Blocking in Elite Dangerous

[Mohrgan]

The whole point of features like Powerplay is that they impose structure onto a structureless game if we opt into those features. Misusing other features to get around those imposed situations makes that gameplay largely redundant and pointless. Its not 'crying' pointing out how incompatible and illogical these concepts are when mixed.

There is a tiered effect to the rules. Some tiers have an impact on a narrow set of features, i.e. PP rules, and others have a wider impact, i.e. Block. This is something we all have to make our way through. Being that anyone can dismiss the combat rules within PP by opting out in Solo or PG, why should anyone expect that dismissing them via the Block should be seen any differently?

That you read the rules in one fashion does not force any other players into that interpretation. You can only expect to play along side those players that see things as you do. Any player that doesn't want to play with you has a number of ways to do that, most definitely including Block.

When you log into open, you are consenting to being blocked.

P.S. Being pledged doesn't/shouldn't exempt a player from the Block. That would just facilitate the use of PP for trolling.

 

[Rubbernuke]

There is a tiered effect to the rules. Some tiers have an impact on a narrow set of features, i.e. PP rules, and others have a wider impact, i.e. Block. This is something we all have to make our way through. Being that anyone can dismiss the combat rules within PP by opting out in Solo or PG, why should anyone expect that dismissing them via the Block should be seen any differently?

That you read the rules in one fashion does not force any other players into that interpretation. You can only expect to play along side those players that see things as you do. Any player that doesn't want to play with you has a number of ways to do that, most definitely including Block.

When you log into open, you are consenting to being blocked.

Being that anyone can dismiss the combat rules within PP by opting out in Solo or PG, why should anyone expect that dismissing them via the Block should be seen any differently?

I could say, why is it then you have two ways to filter out what you don't like in a feature that (in Open) is and often contains combat? At some point there has to be a base expectation that one mode 'is this' and that is its purpose when engaging with that feature.

That you read the rules in one fashion does not force any other players into that interpretation.

And this is the problem: since there is no common ruleset, it destroys any implied gameplay in that mode. Its crazy that someone in Open can block another rival powers pledge just because they don't want combat or take that chance. I'd have to ask, why did they first pledge and accept they are a target, and go into Open? Its true its not against the loose rules the game has, but it also tears down any possible gameplay that would create. Its why its a loophole in Powerplay that needs greater clarity.

Its like AFK turretboats in PG which are merit factories, bots in solo, and people blocking in Open to be in open but not risk retribution. Just because they exist and are possible does not make them right. Just because FD have not considered them does not make them automatically valid either.

 

[CMDR Cknarf]

That’s a good point, really. Blocking/solo/PG have similar effect, so I suppose it doesn’t matter.

Blocking swaths of people still sounds rather tedious, though, when other modes are available.

I’ll always be part of the ‘be a sport’ camp, and encourage people to do Powerplay in Open, and not block enemies from other factions.

Then again I’m also in the ‘Powerplay sucks, I just use it for parts, the more it is discussed, the less I care about a feature I use once a month.’ Camp.

Powerplay needs a serious rework before I get excited about these threads anymore.

 

[Old Duck]

Maybe "Blocking Opposing Powers" could be it's own thread?

 

[CMDR Cknarf]

Brilliant!

We’ll save it for next week, though. Some of these other threads still got a little life in them.

 

[Mohrgan]

Being that anyone can dismiss the combat rules within PP by opting out in Solo or PG, why should anyone expect that dismissing them via the Block should be seen any differently?

I could say, why is it then you have two ways to filter out what you don't like in a feature that (in Open) is and often contains combat? At some point there has to be a base expectation that one mode 'is this' and that is its purpose when engaging with that feature.

That you read the rules in one fashion does not force any other players into that interpretation.

And this is the problem: since there is no common ruleset, it destroys any implied gameplay in that mode. Its crazy that someone in Open can block another rival powers pledge just because they don't want combat or take that chance. I'd have to ask, why did they first pledge and accept they are a target, and go into Open? Its true its not against the loose rules the game has, but it also tears down any possible gameplay that would create. Its why its a loophole in Powerplay that needs greater clarity.

Its like AFK turretboats in PG which are merit factories, bots in solo, and people blocking in Open to be in open but not risk retribution. Just because they exist and are possible does not make them right. Just because FD have not considered them does not make them automatically valid either.

Because open is just a matchmaking choice. Nothing more. It's not a favored mode, nor some kind of social contract. The implied game play, is your implication, not the games. Just enjoy playing along side those that agree with you, and forget about the rest.

 

[Rubbernuke]

Because open is just a matchmaking choice. Nothing more. It's not a favored mode, nor some kind of social contract. The implied game play, is your implication, not the games. Just enjoy playing along side those that agree with you, and forget about the rest.

And quite often its not. In a feature where it can go down to the wire, having so many ways to sidestep to avoid enemies to win seals its unpopularity.

I think FD assumed PPs active playerbase would be higher to make these arguments a fringe event (like also drowning out 5C), but as they are it only magnifies the problem being all things to all commanders.

The implied game play, is your implication, not the games.

Its not much of a football match if 60% of the players are playing basketball.

 

[Mohrgan]

And quite often its not. In a feature where it can go down to the wire, having so many ways to sidestep to avoid enemies to win seals its unpopularity.

I think FD assumed PPs active playerbase would be higher to make these arguments a fringe event (like also drowning out 5C), but as they are it only magnifies the problem being all things to all commanders.

The implied game play, is your implication, not the games.

Its not much of a football match if 60% of the players are playing basketball.

Again, how you perceive the rules and game play is important to only you.

That football game is all about filling PvE buckets. For every action, there is a opposite action. This can be accomplished in any mode. Open is just one of the choices a player makes as they log in.

 

[Bryan K]

Its not much of a football match if 60% of the players are playing basketball.

Basketball is better anyway.

 

[Rubbernuke]

Again, how you perceive the rules and game play is important to only you.

That football game is all about filling PvE buckets. For every action, there is a opposite action. This can be accomplished in any mode. Open is just one of the choices a player makes as they log in.

That football game is all about filling PvE buckets.

In PP what you do after the bucket filling is the problem because nothing pushes back, forcing you to do more and more of the same grinding. Where players in open could push back in other ways, blocking acts as another filter making a possible way to fight back ineffective. Some powers operate 100% in open, while others fort in solo / block open but 100% UM in open, automatically causing issues- who is right? Why is it right? Its why Powerplay is so unpopular as with no solid rules besides the most basic acts nothing complex can flourish. Rather than wing up to ward off attacks, its easier to simply block or go to solo. How does that make a compelling mode that is different to taking part in a CG, general flying about or BGS work?

 

[EUS]

The big update in Q4 2020 is that the game to be renamed to:
Elite : Whataboutism

 

[Morbad]

If someone kills me. I block them. They have killed me, I am dead to them.

Your CMDR cannot be killed and for your CMDR to be dead to the game's setting, you'd have to stop interacting with it.

 

[Old Duck]

@Old Duck I have to drop a like for your sig.

I have to give credit to this guy for giving me the idea:

If someone kills me. I block them. They have killed me, I am dead to them.

If they wanted to maintain a relationship, talk with me, be my friend, wing up for a mission, why did they kill me?
They kill everyone they encounter then wonder why there is no one left to kill.

You can only kill me once. (Unless you make it interesting - then you get a friend request)

 

[Havvk]

I have to give credit to this guy for giving me the idea:

This needs to be pinned

 

[Voracity_T]

and I'm happy to jump into an instance with gankers if my guardian buddies are there to protect me.

So what youre saying is if someone is there to do the work for you its fine, if not you'll block them?

This REEKS of hubris.

 

[Old Duck]

This needs to be pinned

If nothing else, I do need to update my OP (for people joining party late and reading just the first page in what's a long and evolving story).

 

[Havvk]

So what youre saying is if someone is there to do the work for you its fine, if not you'll block them?

This REEKS of hubris.

I think that's your upper lip

 

[Old Duck]

I think that's your upper lip

And his signature.

 

[Old Duck]

This new "reverse iron man" mode is kinda challenging, from a self-discipline perspective. I'm seeing obvious gankers in the trade CG systems, but I can't preemptively block them now. I've also decided not to mode-switch to make things easier, which means if I want to run cargo, I gotta do it in Open, and if gankers are in the area, this means either risking a hefty (for me) rebuy or wait until there's an opening.

The irony is that any ganker that is seriously trying to stop trade rather than just blow up ships for lulz is better off NOT killing me, because once dead to them, always dead to them (and thus they lose their influence over me forever). They are better off disabling my ship or forcing me to drop my cargo.

Now wouldn't it be cool if this mode were just built into the game?

 

[Rat Catcher]

And his signature.

...didn't include the disclaimer I had the grace to include in the 2nd line of mine