Powerplay proposal: split tasks to suit each mode, elaborates on Sandros last ideas

[Bashy81]

Indeed - players in other modes don't get to perform direct Powerplay activities, merely peripherally affect Powerplay via the BGS with none of the Powerplay rank rewards.

.... are those players expected to remain engaged in a feature that they don't receive rewards for or might they just do their own thing with respect to the BGS regardless of how it affects Powerplay?

... as it stands they would receive far more income by continuing to supporting the BGS factions they'd become allied with, and yeah, they would remain engaged. A lot of players come to powerplay because theyve achieved their individual goals, and/or want to do things to help a cause.

Theyre not put off by their Power's NPCs calling them scum regardless of rank or time-served. So why would they be put off by having a rank or not, especially when it is only visible to you, and have to go into a side panel, a menu, and then two further sub menus to actually see it!

Besides, the OP isnt proposing OpenOnly. The OP allows for full status & ranks for all pledges in all modes, regardless.

 

[Northpin]

Besides, the OP isnt proposing OpenOnly. The OP allows for full status & ranks for all pledges in all modes, regardless.

No?
Au contraire. OP is proposing that all current PP activities and tasks will be OPEN ONLY
In exchange he's throwing some solo/pg missions to the solo/pg crowd.

No thank you. As i said, no mode only activities/tasks/missions/gameplay.
The modes are here not to separate gameplay, but to separate players and it is the core feature of ED.

In this proposal, all tasks that are done today are done in Open only here. So fortifying, prepping, UM, expansions are done on a level playing field (or as near to one as you can get technology wise).

 

[Rubbernuke]

Why not integrate PvP into PP? Get PvP to have value to the players, and PP. Adding on a layer of content, rather than separating content by mode.

This can be done by rewarding PvP engagements between PP Commanders. Give the victorious Cmdr three PvP Voucher to the winner, and one to the vanquished, offering incentive to participate. These vouchers would be redeemable for PP ingluence, or merits.

There is no need to buy into the notion that one mode is any different than the other through PvE bucket filling. Add a PvP layer.

But this changes nothing from now- the whole point of having open only is to promote team play, not keep the things that allow you to sidestep it.

 

[Rubbernuke]

As I said, modes should not be touched. No mode only gameplay/features

But you already do with CQC.

 

[Rubbernuke]

Indeed - players in other modes don't get to perform direct Powerplay activities, merely peripherally affect Powerplay via the BGS with none of the Powerplay rank rewards.

.... are those players expected to remain engaged in a feature that they don't receive rewards for or might they just do their own thing with respect to the BGS regardless of how it affects Powerplay?

And, in this outline Solo players keep the same rewards as Open players, vote the same, maintain optimum levels for allocations / bonuses etc, do the BGS all through the variety of the mission system. Open players then do the deliveries and the risky stuff against other players directly. Since no NPC can match players why try?

 

[Rubbernuke]

No?
Au contraire. OP is proposing that all current PP activities and tasks will be OPEN ONLY
In exchange he's throwing some solo/pg missions to the solo/pg crowd.

No thank you. As i said, no mode only activities/tasks/missions/gameplay.
The modes are here not to separate gameplay, but to separate players and it is the core feature of ED.

'In exchange he's throwing some solo/pg missions to the solo/pg crowd' is a pretty nice chunk of content. Its far more varied, can have a heavy RP Power flavour, actually suit NPC interactions (rather than try to make them fit haphazardly in hauling forts which offer no resistance- i.e. there is no chance of asuccessful NPC interception making each delivery 100% guaranteed).

Lets break down what 'current PP activities and tasks' actually are in solo:

1: Shoot the same NPCs in CZs endlessly

2: Haul prep /fortification cargo endlessly

No RP flavour (all NPCs say and act in the same way).

How does that compare with having features from the whole game to help your power via the BGS and the CG idea? How is that bad, actually making the tasks fit what we have better? The whole reason the open portion works is because of the interaction between players- the planning and use of ships /skill to get through. With the simplistic goals its a much better fit.

 

[Mohrgan]

But this changes nothing from now- the whole point of having open only is to promote team play, not keep the things that allow you to sidestep it.

All is lost then. The basic design of the game allows for avoiding that.

 

[Mohrgan]

But you already do with CQC.

CQC/Arena is a separate part of the game, not a mode.

 

[Stigbob]

No thank you. As i said, no mode only activities/tasks/missions/gameplay. The modes are here not to separate gameplay, but to separate players and it is the core feature of ED.

This, its a complete non-starter.

 

[Hooplah]

After years playing this silly game I decided to go to Power Play being a noob doing it. I'm with Asling Duval looking for those spiffy Prismatic shields. Otherwise I couldn't care. I know what I am doing and play in Open but no one ever bothers me. I go to a system with my PP ID regarding me as hostile and no NPC ever bothers me. Yawn.

As Power Play updates every thursday I figure maybe there are some opponents while I start on the next week making merits. They know where I am going to collect propaganda versus where to deliver them. Alas I'm alone in space. Yawn.

Maybe some griefers could work this but alas they are happy seal clubbing new players arriving at engineering stations. Advanced game play might be too much for them.

Next thursday I'm coming on week 4. Make my day..

Meanwhile on my second PC account I'm in Colonia 7km out from the mail slot in my engineered Python and no live players here. Yawn.

Regards

 

[Hanerib]

It's like there are these dead horses in every direction. Should people stop beating them? What does it all mean.

 

[Sylow]

Quite an interesting concept. But as others already said, unfortunately very unlikely that FD will ever spend that much effort on PP. I mean, this is above and beyond all they have ever invested into it yet.

 

[Bashy81]

Quite an interesting concept. But as others already said, unfortunately very unlikely that FD will ever spend that much effort on PP. I mean, this is above and beyond all they have ever invested into it yet.

The OP is all about retooling existing assets. No changes to main menus required, no voice acting, no new cockpit mode or exploding rocks.
And speaking of that, theyd never lifted a finger to update exploration or mining either. Until they did. A number of complaints on earlier discussions called for these things to get updates first. Well theyve had it, for good or bad.
PP now sticks out more than ever as most left-behind, or at the front of the queue, if you will. How many powers have to collapse and be cannibalised before fdev bite the bullet?

 

[Rubbernuke]

All is lost then. The basic design of the game allows for avoiding that.

Exactly. Its why having a mode that offers nothing in opposition in a feature about team play leads to inequality. If PP NPCs can't be upgraded to be harder, have more effective AI or are constrained by the weak opportunities they are given to attack you then its better to tip that on its head and make more of it elsewhere.

 

[Rubbernuke]

This, its a complete non-starter.

Quite, from the person who never plays Powerplay.

 

[Rubbernuke]

After years playing this silly game I decided to go to Power Play being a noob doing it. I'm with Asling Duval looking for those spiffy Prismatic shields. Otherwise I couldn't care. I know what I am doing and play in Open but no one ever bothers me. I go to a system with my PP ID regarding me as hostile and no NPC ever bothers me. Yawn.

As Power Play updates every thursday I figure maybe there are some opponents while I start on the next week making merits. They know where I am going to collect propaganda versus where to deliver them. Alas I'm alone in space. Yawn.

Maybe some griefers could work this but alas they are happy seal clubbing new players arriving at engineering stations. Advanced game play might be too much for them.

Next thursday I'm coming on week 4. Make my day..

Meanwhile on my second PC account I'm in Colonia 7km out from the mail slot in my engineered Python and no live players here. Yawn.

Regards

All of this is down to Powerplays current flaws:

I go to a system with my PP ID regarding me as hostile and no NPC ever bothers me. Yawn.

PP NPCs are weak, and only go after you if you hold merits or have a Power bounty. So if you are sat there doing nothing they'll leave you alone. Note as well interdictions by PPNPCs are vanishingly rare.

As Power Play updates every thursday I figure maybe there are some opponents while I start on the next week making merits. They know where I am going to collect propaganda versus where to deliver them. Alas I'm alone in space. Yawn.

Currently they don't, because its all diffused in normal play. PP hot spots are normally places like expansions between rival power groups. The changes outlined drastically condense down these areas to your capital, expansions, prep areas or uncapped UM sites.

Maybe some griefers could work this but alas they are happy seal clubbing new players arriving at engineering stations. Advanced game play might be too much for them.

So, are you talking about Powerplay, or is this another thinly disguised rant about something else?

 

[Stigbob]

Quite, from the person who never plays Powerplay.

To be frank its from the person who knew what he was buying.

 

[Rubbernuke]

It's like there are these dead horses in every direction. Should people stop beating them? What does it all mean.

It means FD should pay attention to the features they introduce, and actually design them robustly the first time round rather than shove it out half formed and disown it minutes later.

 

[Rubbernuke]

To be frank its from the person who knew what he was buying.

Thats the thing. No-one knew Powerplay was coming, and after nearly 5 years its flaws are easy to spot if you engaged with the feature. I've suggested complete overhauls from every conceivable angle, and this is as close as it gets in comparison to the proposal that FD themselves said they were mostly happy with.

 

[Stigbob]

Thats the thing. No-one knew Powerplay was coming, and after nearly 5 years its flaws are easy to spot if you engaged with the feature. I've suggested complete overhauls from every conceivable angle, and this is as close as it gets in comparison to the proposal that FD themselves said they were mostly happy with.

We all knew (or should have) the game came with equal modes, platforms, time zones and geographic servers all accessible via one shared BGS.