Elite Dangerous | Powerplay 2.0 Questions and Answers

[Wily Rites]

Considering the game’s current pirate NPCs are harmless enough that it does not discourage flying total paper planes of ships without a shield, hull or module reinforcements, and maximized only for cargo… that does not surprise me.

Even though it wouldn’t kill anybody to “only” be moving 728 tons and have a size 6 shield that resists an NPC attack fitted. Or not leave the military compartments on something like a Cutter empty. But it would probably take a lot to change player mentalities that have been established for a long time.

Is that true? If you are getting chased by deadly or elite pirates, with 1,000,000cr or above rewards when hauling. Without some shields or hull you'd not survive the encounter. I'm hauling 750 tonnes at a time, and have about 1000Mj of shields and it can be quite a close match if fighting back. I've been happy to see the law turn up at least, rather than high waking out.

Of course you don't need much shield to be able to survive long enough to highwake, but I'd have thought you need some at least.

Perhaps you have to be a higher rank in combat before those pirates come after you?

 

[Kira Goto]

Is that true? If you are getting chased by deadly or elite pirates, with 1,000,000cr or above rewards coming after you when hauling. With out some shields or hull you'd not survive the encounter.

You can just avoid the interdiction instead of submitting to it. Even basic knowledge of how to beat the NPCs at the minigame makes it easy to routinely beat them at it unless they crash you into an exclusion zone.

… and then there’s the matter that until within a certain range or if they’re still looking to get on your tail the NPC will just braindead fly in a straight line at max throttle, not even minding that a planet might be in their way. Or that they are going to hopelessly overshoot and need to turn around. So you almost have to try to get caught by one in supercruise, with exception of a few scenarios. And then it circles back to the point of the interdiction minigame.

If you’re going to fight, of course, you need some more shields/hull. But that is not covered under the spectrum of activities of your 792 ton shieldless T9/Cutter with no noteworthy reinforcement of the hull, because you’re using it to move cargo from point A to point B with no interruption. Maybe you have some cheesy 21st century country song on, pull a smoke and then some to add to the experience of… being almost completely safe in what is supposed to be an inherently dangerous galaxy. Alas, that ship has probably sailed long ago already.

A Cutter can also pretty much be outside weapon range before the NPC pirate ship starts firing or has any real chance to get its bigger weapons out. But considering how prolific T9s also still appear to be they’re not suffering from any particular issues despite being much slower.

 

[WINGBACON]

I can see how it might be a little frustrating, but I'm also looking at it as an opportunity to make the bubble a bit more exciting! To me, these PowerPlay factions should be considered akin to earthly nations. Different countries have different agreements with other countries, depending on political and military alignment; some are allies, some are neutral, and some are aggressive. Sometimes an independent civilian can't cross borders without issues, let alone someone known to be working to further the cause of where they come from.

I quite like the idea that if I'm aligned with a Power then it means I have to consider where I'm going and the implication that I may run into trouble if I stray into enemy space. There's not much in the game that has any sense of consequence; you can rank up in both Federal and Imperial navies for example. Having something that I can opt-into that creates tension in how I operate across the bubble actually sounds rather fun.

It is odd that we can fly a corvette into imperial space and a cutter into federal space, but I know I'm excited for ascendacy and still plan to play elite. o7

 

[Wily Rites]

You can just avoid the interdiction instead of submitting to it. Even basic knowledge of how to beat the NPCs at the minigame makes it easy to routinely beat them at it unless they crash you into an exclusion zone.

… and then there’s the matter that until within a certain range or if they’re still looking to get on your tail the NPC will just braindead fly in a straight line at max throttle, not even minding that a planet might be in their way. Or that they are going to hopelessly overshoot and need to turn around. So you almost have to try to get caught by one in supercruise, with exception of a few scenarios. And then it circles back to the point of the interdiction minigame.

If you’re going to fight, of course, you need some more shields/hull. But that is not covered under the spectrum of activities of your 792 ton shieldless T9/Cutter with no noteworthy reinforcement of the hull, because you’re using it to move cargo from point A to point B with no interruption. Maybe you have some cheesy 21st century country song on, pull a smoke and then some to add to the experience of… being almost completely safe in what is supposed to be an inherently dangerous galaxy. Alas, that ship has probably sailed long ago already.

A Cutter can also pretty much be outside weapon range before the NPC pirate ship starts firing or has any real chance to get its bigger weapons out. But considering how prolific T9s also still appear to be they’re not suffering from any particular issues despite being much slower.

Oh! It had never occurred to me to try them at the mini game, I think because I enjoy the fight, and also used to it being useless against humans.
No protection at all would require creating in a police state, and the galaxy is a tad large for that!
I love flying and fighting back in the t9 not quite sure why, just do. Having just fitted mine with some fixed mount cannons, for the extra bite, am a little reticent about my next interdiction, we will see.

 

[Ian Doncaster]

That's assuming that Allied Powers will be able to attack each other of course, which I believe (and hope) they will be able to, because a consequence might be people pledging other Powers to free systems for the Power of their own, and that would be a silly thing gameplay wise.

Agreed - what's the point in adding Kaine if she just becomes a way for Mahon to get some "distance to HQ" bonuses on the Lave side of the Alliance?

 

[Rubbernuke]

Well that would be a little too much "extreme": it's fine that everyone has the bonuses they choose lol.
But what I would love to see is the Power being the stronger in their Superpowers have an effect lore-wise.
Felicia Winters is not that much supported? Then somebody could even take her place.
Aisling Duval becomes the first imperial Power? Then I expect her claim to the throne to become stronger.
Things like that, to have finally a way to actually do some changes in the Galaxy politically speaking, by playing the game.

The issue will be: what then drives internal factions to compete? While they are separate entities they are externally the same superpower- with superpowers essentially being largely irrelevant these days.

It would also drive lore: Aisling dominant? Slaves and goody goody stuff is universal across the Empire. ALD dominant? Empire goes security crazy. Patty in the driving seat? Empire goes all Scrooge.

Powerplays problem is reasons for doing something on large scales- V2 is in danger of being an excellent feature that has no real goals or outcomes other than personal bonuses.

 

[Nowski]

V2 is in danger of being an excellent feature that has no real goals or outcomes other than personal bonuses.

Good to know you're starting early on your campaign for V3 !

This has been a long road already right..?

 

[Rubbernuke]

Good to know you're starting early on your campaign for V3 !

This has been a long road already right..?

View attachment 404176

goes misty eyed So gratifying to see the beginnings of my inner fanatic....

Being serious for a second, its not time for the brandy and revolver just yet. The actual underpinnings are miles better than V1, and there is a lot going for the design which seems geared for long term play. What is needed (which could be added onto this design by extra BGS states) is effects that feed into superpowers that make the galactic standing have a purpose. It could be something as simple as Galnet reflecting who is top dog.

 

[Wily Rites]

Galnet are top dog! Shhh though, that's on the hush hush ...

 

[Bard Voronwe]

goes misty eyed So gratifying to see the beginnings of my inner fanatic....

Being serious for a second, its not time for the brandy and revolver just yet. The actual underpinnings are miles better than V1, and there is a lot going for the design which seems geared for long term play. What is needed (which could be added onto this design by extra BGS states) is effects that feed into superpowers that make the galactic standing have a purpose. It could be something as simple as Galnet reflecting who is top dog.

It really has been a long road, damn.
Years of trying to give the best feedback possible, brainstorming etc. It was worth it, my friend.

 

[Rubbernuke]

It really has been a long road, damn.
Years of trying to give the best feedback possible, brainstorming etc. It was worth it, my friend.

And the best thing? It gave us Kumo Burger.

 

[Rebel Yell]

Good to know you're starting early on your campaign for V3 !

This has been a long road already right..?

View attachment 404176

That's when Rubbernuke was looking to become the 12th power

 

[Rubbernuke]

That's when Rubbernuke was looking to become the 12th power

I'd be like Gus:

"Achon Delaine may skin his enemies alive, I go one step further and put my enemies to good use"

Special module: Seasoning Cannon- rapid firing flak with incendiary herbs and spices

 

[Bob McBobblehead]

Well, for theft too then

I'm finding prismatic to be indispensable for maximising cargo space, sizing them down. They charge very quickly when running on system focused power distributors, and on any build in which you would use an A rated shield, you can drop down a size using prismatic's for the same weight and gain extra module capacity.

For all of the powers, their focus on logistics, this is a massive advantage; If only one power had prismatics then they would likely dominate the space very quickly ... Unless some other power had access to a vessel that was specked such that it managed to stop all deliveries from getting though. But if all else were equal, the shields would give them the upper hand by far.

The cytoscrambler is high up there on my list of modules that I really want to integrate into my engineering tool box. I'd be going for whichever power has those next, having just dumped the blue haired princess having purchased a stock of prismatics.

Now I've no idea what I'll have to jump though as hoops just to keep up with what is required to engineer my next build, you can make do with out, but you can't compete in PvP.

I couldn't care less about politics and power, unless that power is in joules and engineering is involved.

We used to have the ability to install engineered Class 5 prismatic shields on the Imperial Cutter. It would be nice if we could buy pre-engineered class 5 prismatic for the Cutter, since the engineers can no longer do it after the changes.

 

[Rebel Yell]

We used to have the ability to install engineered Class 5 prismatic shields on the Imperial Cutter. It would be nice if we could buy pre-engineered class 5 prismatic for the Cutter, since the engineers can no longer do it after the changes.

I have same problem with the size 3 socks... seem they don't fit well my size 8 feet.

 

[Wily Rites]

We used to have the ability to install engineered Class 5 prismatic shields on the Imperial Cutter. It would be nice if we could buy pre-engineered class 5 prismatic for the Cutter, since the engineers can no longer do it after the changes.

Oh that's must have been really disappointing! Is it the maximum weight, or some such that stops you from being able to? My type 9 build would work without her c5 prismatics.

 

[St0rmFury]

Oh that's must have been really disappointing! Is it the maximum weight, or some such that stops you from being able to? My type 9 build would work without her c5 prismatics.

IINM, it's the hull mass.

Cutter's hull mass is 1,100t, the maximum mass a C5 shield generator can go is 1,013t. Any more and the module cannot generate a shield big enough for the vessel.

In engineering 1.0 (aka the lottery system) there is a random chance that you can squeeze a little more maximum mass for C5 shield generators so that it just barely covers a cutter.

These are what we call legacy modules since engineering 2.0 removed the possibility to change the maximum mass of shield generators.

 

[Wily Rites]

Oh right yes I see, so you could get really amazing builds if you put in the time to get the right engineered piece, pretty cool dynamic, the game must have been very different back then.

 

[Darkfyre99]

Oh right yes I see, so you could get really amazing builds if you put in the time to get the right engineered piece, pretty cool dynamic, the game must have been very different back then.

One of the ironies of Engineering 1.x is that the amount of effort required for good G3 modules was actually lower compared to 2.x. It's just that most players were obsessed with acquiring god-tier G5 modules, which required a lot more effort. I still have a few legacy "god tier" G3 modules that have the advantages of a current uncompleted G5 module, without the higher penalties.

 

[aRJay]

Oh right yes I see, so you could get really amazing builds if you put in the time to get the right engineered piece, pretty cool dynamic, the game must have been very different back then.

Yes but the then equivalent of the special effect wasn’t a choice from a list but random from the selection on the gambling wheel, fine if you were lucky and had the mats etc to keep on rolling incredibly frustrating for most of us.
Of course how good the module was could become how bad as back then you could make it worse.

Coincidentally I was getting my Cobra 3 ready for the anniversary stuff and found a legacy module on board that I had forgotten about, I can report the conversion system still works.