Game loses something by not forcing Open play

[Sztripi]

*flameshields up*
I agree that the game would gain something from forcing open play, but the people whining about not having offline mode and people whining about interdictions and pretty much every other part of player interaction would get so loud and obnoxious the forums would probably have to be shut down.

HOWEVER; in it's current state, having a solo mode option is a good way to let players work around bugs and stuff. Once the game is stable and has more online features I'd say the game would benefit from removing solo play altogether.

Let the flaming commence.

Yes? Ok I bite. Let's say we meet out there. What kind of interactions are possible for us? Why don't we count them?

1. I can murder you.
2. You can murder me.
3. We can ignore each other.

Have I left out something?

- - - - - Additional Content Posted / Auto Merge - - - - -

I think it is conceivable that more games of patience have been played throughout history than all other card games put together

Hmmmm. I think you are most likely right about that.

 

[philux]

It's perfect as it is as Elite games were always way ahead of their time, i.e., ED is the first single-player MMO ever. You theoretically play with others but you see them at best once in a century! Progress!

And if you still want a rich multiplayer experience with meaningful PvP, you better hope that Star Citizen turns out right. Because ED won't have any of those outdated features!

 

[Tau Ceti]

...
Sharing everything between two modes is the dumbest idea to be honest.

I'm not sure being rude to David Braben is the best way to pursue change.

Unless this is a clever double-bluff. Hmm...

 

[S'Rau]

I've played EVE since beta until last year and because of that i have grown tired of non-consensual PVP.
Sadly this is exactly the way ED is heading and exactly what many "onliners" would love to.
So far everyone (or almost everyone since there is the offline issue) can play the way he/she wants to and trying to enforce your way of playing by removing the other's is just being disrespectful.
So, since it is the way you take it and play it : i don't want to play in the same galaxy that you and those who think like you.

Edit : that said, i find it is a good idea to not share saves between solo and multi to avoid cheating.

 

[[VR] Mad Mike]

My thoughts on it...

I have a feeling that 99% of people being so against completely separating Solo and online are not understanding what is being asked for.

Sharing everything between two modes is the dumbest idea to be honest.

nonsence, I think you will find most of the people who have been on here for more than a few months understand EXACTLY what is being asked for.

but given you are so clued in why on earth did you back such a dumb idea of a game? clearly you do not share DB's vision of this game. I did, I do and I STILL want the game as advertised... A game with solo, private and ALL game modes, which I can swap to at will depending on how well my internet is behaving, depending on whether I am hooked up to my ADSL broadband or using my mobile data from my phone whilst travelling, or depending on if i am playing with friends who have no interest of playing with randoms.

This whole, "if you dont play in my sandpit with ME then you can never play with anyone else ever again" unless you start a new character is simply poppycock and unbelievably selfish..

PS and to the other spouted rubbish that the only reason we want to be able to swap modes is so we can tool up on our own, then go ganking in ALL........ Nope! I have every intention of playing in ALL for most of the time, but will sometimes be in solo.

in neither mode will I be starting fights against humans unless it is in someones defence. (or unless I have to due to a mission requirement).

just because I am "pro" choice when it comes to does not mean I want to abort my own, and the same is true of gaming choice as well.

(ok worst analogy ever but it sort of fits)

 

[Ikari]

If you're hell bent on splitting modes I propose that Open play has all its price increased for everything by 50% as you can group and player trade to make more money and Solo has all its prices cut by 50% as those player have none of the grouping advantages. Open should also have a monthly sub to fund Frontier then you can have the dearly requested split solo mode.

The reason they dropped Offline mode is because they could'nt afford to fund two separate versions of the galaxy in their words they said it would mean having to create essentially two games so if you PVPers are happy to fund that tell frontier ASAP.

 

[Silektuo99]

Some of us have absolutely no desire to play with other people.

If that's how you feel, stick to open play, but leave our solo mode alone.

 

[philux]

If you're hell bent on splitting modes I propose that Open play has all its price increased for everything by 50% as you can group and player trade to make more money and Solo has all its prices cut by 50% as those player have none of the grouping advantages. Open should also have a monthly sub to fund Frontier then you can have the dearly requested split solo mode.

The reason they dropped Offline mode is because they could afford to fund two separate versions of the galaxy in their words they said it would mean having to create essentially two games so if you PVPers are happy to fund that tell frontier ASAP.

If they make Open Online more attractive by adding more interesting missions and higher-quality upgrades or generally higher-end loot I'm all for it. Real Elite fans will happily pay a little amount each month to support future development of ED.

 

[StayFrosty]

Well yes, if you don't care for PvP, advocating PvE group/solo pretty much required you to reference PvP, if only to explain what it's not... You catch more flies with honey than vinegar, the honey of PvE is no PvP, I'm yet to find the honey of open play.

Isn't playing with others fun? Isn't that enough? Group and solo play only come with problems, just look at this very thread.

But still, PvE and PvP are pretty much the exact same thing, how can you enjoy PvE but not PvP?

Last night I spend a few hours in Mobius, during that time I had several positive social interactions with passing commanders, at no point did either side feel the need to deploy hardpoints. The "but....social!" argument doesn't seem relevant, given the size of the main PvE group and the paranoia that seems to infest Open. I've spent more time in Open than Group, but I have NEVER had a response in Open, in fact people were as likely to change SC course to avoid a possible interdiction as simply ignore me. If that counts as "ruining my online experience", then I quite like the ruined version!

If you feel offended that I "don't want to play with you", please feel free to join Mobius, I'll quite happily play with you If they let me in, they'll let anybody in

So we're left with the guilt trip that by gathering into groups of like minded individuals we're going to bring doom upon us all. Now that's a positive argument if ever I heard one!

Sounds like you had bad experiences in open play, I find it much friendlier than what you describe. But still, if all the nice people hide in a group, then yes, open play might be terrible. Which was kinda my point, it's only bad if you decide it should be by avoiding it, and it won't be good unless you make efforts to make it good.

I just want to play with everyone myself, but I won't isolate myself from others either. I picked the group anyone can play in, you decided to play separately, it's up to you to join others.

Victim blaming, I'm sorry, just no... I've been playing multiplayer games for many more years than I care to remember, if there's one thing that's been a constant it's the general unpleasantness of the CoD kiddies and the like (they've had several names, but they were there in Quake 1, their successors are here now). This is one of the few games that allows social play in what effectively is a "gentleman's club" and with our own house rules, and thank god for that.

The threads over the last day or so have convinced me that if group play was removed as an option, I'd just play something else.

If that's "victim blaming", how else should I be putting it then? I've been playing in open and had a great time, met plenty nice commanders, met hostile ones too I had fun fighting, there's no griefing, PvP is borderline impossible, and I just see no reason to avoid others, especially when it impoverishes the community as a whole. And those are still quite excessive measures, for a video game.

Great communities are created not by excluding those you don't like, but by efforts from its members to improve its quality. No matter how much you don't like it, it won't change my opinion nor what I've noticed time and time again in countless games: you make open play worse by avoiding it. Unless you can come up with a solution to make it good that doesn't require any action from players, in which case the whole world is interested.

 

[Ikari]

If they make Open Online more attractive by adding more interesting missions and higher-quality upgrades or generally higher-end loot I'm all for it. Real Elite fans will happily pay a little amount each month to support future development of ED.

I think it's a great idea it would solve all these arguments and maybe even solve the offline mode problem one could fund the other.

 

[StayFrosty]

And the likelihood of that happening is far greater if players can't switch between solo and open.

Please explain how. I've already given my thorough explanation on this subject.

Then let's not discourage normally solo players from trying open play.

Yeah because they need to be encouraged to "PLAY VIDEO GAMES"

 

[murraypaul]

As it stands, Open play is likely to turn into a PvP mode, even though few really want that, and it's the kind of thing that could have me consider playing solo, despite championing open play.

And the likelihood of that happening is far greater if players can't switch between solo and open.

Please explain how. I've already given my thorough explanation on this subject.

Because if it is a choice of "only ever solo" and "only ever open" (everyone seems to ignore group play), then many of us will choose "only ever solo".
So people who might have popped their toes in the water never will, and the open population will be lower, not higher.

Yeah because they need to be encouraged to "PLAY VIDEO GAMES"

We are playing video games. We don't have to play them the way you want for it to count.

 

[Darzil]

Best way of making money in solo is to find a good trade route without other players around and trade.
Best way of making money in open is to find a good trade route without other players around and trade.
The risks are the same, as there are no other players around.

 

[philux]

I think it's a great idea it would solve all these arguments and maybe even solve the offline mode problem one could fund the other.

I fully agree (not joking or anything). I'd happily pay $10 per month for such an extra fan service, while at same time it helps to keep development going.

 

[Graywolfe]

My thoughts on it...

I have a feeling that 99% of people being so against completely separating Solo and online are not understanding what is being asked for. We are not asking to take away your Solo mode, we are merely asking for separating Solo and online for a sake of fairness. If you're sooooooooooo for Solo, let's make is truly Solo!

Oh dear. The old fallback of 'you don't agree with me therefore you don't understand / are stupid / are a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri'...

We understand perfectly, we just don't agree. I'm only ever in Open, but I have no issues with the how the various mode are currently implemented and see no reason why it should change.

 

[Ikari]

I fully agree (not joking or anything). I'd happily pay $10 per month for such an extra fan service, while at same time it helps to keep development going.

Yeah joking aside it dawned on me we may have just come up with the answer to solve all these little problems of unfairness they could even charge for private group servers like most games do and the solo player would pay once and get the game as people normally would.

 

[ries]

Still, I hope you have good fun with murderous NPCs.

oh I have, dont worry about that. Actually I feel sorry for all the leet pvpers who still have to herd players into "their" game time after time again to have some actual gameplay.

 

[Phaethon]

Oh dear. The old fallback of 'you don't agree with me therefore you don't understand / are stupid / are a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri'...

We understand perfectly, we just don't agree. I'm only ever in Open, but I have no issues with the how the various mode are currently implemented and see no reason why it should change.

I see a big problem with how open and solo is now, but only for traders I admit that. PvEs are unaffected since nothing one player does in Solo can affect them. Explorers are in the same boat. Traders? Well, they will be affected by ghost traders from parallel Solo universes... and that's immersion and realism breaking!

Again, nobody postulates taking Solo away. The way Solo is currently working is a pure side effect of last minute design changes... taking off-line away and giving something to off-line folks, namely Solo mode. I don't understand what are Off-line/Solo people stuck on so bad. I mean how is making Solo and Online separate different from original kickstarter goal of making off-line and on-line modes? That's identical!

But suddenly making Solo an off-line's equivalent is so heretic that everyone has to be so against it?

I don't get it, you guys don't make any sense to me. Maybe because most fail to really think about what separating Solo from Off-line means. Or... everyone suddenly see an easy exploit to emerge in On-line in souped up ships by playing solo without risk and getting their shiny ships to play in on-line...

 

[EmptySpace]

I must admit I'm in two minds about having a Solo Play mode.

On the one hand it's good that people have a choice of playing without being hassled by others trying to spoil their game for kicks but on the other hand it makes the game more alive having real people in Open Play so if most of them stick to Solo Play it'll feel more empty.

For me personally I've been on Open Play mostly and the game feels more thrilling knowing there are risks out there from other people as well as NPCs.

As they say though choice is a good thing.

 

[murraypaul]

But suddenly making Solo an off-line's equivalent is so heretic that everyone has to be so against it?

Because it isn't in any way an equivalent of offline. Because it requires you to always be online!
Offline solo was a trade-off, you gain immunity to network issues, you lose the dynamic universe.
Splitting online solo would keep all the negatives, and have no positives, verses either current online solo, or the dropped offline solo.
It would be the worst of both worlds.