So.....that Tech Broker

[Deleted member 38366]

For as long as it

- isn't only Weapons
- isn't generating balancing-nightmare OP Weapons or Special Effects like shortly after Engineers was released

...I'd say we're good.

PS.
I heard them mention that these would be only in High-Population HighTech Systems ?
If so, what about Colonia? No High-Population System exists there after all...

 

[ozrix84]

i like it. it gives the grind a new purpose, and more customization options to the player. too bad it's only weapons, though

 

[frostypaw]

It's only personalised if unlocking one thing changes your choices for other things. Like if you had to choose Empire or Fed. There is no path, only a single corridor with loads of rooms off it.

Have you seen how much the PvPers whine? Imagine if their choices had consequences and meant they couldn't get All The Things?

It'd be wonderful. Oooh variety and meaningful choices! Actions that mean something! GAME.

Generally a relief tho. All seems good but they gotta solve the re-logging to instaspawn tonnes of materials at places like Dav's Hope or it'll be instantly gamed into a joke

 

[Dagwit]

Will we see tech like faster fuel scoops, or longer range FSD's, or combined limpet controllers, or a combined ADS + DSS, or maybe an SRV bay that can print new SRV's, heck maybe even an AFMU which can repair the ship's power plant?

Looking at the new megaship gameplay, if you want to try that solo in a small ship like, say, a Cobra III, you'll really be wanting the Tech Broker to be offering that combined limpet controller.

 

[kofeyh]

Very high material requirements. The grind is strong, with this one, then.

 

[Urazz]

Have you seen how much the PvPers whine? Imagine if their choices had consequences and meant they couldn't get All The Things?

It'd be wonderful. Oooh variety and meaningful choices! Actions that mean something! GAME.

Generally a relief tho. All seems good but they gotta solve the re-logging to instaspawn tonnes of materials at places like Dav's Hope or it'll be instantly gamed into a joke

Isn't Dav's Hope limited on what it has available? If I recall it's only stuff you can get from destroying ships. None of the stuff that you can get from the more rare signal sources and such.

 

[Darty]

All I can say is I hope they will include powerplay modules in this. The whole concept of module shopping is so counter to what powerplay is about, and everyone seems to have every module that matters anyway. Would be nice if those uninterested in powerplay/pledged to other powers could get the modules they want without essentially cheating the system.

 

[DaggerSnake]

I'd like to see the Tech Broker be the curator of a choice driven tech-tree or path that leads from one unlock to another without going backward so that when you come to a branch you have to make a choice that locks off the other branch. I feel like though it claimed personal narrative, it'll just be everyone has the same modules at the end of the day once the collecting and unlocking is done. That's fine and all, just not very interesting (to me).

I'm looking forward to delving into it in Beta!

 

[PiLhEaD]

Mechanics are same for almost everything. Context matters. Also I don't want to convince you They are clearly meant to be sidegrades and again, I am actually seeing usefulness in them than boring boosting your ship...

I've a funny feeling that we are actually in 'violent agreement' here.

For me the issue is that 'Tech Brokers' are simply Engineers by an other name. No matter how orthogonal or parallel the engineering they do, they are unique to you, and defined by the amount of <magic> you have supplied them. This is NOT a new 'personal narrative' - sorry, I hate to moan, but I also hate to be treated like a fool.

This simply isn't new on any level, nor in any way. And I am not impressed.

 

[frostypaw]

Isn't Dav's Hope limited on what it has available? If I recall it's only stuff you can get from destroying ships. None of the stuff that you can get from the more rare signal sources and such.

Just an example.

 

[Martian Successor]

I'd like to see the Tech Broker be the curator of a choice driven tech-tree or path that leads from one unlock to another without going backward so that when you come to a branch you have to make a choice that locks off the other branch. I feel like though it claimed personal narrative, it'll just be everyone has the same modules at the end of the day once the collecting and unlocking is done. That's fine and all, just not very interesting (to me).

I'm looking forward to delving into it in Beta!

That would be quite cool actually. But without the ability to have a revert function or a "test drive" period it would suck to pick an upgrade choice only to find it wasn't what you expected it to be. Great idea though. With a "revert back one step" function it would be awesome.

 

[Faybs]

I suppose that'd make the Thargoid materials useful. Kill Xenos to unlock more stuff to kill Xenos with, I like it. Very much a classic MMO end-game alt-currency system (Extra Credits have made a few videos on those, if you're interested), but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

And I wouldn't worry about the grind too much - the materials trader looks set to be a decent stopgap for the issue, and hopefully Q4 will provide some decent new mechanics for finding them, seeing as it's the Exploration Update. Have I already mentioned I'd really like new, more realistic and persistent mechanics for USS and PoI? Rhetorical question, I have, but that's hardly a reason not to bring it up again.

I have yet to watch the stream, but if it is that, I will be very pleased. I like games that tailor rewards to my style of play.

That would be quite cool actually. But without the ability to have a revert function or a "test drive" period it would suck to pick an upgrade choice only to find it wasn't what you expected it to be. Great idea though. With a "revert back one step" function it would be awesome.

Agreed. Lots of games have ways to melt your progress for a price, which encourages players to specialize but doesn't punish them for experimenting.

 

[kofeyh]

Have you seen how much the PvPers whine? Imagine if their choices had consequences and meant they couldn't get All The Things?

To be fair, there aren't that many PVPer's left, and the noise from self-righteous commanders is infinitely louder. Which has absolutely zero to do with the topic. Which is the tech broker.

 

[kofeyh]

That would be quite cool actually. But without the ability to have a revert function or a "test drive" period it would suck to pick an upgrade choice only to find it wasn't what you expected it to be. Great idea though. With a "revert back one step" function it would be awesome.

Sure, however we can remove any engineering with one click (the cost, is the loss of the engineered outcome) are we sure the same thing would not be possible for these new tech upgrades? Presumably that'd be the cost; if it doesn't work out, you can remove the adjusted stats, the cost is the loss of all effort expended to achieve.

I can't really see Frontier changing that formula.

 

[Faded Glory]

This is NOT a new 'personal narrative' - sorry, I hate to moan, but I also hate to be treated like a fool.

This simply isn't new on any level, nor in any way. And I am not impressed.

I'm inclined to agree. There's no 'narrative' to this, but I guess they are referring to the fact that rather than things being unlocked through a community effort (CG), things are now unlocked by the individual according to what they want at the time. Probably shouldn't have used the word narrative...

The issue for me is that I'd like my activities to be goal driven, or at least to work towards something other than just credits. Unless one is heavily invested in the BGS, we take missions but there's little point to them other than to get credits, hence the obsession with how much missions pay. I mean, we're playing a game here, the most important thing is it should be fun, not profitable.

Unlocking tech items through the broker by supplying random mats and data is IMHO a missed opportunity to actually engage players with the process rather than try to grind the process. They surely could use the tip-off mechanics and the random inbox delivered missions to drive this. Once you choose an item you are after you get messages from the broker telling you that some of the materials or data can be found at a crash site, or an abandoned base, or a space or planetary salvage site. Any of these would surely be more engaging than driving around in an SRV for hours hoping that RNG drops what you are looking for.

I think that when the engineers were introduced people suggested this kind of mission driven gameplay, but the answer came back it was too difficult to implement. A shame if that's the case, or still the case, because I think it would be a really engaging way to deal with the tech brokers.

 

[kofeyh]

Would be nice if those uninterested in powerplay/pledged to other powers could get the modules they want without essentially cheating the system.

Actually powerplay needs some love, independant to the tech broker. Not indirect access to the same modules because people don't like that there are choices and consequences for them.

 

[Mengy]

I'm inclined to agree. There's no 'narrative' to this, but I guess they are referring to the fact that rather than things being unlocked through a community effort (CG), things are now unlocked by the individual according to what they want at the time. Probably shouldn't have used the word narrative...

Contemplating it further, I wonder if the "narrative" part of the tech broker is that the requirements to unlock each item is different for every player? Maybe the mat requirements are randomly generated and different for everyone? This would mean that each player would need to do different activities in order to unlock the tech items.

That would actually be kind of cool.

 

[Spacecat]

Ugh. More grind....

 

[Riverside]

Ugh. More grind....

With regard to the unlock requirements it's worth bearing in mind that it's much easier for FDev to start high & lower the requirements later (if needed) than to start low & face the backlash about raising them.

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

Actually powerplay needs some love, independant to the tech broker. Not indirect access to the same modules because people don't like that there are choices and consequences for them.

PP needs new lease of life, independent of people wanting modules. With new C&P hopefully all power modules will be moved to Tech Broker and PP left for pure PvP and then upgraded from that point.