and module transfers only affects a single person and is a convenience thing mostly. Forcing people to meet up at a station in order to multicrew severely limits access to this feature.

Unless we just control somebody else when we join a remote ship.
There are actually ways to implement interesting escape pod gameplay as long as there is a 'go into hibernation' option that leads to wake up at last station.

 

[BostromNZ]

Giving the player the ability to decide wether they want to be held responsible (or not) for crimes they participated in is a very bad idea. Even with timers in place (as suggested above) this opens up a multitude of possibilities to commit all kinds of crimes without actually suffering the slightest penalty for it. Ever. Just think about it - a player can kill any number of system authority vessels (for example) just by inviting one or two likeminded friends to their Anaconda outfitted with an all turrets loadout. The gunner/s kill one, get kicked by the ship owner, forsake the profits AND the bounties on their heads - rinse and repeat. Sounds perfect for trying out a little murder-tour of the universe... I dont see any way to effectively prevent this except for 'everyone who was on board of a ship committing a crime will also suffer the penalties!'. Period. Otherwise you might as well remove the enitre fines/bounties system from the game.

Making everyone suffer the penalties for griefers that board your ship isn't really an answer though, that just means in your example that players can join your ship, shoot authority/innocent players and then leave and you and your buddy will have abounty on your head. How do you stop that griefing? Probably through actually being friends and trusting in people that board your ship. Being part of a community. That sucks for those that aren't but games like Destiny have shown that the multiplayer experience is much better when it's organised.

I'd also like to very strongly suggest to give the fighter weapons a thought: Atm fighters have as much firepower as a well outfitted & engineered Vulture. Just imagine what the ability to have 2 of those (player piloted!) does to the balance of the game! It will leave no ship in the game capable of going against 'the big3'.

The game isn't supposed to be balanced for one on one encounters for every ship in the game. You should need a wing of players to take on a fully crewed Corvette or Cutter with SLF support.

 

[onionman]

These changes have me very excited

How about a defensive role too? Like a shield modulating roll. Also in the outside camera, and set the shields to the right frequency in time for a bonus to thermal/kinetic/explosive damage.

-Onion

 

[wstephenson]

Grnbrg: +1 to your 'free passive passenger' role. I would add that this role would be interesting to streamers to let viewers/supporters participate in their streams, which would in turn have obvious promotional benefits for FDEV, especially if the passenger SKU is free as in beer.

 

[Mengy]

What happened to the Engineer role?

It had too much potential to be useful for explorers, so it was scrapped of course.

 

[Dell Tarrant]

So. I'm out 20,000ly from inhabited space after being out exploring in myy Anaconda. I've been out here for months now, with no contact with any fellow human being and.....hang on a minute. Who the hell are you...and YOU?

OK, I know it doesn't work exactly like that but I can see this really squashing the unique feeling of isolation and just how vast the galaxy is, if all of a sudden you can have commanders join you out in the void or alternatively you can nip back to Sol for a spot of ship bashing.

I know that this is player choice, but I can see many a player having been out alone for so long, nipping back and upon return..well, it just not seeming so lonely and the size of the galaxy suddenly seeming ever so slightly smaller. I know I'd regret making that decision to multi crew up for an hour.

Like I said though, each to to their own. Some will like it, some will loath it. I think I will reserve judgement for now.

But if FD can implement multi SRVs....then that suddenly makes exploration a lot of fun, but I'd still insist on any additional crew being along for the whole trip......no hopping on and off on my boat .

Oh, and if FD can slip a new ship into 2.3......

 

[Von Elsner]

Well if players can instant travel to each other to get added benefits I would like an instant travel wing feature too...you know so that it is fair when piloting small ships.

 

[Besensec]

Do we get to share missions while on multi crew? If so, are mission rewards duplicated as well?

 

[CMDR Funky Munky]

I was really hoping that one CMDR could be a navigator. This still doesn't take any of the load from the pilot. It's the same duties just with people sitting next to you.

Still waiting for the surprise addition too. There has always been a surprise addition in the past

 

[horizone]

So. I'm out 20,000ly from inhabited space after being out exploring in !y Anaconda. I've been out here for months now, with no contact with any fellow himan being and.....hang on a minute. Who the hell are you...and YOU?

OK, I know it doesn't work exactly like that but I can see this really squashing the unique feeling of oisolation and just how vast the galaxy is, if all oioif a sudden you can have commanders join you out in the void or alternatively you can nip back to Sol for a spot of ship bashing.

I know that this is player choice, but I can see many a player having been out alone for so long, nipping back and upon return..well, it just not seeming so lonely and the size of the galaxy suddenly seeming ever so slightly smaller. I know I'd regret making that decision to multi crew up for an hour.

A good point, which only allowing remote-joining as existing crew would solve.

 

[Mad Mulligan]

I think the no bounties, no rewards plan needs to be rethought. It is too open for exploiting. You are a crew, you share the risk and the rewards. If one of your crew decides to be a butt and fires on a security ship when you didn't want them to, kick them and don't invite them to be a part of your crew again. If the commander of the ship you are serving on does the same thing, leave the ship and let the bounty you receive remind you not to serve with that knuckle head again.

It would be cool to let a crew member drive a SRV while the ship's captain flies overwatch.

 

[Iori]

It had too much potential to be useful for explorers, so it was scrapped of course.

This. [yesnod]