So about C&P and various "clever ideas how we can put these guys down"... Stop, please.
I think they should be locked in actual prison systems with a special sidewinder with a Supercruise-only drive (no hyperspace drive) and they have to do missions and activities in the system to pay their fines to get out. That would make million dollar fines a pain in the a** and actually mean something.
I'd agree, untill I was at the end of the stick. These being new players, they are probably driven away in droves. Not something I'd want as a developer.
And which in-game rule have they broken? Because it's totally on as
@Tobias Saffron quite eloquently put it, for creating a sandbox where you really cannot drive your plastic shovel smack on the head of other rug-rat who is constantly kicking your sand castle you try to build. Consequences-free world, truly a dystopia. They have created the indestructable fleet carriers and meaningless C&P system which is also a simulation of our real world law - small ones get caught, big ones laugh and ask for a snap on another wrist.
I am also 100% sure that game taking away someone's FSD would totally not be "slavery" and "imprisonement" and would surely not drive players out of game. I always say if you want to go all-out on punishments, by all means do but flesh out "criminal career" and "lawful career" first... One can dream, can I? That a proper notoriety system would exist which puts more severe restrictions on repeated player killers, but ALSO opens up very high-risk criminal opportunities where you can easily die (think bank heist irl) ultimately leading to new gameplay loops - avoiding hi-sec systems and bounty hunters? That a proper "lawful respect" system would exist which gives you trade and authorities but ALSO paints a target on your back for the people from the former group, for assassination purposes? All the unlawful see in elite is the end of the stick, and criminal activities do not pay really well, they're also of little consequence to anything... but if we want a dystopia where there's no evil, something almost straight out of Minority Report, then, well... it sounds boring.
Don't do it FDEV. "It's a cuthroat galaxy" "Blaze you're own trail" will ring hollow. First bit of emergent gameplay for years and it's going to be crushed
This could have been great, slaver carriers vs liberator carriers, all tracking each other through the galaxy, battling for the souls of the gullible. Just let it alone FD.
And FWIW, as an exploration carrier owner, I can tell you that my carrier has a slave too. ME. How about you free me from my endentured servitude (upkeep and mining Petril or whatever they call it these days) while you are at it?
I think they way it's exploded into the media (especially that one article that labelled it "slavery") meant that PR wise they had to be seen to do something.
"Will ring hollow"? It rings hollow for a few years now.
I also see this as a wasted opportunity - the only one reaction should be galnet article warning people, and helping player-driven initiatives. Support also could contact the people affected and offer them a "ride home", though with the existence of benevolent players with their fleet carriers like
@varonica who I recall went to rescue a stranded cmdr previously, groups like Fuel Rats and Hull Seals - it isn't really necessary for a "hand of god" approach. If they wanted, they could organise an in-game event of rescuing the slaves, I think Federation would be most interested in leading a show of force mission, bringing the perpetrators to justice, trial etc. (galnet lore), and if the public is that bloodthirsty, as a result of these trials stripping the players of their carriers or even wiping their saves... But that's really harsh for in-game behaviour, unless there's dirty evidence we're not aware of, like chat abuse or something. But as
@Bigmaec wrote, half of Borann should be shadowbanned by that standard.
This whole issue also underpins the weakness of the tutorials which weren't looked upon for ages. Why not ask the community for the scenarios, and teach the importance of fuel scoop and a rebuy. Do a simulated rebuy event, make the player do 2-3 missions to recoup the cost or something... It would go a long way. Even the voice-over character should warn people that "not everybody you meet in space will be kind" or any other similar "wisdom".
This "hands of god approach" is hilarious while bots are running rampant, powerplay loopholes are being exploited since forever, combat logging is a thing, gankers ganking and bragging about bounties (that's actuall okay in my book, they're within the rules of the sandbox created). But a carrier owner coming up with a scheme? BAN THE HERETIC because "think of the children"? Seriously?
As said, the whole story is mildly amusing to me. If there were threats, and abusive talk etc, a ban is ok.
The mere extorting of players to work for them is quite fitting for the dystopian setting.
Unless the dystopian setting you aim for is one where evil is completely eliminated by the power of an all-seeing-god
As you point out, unless the 'slavers' asked for money, ARX, were idiots in ingame chat (i.e. use abusive language) then I don't get it. FD seem to want emergent gameplay but don't like emergent gameplay that is not looking at planets. My guess is that (just like DE) it embarrassed FD enough to warrant slapped wrists.
It would be nice for FD to actually clarify what they see as being 'acceptable' because otherwise its yet another straitjacket. I'd also be interested in knowing if they (FD) took Discord behaviour into account as well, which would be outside the remit I imagine(?)
It is ironic though that Zemina uses slaves to mine. Will anyone think of the children?
Quite right cmdr.........Remember the Gnosis!!
It's a game, in a few month's time we're gonna be jumping out from behind rocks & shooting player's in the head. There has & will be worst things that happen in ED than this 'slavery' b.s.
Some people never learn......be careful what you wish for........a carebear version of ED will be the death of the game for sure!
The Gnosis is the most exemplary reason of in-game deceit I couldn't think of a better one myself. Well, maybe the free anaconda at Hutton.
PLEASE FDEV DON'T SHADOWBAN ME!
And regarding jumping out from behind rocks... I won't be at all surprised if it will be PvE like destiny with a few "crucible-like" PvP zones thrown in to placate PvPers. I don't care either way, but I think some will be sorely disappointed.
I'd also like to hear an official stance from a community manager on this issue,
@Arthur Tolmie could you weight in on this? Is Elite shooting for the PG-3 rating right now? If we are to be playing within a set of rules, please define them, not act as a schizophrenic game admin who chooses the evil he wants to deal with, completely ignoring the others.
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