Please merge BGS and powerplay into one system and also either simplify it or lay out everything in a much clearer way with graphs and tutorial missions etc, I understand taking pilots by the hand is not Elite's "thing" but I think that the people who don't participate (I'm going to stick my neck out and say it's the casual's) in it is because it's daunting to just even start getting into, it's overly complex - which is fine... but also it feels like you don't make an impact or that it's going to take a very long time to see a difference in your home base system even let alone the bubble or the galaxy (it's a big place!) and there are no tangible rewards... which I think is an issue
One simple thing I can think of to lessen the feeling that "this is a mountain of work" to "this is fun and impactful" is take away the 7 day cycle... to see a result... make expansions and fortifications live, make a small bubble around capitols / HQ's (maybe even all systems within 30ly) safe havens from powerplay and make all the other systems in the bubble fair game to be in constant tug of war so when you hop into the game you get excited to turn on the galaxy map and see what drastic changes have been made, sure this can result in 1 power maybe owning 80% of the bubble, but that's ok because it gives players a chance to make huge impacts on the game, whether they play solo, open or in private groups that's ok. It will also create good guys and bad guys, seeing that a power owns 80% of the bubble doesnt make everyone think... "they've won, let's all join the winning side", it makes every player think "it's time to knock this ruler off their thrown", then they can actually start doing it, if 1 pilot is dedicated, they should absolutely be able to take over a system or 2 and make a dent on the map in an 8 hour span of game play. I think powerplay should play a little faster and more like the board game risk.
If you want to keep it complicated, detailed tutorials like "how to start a war", "how to start a boom", "how to win or stop an election" etc... these should all be informative tutorials available that start with you docking at a station and performing a mission to alter the state of a system... they should also each have clear benefits or consequences boh on a player and power level.
Each state should create opportunities within powerplay that dictates how players approach aiding expansion or fortifying that system for their power, and the factions should all have an agenda based on the current standing of that system, you should also consider incorporate earning merits as mission rewards so the entire system is more streamlined, this way people are encouraged to join a side and can even passively contribute to powerplay without even realising it... example:
Lets say we have a system controlled by the empire and is in a state of outbreak, the imperial factions should all be offering missions to aid and bring medicine and donate to fix the negative state of this system within their empire, where as the federation / alliance etc should all be focused on kicking them while they are down by either offering transport missions to offer treatment (a good guy takeover tactic) to to the population from federation systems to show the people that they should switch sides, or by destroying ships carrying aid stopping the empires attempts to aid the system (and the bad guy tactic).. stuff like that so players can make impact but also roleplay, by completing these missions you gain credits, influence, reputation AND merits, you could effectively make each and every system like mini community goals, simply just by changing some numbers, this makes everythin feel super interactive and impactful.
You could have a little bar representing: Empire, Federation, Alliance, Independent on each system map and all you have to do to gain control of the system is fill your bar up first.
When the bar is full, control is exchanged, the bar is reset and it starts again at zero, now all factions compete again, in order to keep control of the system all you need to do is fill your bar reseting everyone elses progress over and over again, in order to take control, you just have to fill your bar up before everyone else and the system is yours.
Lastly while each faction should have an agenda geared towards powerplay like 2 missions per faction one good guy tactic and one bad guy tactic, you can still have a variety of other missions that are focused simply towards raising a factions standing over the others in that system as the system already has in place, so that you can still impactfully affect BGS without touching powerplay if you really dont want to get involved in all that, this also means there should be a really good variety of missions everywhere to keep gameplay varied and fun.
EDIT: last thought is that this instantly creates a constant reason to play the game, for those commanders with all the toys and money, it's a never ending end game goal that they can work towards and coordinate efforts with their fellow commanders in glorious PVE and at the same time encourage tension around high profit / valuable systems, you could even introduce a mechanic where if 2 powers are 70% or above at the same time it creates war zones between the powers which players can join to settle the score in PVP if they choose, so you have nice healthy places for both sets of players.
One simple thing I can think of to lessen the feeling that "this is a mountain of work" to "this is fun and impactful" is take away the 7 day cycle... to see a result... make expansions and fortifications live, make a small bubble around capitols / HQ's (maybe even all systems within 30ly) safe havens from powerplay and make all the other systems in the bubble fair game to be in constant tug of war so when you hop into the game you get excited to turn on the galaxy map and see what drastic changes have been made, sure this can result in 1 power maybe owning 80% of the bubble, but that's ok because it gives players a chance to make huge impacts on the game, whether they play solo, open or in private groups that's ok. It will also create good guys and bad guys, seeing that a power owns 80% of the bubble doesnt make everyone think... "they've won, let's all join the winning side", it makes every player think "it's time to knock this ruler off their thrown", then they can actually start doing it, if 1 pilot is dedicated, they should absolutely be able to take over a system or 2 and make a dent on the map in an 8 hour span of game play. I think powerplay should play a little faster and more like the board game risk.
If you want to keep it complicated, detailed tutorials like "how to start a war", "how to start a boom", "how to win or stop an election" etc... these should all be informative tutorials available that start with you docking at a station and performing a mission to alter the state of a system... they should also each have clear benefits or consequences boh on a player and power level.
Each state should create opportunities within powerplay that dictates how players approach aiding expansion or fortifying that system for their power, and the factions should all have an agenda based on the current standing of that system, you should also consider incorporate earning merits as mission rewards so the entire system is more streamlined, this way people are encouraged to join a side and can even passively contribute to powerplay without even realising it... example:
Lets say we have a system controlled by the empire and is in a state of outbreak, the imperial factions should all be offering missions to aid and bring medicine and donate to fix the negative state of this system within their empire, where as the federation / alliance etc should all be focused on kicking them while they are down by either offering transport missions to offer treatment (a good guy takeover tactic) to to the population from federation systems to show the people that they should switch sides, or by destroying ships carrying aid stopping the empires attempts to aid the system (and the bad guy tactic).. stuff like that so players can make impact but also roleplay, by completing these missions you gain credits, influence, reputation AND merits, you could effectively make each and every system like mini community goals, simply just by changing some numbers, this makes everythin feel super interactive and impactful.
You could have a little bar representing: Empire, Federation, Alliance, Independent on each system map and all you have to do to gain control of the system is fill your bar up first.
When the bar is full, control is exchanged, the bar is reset and it starts again at zero, now all factions compete again, in order to keep control of the system all you need to do is fill your bar reseting everyone elses progress over and over again, in order to take control, you just have to fill your bar up before everyone else and the system is yours.
Lastly while each faction should have an agenda geared towards powerplay like 2 missions per faction one good guy tactic and one bad guy tactic, you can still have a variety of other missions that are focused simply towards raising a factions standing over the others in that system as the system already has in place, so that you can still impactfully affect BGS without touching powerplay if you really dont want to get involved in all that, this also means there should be a really good variety of missions everywhere to keep gameplay varied and fun.
EDIT: last thought is that this instantly creates a constant reason to play the game, for those commanders with all the toys and money, it's a never ending end game goal that they can work towards and coordinate efforts with their fellow commanders in glorious PVE and at the same time encourage tension around high profit / valuable systems, you could even introduce a mechanic where if 2 powers are 70% or above at the same time it creates war zones between the powers which players can join to settle the score in PVP if they choose, so you have nice healthy places for both sets of players.
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