Modes Time to get clarification questions in

[Jockey79]

What is a Squadron?

A Squadron is a group of Commanders who want to band together and organise themselves in-game. This might be to play together, or to focus on certain types of gameplay such as bounty hunting, Community Goals, or perhaps rescuing Commanders who find themselves out of fuel.

The idea of Squadrons is to provide a series of features that support multiplayer organisation and gameplay. In this Focused Feedback forum, we’ll be covering the creation and management of Squadrons.

How do I create a Squadron?

Once Squadrons are introduced they will have their own full screen GUI page. When opening this without having joined a Squadron you will have the option to search for a Squadron to join or to create your own. Creating your own Squadron will involve paying a credit fee (amount to be decided) and then setting the following values.

Squadron name: This has to be a unique name that cannot be changed once the Squadron is created.
Squadron ID: A short ID or tag.
Language: The primary language the Squadron will communicate in.
Attitude: Choose from a pre-set list of attitudes. The list is currently – Relaxed, Family, and Devoted.
Tags: Each Squadron will be able to select a few tags from a wider list. This list includes elements such as “PvP”, “Bounty Hunting” and timezones such as “UTC+3”.
Superpower: Choose one of the following: Empire, Federation, Alliance or Independent.

Our list of tags is a work in progress, what tags would you be keen to see?

Once all of these values have been set and the Commander is happy, the credit fee is paid and the Squadron is created. The Commander who creates the Squadron will be automatically assigned as the Squadron leader.

At no point does this say it is mode locked (or anywhere else in the post).
And all of it could easily apply to someone in Solo mode or a Private Group.

Could we access a new GUI in Solo / PG? - Well we can access the Engineering and Galnet one there, so I'd say yes to this one.
Could we focus on CGs in Solo / PG? - Well we can now, so an in game GUI to do it would be great, so I'd say yes as well
And so on.....

So now is the time to post your ideas and get clarification over whether this feature is for open mode only, or for everyone.
And what you'd like to see in the feature.

 

[ALGOMATIC]

At no point does this say it is mode locked (or anywhere else in the post).
And all of it could easily apply to someone in Solo mode or a Private Group.

Could we access a new GUI in Solo / PG? - Well we can access the Engineering and Galnet one there, so I'd say yes to this one.
Could we focus on CGs in Solo / PG? - Well we can now, so an in game GUI to do it would be great, so I'd say yes as well
And so on.....

So now is the time to post your ideas and get clarification over whether this feature is for open mode only, or for everyone.
And what you'd like to see in the feature.

Do they have their own megaship and can it be attacked directly/indirectly?
If the answer is NO to one of those questions than modes are irrelavant since these are just name tags basically.

 

[Jockey79]

Do they have their own megaship and can it be attacked directly/indirectly?
If the answer is NO to one of those questions than modes are irrelavant since these are just name tags basically.

The whole idea of mega-ships has be a tad perplexed tbh.

A ship that potentially exists in all modes, all instances, in all platforms.... is going to be a nightmare to defend if it's in a busy spot (aka a PP home system, or Jameson).

I can see the use of them out in the black. Exploration Squads will have a great time with them.
But folks who don't go far but may still want one - are going to have issues.

 

[Alex DeVries]

I would think a ship that existed in all modes/platforms etc would be almost undefendable, certainly not for the more casul players/groups. Unless there was an ability to make it dissapear when no members were online it could be a major drawback to owning that type of ship.
Would the mega-ship be optional or is it still way too early to be worried

 

[Goose4291]

The whole idea of mega-ships has be a tad perplexed tbh.

A ship that potentially exists in all modes, all instances, in all platforms.... is going to be a nightmare to defend if it's in a busy spot (aka a PP home system, or Jameson).

I can see the use of them out in the black. Exploration Squads will have a great time with them.
But folks who don't go far but may still want one - are going to have issues.

More so because theyre doing them as seperate focus feedback sessions.

Should have just dumped everything out in one hit so we can query the issues of interconnection these features will have rather than drip feeding hype building focus feedbacks.

 

[Jockey79]

I would think a ship that existed in all modes/platforms etc would be almost undefendable, certainly not for the more casul players/groups. Unless there was an ability to make it dissapear when no members were online it could be a major drawback to owning that type of ship.
Would the mega-ship be optional or is it still way too early to be worried

See, as I'm part of a small group that sticks in the main bubble.
I'd prefer a surface outpost over a mega-ship any day.

A nice ground base, lots of turrets, easy to maintain.
That would be more our speed than some massive ship.

 

[Warm Considering]

See, as I'm part of a small group that sticks in the main bubble.
I'd prefer a surface outpost over a mega-ship any day.

A nice ground base, lots of turrets, easy to maintain.
That would be more our speed than some massive ship.

Ohh! Terrestrial base building! That'd be awesome! No, seriously, it'd be TOTALLY COOL MAN! And I'm way too dignified to type in all caps, so that tells you how awesomesauce it would really be.

And seriously, there are more than enough moons and rocky planets to go 'round! Every player could have their moon base in the bubble, and we'd still have some to spare! Much less squadrons.

 

[Roybe]

I'm seeing Squadrons as nothing other than a management tool for player groups...in-game communications and membership management.

Until we hear more about the Carriers, I am keeping with my belief that they will behave like mega-ships (that we already have in the game), be moveable a number of LY's once a week with the tick, and indefensible due to being like any other station or outpost...available in all instances and 'modes', possible with automated responses to attack without damage to the carrier itself...or worse, no damage can be done to them and they have no response whatsoever.

In all cases, there is nothing that will change the state of the game...including PVP...

 

[Jockey79]

I'm seeing Squadrons as nothing other than a management tool for player groups...in-game communications and membership management.

Yup, a simple guild interface.

Which if memory serves, didn't Frontier once say they didn't want Guilds & player owned structures?
Yet Squadrons & mega ships seems an awful lot like it, just renamed to fit Elite.

 

[Han_Zen]

Yup, a simple guild interface.

Which if memory serves, didn't Frontier once say they didn't want Guilds & player owned structures?
Yet Squadrons & mega ships seems an awful lot like it, just renamed to fit Elite.

They haven't actually said that the squadron carriers are mega ships. If they are just regular but very large ships, they can be spawned by the players and not by the system(Stellar forge).

If their signal source is like a wing beacon only visible to squad members, it makes the implementation simpler.

 

[Brrokk]

I expect squadrons to still exist in solo mode; why shouldn't a squadron member play in different modes at various times?

And I guess squadron carriers will be invulnerable. Otherwise I could destroy someone's carrier while in a different mode or instance, or at 3am.

Maybe carriers will exist in their own instances which only squadron members can see from supercruise?

 

[Rhino Hammer]

It's an interesting dilemma. Between instances and modes, how can you defend or even arrive at your squadron carrier if it a vulnerable ship? Even if it's only in Open, how can you instance to attack or defend a squadron carrier? I'm very curious to see how they handle this.

 

[Roybe]

Yup, a simple guild interface.

Which if memory serves, didn't Frontier once say they didn't want Guilds & player owned structures?
Yet Squadrons & mega ships seems an awful lot like it, just renamed to fit Elite.

The problem with guilds, according to Braben, was his concern for there being stasis in their control of space/systems.

There is no control in this game...only influence.

Allowing guidls to exist, but not control, maintains the basic design...but improves the QoL for player group management.

Until we see the design ideas behind the Carriers...not much to talk about.

 

[Roybe]

They haven't actually said that the squadron carriers are mega ships. If they are just regular but very large ships, they can be spawned by the players and not by the system(Stellar forge).

If their signal source is like a wing beacon only visible to squad members, it makes the implementation simpler.

Only time will tell on this...I am not in agreement with you on this...but, anything is possible..until it isn't.

 

[Roybe]

It's an interesting dilemma. Between instances and modes, how can you defend or even arrive at your squadron carrier if it a vulnerable ship? Even if it's only in Open, how can you instance to attack or defend a squadron carrier? I'm very curious to see how they handle this.

This is why most people think it will be a mega-ship related item. It can be moved once a week with the tick, it is 'posted' in all 'modes' as well as instances...the more interesting idea is whether they are connected to the BGS at all...if not they are just a transport and repair platform...if they are connected into the BGS then they become more interesting as a way to run missions, buy ships, have a market, etc.

I expect squadrons to still exist in solo mode; why shouldn't a squadron member play in different modes at various times?

And I guess squadron carriers will be invulnerable. Otherwise I could destroy someone's carrier while in a different mode or instance, or at 3am.

Maybe carriers will exist in their own instances which only squadron members can see from supercruise?

Squadrons will ignore 'modes'...it's just a management tool for guilds...it doesn't care who people decide to play with....

 

[EUS]

Squadron of one.

Makes perfect sense.

Like the multi-billionaire who buys his own island to house his fleet of jets, and since one currently cannot have their own base (in whatever form), there's no reason to not allow it.

 

[Roybe]

Here's one thing clarified:

Hi,

We are not proposing changing instancing so that more players can join an instance at this time.

Adam

 

[Goose4291]

Like the multi-billionaire who buys his own island to house his fleet of jets, and since one currently cannot have their own base (in whatever form), there's no reason to not allow it.

The problem is

(i) We dont yet know how carriers will interact with game mechanics.
(ii) If they do what's to stop a single player group of 10 people starting their own individual wings to get the carrier benefit each, giving them potentially ten times the edge?

 

[Jockey79]

The problem is

(i) We dont yet know how carriers will interact with game mechanics.
(ii) If they do what's to stop a single player group of 10 people starting their own individual wings to get the carrier benefit each, giving them potentially ten times the edge?

Hence why I said, go get those questions in now.
And we need to keep asking until we get an answer.

 

[CMDR EDGEL0RD]

It is kinda funny for Fdev to starting discussion on minor functionality before discussing or at least outlining their purpose.