In very simple terms there or two types of player in Elite. Those who like the simple peaceful life and like to play the game against the machine (PvE - Person versus the Environment) and those who prefer the more aggressive approach of building a reputation in combat against other humans (PvP - Person against Person).
For better or worse Frontier tend to have favoured the PvP approach and the main game is based around it.
This means that the PvE players have been shunted out into private groups, like Mobius, or left isolated and lonely in Solo mode.
The obvious approach would be to have two versions of the game. The PvE version for the peaceful folk, who still regard Elite as mainly a space trading game, and the PvP version for the 'my joystick is bigger than your joystick' people.
If running parallel versions proves problematic then all that is required is that the current PvP version of open play remains as it is with the addition of 'mega-shielding' for players who choose the PvE option.
This would totally protect their ships from attacks by human players. Pirates would get the warning 'Ship protected by Mega-shield'.
The mega-shielded effect could either be set by choosing it in the start menu or by the options panel. It would not be changeable during the game.
For the true pacifists, who like the space-trucking and exploration parts only, you could even have 'super-mega-shields' that protect from NPCs as well.
Anybody who pays for a game should be allowed to play it as they wish. They should not be coerced into being cannon-fodder or excluded from parts of the game by other aggressive players.
This might even increase sales. There's probably a market out there amongst people looking for an interesting game that isn't the traditional 'shoot-em-up'.
For better or worse Frontier tend to have favoured the PvP approach and the main game is based around it.
This means that the PvE players have been shunted out into private groups, like Mobius, or left isolated and lonely in Solo mode.
The obvious approach would be to have two versions of the game. The PvE version for the peaceful folk, who still regard Elite as mainly a space trading game, and the PvP version for the 'my joystick is bigger than your joystick' people.
If running parallel versions proves problematic then all that is required is that the current PvP version of open play remains as it is with the addition of 'mega-shielding' for players who choose the PvE option.
This would totally protect their ships from attacks by human players. Pirates would get the warning 'Ship protected by Mega-shield'.
The mega-shielded effect could either be set by choosing it in the start menu or by the options panel. It would not be changeable during the game.
For the true pacifists, who like the space-trucking and exploration parts only, you could even have 'super-mega-shields' that protect from NPCs as well.
Anybody who pays for a game should be allowed to play it as they wish. They should not be coerced into being cannon-fodder or excluded from parts of the game by other aggressive players.
This might even increase sales. There's probably a market out there amongst people looking for an interesting game that isn't the traditional 'shoot-em-up'.
