Isn't a sense of identity going to be lost as you progress?

[Krighten]

As of right now, I can identify my alter-ego being a Federation pilot and Bounty Hunter, but isn't everyone going to end up at a point where they have enough credits to do everything and at this point we will all just be "pilots". Exploring, trading, bounty hunting, and missions will all just bleed together.

Kinda just food for thought.

 

[Slythe]

Presumably increasing your reputation with one faction risks reducing it with another after a certain point, so the rep system avoids everyone being identical.

edit: Also I intend to avoid it when they introduce multiple characters by making my characters specialised, each one will have a particular way of making credits and a particular faction they want rep with. Then I can pick which character I want depending on what play style I'm in the mood for.

 

[Krighten]

Presumably increasing your reputation with one faction risks reducing it with another after a certain point, so the rep system avoids everyone being identical.

edit: Also I intend to avoid it when they introduce multiple characters by making my characters specialised, each one will have a particular way of making credits and a particular faction they want rep with. Then I can pick which character I want depending on what play style I'm in the mood for.

I just don't know if faction identity will be enough.
Think about MMO's or any MP games - classes define identity, choices that customize (and limits, for better or worse) your character and experience. Not just MMO classes, but Team Fortress classes or etc.
I'm not saying classes are needed here, but something beyond what faction you fight for.

EVE gets around this by making it take years to truly "specialize" in something.

 

[Defacto]

I hope that at one point, a player will reach a point where it really isn't possible to earn much more while still keeping everything you have (ship maintained, legal safety intact, etc.), and you'll either have to work together for bigger goals, or just live along in the game and watch it all unfold.

To me, progress will never be the goal, just the means to reach a point where I will be able to accomplish my own goals.
A lot of people seem to ask for the ''grinding'' to be reduced by lowering the prices of the large ships, etc. But I don't think they know what they are talking about. Say that you have a fully equipped Lakon 9. What then? You quit the game?
I think this is a hard problem, but I know that it isn't solved by allowing players to become gods after 50 hours of grinding.

It's a harsh world, but I don't feel it. When just making a living is hard, things are challenging, and I like that. This game needs to be challenging.

 

[anikaiful]

I'm not saying classes are needed here, but something beyond what faction you fight for.

... or don't fight for - some don't align with any, but freelance at whim (or are against all).

 

[Jordan Cobalt]

Not necessarily, some players don't like all professions. To me exploration and mining are kinda boring. I like mostly combat roles, pirate and bounty hunter with a little bit of smuggling/trading. I really don't see that changing once I'm flying an anaconda.

 

[Krighten]

I hope that at one point, a player will reach a point where it really isn't possible to earn much more while still keeping everything you have (ship maintained, legal safety intact, etc.), and you'll either have to work together for bigger goals, or just live along in the game and watch it all unfold.

To me, progress will never be the goal, just the means to reach a point where I will be able to accomplish my own goals.
A lot of people seem to ask for the ''grinding'' to be reduced by lowering the prices of the large ships, etc. But I don't think they know what they are talking about. Say that you have a fully equipped Lakon 9. What then? You quit the game?
I think this is a hard problem, but I know that it isn't solved by allowing players to become gods after 50 hours of grinding.

It's a harsh world, but I don't feel it. When just making a living is hard, things are challenging, and I like that. This game needs to be challenging.

I agree; And progress isn't my intention when I play, but progress is made regardless and while the road is long, I know I see a point at which I will of either mastered a specific activity or tired of it and moved on to another.
Which, when this occurs I don't want moving on to another to be simply spending credits I've already made outfitting a new ship.

The road to combat should start from step zero.
The road to exploration should start from step zero
The road to trading should start from step zero.
The road to mining should start from...etc

Just like in an MMO, you want to be a tank but you're a DPS character - you better roll a new character and work for it.

An easy solution would be to add permanent (or extremely costly to "re-spec") passive skills that you gain as you experience specific content. Impose a limit on these so a character can not have passive bonuses in every field of play, thus encouraging new characters with new specialties.

 

[Defacto]

I don't think that would be right. There must be a better way.

Why would this improve the sense of identity anyway? Now you're just making new characters instead of doing the same things with the old one. There's not more continuity...

 

[kickbackerss]

As of right now, I can identify my alter-ego being a Federation pilot and Bounty Hunter, but isn't everyone going to end up at a point where they have enough credits to do everything and at this point we will all just be "pilots". Exploring, trading, bounty hunting, and missions will all just bleed together.

Kinda just food for thought.

we already are all pilots

i dont think you understand this game at all

 

[Tenshi]

As of right now, I can identify my alter-ego being a Federation pilot and Bounty Hunter, but isn't everyone going to end up at a point where they have enough credits to do everything and at this point we will all just be "pilots". Exploring, trading, bounty hunting, and missions will all just bleed together.

Kinda just food for thought.

This all depends on your own view on the game. My view is going to be vastly different from your view or any poster here/ player of the game. In my mind I am a disgraced Imperial combat pilot who was dishonourably discharged from the military. Who is now working on the fringe worlds of the Empire, she may of been kicked out of the military but she still has a love for the Empire. At the moment she is running missions and getting supplies into Sorbago for the forces of Senator Torval. Just recently she was given a pardon by high command for her work and was given permission to enter Achenar.

When the civil war there dies down she will go back to exploring and bounty hunting.

This is how I view the game I play.

 

[Alric]

Yes that will happen as things stand, but it's not too much of a problem. Many MMOs have moved away from a rigid class system, and in an open ended game gaining wealth and resources should make many things easier.

That said it would make things more interesting if there was very deep gameplay associated with the different professions - so that while you could do everything "the best", it would be unlikely. We have a mission system and a couple of restricted ships already - and I'd love to see that system massively expanded.

So exploration companies that send you out on expeditions, scanning regions of space.. more and more interesting stuff, fitting your ship out with specialist scanners and the like that aren't available on the open market. Could end up that those who work closest with these societies end up being part of the discovery of aliens.

Military missions which lead to incursions in to enemy territory, flying off capital ships, testing prototype weapons and the like.

Specialist mining ships with asteroid scanners, drones, advanced scoops and refineries or who knows what supplied by big mining firms when you work with them a lot.. possibly sending you to remote and valuable asteroid fields... even unique minerals or gathering substances from unusual astronomical bodies.

Pirates who will harbor you in hidden bases if you are the enemy of their enemy.. allowing you to operate secretly and efficiently. Helping you jury rig your modules and launder stolen goods.

All that sort of thing.. make getting involved not only with a specific profession but also working with your chosen faction have a lot of real meaning. But also make it have consequences.. so that you would have to be more focused in what you do - flying around getting in to trouble in your mining rig would not go down well, likewise doing work for the enemy military etc. Doing detailed scans of a certain system might make you some enemies...

Alternatively you could choose to do your own thing - keeping that jack of all trades ability.. pick your own battles and go wherever you choose.. but knowing there are some things money can't buy.