David Braben Powerplay AMA

[Erik Marcaigh]

David, with 1.3 on the horizon, is there a 1.4 project being looked at, or is it time to look forward to 2.0?

Also I want to thank you and Frontier for picking me as Ambassador for PAX South. Your employees (Edward L., Eddie S., Michael G., and Alison W.) are hard-working and love what they do. It was very clear while working with them over those 4-5 days.

 

[D8ncer]

Currently been out for 1.5 months exploring. Would I be better selling my data before or after 1.3 update.

 

[Agrar Therenus]

Might we be seeing comets, irregular, and shepherd moons in future?

Maybe an occasional Vogon constructor fleet...

 

[geoffrey.hdt]

Also, will there be some ship specific missions? I loved to fly the viper (engine sound, 4 hardpoints for weapon diversity, less shield/hull for more challenge!) but can't find a reason not to fly the Vulture instead...
And of course, any missions specific to the dropship (dropping troops?) and Orca would be more than welcome! Will there be a specif purpose for the Diamondback? When will the corvette be available?

 

[Chikun]

Will there be an increase in weapon variation in the update?

What are your thoughts on having faction paintjobs and decals for loyalty?

 

[wstephenson]

Is PowerPlay system control built on top the minor faction system control mechanism?

Question is in the title.

 

[David Braben]

Hi David,

First, thanks for the effort from you and your team for providing a such good game!

Secondly the question:
I'm still wondering about the increasing complexity around factions. Can you clarify the linkage between Factions and Powers?
From what I understand now we have: A minor Faction is dependent (or not) to a major faction. A Power has influences on several minor factions and/or major factions. A minor faction can evolved (or split?) to a Power. Finally, is Power a "meta faction"?

Thanks!

You're very welcome. It is the great team here that do all the work, though!

Minor Factions are small, relating to local governance (like running stations), Powers are much wider entities, with Major Factions above them. Effectively it is a new, intervening layer.

 

[Vito Stark]

Hi mr.Braben.

If a player is ranked in Federation (or Empire) how can he/she be attached to Empire (Fed) as well? Would you think about removing this in PowerPlay? In real life this is impossible to be a military ranked person at multiple countries at the same time. It could make the choice a bit heavier if you have to give back your Clipper/Dropship (or anything Fed related ship) when signing up the other one. If not in PowerPlay maybe in 1.4?

 

[lovely lovely]

Hi, thanks for the opportunity.

Has anyone asked of a release date? Can you put it in the first post of this thread please....1.3 coming..<date>...

tia

 

[Cougar]

Will be be able to express our allegiance to a power (and also, support the ongoing development ) by purchasing power-specific paint jobs for ships?

 

[SlackR]

I quite agree.

Lol

I shall take that as a yes

 

[RGS]

Is there any chance or thoughts of getting the galactic and system maps to be more 'in game' and displayed similar to the way station services are on a large panel rather than as completely separate interfaces?s

Good Q. Would also like to know, thanks!

 

[David Braben]

Question is in the title.

Yes. There is quite a bit of interrelation between the two.

 

[Marshall...]

Will there be a "Systems visited" facility on the Galaxy map for us explorers?

 

[Rhaedas]

The dynamics of Powerplay looks to be a good addition to the game, and since this obviously will give more depth to missions in general, I'd like to ask a related question that still bugs me. Will the dynamic nature the game is taking in Powerplay also showup in places such as the USSs, RESs, and Conflict Zones? At the moment, RESs and CZs are very static in nature, with no changing over time from outside events, while USSs are the stereotypical random encounter, whether you be crawling at 30 km/s or flying at 1000c. In essence, they don't feel real yet, and hopefully what is at the core of Powerplay might rub off on them, so they all change with enough action, and feel like they have a place.

 

[Mephane]

The same actions that support a Power can have a knock on effect for your wider reputation with a major faction in the same way as working with a minor faction does currently.

What if there is a struggle, potentially with lots of violence, between different powers that belong to the same major faction (say between Senator Patreus and Aisling Duval)? How will your overall Imperial standing be affected if you are a member of one power destroying ships of the other?

 

[Steve50]

Hi mr.Braben.

If a player is ranked in Federation (or Empire) how can he/she be attached to Empire (Fed) as well? Would you think about removing this in PowerPlay? In real life this is impossible to be a military ranked person at multiple countries at the same time. It could make the choice a bit heavier if you have to give back your Clipper/Dropship (or anything Fed related ship) when signing up the other one. If not in PowerPlay maybe in 1.4?

Good question and yes, it's not really realistic is it.

 

[Adept]

Will the current ranks and reputations be adjusted? What about the people who are allied to all three powers, and hold top rank for both the Federal and Imperial navy? That seems like an impossible or at least undesirable situation.

 

[Isoldra]

Is it better to think of Powers, as "Power Players", influential members of factions, or will Powers be things like Mega-Corps, not really headed by a single person, but more a board of people? Sort of an image of a desk with shadowy figures behind it, or will we always have a face to look too?

 

[David Braben]

Will be be able to express our allegiance to a power (and also, support the ongoing development ) by purchasing power-specific paint jobs for ships?

We are looking in to this, but probably wont be in Powerplay.