It seems we're racing, very slowly, to an already-established red light.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DLpXiYsXkAETSWo.jpg
I just noticed that this week's CGs involve retaliatory strikes against the Thargoids in the Electra system.
This really is all we're getting, isn't it?
The entire scope of Thargoid interactions is going to be investigating USSs and participating in CGs, isn't it? [sad]
I suppose that anything could still happen.
We might end up with Thargoid ships floating around outside stations and being responsible for compelling gameplay but I think I've finally arrived at that place where I don't think it's going to happen.
I guess that, perhaps, I overestimated the amount of content that the Thargoids might bring.
To me, the return of the Thargoids is a gigantic paradigm shift within the ED universe but, then again, from a different POV, it's also just one several updates we've had this year and the others brought us things like SLFs, Holo-Me and Multicrew so I suppose I shouldn't have expected anything more epic from 2.4.
Still hoping to be proven wrong though.....
Community Goal here, there and everywhere...
It's very, very exciting that we get content very, very slowly....
There's a clear bias towards combat-oriented CG rewards. Most AEGIS stuff are weapons. We need Non-Combat Peaceful options too.
Yep the illusion of choice. Frontier has all the AEGIS weapons lined up and the dozens of community goals for the next few months. Yawn. At least give us more interesting Interceptors to fight then. Add the Thargoid Scout.
Add more variety for baby thargoid's sake.
Most? Have I missed something?
My expectations for 2.4 is null.
FD effectively took all tension and exhilaration out of the whole Thargoid experience within a couple weeks.
It's just another pew pew update (again) with a different npc and more monotonous CGs
Gameplay for solo commanders is practically non existent imho.
I was afraid this would happen but silently hoped they would pleasantly surprise me.
I'm almost 100% sure that you meant that the other way around![]()
Aside from the overuse of repetitive CG's, which was openly predicted and dreaded by several people in the run-up to 2.4, these Combat Only CG's are forcing the "narrative" in one direction only. Frontier has said that interaction with Thargoids will depend on the actions of CMDR's.
Well, so far, every CG has been about harvesting goids (killing them) to research better ways of killing thargoids, or to clear systems of Thargoid threats. How is that supposed to play out in any way other than hostility? Suppose there is some invisible scale behind the scenes which is supposed to be counting violent vs. non-violent encounters? Isn't making every single CG about killing thargoids putting the thumb on the side of war? Kind of makes conflict a forgone conclusion, doesn't it? And if conflict is inevitable, why drag it out except to extend the release schedule out as long as possible?
It seems we're racing, very slowly, to an already-established red light.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DLpXiYsXkAETSWo.jpg
Community Goals are not exciting!
So we have reskinned USSs allowing us to repetitively kill different coloured thargoids supposedly representing different enemies, with no actual danger to ourselves, and CGs attached to make it look meaningful...and you're surprised?
Was predicted months ago and dismissed by a number of people under the bizarre illusion ED is actually getting the resources it needs.
Thing is, they could be.
Would it be out of the question to create a CG where a system is being invaded by Thargoids and we have to hunt them to stop the stations getting "UA bombed"?
Set it up right and you'd need people delivering meta-alloys to repair stations while other people were actually doing the pew-pew - thus encouraging people to actually work together, as a community, in a community goal.
I know it's a wacky idea but it might just work.
2.4 was never going to be about anything other than combat. All of Horizons pointed towards this with the heavy combat focus. The Thargoids are the bad guys, that's just the way Frontier wants it.
I just wish they had not overtuned them to the point where most of the players can't even fight them at all. And yeah I know the combat experts and the SDC-like people will claim that's nonsense and that anyone can fight the Thargoids if they just get good and such, but we all know that's crap. You need only look at the terribly low participation numbers on all of these Thargoid combat CG's to see the proof of that, and these new ones will be no different.
I don't mind combat in the game, but extensive combat content designed for 5% of the players, that I do mind.
Thing is, they could be.
Would it be out of the question to create a CG where a system is being invaded by Thargoids and we have to hunt them to stop the stations getting "UA bombed"?
Set it up right and you'd need people delivering meta-alloys to repair stations while other people were actually doing the pew-pew - thus encouraging people to actually work together, as a community, in a community goal.
Don't so be so gloomy, I'm sure there's still more to come, in the shape of the third item on my list of predicted Thargoids content:
Thargoid CGsThargoid USSs- Thargoid CZs
It's not like the way the game works supports much else with Frontier's over-reliance on these set-piece scenarios to introduce content.
I thought that at first, but recently realised that's not going to happen, as it'd impact on the BGS, which'd cause indignation from several BGS groups about how it would affect them.
Can't have that, no sir!
2.4 was never going to be about anything other than combat. All of Horizons pointed towards this with the heavy combat focus. The Thargoids are the bad guys, that's just the way Frontier wants it.
I just wish they had not overtuned them to the point where most of the players can't even fight them at all. And yeah I know the combat experts and the SDC-like people will claim that's nonsense and that anyone can fight the Thargoids if they just get good and such, but we all know that's crap. You need only look at the terribly low participation numbers on all of these Thargoid combat CG's to see the proof of that, and these new ones will be no different.
I don't mind combat in the game, but extensive combat content designed for 5% of the players, that I do mind.
2.4 was never going to be about anything other than combat.
2.4 was never going to be about anything other than combat. All of Horizons pointed towards this with the heavy combat focus. The Thargoids are the bad guys, that's just the way Frontier wants it.
I just wish they had not overtuned them to the point where most of the players can't even fight them at all. And yeah I know the combat experts and the SDC-like people will claim that's nonsense and that anyone can fight the Thargoids if they just get good and such, but we all know that's crap. You need only look at the terribly low participation numbers on all of these Thargoid combat CG's to see the proof of that, and these new ones will be no different.