For sure, and why not? Eventually anyway. Chains of systems stretching out into the black and across the galaxy. But doing it 10LY at a time isn't just going to be impossible in the lifetime of the game, or even our whole lives, its simply not going to be possible as the distance between stars gets wider and wider. Someone already mentioned, 10LY range probably won't be enough to cross the galactic arms.
Opinion: 10 LY range for colonization is ridiculously low.
- Thread starter Agony_Aunt
- Start date
For sure, and why not? Eventually anyway. Chains of systems stretching out into the black and across the galaxy. But doing it 10LY at a time isn't just going to be impossible in the lifetime of the game, or even our whole lives, its simply not going to be possible as the distance between stars gets wider and wider. Someone already mentioned, 10LY range probably won't be enough to cross the galactic arms.
My argument (which I used Father Ted for) was that for explorers its ego driven, PP 2 its logistical. In this context 10LY is linked to the latter and not the former.
It can't be too easy otherwise Powers will cheese territory, if its too hard explorers will complain.
Before I read your post there just now, I thought to what extent they'll be flexible to up the expansion limit - isn't the BGS/PP's 20-30LY? So even in the best case scenario they wouldn't be able to increase it beyond that because that wouldn't work BGS/PP wise.
Yes, people are, and I don't think it's a silly thing to ask for (people claiming their first discoveries, favourite locations, etc.). I just think it was wishful thinking to expect that after we got the detail the other month that we would be 'system architects' and not 'base builders'.
Exactly- they both work in lockstep of each other. The problem is you have two broad groups who want different things- one set wants to boldly go, the other wants high value expansions. If its easy for individuals to do this trillions of LY away its going to lead to PP 2 cheesing.
They skew it a ridiculous amount, though. There's just no contest once the ranges get big.
Fastest long-range bulk transport without one is an Anaconda, which can probably carry about 375T of cargo with a 50LY jump range and a non-painful fuel scoop, so in 20 minutes can carry 375T of cargo 1000 LY, maybe more if you can get a good neutron route.
In the same 20 minutes - server load permitting - a Fleet Carrier can move 25000T of cargo 500 LY, which is over thirty times quicker.
(Over longer ranges some of that cargo needs to be replaced with Tritium, of course, but you can get a full-mass carrier to Beagle on just over half-full of Tritium, so you'd still be about fifteen times quicker than the Anaconda even going right to the other side of the galaxy)
BGS is 30 LY - but a cube rather than a sphere, so the corners are a bit further out.
PP is 30 LY as a real sphere.
But a longer range would still work with those - you'd just need to infill the gaps.
Also, the commodity grind will indeed have to be epic because it needs to be balanced for MMO player numbers. Solo efforts will be hard work, and that's just for the very first station (which you can't even place by the sound of it). Getting Operation IDA vibes.
Its the speed of rollout that matters- if its too fast Powers will just spam everything close.
Powers want territory, not the odd dot here and there an explorer will do.
Here's the thing, any string of "abandoned" systems essentially becomes a 20LY wide tube (10Ly either direction) of claimable systems, so anyone unhappy with that can come along behind and cherry pick from the opened up systems to build up properly.I know what no-one wants - a string of systems 10 Ly apart abandoned but unclaimable as they were only on the way to where someone was headed - either for PP or anything else
If it is indeed '10 light years from where you bought the beacon', might as well not do it.
Also, as we go outwards there tons of areas that don't even have stars within 10 ly from each other.
You need to think of something else.
I suggest:
-1000 ly
-all station/settlement maintenance/upkeeep costs increased by 100% for every 100 light years your system is away from at least 10 populated systems (so it doesn't get cheesed by having 2 next to each other)
Also, If we're to expand existing minor factions (by acquiring beacons from them), can you add more so that each country is somehow represented? (for RP reasons)
Also, as we go outwards there tons of areas that don't even have stars within 10 ly from each other.
You need to think of something else.
I suggest:
-1000 ly
-all station/settlement maintenance/upkeeep costs increased by 100% for every 100 light years your system is away from at least 10 populated systems (so it doesn't get cheesed by having 2 next to each other)
Also, If we're to expand existing minor factions (by acquiring beacons from them), can you add more so that each country is somehow represented? (for RP reasons)
Jump range does seem low, but FD want to control how much the bubble can expand, and how quickly. The range could double or triple, but the 500ly range that might be good for single CMDRs probably is not coming. Pretty much killed my interest, since I just wanted to plonk down a single system about 6kly from the bubble, that didn't have a trail of breadcrumbs leading to it.
Given the restrictions and work involved, it's just looking like a community or squadron feature. What will players do with it? The highway to Colonia will almost certainly improve. How will the Colonia people feel about that? Not sure.
I'm probably alone in this, but I'm unsure what the point of colonization is. If the feature was useful to the player in ways similar to FCs, it would be pretty attractive. Or if the feature was more in-depth in terms of what can be placed and built, it would be attractive to players interested in immersion, or roleplay. Or if "owning" a settlement involved new gameplay or features, that would be a draw as well. None of these seem to be present, so right now it looks a bit pointless. It's early days though, maybe the uses of colonization will become apparent when we find out what the Thargoids are planning next.
Given the restrictions and work involved, it's just looking like a community or squadron feature. What will players do with it? The highway to Colonia will almost certainly improve. How will the Colonia people feel about that? Not sure.
I'm probably alone in this, but I'm unsure what the point of colonization is. If the feature was useful to the player in ways similar to FCs, it would be pretty attractive. Or if the feature was more in-depth in terms of what can be placed and built, it would be attractive to players interested in immersion, or roleplay. Or if "owning" a settlement involved new gameplay or features, that would be a draw as well. None of these seem to be present, so right now it looks a bit pointless. It's early days though, maybe the uses of colonization will become apparent when we find out what the Thargoids are planning next.
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I said in my last comment that with a 10ly range it will take players 77 years to get to Sagittarius A*. At 100ly it will still take almost 8 years and will the game still be in service then, and remember this is constant gameplay on a single task every single week. This is taking grind to a whole new level the player base simply won't accept.
However changing it to 1,000ly won't work either, as it takes all the risk and danger out of exploring, when it's all too easy to find an inhabited system where you can get repairs.
I've said all along it needs to be 5,000ly but maybe with a longer build time or a greater cost.
However changing it to 1,000ly won't work either, as it takes all the risk and danger out of exploring, when it's all too easy to find an inhabited system where you can get repairs.
I've said all along it needs to be 5,000ly but maybe with a longer build time or a greater cost.
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Feeling similar. I liked the idea of creating a mini bubble a couple of LY out, or even just my own little system (even if that would mean some level of grind). The way it looks now, I'm completely deflated (but not surprised unfortunately) after seeing today's preview. I've lost interest in PP2.0 after a couple of weeks realising it's a pointless hamster wheel to keep players busy for little payback (imo anyways), and Colonisation is dead in the water for me before the beta even starts, unless they seriously reconsider the fundamentals, which I don't think they're prepared to do apart from the odd tweak here or there.
This kinda reminds me of the original Fleet Carriers preview and the final product a year (or two?) later. Shame. Again.
The funny thing is, we currently only know about the range, but I'm curious to see the commodity grind requirements, and wasn't there talk of upkeep in some form? (could be wrong). There'll be some further minds blown I reckon....
That's what carriers are for, and player groups with multiple carriers will get it done faster.
I'm hoping they do it sensibly, with only a relatively small amount of commodities needed for a bridge post, but more needed if you want a bigger station or base, and also that they allow mining in these systems to help you get the materials there. Although they did hint this last one might be possible.
I would think that once your facilities are built, they'll function like any other station in a bubble system. No upkeep from you required, except if you wish to continue to build out the system as they were describing.
...unless, of course, either colonisation or the coming Thargoid Surprise means that regular NPC stations start needing some sort of upkeep as well, as a way of keeping the total size of inhabited space roughly level.
Do me a favor. Please forget that you ever thought up this idea.
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