Just finished reading the OP. I think the discovery stuff was better seen than described but this is the other way around. I was left strangely wanting from the livestream (scenarios were awesome but BGS changes hard to grasp). But the OP here is a terrific summary and the changes described are leaving me with a wonderful sense of information overload ... this update is going to be a game changer. Bravo FD!
News Content Recap: Beyond - Chapter Four Livestream - Background Simulation and Scenarios
dayrth
Volunteer Moderator
I would have gone with morale, but I agree that 'Happiness' is a bit naff.
The more that I see about this update the more enthused I get. I'm really looking forward to trying this all out.
In the past I've not been that bothered by the BGS, all a bit too unintuitive, but now I think I'll start paying it much more attention as it looks like I can see how it's connected to my actions now.
In the past I've not been that bothered by the BGS, all a bit too unintuitive, but now I think I'll start paying it much more attention as it looks like I can see how it's connected to my actions now.
This ^^^
And the second:
As far as I can understand from the summary, now we have a mechanism to maintain a high % of influence in the system to avoid conflicts, but we can turn off the automatic expansion at 75%, as it was before just keeping the happiness rate of the system low enough?
I think this will lead all small and medium-sized groups of players to a constant stagnation of their BGS interests. as it is now half of the teams in the powerplay constantly consolidating their assets for the sake of maintaining boundaries.
I may be wrong, but it can hardly be called "interesting BGS".
As far as I can understand from the summary, now we have a mechanism to maintain a high % of influence in the system to avoid conflicts, but we can turn off the automatic expansion at 75%, as it was before just keeping the happiness rate of the system low enough?
I think this will lead all small and medium-sized groups of players to a constant stagnation of their BGS interests. as it is now half of the teams in the powerplay constantly consolidating their assets for the sake of maintaining boundaries.
I may be wrong, but it can hardly be called "interesting BGS".
So it becomes mandatory
I fail to see how. It -adds- a new mechanic over what you have right now; nothing is being taken away (in this aspect of the game) from before. If you feel the new mechanic/functionality is worth exchanging a module slot over, then install it. If not, keep playing the same way you have been right now.
Ah, doubled
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Back long ago, Sandro talked about 'favours' and Powerplay missions- what we saw last night with scenarios....is that what Sandro had in mind?
I was whelmed by the scenarios. The added production value is highly appreciated, but after watching how the new parts integrate with what the game already has, I feel—like with parts of exploration and the codex—that it's mostly hooks that want to be baited, so I expect, nay, demand some discoverable and accessible rumours and fresh scenarios to pop up when the update is released. The combat zone "gamification" looks great, and I hope the improvements are available and fun for everyone from fledgling scrubs to wings of fairly well-equipped players in the later stages of the high intensity variants (there's no accounting for ground-out all-the-engineering big ships, so if they come out bored I wouldn't care too much…)
The BGS, I'm not sure. Again, I welcome the changes in discoverability and "liveliness", but I'm still hoping for ways to better do targeted support of an underdog faction, and it looks like that will mostly remain the same (hoping for good missions) with a slight chance of scenarios involving them. I'll have a look at it in beta, but I suspect lonely outlier systems with very few or even just a single port will still make it rather hard to sneak influence past the controlling faction. This may be a matter that can be resolved between scenarios and mission generation and variety though (please teach the mission generator to do medium-range missions over 500Ly over 20kLy).
This is shaping up to be a really great update for the game that adds actual game-like interaction across the board, makes it more discoverable and enjoyable, but most importantly openly displays so much potential for future expansion. Please don't squander it.
The BGS, I'm not sure. Again, I welcome the changes in discoverability and "liveliness", but I'm still hoping for ways to better do targeted support of an underdog faction, and it looks like that will mostly remain the same (hoping for good missions) with a slight chance of scenarios involving them. I'll have a look at it in beta, but I suspect lonely outlier systems with very few or even just a single port will still make it rather hard to sneak influence past the controlling faction. This may be a matter that can be resolved between scenarios and mission generation and variety though (please teach the mission generator to do medium-range missions over 500Ly over 20kLy
).This is shaping up to be a really great update for the game that adds actual game-like interaction across the board, makes it more discoverable and enjoyable, but most importantly openly displays so much potential for future expansion. Please don't squander it.
So it becomes mandatory
Nope, you can scan the nav beacon for all USS in the system. It was mentioned in previous liivestream.
A lot of people play this game to complete objectives other than maximizing their credits/hour. I reached the point where I stopped caring about earning credits long ago, and I started manipulating the BGS for fun and profit when I still in a Cobra Mk III.
Plus, as my signature below indicates, I'm an "Imperial Agent." If I'm aiding brave freedom fighters resisting the rule of the Evil Galactic Federation, it could very much be worth giving up eight tons* of cargo to a fuel limpet controller to ensure that noble member of the resistance makes it home safely. The goal of BGS work is to convince the freedom loving peoples under the yoke of the Cruel Galactic Federation that others have their best interest at heart.
___________
* Or none at all if the multiple-type limpet controller becomes a reality. I always equip a collector limpet controller on my ships.
Very interesting changes to the BGS.
This sounds like there are only two mega-states now and the traditional states are the effect of those "mega-states". Does that mean that all activities affecting one of the mega-states can now cause all the states of a "mega-state"?
Example: Smuggling used to trigger civil unrest. Since civil unrest is now part of the security status "mega-state", does that mean that doing more smuggling can trigger "lockdown"?
This sounds like there are only two mega-states now and the traditional states are the effect of those "mega-states". Does that mean that all activities affecting one of the mega-states can now cause all the states of a "mega-state"?
Example: Smuggling used to trigger civil unrest. Since civil unrest is now part of the security status "mega-state", does that mean that doing more smuggling can trigger "lockdown"?
The occasional USS does pop up in very remote regions already, but it appears that the scope is being widened by a considerable margin:
Favours is something I'm desperate to see in relation to Factions. I am bitterly disappointed they were taken out of Engineering, to be honest. I think there is great value in making Faction Reputation more dynamic, & calling in favours (sacrificing a level of Reputation in return for some big, one-off reward) is one way to achieve this goal.
That said, I don't think scenarios is what Sandro had in mind.
Robert Maynard
Volunteer Moderator
.... or possibly "contentment" or "wellbeing".
That would be my read of it. As a BGS player more interested in manipulating faction states than grinding influence, it'll be easier than ever to do so.
It also means that arranging Xanatos Gambits against those players who are convinced they can PvP their way to BGS success will be easier then ever. [haha][haha][haha][haha][haha]
Saltiness Level - would have been the most appropriate
Impressive changes coming!
Changes to CZ, how they differ in future and all upcoming new content are very welcome!
Changes to CZ, how they differ in future and all upcoming new content are very welcome!
The new version of scenarios looks very good. I like the voice acting and the clearer structure of the scenarios.
One suggestion though:
It would be great if a third answer/option was added to the distress signal sources - ahem scenario - that would tell the ship in distress that the CMDR will help, but has to fetch the required things. The scenario would then stay active for a longer time.
For example the food scenario:
The player drops into source the distress call.
NPC asks for food.
Player has no food, but wants to deliver food.
The next station with food is one or two jumps away. Fetching food takes time.
A third answer "Wait please, I will bring you food" is offered. This will keep the scenario open for 30 minutes (maybe longer, maybe shorter - enough time to get the required things).
The player then can collect the required items and come back to help.
In the stream the time those USSs stay active seemed to be 5 minutes or so - that is not long enough to jump to an other system, dock at a station, buy stuff, undock, fly back to the USS.
Other than that the scenarios look like a really good enhancement of the game.
One suggestion though:
It would be great if a third answer/option was added to the distress signal sources - ahem scenario
- that would tell the ship in distress that the CMDR will help, but has to fetch the required things. The scenario would then stay active for a longer time. For example the food scenario:
The player drops into source the distress call.
NPC asks for food.
Player has no food, but wants to deliver food.
The next station with food is one or two jumps away. Fetching food takes time.
A third answer "Wait please, I will bring you food" is offered. This will keep the scenario open for 30 minutes (maybe longer, maybe shorter - enough time to get the required things).
The player then can collect the required items and come back to help.
In the stream the time those USSs stay active seemed to be 5 minutes or so - that is not long enough to jump to an other system, dock at a station, buy stuff, undock, fly back to the USS.
Other than that the scenarios look like a really good enhancement of the game.
Isn’t this the case anyway, now that we are going to have persistent (or with long timeout atleast) Signal Sources?