Game loses something by not forcing Open play

[murraypaul]

One more point on the unfairness of solo/private group play - I just don't get it (the unfairness bit) - how is it unfair to make game progress in Solo? The only thing I can think of is that you will not get pirated or shot in a warzone by another human player - so it is the other human players who can potentially impede the progress of others that seems to be the issue?

To be fair, I can see the fairness concern. It is safer to grind credits in solo, and there is no downside to balance that, so you can suddenly pop into online with much better equipment than someone who had been there all the time.
I don't think there is a solution though, other than simply flagging any play who enters solo as no longer being allowed to enter open, and I don't think FD will do that.

 

[FX2K]

What is the thinking behind the unusual open/solo play crossover?

It's not unusual, or not unusual to me. GTA Online does the same also.
Playing this game in open play (which I do) is no different to playing solo unless you crowd around Sol or AIABiko and the likes. I very very rarely encounter another player and when I do, they may aswell be an AI because there is little interaction if any.

 

[amigacooke]

I promised myself I'd never post in a solo versus open thread again.


Bother

 

[Joe Spivey]

I'm most of the way to Empire space. Haven't seen another player in about 20 systems. So no different than Solo in that respect, which kinda kills one of the OP's main arguments. Space is big... really... REALLY... big.

 

[Sams]

Since the release of Gamma I have only seen one other human player. I have a fully kitted out Cobra and Lakon 6 with a few million in the bank. Seeing a human player is so rare (just once so far) it sometimes feels like I'm in solo mode.

The chances of coming across someone else when you're far out in the stars is slim. There are so many systems that even if the entire population of earth all played each day I could still not see any of them in open play.

If ED forced open play people would just go out beyond other players and play it like it's solo mode.

This whole argument is invalid when the game is this huge

 

[Flappers]

Is it this time of the week again

Since someone doesn't have the balls to reply and just give bad rep for this comment... let me explain why I say this for the new arrivers.

Since the very beginning, almost every week, this thread comes up. Over and over and over and over again, we see the same stupid argument between people who want one thing, and others who don't.
Eventually it turns into a flamefest, and the thread gets locked.

Bringing the same topic up every week, is utterly pointless. It's been said numerous times that this will not change.

There is no point discussion something in a new thread that has already been discussed to death already.

 

[Stormprooter]

To be fair, I can see the fairness concern. It is safer to grind credits in solo, and there is no downside to balance that, so you can suddenly pop into online with much better equipment than someone who had been there all the time.
I don't think there is a solution though, other than simply flagging any play who enters solo as no longer being allowed to enter open, and I don't think FD will do that.

I agree that it is ever so slightly safer in Solo, however, even in Solo, you can get overwhelmed by NPCs if you go looking for trouble. And the number of credits per hour 'advantage' in Solo is probably not very great at all, and can get wiped out easily by an unfortunate event. Anyway, I'm in the camp that would encourage people into Open, rather than block them or force them into it - I think that will make for a better experience for all in the long run.
Just my opinion though.

 

[serrasalmus]

The only possible game breaker for me would be if they had stopped the online solo play.

Also, the advantages that keep coming up about "mining in safety" and gaining money "on safe solo" mode would only be an advantage if only SOME people could do it.

Whether you agree or not, the playing field is totally equal and everyone can do what they want to do. Not everyone is in it for the money or BIG ships. I doubt I will go for anything more than my Cobra (in the foreseeable future) as when I am SO rich - what else is there - thats an end game for me.

I am very happy with how the game has evolved, even though we are mis-sold the reasons - the perpetual online nature of the solo mode is hard coded in to stop software theft and I will never be convinced otherwise.

The guys powering this game are astute business wo/men..no doubt about it.

 

[Joe Spivey]

I agree that it is ever so slightly safer in Solo, however, even in Solo, you can get overwhelmed by NPCs if you go looking for trouble. And the number of credits per hour 'advantage' in Solo is probably not very great at all, and can get wiped out easily by an unfortunate event. Anyway, I'm in the camp that would encourage people into Open, rather than block them or force them into it - I think that will make for a better experience for all in the long run.
Just my opinion though.

Absolutely. After all the explanations of why the game is the way it is as regards Solo/Open, the only real reason left for anyone to still want to FORCE open play is to gank and grief. Any and all other possible reasons have been weighed, measured and dismissed.

 

[Clifford]

Right now, Open play and therefore PvP can only happen by consent of the player.
To take away Solo mode , or otherwise restrict the choice to switch modes, is forcing people into non-consensual PvP.
Basically, these arguments all resolve around one basic premise: "I'm bored so I want to reach into your computer and force you to be a target for my guns".

If we want people to play on Open mode, it's up to us to make it a welcoming community that people _chose_ to join, not forcing people to Open to be abused for the amusement of others.

 

[Nexus-6]

A lot of the fun of Eve is the fact that the risk is always there, and the level of risk is reflected in the level of reward.

It's an interesting point - if the rewards for open play were higher, then the incentive would be there - but the fact remains that it's the same game, just with/without others. I'm more of a solo gamer so lean away from open as a matter of preference, but if I could get more creds/rep/rank in open than in solo, well ... risk vs reward.

 

[finchywinchy]

risk vs reward.

Exaaaaaactly! This really does seem like a problem the market would solve.

 

[Roybe]

Been playing in open since beta...see no difference. To each their own..


I would suggest the mods move this to one of the other threads dealing with the same topic...

 

[Clifford]

Exaaaaaactly! This really does seem like a problem the market would solve.

Basically, you want to entice people with game rewards so they will be more targets for your guns?
I disagree, that's sad.

 

[finchywinchy]

"I'm bored so I want to reach into your computer and force you to be a target for my guns".

No, it's not that at all, but, for the sake of people who want to play solo being able to dip into open play when they feel like it, everyone who chooses to play open gets those who abuse the switch over system affecting their game whether they like it or not.

Or, put another way, those who put the least stress on the game-system get more consideration, and those who require more get less consideration.

 

[Jackobite]

If the game wants to force open play... it losses me.

 

[Leopard]

This whole debate and many of the comments here are very disappointing. Heart breaking, even, as I have been extremely excited about this game for a long time.

The result of this three modes of play system will be a tragic dilution of the experience to the point of mediocrity.

Instead of a vibrant and exciting world of risk and reward, we'll have a fragmented, lifeless experience. Many competent and interesting players will abscond to their solo modes or their private group clique modes to farm and such, and the 'multiplayer' experience will inevitably devolve into a tiresome and simplistic PvP arena.

There will be no real incentive for people to participate in the open world. No objectives to fight over, just people logging in to pick a quick fight. Open/all/online mode will be reserved for the bored, roving bands of pirates, decked out gank squads from private mode and the occasional adventurous hermit.

I've seen the arguments for both sides, and they both have their merits. However, I feel like this current approach of compromise can only result in a compromised experience. I intend to get my money worth from this game but I doubt its current path will lead as far as I had originally hoped.

 

[DocMoriarty]

I disagree 100% with the OP.

Like it was said in the OP, open play is just for ganking and being ganked. And thats a reason not to have open play at all for the overwhelming majority of players. The game looses a lot if there is not an All-PvE group introduced, a lot paying customers, that is.

 

[thewzdoc]

I was afraid someone would create yet another one of these threads...

So should private group play also not allow you to "progress"?

Spoiler

 

[finchywinchy]

So should private group play also not allow you to "progress"?

I would say that private-group play and solo-play, are more alike in intent than either are to open play. I would view private-group play to being more like several people playing solo, together. Since it's a private group, I don't see any reason why they couldn't take their solo commanders into their private group - it's their business. So, advancement, yes, but it would still be restricted away from open play.