Hi everyone,
I have not used the forum before so please let me know if I am doing this in the right thread at the right spot to get a good discussion going, feedback from Fronties Devs. If there is an existing roadmapt or collection of gameplay concepts currently actively being investigated- please point me to it. First of all I am a big space game fan since the 90s and I do like Elite (logged over 1,600 hours now) so these are some honest thoughts about improving the experience. Let me get straight to the point:
In my mind "Dangerous" -> Excitement -> GamePlay. Since me and many other players dont feel very excited or in Danger when playing Elite anymore, I would venture to say its do to the lack of engaging Gameplay. 3 Pillars on how to address this
Normal Space, Wing Play (multiplayer), Missions
Let me Explain:
Normal Space
Spending Life in frame shift land is convenient to travel quicky but dull when it comes to engaging game experience. Building a scenario around being interdicted and then shot at is just to one dimensional. So, we need more scenarios in Normal Space- an example with the return in mind: Lets say a station within a star system gets blockaded, effect: when attempting to FSD to the station you get pulled out of FSD far away from the station -> 100- 150kms. This would create a playground in normal space of say 15-20 minutes time to travel from where you dropped out of FSD to the station if uninterrupted. This space could be filled with: passive defenses (mines, gun emplacements, sensors, buff waypoints [regenerate shields, armor]), active defenses (thargoid ships trying to keep you from reaching the station)
Wing Play
specific modules with multiplayer in mind
in order to make wing play interesting it would be helpful to create very specific modules that take up most of the space within a given ship and make it necessary to work in a group: A few examples:
- very long range sensors: ~100 kms, requires above described large playgrounds in normal space that cannot be short cutted through FSD. AWACs style craft that can identify all waypoints, enemy targets over a long distance and notify everyone else in the wing (maybe even designate targets and paint them for all other wing members)
- Shield Booster: ability to project a larger shield around a group of ships flying in very tight formation. Needs a partner ship to complete the arch (at least 2 ships in the wing must have this module). This field can get whittled down over time maybe requires specific weapons to do so, maybe the field could protect against thargoid mines or other such assets in the new large playgrounds in normal space
super stealth: sacrifices all other modules (weapons, shields for permanent very low heat signature state). Could be used to scout ahead and quietly maneuver through mine fields enemy lines to sabotage specific new defense grids. Very effective for smaller vessells that already have a low heat signature
group finder
there will have to be a group finder function to basically look for a wing based on your ships role equipment (not a hard dependency but would be useful to share what you can bring to the table in terms of special modulues configs)
my targets target button
In order to really perform tactical combat one not only needs a " what target is my wingman attacking button" but a "who is attacking my wingman/ friendly NPC button" or as it is known in many other MMOs: my targets target button (independent of it being a wingman or not)
Missions
Combat
- Escort Missions
- escort freighters, explorers across multiple star systems
- escort them in system through an interdiction buble in mormal space ~100km filled with mutli waypoints, potentially through an exchange in mid space of cargo between two vessells
- Repair missions
repari massive capital ships, convoys or stations. The repair bit could be under trading but they would need an escort as combat
- attack massive convoy/capital ship= multi stage location battle
stage 1: locate the convoy
stage 2: set an interdiction ambush (new module- fake signature SoS signal)
stage 3: destroy escort
stage 4: disable main vessell (new module)
stage 5: dock with vessell to extract cargo or passengers -> timer (special module) cou
- sabotage
fly your cloaked vessell deep into enemy space and approach a major enemy vessell over 100kms in real space filled with patrols, mines and sensors. Use Special limpets
on very short distance to place charges/ spy equipment
Trading
- Blockade Runner
take your trading vessell filled with relief goods through 150 kms of real space facing an enemy blockade, mine fields and stationary emplacements. Navigate the waypoints with your escort (combat and scouts)
- power mining
specialization between wing members (special modules): more powerful mining lasers, more powerful limpets (collecting and prospecting), large cargo hold for delivery, better refineries (again special modules take a lot of place need to specialize within the wing) better revenue sharing
- Multi Star System/ Stage Trade missions
- Exchange of goods mid space (needs special module, part of mult stage trade mission)
Exploring/Recon
- behind enemy lines
combine stealth and exploring (low heat signature, specialized scanning module). Try to get as far into Thargoid teritory as you can. Multi waypoint scanning in normal space around fortified planet, multi stage including scanning ground targets on planet surface.
- long distance exploring
- Community goal exploring: space sectors or proportion of planet surface- solve riddles in ruins and advance through the levels
Sorry for the long post but was trying to summarize all my thoughts over the last years of playing Elite
![[VR] Mad Mike](https://forums-cdn.zaonce.net/data/avatars/m/27/27910.jpg?1553527108){kind=avatar}
