Hand-holding missions. If not directly coded in game, a summarised instruction (on Frontier's website maybe) of how to earn your first few merits. A step by step 'what to do' without explanation of the CC rules, which players can look at in detail for themselves later. ideally written in the hand of the Power's leader, as a personal invitation to you, to support the faction.
How I would improve PowerPlay is to have it so that a player chooses their PowerPlay faction when they create a new commander and the choice of faction determines your start point in the galaxy (but keep it so you can still change factions if you wish). That way everyone has a faction and a homeworld. Ditch the current PowerPlay system of dropping off leaflets, or whatever, and have it so that doing missions from the mission board ties in with the PowerPlay system. Successfully completing missions in contested systems increases your PowerPlay factions hold on the system, but obviously people working for other factions can undermine you by doing missions for their faction. Finally get rid of the silly stuff like finding NPC supporters of Aisling Duval in Felicia Winters territory, but keep it so that if you're a Winters supporter and you wander into Duvals territory you get attacked and so on.
Simple changes, but they'd make PowerPlay have some meaning, everyone would have a faction, everyone would have friends and enemies and something to fight for. It would make the in-game galaxy a whole lot more dynamic and interesting, instead of being beige and boring... it may even fix some of the mindless shooting other players for fun stuff, because generally people on the same side don't tend to shoot each other. It would open some nice PvP gameplay between players from rival factions, though.
Simple changes, but they'd make PowerPlay have some meaning, everyone would have a faction, everyone would have friends and enemies and something to fight for. It would make the in-game galaxy a whole lot more dynamic and interesting, instead of being beige and boring... it may even fix some of the mindless shooting other players for fun stuff, because generally people on the same side don't tend to shoot each other. It would open some nice PvP gameplay between players from rival factions, though.
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Not sure how I'd fix it without fundamentally changing what it is and the game it's built on.
I guess I'd make powerplay more local. Powerplay would be always on, at a local level - think bgs, and minor factions would be the actual power players. The incentive to participation would be seeing your colour grow larger on the map, but players who aren't interested would nonetheless passively participate just because BGS actions would end up having large powerplay effects.
But this stems from me caring nothing about who the Feds, Imps and whomever else are. It all feels so impersonal that it already failed at motivating me on that level, never mind the actual mechanics of it.
I guess I'd make powerplay more local. Powerplay would be always on, at a local level - think bgs, and minor factions would be the actual power players. The incentive to participation would be seeing your colour grow larger on the map, but players who aren't interested would nonetheless passively participate just because BGS actions would end up having large powerplay effects.
But this stems from me caring nothing about who the Feds, Imps and whomever else are. It all feels so impersonal that it already failed at motivating me on that level, never mind the actual mechanics of it.
First step: gal-net news about actual happenings in powerplay. It should be possible to make some statistics like what systems have seen most action (most heavy undermined systems, most heavy fortified systems, most active expansions,...). News should definitly mention all recent expansions. And there could be a hall of fame for the most active commanders in powerplay, like most credits spent, most powerplay NPC killed, most PvP kills, most lightyears of fortifications hauled. Stuff like this.
Second step: bring powerplay missions of various styles: reconnaissance, sabotage, escort, ... and add co-op missions too!
Third step: Make power NPCs come alive and issue missions, commendations and degradations...
Fourth step: get rid of powerplay gadget shopping. Give the powerplay modules into the arms of some engineers and let powerplay be only about powerplay and not about module shopping.
Second step: bring powerplay missions of various styles: reconnaissance, sabotage, escort, ... and add co-op missions too!
Third step: Make power NPCs come alive and issue missions, commendations and degradations...
Fourth step: get rid of powerplay gadget shopping. Give the powerplay modules into the arms of some engineers and let powerplay be only about powerplay and not about module shopping.
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Short version: Make it simpler.
Long version: I didn't really "get it", and that might very well be my fault. I signed up for Yuri Grom as I thought this would help as I was doing the CG in one of his systems. It didn't. Apparently, Bounty bonuses won't kick in until I've earned/found enough PowerPlay thingies, whatsits or doohickies - whatever they're called. I don't even know where I get them from to be honest, or where to put them if I do get any.
I really wanted to sign up for Felicia Winters, because I'm a Fed ally and want to get a better rank so one day I can have a Corvette... but I'm not sure if it actually helps or not. I know I can change allegiance, and I think I can take some of my mystery influence counters with me.
There's lots of guides on the interwebs, but to be honest it's like ploughing through treacle made from poor grammar, and I really don't have the time.
Most other game mechanics, you can kinda pick it up as you go along - even Engineers - but PowerPlay just seems like more trouble than it's worth to sit down and trawl through all the requirements. I figured it would be a bit like rep earned through missions, but it clearly isn't!
Yeah, I'd love a shiny new gun and CR50m a week from someone I exclusively do missions for, but I don't really have the in-game time to work out what it is I'm supposed to be doing!
Long version: I didn't really "get it", and that might very well be my fault. I signed up for Yuri Grom as I thought this would help as I was doing the CG in one of his systems. It didn't. Apparently, Bounty bonuses won't kick in until I've earned/found enough PowerPlay thingies, whatsits or doohickies - whatever they're called. I don't even know where I get them from to be honest, or where to put them if I do get any.
I really wanted to sign up for Felicia Winters, because I'm a Fed ally and want to get a better rank so one day I can have a Corvette... but I'm not sure if it actually helps or not. I know I can change allegiance, and I think I can take some of my mystery influence counters with me.
There's lots of guides on the interwebs, but to be honest it's like ploughing through treacle made from poor grammar, and I really don't have the time.
Most other game mechanics, you can kinda pick it up as you go along - even Engineers - but PowerPlay just seems like more trouble than it's worth to sit down and trawl through all the requirements. I figured it would be a bit like rep earned through missions, but it clearly isn't!
Yeah, I'd love a shiny new gun and CR50m a week from someone I exclusively do missions for, but I don't really have the in-game time to work out what it is I'm supposed to be doing!
- Reducing grind (create missions for Powerplay that reward merits instead of the repetitive actions that produce x merits per unit)
- Improving payouts (5M for 1500merits seems very few compared to other activities)
- Making access to a power an achievement and not picking just a faction (for instance, become allied with one of the Sol/Achenar/Alioth/etc. factions): that is, you unlock a power because you become someone trustworthy for them.
I have other proposals but these are the most important ones.
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This is necessary. Module shopping is opposed to the spirit of Powerplay.
- Improving payouts (5M for 1500merits seems very few compared to other activities)
- Making access to a power an achievement and not picking just a faction (for instance, become allied with one of the Sol/Achenar/Alioth/etc. factions): that is, you unlock a power because you become someone trustworthy for them.
I have other proposals but these are the most important ones.
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This is necessary. Module shopping is opposed to the spirit of Powerplay.
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My biggest issue is with how much is the whole thing removed from the rest of the game.
One basically has a choice to either do powerplay, or play the game.
It would be nice if, once pledged to a power, everything I do somehow benefited the power.
For example upon taking a mission I would be able to chose to do it selfishly for credits, or to do it for/in the name of my power which would earn me fewer credits, but also some merits and fortified the system (if within borders) or undermine/prepare systems (if inside the hostile power bubble)
Same with trading and bounty hunting. If I can gain rep and improve the influence of ruling faction by that, why not influence the power reigning over them, as well?
That way a person, who just "casually joins" could really help. And feel like helping, actually which is even more important, because that would make them interested and willing to maybe dive deeper into it (preps, expansions and general "politics")
One basically has a choice to either do powerplay, or play the game.
It would be nice if, once pledged to a power, everything I do somehow benefited the power.
For example upon taking a mission I would be able to chose to do it selfishly for credits, or to do it for/in the name of my power which would earn me fewer credits, but also some merits and fortified the system (if within borders) or undermine/prepare systems (if inside the hostile power bubble)
Same with trading and bounty hunting. If I can gain rep and improve the influence of ruling faction by that, why not influence the power reigning over them, as well?
That way a person, who just "casually joins" could really help. And feel like helping, actually which is even more important, because that would make them interested and willing to maybe dive deeper into it (preps, expansions and general "politics")
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First, get rid of all the pointless moving of "stone tablet" from one system to another.
The whole idea of moving contracts that are measured in TONS are utterly pointless.
Divide the Power play into something useful like:
Spy / intelligence gathering
Opinion maker influence a system to change alliance by shifting the fraction in control.
We can already do that today.
Assassination
Trade blockade, block ships to come or leave a planet with a ruling power.
Capture bases and outposts and keep them in control
Setup key mineral and metal extraction operations
make it more personal, give each player a "handler" who will give you missions to do, and by doing them you help the power to win the system.
if you are good you will get higher rank "handlers" who will give you more high end mission and more dangerous missions too.
there are a lot of things you can do to make it interresting.
The whole idea of moving contracts that are measured in TONS are utterly pointless.
Divide the Power play into something useful like:
Spy / intelligence gathering
Opinion maker influence a system to change alliance by shifting the fraction in control.
We can already do that today.
Assassination
Trade blockade, block ships to come or leave a planet with a ruling power.
Capture bases and outposts and keep them in control
Setup key mineral and metal extraction operations
make it more personal, give each player a "handler" who will give you missions to do, and by doing them you help the power to win the system.
if you are good you will get higher rank "handlers" who will give you more high end mission and more dangerous missions too.
there are a lot of things you can do to make it interresting.
Maybe have it where one only gets the special module of the first power they join. More lore and events to reflect what's going on in powerplay.
Special missions available from the power the player belongs to. Maybe power specific engineers..
Space legs and later. power specific locations opened to pledged members.invited to parties at the power "palace" and other events.
power specfic voting on some sort of events or gameply. maybe special ships.
Yes I'm in pp where I mainly help out "flippling" systems or fortification for my power.
Special missions available from the power the player belongs to. Maybe power specific engineers..
Space legs and later. power specific locations opened to pledged members.invited to parties at the power "palace" and other events.
power specfic voting on some sort of events or gameply. maybe special ships.
Yes I'm in pp where I mainly help out "flippling" systems or fortification for my power.
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I wouldn't.
I'd more likely rip down and restructure powerplay to emphasize the superpower allegiances, leaving the Powers you are pledged to to signify perks you want for your gameplay.
Doing it in a way that leaves the BGS as the main political landscape, removing the whole CC mess.
It can then leave the individual powers for the special items, or something you could use to make the play in the game and around the BGS more fun/enjoyable.
Basically instead of having it as a whole other game, occupying all of your time and instead turn it into a useful supplement that isn't something that requires you to grind for days on end for credits to spend on it.
I'd more likely rip down and restructure powerplay to emphasize the superpower allegiances, leaving the Powers you are pledged to to signify perks you want for your gameplay.
Doing it in a way that leaves the BGS as the main political landscape, removing the whole CC mess.
It can then leave the individual powers for the special items, or something you could use to make the play in the game and around the BGS more fun/enjoyable.
Basically instead of having it as a whole other game, occupying all of your time and instead turn it into a useful supplement that isn't something that requires you to grind for days on end for credits to spend on it.
Is a good answer. For me one of the issues is, there isn't sufficient depth of gameplay available in the main game at present to diversify Activities in Powerplay. Linking Powerplay to the mission boards though would make things more interesting.
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In order to think about what it would take to "revive" PP, it's worth realising why it's there to begin with.
PP exists because FD cocked up the initial implementation of the BGS. The idea of a galaxy evolving over time based on player input just didn't work (for whatever reason) with the system they had, so they built PP instead and strapped it onto the sides of the game as a separate "thing".
Number 3: Galaxy changing over time according to player input? Check.
Except, it doesn't really... because it's not part of the main game.
The only way to revive Powerplay is to remove it entirely. Integrate the ideas behind it into the BGS, with the mission boards, commodity markets, etc. That way people will participate whether they realise it or not.
PP has great potential. But not in its current form IMO.
PP exists because FD cocked up the initial implementation of the BGS. The idea of a galaxy evolving over time based on player input just didn't work (for whatever reason) with the system they had, so they built PP instead and strapped it onto the sides of the game as a separate "thing".
Number 3: Galaxy changing over time according to player input? Check.
Except, it doesn't really... because it's not part of the main game.
The only way to revive Powerplay is to remove it entirely. Integrate the ideas behind it into the BGS, with the mission boards, commodity markets, etc. That way people will participate whether they realise it or not.
PP has great potential. But not in its current form IMO.
1. Power Retention of systems should be based upon 3 elements TRADING,MINING,COMBAT DEFENSE (private/solo/open can participate in the influence)
2. Undermining of Systems should also be a TRADING, MINING, COMBAT OFFENSE (private/solo/open can participate in the influence)
culminating in a Open Play only Conflict Zone if the undermining reaches a breaking point in security!!
System controlling faction gives a favourable ratio, Kills vs Influence depending on Ethos
every reset brings about a new set of beginning levels of TRADING, MINING, COMBAT OFFENSE (private/solo/open can participate in the influence) allowing for a continual fight
Rewards for a succesful defensive/offensive participation should be a linear increase in engineer free rolls
2. Undermining of Systems should also be a TRADING, MINING, COMBAT OFFENSE (private/solo/open can participate in the influence)
culminating in a Open Play only Conflict Zone if the undermining reaches a breaking point in security!!
System controlling faction gives a favourable ratio, Kills vs Influence depending on Ethos
every reset brings about a new set of beginning levels of TRADING, MINING, COMBAT OFFENSE (private/solo/open can participate in the influence) allowing for a continual fight
Rewards for a succesful defensive/offensive participation should be a linear increase in engineer free rolls
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