If it were to be implemented at some point, I think it'd be fair to bring in your normal play CMDR until destruction, and then respawn as a ship of your choice from a loadout screen like back in Alpha. Leaving the guild mode back to Open or whatever just puts you back to your regular CMDR save, no loss incurred to anyone. Just my thoughts.
Guilds in Elite Dangerous
- Thread starter JohnStabler
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If it were to be implemented at some point, I think it'd be fair to bring in your normal play CMDR until destruction, and then respawn as a ship of your choice from a loadout screen like back in Alpha. Leaving the guild mode back to Open or whatever just puts you back to your regular CMDR save, no loss incurred to anyone. Just my thoughts.
Wasn't this an argument against Wings too?
"Guild / gang play" already exists and happens in the game. Those players who play Gangs currently use Teamspeak, and other out-of-game methods to coordinate their actions.
Providing an in-game mechanic to achieve the same thing as already happens, would be a significant Quality of Life improvement for a big segment of the active player base, without impeding / altering the game in any noticeable way for those player who are not interested in it.
For the record I don't want player-editable "guilds". I personally would enjoy only seeing this sort of functionality via the joining of the existent Minor Factions.
PvP arena in short ?
As someone who was previously against the introduction of formal guild systems in Elite, I think we have to accept that it actually exists already - just using tools outside of the game.
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If you accept that, then all of the arguments that apply to in-game tools which are currently supplemented by 3rd party community tools (such as Slopey's trading tools, or a civil war finder etc) can be applied to a Guild system.
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The idea has already been mooted that we'll have more substantial interaction with minor or major factions as part of 1.3. I really hope that's the case, as it fits into the ethos of the game very nicely.
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If you accept that, then all of the arguments that apply to in-game tools which are currently supplemented by 3rd party community tools (such as Slopey's trading tools, or a civil war finder etc) can be applied to a Guild system.
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The idea has already been mooted that we'll have more substantial interaction with minor or major factions as part of 1.3. I really hope that's the case, as it fits into the ethos of the game very nicely.
TLDR: My vote is for guilds too however the current instancing system would limit it pretty much so there's no need to worry about ganging hordes. (Wings can be gangs already if it's configured that way.)
How I would like to see guilds:
- related to a faction/subfaction: this would need a more elaborated background sim to give more characteristics to these factions/subfactions. Without that it's only the name different.
- special guild quests/community goals to build reputation which could be used to get some sort of achievements in game (either political or economical, with a hint of personal, etc. So an aim to go for together)
- some sort of guild property in a station - it could trigger lots of activities (collecting x metals from mining, transporting special goods to supply, etc.)
----> the best guild option I imagine would be optional and the activities would cover all possible roles (fight, trade, mine)
There are masses of MMOs out there having guilds - for a reason. ED has a chance to carefully pick the features which can enrich the gameplay and configure an own kind of guild system. It's not from the devil, use the existing games lore wisely and satisfaction is guaranteed.
How I would like to see guilds:
- related to a faction/subfaction: this would need a more elaborated background sim to give more characteristics to these factions/subfactions. Without that it's only the name different.
- special guild quests/community goals to build reputation which could be used to get some sort of achievements in game (either political or economical, with a hint of personal, etc. So an aim to go for together)
- some sort of guild property in a station - it could trigger lots of activities (collecting x metals from mining, transporting special goods to supply, etc.)
----> the best guild option I imagine would be optional and the activities would cover all possible roles (fight, trade, mine)
There are masses of MMOs out there having guilds - for a reason. ED has a chance to carefully pick the features which can enrich the gameplay and configure an own kind of guild system. It's not from the devil, use the existing games lore wisely and satisfaction is guaranteed.
Pretty much, but without leaderboards or lobbies, team selection is done via Guild list in the start menu like Private Group, both teams can select the starting options with some randomisation. To make it easier for them, both sides are colour coded so they don't have to figure out who to shoot at, but that can be turned off
Well it does already exist with The Code etc, and I'd suggest that FD (and the rest of the playerbase) would be better off if the tools were in-game. If they were in-game then FD have a greater ability and entitlement to monitor what clans are up to, which they don't at the moment.
I'd also suggest that while Elite may be founded on the One Man And His Cobra idea, FD have been very positive towards player groups already - the Mercs of Mikunn, system flipping and community goals spring to mind. I play on my own, in solo or Moebius and occasionally in open, so this is not something that would benefit me directly, but I think it would make the game richer and potentially better if groups are given goals that they don't have to define.
That's a fair point - but if the locus of power shifts to player-populated systems then guilds will surely want to shift their focus. There is nothing particularly special about Lave from a game perspective - it's busy entirely because of the game's history. And as it stands, players cannot go there in open on their own without expecting to be interdicted and destroyed. That feels awfully like a projection of power that is limiting access to a region.
So if you are against it then surely you can avoid it by being in low population places?
No, it ought to be the other way round. Those clans that want the option to control their own system would have to accept that they might be far away from areas that are busy now.
Absolutely not okay, and I agree that players in Open right now shouldn't be inconvenienced - but I'd say that it's hugely inconvenient for anyone not playing in a clan right now. I don't want to have to develop yet another set of shallow friendships with people I don't know and who are only occasionally in the game at the same time as me, just so that I can join a wing from time to time and fight other people in wings. Having clans and player-run stations would probably make it easier for someone like me to avoid all that stuff because it would move to a different part of the galaxy.
Obviously you have not been to Leesti lately, where multiple "guilds" are attempting to dominate space. They are mentioned on the Galnet as well..
Robert Maynard
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Not at all - Wings were discussed in the DDF as "Alliances" and have been part of the game design for quite some time, unlike guilds / corps.
Allowing players to informally work together in separate wings is where we are - encouraging players to form in-game large social groups does not seem to be what DBOBE has in mind for the game, at least to start with....
Affiliation with minor factions sounds quite interesting as an alternative - as minor factions are fixed in space, so to speak, by the planet / station that they exist on.
... and their major faction allegiance would be determined by the allegiance of the minor faction - which would lead to in-game conflicts driven by the needs or desires of the minor faction. You could apply that to something like the Alliance vs Independent state of Lave at the moment and really see some emergent gameplay. The beauty of the approach is that it would allow Solo / Group players to play their part also, whereas formal player-created Guilds are only likely to be ever available to Open players.
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Powerplay, anyone?
Sorry, I didn't closely follow the development of the game pre-release, but my comment about Wings referred more to the reaction of some users here, claiming the introduction of Wings would push solitary-playstyle CMDRs out of Open and into Solo. Worried they would be "ganked" etc.
I note in the clip you linked that DBOBE said "at least to start with" about not having guilds or corps. This suggests to me that FDEV will cater to this feature request if they think they can do it in a setting-sensitive way, and if there is demand for it. The demand for it is fairly clear.
I think the recent inclusion of references to Cosmic State and CODE on the Galnet is also the ultimate form of confirmation from the devs that this kind of playstyle is legitimate. I just worry that if this is the case they are backing themselves into a corner by making references to "name assets" that are not explicitly related to Minor Factions, but my concern is because I really really want the Minor Faction-joining to be implemented
Yes, that's a great idea.
Although I was quite looking forward to running large trades in solo in an attempt to undermine the influence of a player faction I disliked.
Interstellar rivalries flare as galactic super powers fight proxy wars. Some may know you as ......... fly alone or with friends , fight for a cause or go it alone. How can you truly fight for a cause if you can't join the cause ?
Slightly off-topic, but I think it's pretty clear that that has been happening to at least a limited degree. I think that it's unavoidable though - players in an online game will always find ways to group up/gang up.
I'd hope that something akin to a community-event on behalf of the minor faction would direct you on what the faction needs to accomplish (let's call it a faction-event). That's not to stop you doing that, but you'd not have the directed energies of the other faction-associated players behind you.
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What in the ? does any of that stuff you listed have to do with Guilds? And if you don't like guild drama, don't join one.
I suppose your milage may vary. I play predominantly solitary, always in Open and I've not had any problems I couldn't handle by ad hoc Winging up at stations when needs be.
Well here's one kickstarter backer who backed the game to realise the dream of Elite 4 not WoW in space!
The problem is the "Guild Drama" spills out into surrounding space and affects everyones game.
Anyone suggesting guilds would keep to the less populated areas must not understand human nature, guilds buy there very nature are power based organisations and as such will congregate in the MOST frequented space as has been ably demonstrated by CODE in the Lave cluster. They chose that area BECAUSE it was worth dominating as it had high traffic, no-one will want to set up in a system that has 1 ship a day pass through. Where is the kudos in that.
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