Players are trying to stop YOU unlocking Prof Palin.

[DNA-Decay]

Not just from Pollycough.
I traded 5 missions for Player Group CONTRAIL [CTRL] for 15 Modular Terminals.
And depending what you are doing, some activities generate so much that you push them out the airlock.

Many Player Groups can provision them for you. One of the advantages of being in a group is that seniors tend to look after developing players.

 

[Mangal Oemie]

... The Federation, Empire and even Alliance are basically untouchable by player action beyond a few systems changing hands....

The Alliance has tripled in size since the game was launched. That is all player action.

 

[Schmack]

Is this why Sothis has been so giving to me in Solo? I've ranked from Lt to Rear Admiral in just a few days of limited playing, because I get 20 data missions in no time flat, haul to Ceos, and from Ceos over to the Sothis mining outpost or to the large station. I even had a Beluga transferred out there and started spamming sightseeing missions as fast as I can carry them.

Thanks for all the blockades! I have a cargo hold full of modular terminals.

 

[kofeyh]

Problem is, they work for the wrong side.

There's always a 'wrong' side. The trick is knowing which is which. Forums wise, the wrong side is when it's not the same side as the person commenting. It doesn't matter. None of it actually matters. The system states will flip back all of their own volition, due to the way the BGS works, over time, if the commanders cease their action; which eventually they will. When they realise it's mostly futile.

Players are going to create their own agency and involvement, even when the developer refuses to. You can't blame them for trying. It's good that they are trying. The worst thing that could happen, at all, is if everyone just stopped trying.

Alliance has gained the influence it has, because people haven't stopped trying. The minute they do? All that influence will vanish. BGS will naturally roll back to original ownerships. That said, Solo essentially is not affected beyond system states. And there are still places to go where Sirius Corp is handing out missions like candy. Anywhere they are in boom, there is bid'ness, and boy, bid'ness is boom'n.

 

[Ian Doncaster]

The Alliance has tripled in size since the game was launched. That is all player action.

Indeed - impressively coordinated, and I have a lot of respect for the effort that went into that. But that's rather the point I was making.

As things currently stand with the BGS and its connection to large-scale events, it doesn't make any difference. Are Hudson and Duval under severe domestic pressures from the decline of their influence? So far as I can tell no Senator or Representative has even complained loudly enough to be mentioned in the press, so I would assume not... they should be, but they're not. Will they take more forceful/reckless actions to stem the decline (e.g. write a strongly-worded letter to Mahon)? No.

As a system- or region-scale political sim the BGS is sufficient. For now, though, it doesn't properly scale up to cover galactic politics (and neither, famously, does Powerplay)

 

[CMDR pollycough]

There's always a 'wrong' side. The trick is knowing which is which. Forums wise, the wrong side is when it's not the same side as the person commenting. It doesn't matter. None of it actually matters. The system states will flip back all of their own volition, due to the way the BGS works, over time, if the commanders cease their action; which eventually they will. When they realise it's mostly futile.

The wrong side to me is always those holding the player base at large to ransom to *change* the devs mind. Only the devs know what they have planned and how it all fits.

Players are going to create their own agency and involvement, even when the developer refuses to. You can't blame them for trying. It's good that they are trying. The worst thing that could happen, at all, is if everyone just stopped trying.

It's all good emergent gameplay,,, I have a new guy that is using this to rank up with Sirius, Get the 5k requirement, Get credits and learn PAX missions. While working against the action of a few demonstrators.

Thanks for all the blockades! I have a cargo hold full of modular terminals.

We buy/store them as well

 

[Zenir]

For what it's worth:

I'm still a really new player. I've been flying for maybe a month and a half. I just procured an invite from Marco Qwent today after 3 days (I'm lazy) of working up allied with Sirius to get the system permit, and progressing Elvira. I had zero trouble gaining the rep by missioning out of Procyon and exploring. Have not unlocked Palin yet, but since working with Qwent is part of that, the path is not blocked by anything besides my own motivation. Just wanted to let it be known.