Pirating materials

[Jukelo]

That's how it works in reality. Where the victim has no choice.

I'm talking about Elite Dangerous.
It's a game.
Players have a choice.

If the game is designed in a way that is not enjoyable for the majority of it's players the game simply will fail.
It doesn't matter how enjoyable or cool or interesting a gameplay mechanic is for the player doing it if that gameplay mechanic requires an other player. If the gameplay mechanic is not interesting or enjoyable for the other player the gameplay mechanic is a failure.

Players have a choice and they use the options they have to play the game in a way they enjoy. Remove the options and they stop playing.

There's no conceptual difference between stealing cargo and stealing materials. In both cases you're taking progression away from the victim, are you arguing against the very idea of pirating other players?

 

[Robert Maynard]

There's no conceptual difference between stealing cargo and stealing materials. In both cases you're taking progression away from the victim, are you arguing against the very idea of pirating other players?

The same could be said of credits - however, like materials / data, credits can't be stolen....

 

[Jukelo]

The same could be said of credits - however, like materials / data, credits can't be stolen....

Which FD has said repeatedly is because they don't want to make it any easier for RMT. And I guess because allowing credit transfer between players would remove the need for pirates to find a black market which is probably a desirable aspect of the profession for Frontier.

 

[PhanttoM]

There's no conceptual difference between stealing cargo and stealing materials. In both cases you're taking progression away from the victim, are you arguing against the very idea of pirating other players?

In the most basic sense, no there is no difference.

But take a moment to think about the difference in raw play time between aqquiring cargo vs. rare materials. It's not rocket science to see why this is a bad idea if done without changes to material spawns.

Or alternatively have materials be storeable, so the stuff that actually gets pirated is just the latest "batch" of gathered mats.

 

[CMDR Zadian Lichtfrost]

There's no conceptual difference between stealing cargo and stealing materials. In both cases you're taking progression away from the victim, are you arguing against the very idea of pirating other players?

I'm pointing out that a gameplay mechanic that allows one player to do something to an other player requires both players to somehow enjoy that aspect of the game to be successful.
If something is only enjoyable for one side of the gameplay, then there won't be enough to play the other side.

That said:

I think that the way piracy is implemented - or the lack of implementation - is harming the game. The lack of piracy gameplay mechanics that make that aspect of the game interesting and rewarding (from a gameplay perspective) for all involved players makes it a very problematic aspect of the game.
The problem of this lack of gameplay mechanics is more pronounced the more time or progression the other player loses without getting "game enjoyment" out of the experience.

The difference between cargo and materials is, that cargo can be obtained without much problems.
Acquiring materials can be a quite frustrating adding a frustrating experience on top of it won't encourage players to play along with pirates.

 

[IndigoWyrd]

Can I get a limpet that attaches to a pirate ship and arms the self-destruct?

 

[Jason Lightning]

Can I get a limpet that attaches to a pirate ship and arms the self-destruct?

That would be a gankers dream, but a nonthreat to most pirates, ECM is part of my and others toolkit.

 

[IndigoWyrd]

That would be a gankers dream, but a nonthreat to most pirates, ECM is part of my and others toolkit.

Actually, I'd much rather have a cargo canister that registers as "Low Temp Diamonds", and contains some Low Temp Diamonds, along with a small thermonuclear warhead on a detonation timer.
Then I'd drop cargo.

 

[Jason Lightning]

Actually, I'd much rather have a cargo canister that registers as "Low Temp Diamonds", and contains some Low Temp Diamonds, along with a small thermonuclear warhead on a detonation timer.
Then I'd drop cargo.

Against the pirate with a cargo scanner? Which would no doubt be the counter that scans past the false tag, and would lead to you being blown up for trying such a thing?