Powerplay 2.0 deep dive - Frontier Live 27th March

[Cosmo]

<the beginning of time>
We're going to be doing a feature overhaul.
<months pass>
It's powerplay!
<months pass>
Check out these new station interiors.
<we are here>

Fdev showed station interiors which are the same old Concourse with new decorations. Nothing more.....

They could expand the interior with a new section or an extra floor for the Power (faction) that controls the station. Show all kinds of information there about the Power with NPCs dressed as belonging to that Power, recruitment, galaxy map of the Power's domain etc.

P.S. when can we order a drink at the bar in the Concourse?

 

[Hellrider]

I'm not singling you out, others are claiming it in far more absolute terms, but this statement irks me a little bit. There is this made up factiod being thrown around that Powerplay 2.0 will be PvP focused. That's not what Frontier said

That's why I said "little more", not "only".
Players LOVE complainings, that "pvp isn't symetrical".
Fine, I can fight with other players, even in heavy engineered ships (Actually destroying enemy (player or npc) which is real threat for me is much more rewarding, than slaughtering harmless pirates in cobras ).
If it will be more beneficial, than hunting example 10 shieldless haulers with their merits
Or because it would actually help my allies, because I could make their enemies busy.
Of course everything would require much deeper reworks, than just simple "heheheh X not possible in mode Y". First thing in my mind could be changing size of performance gap between example haulers and ships focused pvp (so dealing max dmg in as short time as possible, because players actually try to run, if they can die with anything in cargo).
And I understand it.
The loudest pvers, which believe that making ANY single activity not open for solo warriors will kill game actually not much

 

[Rat Catcher]

It's also a bit to highlight how long they've possibly been working on it and how instead of seeking feedback from the earliest stages they just kept things vague.

Indeed so.
So it would make most sense to not even mention something until it is being launched.
Seek feedback from who, though? A 'special' group of players, just one player, 'the community' and have a multitude of suggestions, criticisms and derision?

There's a line between hyping something needlessly and being so quiet about things that people start to wonder if it's being abandoned. Not all of it is reasonable, but the lack of info was certainly the main cause.

I'm certain some feel that they are neglected by any games studio, and equally certain that they feel this is a reasonable reaction.

Try to imagine anything else announced in a similar way on a similar timescale

I'm still waiting for Alternate Reality parts 3 onward to be announced, it is a good job I'm patient, that was promised in the late 1980's

I openly admit that, while enjoying playing games, I really am not bothered if and when any particular feature is released - too many years being a gamer to get narky over what may or may not appear, or when, if ever. It is quite a nice spot to be in, for me, anyway.

 

[SergMx]

The station interiors are the same old Concourse with new decorations.

Not just new decor but, as I realized, changing from level of being in the Power and even changing to a different Power if the station goes to others.

I can't think of any game with such a change....

 

[Hellrider]

Best thing to do with simply be higher prices for you because you're not a member of this particular power or, one wrong move and you are toast.

not with current economy. But generally I get the idea, and could be good, just with (again) complete rework of other things.
Yesterday I printed another 300m just in hour.
Do you think, that buying ship X for 300m, not for 200 could hurt me?

 

[Darrack]

so dealing max dmg in as short time as possible, because players actually try to run

Wait your moaning because folks don't want to get blown up?
Its bad enough murder boat vs trader.

O7

 

[Rubbernuke]

Getting back to the livestream- it was said that in stronghold worlds you had megaships and carriers, and that they formed a 'core' for players.

Now speculation but: what if strongholds are staging grounds for expansion via megaships, and that to expand they get sent off to areas you want (or appear via BGS ticks)?

 

[Hellrider]

what if strongholds are staging grounds for expansion

Would make sense, remind me a little one of total wars mod, where you had to "colonise" province to increase INFLUENCE (hehe ) of your culture, and build more native goverments to get access to better troops.
Strongholds as...well...strongholds definetely could be usable in future expansions, like in bgs, where you need 75% of influence in system.

 

[Rubbernuke]

Would make sense, remind me a little one of total wars, where you had to "colonise" province to increase INFLUENCE (hehe ) of your culture, and build more native goverments to get access to better troops.
Strongholds as...well...strongholds definetely could be usable in future expansions, like in bgs, where you need 75% of influence in system.

I mean, why else have a squadron of megaships and fleet carriers floating about? They are important for everyone to attack or defend (going by what was said).

 

[Hellrider]

They are important for everyone to attack or defend (going by what was said).

like defending fleet for certain time to expand into new system?
It's a little similar to spire sieges, where your enemies by "clearing" it could stop expansion

 

[Rubbernuke]

like defending fleet for certain time to expand into new system?
It's a little similar to spire sieges, where your enemies by "clearing" it could stop expansion

Sounds plausible and dare I say PvP-like....

 

[Hellrider]

Sounds plausible and dare I say PvP-like....

And even...symmetrical, as pure combat activity.

 

[Rainbro]

I mean, why else have a squadron of megaships and fleet carriers floating about? They are important for everyone to attack or defend (going by what was said).

My guess is that they'll just be targets for the existing megaship interactions, shooting the power capacitors, stealing cargo, etc. My fear is that these mechanics are just copied wholesale because I can't see them working well at all with a bunch of other players in the mix (assuming there is literally anything to prevent the meta being Solo play)

 

[Rubbernuke]

And even...symmetrical, as pure combat activity.

Thinking a bit more it would also be quite the raid given defences would be tight in such systems.

It also begs the question regards the other states- fortified, exploited and contested- if (if) only strongholds can be expanded from given this theory does it mean systems have to be clear before they can be expanded into? So contested means cleansing the place of other powers, fortified is a state below stronghold after occupation, and exploited is a system occupied but not expandable from (sort of a dead end) or wrong gov type?

 

[Rubbernuke]

My guess is that they'll just be targets for the existing megaship interactions, shooting the power capacitors, stealing cargo, etc. My fear is that these mechanics are just copied wholesale because I can't see them working well at all with a bunch of other players in the mix (assuming there is literally anything to prevent the meta being Solo play)

But we know that some concession has been made for PvP, I was wondering if its this (or / and perhaps contested systems).

 

[Hellrider]

(assuming there is literally anything to prevent the meta being Solo play)

I see only 3 possibilities, all would require some...courage on fdev side.
Penalty for solo.
Boost in open
Or just straight "outside open it's practice target, you can shoot, but it change nothing".
Like dropping explodata during war

 

[Hellrider]

So contested means cleansing the place of other powers, fortified is a state below stronghold after occupation, and exploited is a system occupied but not expandable from (sort of a dead end) or wrong gov type?

Maybe?
In this scenario stronghold could be expansion platform, exploited systems could provide any resource for doing it, so you couldnt just spam strongholds everywhere.

 

[Rubbernuke]

Maybe?
In this scenario stronghold could be expansion platform, exploited systems could provide any resource for doing it, so you couldnt just spam strongholds everywhere.

It certainly has possibilities. Got to wait another month for Unlocked 4 though for more info - saying that by then we might have figured it all out

 

[Hellrider]

next unlocked- kumo burgers confirmed as commodity. They will be usable for Archon's expansions, and supply will be connected with amount of hauled meat XD

 

[Rubbernuke]

next unlocked- kumo burgers confirmed as commodity. They will be usable for Archon's expansions, and supply will be connected with amount of hauled meat XD

Well they have to sell something with all those PP themed vending machines.