Personal Narrative

[GG7]

These sorts of comments always strike me some what as kettle black?

ie: Someone taking such umbrage to other people discussing an issue they have, that they feel compelled to come in and level a few jolly good finger wags at them all!

I think I need to take some LSD to be able to comprehend the point you are trying to make.

My "Sober" reaction is... HUH?

 

[-VR- Max Factor]

... personal narrative.

from what I've seen so far looks like "personal grind goals" outside of the Cutter and Corvette for something other than credits (materials).

As we have seen precious little, I will judge when I see it in action.

 

[Hellakitty]

These sorts of comments always strike me some what as kettle black?

ie: Someone taking such umbrage to other people discussing an issue they have, that they feel compelled to come in and level a few jolly good finger wags at them all!

These sorts of comments always strike me some what as kettle black?

ie: Someone taking such umbrage to other people discussing an issue they have, that they feel compelled to come in and level a few jolly good finger wags at them all!

 

[damon8r351]

I see Elite as one of those games you play over the course of a few years, one of those long-term investment sort of games. So everything that everyone says is "grind", I see as something you slowly chip away at as a longterm goal. So I say "Today I'm working at building my reputation in this system, let me see if I can get 10 or so of the things today toward that 500 thing goal I need for the broker." Or whatever. I've been seeing over a lot of different games people complaining about grind, and it doesn't seem like they recognize a task that requires a lot to accomplish is meant to be completed a little bit at a time instead in one bite. You can do it, you're just going to hate yourself afterwards.

 

[Lightspeed]

According to Edward Lewis (in the Tech Broker thread, where the question was asked about what is 'personal narrative?') "We just mean that it’s different from everyone unlocking the same thing... and building a ship that feels like it’s your own. I think that phrase will make more sense as time goes by."

I would interpret that to mean that there will be such diversity available through engineering, that our future ships will be even more different from each others'

Which leads me to think, have FD not seen how engineers harmed the pvp balance/imbalance in the first place? Or perhaps, the C&P is meant to compensate for that. It kind of worries me that a band aid (sticking plaster) is applied after the damage is done, but it may just be that I cannot see the Big Picture at the moment and it really will make more sense as time goes by.

 

[Captain N]

Yeah I guess the confusion here is about the term, narrative, and most people associating it with something else than just customising your ship. Most people, I assume, would be thinking of a story that involves characters interacting with one another. And that is something that is seen as a major weakness in the game, which is why understandably mentioning something like "personal narrative" would get people's hopes up.

Everyone's "story" in the game is basically the same, hauling biowaste, honking at stars, point A to point B, rags to riches etc. - everyone's story only contains one character, themselves. Good stories rarely are based on one character only. They are about interactions between multiple characters, and those characters coming out changed as a result of said interactions.

I've got nothing against more customisation, but I'd sooner just call it that, customisation, rather than anything else that might give people ideas.

 

[Enderby]

Store items are now termed personal narrative enhancements

 

[Knightshark]

According to Edward Lewis (in the Tech Broker thread, where the question was asked about what is 'personal narrative?') "We just mean that it’s different from everyone unlocking the same thing... and building a ship that feels like it’s your own. I think that phrase will make more sense as time goes by."

I would interpret that to mean that there will be such diversity available through engineering, that our future ships will be even more different from each others'

Well, that really sound's like marketing more than honest statement. I am not saying the tech broker is a bad thing, not at all, but calling "unlocking" personal narrative is dishonest. It just isn't anymore narrative than anything else i do in the game.

 

[Flin]

Based on the comment from Ed Lewis as quoted by Lightspeed, I think I get where FD is going with this.

Basically, the concept of Personal Narrative, which is individually defined by the player, is something all persistent MMO-type games need to provide.

Your own ship build, your own house, your own customization, and how you achieved them; these are the things FD is strategically developing to give each player a sense of individuality or group (as in social, group functions like wing missions and squadron carriers). This will aid in more sale of cosmetics.

1-to-1 balance is likely a low priority factor in this regards, accepting that there will be meta flavor of the moment and continuous change will keep things interesting and moving.

TLR
More change and personal + group options and customizations to further the 'blaze your own trails' motto. Less focus on achieving equilibrium in competitive aspects like PVP.

 

[Knightshark]

Based on the comment from Ed Lewis as quoted by Lightspeed, I think I get where FD is going with this.

Basically, the concept of Personal Narrative, which is individually defined by the player, is something all persistent MMO-type games need to provide.

Your own ship build, your own house, your own customization, and how you achieved them; these are the things FD is strategically developing to give each player a sense of individuality or group (as in social, group functions like wing missions and squadron carriers). This will aid in more sale of cosmetics.

1-to-1 balance is likely a low priority factor in this regards, accepting that there will be meta flavor of the moment and continuous change will keep things interesting and moving.

TLR
More change and personal + group options and customizations to further the 'blaze your own trails' motto. Less focus on achieving equilibrium in competitive aspects like PVP.

And none of this has anything to do with "narrative".

 

[IndigoWyrd]

Mass Effect nailed Personal Narrative 200% - a Personal Narrative that spanned 3 separate games.

Elite is not Mass Effect, and I wouldn't want it to be. But I do welcome anything that gives me a more personal connection to my character, my ship and the galaxy around me.

I'd welcome hearing Federal Flight Control announce: "Admiral on deck!" when I land, or hear an Imperial Flight controller address me as "Your Grace", rather than just "an ally like you."
I'd even welcome a "Sorry, sir, just following orders." from those pesky patrol ships around the stations that take turns scanning me like I'm some criminal scum - even when I have just done some scummy criminal thing, like offloading a cargo hold full of... questionable goods at the local black market...

I'd also welcome some more amiable messages from factions I'm in particularly good standings with, based on my Reputation and Influence.

As it is right now, these are not particularly useful traits, aside from getting better paying missions. Let me burn a little Influence to get out of Speeding violation, or bribe a security agent who discovers I'm bringing all the beer for the alcoholic religious fanatics.

Even minor things like this would all go extremely long ways towards making a personal narrative more personal and a lot less narrated.

As it is, Elite is this delightfully convoluted contraption...

All full of intricate little parts of the whole, but the grand end result of all of these things working together...

Is somewhere between

and

A whole lot of effort, not much "progress".

 

[Notwyn]

Look at how the mechanics tie into each other.
It is grind, because FD decided to NOT include personal milestones
and achievements to unlock the stuff instead.

Additionally i question why becoming a known criminal
and severely damaging the faction you have military rank in,
doesn't renounce that rank in an instant.

Seems that what you are suggesting is just a different type of grind, for milestones and achievements in this case. Similar to gaining rank through missions etc...

Can't avoid the grind. Embrace your destiny...

 

[Oss133]

Surely there is some amount of irony in the huge length of threads that include complaints about the grind in-game.



On topic.

Personal Narrative simply refers to the fact that there is no explicit story to follow.

My apologies if this point has already been made. Reading the entire thread was too much of a grind.

 

[Sylveria]

On the subject of "game isn't personal" enough...

Freedom of choice. This isn't a linear sort of game where there's a storyline you must follow, but rather you create your own storyline (blaze your own trail) as you go.

"Here's a basic ship, here's some credits... Good luck!"

This isn't the sort of game that tailors you from the onset to be the "hero/heroine" in a linear "Go here, go there" sort of path.

 

[Tiny_Rick]

Personal narrative should tie into REPUTATION.
Allow us to make friends for real and have NPC wings
that aid us or tip us off.
Make REPUTATION matter, make it do something.
Grinding is boredom.

Thank you! In a galaxy with 6.6 trillion imaginary people, my equally-imaginary CMDR's backstory and personal motivations are absolutely insignificant.

 

[Cygnus X-1]

On the subject of "game isn't personal" enough...

Freedom of choice. This isn't a linear sort of game where there's a storyline you must follow, but rather you create your own storyline (blaze your own trail) as you go.

"Here's a basic ship, here's some credits... Good luck!"

This isn't the sort of game that tailors you from the onset to be the "hero/heroine" in a linear "Go here, go there" sort of path.

I'd be more willing to blaze my own trail if the options presented to us felt more interesting and fun and had a impact. I'd be more willing to help rebels in some backwater system if I knew what they were fighting for. I'd be more willing to do search and rescue if there was more to it then just turning in cargo canisters to a station menu.

Adding more flavor and experience like I'm describing has nothing to do with adding a main storyline. "Blaze your own trail" shouldn't be used as excuse for why these activities feel so mundane.

 

[Sylveria]

I'd be more willing to blaze my own trail if the options presented to us felt more interesting and fun and had a impact. I'd be more willing to help rebels in some backwater system if I knew what they were fighting for. I'd be more willing to do search and rescue if there was more to it then just turning in cargo canisters to a station menu.

Adding more flavor and experience like I'm describing has nothing to do with adding a main storyline. "Blaze your own trail" shouldn't be used as excuse for why these activities feel so mundane.

Who's using it for an excuse?

I'm simply explaining the framework of the game vs a linear type game where there's a "path" to follow.

Whether you want to accept that or not, is on you. If it's not your sort of game, then it's not your sort of game.

 

[Blackcompany]

According to Edward Lewis (in the Tech Broker thread, where the question was asked about what is 'personal narrative?') "We just mean that it’s different from everyone unlocking the same thing... and building a ship that feels like it’s your own. I think that phrase will make more sense as time goes by."

I would interpret that to mean that there will be such diversity available through engineering, that our future ships will be even more different from each others'

Which leads me to think, have FD not seen how engineers harmed the pvp balance/imbalance in the first place? Or perhaps, the C&P is meant to compensate for that. It kind of worries me that a band aid (sticking plaster) is applied after the damage is done, but it may just be that I cannot see the Big Picture at the moment and it really will make more sense as time goes by.

Now THAT explanation makes sense. Phew.

Good to know it was poor choice of wording. I was left with the impression that Fdev actually thought choosing grind unlocks was some form of personalized, Engaging story.

Good clarification there. Actually eager to try the new system and weapons...but calling that a narrative really rubbed the wrong way.

I'd be more willing to blaze my own trail if the options presented to us felt more interesting and fun and had a impact. I'd be more willing to help rebels in some backwater system if I knew what they were fighting for. I'd be more willing to do search and rescue if there was more to it then just turning in cargo canisters to a station menu.

Adding more flavor and experience like I'm describing has nothing to do with adding a main storyline. "Blaze your own trail" shouldn't be used as excuse for why these activities feel so mundane.

Well said, and I could not agree more.

 

[Cygnus X-1]

Who's using it for an excuse?

I'm simply explaining the framework of the game vs a linear type game where there's a "path" to follow.

Whether you want to accept that or not, is on you. If it's not your sort of game, then it's not your sort of game.

But I'm very familiar with games like you describing, and I love those types of games. Elite is barebones compared to them. I love games like Dwarf Fortress where I can create my own fantasy world, read the detailed history of the world I generated, and watch and learn about the generations of dwarves living the fort that I build. There's is no main storyline to follow in that game either. The difference is that there's tons of gameplay options that make my actions feel like there meaning, even though there isn't a main story to follow.

 

[Sylveria]

But I'm very familiar with games like you describing, and I love those types of games. Elite is barebones compared to them. I love games like Dwarf Fortress where I can create my own fantasy world, read the detailed history of the world I generated, and watch and learn about the generations of dwarves living the fort that I build. There's is no main storyline to follow in that game either. The difference is that there's tons of gameplay options that make my actions feel like there meaning, even though there isn't a main story to follow.

I completely understand what you're saying. I'm not "disagreeing" with your perspective, only trying to outline that in this particular setting there's tens of thousands (if not more) players set in exactly the same location... all creating their own "meaning".

I'm not going to argue with your opinion of the game, either- because you're entitled to your own opinion, as is everyone else. Personally, I don't feel the game is "barebones", but then again I'm not comparing it to other games, I'm enjoying the content of this game as it was/is introduced over time. My opinion may change over time as well- but since release it hasn't. I'm also not saying the game is "faultless" or "perfect", I've pointed out many things myself. Do those faults mean the entire game has no meaning for me? No, I just look forward to those things being improved- and if for some reason they aren't and it changes my perspective of enjoyment, I'll simply quit playing and move onto something that's more entertaining to me.