NOTE: I created this thread giving my opinion on CQC since I didn't see the "CQC 5.5 years old. Update 1 due yet?" one (see link), so I'm sorry for not checking more throroughly in this subforum. Since I already shared my ideas in the other thread, I don't mind if this one is deleted. It also includes my feelings about this game mode tho, so feel free to come and share.
I'm new to this forum, and I hope to participate in future discussions to share my opinions on the game, updates, experiences in outer space and so on. But oh, my... This game mode needs some attention. It has so much wasted potential, and as far as I know it's been in this state of abandonment for a long time, for most of its lifetime. This is yet another complain thread to add to the pile. See, my CQC rank is displayed in the systems panel, and that's basically the only effect it has on the main game apart from the pitiful amount of credits I get. But I don't mind at all dedicating this first post to this topic, even if it's going to be forgotten in less than a week.
People don't play CQC ("oh, you don't say!"), and there is really little incentive to do so. I'm giving it a try and wanna keep doing it for as long as possible, or at least until I reach Prestige I and get the coveted permit. The queue time is so long that I'm afraid I won't play it as often once I achieved my goal. Even tho it offers the purest PvP experience you can get in this game, a very leveled ground for proving (and practicing!) your skills in combat against other players, it's not rewarding unless you are really focused like me on learning to fly FA off and improving in general flight. And I still like it, although I'm in the minority. I have only played CQC for about 5h 30min, mostly ramming structures and asteroids, and spinning out of control until CMDR Musketeer kills me for the eighth time... for many games. But I don't mind. We are on even ground, I keep dying and I keep learning, and I will continue to play. I'm thankful that at least another player, and a really skilled one, is still keeping CQC alive. It's not the only one, of course, but they are the one that I found most commonly. I doubt it's a coincidence, but what it really is is a shame.
To fix this and not waste its potential, and the effort that was put into it, some changes are necessary. The gameplay is fine as it is, but there's little incentive to engage in it, so changes directed to it would have little effect or even cause the few veterans that remain to leave CQC for good. Lots of suggestions have been made by people far more experienced than me in the Features subforum, and I'd hate to just copy them, so if anyone wishes to share their thoughts please do so, even if you already have given up on FDev fixing this situation, which is understandable. As for me with my little experience, these are some ideas I have off the top of my head:
This game mode is bound to be less popular by its nature, but there are ways of taking advantage of what already exists and increase its popularity, attracting players interested in PvP and a more fair, balanced and intense type of gameplay. Just getting enough players to consistently reach the maximum of 8 per game would we an enormous improvement, even if only 24 people were online at peak hours.
Have a nice day and fly safely or dangerously, commanders. It doesn't matter, just fly. This game is fun.
I'm new to this forum, and I hope to participate in future discussions to share my opinions on the game, updates, experiences in outer space and so on. But oh, my... This game mode needs some attention. It has so much wasted potential, and as far as I know it's been in this state of abandonment for a long time, for most of its lifetime. This is yet another complain thread to add to the pile. See, my CQC rank is displayed in the systems panel, and that's basically the only effect it has on the main game apart from the pitiful amount of credits I get. But I don't mind at all dedicating this first post to this topic, even if it's going to be forgotten in less than a week.
People don't play CQC ("oh, you don't say!"), and there is really little incentive to do so. I'm giving it a try and wanna keep doing it for as long as possible, or at least until I reach Prestige I and get the coveted permit. The queue time is so long that I'm afraid I won't play it as often once I achieved my goal. Even tho it offers the purest PvP experience you can get in this game, a very leveled ground for proving (and practicing!) your skills in combat against other players, it's not rewarding unless you are really focused like me on learning to fly FA off and improving in general flight. And I still like it, although I'm in the minority. I have only played CQC for about 5h 30min, mostly ramming structures and asteroids, and spinning out of control until CMDR Musketeer kills me for the eighth time... for many games. But I don't mind. We are on even ground, I keep dying and I keep learning, and I will continue to play. I'm thankful that at least another player, and a really skilled one, is still keeping CQC alive. It's not the only one, of course, but they are the one that I found most commonly. I doubt it's a coincidence, but what it really is is a shame.
To fix this and not waste its potential, and the effort that was put into it, some changes are necessary. The gameplay is fine as it is, but there's little incentive to engage in it, so changes directed to it would have little effect or even cause the few veterans that remain to leave CQC for good. Lots of suggestions have been made by people far more experienced than me in the Features subforum, and I'd hate to just copy them, so if anyone wishes to share their thoughts please do so, even if you already have given up on FDev fixing this situation, which is understandable. As for me with my little experience, these are some ideas I have off the top of my head:
- Increase dramatically the credit rewards.
- Decrease dramatically the amount of experience needed for increasing Pilot Federation CQC rank, especially since with the release of ED: Oddysey it now have ranks Elite II-V.
- Reward ARX and high grade materials, whether the engineering grind problem is fixed or not. ARX rewards could also not count towards the weekly cap.
- Reward exclusive cosmetics and engineered modules and weapons when increasing rank, or reward them as players reach certain rank levels (each 10, for example).
- Reward exclusive cosmetics for increasing Pilot Federation CQC rank, for a ship of choice.
- Display the number of players in each CQC mode, a quality of life feature that would save player's time.
- Create a practice mode with bots and no rewards, similar to the incursion training simulations, so people can practice before playing against other players.
- Add Faulcon DeLacy's Taipan to the pool of playable ships for the sake of adding variety.
- [New] The engineer Tod "The Blaster" McQuinn has a story with CQC Arena. Maybe shoving certain types of gameplay down player's throats is not a great idea, but even now they have to go out of their way in order to receive some invitations or unlocking some engineers, and even more so to engineer modules. Making it a requirement for receiving an invitation from him to have a certain rank in CQC, even if it's a low one, is something that could be done, and probably should have been done in the past; sadly, changing it now would not affect those who already met the current requirements.
This game mode is bound to be less popular by its nature, but there are ways of taking advantage of what already exists and increase its popularity, attracting players interested in PvP and a more fair, balanced and intense type of gameplay. Just getting enough players to consistently reach the maximum of 8 per game would we an enormous improvement, even if only 24 people were online at peak hours.
Have a nice day and fly safely or dangerously, commanders. It doesn't matter, just fly. This game is fun.
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