Explorer Rank demoted from Elite to Pioneer!

Scoob

Scoob
Hey all,

So, as some of you may know, I took a break from the game for a while - prior to the Exploration changes - so, it was last year sometime I previously played. It might even be a little longer back that I played regularly.

Ages ago, I gained the Trade Rank of Elite, as I did loads of trade type activities, as you'd expect. I also gained the Explorer Rank of Elite a while ago too from the many passenger tourist missions I took, again, pretty much what you'd expect. This was prior to the Exploration changes remember.

Anyway, I just happened to glance at my player stats just a moment ago...

Combat Rank - Dangerous 1%
Trade Rank - Elite 100%
Explorer Rank - Pioneer 52% - what?

So, why would I have been demoted so heavily? I thought the Elite Ranks, once gained, were never lost. I'm a little miffed at this needless to say and it might explain why I'd been finding the payouts for related missions to be substantially lower than I remember, as payout can be linked to rank, right?

I don't know exactly when this happened. I just remember gaining two of the three possible Elite ranks (I don't do CQC, not interested) when I was last playing, yet I've lost rank while I wasn't playing.

Have there been any changes regarding the amount of "points" (or however it works) required to gain Elite in Exploration? Did the Exploration changes do something - I'd stopped playing before that particular update.

Has anyone else seen this?

Any advice welcome.

Scoob.
 
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Some1else

Some1else
One thing I can tell you is that mission payouts are not based on Rank, be it Elite rank, or Fed, Imp, and Alliance. It is based on your reputation with the local faction giving the mission.

No idea on the losing Elite rank. I'd contact FD.
 

Scoob

Scoob
Some1else said:
One thing I can tell you is that mission payouts are not based on Rank, be it Elite rank, or Fed, Imp, and Alliance. It is based on your reputation with the local faction giving the mission.

No idea on the losing Elite rank. I'd contact FD.
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Ok, thanks. I recall reading that your Rank would impact the payouts of appropriate missions. I do recall getting higher and higher payouts for certain tasks as I gained Faction Rep, then I thought they improved further (on average) as I gained Elite Rank...perhaps that was just RNG looking that way though.

I've never actually had reason to contact FD, what's the best way to do that? Raise a Ticket? Never done that before lol.

Scoob.
 

don carnage1

don carnage1
I find it easiest to contact Frontier Support directly on Facebook Messenger. They are usually pretty speedy to respond.

And this definitely sounds like a bug. Your Pilot’s Federation rank is supposed to be permanent.
 

Some1else

Some1else
It used to be you couldn't take missions unless you were the rank recommended for the mission. That has been removed.

I just looked myself, and discovered I too have been dropped to Pioneer for Exploration. It must be some chance in requirements for the rank. I'm surprised no one has an explanation for this. What would happen to players that only had Exploration rank, and had all there ships at Jameson?

I just go through their website, which seems like I'll be doing shortly.
 

Scoob

Scoob
Hi, while you were replying I raised a ticket - I wasn't aware the FB Messenger route existed. I've raised a ticket now, so I'll see what comes of that, but I'll certainly consider the FB route if things go quiet for too long.

Thanks @Some1else - it's reassuring to hear that someone else is experiencing this issue lol.

Scoob.
 
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Some1else

Some1else
Nutter said:
I think rank is linked to Explorer credits, while you been away payouts have gone crazy, so they may have bumped the criteria, which could have demoted you
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This could be, but it doesn't make any sense. Just because you earn more for your discoveries now, does not mean you did more exploration. FD would have/should have taken this into account if that is what's actually going on.

I guess we will find out soon.
 

IceFire122

IceFire122
Nutter said:
I think rank is linked to Explorer credits, while you been away payouts have gone crazy, so they may have bumped the criteria, which could have demoted you
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Yes, it is linked to credits. Yes, they bumped the payouts. Maybe, they adjusted the limits.
But no, you should not have lost rank by Frontier adjusting things (Which they also said in the past).

Support tickets can be opened here: https://support.frontier.co.uk/kb/index.php
 

Factabulous

Factabulous
Lol. It's not like getting back to Elite is any effort at all, scan a couple of ELW and you're done - and you get to see the purty inbox message again :)
 

Scoob

Scoob
Rubbernuke said:
Maybe the Pilots Fed just don't think you are all that?
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Lol, perhaps. I didn't get my Elite Rank in Exploration from travelling far out of the bubble like some, mostly just for taking others to various tourist locations. Though I did go through a phase in the early days of doing lots of scanning during Rares runs, which I guess granted a fair chunk of my Explorer Rank - that was back in the early days though when I first got my Asp X. I always considered tourist runs an odd way to gain Explorer Rank, but then I was simply playing the game by its own rules.

Factabulous said:
Lol. It's not like getting back to Elite is any effort at all, scan a couple of ELW and you're done - and you get to see the purty inbox message again :)
Click to expand...

Found an ELW last night, just picked it up on the regular scanner while on my way elsewhere hauling cargo. I have zero interest in actively using the new Exploration system - I've not even set up the controls for it. However, as I did gain that Elite Exploration Rank through valid original style gameplay I'd like to have it back.

Thought: based on what people are saying, it seems that gaining Exploration points (Rank) is far easier now. If that's so, then one could claim myself and @Some1else earnt it the hard way, by comparison. To be fair, while I did earn a chunk of my Exploration Rank from Passenger Tourist missions, I was still going to new systems, I was scanning things as instructed etc. I also used to "honk" all the time (pre Explroation changes) and I travelled around a lot within about 800ly of my starting system. I just never really went far outside the bubble and did long-range exploration like some enjoy.

Scoob.
 

Lightspeed

Lightspeed
It seems (from two independent reports here) as if a stealth buff to requirements for Elite has taken place, following a lot of (justifiable) complaints from Explorers that the rank comes along too easily now as a result of high payouts for exploration. Looks like the unforeseen reduction in existing ranks for returning players has given that away.

I wonder if they have done the same for trade (too easy via mining) and for combat (allegedly "too easy" via Thargoids) ?

Again - why don't they just tell us these things? You know, to show they are taking our concerns seriously. 😟 .... assuming, of course, it isn't just another 'ordinary' bug in the system.
 

Factabulous

Factabulous
Lightspeed said:
It seems as if a stealth buff to requirements for Elite has taken place, following a lot of (justifiable) complaints from Explorers that the rank comes along too easily now as a result of high payouts for exploration. Looks like the unforeseen reduction in existing ranks for returning players has given that away.

I wonder if they have done the same for trade (too easy via mining) and for combat (allegedly "too easy" via Thargoids) ?

Again - why don't they just tell us these things? You know, to show they are taking our concerns seriously. 😟
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Or the OP is misremembering. Lots around here do that.
 

GraphiteGB

GraphiteGB
OP post you explorer credit value image from right panel codex...
And then peps can tell you how far you are from ELITE realy in exploration...
D__--tmWwAA_Gf6

This is 8% pioneer.. with out trying...
 

Factabulous

Factabulous
Lightspeed said:
Somebody disbarred from all his/her fleet at Shinrarta would be a good example 🤪
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Yeah, if the had demoted people then I would imagine a few more complaints. Though individual accts often seem to go wrong - a Support Ticket could find out, but really, it's so easy to get Trade/Explo elite now I don't think I would bother 🤷‍♀️
 

Scoob

Scoob
Factabulous said:
Or the OP is misremembering. Lots around here do that.
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Heh, I do doubt my memory sometimes, but I'd gotten around to putting both Trade and Exploration Elite decals on my ship, as well as one for Dangerous in Combat as I achieved that just before I stopped playing last time. I've popped Rank decals on my ships for ages, and I'd not miss-represent, especially as I just play in a Private Group where people know exactly what Ranks I have.

When I'm back in game - hopefully later today - I'll snag a screenshot of that page. Game says I'm 52% Pioneer in the right hand panel, but I'll get the additional details. Of course, if there is a bug / glitch then the data in this panel might also be wrong, but I'll get a shot of it anyway.

I've never really actively worked towards any of the Elite Ranks, I just did activities I found fun and / or were particularly profitable. I did grind various missions etc. for the Federal and Imperial Ranks however, as I wanted to play with Corvettes and Cutters as well as my Anaconda when it came to the big ships.

As the UI has changed a bit since I last played, I found myself not looking at the panel that shows my Ranks until last night. I had been watching it a bit more closely when I last played as I'd been doing a little Combat (much of it bounty hunting with another group member) and was getting very close to "Dangerous", I'd just gotten to Dangerous 1% when I stopped playing last time.

Oh, I'm still based out of Shinrarta with all my fleet parked there. However, as an original Backer that's where I started, so getting "granted" access upon hitting my first Elite Rank didn't really do anything for me lol.

I'm not really massively fussed about this Rank I suppose, I guess I just want to find out what happened. I did earn the rank through legitimate gameplay at the time, so I would like it back as I expect anyone would who suddenly lost something they'd had in game for a while. I was concerned it'd impact certain mission offers / payouts as they do seem to be much reduced vs. when I was playing. I.e. the Tourist Mission type ones - when I loaded the game for the first time, I was sat in my Passenger Anaconda and mission payouts were less than a third of what I'd been accustomed to seeing. I didn't realise my Explorer Rank had been reduced at the time (if it was reduced from that moment, I don't know) so I flew back to Shinrarta and recalled any outlying ships to regroup so to speak and get back into the game.

Edit: I will say, looking at the "Exploration" screenshot, it only seems to include pure exploration activities - which makes sense for the new system - but I didn't do any of that really as I gained rank via Tourist Passenger missions primarily the last time I played. I didn't even realise they were giving Explorer Rank initially. Do Tourist runs no longer count at all? That screenshot suggest they do not, as they're not listed.

Scoob.
 
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