You can almost taste it ... the framework is there for amazing player interactions, back and forth struggles between player factions ... PP could be a great answer to guilds. Almost there, but it just needs:
- COMMS and MORE COMMS. You've built a gameplay structure that encourages and even requires player coordination, but have provided no tools whatsoever for them to coordinate. Global, power-specific chat is an absolute must, in my opinion this should be the #1 priority to improve the powerplay experience. Above all else.
- Bulletin Board integration. I read this point somewhere else on these forums, and it's just so true: even the lowliest soldier gets paid for his service. The monetary rewards for PP activities are weak at best. But instead of jacking them up, why not add missions to the bulletin board system that support the various powers? Players can have their cake and eat it too, because in the end that's what we want. We want powerplay to be worth it, and I'm not talking moral victories. Cold, hard cash.
- Voting should be way more important than it is. Votes shouldn't be just about picking prep systems for expansion. We should be able to vote on a number of things that govern the power - such as official, game-supported alliances, or changes to rewards, or targets for undermining, or location of the Power's HQ, and on and on. The voting power could be so much more than it is and give players a real reason to grind those ranks, something that is impactful to the game as a whole. The hardcore guys would love it because their time investment would have real meaning besides credits - they could truly impact the course of the galaxy.
Some of us that complain about Powerplay aren't doing it to troll FD or other players, but because it's soooo close to being an amazing experience, agonizingly close really. Come on, let's get some of these things done FD and we will see the kind of emergent gameplay that builds a positive reputation in the wider gaming community.
- COMMS and MORE COMMS. You've built a gameplay structure that encourages and even requires player coordination, but have provided no tools whatsoever for them to coordinate. Global, power-specific chat is an absolute must, in my opinion this should be the #1 priority to improve the powerplay experience. Above all else.
- Bulletin Board integration. I read this point somewhere else on these forums, and it's just so true: even the lowliest soldier gets paid for his service. The monetary rewards for PP activities are weak at best. But instead of jacking them up, why not add missions to the bulletin board system that support the various powers? Players can have their cake and eat it too, because in the end that's what we want. We want powerplay to be worth it, and I'm not talking moral victories. Cold, hard cash.
- Voting should be way more important than it is. Votes shouldn't be just about picking prep systems for expansion. We should be able to vote on a number of things that govern the power - such as official, game-supported alliances, or changes to rewards, or targets for undermining, or location of the Power's HQ, and on and on. The voting power could be so much more than it is and give players a real reason to grind those ranks, something that is impactful to the game as a whole. The hardcore guys would love it because their time investment would have real meaning besides credits - they could truly impact the course of the galaxy.
Some of us that complain about Powerplay aren't doing it to troll FD or other players, but because it's soooo close to being an amazing experience, agonizingly close really. Come on, let's get some of these things done FD and we will see the kind of emergent gameplay that builds a positive reputation in the wider gaming community.
