You can PvP all you want. Just expect repercussions. Half the players who favor PvP seem to want to be able to attack other people without consequence. Preferably in a superior ship because the trader they are attacking is not into combat.
ED is trying to be a simulation of an alternate universe that shares much in common with our own. There are over 300 million guns in civilian hands in the USA, All the security forces including police and the millitary have about 5 million.
Despite all this you don't get that many shootings. Just an occasional one in bad neighborhoods and the police rarely take chances on gunmen and are quick to respond and retaliate. Elite will be similar only vigilantism or bounty hunting will be less frowned upon.
Only times I have been PvP'd have been rare. Once in a station and once by someone on my own side in a conflict zone. So far they have all shown themselves to be cowardly backstabbers.
Makes PvP something hard to support. I'm not totaly anti PvP. I've been playing War Thunder arcade battles with joystick the 9 months prior to ED and fully modded/aced 200 airplanes. That game was designed with PvP in mind, you even get rewards and can progress when you die with minimal loss except time for free repairs and the effect on your battle ratings.
Elite just isn't a PvP oriented game.
Ant max, I generally agree with your posts. I don't agree in this case, Elite can be as PVP as you choose. Pirate is one way, fighting players in war zones is another, being a killer is another. Some will be proud of the bounty they attain. Every game needs psychos, that's why I always goto the hanger in a space station for fear of being tanked on the pad, irrational maybe, fun definitely.
BTW I think it was me who killed you in the conflict zone if it was in Premium Beta, why you might ask? I noticed my shields reduced to half and you were flashing. It was retaliation not a mindless kill. Maybe you were hitting me accidentaly but I don't tend to wait to find out. There again it may not have been you. I have a list of kill on sight enemies from Premium Beta, great fun. It's the fear of getting killed that makes this game fun. The unpredictability, the sandbox. It should be as combat orientated pvp or pve as you want with healthy constant fear if you don't.
BTW I've been player killed about 30+ times. I've lost over 150k in one death. As long as I get their name I'm ok with that. There were some griefing tactics at conflict zones when player groups wanted all the kills which was irritating. Snipe shots to take out your shields and 50% hull in sidey from a cobra. Ver irritating. All gone since Beta though.
