I've been deeply engaged with Elite Dangerous for many years, and I'm very excited about the "Trailblazer" update. I believe it has the potential to add a significant new layer to the game. However, I also have some feedback and suggestions that I hope you will consider.
Positive Aspects and Opportunities:
- Knowledge-Driven Gameplay:
- The limited information provided about the colonization process creates a unique opportunity for players who invest time and effort into understanding the mechanics. This allows them to become valuable resources for other players and Squadrons, potentially leading to in-game services and economic interactions.
- This "knowledge gap" is not a flaw, but a feature that can enhance player engagement and create a more dynamic and interactive community. For example, players could specialize in specific aspects of colonization, such as resource management or infrastructure development, and offer their expertise to others for a fee.
- Strategic Depth:
- The complexity of the colonization process offers significant strategic depth, allowing players to develop long-term plans and strategies. Squadrons could coordinate their efforts to establish interconnected colonies, creating regional economic hubs.
- The limited expansion range, while it may seem limiting, adds strategy. For example, this forces players to evaluate carefully the systems that they plan to colonize.
- Player Interaction:
- The colonization system opens new ways to interact with other players. Squadrons could compete for control of strategic systems, or cooperate to develop shared infrastructure.
Concerns and Suggestions:
- Exploit and Cheat Mitigation:
- I'm deeply concerned about the potential for exploits and cheats to undermine the integrity of the colonization system. I urge you to prioritize the detection and prevention of these activities.
- Consider implementing measures to limit the rapid expansion of colonies, such as restrictions on the number of initial colonies per player or Squadron. For example, you could limit the amount of colonies that a single player or squadron can have, until they reach a specific amount of developed structures in the already colonized systems.
- Gameplay Diversification:
- While cargo transportation is a core element of the game, I believe the colonization process would benefit from more diverse gameplay activities.
- Consider adding missions related to system defense, resource gathering, and infrastructure development. For example, players could be tasked with defending colonies from pirate attacks, or with surveying new resource deposits.
- Implementing the option to use stolen goods, could be a good idea. This would add a new layer of gameplay, and give more uses to the pirate role.
- The possibility to "hire" NPC to do some of the build work, and the addition of the necessity to defend them, by doing bounty hunting missions in the system, could be a very good addition.
- Economic Ecosystem:
- It's crucial to ensure that colonized systems develop interconnected and realistic economies.
- Implement systems that encourage specialization and trade between colonies, preventing the creation of isolated and self-sufficient systems. For example, you could introduce economic bonuses for colonies that specialize in specific industries, and penalties for those that try to be self-sufficient.
- The economy of the near systems should have an impact on the new colonies.
- Background Simulation (BGS) and Future Development:
- The impact of colonization on the BGS is a major concern for many players.
- I hope the "Vanguard" update will address these concerns and provide new tools and opportunities for BGS-focused Squadrons.
- I hope that in the future, the assets that are not yet usable for construction will be made available.
Totally agree with your point here and i believe your suggestions are on point.
I would add some QOL ideas that i believe is much needed for this system.
- Add a TAB on trnsactions focused on colonisation.
- In this tab, add each construction site with basic informations as system location, building status and materials needed, so we don't have to get in and out of the galaxy map to see what is needed at the moment.
- In the commodities markets, show what commodities you need for colonization, changing the color of the commoditie and adding a specialized icon, like the one from mission objectives, but for colonization.
And i would 100% approve the idea that you HAVE to develop a bit the sistem you colonized before going for the next one. I think we will soon have a scenario where we have thousants of systems with single outpost that just served as a bridge to the next created player bubble.
