Historically, what FDev were attempting in E-D (ie) mixing PvP and PvE communities in a forced environment has never worked...
Elite certainly is an odd fish; square pegs and round holes at a fundamental level, e.g. their difficulties with narrative in a game system that frankly doesn't suit narrative, plus this odd intersection - both mixed and yet separated - of MP, SP, and privates.
This is all mixed with a general rise in toxic multiplayer behaviour in practically all games. A change in attitude of the player base becoming more feral, too many developers promoting purely adversarial and competitive individual gameplay tied to leaderboards and kill/death ratios?...Who can tell.
Too broad an off-topic topic for this thread, but I'd say 'blame the internet'; an incredible example of technological progress, but with some horridly toxic, divisive, destructive social and psychological side-effects, largely arising from how the medium empowers anonymity. Due to that, it is also a perfect conduit and enabler for the very worst of human nature.
And if a board game analogy won't work for you, take literally any other open world game where players can attack each other... quite a few have punishments for doing so(logging),do they not?
How many IP's have the same design ethos as Elite, though? List 'em if you can, and we'll go through whether their punishment methods can be applied fairly and practically to Elite.
What is FDev's official position on it? And what, if any, punishments have been dished out in the past? I get the impression they don't put their money where there mouth is on this.
Provided people keep video records of loggers, I've no idea why this hasn't been solved long ago. If there's video evidence, a formal complaint/ticket, and analytics to demonstrate someone's been combat logging, kicking them - as has been suggested - to Solo/Private for a month or so (with further violations increasing the severity) seems a no-brainer fix.
Or, the inclusion of a PvE mode, or PvE/PvP player flag. I agree more options should be trialed, at least. But as it stands? Logging's essentially just like mode flipping to me; basic exploitation (no hacks) of the fact that we're engaging with a videogame system.
(I used to play SFIV online, btw, so I have been on the end of quitters tapping out early to try to protect their records. in a fighter I'd say it's much worse than in Elite, given you're
always both going into the bout knowing it's versus and your record's on the line, and the worst you should have to deal with is cheesing and spamming)
One last time, before I bail on this nonsense: If you refuse to improve your ship and your skills, the game offers both solo and private modes so you don't have to cheat.
If anyone here would like a little guidance, I will help you build a tough ship and learn how to escape danger. All it takes is a PM, and a positive attitude.
That sounds an awful lot like 'git gud'...
I'm all for players using critical thought to improve their chances in the game, and yes, whilst I'm now a fairly decent combat pilot I stick to Solo because I've no interest with running ganker gauntlets (RP'ing pirates are fine). I have 'got gud' yet Open's reputation still keeps me away from it, and I know many others feel similar. Gaming time is valuable, and I'd like to only spend it with decent folk, not selfish, bullying numpties.
Defending by accepting gankers - which is essentially what you seem to be doing - will not improve, or grow, this community. If practical, impactful tracking and punishments of actual combat loggers is introduced, then I'd like to see a similar system for gankers; there is no real need for Elite to be some tedious wild west - it is a game environment which can be curated/nurtured, not a frikkin' social experiment (the results would be 'people mostly suck' if it were... ).
