Elite Exploration: an idea to enhance the entire game

[Mengy]

So I made a post yesterday about an idea I had to incorporate exploration into Power Play, since PP really didn't have anything for us explorers, and a few people have suggested that I make a thread about it, so this is it.


I think FDev should think about creating a new faction for Power Play, a neutral faction that does not own any solar systems nor any territory at all but is present in the all of the starbases via the cartography department. Call it something like the "Explorer's Guild" for example. This faction operates very similarly to the current PP factions in that you can pledge to them and there are ranks and faction missions and rewards, but the missions are peaceful exploration missions to scan uninhabited systems both close and far (some very far) from manned space. Merits would be obtained by completing exploration missions and submitting scan data. The ranks could have rewards that boost exploration data value, something like a 10%/20%/30%/40%/50% boost per rank. Each cycle (weekly, maybe monthly?) the members can nominate uninhabited systems to expand into using a point voting system just like the factions do now for Power Play and at the end of each cycle one new system is chosen. That system then gets promoted from candidate to expansion underway, which then generates a Community Goal to transfer goods and cargo to the system that will be used to build a new starbase there. Once enough goods have been hauled out to the system and deposited at the "under construction" starbase it becomes complete and a new inhabited independent solar system joins the civilized space bubble. This system can of course then be taken over eventually by the Power Play faction expansions.



This game mechanic would add the following to the game:


- it adds something to Power Play for explorers
- it gives explorers a reason to explore other than "for the fun of it"
- it provides a mechanism to slowly expand manned space
- it provides a way for explorers to generate community goals that traders can then fulfill
- it gives pirates hot spots and target rich environments (the CG's for new bases) to go after cargo to pirate



This whole idea could of course be refined and tweaked, but in my opinion exploration in Elite could be used as a great tool to create emergent player-driven content while also generating new goals that would bring players of various playstyles together in-game for a wide variety of reasons.

 

[drpaul]

So I made a post yesterday about an idea I had to incorporate exploration into Power Play, since PP really didn't have anything for us explorers, and a few people have suggested that I make a thread about it, so this is it.


I think FDev should think about creating a new faction for Power Play, a neutral faction that does not own any solar systems nor any territory at all but is present in the all of the starbases via the cartography department. Call it something like the "Explorer's Guild" for example. This faction operates very similarly to the current PP factions in that you can pledge to them and there are ranks and faction missions and rewards, but the missions are peaceful exploration missions to scan uninhabited systems both close and far (some very far) from manned space. Merits would be obtained by completing exploration missions and submitting scan data. The ranks could have rewards that boost exploration data value, something like a 10%/20%/30%/40%/50% boost per rank. Each cycle (weekly, maybe monthly?) the members can nominate uninhabited systems to expand into using a point voting system just like the factions do now for Power Play and at the end of each cycle one new system is chosen. That system then gets promoted from candidate to expansion underway, which then generates a Community Goal to transfer goods and cargo to the system that will be used to build a new starbase there. Once enough goods have been hauled out to the system and deposited at the "under construction" starbase it becomes complete and a new inhabited independent solar system joins the civilized space bubble. This system can of course then be taken over eventually by the Power Play faction expansions.



This game mechanic would add the following to the game:


- it adds something to Power Play for explorers
- it gives explorers a reason to explore other than "for the fun of it"
- it provides a mechanism to slowly expand manned space
- it provides a way for explorers to generate community goals that traders can then fulfill
- it gives pirates hot spots and target rich environments (the CG's for new bases) to go after cargo to pirate



This whole idea could of course be refined and tweaked, but in my opinion exploration in Elite could be used as a great tool to create emergent player-driven content while also generating new goals that would bring players of various playstyles together in-game for a wide variety of reasons.

OK.. or, a CG to build a research station at or near Sag A, or new things to find as an explorer, or.. well, a lot of different ideas have been floated. Hopefully if explorers start being a squeaky wheel we can see some love tossed our solitary way.

 

[nexxo]

That is actually a good idea! +1

 

[cheesenbiscuits]

"Explorer's Guild" I like the sound of that. +1

 

[Hellhawk666]

This is an interesting idea, OP, and worth consideration. The only difficulty I can see is that Powerplay is essentially a competition between political interest groups involving territory, and a neutral Power doesn't currently fit into that structure.

However, that's no reason why the current PP concept couldn't be expanded to include other types of Powers besides political ones. There might be ways to incorporate groups such as an explorer's guild, a merchant's guild, a miner's guild, and so on. Religions could potentially be Powers as well, although people might find that idea contentious.

It could be that this concept is better realized as part of another "game" like Powerplay inside ED. It has possibilities and could add another dimension to the game if the "non-political" Powers cut across boundaries and exercised influence over the political ones, and vice versa.

N.B. - Original post slightly changed whilst responses were incoming

 

[Mengy]

This is an interesting idea, OP, and worth consideration. The only difficulty I can see is that Powerplay is essentially a competition between political interest groups involving territory, and a neutral Power doesn't currently fit into that structure.


However, that's no reason why the current PP concept couldn't be expanded to include other types of Powers besides political ones. There might be ways to incorporate groups such as an explorer's guild, a merchant's guild, a miner's guild, and so on. Religions could potentially be Powers as well, although people might find that idea contentious.


It could be that this concept is better realized as part of another "game" like Powerplay inside ED. Some people might find that over complicated but I think it has interesting possibilities.

True, I've thought of that as well, having a neutral faction inside the PP screen might not be fitting. Honestly it might be better accessed directly from the Cartography screen inside starbases, and members could access it from the GalNet screen while out in deep space for things like voting and news and such. Still, the whole "guild" would function and operate much like the Power Play factions do now, just without the military stuff and without owned territories.


And yeah, maybe "guilds" could be a whole new concept next to "powers", neutral factions of a sort devoted to peaceful ways of life outside of the galactic politics. Explorer's Guild, Trading Guild, Miner's Guild, this could possibly be fleshed out to support all of the peaceful professions, they could even intertwine and interact with each other. Exploration finds and picks new systems to habitat, Traders move the goods to build said starbases, Miners can mine rare metals also needed to build them. Interesting.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

This is an interesting idea, OP, and worth consideration. The only difficulty I can see is that Powerplay is essentially a competition between political interest groups involving territory, and a neutral Power doesn't currently fit into that structure.

However, that's no reason why the current PP concept couldn't be expanded to include other types of Powers besides political ones. There might be ways to incorporate groups such as an explorer's guild, a merchant's guild, a miner's guild, and so on. Religions could potentially be Powers as well, although people might find that idea contentious.

It could be that this concept is better realized as part of another "game" like Powerplay inside ED. It has possibilities and could add another dimension to the game if the "non-political" Powers cut across boundaries and exercised influence over the political ones.

To me, the idea sounds like another layer of gameplay that even the Powers themselves could be involved in on an active basis, or as an extension of Powerplay - a fourth powerplay task alongside preparation, expansion and fortification. I mean, they're not all about fighting and trading and freeing the slaves etc.?

But to have pangalactic, nonpolitical groups involved at a similar level to Powerplay would still be a good idea. It's time that Universal Cartographics got off their rusting servers and became more proactive, if you ask me. Same with the Elite Federation of Pilots.

Also agree with having more diverse reasons for Powers to emerge, be it religious, political, industrial, economical-type, etc. even a Thargoid-based Power.

 

[Hellhawk666]

...
Also agree with having more diverse reasons for Powers to emerge, be it religious, political, industrial, economical-type, etc. even a Thargoid-based Power.

I'd like to see the look on the Power faction leaders faces if the Pilot's Federation became as powerful as the Spacing Guild from Dune - but if Paul rouses the Fremen I'm off to the outer rim until the holy war is over

 

[sam445]

This is actually the first neutral power idea that makes some sense. I like that it encourages human expansion. Have some rep.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

I'd like to see the look on the Power faction leaders faces if the Pilot's Federation became as powerful as the Spacing Guild from Dune - but if Paul rouses the Fremen I'm off to the outer rim until the holy war is over

If the Pilots Federation becomes a Power, I might well be the first in line to sign up.

 

[Lord_Crazy]

I like the idea overall. The nomination system might end up creating stations or outposts toward the core, which in turn would help explorers to feel safer since they would make it back to civilization more easily. Further it helps expand the human influence in the galaxy, partly based on the efforts of those who usually are the first involved in discovery of new territories
Also we don't need to create an entirely new power: I bet Universal Cartographic is already a mega corp or something, it would make sense to see it work alongside with other super powers.
Nice idea get your rep

 

[CmdrKull]

I like the ideas, but I would not like having to give up my current Powerplay loyalties to do it.

What if, instead, ALL powers had a fourth action: Scientific Exploration. So then you could support a power through expansion, undermining, fortifying, or *tada* Scientific Exploration!

Different powers might have different requirements. Torval would want asteroid belts scanned to get a merit point. Petraeus wants High Metal Content, lavigny-Duval wants full system scans.. Etc, etc, etc.

This would fix the issue of Exploration missions wiping out ALL of your merit increases, but fits a little better than a Guild that isn't trying to claim territory becoming a "power"

Edit: and much like fighting opposing factions giving a slight increase of 15 vs 1 merit, detail scanning an unexplored Earthlike could give 15 as well.
Edit2: and I should have read the thread first. Beaten to the punch by Zion Ravescene. Rep given where it's due.

 

[Mengy]

I like the ideas, but I would not like having to give up my current Powerplay loyalties to do it.


What if, instead, ALL powers had a fourth action: Scientific Exploration. So then you could support a power through expansion, undermining, fortifying, or *tada* Scientific Exploration!


Different powers might have different requirements. Torval would want asteroid belts scanned to get a merit point. Petraeus wants High Metal Content, lavigny-Duval wants full system scans.. Etc, etc, etc.


This would fix the issue of Exploration missions wiping out ALL of your merit increases, but fits a little better than a Guild that isn't trying to claim territory becoming a "power"

Well, my original intent was to give players who don't want to take part in Power Play something that they can take part in. A lot of people don't want the make enemies of half of the galaxy, they want to remain independent as much as possible. A neutral "guild" mechanic would allow them to belong to something and take part in something larger without the political combat focus that Power Play currently is.


Simply adding scientific exploration to the current ten powers wouldn't accomplish that at all, it would only give the combat oriented people more options while not providing anything for the independent players.