Robert Maynard
Volunteer Moderator
Thargoids are a good addition in that no-one needs to engage in the content if they don't want to.
Open-Only in PP2.0?
- Thread starter August Lagrange
- Start date
Well no- all players will plot to the one curve. What is essential is that there is always room a the top (within reason) to give the players that want more 'more'. And once they find that level it also points towards co-op play (like with Thargoids) and spreads sideways.
Only because where they are and that other players stopped them.
Robert Maynard
Volunteer Moderator
They only were where they were due to Frontier's deliberate placement and control of numbers. We didn't see the whole bubble burn as some rather obviously wanted it to. Those players managed to stop them, certainly - noting that there were a few tweaks to Thargoid challenge / reward / weapon availability along the way.
Put differently, it's highly unlikely that Thargoids would have been allowed to make the game unplayable for those with no interest in the content they offer.
Robert Maynard
Volunteer Moderator
Arguably for those at the top there is PvP with other like-minded individuals - Frontier don't need to spend a lot on challenging content for those few players to engage in.
I'm fairly certain this aspect carries little to no weight in the design. Recently, we had an invasion at Shinrarta Dezhra, and there may be many more to come, forcing players to either avoid them or confront them. (what it resembles ?)
Robert Maynard
Volunteer Moderator
... or just not play while it's happening.
To address the claim that "Frontier doesn't need to spend a lot on challenging content for those few players" it's important to highlight that the Thargoid content in ED actually engages a significant number of players, far from being just a niche interest.
For instance, the Anti-Xeno Initiative (AXI), one of the largest player groups dedicated to fighting Thargoids, has over 1,200 members actively participating in anti-Thargoid combat, constantly coordinating defense efforts across the galaxy
This group alone demonstrates that a substantial number of players are deeply invested in Thargoid activities.
Moreover, stats in INARA and other tools track player involvement in the ongoing Thargoid war, showing active contributions from thousands of commanders across multiple systems.
These numbers suggest that the player base engaging with Thargoid content is far from a "few," and Frontier’s investment in such content not only satisfies the current community but also attracts new players.
So beware of underestimating the 5% who are not only succeeding but driving the narrative and keeping these large-scale events alive.
But what about those who like PvE on the edge too?
This would fit me, because I love PvE like that. I had cheap disposable Clippers for BGS work, dodging ATR and high sec. vessels, all the time ratcheting up the consequences if I failed.
For sure, uninstalling the game is always an option! But I’d bet that the number of CMDRs who actually uninstall or stop playing because of the Thargoids is smaller than the amount of playtime racked up by those actively engaging with them.
1200 / 12 (number of Powers) * 2 (sides) = 200 potential(!) members for inter-Power
Robert Maynard
Volunteer Moderator
Thargoids.
Or ignore them completely.
Robert Maynard
Volunteer Moderator
No need to uninstall - just play something else until the game becomes interesting again....
Robert Maynard
Volunteer Moderator
While 1,200 may sound impressive it's not really that many when considering that there are over 12 million copies of the game in circulation.
I have absolutely no doubt at all that we won't see a significant increase in NPC opposition in PowerPlay 2.0, only a slight increase. Which means that there will be some who already find PvE threat level way too high, and the resulting bump in NPC opposition outside their home systems to be a turn off. There will also be some (like me) who won't even notice that bump.
Why not to consider that Thargoids attacked the nest of Elite Pv* veterans exactly to prevent you and some other from thinking of doing this:
stopped right at borders of sandbox that defeated that quick. Honestly, when last time in many years that many people in ED were that much exited and acting together? As the bottom line: that is excellent game play scenario! But come on, let's stop calling that as final fight for the existence of Humanity. After all "Will it be possible to completely knock out a Power?" (C) Powerplay 2.0 Q&A
And they were
Go into a High RES in a shieldless type 9 full of cargo of course!
What's the math behind that? Because I’m pretty sure the number of copies sold for GTA V / GTA Online doesn’t exactly match the number of active users either. It’s difficult to estimate engagement without something like a 'Solo Hauling Initiative' to track those players, but I’d argue that while those 1,200 players in AXI have a noticeable impact on galaxy evolution, 1,000,000 solo haulers could suddenly disappear without anyone, Frontier included, really noticing.
With introduction of PP 2.0 "solo haulers" could become even more important than some loose guns, and that is disregard are some people willing to grow up or continue to live in Open illusions.
BTW, Combat is just one of 8 Professions in EDO and ED is a Space Simulator, not just another FP-shooter game.
BTW, Combat is just one of 8 Professions in EDO and ED is a Space Simulator, not just another FP-shooter game.
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