Playing Online and feel like no one else there?

[rekina]

Hi there, i've recently started ED. In fact, last night. So I've done several solo missions before starting Online(or Multiplayer), and been playing Online, but I don't know if someone else there. There is no nickname I can see, and when I say something on Eranin or Dahan, which I expect there supposed to be load of newbies running delivery missions, but no one responses ever.

So am I doing something wrong? There is another server that people usually play on? Or there is no true Multyplayer atm?

Thanks!

 

[Cmdr Andy B]

to be fair it is 5am in the uk so a lot of players in that country will be fast asleep and at the moment a disproportionate amount of players are UK based.

apart from that are you seeing anyone while in supercruise? right now we cannot see the AI whilst in SC so that should give you a fair indication of how many people are about right now. the stations not so much as there are usually so many NPC's its hard to see the wood for the trees.

players show up on the radar as an empty box, npc's a filled one.

with regards to chat, you can only msg individual cmdrs, there is no group chat channel just yet but if they do put one in it would make sense to use the stations as the chat exchange.

 

[GHDW]

After many runs I noticed that there are busy moments and sometimes I don't see a soul at all. If I understand how the networking aspect works, the server you initially connect to will determine who you have a chance at running across. You can always quit and restart the game to see if switching servers changes the outcome. Being around Azeban City should improve your chances as it is a spawn point for new Sidewinders. LP 98-132 also sometimes gets busy with people seeking gold canisters.

 

[Zenicetus]

to be fair it is 5am in the uk so a lot of players in that country will be fast asleep and at the moment a disproportionate amount of players are UK based.

I noticed the large UK player base, and wondered about that. I hope when the game goes final it gets some massive support in the USA, both for the financial health of FD and also because I'm out here in the Pacific Northwest USA where it's 05:30 Zulu now, 10:30 pm local time.

That's peak late night gaming time for me and anyone else out here on the Left Coast, but isolated from the UK Commanders barely waking up to start their day. And probably not dogfighting in ED while they have morning tea and porridge, or whatever 'yall do over on that side of the pond.

 

[Thespen Tombs]

I noticed the large UK player base, and wondered about that. I hope when the game goes final it gets some massive support in the USA, both for the financial health of FD and also because I'm out here in the Pacific Northwest USA where it's 05:30 Zulu now, 10:30 pm local time.

That's peak late night gaming time for me and anyone else out here on the Left Coast, but isolated from the UK Commanders barely waking up to start their day. And probably not dogfighting in ED while they have morning tea and porridge, or whatever 'yall do over on that side of the pond.

We all eat an healthly Great British Breakfast

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01129/opinion-graphics-2_1129834a.jpg

Seriously, on a weekend I do sometimes play early in the morning before i have to do anything.

Also as I have said in another thread, a system "general comms" would help to make the verse feel lived in.

 

[adflet]

It feels like it sometimes. I normally mind my own business but a PC viper decided to say hello to my cobra with his gimballed little friends yesterday and then promptly force closed his game just as I got him to 0% hull. Was in an anarchy system so don't have an issue with being attacked, but combat logging is weak as ****. Might as well have been alone really.

If you're out there reading this, those gimballed multicannons you had have got nothing on my c4 cannons mate. Suck it up next time and finish the fight you started. If I could remember your name you'd be on my ignore list for sure.

 

[CaptainKremmen]

Be careful jumping to conclusions. Two nights ago, every other NPC ship I killed disappeared at 0% hull. No explosion, no FS vapour trails, no bounty voucher credit.

It's buggy as. Either that, or 50% of NPCs are combat logging.

 

[adflet]

Fair point, but I reserve my right to make assumptions and have a whinge

 

[flexy123]

Problem is, right now the multi-player aspect of this game is very NON-obvious and sometimes even hidden.

First, other players you only spot by their icon on the screen which is a "non" filled out as opposed to "filled" out dot on the radar.

Most players are actually in supercruise (I see quite a lot when cruising) but you cannot really interact with them while cruising, interdiction etc. doesn't work.

The chat feature of the game is very non-obvious and many might even not bother or know how to chat.

There *IS* some PvP action going on, but you need to go certain places like freeport etc. Many of those places I myself don't even know about, its stuff you have to find out from reading on forums etc.

Edit: It might also be true that the game really is not that known in the US yet. That means that at times when it's early morning or whatever non-gamer time here but high-time in the US, less people are on.

Edit2: "If I say something on Eranin"

I don't even know whether the chat works like this, eg. that everyone on/near Eranin would actually see what you say. I don't think there is such a "trade chat" or "global chat" feature yet, I have never seen ANYONE.

If so, this would be an URGENT requirement to get this game more feeling "alive". Any multiplayer game has a trade chat, global chat etc.. I am sure these features are still coming. Remember, it's Beta. (As I pointed out above, the chat how it's implemented right now is very..underwhelming. This is important since communication is key for a good multiplayer experience, for the feel that you're really playing with others).

 

[Cmdr Andy B]

I noticed the large UK player base, and wondered about that. I hope when the game goes final it gets some massive support in the USA, both for the financial health of FD and also because I'm out here in the Pacific Northwest USA where it's 05:30 Zulu now, 10:30 pm local time.

That's peak late night gaming time for me and anyone else out here on the Left Coast, but isolated from the UK Commanders barely waking up to start their day. And probably not dogfighting in ED while they have morning tea and porridge, or whatever 'yall do over on that side of the pond.

the massive UK player base is down to nostalgia, the original game that came out 30 years ago next month didn't do that well across the pond but sold like hot cakes in the UK. it sold so many copies that it even outsold the machine that ran it!

because of that nostalgia the majority of kickstarter backers were from the UK and so make up a large percentage of the testers who fronted up for alpha, premium and standard beta.

with trade shows and press articles word is slowly leaking out though so once we hit release UK players are going to end up being in the minority compared to state side gamers.

 

[Zenicetus]

We all eat an healthly Great British Breakfast

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01129/opinion-graphics-2_1129834a.jpg

I've never been to the UK, but my wife and I are dying to go visit when we can afford it. From that link, it looks like we won't starve, at least. This is good to know.

Seriously, on a weekend I do sometimes play early in the morning before i have to do anything.

Also as I have said in another thread, a system "general comms" would help to make the verse feel lived in.

Agreed, although the trick is to avoid having it turn into World of Warcraft "Barrens Chat" where nobody tunes it in, because it's too awful and filled with 12 year olds (not that there's anything wrong with 12 year olds in this game, standard disclaimer, I know some pretty cool 12 year old kids).

It may have to be something based on like-minded people... not something as rigid as Guilds necessary, just people who know they might be online at the same time. "Friends of the Great British Breakfast Club" or something.

 

[flexy123]

World of Warcraft "Barrens Chat"

Nonsense. Any halfway good chat feature would have the option to subscribe to whatever chat channels you want. I would rather have multiple "Barrens Chats" and trade chats and mindless blah blah and THE OPTION TO TUNE MYSELF OUT....rather than a silent game. Sometimes even the nonsense chat (and yes this includes 12 year kiddies and trolls and whatever)...*IS*what makes a game feel alive.

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

If you are in US, then you will most likely will be matched with US players. Thus if there aren't that many yet (I expect that number to increase), you won't see much.

FD says they have kinda geographical matchmaking atm, but I heard people they can still play US-UK.

 

[Megalon]

i live in the northwest as well. if you message me your cmdr name i will add you as a contact.

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

What's lacking in current setup is "merge" between servers, thus allowing to meet more players. So if we are playing on n servers, we are split in n parts.

 

[BoldRover]

What's lacking in current setup is "merge" between servers, thus allowing to meet more players. So if we are playing on n servers, we are split in n parts.

Are you sure that still the case?

When I play with friends we usually manage to group up. Never checked server IP though.

I must admit I see less people than I would expect in core systems though.

I have never received any text comms.

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

Are you sure that still the case?

When I play with friends we usually manage to group up. Never checked server IP though.

I must admit I see less people than I would expect in core systems though.

I have never received any text comms.

System already tries to join you with friends on single server (however it fails sometimes so if server merge isn't there yet, you won't meet them), as you mostly will be matched together. However, seeing other players which are not your friends are problematic, as most of them will be on different servers.