This is a personal assessment.
For nearly a year after receiving the game as a gift, I played Solo, did the grinds, experienced PowerPlay, engineers and various developments.
Since late last year, I transitioned to Open and been there almost exclusively. Also, I accepted a wing membership invitation. This invite had been extended long ago but I didn't act on it, I wanted to "prove" I could reach certain levels so I could be a productive member.
Since joining the wing, the game has opened play and experience to a much wider horizon. I now meet people, talk about life, politics, ships, you know, what persons with a common interests do normally and we laugh. We also play.
The makeup of the wing is cosmopolitan, different levels of tech know-how, languages (I applaud all those countries across the pond on their education systems that routinely teach at least English, apart from their native languages), age levels, education and gaming skills. I have also observed that everyone I've met on my wing is obviously well-educated and intelligent and/or highly self-taught.
Our wing is Open play for the active members, there are some Pvt. Groups as well and I'm sure some are in Solo. However, it is Open I wish to address.
The following recently transpired all in Open as far as I observed.
A "war" developed between our wing another group, the reasons, though part of the conflict, are really not what brought this episode to life.
It was the marshaling of forces, the strategy developed for BGS operations, intelligence gathering, decision making, the actual operations which required effort and commitment, the cat and mouse between the two factions and of course, propaganda (trash talk, et al).
Both sides on patrol, working to wreak BGS havoc and loosen the holds of each others' system factions.
All this led to PvP skirmish at Tavgi yeterday, the sides were brought to battle and noble efforts were made by both sides.
It isn't my intent to crow about winning or cry about losing, here but to point out what the game is really about and the very large part PvP plays in the game.
Without PvP, the game is a cripple and not alive. As a player, you haven't experienced what the game provides if aren't part of a wing playing hide and seek in supercruise and trying to interdict each other.
You have the Fog of War, the missed comms, lost sightings and wake fixes, conning your ship, worrying that you will let your side down if you're not there for them when they need you.
Then there is dropping right into a combat zone, ships flying all around, cannon fire, lasers, fiery plasma balls rocketing past you. You look for a target, lock in and open fire.
You see your hits registering and shields failing, all the time listening for your mates as they call in sit reps, even though it's a game, the adrenaline rush is there.
Today's encounter lasted about 30 minutes from the initial hunt to the skirmish. That is a long time to be on edge. Perfection.
To my wing mates and our opponents, Ave, Vos Saluto!
Players, you have a choice over what you make of the game, but be assured, even with gankers and griefers and the growing pains that the game experiences, you are missing out on the real fun.
