Features v. Gameplay

Flippimonkey

Flippimonkey
There is a lot of "Feature" demand in Space Games. I think that's is because there is an assumption that gameplay or rather interesting gameplay is dependent on the features of a game.

I beg to differ. I think it is what is done with a feature(s) and how it is implemented that can help support gameplay, but the gameplay has to already be there. So if ED delivers all the asked for features, would it not still just be a grind?

I would have rather the first thing added to ED after release be player crafting. After that a player run economy where players can buy, sell, and trade amongst each other and the world. Then an expansion of materials and items for players to craft and manufacture, and add player "corporations". Then I would have added Horizons w/ it expanding on the existing gameplay like exploration, combat, trade and crafting. Then Powerplay with each faction (Alliance, Empire, and Federation) having their own unique brands of equipment and components. I would then add ship interiors for "player housing" (micro-transaction city BABY!!!) and on the road crafting as well as functionality to support existing gameplay . Obviously multicrew would be at the same time or shortly after. Spend a year or so bug smashing, QoL, and a graphics uplift. Somewhere in that year also expand cash shop shamelessly but only for cosmetics. Finally I would add On-Foot feature to expand on all already existing gameplay, etc...

ED could pretty much have never gotten a single "feature" update and made huge leaps in gameplay variety and depth. All from an arm chair screaming through space at a trillion miles per hour....

Like this post :D
 
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gorankar

gorankar
Features, game mechanics, are what we use to enable or enhance gameplay. I am not sure where you are going with this. You complain that more features would just lead to more grind, then go on to propose new features which will lead to more grind. Help me understand.

Or is this more a matter of just asking, "How many pints were involved in this?"....
 

Flippimonkey

Flippimonkey
gorankar said:
Features, game mechanics, are what we use to enable or enhance gameplay. I am not sure where you are going with this. You complain that more features would just lead to more grind, then go on to propose new features which will lead to more grind. Help me understand.

Or is this more a matter of just asking, "How many pints were involved in this?"....
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Your response has illustrated my point perfectly.
 

metatheurgist

metatheurgist
I would have rather the first thing added to ED after release be player crafting. After that a player run economy where players can buy, sell, and trade amongst each other and the world. Then an expansion of materials and items for players to craft and manufacture, and add player "corporations".
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You are describing an entirely different game there.
 

JTFireblaze

J
Everything you have suggested in your original post are features though

  • Crafting
  • Player trading
  • Player housing
  • Multicrew

These are all features.

When a feature is developed it enables gameplay. The two are linked.

Crafting and player trading would lead to a dynamic player economy which I think would be awesome. Gatherers can collect materials and sell to the crafters, crafters make the modules and sell to players. However you'll be slapped down by the "It's Elite not EVE" crowd shortly.

I don't think I need to specify the gameplay opportunities that could come from a working multicrew feature, but if that old thing worked... Crew balanced missions, social gameplay that required teamwork, even the simple act of having another soul aboard your ship could lessen the effects of currency grind.
 

Flippimonkey

Flippimonkey
JTFireblaze said:
Everything you have suggested in your original post are features though

  • Crafting
  • Player trading
  • Player housing
  • Multicrew

These are all features.

When a feature is developed it enables gameplay. The two are linked.

Crafting and player trading would lead to a dynamic player economy which I think would be awesome. Gatherers can collect materials and sell to the crafters, crafters make the modules and sell to players. However you'll be slapped down by the "It's Elite not EVE" crowd shortly.

I don't think I need to specify the gameplay opportunities that could come from a working multicrew feature, but if that old thing worked... Crew balanced missions, social gameplay that required teamwork, even the simple act of having another soul aboard your ship could lessen the effects of currency grind.
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Touche! & Thank you!

I am. I state as much in the second line. Those are indeed features tightly linked to gameplay. More importantly they expand / evolve on gameplay. Frillop Freyraum mentioned pointless fluff and that is the distinction I was looking for. What is the point of adding ship interiors if it leads to grind? We already have currency grind. Does it add say a module so one person flies and the other uses the discovery scanner thing? Okay, for what? To turn in data to get credits... Nothing new there. Maybe add a turret to some ships. A player could man one of those. To help kill bounties to turn them in for credits...

It all comes back to currency grind. The core gameplay loop is to do a thing to get currency to do more of a thing to get more currency. Every feature feeds that loop and that loop is the only consequential feature of Elite. Everything else is just fluff.

If a player could go into ED from "start", and acquire most anything (ships and gear) through exploration, gathering, crafting, and trade, and never once spend a single credit in-game, say aside from respawn costs, it would be impressive. Basically the ultimate solo or group effort. A true lone wolf or lone rangers........
 
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JTFireblaze

J
Flippimonkey said:
If a player could go into ED from "start" and never once spend a single credit in-game, say aside from respawn costs, it would be impressive. Basically the ultimate solo or group effort. A true lone wolf or lone rangers........
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Well, technically if you only played in Multicrew... Or were some kind of masochist and stuck with the default sidewinder.
 

Flippimonkey

Flippimonkey
JTFireblaze said:
Well, technically if you only played in Multicrew... Or were some kind of masochist and stuck with the default sidewinder.
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Yeah, I forgot to add, and acquire most anything through exploration, gathering, crafting, and trade. That might have been important to add. I think I will!!
 
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