Passenger missions need a nerf.

[CMDR Rusty Dog]

Right, so this might not make me very popular, or maybe some will even agree.

In 2.2 I took on a single passenger mission. I can't recall if the passenger was criminal or secretive or whatever, but the mission was to visit 3 systems and therefore 3 tourist beacons.
After some flying around to and fro I had completed the mission and was heading back for my 13.9mCR payout.
I'd only been out for just over an hour I think.

I got back and picked up my cash (thankyouverymuch), I think I even got some commodities and a material for it too.

But.... what surprised me was my Explorer rank (which was Pioneer 11%) had shot up to 16% from just that one mission.
Sure there were some cursory system scans while travelling but nothing special.

Do you have any idea how many planets and stars I need to scan to gain 5% rank at Pioneer level ?

I don't mind the occasional well paying mission popping up (I'm a billionaire so 13.9 million is what I can now call fairly decent). But the rank boost is nuts. I`ll be Elite in no time at that rate.
I think it's too quick. Way too quick. It's actually putting me off taking more passenger missions because I don't want to rank up that easily. I want to really earn it so I can feel some sense of achievement when I do make, what will be, my 2nd Elite rank.

To be honest I dunno if this has been patched or nerfed in 2.3 beta or if it will be for the 2.3 live build. If there is anyone out there who knows if this is the case of not I`d be interested to hear.
Otherwise I can test it myself.

 

[Crank Larson]

The rank increase is fixed in 2.3.

 

[fennster]

Yep as above...

And from the 2.3 beta patch notes...

"Reduced exploration rank boost from passengers as it was way too high"

 

[JonLuis69]

Love the vids Rusty. Question answered above, however some have gained elite through this apparently.

Oh well, to each their own I guess.

 

[Harmoniser]

are the payouts nerfed, I liked getting 5mil for two hour tours around the bubble. I give a high quality service and worth that kind of cash. I'm not interested in walking around money.

 

[fennster]

are the payouts nerfed, I liked getting 5mil for two hour tours around the bubble. I give a high quality service and worth that kind of cash. I'm not interested in walking around money.

Unclear at this point. Adam Waite was aware of the payout reduction and was looking into it, but there has been no confirmation if and when they will be adjusted again and to what.

 

[IndigoWyrd]

2.3 = Less Money, Less Rank, More Work.

 

[Dbrn47]

Nerf threads need a nerf. This has also been visited already, at length and to much debate. Does anyone use the search function at all? I find it quite useful, but I guess not.

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2.3 = Less Money, Less Rank, More Work.

Isn't immersion the word you are looking for?

 

[askavir]

It had to be nerfed, the rank gain from passenger missions was completely ridiculous.

 

[fademist]

It had to be nerfed, the rank gain from passenger missions was completely ridiculous.

us we can agree about the rank ..the payout is worthless ...

 

[K-NINE]

2.3 = Less Money, Less Rank, More Work.

Sure, but I have to agree with the OP. I've taken a six-month break from the game and just got back into it. Tried out passenger missions the other night: found two separate missions, both going to the same location. Took them both, took about 90 minutes to complete and got paid about 9.5 million for it.

When I set out, I was on Trailblazer rank (yeah, I know: exploring hasn't been a focus for me...) and was sitting on 1% completion towards the next rank.
As soon as I collected my money for completing those two missions, I was immediately promoted to Pathfinder and about 55% complete towards Ranger.

With this method - and keeping in mind that you reportedly need to make a total of 150 million from exploration to reach Elite - it's now feasible to get there in a week if you're dedicated enough. That's kind of nuts so I'm steering clear of passenger missions from now on. I want to get to Elite the "old fashioned" way...

 

[Dbrn47]

It had to be nerfed, the rank gain from passenger missions was completely ridiculous.

I don't think it was that ridiculous. It was just that Exploration rank has a lower cap, so the cap needed to be raised or the "XP gain" needed balancing down. It was simply a quick addition, Explorer Rank based on mission earnings, without thought to the lower cap. When they did it for trade rank it was fine because the cap was high. Easy mistake, easy fix.

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That's kind of nuts so I'm steering clear of passenger missions from now on. I want to get to Elite the "old fashioned" way...

I think that's fine if that's what you want. Just please don't come back and complain that the Elite Rank ultimately doesn't mean anything in regards to what it gives you in game. Deal?

 

[BL1P]

They are the highest paying missions currently.
Hope they have balanced it a bit.

 

[askavir]

us we can agree about the rank ..the payout is worthless ...

Worthless?

Sightseeing tours are currently the highest paying missions in the game.

 

[fennster]

Worthless?

Sightseeing tours are currently the highest paying missions in the game.

Did they re-balance them in Beta then?

 

[JonLuis69]

Well lets be honest, elite explorer ultimately WILL mean nothing if you can achieve it by grinding passenger missions in the bubble.

Call it elite taxi rank and we are all good.

 

[VR StarLightPL]

Isn't immersion the word you are looking for?

We would be talking about hyperreality then, the game reflecting our own miserability we're trying to escape. In other words, immersion overload. Too much is too much, thank you ;-)

PS: This is one of the points why I steer away from passenger missions. I pity a person who didn't know it and got "robbed" of a good few % of exploration tediu...^W gameplay. I myself reserve the path from pioneer for when it will be something worthwhile to explore for.

 

[Dbrn47]

Well lets be honest, elite explorer ultimately WILL mean nothing if you can achieve it by grinding passenger missions in the bubble.

Call it elite taxi rank and we are all good.

I'm sorry, does achieving it by only being able to jump, honk, jump, honk for it make it more meaningful?

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I myself reserve the path from pioneer for when it will be something worthwhile to explore for.

I'm just personally waiting to go on any further expeditions until it is such. The rank never mattered to me in the first place. Trying to do the combat grind for that Elite was quite enough.

 

[JonLuis69]

I'm sorry, does achieving it by only being able to jump, honk, jump, honk for it make it more meaningful?

Having to ask that shows a hell of a lot.

Here's a hint: Explorer (noun); one who explores...

 

[Crank Larson]

There should be an additional requirement for obtaining Elite Explorer... You must have visited Sag A*. Or maybe we could have a new rank of Elite* ? [big grin]