Powerplay 2.0 first impressions and feedback from the test server

[rootsrat]

As FDEV Partner I had an opportunity to test the upcoming patch. I sent this first impressions and feedback to FDEV, but might as well post it here for y'all to read

The good

• Mandaley. What a ship!
• Powerplay 2.0 first impressions are good. It seems to be well thought out from a mechanics point of view.
• I absolutely LOVE the linking of the day-to-day activities to Powerpaly. The way it's described in the Codex is really good as well. It makes sense. It's definitely THE BEST addition to the game for me personally, as I was always a strong advocate of linking more of the game layers together, and connecting the dots between the existing content with the new one. Please do more of that kind of stuff!
• Continuing, the activities like "Flood the market with low value goods" are absolutely brilliant! It is a use of an old and - in practice - pretty useless part of the game to animate the overhauled game feature.

As a constructive feedback - a similar thing was done with the recent engineering update, but only to a small degree. Adding new material acquisition methods is great. But when we look at using the existing stuff - only 1 type of acquisition method got a boost for each material type. High Grade USS for manufactured, Jameson Site for Data and Crashed Anaconda sites for raw.
There are so many other locations related to material gathering, both in space and on the surface that could use a similar boost as well - to truly diversify gathering methods and allow for varied gameplay, visiting different places and doing different things, while all types of materials flow to us organically - rather than pushing everyone towards the ones that were boosted.

Additionally Odyssey locations like the hidden caches and old Horizon locations like Artificial structures could be boosted with more materials too. The Artificial structures all have ALWAYS the same amount of random skimmers and the same amount of literally worthless commodities. They are interesting locations, but there is literally no reason to visit them.

Generally my feedback would be to introduce engineering materials to most (if not all) of the old Horizon and new Odyssey locations, in the form of cargo racks with various loot of all possible materials.

The so so

• While the new minor activity of holoscreen hacking is most welcomed and actually a really cool idea (so simple, yet so cool!), I don't understand why the hacking mechanics were change and are not consistent with the current gameplay.

Current gameplay:
- Get a recon limpet controller
- Target the device (i.e. Comms Array)
- Scan the device with Datalink Scanner to reveal Subtargets
- Send limpet to the Limpet Docking Point subtarget of the device - hacking starts
- Hacking sends a message of Security Forces being notified
- Security forces deployment timer is shown
- If player not in Silent Running - a Fine is applied

New gameplay with holoscreens:
- Get a recon limpet controller
- Target the device (i.e. Comms Array)
- Send recon limpet, hacking starts.
- If player not in Silent Running - a Fine is applied

This seems very simplified and inconsistent against the existing scanning mechanics. It boils down to: Press button 1 to target, press button 2 to fire limpet. That's it, done. Gameplay wise it's just boring and not very engaging. The existing gameplay is more complex with risk elements more pronounced - and therefore as a whole much more interesting and engaging. As a general feedback related to this - there is an impression that Elite is going less sim and more "gamey/arcade" direction, which is a concern for dedicated and passionate player like myself.

• The 100 ranks within powerplay and rewards for each rank seem very gamey and "MMO-like". Another example of sim elements replaced with more simple and gamified elements. This is purely a UI thing and obviously a subjective opinion.
• Mandaley seems almost overpowered in its Super Cruise manoeuvrability. Maybe it should be dialled back a bit? It's really on the border of being almost silly for the ship to be THIS agile in SuperCruise.

Overall I really like what I see, apart from some elements of the game that were interesting and were working really well (hacking) being simplified for no apparent reason, in addition to being inconsistent with the existing gameplay.

 

[Ian Doncaster]

• While the new minor activity of holoscreen hacking is most welcomed and actually a really cool idea (so simple, yet so cool!), I don't understand why the hacking mechanics were change and are not consistent with the current gameplay.

Current gameplay:

• Get a recon limpet controller
• Target the device (i.e. Comms Array)
• Scan the device with Datalink Scanner to reveal Subtargets
• Send limpet to the Limpet Docking Point subtarget of the device - hacking starts
• Hacking sends a message of Security Forces being notified
• Security forces deployment timer is shown
• If player not in Silent Running - a Fine is applied

New gameplay with holoscreens:

• Get a recon limpet controller
• Target the device (i.e. Comms Array)
• Send recon limpet, hacking starts.
• If player not in Silent Running - a Fine is applied

Is this because the holoscreens are much smaller and don't have subtargets in the same way as a megaship or installation which might have multiple different comms points to hack? Viewed that way it seems consistent with how hatchbreakers work, to me.

Hacking a megaship cargo hold, you go through all the subtargeting process to find the right cargo hold and fire a hatchbreaker at it ... whereas the older ship piracy mechanic, you just fire a hatchbreaker at the ship, and it picks the cargo hatch for you because ships always only have one, rather than having to DLS scan a ship to enable subtargeting and then subtarget the cargo hatch before firing the limpet.

(The difference in security forces notification I would guess is because megaship hacking is a bounty-level crime - data theft - whereas holoscreen hacking is a nuisance but one of the rare ones you don't get killed for, so as it's only a fine there's no security forces to summon. Again, seems consistent to me in that sense)

 

[marx]

Mandaley seems almost overpowered in its Super Cruise manoeuvrability. Maybe it should be dialled back a bit? It's really on the border of being almost silly for the ship to be THIS agile in SuperCruise.

It's not just the supercruise (although I haven't seen any numbers on that yet, but I'll measure it once I can), but nearly every aspect of the Mandalay is overpowered from what I've seen. Shield strength, base armour, thermals, SCO, and so on - it's a long list. After it releases, the advice will generally be "use a Mandalay for everything, use a Courier / DBX / Dolphin (maybe other small ship) for exobio". After the Python Mark 2 and the Type-8 were decently balanced, the Mandalay just overpowering most every other ship in exploration came as an unpleasant surprise.

 

[rootsrat]

Is this because the holoscreens are much smaller and don't have subtargets in the same way as a megaship or installation which might have multiple different comms points to hack? Viewed that way it seems consistent with how hatchbreakers work, to me.

Hacking a megaship cargo hold, you go through all the subtargeting process to find the right cargo hold and fire a hatchbreaker at it ... whereas the older ship piracy mechanic, you just fire a hatchbreaker at the ship, and it picks the cargo hatch for you because ships always only have one, rather than having to DLS scan a ship to enable subtargeting and then subtarget the cargo hatch before firing the limpet.

(The difference in security forces notification I would guess is because megaship hacking is a bounty-level crime - data theft - whereas holoscreen hacking is a nuisance but one of the rare ones you don't get killed for, so as it's only a fine there's no security forces to summon. Again, seems consistent to me in that sense)

Yes, I did think of the lack of space for the port. But still, it just feels simplistic.
Press button. Done.

With ship piracy there is a whole proces before you can think about releasing the limpet.
Here it's literally - go to any random port, target holopeojector, press fire.

 

[CMDR Janusz]

Is this because the holoscreens are much smaller and don't have subtargets in the same way as a megaship or installation which might have multiple different comms points to hack?

It works a little different. The comm array itself has subtargets - hacking ports (its in another tab, like checking scanned ship's loadout).

 

[Ian Doncaster]

It works a little different. The comm array itself has subtargets - hacking ports (its in another tab, like checking scanned ship's loadout).

"This ship is so big its subtargets have subtargets" always felt a little overdone to me
(And yes, some of them have two subtargets and you have to hack both and can do that quicker if you bring two controllers, so there's a reason for it, but still...)

 

[Rubbernuke]

Some questions for you:

How did you find the Powerplay NPCs compared to Powerplay 1s?

Do all powers undermine in the same way (that is, do they all have the same tasks)?

 

[CMDR Janusz]

Overall it's great that recon limpet got another use.

The most important thing is - do the weekly assingments change every week. If yes, it will be great little system of challenges with weekly reset, akin to Nightwave from Warframe.

 

[XLA]

Feedback from a Non FDEV Partner.
Im very annoyed that content creators have access to new beta gameplay and I do not.
I would be happy to pay real money or ARX for the same level of access. We used to get beta access before, with all the bugs and crashes that came with it.

I always enjoy watching ED content creators normally and sharing in the shared new toy experience, but now i am frustrated that all I am watching are spoilers.
So I am now watching less ED content, not more, as I want to have something in the new release to discover and enjoy myself.
I want to enjoy the mandy at the same time as everyone else and it's the same with PP 2.0.

I know that FDEV dont feel they need to honour the spirit of the Lifetime Pass anymore, but there are still CMDR's around since the beginning who would like to contribute to the Beta development and we are locked out and forgotten ?

Am I alone in this Frustration?

 

[Helmut Grokenberger]

Feedback from a Non FDEV Partner.
Im very annoyed that content creators have access to new beta gameplay and I do not.

That's because it is not a beta. It's a preview. A teaser. An advert. A commercial. There is nothing to beta test because, at this stage, I assume PP2 is feature complete.

 

[rootsrat]

Some questions for you:

How did you find the Powerplay NPCs compared to Powerplay 1s?

Do all powers undermine in the same way (that is, do they all have the same tasks)?

I've not really encountered any PP NPC's, but an enemy carrier opened fire on me when I tried to dock at it. I've had no interdictions, nobody attaked me on sight. But then again I didn't really do much in hostile systems just yet - I visited an enemy stronghold once, other than that I sat in friendly systems trying to figure out the new system.

In fact, I'd have one more comment about how the information is presented - the most exhaustive info is in Pilot's Manual, but I think some more of it could be presented in game, i.e. list of all available PP activities in the current system, with preferred ones highlighted comes to mind.

Pass for undermining too, I pledged and stayed with one power so far. Also, you I couldn't find a way to look at other powers' details after pledging to one. I think you can't.

 

[Cosmo]

What about no new portraits or 3D Models for the Powers? There's only the same 9 years old portraits for the old powers.

​

 

[thistle]

That's because it is not a beta. It's a preview. A teaser. An advert. A commercial. There is nothing to beta test because, at this stage, I assume PP2 is feature complete.

Exactly what I was thinking, it's not a beta, both in terms of it being feature complete and also the limited numbers of partners would surely represent a very small beta test.

 

[XLA]

That's because it is not a beta. It's a preview. A teaser. An advert. A commercial. There is nothing to beta test because, at this stage, I assume PP2 is feature complete.

What's the difference between a beta and a preview ? Just a different word. This preview/beta has just proven that this update still needs work and is not yet a complete feature, that the source of the delayed launch. I understand that the participants are also providing feedback to frontier. If it looks like a duck & sounds like a duck...... Whatever you call It, I still don't like all these spoilers for things that I can't do in the game myself. It removes the joy of learning about the new things for myself. The only answer I have is to not watch Youtube or twitch, which is counter productive of the purpose of this preview/beta club.

 

[Helmut Grokenberger]

What's the difference between a beta and a preview ? Just a different word.

No it is not. A beta is part of the development cycle, and not every beta has to be open. Usually a beta is feature complete (like the partner preview is), but is being tested specifically for bugs and usability. The partner preview is, again, a big fat commercial. Like when a car magazine gets to test the new shiny Lorfonzo Ultramarginiale Turbo before you can actually buy it, so it makes your mouth drool and to feeds your "I want that" impulse.

It's an advert.

 

[XLA]

No it is not. A beta is part of the development cycle, and not every beta has to be open. Usually a beta is feature complete (like the partner preview is), but is being tested specifically for bugs and usability. The partner preview is, again, a big fat commercial. Like when a car magazine gets to test the new shiny Lorfonzo Ultramarginiale Turbo before you can actually buy it, so it makes your mouth drool and to feed your "I want that" impulse.

It's an advert.

Ok, if you are right, I still don't like it. It's a Anti-adver,t doing the opposite of it's intention.

 

[Helmut Grokenberger]

To make it more clear: The partner preview has been given to them with the specific purpose of showcasing what is coming, not to test it. That they found two things they wanted /needed to fix before release is just a side effect.

Ok, if you are right, I still don't like it. It's a Anti-adver,t doing the opposite of it's intention.

I think the response to the partner previews, here as well as live on their respective streams, would suggest otherwise. My impression was that on average, people's disposition towards the new powerplay was more welcoming than before the preview. But whatever floats your boat.

 

[rootsrat]

 

[Tifu]

No it is not. A beta is part of the development cycle, and not every beta has to be open. Usually a beta is feature complete (like the partner preview is), but is being tested specifically for bugs and usability. The partner preview is, again, a big fat commercial. Like when a car magazine gets to test the new shiny Lorfonzo Ultramarginiale Turbo before you can actually buy it, so it makes your mouth drool and to feeds your "I want that" impulse.

It's an advert.

It's also like the test screening of a movie before a small audience, to see if adjustments are needed.

The movie is actually complete, all post production done but the studio wants to gauge how an audience will react and, at the same time, not publicize the testing too much by keeping it small and kinda secret.

 

[Rubbernuke]

revs up hedge trimmer

YOU CAN'T ESCAPE THAT EASILY