Powerplay 2.0? More like 2.0-alpha pre-release...

[mintaka5]

So they overhauled this whole thing, and yet I think I am more confused, left with a lot of mystery, and generally just disengaged by no will of my own from power-play, for the 2nd time.

SO, my suggestion is stop making things (yes, not just power-play), so complicated. Why is there is such a disconnect between mechanics and interface in this game? Stop explaining the mechanics in large swaths of text in the game panels, and make the interface point players in the right direction of what to do and where to go to accomplish basic tasks in the game.

I follow the handbook instructions (which is itself about half informative), YouTube guides, various player websites, and this forum, and it's still confusing.

• Power-play leader? Check
• We're in acquiring stage? Check
• Transport Power-play commodities? Check

Now the next question is how do I know which systems/stations in those systems are demanding a particular commodity. There's no way to know except flying around from star-port to star-port seeing if they are on the sell list. So on this note: why list "Transport Powerplay Commodities" if the system has no ports demanding any commodities. This is confusing, and not intuitive at all. I flew around to a dozen or so systems designated with "Transport Poweerplay Commodities" but none of them were buying any rare commodities.

This screenshot of one system, that says it should receive commodities, but it's not.

This is why the mechanics of power-play should be built into the game-play and not exist as some superfluous text item that describes what to do, and doesn't guarantee any reliable results

 

[CMDR Daiyus]

PowerPlay commodities are the ones you buy from the Power contact in Stronghold and Fortified systems. There's three, one for acquisition systems, one for undermining systems, and one for reinforcement systems. Make sure to read the item description when collecting from the Power contact for which one you need. When you go to the necessary type of system, deliver to a Power contact.

 

[Ian Doncaster]

"Transport Powerplay Commodities"

Powerplay Commodities aren't regular market ones, but the ones collected from your Power Contact.

For Iman Caber - a system your Power controls (so this is Reinforcing, not Acquiring) - you can collect these from any Stronghold System of your Power.

So step by step:
- go to Baker or Zeta Trianguli Australis (other Stronghold systems will also work, these are just the closest to Iman Caber)
- go to the Power Contact, and in the Collect section, load up on "Aisling Sealed Contract" (this is the one used to Reinforce your existing systems). At low rank you won't be able to pick up many, so this won't need a large cargo hold.
- fly back to Iman Caber and dock at any station with a Power Contact
- deliver the Sealed Contracts there.

Better documentation would always be nice - though Powerplay is more comprehensively documented already than most other aspects of the game - but a lot of this it's always just going to be quicker to ask around on.

but none of them were buying any rare commodities.

Rare commodities are a separate thing - but at the moment those are turned off for Powerplay because of some exploits and balance problems.

If they get turned back on:
- all stations will buy all legal rare commodities, but they'll only show up on the market page if you have some in your hold at the time (otherwise all the markets would be cluttered with hundreds of rare goods that you almost never had)
- all stations with black markets will buy all illegal rare commodities; likewise they won't show up on the market page unless you're carrying some

 

[Untilting]

Even highly specific text doesn't always help. I got an assignment this week to recover goods from system A (pinching items from locked power containers) and deliver them to a power contact in system B. But when I get to the contact in B all the items I retrieved from system A are flagged as "out of range" and can't be handed in. Grrr.

 

[Hydrino]

So they overhauled this whole thing, and yet I think I am more confused, left with a lot of mystery, and generally just disengaged by no will of my own from power-play, for the 2nd time.

SO, my suggestion is stop making things (yes, not just power-play), so complicated. Why is there is such a disconnect between mechanics and interface in this game? Stop explaining the mechanics in large swaths of text in the game panels, and make the interface point players in the right direction of what to do and where to go to accomplish basic tasks in the game.

I follow the handbook instructions (which is itself about half informative), YouTube guides, various player websites, and this forum, and it's still confusing.

• Power-play leader? Check
• We're in acquiring stage? Check
• Transport Power-play commodities? Check

Now the next question is how do I know which systems/stations in those systems are demanding a particular commodity. There's no way to know except flying around from star-port to star-port seeing if they are on the sell list. So on this note: why list "Transport Powerplay Commodities" if the system has no ports demanding any commodities. This is confusing, and not intuitive at all. I flew around to a dozen or so systems designated with "Transport Poweerplay Commodities" but none of them were buying any rare commodities.

This screenshot of one system, that says it should receive commodities, but it's not.

This is why the mechanics of power-play should be built into the game-play and not exist as some superfluous text item that describes what to do, and doesn't guarantee any reliable results

The game is so complex this may always be the case.
But I agree it is a very worthwhile goal, and mentioned by a lot of players, for Devs to review the UI and how players are directed or not, in the game.

The markets and trade routes are another example, where outside explicit missions for goods, the newsfeeds and in-game intelligence don't give clear guidance on money-making trade routes. The colored commodity flows are pretty, but not very actionable and also short-range.

Hopefully still on the long-term review list to remove barriers to play or grind, as recently highlighted in one of the unlocked interviews.

 

[Quint87]

I play a ton of Powerplay2.0 and its easy to understand once you get the mechanics.

Only 3 types of systems.

-Reinforce (Your Power)
-Acquisition (Hollow Circles)
-Undermine (All Other Powers)

You gain MERITS in the system to gain CONTROL POINTS.

Open Galactic Map to see how much control points you have for this Powerplay Cycle. Cycles last 1 week.

That easy.

Yes it goes way more in depth, but the Mechanics are simple. Get enough MERITS/CONTROL POINTS in a system and its yours.

To be more effective, join a powerplay centric squadron. You will learn a ton from those guys and they will get you engaged into Powerplay.

 

[mintaka5]

The game is so complex this may always be the case.
But I agree it is a very worthwhile goal, and mentioned by a lot of players, for Devs to review the UI and how players are directed or not, in the game.

The markets and trade routes are another example, where outside explicit missions for goods, the newsfeeds and in-game intelligence don't give clear guidance on money-making trade routes. The colored commodity flows are pretty, but not very actionable and also short-range.

Hopefully still on the long-term review list to remove barriers to play or grind, as recently highlighted in one of the unlocked interviews.

They just need to make everything connect. It's great they have all this in-game documentation, unfortunately I don't play games to read instruction. That's not entertaining. This is besides the point. Fill in the gaps. Complex and difficult to understand, and complex and mechanics that are easy to understand and have attainable and clear goals are two completely different things, and as it stands, ED is the former. I just non-finished RESCUE ESCAPE PODS FROM REINFORCEMENT SYSTEMS. I'm in this system now. The Powerplay map says it's being reinforced. Okay. The Powerplay assignment says "Collect 11 escape pods from Reinforcement systems and deliver them to a Power contact in that system". I did exactly that! No merits, and no progress made in the assignment.

I wish they'd dump all these mysterious and shadowy requirements, and just make it simple and straightforward. Instead of making us go running around the galaxy for hours with no merit, no pay, and no progression. I have no idea what is going on here. There's a huge gap in the relationship between what the game expects and how that expectation is handled by the game mechanics.

 

[Quint87]

They just need to make everything connect. It's great they have all this in-game documentation, unfortunately I don't play games to read instruction. That's not entertaining. This is besides the point. Fill in the gaps. Complex and difficult to understand, and complex and mechanics that are easy to understand and have attainable and clear goals are two completely different things, and as it stands, ED is the former. I just non-finished RESCUE ESCAPE PODS FROM REINFORCEMENT SYSTEMS. I'm in this system now. The Powerplay map says it's being reinforced. Okay. The Powerplay assignment says "Collect 11 escape pods from Reinforcement systems and deliver them to a Power contact in that system". I did exactly that! No merits, and no progress made in the assignment.

I wish they'd dump all these mysterious and shadowy requirements, and just make it simple and straightforward. Instead of making us go running around the galaxy for hours with no merit, no pay, and no progression. I have no idea what is going on here. There's a huge gap in the relationship between what the game expects and how that expectation is handled by the game mechanics.

That is an Acquisition system my guy.

EDIT
-Reinforce (Your Power)
-Acquisition (Hollow Circles)
-Undermine (All Other Powers)

 

[mintaka5]

That is an Acquisition system my guy.

EDIT
-Reinforce (Your Power)
-Acquisition (Hollow Circles)
-Undermine (All Other Powers)

Ok then. So why when I search for Reinforcing systems in the map this system is one of them. I literally selected "Reinforcing" and I got an acquisition system? Not less confused at all.

 

[Quint87]

Ok then. So why when I search for Reinforcing systems in the map this system is one of them. I literally selected "Reinforcing" and I got an acquisition system? Not less confused at all.

Dunno what your map settings were, but that's def a acquisition system.

As for the confusion...Well I just broke it down for you.
There are 3 types of systems in powerplay.

Reinforce.
Acquisition.
Undermine.

Reinforce is anything that has your color on it, (exploited, fortified, stronghold)
Acquisition is anything that is close enough to your bubble that you can acquire. Hollow Circles on map.
Undermine another power on the map that is not yours.

Hope this helps! GL commander.

 

[Darrack]

Another 'i don't understand the system' so its rubbish thread.
Why not go to each system type with a cargo hold full of each type of power commodity and record which each lets you drop
Yes it takes time to work stuff out but in a gaming world where everything is easy and handed to you its a breath of fresh air.
It really isnt rocket surgery.

O7