I'm a very casual player who never goes "online" because I simply deplore playing games with other people. I enjoy being able to stroll through the galaxy to see the sights, do some trading and occasionally get into some dogfights. What I've really enjoyed prior to a few months ago was that I could do all of this with little stress or worry that I'll be destroyed without being able to defend myself and cost me millions of credits for insurance.
Now the game has become so stressful and the AI is WAY beyond my skills that I don't feel that I can do anything without worrying about being shredded in a matter of seconds. The fun is gone and it's become more stressful than my job. I'm sure some people like this but many others don't.
This game has gone from being entertaining for all to now only being entertaining to the hardcore, super skilled pilots. How is a person supposed to make profit trading if they're constantly interdicted and destroyed before the FSD cools down? Why would someone choose to spend weeks or months exploring the vast reaches of space when chances are very high that the moment they reach inhabited space they will be destroyed in seconds, thus losing everything they've achieved in their exploration? There is FAR too much "grinding" required to recoup any losses at the hands of the AI.
I know a LOT of people like the new AI difficulty, so I won't outright request a change in that area, but I feel a compromise is necessary in order to appease all players and therefore keep FD in business with continued revenue for new seasons. Since FD basically screwed most of its original backers by removing an offline option, I think my suggestions here would resolve the greatest majority of issues people now have with this game.
So here's what I suggest:
1: Drastically reduce the amount of interdictions. (At least by super advanced sidies that will shred a pimped out Anaconda/Python/FAS, etc. in seconds). This will make exploration and trading doable again. Not necessarily fun, since it never was, but it's something we can do to build up our credits and actually feel like we are accomplishing something.
2: Increase the amount of credits that can be earned through Exploration/Trading/Combat so those of us who can't devote our lives to this game can still achieve the better ships and upgrades. It won't matter if everyone is flying the most pimped out ship if an Eagle can tear your Anaconda to shreds before you have the chance to boost away (slight exaggeration, of course).
3: Limit the hardcore AI battles to places like HazRes and Comp Nav Beacons, that's what they're there for. This makes it an option for people to enjoy their hardcore battles or to casually stroll through the galaxy at their leisure without stressing that at any moment they will be destroyed.
4: Go back to your original promise of an offline mode or at least remove the ability for Solo players to impact the online community. This will stop people from complaining about "cheaters" and will allow a much larger community to enjoy this game the way they want to. This game is basically a sandbox in space and that means it's supposed to be played as the player wants, not how someone else tells them to. There's a reason we've moved beyond the likes of "side scrolling" games and games that force you to do something specific in order to advance.
As I see it, these fixes will appease everyone (except the super hardcore gamers who want to ruin the game for anyone who doesn't play at their level). I get that space is dangerous and we're trying to keep some semblance of "reality" here, but let's face it, there is nothing about this game based on reality. This game is for escapism where a white collar worker can come home after a horrible day and escape into space and either relax by wandering the stars, or burn off some aggression by taking out as many enemies as they can.
But what's been done in 2.1, and frankly over the past few updates, is that this game has gone from being fun for everyone to being fun for a very select few. FD got lucky with the delay of NoMS, but unless something is done to appease the masses here, I expect a tremendous drop off in players come August, and with it, revenue to complete Michael Braben's dream.
So please, FD, please consider catering to your entire player base and not just the small handful of people who want to make this game near impossible to play. I love this game, I love the graphics, I love the gameplay (mostly) and I love the environment, but you've made it so difficult that all of the things I love about this game won't keep me playing it let alone make me willing to pay more than top dollar for your future expansions. I'm far from alone on this, I know, so again, please consider making this fun for everyone again.
Now the game has become so stressful and the AI is WAY beyond my skills that I don't feel that I can do anything without worrying about being shredded in a matter of seconds. The fun is gone and it's become more stressful than my job. I'm sure some people like this but many others don't.
This game has gone from being entertaining for all to now only being entertaining to the hardcore, super skilled pilots. How is a person supposed to make profit trading if they're constantly interdicted and destroyed before the FSD cools down? Why would someone choose to spend weeks or months exploring the vast reaches of space when chances are very high that the moment they reach inhabited space they will be destroyed in seconds, thus losing everything they've achieved in their exploration? There is FAR too much "grinding" required to recoup any losses at the hands of the AI.
I know a LOT of people like the new AI difficulty, so I won't outright request a change in that area, but I feel a compromise is necessary in order to appease all players and therefore keep FD in business with continued revenue for new seasons. Since FD basically screwed most of its original backers by removing an offline option, I think my suggestions here would resolve the greatest majority of issues people now have with this game.
So here's what I suggest:
1: Drastically reduce the amount of interdictions. (At least by super advanced sidies that will shred a pimped out Anaconda/Python/FAS, etc. in seconds). This will make exploration and trading doable again. Not necessarily fun, since it never was, but it's something we can do to build up our credits and actually feel like we are accomplishing something.
2: Increase the amount of credits that can be earned through Exploration/Trading/Combat so those of us who can't devote our lives to this game can still achieve the better ships and upgrades. It won't matter if everyone is flying the most pimped out ship if an Eagle can tear your Anaconda to shreds before you have the chance to boost away (slight exaggeration, of course).
3: Limit the hardcore AI battles to places like HazRes and Comp Nav Beacons, that's what they're there for. This makes it an option for people to enjoy their hardcore battles or to casually stroll through the galaxy at their leisure without stressing that at any moment they will be destroyed.
4: Go back to your original promise of an offline mode or at least remove the ability for Solo players to impact the online community. This will stop people from complaining about "cheaters" and will allow a much larger community to enjoy this game the way they want to. This game is basically a sandbox in space and that means it's supposed to be played as the player wants, not how someone else tells them to. There's a reason we've moved beyond the likes of "side scrolling" games and games that force you to do something specific in order to advance.
As I see it, these fixes will appease everyone (except the super hardcore gamers who want to ruin the game for anyone who doesn't play at their level). I get that space is dangerous and we're trying to keep some semblance of "reality" here, but let's face it, there is nothing about this game based on reality. This game is for escapism where a white collar worker can come home after a horrible day and escape into space and either relax by wandering the stars, or burn off some aggression by taking out as many enemies as they can.
But what's been done in 2.1, and frankly over the past few updates, is that this game has gone from being fun for everyone to being fun for a very select few. FD got lucky with the delay of NoMS, but unless something is done to appease the masses here, I expect a tremendous drop off in players come August, and with it, revenue to complete Michael Braben's dream.
So please, FD, please consider catering to your entire player base and not just the small handful of people who want to make this game near impossible to play. I love this game, I love the graphics, I love the gameplay (mostly) and I love the environment, but you've made it so difficult that all of the things I love about this game won't keep me playing it let alone make me willing to pay more than top dollar for your future expansions. I'm far from alone on this, I know, so again, please consider making this fun for everyone again.
Last edited:
They can't hurt what they can't catch so it's just an irritation.
