If you are pursuing ideas for allowing Horizons and Odyssey players to instance together, I'd like to drop a couple ideas for accomplishing this feat without removing content from Odyssey. It seems to me this feature might only matter to an incredibly small subset of the player base. One, the restriction is a limitation of Horizons players and Odyssey players instancing on the same airless planet which, in itself, is a small slice of the game's features. Two, all other gameplay abilities to instance still exist across versions, save for the Odyssey only features.
I can't imaging the majority of Odyssey players are going to care or even know that when they land on a planet, any commanders they see on that planet may be playing either version of the game. It seems reasonable that those who are most concerned about this feature have plans to intentionally play with others who will not be purchasing Odyssey. Therefore, it seems reasonable to alter those specific Odyssey player's experiences through a system that allows them to "opt into" a Odyssey/Horizons hybrid experience which changes their gameplay experience while leaving everyone else in Odyssey alone.
I can't imaging the majority of Odyssey players are going to care or even know that when they land on a planet, any commanders they see on that planet may be playing either version of the game. It seems reasonable that those who are most concerned about this feature have plans to intentionally play with others who will not be purchasing Odyssey. Therefore, it seems reasonable to alter those specific Odyssey player's experiences through a system that allows them to "opt into" a Odyssey/Horizons hybrid experience which changes their gameplay experience while leaving everyone else in Odyssey alone.
- Odyssey players should be able to "opt into" and Odyssey/Horizons hybrid experience. The default state of Odyssey players prevents them from instancing with Horizons players on airless planets. In space, Odyssey players who have not "opted into" this mode will still have the ability to instance with Horizons players per the current usual methods in space. The galaxy is already fairly empty when it comes to random encounters with other players (save for very specific locations), it doesn't seem that splitting instancing by client while entering an airless planet would make a significant difference to the average player.
- Odyssey players choosing the hybrid experience will have all of their content limited to Horizons content when landing on an airless world. This means, no disembarking from ship on airless planets, no Odyssey PIOs, settlements, etc... will generate for airless planets. This will allow Odyssey players to instance with Horizons players on planet without violating the PEGI rating for Horizons. All Odyssey players not opting into the hybrid experience will continue to see Odyssey content on airless worlds, they just won't instance with Horizons players when they exit glide mode.
- Odyssey players choosing the hybrid experience will not see Odyssey missions generate for Airless worlds.
- Odyssey players can change their Odyssey/Horizons hybrid setting from the main menu of the game.
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