Please reconsider fleet carriers for solo players.

[babelfisch]

Every single Squadron starts with only one member.

So unless there is a minimum member requirement the topic is pretty much pointless.

I guess the Squadron UI will be used to manage the fleet carrier anyway.

Personally I'd say fleet carriers should come in different sizes, so a small Squadron can get a fleet carrier as well.

 

[Robert Maynard]

So unless there is a minimum member requirement the topic is pretty much pointless.

.... plus the fact that console players can create as many CMDRs as they can be bothered to (and PC altCMDRs don't cost much when the sales are on).

I guess the Squadron UI will be used to manage the fleet carrier anyway.

Probably - for those Squadron members with the requisite assigned privilege level.

Personally I'd say fleet carriers should come in different sizes, so a small Squadron can get a fleet carrier as well.

I hope so - with modular upgrades, so that the Squadron does not need to buy a new one when they outgrow the current one rather they could just add structural modules to the existing carrier.

 

[yianniv]

I am a lone wolf as well and yet I think fleet carriers shouldn't be owned by individuals in a large number because it hurts the credibility of the Galaxy. Now I could apply the same argument and say it's selfish that you want to to take that credibility away from me.

Credibility in a game is something very subjective. Where should one's credibility stop and another's begin? What if my credibilility wouldn't accept telepresence, or crew magically following you around, or flying ships with no crew and stuck in a chair? no food? drink? coffee? 3 months exploring without a visit to the toilet? (during the first hour of space legs, every CMDR is joining the queue to the restrooms...)

At which point do you say "ok, it's a game?"

 

[babelfisch]

Credibility in a game is something very subjective. Where should one's credibility stop and another's begin? What if my credibilility wouldn't accept telepresence, or crew magically following you around, or flying ships with no crew and stuck in a chair? no food? drink? coffee? 3 months exploring without a visit to the toilet? (during the first hour of space legs, every CMDR is joining the queue to the restrooms...)

At which point do you say "ok, it's a game?"

Certainly not at the point where everyone would be able to easily buy a fleet carrier.

 

[yianniv]

So everyone could also own a Coriolis station because the genie is already out of the bottle?

Admit it: you are on our side, aren't you?

 

[yianniv]

Certainly not at the point where everyone would be able to easily buy a fleet carrier.

As long as I can see, it's not easy at all. First of all, we have to request permission from you, Max and all the other stock holders of FD.

 

[[VR] Mad Mike]

Certainly not at the point where everyone would be able to easily buy a fleet carrier.

i dunno.... i think i can grok a billionaire buying a fleet carrier more than i can accept telepresence accross the galaxy when it is otherwise limited to 3km in an slf and why small packets of exploration data cant be sent using the same system.... <shrugs>. FD gonna do what they gonna do.
(I say this as someone not convinced that a lone player should be able to fly a fleet carrier by themselves either btw)

 

[-VR- Max Factor]

i dunno.... i think i can grok a billionaire buying a fleet carrier more than i can accept telepresence accross the galaxy when it is otherwise limited to 3km in an slf and why small packets of exploration data cant be sent using the same system.... <shrugs>. FD gonna do what they gonna do.
(I say this as someone not convinced that a lone player should be able to fly a fleet carrier by themselves either btw)

I cant stand galaxy wide telepresence either. I am hopeful that will disapear if space legs becomes a thing.

 

[-VR- Max Factor]

As long as I can see, it's not easy at all. First of all, we have to request permission from you, Max and all the other stock holders of FD.

Permission Denied.

 

[yianniv]

Permission Denied.

I'd get my coat but it's 39 deg. C outside...

 

[babelfisch]

i dunno.... i think i can grok a billionaire buying a fleet carrier more than i can accept telepresence accross the galaxy when it is otherwise limited to 3km in an slf and why small packets of exploration data cant be sent using the same system.... <shrugs>. FD gonna do what they gonna do.
(I say this as someone not convinced that a lone player should be able to fly a fleet carrier by themselves either btw)

I would remove telepresence as well...
It's not going to happen though.

Anyway, as I said, I don't have a problem with a billionaire owning a fleet carrier. As long as not everyone is a billionaire.

 

[babelfisch]

I cant stand galaxy wide telepresence either. I am hopeful that will disapear if space legs becomes a thing.

That's what I hope too, Multicrew should only be available if you physically walk into another ship.
It's very unlikely though, because lots of people would be complaining about the loss of comfort.

 

[Old Duck]

Let's consider No Man's Sky. NMS gives (as in literally gives) each player a fleet carrier freighter. I personally think this is the "too easy" mode that Babelfish worries about. However, if FCs were like the NMS freighter before the Oprah Update, where you had to really earn them (they cost a lot), then I think NMS serves as a good model for how solo players can use freighters with an NPC crew. I'm not talking so much about the minute logistics, but rather the big picture of purpose and management.

Taking this back to ED, I suspect "unlocking" a fleet carrier will be a wing mission, as this is the best mechanic in the game for group activity. Thankfully wing missions in ED can also be done by Solo pilots (they were designed this way on purpose), albeit being a much greater undertaking. Repairing a FC (which I imagine can be attacked just like megaships) probably will parallel repairing stations, though hopefully at way less 'cost', which will give true Squadrons an advantage over Solo players owning FCs. In other words, I cannot imagine it being 'easy' for a Solo player to acquire and maintain a fleet carrier, but hopefully it's not impossible, either.

 

[Robert Maynard]

Repairing a FC (which I imagine can be attacked just like megaships) probably will parallel repairing stations, though hopefully at way less 'cost', which will give true Squadrons an advantage over Solo players owning FCs.

If Carriers are persistent and pan-modal then I doubt that they will be able to be damaged by players - as I doubt that Frontier would be able to find space to store the salt mountain that that would inevitably produce.

 

[[VR] Mad Mike]

That's what I hope too, Multicrew should only be available if you physically walk into another ship.
It's very unlikely though, because lots of people would be complaining about the loss of comfort.

gonna get on my soap box and bang my boring drum again... but yet again this is easily solved with npc crew..... give us a choice, either i get my meatsuit onto your ship by meeting up in the same way we would wing up OR if i want some fast action gameplay for 1 session i just dont play as my CMDR and i control your npc crew member, possibly levelling up your crew person while doing it.

IF there is a need to reward me directly (rather than just using it as a karma thing that next session it may be you helping me with levelling up my npc) then just add the money to my bank account &/or give me some rank points but without making any reference to it, it just happens but without being acknowledged in game. (a bit like the money from CQC)

surely win win... its totally plausible if i use my own commander, but equally still instantly accessible if you just want some short term gameplay without faff....

 

[babelfisch]

gonna get on my soap box and bang my boring drum again... but yet again this is easily solved with npc crew..... give us a choice, either i get my meatsuit onto your ship by meeting up in the same way we would wing up OR if i want some fast action gameplay for 1 session i just dont play as my CMDR and i control your npc crew member, possibly levelling up your crew person while doing it.

IF there is a need to reward me directly (rather than just using it as a karma thing that next session it may be you helping me with levelling up my npc) then just add the money to my bank account &/or give me some rank points but without making any reference to it, it just happens but without being acknowledged in game. (a bit like the money from CQC)

surely win win... its totally plausible if i use my own commander, but equally still instantly accessible if you just want some short term gameplay without faff....

That would work.

 

[-VR- Max Factor]

Let's consider No Man's Sky. NMS gives (as in literally gives) each player a fleet carrier freighter. I personally think this is the "too easy" mode that Babelfish worries about. However, if FCs were like the NMS freighter before the Oprah Update, where you had to really earn them (they cost a lot), then I think NMS serves as a good model for how solo players can use freighters with an NPC crew. I'm not talking so much about the minute logistics, but rather the big picture of purpose and management.

Taking this back to ED, I suspect "unlocking" a fleet carrier will be a wing mission, as this is the best mechanic in the game for group activity. Thankfully wing missions in ED can also be done by Solo pilots (they were designed this way on purpose), albeit being a much greater undertaking. Repairing a FC (which I imagine can be attacked just like megaships) probably will parallel repairing stations, though hopefully at way less 'cost', which will give true Squadrons an advantage over Solo players owning FCs. In other words, I cannot imagine it being 'easy' for a Solo player to acquire and maintain a fleet carrier, but hopefully it's not impossible, either.

I wouldn't like to use NMS as a basis personally. I really do not like the game and don't think its a good model to use.

 

[Alien]

Let's consider No Man's Sky. NMS gives (as in literally gives) each player a fleet carrier freighter. I personally think this is the "too easy" mode that Babelfish worries about. However, if FCs were like the NMS freighter before the Oprah Update, where you had to really earn them (they cost a lot), then I think NMS serves as a good model for how solo players can use freighters with an NPC crew. I'm not talking so much about the minute logistics, but rather the big picture of purpose and management.

Taking this back to ED, I suspect "unlocking" a fleet carrier will be a wing mission, as this is the best mechanic in the game for group activity. Thankfully wing missions in ED can also be done by Solo pilots (they were designed this way on purpose), albeit being a much greater undertaking. Repairing a FC (which I imagine can be attacked just like megaships) probably will parallel repairing stations, though hopefully at way less 'cost', which will give true Squadrons an advantage over Solo players owning FCs. In other words, I cannot imagine it being 'easy' for a Solo player to acquire and maintain a fleet carrier, but hopefully it's not impossible, either.

Surely a better comparison would be X4, where you start off in a single one-man fighter, the smallest ship in the game (yes there are other game starts available) and you can work your way up to capital ships and entire fleets and owning huge sectors of space. All within a single-player game.
Surely that is the better comparison to solo players in Elite Dangerous owning fleet carriers?

 

[[VR] Mad Mike]

I keep meaning to look into X4. in some ways probably a better fit for me................. its just..... not elite (and i would miss elites sublime VR, am not sure i can go back to flat screen now)

 

[Old Duck]

Surely that is the better comparison to solo players in Elite Dangerous owning fleet carriers?

Beats me, there is no X4 on PS4.