Thoughts on ED Content patches

[CMDR ColD_ZA]

It dawned on me while reading 5pears thread about the Imperial Corvette Concept

Elite's content patches are often called empty or shallow, or "just bolt on features" and that is sometimes due to it being measured against other MMO's out there (Elite is advertised as an MMO)

when looking at 5pears concept for the Imperial Corvette... I started thinking about how I would engineer it, how I would outfit it.. what activities I would perform with it... then I realized that that I was excited because what was conceptualized was more "endgame" content.

and then it dawned on my what I personally feel is missing from Elite's updates, new toys for people who have the big 3, that have reached the "endgame" to strive and work toward.

This I think is why people are so bent on getting the Panther Clipper in, a colossal endgame trade ship to wipe the floor with all that came before it.

I will tinker with a Dolphin when it goes live, but that will just be for giggles... because the dolphin offers me nothing in the form of progression for those that have condas, belugas, pythons etc

I refer to update patches from other MMO's of other Genres... when I played WoW I used to get excited for new content patches not because they brought new features, but they brought shiny new gear and raids.

there were no "New" features really just a new place to do explore and do the same old thing in... but with NEW rewards,


I would love to see Frontier add a new big ship, maybe some new weapons that we can earn ingame,


Granted we get Shipkits and other things to spruce up our ships... but that involves no GAMEPLAY to unlock, it gives no motivation to play through current content... just one swipe of the Credit Card.

It also may be why I personally was more excited about 2.2 than 2.3, it offered a way to improve my Cutter with Shiny new Fighters (also the QOL stuff in 2.2 was huge).

Is this just another COLD_ZA brainfart or am I making any sense?

TL : DR
I believe we need some more unlockables and personal progression in each content patch, something to keep us busy, and to give reason to do all the existing mechanics.... new ships/weapons/engineers.

 

[tafkabb]

'Playing through' and 'end game'. Without criticising your playstyle, I do think you're approaching the game the wrong way.
We're not playing towards something (unless you choose your own goal). That isn't the point. Elite isn't a journey, it's an experience for want of a better word.
The point isn't to get the biggest, the baddest, the best. That may be your goal but it's not the point.
The point is just to bumble around the Milky Way in a spaceship, while enjoying bumbling around the Milky Way in a spaceship. Whether you're in an Adder or a Corvette, whether you're exploring or laying desolate waste to the hopes, dreams and lives of every CMDR you meet.

 

[dynamicbob]

multipew is lookin awesome for combat, pirate and like minded commanders, and well the rest are boned but who cares

 

[CMDR ColD_ZA]

'Playing through' and 'end game'. Without criticising your playstyle, I do think you're approaching the game the wrong way.
We're not playing towards something (unless you choose your own goal). That isn't the point. Elite isn't a journey, it's an experience for want of a better word.
The point isn't to get the biggest, the baddest, the best. That may be your goal but it's not the point.
The point is just to bumble around the Milky Way in a spaceship, while enjoying bumbling around the Milky Way in a spaceship. Whether you're in an Adder or a Corvette, whether you're exploring or laying desolate waste to the hopes, dreams and lives of every CMDR you meet.

Appreciate the honest, civil and valid response,

I do believe my play-style is somewhat misaligned with Elite in its current form, and that may be the reason for my feeling a loss of things to do,

I have not played in a while and when logging in I sit in the port thinking of things to do,

I'm very much a progression gamer, In WoW I used to PvP to get rating and to get on the ladder, PvE I tried to clear the newest raids as soon as my skill and party could,

In an online game I allways want to be better than the other guy, thats why I look at people with better gear/rating with admiration and feel I need to surpass,


Elite doesn't offer that anymore, a ranking ladder, a PvE rolling progression system,

When I first started Elite, there was so much to get and achieve, but one by one I started ticking the things off the list... but no new things have been added, and I'm nearing the end of the list

as I sit as a progression gamer in Elite,

I have the biggest ships,
Ranked King and Admiral,
Well over a bil creds as sparechange,
Grade 5 mods on all my ships, Specials on all my weapons
Trade Elite, Combat (Almost Elite ) , Exploration (Ranger/Pioneer, waiting for Exploration to be more compelling than loading screen sim)


I've just hit a point where I want new stuff that requires me to play the game, I need some objectives

I'd even be happy if they let us pledge to our own ingame player factions.... and then put the weekly top contributors (influence wise) on the local Galnet leader-board... then I could have a goal of getting to the top and defending my crown

at the moment the only leaderboard to speak of is the bounty leaderboard

- - - Updated - - -

multipew is lookin awesome for combat, pirate and like minded commanders, and well the rest are boned but who cares

Indeed, but there is still some work to be done on their group finder,

at the moment you can just pick an activity and get put in a random ship.... choose bounty hunting and you may be put in an Adder with no turrets,

as a "Seeking crew" player, you should be able to tick the box for the activity you want to do, then give a short description,

"ASP X Exploring neutron stars near SAG A"

then as a "Ship seeker" you can choose where to go.. and not just have to play hop in/hop out till you find a ship and environment that suites you.

this is my wishlist when comparing Elites group finder to other group finders I have come across in the past,