Gameplay Feedback

[eiNFranken]

Why is there only on Foot stuff in the Social Hubs?
What about the Market, Material traders, Blackmarket, Interstellar Factors etc.
These Services change and would add a lot more Variety to the Social Hubs and would make them bigger.

Station Interiors are too similar and too small.
Nicest one are the Oupost (Windows to Space make for different Scenery)
Questgiver standing always in the same places.

 

[Stompy]

I don't know if we're supposed to reply with echoed sentiments or just "like" what other people have said, but here are previous suggestions that I agree with:

1. A persistent local chat window so we can keep up with chatter without having to keep opening the comms window (or just make it like it is now with a transparency slider)
2. A ping function so we can drop a marker for teammates to converge on
3. Ability to revive a downed teammate
4. Ability to scout and mark enemies

 

[Alec Turner]

Odyssey training scenario desperately needed.

I've been really struggling with the Odyssey Alpha, so much so that for a short while it very nearly killed my love of Elite itself.

But I think I'm finally starting to see light at the end of tunnel. Here's what happened.

After walking away from Elite for several days I finally (and with much trepidation) went back to Odyssey today. I was still at a settlement where my earlier mission had now timed out. It was deserted and also well lit. More by luck and trial and error than anything else I had the Maverick suit and a primary weapon. I spent about 20 mins just exploring the settlement at my own pace (no timers, no guards, no objective). I worked out how to cut open panels, overcharge door locks, find and use health and energy packs, cut open and loot lockers, properly use terminals, did some target practice on red barrels with the weapons and even went for a little walk out into the desert (safe with a supply of energy cells and health packs - which I'd finally figured out how to use). I REALLY needed that experience ... it's all so much better once you start to feel more confident with how everything works. I then went back and picked up a mission to restore the power and put out some fires ... and I completed it (again, pretty much in my own sweet time, with no NPCs stressing me out).

In conclusion (and for all I know Frontier are already working on this) - Odyssey really needs a very calm and gentle (and well lit) training scenario/walkthough. Just something to get used to all the bindings, how the equipment and controls work and covering the key principles required to interact with the settlements and complete missions. And then a follow-up scenario (or part of the same scenario triggered, when you're ready, by reaching a certain objective - perhaps a short shuttle ride to another settlement?) which introduces the player to interactions with NPCs, and ultimately some simple combat.

 

[Logan Terrick]

Just wanted to add - I agree with others who have already mentioned this - a separate mouse sensitivity for when you are ADS would be much appreciated.

 

[MartinG]

Galaxy Map / System Map feedback

The good:

• Search with auto-completion! Even though it is a bit buggy right now, it is much appreciated.
• The new bookmark system is great. I hope it comes with an increased maximum number of bookmarks.
• The blue mission targets list button is also much appreciated.
• The visual representation of planets’ atmospheres is a nice touch.

The bad:

• Operating the map UI with just keyboard/buttons is much more tedious (and buggy) than in the release; in particular, many keypresses are needed to reach the system map / planetary map buttons. Shortcuts are much needed there.
• Both the translucent bubbles that represent atmospheres and the semicircles that indicate bodies you can land on are blue. This is visually confusing. (Suggestion: change the semicircles to light green.)
• Information about atmosphere is in a different place than the rest of planetary information. Please include at least atmosphere type in the overall planetary information panel!
• It seems the short category descriptions (“high metal content world”, “ice world” etc.) are nowhere to be seen now.
• It seems I now have to select an object on the map in order to see any information about it (no on-hover pop-ups). In the system map it’s no big deal, but will be very annoying in the galaxy map (unless we get a way to target a system independent of selecting it).

 

[Stompy]

Ooh! Could you add an option to overlay the current location in the camera suite? People take gorgeous screenshots but then don't remember where they were, or other people see the picture and want to know where it is. System, body, that kind of thing. Date/time would be nice, too.

 

[Rooster Podunk]

Odyssey training scenario desperately needed.

I've been really struggling with the Odyssey Alpha, so much so that for a short while it very nearly killed my love of Elite itself.

But I think I'm finally starting to see light at the end of tunnel. Here's what happened.

After walking away from Elite for several days I finally (and with much trepidation) went back to Odyssey today. I was still at a settlement where my earlier mission had now timed out. It was deserted and also well lit. More by luck and trial and error than anything else I had the Maverick suit and a primary weapon. I spent about 20 mins just exploring the settlement at my own pace (no timers, no guards, no objective). I worked out how to cut open panels, overcharge door locks, find and use health and energy packs, cut open and loot lockers, properly use terminals, did some target practice on red barrels with the weapons and even went for a little walk out into the desert (safe with a supply of energy cells and health packs - which I'd finally figured out how to use). I REALLY needed that experience ... it's all so much better once you start to feel more confident with how everything works. I then went back and picked up a mission to restore the power and put out some fires ... and I completed it (again, pretty much in my own sweet time, with no NPCs stressing me out).

In conclusion (and for all I know Frontier are already working on this) - Odyssey really needs a very calm and gentle (and well lit) training scenario/walkthough. Just something to get used to all the bindings, how the equipment and controls work and covering the key principles required to interact with the settlements and complete missions. And then a follow-up scenario (or part of the same scenario triggered, when you're ready, by reaching a certain objective - perhaps a short shuttle ride to another settlement?) which introduces the player to interactions with NPCs, and ultimately some simple combat.

I wish I could upvote this 100 more times. I can't be the only lost old man playing this game. I could def use a training mission and to get my key bindings straight in my head. After a few years of using my bindings out in the black, and not knowing how the mechanics of this game work on foot, my fingers are getting a headache.

 

[CMDR Rabbit]

So, if I was to summarize my main hopes for future Odyssey Game-play features, it would be:

-Different Visuals for entry to planets with atmospheres, as compared to airless worlds.

-Both KO and Kill options for NPC's and PC's.

-The ability to have limited conversations with random NPC's.

-The ability to loot/steal from NPC's, as well an ability to carry/hide the bodies of dead/incapacitated NPC's.

-The ability to negotiate with fully animated Faction Reps when taking missions from inside your ship (for non-Odyssey owners too).

-Two additional suits: An Infiltrator Suit-1 weapon slot, extra Power Cell Slots, no grenade slots, active camouflage/sound dampening when activating shields and a tool set of a Scanner, Energy Discharge Tool and an Access Tuner (a device for by-passing security non-intrusively, without the need for cloning).
A Support Suit-2 weapon slots, extra slots for Power Cells and Med-kits (which you can hand off to other players), extra slots for Shield-based grenades, a tool set comprised of a Hypo-spray (3 settings: heal/revivify, knock-out & adrenaline shot), a Scanner and an Ammo Refill Device.

There is probably more, but those are definitely the key ones for me.

Point 1 wouldn't even have to be much, just the blue drop 'funnel' in red/orange, even better if atmospheric drops caused ship heat to rise for a (very?) brief period.
Point 6 re: the stealth suit, thing is what you're asking for there as i see it, is to basically bypass the stealth gameplay. A stealth suit like that is basically "auto-win". I like the idea of a stealth suit, maybe reducing the distance at which hostiles can see/target you, maybe some kind of interference with guard scans or a way of masking cloned authorizations (with some chance of failure, preferably somehow interactive or adjustable, i dont really have a specific mechanic in mind)

"damn thing doesn't seem to working right. Well, i guess you look ok, go about your business".

 

[MartinG]

Ooh! Could you add an option to overlay the current location in the camera suite? People take gorgeous screenshots but then don't remember where they were, or other people see the picture and want to know where it is. System, body, that kind of thing. Date/time would be nice, too.

An even better option would be to switch the screenshot format to PNG (small deflate window and no filters so it does not use significantly more CPU) and store that info in the files as metadata

 

[Zarkith]

Days 7-10 thoughts:

• If it's a design decision and not a bug, mission timers still ticking to failure when all tasks but returning to the mission giver are completed is pretty absurd.
• This is 500% something to add post launch, but it would be nice to see sleeping added to NPC patrol patterns. (As well as more variety in patrol routes in general)
  Dorms are so empty and lifeless for just how many beds they have, especially at nighttime.
• If suit/weapon upgrading not accepting stolen materials is not a bug, then all of the required materials should be offered by the bartender. (Though, even if this IS a bug, they should all be offered, even if the trade price is exorbitant)
• Seeing a weapon's DPS when buying/equiping/upgrading is nice, but doesn't paint the full picture. Even when outfitting ships in-game, we get to see the damage per shot and fire rate of hardpoints, so there's no reason we can't see it for on-foot weapons as well. There's definitely plenty of screen real estate to fit at least those two numbers, especially considering how large the DPS number is displayed at.
• I hope we get to see some missions in the (post-alpha) future involving settlements' brigs, like rescuing or assassinating prisoners. Or at the very least, occasionally seeing someone from the local pirate faction locked up for flavor. (Or maybe more than flavor, they could offer a mission to let them out where you get paid immediately after opening the door)

 

[Bacon Sarnie]

I love spending 15 silent minutes in an Apex Taxi, to then queue to land for another 10 minutes
Leading to a firefight with an NPC who takes 5 magazines from my laser machine gun to kill
Then his friend shoots and kills me with roughly 6 shots

slow clap

Excellent balanced gameplay there

Bugs, not many so far
Complex bug reports sent when they do happen

Bored of the long flight times, short mission until death times and not being able to kill anyone unless you have 50 magazines and the reflexes of a ninja on speed

 

[Freebooted]

A quick method of clearing the missions transactions queue is required. After reaching 20 (failed) missions I was unable to accept any more. Each failed mission requires 4 key presses to remove, which has now become an admin task I dread.

 

[MikeMart]

A lot of people would like non-lethal takedowns and even ask for the Energy Link zap to be able to knock out enemies without killing them. But I have the feeling that it is already a thing, sort of... When I "zap" someone, there is like a "KO" icon next to their name, like rotating cartoon stars...it feels like KO but not DEAD.

I don't remember seeing this icon when someone's dead for good :

What's illogic is: 1. Gaining a bounty for murder 2. Gaining anything, bounty or fine when done without being seen. If you rush towards someone I understand you may at least get a fine, or bounty since they saw you coming.
However in the issue tracker, they confirmed zapping = killing so really I don't understand..... :-/

 

[CMDR YV]

PLAYER APARTMENT station mechanic:

Player can buy a property on a Home Station. (Accessible by elevator.)
This room will cost plenty of Credits, and be more expensive the closer you are to the Sol. (It`s the endgame content.)
Will be accessible by the wingmen.
Will be possible to decorate with items from the ARX store.
Will have a window outside - specially cool on spinning stations.

The Main GAMEPLAY mechanic for player home will be free distant management of own ships and modules.
Like, you can outfit and engineer ships without any need to jump between them in the Shipyard menu.

 

[Spinell]

Well, fire and electricity are real killers. Feels like i am coated in napalm and every spark or flame incinerates me.

 

[Fizzatron]

Why can't we buy ammo? Or am I missing something?

 

[mossfoot]

When our own ships become part of the equation, I would suggest considering adding a Pilot's Lounge level to the turbolift system, accessible only if you also have Horizons. This would be a simple area that doubles up much of what we can do in our ship regarding missions, but with added interactivity like with the foot missions.

It would have terminals like we currently have, but also specific mission givers who can be haggled with. It could have a kiosk for passenger missions, a kiosk for cargo, a kiosk for mining, etc...

This would add a lot to the piloting experience, but also be optional for those who just want to do it from their cockpit, and also not interfere with those who are only doing Odyssey foot missions.

 

[WhiteCollar]

Atmosphere Control Panels should be operable in some way without needing full power to a settlement.

It seems strange that I can't put out the fire in the PWR building before I enter to do repair work. I think the most consistent option would be to have the terminals in the atmosphere control units be powerable from the suit like terminals. Power the atmosphere control machine outside the building for just that building then vent so you can safely do the repairs.

 

[Cori]

Not strictly an Odyssey tweak as such, but for the love of little apples change the screenshot format to something more efficient and/or allow us to set the location. I have the Alpha (and the live game) installed in my nice big games drive but it insists on saving huge honking BMPs into the Users directory on my poor little system SSD. It's not meant for that sort of abuse, especially with the way Windows has bloated since I built the computer.

 

[Marc_Hicks]

Point 6 re: the stealth suit, thing is what you're asking for there as i see it, is to basically bypass the stealth gameplay. A stealth suit like that is basically "auto-win". I like the idea of a stealth suit, maybe reducing the distance at which hostiles can see/target you, maybe some kind of interference with guard scans or a way of masking cloned authorizations (with some chance of failure, preferably somehow interactive or adjustable, i dont really have a specific mechanic in mind)

"damn thing doesn't seem to working right. Well, i guess you look ok, go about your business".

Sorry, that is what I was getting at with the Stealth Suit. It wouldn't make you invisible, just make you harder to see at a distance, and making scans more difficult. The biggest limiter, though, is that it would be tied to your suit's shields, so would only last as long as you could keep them up. Hope that clarifies things. Basically I want a "Stealth Aid", not an "I win button" .