How do I start a second commander?

Osito · Dec 16, 2014

Probably a stupid question, but how do I start a new commander while keeping my first one? Or in MMORPG terms, how do I play an 'alt'?

I can see an option for deleting a commander and restarting, but I can't see any option for playing alts? (I would like to be able to play alts to experiment with different play styles without having to restart every time.)

Thanks,

Osito

Dan Dare · Dec 16, 2014

At the moment you only have one commander, three were mentioned a while back but no sign of that option yet.

edsaunders · Dec 16, 2014

Currently there is no option to have multiple commanders. Hopefully this is something that will be added.

sammael · Dec 16, 2014

Hopefully it won't. Last thing we need is eve-esque funding of griefing characters via "clean" alts.

Osito · Dec 16, 2014

Thanks for the feedback.

sammael said:
Hopefully it won't. Last thing we need is eve-esque funding of griefing characters via "clean" alts.

I may have misunderstood you, but is that going to happen, unless you allow player alts to trade between themselves (which I would consider to be unnecessary in this game)? If alts aren't introduced, it will significantly reduce the lifespan of this game for me. I'll get my money's worth either way, but I'm not going to delete the main character just to play a different style of character.

light487 · Dec 17, 2014

Yes, definitely something I am still expecting to happen. There are many online games that allow multiple avatars on the same account.. I don't see why Elite would be any different.. for those of us with multiple start locations from the KS rewards, only ever being able to have a single commander is a punch in the guts for those rewards. The fact it isn't in the game at launch is actually shocking to me and the fact that nothing has been said, despite there being previous inquiries about this issue for the last few months, is another example of poor communication.

Multiple commanders (as an option) is what I consider to be an essential feature for myself to fully enjoy the game and leverage the rewards from the KS.

sammael · Dec 17, 2014

Don't get me wrong. I'd like multiple characters too, but only if they are unable to affect other characters on same account. I had the misfortune of playing eve and seen the detrimental effect of the opposite firsthand.

Squire · Dec 17, 2014

I would like multiple commanders too... right now I'm playing a heavily Federation oriented character, but if I want to play with a group that likes to be outlaws, as it stands, I'm going to have to lose this character and start again. It'd be nice to have multiple commanders just so that we can try different styles of play without having to mess one up all the time.

But they definitely should not be able to interact with, or affect, each other.

Draven Darken · Dec 17, 2014

sammael said:
Hopefully it won't. Last thing we need is eve-esque funding of griefing characters via "clean" alts.

I'd need a 2nd commander slot before I'd be willing to try open play. I want to keep each commander specific to one play mode ... I don't like the idea of switching modes with the same commander. But I agree with you insofar that multiple commander slots shouldn't be able to share anything amongst them, credits or otherwise. They should be entirely distinct and mutually exclusive.

Dr Zachary Smith · Dec 17, 2014

light487 said:
Yes, definitely something I am still expecting to happen. There are many online games that allow multiple avatars on the same account.. I don't see why Elite would be any different.. for those of us with multiple start locations from the KS rewards, only ever being able to have a single commander is a punch in the guts for those rewards. The fact it isn't in the game at launch is actually shocking to me and the fact that nothing has been said, despite there being previous inquiries about this issue for the last few months, is another example of poor communication.

Multiple commanders (as an option) is what I consider to be an essential feature for myself to fully enjoy the game and leverage the rewards from the KS.

This +1 ^

Zenicetus · Dec 17, 2014

Osito said:
I may have misunderstood you, but is that going to happen, unless you allow player alts to trade between themselves (which I would consider to be unnecessary in this game)? If alts aren't introduced, it will significantly reduce the lifespan of this game for me. I'll get my money's worth either way, but I'm not going to delete the main character just to play a different style of character.

Clean alts funding criminal alts isn't the only potential issue. Here's another one -- a player gets into trouble with other players in one area, or racks up enough bounties to hit the Top 5 list and draw heat. So they just park that character for a while, hop into another one to continue playing the game. Let someone else take the heat in that area for a while. Then hop back into the "hot" character and sneak out of Dodge when the coast is clear. I don't know if that qualifies exactly as an "exploit," but it does bypass the game's focus on Commanders suffering consequences for their actions.

Or it might just be that FD is trying to maximize sales of the game. No family members allowed to play their own characters in the same household, so they have to buy their own copy.

Personally, I'd like to see multiple characters so I could run both an outer-edge Explorer and another Commander hanging out in the core systems. I think not having it leads to fewer players concentrated in the core, which isn't a good thing for the game. But since it isn't here in the initial release, and the devs have said nothing at all about it lately, it doesn't look promising.

mattensky · Dec 17, 2014

I've asked this previously and the forum consensus seemed to be that we'd get three character slots on release . . .

Hopefully this is something that a Dev could comment on with an estimated time frame?

Wafflez · Dec 17, 2014

Zenicetus said:
Clean alts funding criminal alts isn't the only potential issue. Here's another one -- a player gets into trouble with other players in one area, or racks up enough bounties to hit the Top 5 list and draw heat. So they just park that character for a while, hop into another one to continue playing the game. Let someone else take the heat in that area for a while. Then hop back into the "hot" character and sneak out of Dodge when the coast is clear. I don't know if that qualifies exactly as an "exploit," but it does bypass the game's focus on Commanders suffering consequences for their actions.

They can just switch to solo mode and do the same thing, it takes 2 seconds. You can even do it while someone is shooting at you, there is no need to ever lose a fight against a player in E : D

Zenicetus · Dec 17, 2014

Wafflez said:
They can just switch to solo mode and do the same thing, it takes 2 seconds.

True, but the player then can't continue playing the game with the current single character design. An alt would allow just parking that character until the heat's off, while playing another character slot.

There was also a DDA somewhere that said players who get bounties in All Online wouldn't be able to switch to Solo until they cleared them. That might have only applied to player-funded Pilot Federation bounties though. And at any rate, I don't think that's active in the current game.

You can even do it while someone is shooting at you, there is no need to ever lose a fight against a player in E : D

Also true, but at least there is that 15 second timer for the log-out when your ship is "in danger." FD can lengthen that timer if combat logging needs more attention.

Lendri · Dec 17, 2014

Not allowing a second character per profile because of the possibility of exploits is unfair on those of us who just want to have two different playstyles on the go. It's the same "a minority have ruined it for the majority" crap they tried to get me to put up with at school!

Olrik · Dec 17, 2014

Lendri said:
... those of us who just want to have two different playstyles on the go.

Buy different ships...Voilá.

Zenicetus · Dec 17, 2014

Lendri said:
Not allowing a second character per profile because of the possibility of exploits is unfair on those of us who just want to have two different playstyles on the go. It's the same "a minority have ruined it for the majority" crap they tried to get me to put up with at school!

I agree, but we're just shooting in the dark here about possible motives, since they haven't said whether it's been permanently canned or just delayed.

If the real reason is that they want to sell more copies of the game, we'll probably never get a straight answer on that one.

yibble · Dec 17, 2014

sammael said:
Hopefully it won't. Last thing we need is eve-esque funding of griefing characters via "clean" alts.

Amen to that. A single commander encourages individual responsibility.

Floode · Dec 17, 2014

I also heard that we were going to get three commander slots, that were entirely separate and could not share credits or anything else with each other.

I personally think that's a great idea, and shouldn't be dismissed because of concerns that some players might abuse it. If players want to use a commander slot to gank others, well - they'd still have to spend time gaining credits and equipment for that slot in the same way that they'd have to do for their main character. And yes, they could switch to an alt to cool down... but they could also play something else, watch TV or go to bed. There is currently nothing stopping them from buying a second copy of the game if they have the money and a second email address - right now.

For me, I don't care for ganking players. I'd love to have one commander loyal to the federation, and have a second character loyal to the empire. I'd like the opportunity to start a second or third character from the beginning again, without having to clear my save. I could have one character around the core worlds where the story line is, and another deep into the milky way galaxy, exploring hundreds of light years away.

CmdrKull · Dec 17, 2014

yibble said:
Amen to that. A single commander encourages individual responsibility.

Olrik said:
Buy different ships...Voilá.

If I want to play as a pirate in solo vs NPCs without ruining my current space truckers reputation, that is irresponsible?
Do different ships mean that I can avoid reputation damage? No? Maybe a new commander slot would fit that bill.

When (IF?) they implement Ironman, surely they wouldn't expect us to wipe all our saves and start over? Seems like if they don't implement commander slots they don't implement ironman either. What other features would have to be scrapped?