Just a question on the benefits of online single player

[Violins77]

I will play the game on December 16th and I intend to start with single player online to benefit from the dynamic economy and events. However, there are a couple things that bother me.

Basically, I don't have time to play any game a crazy amount of time and I play a lot of games. My concern is that when I play Elite, I will be at a disadvantage even in single player online. Example, I'm assuming in the starting areas, there won't be any resources left to mine, and the profits for trade will probably be very low because a lot of "invisible" players are also trading there. Also, all the nearby systems will be already explored and named and it will require a lot of effort to explore new places...

Am I seeing this wrong, or do you guys think the balance will be made so that a real single player experience could be had?

 

[Blinde]

My concern is that when I play Elite, I will be at a disadvantage even in single player online. Example, I'm assuming in the starting areas, there won't be any resources left to mine, and the profits for trade will probably be very low because a lot of "invisible" players are also trading there. Also, all the nearby systems will be already explored and named and it will require a lot of effort to explore new places...

I think the starter areas will be at a disadvantage, not because of Player activity, but because these are the old explored systems. All the easy riches have already been taken, the large merchant ships are already saturating the market.

The starter systems will still have minerals, but they won't be the rich expensive minerals, they'll be the boring cheap ones.

The way to make coin is to go out into the frontier. Explore places that haven't been strip-mined already, go to markets that aren't serviced by the big vulnerable ships and will pay over the odds for stuff because they don't see merchants very often.

Explore! Discover! Exploit!

 

[Violins77]

Thank you for your answer. My concern, however, is not only for the starting areas, but all the fairly accessible areas. If someone jumps in the game 6 months after release, can we assume there will be nothing left in the close areas and that new players will need to get really far to even start playing the game? Now I haven't played the game yet, so maybe my concerns aren't justified, but I like having control over my games, and if I can't keep up with the evolving universe, that's not really single player to me... Again, I hope I'm wrong and single player offline will not be too restrictive for a single player focus experience.

 

[anikaiful]

Naah - don't worry. There is and always will be stuff to mine, haul, etc.

 

[Tar Stone]

It's intended that you should be able to carve out a unique single player experience for yourself regardless of when and how you start.

 

[silverjim]

I think the starter areas will be at a disadvantage, not because of Player activity, but because these are the old explored systems. All the easy riches have already been taken, the large merchant ships are already saturating the market.

The starter systems will still have minerals, but they won't be the rich expensive minerals, they'll be the boring cheap ones.

The way to make coin is to go out into the frontier. Explore places that haven't been strip-mined already, go to markets that aren't serviced by the big vulnerable ships and will pay over the odds for stuff because they don't see merchants very often.

Explore! Discover! Exploit!

That's a good question, and something I've been wondering about myself. In regards to your comment about playing offline, in what stage will the galaxy be in when the game is purchased if all play is offline? Will mining still be largely untouched? Markets still be relatively small? Or will the offline player get a 'snapshot' of the current state of affairs in the galaxy when they first sign on?

Edit: Crap. Meant to respond to the OP.

 

[mitth'raw'nuruodo]

I love this game, but SP is a big concern of mine as well. I only want to play solo because I do not want to be bothered by players with hundreds of hours in the game who know how to exploit every game mechanism and weapons. The AI so far in the game are little more than bots, generated randomly when you reach a location, not believable or fleshed out enough to be proper NPCs.

If they manage to put in everything mentioned in the FAQ (persistent NPCs, AI wingmen and crew etc) then solo play might become worthwhile. I bought into the beta assuming everything in the FAQ will be implemented.

So far in the beta, the only motivation for me to keep playing is to get to the next bigger ship. But the extremely bloated prices and rating requirements make me feel like the game is balanced for those people who will play it for a hundred hours a week. Not for people like me with a hour to play a day after work

However to address OP's direct concern, it is not difficult to make medium amount of money (a million or two) in the starting areas (Aulin, Eranin, Morgor, Dahaan, Styx etc) by doing fetch quests and combat missions in warzones. However its still not interesting enough to keep me playing for long enough to get to an Anaconda and such.

 

[Violins77]

I love this game, but SP is a big concern of mine as well. I only want to play solo because I do not want to be bothered by players with hundreds of hours in the game who know how to exploit every game mechanism and weapons. The AI so far in the game are little more than bots, generated randomly when you reach a location, not believable or fleshed out enough to be proper NPCs.

If they manage to put in everything mentioned in the FAQ (persistent NPCs, AI wingmen and crew etc) then solo play might become worthwhile. I bought into the beta assuming everything in the FAQ will be implemented.

So far in the beta, the only motivation for me to keep playing is to get to the next bigger ship. But the extremely bloated prices and rating requirements make me feel like the game is balanced for those people who will play it for a hundred hours a week. Not for people like me with a hour to play a day after work

However to address OP's direct concern, it is not difficult to make medium amount of money (a million or two) in the starting areas (Aulin, Eranin, Morgor, Dahaan, Styx etc) by doing fetch quests and combat missions in warzones. However its still not interesting enough to keep me playing for long enough to get to an Anaconda and such.

You actually nailed what I'm thinking... I too, only have so much time to play, and as mentioned earliwe I also play other games. I hope the game will find some balance with time and make it interesting for people who can't sink as much time (which is often a problem with MMO and space sim...)

 

[rich911]

I'm new & trading fine, working out what's a good buying & selling price & trading whilst doing bulletin board missions to make extra creds.

There always seems to be enough to transport for a profit if you know where to buy & sell, just staying near the starting area & learning to outrun pirates by transferring power to mainly engine & rest to shields... then boosting away from interdiction & carrying on with the mission.... simples... not been caught yet!! (famous last words there Rich...... Hmmmm maybe I should keep quiet & just sneak past the pirates in the rings somewhere!?!?!) lol

Really enjoying the game, just pop in for an hour here & there & trade/transport to me hearts content

 

[_Flin_]

I cant play a lot, either. Therefore my goals have been adjusted. I'll just do missions until a hauler with decent jump rang. Attach a fuel scoop and go on a long journey. Then sell the exploration data for a Cobra, outfit, and leave again.

While I'd love to own an Asp someday, this will probably never happen. 6 million by exploring, when playing 5-10 hours a week? Probably not.

 

[SuBSynk]

Thank you for your answer. My concern, however, is not only for the starting areas, but all the fairly accessible areas. If someone jumps in the game 6 months after release, can we assume there will be nothing left in the close areas and that new players will need to get really far to even start playing the game? Now I haven't played the game yet, so maybe my concerns aren't justified, but I like having control over my games, and if I can't keep up with the evolving universe, that's not really single player to me... Again, I hope I'm wrong and single player offline will not be too restrictive for a single player focus experience.

If you are playing in single player offline mode the economy will not be affected by the other players at all so don't worry about that

Not sure if you meant to write offline, since your topic title states online but this reply says offline so i'am slightly confused as to what you are worried about

 

[Violins77]

If you are playing in single player offline mode the economy will not be affected by the other players at all so don't worry about that

Not sure if you meant to write offline, since your topic title states online but this reply says offline so i'am slightly confused as to what you are worried about

Sorry, really meant to say online. At this point I'm not even sure if single player offline is still a thing, they haven't mentioned anything about it...

 

[Tempered]

I wouldn't worry too much about not being able to make cash in the starter systems. For one thing, some people will start in Empire space and some will start in Federation space, so the player base will already be diluted. FD probably have other provisions in place that we don't know about, as well. They hold the keys to the galaxy, so they can give the economy a boost if they find that it becomes too hard to earn credits.

 

[ste]

With 400,000,000,000 stars I think there will always be somewhere no man has ever gone before.

 

[Tarman]

With 400,000,000,000 stars I think there will always be somewhere no man has ever gone before.

I'm vaguely remembering a thread where the math worked out to something crazy like 172 million years IRL to visit everywhere, and that was using the entire playerbase of a goodly size; with just merely GOING to each system, not doing anything but showing up. I think the number was nearer to 700 million years for a single pilot. >____>

 

[Katkon]

I will play the game on December 16th and I intend to start with single player online to benefit from the dynamic economy and events. However, there are a couple things that bother me.

Basically, I don't have time to play any game a crazy amount of time and I play a lot of games. My concern is that when I play Elite, I will be at a disadvantage even in single player online. Example, I'm assuming in the starting areas, there won't be any resources left to mine, and the profits for trade will probably be very low because a lot of "invisible" players are also trading there. Also, all the nearby systems will be already explored and named and it will require a lot of effort to explore new places...

Am I seeing this wrong, or do you guys think the balance will be made so that a real single player experience could be had?

I've got great news for you Violins77: you won't be at a disadvantage as there is zero competition, no real "levels", no public leaderboards/public stats in Elite. You can take all the time in the world, and no-one will notice, or care. Titles will take a long time to earn, so you're not going to be seeing anyone fly around with the Elite title for a very, very long time (if the title is important to you).

 

[Violins77]

I've got great news for you Violins77: you won't be at a disadvantage as there is zero competition, no real "levels", no public leaderboards/public stats in Elite. You can take all the time in the world, and no-one will notice, or care. Titles will take a long time to earn, so you're not going to be seeing anyone fly around with the Elite title for a very, very long time (if the title is important to you).

Thanks, but my concern is not about the titles and competition, but more about the fact that playing will be harder if we don't play as often (because of depleted mines, explored system) and the sense that accomplishing something will be harder if we don't put a lot of time in.

 

[Mikey2305]

im trading mainly in the home systems and i am still able to make a comfortable living... about 140k profit on a round trip in my 100t type 6. im assuming that more profitability might be around if one is willing to seek it out