Elite Dangerous | System Colonisation Beta Details & Feedback

[DjVortex]

I think FDev should really clarify what they meant by that "feature complete" because everybody seems to be thinking it means "this is what you get, we won't be changing it".

As mentioned in my earlier post, personally I believe that what they meant was "this beta has all the features we originally planned, we didn't leave anything out", and they did not mean "we will never enhance this with new features in the future". Or in other words, in game development parlance, this is indeed a beta version, not an alpha version. (In game development an "alpha" version is a playable version that lacks planned features, while a "beta" version is feature-complete, just in need of full testing.)

If they really meant that instead of "this is what you get, we will never add anything more to it", they should clarify it because a lot of people are disillusioned by that prospect.

 

[Ralph Vargr]

One, Million. ARX.

$800 USD.

You think there isn't a First Discoverer who would not pay that much to have their name on the great system? One tiny little science outpost.

 

[Ralph Vargr]

I think FDev should really clarify what they meant by that "feature complete" because everybody seems to be thinking it means "this is what you get, we won't be changing it".

As mentioned in my earlier post, personally I believe that what they meant was "this beta has all the features we originally planned, we didn't leave anything out", and they did not mean "we will never enhance this with new features in the future". Or in other words, in game development parlance, this is indeed a beta version, not an alpha version. (In game development an "alpha" version is a playable version that lacks planned features, while a "beta" version is feature-complete, just in need of full testing.)

If they really meant that instead of "this is what you get, we will never add anything more to it", they should clarify it because a lot of people are disillusioned by that prospect.

Odyssey was feature complete on release.

 

[Tessa R Act]

If they really meant that instead of "this is what you get, we will never add anything more to it", they should clarify it because a lot of people are disillusioned by that prospect.

In that context they also could clarify how much longer they intend to keep that partially botched release under the cover-tilte "Beta-Release".
Personally I am convinced they used that as an excuse for another half-backed release, only so that nobody can seriously complain "as its Beta only"...
If they were not able to figure out the proclaimed numbers testing by now, they never will - so expanding this charade until Vanguard drops will not be helpful IMHO

edit: don´t get me wrong, I really like the colonization (as you can see by the fact that a hardcore explorer is pushing pallets since release, already some 750 Kto of it), but I´d rather play it when working as intended, not with mixed up descriptions, no ability ingame to identify what has been build already - the RNG Names aren´t helpfull in that regard - pre-determined position of primary-port, casual shifting of constructions to slots the Architect hasn´t placed them, Markets in Surface T1- & T3 Ports botched.....

 

[Mysterio]

I think FDev should really clarify what they meant by that "feature complete" because everybody seems to be thinking it means "this is what you get, we won't be changing it".

As mentioned in my earlier post, personally I believe that what they meant was "this beta has all the features we originally planned, we didn't leave anything out", and they did not mean "we will never enhance this with new features in the future". Or in other words, in game development parlance, this is indeed a beta version, not an alpha version. (In game development an "alpha" version is a playable version that lacks planned features, while a "beta" version is feature-complete, just in need of full testing.)

If they really meant that instead of "this is what you get, we will never add anything more to it", they should clarify it because a lot of people are disillusioned by that prospect.

Being disillusioned is a good thing.
If more people were disillusioned, they wouldn't waste their time on writing 6000 comments under this declaration.

Instead of asking for some otherworldly features, everyone should go to the issue tracker and spam and vote the bugs there until Frontier realizes that ~70% of the current colonies are broken.

This thread, as usual for the Elite forums, is steering farther and farther away from the reality of things.

 

[Tessa R Act]

... everyone should go to the issue tracker and spam and vote the bugs there until Frontier realizes that ~70% of the current colonies are broken.

prereq to that is that your are able to do so, e.g. me, playing from China, is blocked out by FDevs Pages (lucky I can use the forum - after waiting 2 minutes for eaxh reply because "google.cookiebot".....

 

[Kallipar]

It won't get fixed. Little reminder that this mess is what Frontier is happy with. Stations not functioning because they're in slot 1 rather than slot 0, primary ports not functioning when built in slot 0, ports ceasing to function when there's two around the same body, hundreds of people being left with T2/3 stations around worlds that do not support surface facilities, economies and production not interacting because theyre farther than 10 Mm away from each other, and so on and so on.
All this made it through their QA and the beta is for checking "resources and distances".
View attachment 424403

The issue is that the stations are auto allocated. Some of those are in the wrong place. Lantern Light being the extreme example.
Allow users to move their first station to above a planet, if present that has slots.

 

[Mysterio]

The issue is that the stations are auto allocated. Some of those are in the wrong place. Lantern Light being the extreme example.
Allow users to move their first station to above a planet, if present that has slots.

Thats one of the issues, but by far not the only one.
The silly unspoken rules of the colonisation system aren't even mentioned in the intro tutorial or the codex entry.

 

[Jinx Chrome]

In that context they also could clarify how much longer they intend to keep that partially botched release under the cover-tilte "Beta-Release".
Personally I am convinced they used that as an excuse for another half-backed release, only so that nobody can seriously complain "as its Beta only"...
If they were not able to figure out the proclaimed numbers testing by now, they never will - so expanding this charade until Vanguard drops will not be helpful IMHO

edit: don´t get me wrong, I really like the colonization (as you can see by the fact that a hardcore explorer is pushing pallets since release, already some 750 Kto of it), but I´d rather play it when working as intended, not with mixed up descriptions, no ability ingame to identify what has been build already - the RNG Names aren´t helpfull in that regard - pre-determined position of primary-port, casual shifting of constructions to slots the Architect hasn´t placed them, Markets in Surface T1- & T3 Ports botched.....

I don't play the Ccolonisation loop because in the two preceding FUs it was made apparent that Colonisation will be a hauling game loop and very little beyond that. When I realised that the 'reward' (= that I have almost zero influence on the colonised system, no actual base building, no 'home base') is nothing that would satisfy me, I felt that the game loop design would be an ultimate disappointment. And this is where we are.
The entire mechanics of Colonisation needs a rebuild to be attractive to players like me (and probably many of us) to attract us or lets us keep colonising. This means that Colonisation needs other game loops than hauling. In other threads and previous posts some of us suggested: espionage, sabotage, becoming allied with neighbouring factions, supportive missions in general, combat to protect hauling ships, etc. But this won't come any time because such an expansion needs a lot of development resources which probably can't be invested into this free expansion.

Therefore, I think we need to live with this game loop as it is. Minor improvements over time and bug fixing will come most probably but it can't fix the core problem that Colonisation is one of the most monotonous features in the game.

 

[amigacooke]

After the ambitious scope of Odyssey, and the disaster that followed - can you blame them?

Yes, who else is responsible?

 

[DjVortex]

Being disillusioned is a good thing.
If more people were disillusioned, they wouldn't waste their time on writing 6000 comments under this declaration.

Instead of asking for some otherworldly features, everyone should go to the issue tracker and spam and vote the bugs there until Frontier realizes that ~70% of the current colonies are broken.

This thread, as usual for the Elite forums, is steering farther and farther away from the reality of things.

Your response has literally nothing to do with what I wrote. I simply asked for FDev to clarify their statement in order to avoid confusion, that's all.

 

[Trb0607]

I would like to hear your opinions on the events that have occurred here, if that's okay.
Several CMDRs including myself have been struggling for a long time to submit a System Colonisation application for the system “Wredguia SX-L d7-92”.
This system has already been submitted for development by another CMDR.
At this time, it is not possible to submit an application for development from any star system other than “Wredguia FO-Q b32-0”, which I pioneered.

However, as a result, as shown in the image, the results have been intercepted by other CMDRs. I tried to operate as quickly as possible, but due to a temporary lag, I was not able to dock at the station.
This event is a travesty of the efforts of the CMDRs who carried a large amount of cargo, and we are sad to report it to our friends who have helped us.

For example, if we do not do something such as limiting the re-application for development from a developed star system to the CMDRs who pioneered that system or their friends for a certain period of time, we will lose the point of doing something with everyone's efforts.

The fact is that our efforts have been trampled on and our achievements have been side-stepped, and as a result, we feel not a little resentment.

What do you all think about the specifications that allow this side-taking?

 

[vicwarrior]

Yup, it s a pretty big missed point to not make a newly built station's colonisation contact exclusive to the architect for a short while.... Really punishes anyone looking to make their way towards a particular system they might want to claim.

Unfortunately, fdev has refused to adess the almost 5700 messages of feedback now, and last stream provided absolutely no valuable comments... So hey, if helldivers has taught me anything, feel free to put your resentment into a steam review, it is the one place that inevitably reaches corporate KPIs.

 

[CaptainLump]

I still don't know how to earn T1 T2 and T3 points. There is nothing in the game that tells me how I convert/earn points and which options give you what points.
I have 2 T2 points and want 1 T3 point but I don't know how to obtain it.
I'm ignoring all other mechanisms in place atm as I think they'll be binned because so many people have built in the dark in good faith to find that their buildings are in the wrong place or not correct or not matching. The game codex or guide lacks the most fundamental instructions. Given that there's clearly a points structure in play I don't know why the devs chose to deny the player access to that info. It's a kind of torture frankly. I spent 10 hours this week hauling trying to get T3 point, with no luck.
It's just taking the royal michael out of people's time and effort. We have lives outside the game, and commitments and to waste people's time in this way and fail to provide adequate instruction isn't the way you would treat a friend, so I don't know why we're being treated like this, as we're a decent community on the whole.

 

[M_72]

I would like to hear your opinions on the events that have occurred here, if that's okay.
Several CMDRs including myself have been struggling for a long time to submit a System Colonisation application for the system “Wredguia SX-L d7-92”.
This system has already been submitted for development by another CMDR.
At this time, it is not possible to submit an application for development from any star system other than “Wredguia FO-Q b32-0”, which I pioneered.

However, as a result, as shown in the image, the results have been intercepted by other CMDRs. I tried to operate as quickly as possible, but due to a temporary lag, I was not able to dock at the station.
This event is a travesty of the efforts of the CMDRs who carried a large amount of cargo, and we are sad to report it to our friends who have helped us.

For example, if we do not do something such as limiting the re-application for development from a developed star system to the CMDRs who pioneered that system or their friends for a certain period of time, we will lose the point of doing something with everyone's efforts.

The fact is that our efforts have been trampled on and our achievements have been side-stepped, and as a result, we feel not a little resentment.

What do you all think about the specifications that allow this side-taking?

This has been brought up quite a lot on here and on many discords. People are sick and tired of it yet there's been no word from frontier about whether they'll do something about it. They need to listen to their players on this particular issue.

I'm sure its an overnight as no sensible mind surely thinks this is a fun and engaging 'feature'.

@Paul_Crowther

 

[Ian Doncaster]

I still don't know how to earn T1 T2 and T3 points. There is nothing in the game that tells me how I convert/earn points and which options give you what points.

There's no such thing as T1 points - you can just build T1 things any time you want.

T2 points are earned by building T1 things, T3 points are earned by building T2 things.

The points costs and point earnings of a build are shown on the build selection screen.

So for example on this screenshot, the facility would cost me 3 T2 points (yellow cubes) and 0 T3 points (green cubes) and give me 1 T3 point when complete.

 

[CaptainLump]

There's no such thing as T1 points - you can just build T1 things any time you want.

T2 points are earned by building T1 things, T3 points are earned by building T2 things.

The points costs and point earnings of a build are shown on the build selection screen.
View attachment 424466
So for example on this screenshot, the facility would cost me 3 T2 points (yellow cubes) and 0 T3 points (green cubes) and give me 1 T3 point when complete.

Thanks Ian...
...this image doesn't tell you any of that.
It makes assumptions of the user.
After much hunting I found this in the "Select New Facility" Submenu by selecting the tiny "Book Icon" in the System Construction View.
Why is this not in the Codex? If you miss this tiny symbol you won't know how it works.
This should be replicated in the Codex Colonisation Section.
Why is this not in the Codex? Seems so simple to me, not to mention of course the double up on points and the requirements for system economy efficacy based on the positioning of the various buildings/stations which will render thousands of hours of people's efforts utterly valueless.
If it was really complicated to implement basic instructions I would have more sympathy but this is just a basic lack of engagement with the user experience, and that I find immensely frustrating.

 

[Kzak]

Thanks Ian...
...this image doesn't tell you any of that.
It makes assumptions of the user.
After much hunting I found this in the "Select New Facility" Submenu by selecting the tiny "Book Icon" in the System Construction View.
Why is this not in the Codex? If you miss this tiny symbol you won't know how it works.
This should be replicated in the Codex Colonisation Section.
Why is this not in the Codex? Seems so simple to me, not to mention of course the double up on points and the requirements for system economy efficacy based on the positioning of the various buildings/stations which will render thousands of hours of people's efforts utterly valueless.
If it was really complicated to implement basic instructions I would have more sympathy but this is just a basic lack of engagement with the user experience, and that I find immensely frustrating.
View attachment 424469

Actually, the image does tell you exactly what is needed to get tier 2 and tier 3 points.

First paragraph:
"Tier 1 facilities require no prerequisites to select for construction and each produce Tier 2 construction points upon completition."

Second paragraph:
"Tier 2 facilities require Tier 2 construction points to be built, these points are consumed when the project starts, some also require a specific facility to already exist within the system, upon completition Tier 2 facilities produce Tier 3 construction points."

 

[Cosmo]

Feedback/Wishes incoming:

- Increase Initial population of Coriolis. (It seems there are plenty of living spaces (visually) especially compared to Asteroid)
Therefore: - Decrease building cost of asteroid station. (preferably both)

• Decrease building cost of Tier 3 orbitals or add a bigger hauler.
• Add descriptions to Installations in System map and remove useless information (So we can see what kind of installation it actually is)
• Add overview for building requirements in ship panel
• Allow tier 3 points to be used on other projects in system
• Clear and to the point documentation on what influences what and so forth
• Increase range of trade data on system map.
• Make Hubs dockable (if only for architect)
• Remove discounts (they are not worth it atm, and who cares if you got billions, seriously)
• Increase payouts when delivering (they are not worth it)
• Add a surface hub for cmdrs (your own base)
• Add domed settlements so we can build and exploit on high temp metal rich planets.
• Improve the station naming generator. Preferably a choice for First and Last name.
• Remove obnoxious obstacles at orbital building sites.
• Smarter ATC at colonisation ship (So we can actually land at the side we arrive at)

Seconded. This one "Add a surface hub for cmdrs (your own base)". There should be 1 fully customizable base that players can call home. Change the layout, design, walls, rooms, colors etc.

 

[Jumpin' Jack Flash]

Hi All

A question about Player built Outposts and docked ships.

I took one of my ships (A Python Mk 1) and docked at my Outpost. I then disembarked and took an Apex taxi to a star port where I keep most of my fleet. I then ordered one of my ships to be prepared and then boarded that np.
I did this as I wanted to 'mark' the Outpost (Which has a nondescript system name) with the ship symbol so's I could easily see it on the Galmap. I've bookmarked the system but it's difficult to differentiate from the plethora of other bookmarks I've got marked in that area on the Galmap.

Weird thing is, when I look at that system on the Galmap it doesn't show the ship icon. If I left click on the system to highlight it and then left click on the ship icon in the right hand menu column it states I haven't got a ship docked / stored there.
Though if I go into the system map it shows the ship icon above the Outpost, and if I then click on the ship icon in the left hand menu it shows the number of ships (1) and the type of ship, which is all correct.

Is this a bug with the new colonisation feature and Outpost stations?, or has this always been the case for some time?

Jack