Game needs "Arena Commander"

[Seboss]

I wouldn't mind some sport-like activities like what could be found in a bunch of other space games for a long time, Star Citizen being just one of those. Arena fighting clearly does not belong to the Elite universe though. Racing, sharp-shooting or speed landing contests () seem more likely. This doesn't appear as a priority to me, but eventually, why not?

 

[GerminVermin]

I'd like to see some kind of arena run in various systems around the galaxy. Maybe in an effort for the small independent faction to earn money to help gain control over a system, they hold combat contests.

CMDRs could show up once a week or once a day or something for the battle.

10-20 CMDRs all pay a fee to enter the arena.

The arena could be set in an asteroid belt for added fun and on some days the match scheduling sometimes results in that asteroid belt being bathed in shadow for even more challenge.

When the match starts, it's simply a free for all. Last CMDR standing gets 90% of the purse and the controlling faction gets the other 10% for their efforts. If you get blown up in the arena, you lose your ship just like you lose it anywhere else. Respawn at whatever station you last docked at (maybe require arena contestants to dock at a local station to apply for arena entry) and rebuy your destroyed ship. This is, of course, for added challenge (risk vs reward). Getting too far away from some kind of central arena point (like a nav beacon) will trigger a det pack attached to your hull for the duration of the fight so you effectively self-destruct your ship so you can't run like a coward.

Other CMDRs can show up and look through a list of entries that show the participating CMDR's name, ship chassis only (no parts list), and combat rank. Then they can bet on who they think is going to be the winner with actual credits to be won/lost.

 

[GerminVermin]

Yeah! LOL! hahaha! ha...ha.

Seems like an appropriate response to someone suggesting an additional feature for the game.

The initial suggestion was not very well thought out. In fact, it was terrible. I hated his suggestion for the simple fact that he chose to call it "Arena Commander" for obvious reasons.

 

[Enride]

You're in the wrong game for such a thing. It doesn't fit. It doesn't make sense. This is not a console game or some lame title that you can throw in a deathmatch where it doesn't belong.

Star Citizen is more than happy to do lame crap like that though.

Offering a quickfix for pvpers outside of the rest of the game would make alot of sense and would be a great addition.
Bashing SC like that, especially since its much further away from being ported to consoles then ED, is just silly.

 

[Calebe]

As suggested go to a conflict zone, choose a side and blast to your hearts content. See a real player and they chose the other side, go to town on them and take them out if you can. Even in a PvE group if a real commander chooses the other side then you did, you can attack them. It is playing the environment and the player is just another npc as far as that conflict goes. No other place in a PvE group can you attack players except in conflict zones and they choose the other side. So it exists, so go find some conflict and have your type of fun.
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Calebe

 

[GerminVermin]

As suggested go to a conflict zone, choose a side and blast to your hearts content. See a real player and they chose the other side, go to town on them and take them out if you can. Even in a PvE group if a real commander chooses the other side then you did, you can attack them. It is playing the environment and the player is just another npc as far as that conflict goes. No other place in a PvE group can you attack players except in conflict zones and they choose the other side. So it exists, so go find some conflict and have your type of fun.
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Calebe

You can attack players anywhere and everywhere. There's nothing stopping you. Now, there might be negative consequences and repercussions for attacking a clean player outside of conflict zones and anarchy systems (don't forget those), but nothing's stopping you from destroying a player no matter where you see them.

 

[Darkcyde]

I'm kinda torn on the idea. I agree with both sides to the argument.
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However, the Empire is loosely based on the Roman Empire and they had gladiatorial arenas. Maybe something lore based like this could be introduced, possibly as a way of paying off debt. Or a non-lethal version for sport, like boxing is today.
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To prevent abuse, use rankings and matchmaking based on combat rating, so the computer chooses who you're up against with no exploit cheating, plus everyone being put into a kitted Viper for the duration of the fight. A level playing field so your personal skill will win or lose the match. You would have to go to a participating system/station in order to apply to join a match which could be 1v1, 2v2, etc.
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This could also be a new career for the game, 'Arena Combatant'. Would be something to distract the galaxy's populace from the drudgery of daily life! You could also put cameras mounted on the ships which spectators could tap into the live feed to watch the matches, again going to a participating station to view.
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Hmm, now I think about it like this, it's not that bad of an idea. Just got to make sure it all fits into the lore and 'reality' of the game properly.

 

[Rog]

This kind of thing has been suggested several times already - if such a dedicated 'pvp' mode was accessible from the launcher, and 'arenas', ships and progress were all separate from the 'main' game, then why not?

FWIW, I think it's possible that FD could add something like this, but probably quite a way down the line - they've got their hands full with bugfixing, a Mac version and various expansions for the foreseeable future.

 

[Armour]

This could all happen organically with the addition of player to player credit transfers, and player-issued bounties. Players could organise their own events, and get their winnings in a less unwieldy way than having to scoop up cargo canisters. The organisers could act as bookies. Of course, there's nothing to stop an unscrupulous sort immediately going solo upon taking receipt of the stake, but that's where the player-issued bounty comes into play.

 

[SquidgyB]

I honestly think that's the best idea of the lot, barring the possible issues of credit transfers (which, with rules and stipulations could easily be implemented fairly tbh).

Setting up, policing and taking part in such an event like that could be a lot of fun, and gate crashing one just as much fun - I imagine 3-4 paid Anacondas as "bouncers" would make for some interesting times...

It would be nice to be able to post local messages in the system advertising the event, maybe local Galnet news or similar.

The possibility of setting up for a 32 player + additional npcs brawl without the need for any instancing or playing "away" from the core universe is just too much to miss out on...

 

[Exeider]

I actually like this idea, I would love to have some sort of competitive element, maybe some kind of arena, you could have special versions of weapons, that are designed to incapacitate, and you ship would respond by shutting down the appropriate module as if it had been destroyed. Simulated combat if you will.

The arena would be surrounded via force field to prevent some randoms from going in and blowing up the match. I see no reason why this couldn't be done. Would be neat to see a crowd of space ships docked in the station watching on monitors or parked outside the field watching from the "stands"

 

[Matsu Crunch]

No. Just no.

Here's how to do it though:

Create a private group specifically for this purpose.
Make a huge announcement here on these forums for a player-organized event, or in whichever gaming community you would like to make this known. In this announcement, explain the whereabouts (most probably in some anarchy system), the rules of conduct, and the prizes. Accept members to your group who reply to the thread.
Battle.
Have some designated observer in the instance dedicated to streaming, or publish details in the thread for participants' own streams.
Update your forum thread as results come in. Link recorded streams.
Make a video of the tournament by fusing together different participants' recordings and add sports commentary.
Create a big fuzz about it this way.
Inspire more people to organize player-organized events like these.
Earn the respect of the whole community by having organized something like this successfully within the mechanics of the current game.
Enjoy your 15 minutes of fame.

That's how it's done. Nobody's done it yet, but that's how you do it.

 

[Veloxi]

Jumpgate had a simulator that you could train to fight the AI along with flying any ship with any equipment to test out it's performance, and it was very handy. You could practice combat, docking, mining and other things in a safe environment with other players. The game didn't suffer at all for this, and it would make sense for Elite to have something similar, if just to practice combat or docking with other pilots who can serve as mentors.

 

[Euan Neo]

I've also thought this would be great, when they add walking around they could add some VR combat modes- have different tiers for example Viper battle
-everyone pays 20K entry- fight to death in all the same ships with a variety of pre-set load outs- then winner could take all
Different tiers would allow good skilled pilots to get a chance to fight in a big ship for a one off battle- would be a lot of fun

 

[Hell Razor5543]

The way I would do this is via s subsection under open play. Then you would have "training/practise" arenas, whereby the commanders would select the scenario of their choice. They would go in with their last ship they used in normal open play. However, within the arenas, although ships would still blow up, it would be accepted that this is a 'simulation' with the game (and, possibly, the commanders would have gone through this in their training before gaining their qualifications and then their ship and seed money from the "Unknown Benefactor"). The only benefit to commanders is practise, and when they leave the arena their ship will be in the same condition as it was before they entered.

If this was then implemented in open play mode it might be possible that commanders who did exceptionally well might be 'scouted' by ship designers, or military outfits, and (if they liked what they saw) they might offer said commanders employment. Another possibility is that major networks might also use this competition to gain greater viewing figures, and offer prize money (not unlike FD offering real prize money for the first to triple Elite status, as well as individual Elite statuses).

 

[mattensky]

The way I would do this is via s subsection under open play. Then you would have "training/practise" arenas, whereby the commanders would select the scenario of their choice. They would go in with their last ship they used in normal open play. However, within the arenas, although ships would still blow up, it would be accepted that this is a 'simulation' with the game (and, possibly, the commanders would have gone through this in their training before gaining their qualifications and then their ship and seed money from the "Unknown Benefactor"). The only benefit to commanders is practise, and when they leave the arena their ship will be in the same condition as it was before they entered.

If this was then implemented in open play mode it might be possible that commanders who did exceptionally well might be 'scouted' by ship designers, or military outfits, and (if they liked what they saw) they might offer said commanders employment. Another possibility is that major networks might also use this competition to gain greater viewing figures, and offer prize money (not unlike FD offering real prize money for the first to triple Elite status, as well as individual Elite statuses).

I've found myself doing the combat training missions a few times while out exploring - just for some variety (made it to 8th wave of that last one!) --- but they get old fast; I think a separate arena mode you could boot into, fiddle with load outs, ships etc., play against bots or others would be great . . . . maybe get to fly bigger ships faster than in the proper game.

There is definitely a need for something in the absence of multiple character slots . . . (any news on that yet?).

 

[Manfriest]

It really doesn't need an Arena Commander