ED: still no multiplayer content...

[Arkadi]

Look at games like D3, GW2, Warframe, Borderlands, etc. Group up and stomp the same crap together...same problem with every game that has PVE coop...groups just kill stuff faster...and its always the same stuff.

You want 'compelling' multiplayer content...ask for raids! Highly scripted and repetitively boring...not very compelling in my book.

To the OP, MoM™ has been given free reign...and the multiplayer and solo people, including the PVP folks, have thoroughly bounced any improvements to the AI....regardless of where they show up. My favorite complaint was actually from the PVP folks that the NPC's were cheating because the PVP folks could not figure out how the NPC's could move better than them! Glorious days all around!

I enjoyed games like Mount and Blade Warband - CRPG mod. It had a strategical map where people could run an empire with trade routes, city management and stuff and they could seize armys and move them around and engage in massive mulitplayer medieval combat where up to 100 players per side could control individual warriors on a medieval battlefield. This had depth and was great fun. It needed some time-investment to really get into it - but I guess that's true for most in-depth multiplayer games that support more then a grind-map for levling up your toon.

Here's another thought on the subject.

Imagine if some of the recent attacked stations had a squadron mission to take out the thargoids that attacked the station. You get a USS point to go to. Each squadron instance is its own USS so no risk of multiple squadrons in same instance at the same place. Perhaps the mission would pay 100 mil or something.

If you're a solo player, you can hire NPCs to help you, for a certain percentage of gain from mission, so you could play solo and still do the mission, but it would be a bit more difficult because NPC AIs aren't that smart.

If you're PG/Open, you hire some NPCs and other players to do mission. The NPCs get lesser percentage than players from gains, but other players are (hopefully) better to take out the target, so a multiplayer situation is rewarded essentially with an easier win.

This would make Solo+NPC
Pros: more money to keep for player
Cons: harder to take out enemy

Versus Open/PG+NPC/Player
Pros: easier to take out enemy
Cons: less money per player, players get bigger share than NPCs.

+REP. Very good idea!

False.

Firstly, MMOs offer levels of enemies. This means at level 5, a group of you can go take on level 10s. Harder, more reward. ED is like a MMO with only level 1 enemies.

Secondly MMOs offer roles. There is no need to develop different roles within ED.

I'd say, consider engineering as a kind of levelling. If you are flying a vanilla ship out of the box this is level 1. If you A-grade most of your ship you go through levels 2 to 5. If you start to engineer until grade 3 you go from level 6 to 8. If you get to garde 4 engineering you'll get to levels 9-12. If you finally are fully A-Graded and have mostly grade 4 engineering you'll get until level 18 or so. If you start the grade 5 engineering you'll reach level 20 and beyond.

And I know, there is no sure fired way to measure it. Also I am glad that Elite is NOT your generic MMOG. It would totally suffice to have various NPC threat levels in different security systems and RES sites and makingt the NPC ranks actually have a bit steeper "danger curve".

About roles. I also don't like the basic MMOG concept of roles. It's simplistic. IN ED you can define your role by the way you fit your ship. Fast and light maneuverable racer or agile combat vessel, heavy support tank, heavy trader, light far distance trader or scout ship or explorer, PVE combat-zone tank, healing and support ship, full PvP battle guard, pirate ship, long range sensor and utilitie ship with wake and cargo scanners... and much more. All this builts define a role. I think this is highly superior to a simplistig MMORPGs wizard, fighter, healer, ranger concept.

I'd like to plug a world vs. world option in ED. Factions battling over a large region. There are diverse roles for large groups, small groups, even individual players within the combat instance. Sieges to take points, defense of points, supply protection and theft, scouting, pitched battles, feints, strategy, drama, etc. etc. This is all emergent game play based on a compelling setting and a faction reward system. Regions could be instances with megaships, asteroid fields, ground bases, space stations, alien sites. Low skill entry level players can participate in roaming zergs, experienced players take on the role of commanders issuing orders. It would almost be like the game trailers. It's great fun - but would require a central server...

Exactly. Time for a powerplay rework!

Didn't read all the thread. But I really agree to OP. And I'll definitly look at this one too:

before FDEV implements multiplayer content,
they need to fix how multiplayer "rewards" are distributed

shameless plug to my topic:
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showt...-Learn-from-other-games-how-to-do-Multiplayer

 

[Lucifera Danzig]

The Chapter 1, part 1 livestream explaining wing missions should probably go a long way toward correcting the issues stated in the OP. It's not "splitting the rewards," after all, and there's specific mention of risks and rewards made to best benefit a wing. Yes, you *could* do the missions solo, but it's not going to be easy at all, and will take considerably longer.

Added bonus that all missions now have the option to choose rewards, for those who don't want commodity rewards in their missions.

 

[StiTch]

Wait, what? I was on your side before, but - what? You're saying that nothing can be considered multiplayer content unless it LOCKS OUT single player participation?

Well actually yeah...to a large extent. And to be fair, why not?

I don't understand this "content has to cater to absolutely every type of player at once" lark. Why shouldn't we have missions that explicitly require teamwork? They're called wing missions man, they're for wings. Why do we think that should be handicapped so that solo people can engage them, when there are solo missions in every corner of the bubble and in between? We're not lacking solo missions at all.

It's perfectly fine to create content that caters to a crowd - e.g. those that wish to play co-operatively with others - as long as content is created for others. I would rather create one piece of engaging content for wings, and another single engaging piece for solo players, than have two pieces of content both types of player can technically participate in but is unfulfilling to both.

About roles. I also don't like the basic MMOG concept of roles. It's simplistic. IN ED you can define your role by the way you fit your ship.

To some extent I agree, but most importantly it's what you then actually do.

If x pilot has to haul cargo while y pilot defends him from attack, they have taken on roles regardless of outfitting...and actually having to synergise like that is the multiplayer content the game is missing.

The Chapter 1, part 1 livestream explaining wing missions should probably go a long way toward correcting the issues stated in the OP. It's not "splitting the rewards," after all, and there's specific mention of risks and rewards made to best benefit a wing. Yes, you *could* do the missions solo, but it's not going to be easy at all, and will take considerably longer.

Added bonus that all missions now have the option to choose rewards, for those who don't want commodity rewards in their missions.

So to be fair I was probably being a little dramatic, but my point was still valid.

If we can take these missions on solo, it means that there is no implementation of roles in any form still. What would be far more ideal as "propah" multiplayer content is missions that ask the players to actually work together to achieve an objective. It was summed for me better than I put it myself in another thread:

I think what Stitch is asking for is content that requires a test of your teamwork and coordination skills to accomplish instead of content that merely asks you to bring a certain amount of firepower or ship hulls that either 2 or more players can bring or just 1 player in a super engineered god boat.

Ultimately if it's just missions that are "difficult" or "balanced for a wing", anyone inevitably beyond the standard level of balance will be able to approach it as a solo activity, and we haven't gained anything more than what people can do now sans split rewards.

 

[Lucifera Danzig]

So to be fair I was probably being a little dramatic, but my point was still valid.

If we can take these missions on solo, it means that there is no implementation of roles in any form still. What would be far more ideal as "propah" multiplayer content is missions that ask the players to actually work together to achieve an objective.

I can respect the concept you're trying to bring across, and no, I don't think you're necessarily being dramatic. In fact, the concept does appeal to me, personally. I've always been a cooperative player vs competitive in anything I do.

From what I can see from the livestream though, only the most determined (or perhaps stubborn?) players will have the patience to try wing missions as solo. And my friends and I are very much looking forward to using this new mechanic to do more stuff together than we already are. It's a good start, and they plan on adding more.

 

[Robert Maynard]

From what I can see from the livestream though, only the most determined (or perhaps stubborn?) players will have the patience to try wing missions as solo.

.... or anyone that participates in trade CGs - the Wing transportation missions are probably less onerous than achieving Top 10% - and (when the reward is finalised) probably more profitable.

 

[StiTch]

We're getting Wing missions in Q1 2018 and Squadrons in Q4 2018.... so we need to wait for that.

Thought I'd add a little post-aftermath comment that these never brought us the multiplayer content I've been talking about.

OP stands: still no multiplayer content.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Thought I'd add a little post-aftermath comment that these never brought us the multiplayer content I've been talking about.

OP stands: still no multiplayer content.

Nope, they're still grumpy.

 

[StiTch]

Nope, they're still grumpy.

A grumpy coque is still right twice a day.

And yes, I meant shell. I am a shell. That's what I meant.

 

[Cmdr Lucca1985]

Why don't they create an add on to the game like a patch of the galaxy which is permit locked to all but strengthened wings and introduce a new anarchical pirate bubble with unique gear and stuff , access to which can only be won with battle rep.

Eg. You and a few mates go in to the most outlying systems of this bubble your hopped on by local pirate bands, high end but not impossible. if you lose better luck next time, if you win you gain access to a little bit of that bubble where you can fly without much hassle. Continual Top dog big daddy battles where you can challenge (formally) local lords or ladies for access (or control) of their turf you gain your rep, unlocking ships and guns you can't get in the first bubble.

An anarchy bubble that would be good for teams.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

A grumpy coque is still right twice a day.

And yes, I meant shell. I am a shell. That's what I meant.

I'm like so confused right now.

 

[StiTch]

Why don't they create an add on to the game like a patch of the galaxy which is permit locked to all but strengthened wings and introduce a new anarchical pirate bubble with unique gear and stuff , access to which can only be won with battle rep.

Eg. You and a few mates go in to the most outlying systems of this bubble your hopped on by local pirate bands, high end but not impossible. if you lose better luck next time, if you win you gain access to a little bit of that bubble where you can fly without much hassle. Continual Top dog big daddy battles where you can challenge (formally) local lords or ladies for access (or control) of their turf you gain your rep, unlocking ships and guns you can't get in the first bubble.

An anarchy bubble that would be good for teams.

I don't know why it needs to be an exclusive concept, or confined to l337 pilots...is it that difficult to integrate basic content that asks for basic roles within a team?

I'm like so confused right now.

Good. It means my plan is working.

 

[Cmdr Lucca1985]

I don't know why it needs to be an exclusive concept, or confined to l337 pilots...is it that difficult to integrate basic content that asks for basic roles within a team

I dont know what l337 is

It doesn't just somewhere for wings to go other than the now strict as hell bubble.