Please give Single Play more personalized options

[matthewpowers]

I've been away since 2.1, and came back with 2.3 update. reset my save, and started playing with my new hotas.

I love the setting of this game. It's a one of a kind environment that anyone who likes this type of game haven't seen, and won't see for a long time to come. It's both a learning tool and a game.

The game-play has been dumbed down a lot. Interdictions can be evaded 100% in D-rated ships. Ai provides no challenge, and there are no consequences for loss, except for the fake "insurance". The term "insurance" is ofcourse laughable, in the case of re-buying your ship. An insurance company with this policy wouldn't last for a month.

Now I get it. Fdev needs to make money. And therefore wants to please the majority of PC and console audience. A lot of people can't stand loss or are playing casually. They probably see the consequences of their choices reflected in the income they get from this game.

But there is single player. Although it is not a real single player mode, it should be technically possible to give people in single player some extra options to make this game more challenging.

Here are some suggestions that won't give people in Single player mode any advantage, nor would it create a bigger barrier between SP and MP. (so people can still switch between them, and buy paintjobs and the such, to provide fdev with more money)

- harder AI slider ( with only more the difficult option)
- interdictions that one can actually lose

And at start of a new save:

- have the rebuy option: yes/no
- permadeath yes/no


These things won't be too hard to implement. And It won't give any unfair advantage to play in SP.

However, it would give more value to your ship. And it would give more value to your life.

edit:
I already have the life-time pass, but I would even go so far to have these options available by a separate "single-player pass" that could be bought separately.

 

[Ryan P Bodfirst]

Yes agree - I'd welcome this approach. As long as it's only in SP and I can only make the game harder than the default then it can't be unfair.

 

[Jaiotu]

The suggestions don't necessarily have to be limited to solo mode. Initiating a new game with a "hard core" setting that eliminates insurance or invokes permadeath shouldn't be dependent on which game mode you are playing in. Increasing NPC aggression and skill might be an issue ... but only with other players sharing your instance ... in which case it would be easy to set a flag that reduced NPC difficulty when you are instanced with another player who isn't playing on "hard core" settings.

 

[SeaFireliv]

My biggest annoyance is seriously how nerfed Interdictions are. It`s so easy they might as well not have it. The excitement of an interdiction is now completely long..."Oh an interdiction, let`s wait 10 seconds..."

Why even have the mechanic if it serves no function at all? make it harder, Devs. At the least make it optional.

And we`d really like a response to this.

 

[StiTch]

Thankfully, FD will have the sense not to implement different options for solo mode.

They know that solo mode is just any other mode, limiting who you can see...to you.

ED is a game given to you as it is. If something needs to be made harder, we have to pitch why and if it's reasonable to ask they might change it. If you want to disable rebuys, then...well, I hear NMS still hasn't faded from existence.

 

[matthewpowers]

The suggestions don't necessarily have to be limited to solo mode. Initiating a new game with a "hard core" setting that eliminates insurance or invokes permadeath shouldn't be dependent on which game mode you are playing in. Increasing NPC aggression and skill might be an issue ... but only with other players sharing your instance ... in which case it would be easy to set a flag that reduced NPC difficulty when you are instanced with another player who isn't playing on "hard core" settings.

The thing is, fdev don't want a too big barrier between SP and MP. Because people will mostly buy paintjobs, nameplates, and other stuff for multi player. I mean, it's kinda pointless to buy stuff like that in SP.

That's why fdev probably wants as much as people in Open as possible. The suggestions would affect that. That's why I think it would be better to only have this in solo, and when you then enter Multiplay, the settings should not be in place. So people could still easily switch between modes.

just an example:

pvp. 1 commander has permadeath, the other hasn't. This would be an unbalanced fight. The risks are unbalnced and therefor the battle is unbalanced unfairly.

 

[matthewpowers]

Thankfully, FD will have the sense not to implement different options for solo mode.

They know that solo mode is just any other mode, limiting who you can see...to you.

ED is a game given to you as it is. If something needs to be made harder, we have to pitch why and if it's reasonable to ask they might change it. If you want to disable rebuys, then...well, I hear NMS still hasn't faded from existence.

Solo mode can be molded into whatever Fdev wants.

Different options in solo mode would benefit the player.

and your last line. Well, fdev is a company with shareholders. To keep ED a viable product, money needs to be earned from it. The current direction of all games these days is "dumb it down". Because they know that a lot of people can't stand a loss. I've noticed this with a lot of different games. Keep the majority happy, and they will keep buying paints and the such.

For example, I've been playing Pro evolution Soccer for years. In the "old days" people finished their match, even if they where behind. Nowadays they often just disconnect when they are behind. It's a huge change in mentallity.

Therefor I would like to have Single player with personalized options. So that I don't have to suffer from that mentality.

And these suggestions won't hurt anyone. It won't give an unfair advantage, but it will give those who like a challenge more meaning to gameplay.

 

[SeaFireliv]

Thankfully, FD will have the sense not to implement different options for solo mode.

They know that solo mode is just any other mode, limiting who you can see...to you.

ED is a game given to you as it is. If something needs to be made harder, we have to pitch why and if it's reasonable to ask they might change it. If you want to disable rebuys, then...well, I hear NMS still hasn't faded from existence.

Whatever. i have already sent a bug report to FD about it. My reasons since youasked:

1. It destroys any challenge or threat.
2. It stops a Player from learning his weapons and systems and how to fight in defence.
3. It makes a possibly exciting interlude boring.


Happy?

I advise others who are concerned send a bug report or contact FD in whatever appropriate way. It`s getting beyond a joke and they`ll do nothing if we do not speak out.

 

[Robert Maynard]

Whatever. i have already sent a bug report to FD about it. My reasons since youasked:

1. It destroys any challenge or threat.
2. It stops a Player from learning his weapons and systems and how to fight in defence.
3. It makes a possibly exciting interlude boring.


Happy?

I advise others who are concerned send a bug report or contact FD in whatever appropriate way. It`s getting beyond a joke and they`ll do nothing if we do not speak out.

What about players working on the two paths to Elite that don't require them to fire a shot?

 

[Iskariot]

I've been away since 2.1, and came back with 2.3 update. reset my save, and started playing with my new hotas.

I love the setting of this game. It's a one of a kind environment that anyone who likes this type of game haven't seen, and won't see for a long time to come. It's both a learning tool and a game.

The game-play has been dumbed down a lot. Interdictions can be evaded 100% in D-rated ships. Ai provides no challenge, and there are no consequences for loss, except for the fake "insurance". The term "insurance" is ofcourse laughable, in the case of re-buying your ship. An insurance company with this policy wouldn't last for a month.

Now I get it. Fdev needs to make money. And therefore wants to please the majority of PC and console audience. A lot of people can't stand loss or are playing casually. They probably see the consequences of their choices reflected in the income they get from this game.

But there is single player. Although it is not a real single player mode, it should be technically possible to give people in single player some extra options to make this game more challenging.

Here are some suggestions that won't give people in Single player mode any advantage, nor would it create a bigger barrier between SP and MP. (so people can still switch between them, and buy paintjobs and the such, to provide fdev with more money)

- harder AI slider ( with only more the difficult option)
- interdictions that one can actually lose

And at start of a new save:

- have the rebuy option: yes/no
- permadeath yes/no


These things won't be too hard to implement. And It won't give any unfair advantage to play in SP.

However, it would give more value to your ship. And it would give more value to your life.

edit:
I already have the life-time pass, but I would even go so far to have these options available by a separate "single-player pass" that could be bought separately.

Some nice suggestions, I think.

 

[SeaFireliv]

What about players working on the two paths to Elite that don't require them to fire a shot?

This is a game where you are in a Universe of many people`s some of which WANT what you have. They don`t care that you don`t want to be shot at or don`t want to fire a shot. Find a way to get out of it. I mean what a stupid question.

 

[Robert Maynard]

This is a game where you are in a Universe of many people`s some of which WANT what you have. They don`t care that you don`t want to be shot at or don`t want to fire a shot. Find a way to get out of it. I mean what a stupid question.

I expect that Frontier use their game analytics to balance the game for the majority of the player-base, not just those who feel that the game provides no challenge.

.... and the way to get out of it remains as beating the interdiction - the difficulty of which is set by Frontier, taking into account their analytics....

 

[StiTch]

Whatever. i have already sent a bug report to FD about it. My reasons since youasked:

1. It destroys any challenge or threat.
2. It stops a Player from learning his weapons and systems and how to fight in defence.
3. It makes a possibly exciting interlude boring.


Happy?

I advise others who are concerned send a bug report or contact FD in whatever appropriate way. It`s getting beyond a joke and they`ll do nothing if we do not speak out.

1) I didn't ask a thing. I guess someone likes firing the opinion missile eh?
2) This is a suggestion, not a bug. The person reading it is probably looking for an excellent way to refer to you as a smart alec of the highest order in their response without you reading between the lines.

I want challenge too. Learn to ask for it in the right way. New type of zone for BHing/CZs etc. with modded ships, more in wings perhaps. Available to ALL players including Open/PG then. This is a very backwards and very shortsighted way of approaching it. If ED is indeed about content for everyone, then why not challenge for player wings too?

So quick to make blind demands and not nearly enough time spent actually thinking about your demands.

 

[Imonaboat]

I just want a paintjob for the Dolphin.

 

[Kaa Mchorror]

What about players working on the two paths to Elite that don't require them to fire a shot?

So traders should have no threat? That's where it's at right now with the AI. Trading is boring without a threat so I don't do it any more. Guess I don't get to go down that path to Elite.

 

[Robert Maynard]

So traders should have no threat? That's where it's at right now with the AI. Trading is boring without a threat so I don't do it any more. Guess I don't get to go down that path to Elite.

Some players perceive no threat, no doubt. The same cannot be said of all players though.

Regarding Elite Trader - that's your choice, of course.

 

[Martian Successor]

- harder AI slider ( with only more the difficult option)
- interdictions that one can actually lose

Instead of requesting this for one mode only many have been asking for parts of space to be populated with harder NPCs thus giving each player a fluid 'difficulty slider' option no matter what mode they play in. For example, if the Thargoids get put into the game we could have a section of space that belongs to these aliens. The Thargoid ships in this sector of space will be much more difficult and unforgiving should you get caught by them. Each and every player then has the option of choosing to go there or not, essentially the same thing as a difficulty slider but it fits more into the always online shared world game that ED is.

And at start of a new save:

- have the rebuy option: yes/no
- permadeath yes/no

You already have access to these options. You can choose not to use the rebuy and you can choose to delete your CMDR save each time you die.

 

[Alex Brentnall]

Just picking up a few comments on a difficulty slider and why I think other solutions are needed:

Game difficulty is intrinsic with the game because it's an online game and solo can go into open and vice versa. FD cannot simply do what they want with solo because solo isn't standalone.

Credits are effectively Xp. They lock access to certain things like ships/weapons etc. Making credits easier/harder to come by affects the "progression" in the game massively. Most MMO's control experience by having levels and locking certain areas/items to keep a level of progression and balance. Elite hasn't got that. Other MMO's use storyline progress to lock weapons/upgrades. Elite has not got that either.

The three things Elite has are: Ranks, naval ranks and areas. Arguably there's some locking done via ranks and more could be used but its a "play it your way" game. My personal thoughts are that specific areas should be used more.
Threat level USS are a good start. CZ and RES levels are too.


The difficulty slider option strikes me as a can of worms.
Can griefers set low difficulty to make the AI police easier and make it less risky to grief near stations/cops?
Can I get in an uber ship and set it to easy mode and farm credits?

Or will rewards be balanced for difficulty? How will it be balanced - We've seen the rewards fluctuate so much in every other area of the game adding a further level to the balancing act may just break the scales

 

[Faded Glory]

As others have intimated, the difficulty slider should be implemented based upon what you do and where you go.

High ranked missions should be much harder than lower ranked missions (some already are), and should pay more. Risk versus reward.

Where you go should also determine the amount of challenge you face, low security equals high challenge, high security equals low challenge.

These two things should really be combined, so for example a high ranked delivery mission should be to take stuff to a low security system where you are not only going to be attacked by a high ranking pirate, but system security won't be turning up to destroy them for you, at least not immediately.

I'm honestly not sure that the mission templates can achieve that level of detail at the moment, but hope that at some point they will, it would certainly feel much more believable to me.

 

[SeaFireliv]

Some players perceive no threat, no doubt. The same cannot be said of all players though.

Regarding Elite Trader - that's your choice, of course.

This is no kind of logical answer at all. You`re just ignoring every reasonable point presented and carrying on regardless.