Incrementally Improving PowerPlay - Make PowerPlay Open-Only

[Konan]

I didn't read all the posts here so maybe it's been addressed but making it open only doesn't address the fact that there are three platforms within this universe. Console players actions could never be countered by a pc player group. So to me the post about open play is pointless until there is cross platform.

 

[Rubbernuke]

I didn't read all the posts here so maybe it's been addressed but making it open only doesn't address the fact that there are three platforms within this universe. Console players actions could never be countered by a pc player group. So to me the post about open play is pointless until there is cross platform.

Each power has representation on each console- with platform specific teams.

 

[Agent-137]

Is there a suggestion that anything new has been brought to the table in the debate? Those who oppose PvP-gating existing game features by making them Open only are not the only regular participants in threads on this topic.

Apart from CQC, Frontier have chosen not to PvP-gate any game feature in this game. It follows that there is no requirement for any player to enjoy or even tolerate PvP to play this game - so it is unsurprising that players have been drawn to the game with no intention to engage in PvP while engaging in the features that the game offers in whichever game mode they choose.

That a majority of a subset of the player-base want something to be changed to suit them does not mean that anyone has to agree with them.

While some players don't accept Frontier's stance on modes being equally valid choices, they bought the game just like any other player - and have no more, or less, right to engage in features of the game than any other player in whichever game modes Frontier chooses to implement them in. That some players can't, over five years after launch, accept that other players don't need to play with them to affect this game is not the fault of the game nor those players who don't choose to play with them.

What I'm hearing you say is that since Fdev hasn't implemented player suggestions on this topic yet, "it follows" that people should quit making them. Is that accurate?

 

[Robert Maynard]

What I'm hearing you say is that since Fdev hasn't implemented player suggestions on this topic yet, "it follows" that people should quit making them. Is that accurate?

Not at all - players are free to make suggestions, just as players are free to comment on the suggestions made by others, whether in support or opposition.

 

[Northpin]

And is why I always say its opportunistic PvP- its you dealing with what you come across. People will have to accept FD dealing with cheaters and accept some people would play on sub optimal connections too- but it comes down to numbers. A high enough population of 'regular' connections / players will render them irrelevant.

And everyone should also accept that the entire premise ED is build upon is that opportunistic PVP is also voluntary.
Making any game feature Open-Only would break that premise.

 

[Bashy81]

And everyone should also accept that the entire premise ED is build upon is that opportunistic PVP is also voluntary.
Making any game feature Open-Only would break that premise.

That description of the game does not preclude having a place / "playstyle" within the game where Open is not at an inherent disadvantage, just as it didnt prevent adding CQC as an external option.

 

[Rubbernuke]

And everyone should also accept that the entire premise ED is build upon is that opportunistic PVP is also voluntary.
Making any game feature Open-Only would break that premise.

Powerplay is broken because of EDs current premise. It has demonstrated its current design does not work across modes. Now that the BGS has essentially taken over (being far more developed) and resurgent CGs offering unique module rewards and more, where does that leave Powerplay?

 

[Northpin]

, where does that leave Powerplay?

Where it currently is
A opt-in activity, available for every ED player no matter their skill or mode choice of play. Like everything else in ED
A activity that does NOT require direct player interaction.
Just an alarm clock so people can log in and dump merits in the last minutes of the PP tick.

Edit:
My point is, there are things that can be done to make PP better.
But making it Open only is not among them

 

[Rubbernuke]

Where it currently is

Which is a failed feature, then.

A opt-in activity, available for every ED player no matter their skill or mode choice of play. Like everything else in ED

Not really. Last time I checked a lot of EDs content requires skills that not everyone has (and have to develop).

A activity that does NOT require direct player interaction.

Which has worked so well.

Just an alarm clock so people can log in and dump merits in the last minutes of the PP tick.

Which is the only tactic to respond to a blind race. Not exactly thrilling is it? No wonder its in the state it is.

 

[Phoenix_Dfire]

Wow, I can't believe I missed this one and it must have been a month since the last one. Here we go again.

Does Powerplay need to be open only? I would say Yes and No. For the Game mode to go completely open only would cause problems and knock on effects with the background simulation due to the rewards and bonuses that various powers have would take an age to undo and re-code. However, a hybrid model would probably satisfy the criteria with little disruption to the back ground simulation.

Powerplay Functionality Available to All

• I would say that the Preparation Activity should remain available in all modes. It will still need some modification to cut down on 5C'ers but nowhere near enough and it will allow solo and pvt players to earn the merits they need to either stay part of the power, with all their benefits, or just to module shop.
• I would also say that players can still attack NPCs for merits in hostile systems as well, as long as those systems are not a Control System or in Expansion
• Finally up the NPC interdiction rate for solo/pvt players. It doesn't even need to be by much, just enough to curb any bots causing disruption.

Powerplay Functionality in Open Only

• Control - This should be where players are watching out for opposing ships, whether NPC or Hostile Player Action as they make their cargo run to a control system. Players should be aware that they are a moving PVP target and so should build their ships accordingly. Destroying an Enemy player in one of your power's system should result in merit rewards.
• Blocking Control - if you are attacking in an opposing control system, both NPCs and Players can be targeted but you only get the merits if in Open Play
• Expansion - players should be watching out for enemy ships at all times, not just in any conflict or delivery spots.
• Blocking Expansion - if you are attacking in an opposing control system, both NPCs and Players can be targeted but you only get the merits if in Open Play.

Why do we need some open only play?
We need a place for consensual PvP. I know that powerplay wasn't originally designed that way but it fits the requirements much better than any BGS or CG functionality does. If there is a place for PvP, then they will come and I don't just mean straight stand up fights either. Pilots doing control runs will have to have ships which can escape from privateers trying to stop them, that kind of chase PvP can be just as thrilling for the cmdr that escapes that privateer ambush.

Does this mean CGs or BGS goes open only?
Hell No! Leave powerplay to those that want to play powerplay, it doesn't mean that they want the BGS, the CGs or anything else to be open only.

Conclusion
The hybrid model would allow solo/pvt players to still be involved in powerplay whilst giving a 'unsafe' space for PvP to occur. If you want to survive a Control Run, Distrupt Control runs, Expand into a system or try to block an expansion, you have to 'Git Gud' (Lord, Do I hate that saying) and if you're shot down while trying to you have to accept that it's a risk that you signed up to.

P.S. It's now so long since Sandro's original proposal on this; I kind of think that powerplay will never change again. But here's hoping.

 

[Darkfyre99]

Let me preface this with while I'm very much of the opinion that Open Only would be the final nail in PowerPlay as it exists today, and I'm extremely skeptical that it'll see the benefits PP:OO proponents claim should something similar to Sandro's proposals go forward, I think it should be tried none the less. If only to finally put this idea in its proper place: six feet under.

Also, my apologies for addressing your last point first.

Instancing sucks and could be vastly improved but I don't expect to instance with every single commander who jumps into a system. Being able to instance with some of them would be a huge improvement compared to not seeing anyone because they are in Solo. This is somewhat related to the point you raised about the timezones, as who you instance with depends greatly on where you are. If you're NA, it's very likely you'll instance with other NA CMDRs, but you'll usually have a hard time instancing with EU folks unless you have them in your friend list. Again, you'd instance with some people and your team mates would instance with some other people.

This is the the Blue Whale in the room. Instancing with complete strangers is rare in the best of times, even in popular CGs. Instancing with friends requires active collusion, inside and outside the game. And its extremely easy to disrupt instancing outside the game without even meaning to, just through practicing normal internet safety, or having someone in the house watching Netfilx. For Open Only to in any way be successful in it providing its proposed benefits, then PowerPlay needs to be Client/Server, not peer-to-peer.

You should try to think about Powerplay as a team game, and not from the point of view of "an individual". I can try to hunt enemy commanders in one place, my team mates can be in another, and as I said earlier, there's a limited number of systems relevant for PP every week, depending on who's prepping, expanding, etc.

And this, IMO, is the Elephant in the room PP:OO proponents often ignore. The basic premise behind the Power Play: Open Only proposal is essentially: "Everyone (except us) is hiding in Solo/PGs in order to be competitive." We know, from Frontier's own statements, that the majority of players play in Open. And we are expected to believe that PowerPlay attracts those more inclined towards PvP combat than the average player. And yet this cohort, which is far more likely to play in Open exclusively than the typical player, is allegedly, en-masse, avoiding Open like the plague.

Especially when it's common knowledge that "instancing sucks."

The far more parsimonious explanation is that the majority of PowerPlayers do, indeed, play in Open, and any opportunistic PvP happens because the stars align... primarily because Powerplay's current design funnels a lot of players into one or two systems during a very narrow window of time.

And if the PowerPlay cohort is, indeed, in Solo/PG because of competitiveness, then this isn't likely to change. PowerPlay, at its core, is an aggregate PvE bucket filling competition between teams. The optimal strategy in a situation like this is to avoid PvP as much as possible. Players who are seeking PvP-combat, rather than pouncing on it as the opportunity arises, isn't being a team player. The time spent doing so is far more profitably spent running Fortifications for those playing bodyguards, and undermining for those trying to blockade fortifications.

I've played games such as the one I describe above. Teams that spend all their time avoiding each other, playing a game of hide and seek where nobody is seeking. They're not a lot of fun. That's why PvP-combat games, and maps they're played on, are designed the way they are: funneling players into a couple of choke points where the action happens. Its much more fun that way.

Reading this I don't think you understand how Powerplay naturally creates hot spots every week. HQs, expansions, prep races... you don't need to track individual enemies to be able to find them, since they do their activities in a relatively small number of systems. This is not new, it's been like that since cycle 1.

And let's face it: one of the major reasons why PowerPlay isn't popular is because it offers exactly two activities for players to do, in a limited number of locations, while the rest of the game offers a huge variety of activities, in a wide number of locations. That won't change if PowerPlay goes Open Only. What will change is that if the PowerPlay: Open Only proponents are correct, and everyone (but us) is hiding in Solo/PG, is that Powerplay goes from having one or two choke points a week, to hundreds.

Sandro's proposal* includes winnowing that quantity down, at least for the Fortification part of the game, to eleven, which at least makes opposing Fortification possible... on paper. But in order for opportunistic PvP to become common enough for haulers to actually worry about, there needs to be at least as many PowerPlayer haulers participating as a popular CG... per power.

And, of course, undermining can still happen across hundreds of systems.

As a PC player I personally cannot oppose those in XB and PS4, but the console guys in my team can. Same goes for the timezones, there's people from different places in the world in every Power. I don't expect to counter all the enemy actions in Open by myself, Powerplay is a team effort.

Here's the central problem: PowerPlay needs to be popular enough, and concentrated enough, for there to be a significant enough PowerPlayer base that opportunistic PvP becomes common enough even outside of local prime time to be a threat. It doesn't matter how many people a Power has on other platforms and in other regions of the world, if they don't get instanced with each other.

After all... "instancing sucks."

In the mean time, please enjoy this song by the Eagles.

__
*out of curiosity, does anyone have a direct link to where Sandro said that fortification will be changed from outgoing to incoming? I just reread Sandro's original proposal, and it didn't say that anywhere, but I know I've read it. Thanks in advance.

 

[Rubbernuke]

This is the the Blue Whale in the room. Instancing with complete strangers is rare in the best of times, even in popular CGs. Instancing with friends requires active collusion, inside and outside the game. And its extremely easy to disrupt instancing outside the game without even meaning to, just through practicing normal internet safety, or having someone in the house watching Netfilx. For Open Only to in any way be successful in it providing its proposed benefits, then PowerPlay needs to be Client/Server, not peer-to-peer.

The only way is to try it in the end. If it does not work at least we know.

And this, IMO, is the Elephant in the room PP:OO proponents often ignore. The basic premise behind the Power Play: Open Only proposal is essentially: "Everyone (except us) is hiding in Solo/PGs in order to be competitive." We know, from Frontier's own statements, that the majority of players play in Open. And we are expected to believe that PowerPlay attracts those more inclined towards PvP combat than the average player. And yet this cohort, which is far more likely to play in Open exclusively than the typical player, is allegedly, en-masse, avoiding Open like the plague.

Especially when it's common knowledge that "instancing sucks."

Without opposition of some kind, how do you affect fortification, prep or expansion runs? Mode agnostic like today is you having to run faster than the next guy.

The far more parsimonious explanation is that the majority of PowerPlayers do, indeed, play in Open, and any opportunistic PvP happens because the stars align... primarily because Powerplay's current design funnels a lot of players into one or two systems during a very narrow window of time.

Which Sandro addressed: uncapped UM and open (+ unified fort direction) makes capitals and mega UM sites incredibly hot places to fly.

And if the PowerPlay cohort is, indeed, in Solo/PG because of competitiveness, then this isn't likely to change. PowerPlay, at its core, is an aggregate PvE bucket filling competition between teams.

And what happens after you fill your bucket? Right now nothing happens in solo or PG. Thats the problem.

The optimal strategy in a situation like this is to avoid PvP as much as possible. Players who are seeking PvP-combat, rather than pouncing on it as the opportunity arises, isn't being a team player. The time spent doing so is far more profitably spent running Fortifications for those playing bodyguards, and undermining for those trying to blockade fortifications.

And this is the fun- avoiding being killed. Working out when your enemy is weak, altering how you plan and execute your schemes.

I've played games such as the one I describe above. Teams that spend all their time avoiding each other, playing a game of hide and seek where nobody is seeking. They're not a lot of fun. That's why PvP-combat games, and maps they're played on, are designed the way they are: funneling players into a couple of choke points where the action happens. Its much more fun that way.

And thats what Sandro suggested- funneling players and creating places where powers have to be. And at times you have to be stealthy or plain lucky and avoid others.

And let's face it: one of the major reasons why PowerPlay isn't popular is because it offers exactly two activities for players to do, in a limited number of locations, while the rest of the game offers a huge variety of activities, in a wide number of locations. That won't change if PowerPlay goes Open Only. What will change is that if the PowerPlay: Open Only proponents are correct, and everyone (but us) is hiding in Solo/PG, is that Powerplay goes from having one or two choke points a week, to hundreds.

Playing as a team in real time and having to adapt to real threats is the draw. If you had experienced that you'd see how fun and rewarding it is.

Sandro's proposal* includes winnowing that quantity down, at least for the Fortification part of the game, to eleven, which at least makes opposing Fortification possible... on paper. But in order for opportunistic PvP to become common enough for haulers to actually worry about, there needs to be at least as many PowerPlayer haulers participating as a popular CG... per power.

And, of course, undermining can still happen across hundreds of systems.

Focussed attacks in uncapped UM would drag people to defend (either drive off attacks) or to outhaul them (further bringing in more players). With more turmoils and space prep and expansions would see more direct conflicts. Powers with spare capacity (or people who just want to attack) can go to a capital and disrupt fortification.

Here's the central problem: PowerPlay needs to be popular enough, and concentrated enough, for there to be a significant enough PowerPlayer base that opportunistic PvP becomes common enough even outside of local prime time to be a threat. It doesn't matter how many people a Power has on other platforms and in other regions of the world, if they don't get instanced with each other.

After all... "instancing sucks."

Again, you'll just have to try it and see.

__

*out of curiosity, does anyone have a direct link to where Sandro said that fortification will be changed from outgoing to incoming? I just reread Sandro's original proposal, and it didn't say that anywhere, but I know I've read it. Thanks in advance.

I'm the same- I know its there somewhere. But if there is no move to Open then there is little gain from changing it.

 

[Khan Tannhauser]

Let me preface this with while I'm very much of the opinion that Open Only would be the final nail in PowerPlay as it exists today, and I'm extremely skeptical that it'll see the benefits PP:OO proponents claim should something similar to Sandro's proposals go forward, I think it should be tried none the less. If only to finally put this idea in its proper place: six feet under.

Also, my apologies for addressing your last point first.



This is the the Blue Whale in the room. Instancing with complete strangers is rare in the best of times, even in popular CGs. Instancing with friends requires active collusion, inside and outside the game. And its extremely easy to disrupt instancing outside the game without even meaning to, just through practicing normal internet safety, or having someone in the house watching Netfilx. For Open Only to in any way be successful in it providing its proposed benefits, then PowerPlay needs to be Client/Server, not peer-to-peer.



And this, IMO, is the Elephant in the room PP:OO proponents often ignore. The basic premise behind the Power Play: Open Only proposal is essentially: "Everyone (except us) is hiding in Solo/PGs in order to be competitive." We know, from Frontier's own statements, that the majority of players play in Open. And we are expected to believe that PowerPlay attracts those more inclined towards PvP combat than the average player. And yet this cohort, which is far more likely to play in Open exclusively than the typical player, is allegedly, en-masse, avoiding Open like the plague.

Especially when it's common knowledge that "instancing sucks."

The far more parsimonious explanation is that the majority of PowerPlayers do, indeed, play in Open, and any opportunistic PvP happens because the stars align... primarily because Powerplay's current design funnels a lot of players into one or two systems during a very narrow window of time.

And if the PowerPlay cohort is, indeed, in Solo/PG because of competitiveness, then this isn't likely to change. PowerPlay, at its core, is an aggregate PvE bucket filling competition between teams. The optimal strategy in a situation like this is to avoid PvP as much as possible. Players who are seeking PvP-combat, rather than pouncing on it as the opportunity arises, isn't being a team player. The time spent doing so is far more profitably spent running Fortifications for those playing bodyguards, and undermining for those trying to blockade fortifications.

I've played games such as the one I describe above. Teams that spend all their time avoiding each other, playing a game of hide and seek where nobody is seeking. They're not a lot of fun. That's why PvP-combat games, and maps they're played on, are designed the way they are: funneling players into a couple of choke points where the action happens. Its much more fun that way.



And let's face it: one of the major reasons why PowerPlay isn't popular is because it offers exactly two activities for players to do, in a limited number of locations, while the rest of the game offers a huge variety of activities, in a wide number of locations. That won't change if PowerPlay goes Open Only. What will change is that if the PowerPlay: Open Only proponents are correct, and everyone (but us) is hiding in Solo/PG, is that Powerplay goes from having one or two choke points a week, to hundreds.

Sandro's proposal* includes winnowing that quantity down, at least for the Fortification part of the game, to eleven, which at least makes opposing Fortification possible... on paper. But in order for opportunistic PvP to become common enough for haulers to actually worry about, there needs to be at least as many PowerPlayer haulers participating as a popular CG... per power.

And, of course, undermining can still happen across hundreds of systems.



Here's the central problem: PowerPlay needs to be popular enough, and concentrated enough, for there to be a significant enough PowerPlayer base that opportunistic PvP becomes common enough even outside of local prime time to be a threat. It doesn't matter how many people a Power has on other platforms and in other regions of the world, if they don't get instanced with each other.

After all... "instancing sucks."

In the mean time, please enjoy this song by the Eagles.

__
*out of curiosity, does anyone have a direct link to where Sandro said that fortification will be changed from outgoing to incoming? I just reread Sandro's original proposal, and it didn't say that anywhere, but I know I've read it. Thanks in advance.

Powerplay as it exists now is dying. There are way less players participating today than a year ago, and if nothing changes there will be even less in a year from now. The general idea I get from your reply is that since Open Only wouldn't solve all problems because instancing, p2p, someone watching Netflix and so on, then the best course of action is keep everything as it is. Honestly, I don't see how this makes sense and as far as I know most people actively involved in PP would disagree.

 

[GloatingSwine]

Powerplay as it exists now is dying. There are way less players participating today than a year ago, and if nothing changes there will be even less in a year from now. The general idea I get from your reply is that since Open Only wouldn't solve all problems because instancing, p2p, someone watching Netflix and so on, then the best course of action is keep everything as it is. Honestly, I don't see how this makes sense and as far as I know most people actively involved in PP would disagree.

The general idea of his reply is that open only wouldn't solve any of the problems with powerplay because those problems aren't related to which modes the players are in anyway.

 

[Rubbernuke]

The general idea of his reply is that open only wouldn't solve any of the problems with powerplay because those problems aren't related to which modes the players are in anyway.

If the minute to minute gameplay of actually flying meant something (and having chaotic interactions with others) then Open does bring something to the table, since it replaces the non chance of being attacked by ineffective NPCs with ships that sidestep all the NPC issues.

 

[Khan Tannhauser]

The general idea of his reply is that open only wouldn't solve any of the problems with powerplay because those problems aren't related to which modes the players are in anyway.

Some of these problems are indeed related to what modes the players are in, and have been brought up a gazillion times in this thread already.

 

[GloatingSwine]

If the minute to minute gameplay of actually flying meant something (and having chaotic interactions with others) then Open does bring something to the table, since it replaces the non chance of being attacked by ineffective NPCs with ships that sidestep all the NPC issues.

But again, it wouldn't do that.

Because most of the players are in Open already, there just aren't enough of them and they're spread out too widely by the design of Powerplay and the way Elite instances players for there to be anything other than a small chance of any two players meeting even in Open.

Making Powerplay open-only isn't going to suddenly boost the number of people playing it. There isn't a secret legion of Elite players who would do Powerplay but don't just because they have the choice of what mode to do it in. If they wanted to do Powerplay in Open they'd be doing it already.

The more reasonable explanation is that most people don't want to do Powerplay no matter what mode it's in.

Besides which most of the people playing it are already in open, and simply not meeting even in the same systems because of instancing, even when they're going to the same systems at all because of the scope of the galaxy, number of systems being worked on in some way and small number of players.

Like even if the players were evenly distributed between powers (they're not), if there are around 1000 powerplay players there would be 90 per power. Split between three powerplay activities over what, half a dozen to a dozen possible systems at a time? (The lists are longer than that though) That's getting close to less than one player per contested system per power already.

Even with everyone in open not merely most, and all pledged players being guaranteed to instnace together, you would still have a less than 50/50 chance of meeting another player in any given powerplay cycle.

So it doesn't do what you keep saying it would. It wouldn't meaningfully increase the number of player interactions between the current base, Powerplay is too diffuse for its population for that to happen, and it wouldn't meaningfully increase the number of people doing Powerplay because if they wanted to do it they already would. Being open-only isn't some magic mantra that would suddenly make the scales drop from the eyes of people not currently interested, but would remove some of the current players.

 

[Rubbernuke]

But again, it wouldn't do that.

Because most of the players are in Open already, there just aren't enough of them and they're spread out too widely by the design of Powerplay and the way Elite instances players for there to be anything other than a small chance of any two players meeting even in Open.

Open on its own would give the possibility of that happening though. Couple that with what FD themselves came up with makes things even more likely. Even as you put it, a small chance is better than what currently happens, which is nothing.

Making Powerplay open-only isn't going to suddenly boost the number of people playing it. There isn't a secret legion of Elite players who would do Powerplay but don't just because they have the choice of what mode to do it in. If they wanted to do Powerplay in Open they'd be doing it already.

A lot of the old guard plus a lot of PvP players unsurprisingly disagree.

The more reasonable explanation is that most people don't want to do Powerplay no matter what mode it's in.

If you provide Powerplay with an actual reason to be (i.e. its the feature for co-op warfare) then why not? Right now Powerplay is seen as a PvE lite feature with nothing else to it.

Besides which most of the people playing it are already in open, and simply not meeting even in the same systems because of instancing, even when they're going to the same systems at all because of the scope of the galaxy, number of systems being worked on in some way and small number of players.

Until you try, you'll never know. All my own experiences have been excellent, I've run into fellow pledges, rivals, non-pledges just fine.

Like even if the players were evenly distributed between powers (they're not), if there are around 1000 powerplay players there would be 90 per power. Split between three powerplay activities over what, half a dozen to a dozen possible systems at a time? (The lists are longer than that though) That's getting close to less than one player per contested system per power already.

And if Powers had places to properly fight over, then you'd have fluid conflicts where pockets of activity happen opportunistically. Add to that what FD have suggested and you narrow that even further.

Even with everyone in open not merely most, and all pledged players being guaranteed to instnace together, you would still have a less than 50/50 chance of meeting another player in any given powerplay cycle.

It all comes down to whats being contested. A quiet cycle will be quiet regardless- but its the hot ones that would be different.

So it doesn't do what you keep saying it would. It wouldn't meaningfully increase the number of player interactions between the current base, Powerplay is too diffuse for its population for that to happen, and it wouldn't meaningfully increase the number of people doing Powerplay because if they wanted to do it they already would. Being open-only isn't some magic mantra that would suddenly make the scales drop from the eyes of people not currently interested, but would remove some of the current players.

Well I disagree. Having the chance of coming across UM (which you can see in real time), prep races where you can destructively head off another (without having to race yourself), mess up fortification, forcing you to design and fly better, form better strategies based on what intelligence you have of the other side, adds much more than what we have now- which is faceless grind races.

It won't be diffuse if there is something to fight over, and if Powers shrink because fortification is harder and fortification order becomes vital (i.e. you can focus on preventing valuable systems being fortified) its adding to complexity and not taking it away (unlike now).

Even if new people simply get merits blowing stuff up in PvP conflicts with wing on wing fights over keeping places defended thats enough to make Powerplay different and offer something, as well as acting as a better limit on power size.

 

[Khan Tannhauser]

But again, it wouldn't do that.

Because most of the players are in Open already, there just aren't enough of them and they're spread out too widely by the design of Powerplay and the way Elite instances players for there to be anything other than a small chance of any two players meeting even in Open.

Making Powerplay open-only isn't going to suddenly boost the number of people playing it. There isn't a secret legion of Elite players who would do Powerplay but don't just because they have the choice of what mode to do it in. If they wanted to do Powerplay in Open they'd be doing it already.

The more reasonable explanation is that most people don't want to do Powerplay no matter what mode it's in.

Besides which most of the people playing it are already in open, and simply not meeting even in the same systems because of instancing, even when they're going to the same systems at all because of the scope of the galaxy, number of systems being worked on in some way and small number of players.

Like even if the players were evenly distributed between powers (they're not), if there are around 1000 powerplay players there would be 90 per power. Split between three powerplay activities over what, half a dozen to a dozen possible systems at a time? (The lists are longer than that though) That's getting close to less than one player per contested system per power already.

Even with everyone in open not merely most, and all pledged players being guaranteed to instnace together, you would still have a less than 50/50 chance of meeting another player in any given powerplay cycle.

So it doesn't do what you keep saying it would. It wouldn't meaningfully increase the number of player interactions between the current base, Powerplay is too diffuse for its population for that to happen, and it wouldn't meaningfully increase the number of people doing Powerplay because if they wanted to do it they already would. Being open-only isn't some magic mantra that would suddenly make the scales drop from the eyes of people not currently interested, but would remove some of the current players.

Players aren't spread too widely, and the chances of two players meeting in Open is very high if you know where to look at (on PC at least, I can't talk about consoles). Man, you should have seen Aisling's expansion to Mbambiva a few weeks ago. I don't know about the imperials but the federal pvp'ers got 139 confirmed kills in all 3 platforms.

I wouldn't say it's a legion but there's a lof of people I know who retired from Powerplay because of the problems it has and would come back if Open Only was implemented.

 

[Old Duck]

Make PowerPlay Open-only.

I have spoken.