A long year

[Walking Hazards]

So, as we all know, the wait times for faction applications can be massive due to how busy frontier are and mistakes that are often made during application or issues post application when applying for your player group to become a minor faction.

My group, a group that was 30 members strong when we applied almost a full 365 days ago, was rejected in late November/early December and reapplied after Brett helped ensure we didn't face any issues the second time almost immediately after the rejection, with the hope we'd be implemented soon. That was 2 months ago now, we've lost half our membership due to frustrations with this and general boredom with the game/interest in what my group does in particular. At this point, even I've stopped caring.

However, this post isn't all negative, as I also have a question. Since squadrons have been teased for the final quarter of 2018, does anyone have any idea (or ideas they'd like to see) on how the squadrons will work in game and if they'll have similar application wait times?

 

[Mohrgan]

I'm guessing the whole Player Group Faction thing just stopped, when they decided on Squadrons. Instead of complicating a system in flux, or heading to the cutting floor, they just quietly decided to let it go, pending the incoming changes and features.

It's a shame you've been denied, but it may have been for the best.

 

[encrypted]

In the beginning Sqadrons update will be polpular, we’ll have some livestreams about it and weekly squadron HQ ship movement updates; every squadron will make a reddit page and sub forum; then FD will announce Sqadrons tournament with real world money prizes, and then .... well, nevermind.

 

[Walking Hazards]

To be honest, it's not the denial that frustrates my crew, it's the fact that it took over 9 months to get a denial. Hell, at this point we were looking at other games, namely SC for our group to focus on. We RP in game assassins, taking contracts on other players and doing that is already inefficient, frustrating and impossible thanks to solo and logging, having a system to focus on would have concentrated the 14 or so we lost due to inactivity. Kinda off putting when, even after dealing with Brett via discord, the whole situation has a "just sit in that corner, do nothing and wait" vibe to it.

 

[Ambroza]

Squadrons are going to be properly integrated with the game, so I doubt they'll have wait times at all. Players will just create them.

 

[Walking Hazards]

Squadrons are going to be properly integrated with the game, so I doubt they'll have wait times at all. Players will just create them.

That's good to hear, I do hope that's the case as the prospect of yet another year long wait would quite literally be the end of my patience for the whole fiasco.

 

[Mohrgan]

Ambroza is probably right. I am forced, CDO issues, to mention that we have heard exactly zero on what to expect from Squadrons. It makes the Fleet guys go nuts. I am curious to hear what the plan is. But, right now? Get 3.0 out, I want an aChief.

 

[Susanna]

It was interesting to read your rather sad story of trying to become a player group in ED. Thank you for at least sharing your experience of a process that obviously has failed big time! I haven't invested time into place faction groups, and I must admit I'm very glad I didn't bother now!

 

[Susanna]

I'm guessing the whole Player Group Faction thing just stopped, when they decided on Squadrons. Instead of complicating a system in flux, or heading to the cutting floor, they just quietly decided to let it go, pending the incoming changes and features.

It's a shame you've been denied, but it may have been for the best.

Credit for trying to put a positive spin on fdev going cold and uncommunicative on them... The thing is, you shouldn't be treating people like this in the first place!

 

[DNA-Decay]

You lost me at "in-game assassins".

Even the Code figured out pretty quick that Elite has a safety valve against this, and they ran a CMDR bounty board for ages.

You're kinda left with griefing and stream sniping as the only realistic options.

Having a Minor Faction put in the game, is either about BGS manipulation or a marker of a group's longevity.
If you're into BGS manipulation, then you should be able to pick a system that doesn't break the rules Frontier have set.
If you picked a reason for being that doesn't work in game. Then you won't have longevity.

It's not endless research.

 

[GunnerBill]

We RP in game assassins, taking contracts on other players.

Maybe that's why you're still waiting.

 

[Walking Hazards]

Maybe that's why you're still waiting.

It wouldn't surprise me, though I would say that despite the difficulties of what we do, we've still had relative success. We find ourselves hunting other PvPers more often than not and in some cases (ToC members in particular) we've had good scraps because of what we do, so it's not all negative. However, the way frontier have treated me and my group is ridiculous.

 

[GunnerBill]

Well good luck. Actually hunting a player down sounds like difficult work with little (none) ingame tools to assist.

 

[Mohrgan]

Credit for trying to put a positive spin on fdev going cold and uncommunicative on them... The thing is, you shouldn't be treating people like this in the first place!

Silence is the best way to avoid outrage. For good or bad, I would avoid engaging on topics that are sure to cause a stir were I in charge.

 

[GeneralIdea1964]

If the OP's group is about hunting down other players for no reason and who are basically minding there own business, then you are essentially a group of gankers.
If you've hunted other like mined players, then that's fine.(I suppose).
So how do you select your targets?

Regarding squadrons, sounds a bad idea for just the same reasons.

That would spoil Open for me.
It's bad enough as it is.
You can only rarely do a CG in open because of being hounded by folk with custom killing machines.

This is a shame as it's great to chat with random people all doing their bit towards the goal.

But just being targeted by someone who's pick you at random ... Not what I'm in game for thank you.

BUT ....

I agree lack of feedback regarding your rejection and the reason is not good.

 

[CMDR pollycough]

You lost me at "in-game assassins".

Even the Code figured out pretty quick that Elite has a safety valve against this, and they ran a CMDR bounty board for ages.

You're kinda left with griefing and stream sniping as the only realistic options.

Having a Minor Faction put in the game, is either about BGS manipulation or a marker of a group's longevity.
If you're into BGS manipulation, then you should be able to pick a system that doesn't break the rules Frontier have set.
If you picked a reason for being that doesn't work in game. Then you won't have longevity.

It's not endless research.

Will you STOP making sense!

You are confusing people!

 

[Walking Hazards]

If the OP's group is about hunting down other players for no reason and who are basically minding there own business, then you are essentially a group of gankers.
If you've hunted other like mined players, then that's fine.(I suppose).
So how do you select your targets?

Regarding squadrons, sounds a bad idea for just the same reasons.

That would spoil Open for me.
It's bad enough as it is.
You can only rarely do a CG in open because of being hounded by folk with custom killing machines.

This is a shame as it's great to chat with random people all doing their bit towards the goal.

But just being targeted by someone who's pick you at random ... Not what I'm in game for thank you.

BUT ....

I agree lack of feedback regarding your rejection and the reason is not good.

My group gets paid by other groups to hunt and kill players giving them trouble. We don't pick our targets and when we're not doing that, we fight the other PvP able players in the game, we don't hunt and kill noobs for no reason.

Well good luck. Actually hunting a player down sounds like difficult work with little (none) ingame tools to assist.

It is, it can take days, even weeks sometimes if the person we're hunting has irregular hours or is very far away, but it's incredibly satisfying to actually get the kill, it's a lot of fun but it does get ruined by loggers often.

 

[Walking Hazards]

Will you STOP making sense!

You are confusing people!

I'd just like to add, that what we do, whilst difficult and in the case of loggers, impossible, is fun and does have a place in game whether frontier think it does or not (it's clear that they aren't big fans of PvP period). The people in my group enjoy doing what we do and despite the massive drop in membership, that was less to do with our goals as a group and more to do with the need for high skill, high level engineering to stay competitive as a hunter in the group, a system to look after and call home would have given those people something to do. This isn't on our play style mate, this is on frontier.

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

Squadrons will have their own Feedback forum btw, so we can expect proposal to drop in upcoming two months.