Ships should also be able to hand out missions and be asked to maybe join up as a wing man or escort. Yes, and better bounties for your PP kills and PP missions would make more join PP. Maybe has a reward to build an asteroid base at tier 2. I like the PP concept but it need better rewards. Credits is still the best reward in the game because it gives you the option to buy better ships and equipment. I agree that making PP more rewarding will make it more interesting. When I found out that other powers interdicted me because I joined the Federation it was great, but when I saw the low bounty I thought, bahh why so low?
Powerplay: Ideas from the devs - Feedback wanted! #3
- Thread starter Zac Antonaci
- Start date
I like what you suggest for freedom fighters... I would not make it system based but minor faction based because if I am supporting the expansion of my minor faction and wrestling its exploitation from a power then would it not make sense that I should be able to do that in any systems where my minor faction has control?
Also what would happen with regards to if my minor faction is say federation aligned and i disagree with any of the federation powers having influence and so fight them off... will i then be wanted in all fed space including space owned by the minor faction I pledge to?
Also what would happen with regards to if my minor faction is say federation aligned and i disagree with any of the federation powers having influence and so fight them off... will i then be wanted in all fed space including space owned by the minor faction I pledge to?
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I would like to know exactly the difference in merits and favor. From what it seems like with the given info, merits remain the same. Get more merits to get higher rank to get better rewards. Only thing is it decays. Favor sounds like I will be able to purchase the rewards I want once I earn enough over time rather than the predetermined ones for ranking with merits, seeing as favor doesn't decay.
Is that about right? If so, if I ever decide to join PP (still not really enticing enough for me even after all of these good ideas. There just needs to be...more) I can pretty much just ignore merits?
Is that about right? If so, if I ever decide to join PP (still not really enticing enough for me even after all of these good ideas. There just needs to be...more) I can pretty much just ignore merits?
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Waste of Time
Please stop wasting time on Power Play. It is a terrible idea and has noting to do with the Elite universe.You've had plenty of feedback on PP so far. Over 80% of players hate it and most of those don't want nothing to do with it. If you don't trust the forums add a pole to the launcher. You are completely missing the point of why people play this game. If someone is exploring, mining, trading or bounty hunting they don't want 7/8ths (I don't know the exact number of powers here) of the universe to be their enemy and their territory to be hostile space. They just want to explore, mine, trade or hunt pirates. Those who want enemies become pirates.You already had 3 large factions with many minor factions, why didn't you just improve those instead of adding another complicated but very superficial layer to the game? The fact that it is so superficial is the only good thing about PP. Unless you click on the PP tab you can fully ignore it and play as if it didn't exist. I hope that stays that way.You probably should have made PP a paid expansion since it would have been easy to keep the rest of the universe going separately from what it was before PP.Unfortunately, the advent of PP did ruin the previously existing faction play by adding decay. Decay of what you earned has no place in Elite. It's a terrible mechanic for a game. If you want to keep people playing and interested in the game, make the game better by improving gameplay and adding new interesting elements to it. Turning this game into a hamster wheel will not work.
Please stop wasting time on Power Play. It is a terrible idea and has noting to do with the Elite universe.You've had plenty of feedback on PP so far. Over 80% of players hate it and most of those don't want nothing to do with it. If you don't trust the forums add a pole to the launcher. You are completely missing the point of why people play this game. If someone is exploring, mining, trading or bounty hunting they don't want 7/8ths (I don't know the exact number of powers here) of the universe to be their enemy and their territory to be hostile space. They just want to explore, mine, trade or hunt pirates. Those who want enemies become pirates.You already had 3 large factions with many minor factions, why didn't you just improve those instead of adding another complicated but very superficial layer to the game? The fact that it is so superficial is the only good thing about PP. Unless you click on the PP tab you can fully ignore it and play as if it didn't exist. I hope that stays that way.You probably should have made PP a paid expansion since it would have been easy to keep the rest of the universe going separately from what it was before PP.Unfortunately, the advent of PP did ruin the previously existing faction play by adding decay. Decay of what you earned has no place in Elite. It's a terrible mechanic for a game. If you want to keep people playing and interested in the game, make the game better by improving gameplay and adding new interesting elements to it. Turning this game into a hamster wheel will not work.
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What benefits, exactly? I'm pledged to Torval. The main benefit of Torval is cheap slaves for very profitable trade routes. These trade routes completely dwarf the pittance of a 5% bonus on trade profits within Torval space. It makes more profit to take slaves outside of Torval space than to run the most profitable trade route within Torval space right now. And the real kicker is that the slave discount is available to Everyone, and not just to those who pledged.
So will my mining lasers stop working while hiding the flag? Speaking of mining, the price for mined minerals drop by 10% in Torval space. This is the complete opposite of a benefit, as miners now receive less when selling them. Try limiting price decreases to sale prices, and price increases to buy prices.
I couldn't care less about the "benefits" being stopped as long as the benefits are non-existant in the first place.
This is the third thread, and we're still not talking rewards for participating in power play here.
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An idea for CC: if a power has a surplus CC each month, divvy out some cash to each pledged cmdr regardless of rank, like shares in a company.
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Zac & Sandro: thank you for your and the team continuous effort and being connected with community.
Please find bellow a +1yr cmdr opinion.
Favour
I find it too complicated. Sure, I grasp the idea, but it's too complicated (the more months/years ED will has and more such obscure rules waiting to hit you from the corner
- call it overengineered game design debt *you* will have to pay back in the future.
Idea: sth simple like decreased merits needed for a given rank the more weeks I'm pledged (I'm talking about 5..10..15 weeks and more). Here, casual players can benefit from it because he is in the power.
Powerplay Flag
Nah, it should be communicated as it is. Because this is a reason for power perks being available to anybody, if he just flies to the power area - being signaled (as different power cmdr) he is in bigger danger now (to get this perk). Here if you would like to reduce this danger (by allowing 'incognito' flag) you should then limit power perks only to the power pledgers, which in effect can create big polarization (power with best perks + pareto rule = only 1 power on the table).
Conclusion: keep it visible, while greatly enhance 'free fighters' (unpledged) cmdrs idea (described below).
If you're really think about it, make it visible only if in the area of any power. besides you need to KWS player to now it.
Nevertheless I'm against it.
p.s. There will be great outcry about availability of such decaying flag for power play, while not for open/solo not being allowed to switch too often (where such blockade is IMO much more needed and not being developped ).
Up/Down Vote
Very good idea. Just made it with numbers, not triangles, to let us see how big a difference is.
Freedom Fighters
Extremely important and brilliant idea. A lot of cmdrs want to be *responsible* for their "power", and such approach will allow them to be leading force in a selected (home to them) system. Consider it: does not matter that my home is small, but its *mine* home.
More Powerful Ethos versus Government Effect
Cool idea, although I think you're not tacking a root-cause. Let me explain: even with this change due to the scale of PP it's easier to just haul goods for main merits allocation mechanism (prep/expand/fortify). So from strategic perspective such change will just create another front.
On the other hand, I might be wrong here. In general nice idea, not very important, IMO.
Root Cause: think how to allow us to interact more, to do real blockades of systems, to successfullly attack others merit/trade routes etc.
Missions, Variety and Rewards
Every cmdr look forward connecting normal BB missions with PP. This should be your goal #1.
Please find bellow a +1yr cmdr opinion.
Favour
I find it too complicated. Sure, I grasp the idea, but it's too complicated (the more months/years ED will has and more such obscure rules waiting to hit you from the corner
- call it overengineered game design debt *you* will have to pay back in the future.Idea: sth simple like decreased merits needed for a given rank the more weeks I'm pledged (I'm talking about 5..10..15 weeks and more). Here, casual players can benefit from it because he is in the power.
Powerplay Flag
Nah, it should be communicated as it is. Because this is a reason for power perks being available to anybody, if he just flies to the power area - being signaled (as different power cmdr) he is in bigger danger now (to get this perk). Here if you would like to reduce this danger (by allowing 'incognito' flag) you should then limit power perks only to the power pledgers, which in effect can create big polarization (power with best perks + pareto rule = only 1 power on the table).
Conclusion: keep it visible, while greatly enhance 'free fighters' (unpledged) cmdrs idea (described below).
If you're really think about it, make it visible only if in the area of any power. besides you need to KWS player to now it.
Nevertheless I'm against it.
p.s. There will be great outcry about availability of such decaying flag for power play, while not for open/solo not being allowed to switch too often (where such blockade is IMO much more needed and not being developped
).Up/Down Vote
Very good idea. Just made it with numbers, not triangles, to let us see how big a difference is.
Freedom Fighters
Extremely important and brilliant idea. A lot of cmdrs want to be *responsible* for their "power", and such approach will allow them to be leading force in a selected (home to them) system. Consider it: does not matter that my home is small, but its *mine* home.
More Powerful Ethos versus Government Effect
Cool idea, although I think you're not tacking a root-cause. Let me explain: even with this change due to the scale of PP it's easier to just haul goods for main merits allocation mechanism (prep/expand/fortify). So from strategic perspective such change will just create another front.
On the other hand, I might be wrong here. In general nice idea, not very important, IMO.
Root Cause: think how to allow us to interact more, to do real blockades of systems, to successfullly attack others merit/trade routes etc.
Missions, Variety and Rewards
Every cmdr look forward connecting normal BB missions with PP. This should be your goal #1.
This is certainly an improvement on what we have today.
I was thinking that you have basic station level news now, and whether that could be extended so that each power has its own news board that is readable by all the members, and only rank 5 members are allowed to post. That doesn't feel like it would require massive rearchitecting but would allow the most active participants to guide and inform the others.
Zac & Sandro: thank you for your and the team continuous effort and being connected with community.
Please find bellow a +1yr cmdr opinion.
Favour
I find it too complicated. Sure, I grasp the idea, but it's too complicated (the more months/years ED will has and more such obscure rules waiting to hit you from the corner
Idea: sth simple like decreased merits needed for a given rank the more weeks I'm pledged (I'm talking about 5..10..15 weeks and more). Here, casual players can benefit from it because he is in the power.
Powerplay Flag
Nah, it should be communicated as it is. Because this is a reason for power perks being available to anybody, if he just flies to the power area - being signaled (as different power cmdr) he is in bigger danger now (to get this perk). Here if you would like to reduce this danger (by allowing 'incognito' flag) you should then limit power perks only to the power pledgers, which in effect can create big polarization (power with best perks + pareto rule = only 1 power on the table).
Conclusion: keep it visible, while greatly enhance 'free fighters' (unpledged) cmdrs idea (described below).
If you're really think about it, make it visible only if in the area of any power. besides you need to KWS player to now it.
Nevertheless I'm against it.
p.s. There will be great outcry about availability of such decaying flag for power play, while not for open/solo not being allowed to switch too often (where such blockade is IMO much more needed and not being developped
Up/Down Vote
Very good idea. Just made it with numbers, not triangles, to let us see how big a difference is.
Freedom Fighters
Extremely important and brilliant idea. A lot of cmdrs want to be *responsible* for their "power", and such approach will allow them to be leading force in a selected (home to them) system. Consider it: does not matter that my home is small, but its *mine* home.
More Powerful Ethos versus Government Effect
Cool idea, although I think you're not tacking a root-cause. Let me explain: even with this change due to the scale of PP it's easier to just haul goods for main merits allocation mechanism (prep/expand/fortify). So from strategic perspective such change will just create another front.
On the other hand, I might be wrong here. In general nice idea, not very important, IMO.
Root Cause: think how to allow us to interact more, to do real blockades of systems, to successfullly attack others merit/trade routes etc.
Missions, Variety and Rewards
Every cmdr look forward connecting normal BB missions with PP. This should be your goal #1.
Less <----> no blockades....From someone who at some unknown time may go Open
Favours : Nice idea, but I don't think it should be coupled with a return to the earlier merits mechanics. Arbitrary thresholds are nice. Also, I really think there should be a division between the ranks and the rewards : the rewards work okay the way they do now, you have to earn merits each week to keep them. But the rank shouldn't be something you have to earn each week, it should be cumulative based on the time spent in the faction and the total merits earned. The rank should give small bonuses, but one could show how higly ranked they are in their power of choice even if they haven't played for a while. In the meantime, weekly merits would allow more arctive players to earn more tangible rewards, independently from their rank within the faction.
Flags : I also thought about something like this, but to be fair I think it would kind of defeat the entire point of Powerplay. However being able to hide one's affiliation is an interesting idea, but could be done a different way. For example, maybe one could buy some kind of permit allowing him to show clean in empire/fed/alliance power territories for a certain number of days, or until he performs an action against the power whose territory he is in. This would basically allow safe passage at the cost of remaining a law-abiding citizen.
Up/down votes : Perfect idea, I up vote this one A simple pair thumbs up / thumbs down buttons at the right of each system name in the powerplay interface, with the total number of votes for each displayed, would be effective.
Flags : I also thought about something like this, but to be fair I think it would kind of defeat the entire point of Powerplay. However being able to hide one's affiliation is an interesting idea, but could be done a different way. For example, maybe one could buy some kind of permit allowing him to show clean in empire/fed/alliance power territories for a certain number of days, or until he performs an action against the power whose territory he is in. This would basically allow safe passage at the cost of remaining a law-abiding citizen.
Up/down votes : Perfect idea, I up vote this one
A simple pair thumbs up / thumbs down buttons at the right of each system name in the powerplay interface, with the total number of votes for each displayed, would be effective.Here is my feedback on what PowerPlay feels to me right now
Thanks for this amazing feedback thread. It's waaaay better than the past two, it's more in tune with the community and it's more interesting in every single regard.
But here is how I feel about the state of PowerPlay now:
· Most powers barely give any bonuses that are worth pledging for, in half of the cases the better bonuses are universal. Making these universal bonuses locked to pledging would put more weight in the decision making and more importance to the power.
· The time gating on fortification units is stupid, degrading for the developers and players, and ultimately moronic (what is this? A mobile game?!). This should be done away with. Make fortification garrison be a cumulative sum instead of time gate e.g. at rank 5, in half an hour I have 50 fortification units waiting for me, in 1 hour I have 100, in one hour and a half I have 150 and so on), allow us to fastfoward as many units we wish and make collecting the fortifications faster as it is buying commodities.
· The way merit decay works now makes me feel like I worked for nothing when I gave my time exclusively to the power for more than 3 weeks. Who thought it would be funny to work week after week when there's only 3 types of activities you can engage in PP? Do you really want to make PowerPlay not fun? I propose you institute the Favor currency ASAP, make it the PP currency and have rank by merits working as if it's a community goal (like it was proposed before).
· The payment shouldn't be weekly and should rather be more payment for each merit delivered, say 10k credits per merit. I know you say PP ins't about money, but, in the real world politics, supporting a major political party the way we do pays A LOT more so make it coherent with the real world.
· The lack of activities is what really makes me not engage in PP to earn merits anymore and I'm glad you have been working on it.
· I really wish PP would be more a part of the BGS, more organically into the game instead of a separate menu only, maybe adding power related minor factions could make it better coupled with the "Ethos vs Government Type" point they proposed.
I'm still currently pledged to Arissa because of my player group, but as it is now I don't feel like helping my power more than some PvP with my buddies.
Thanks for this amazing feedback thread. It's waaaay better than the past two, it's more in tune with the community and it's more interesting in every single regard.
But here is how I feel about the state of PowerPlay now:
· Most powers barely give any bonuses that are worth pledging for, in half of the cases the better bonuses are universal. Making these universal bonuses locked to pledging would put more weight in the decision making and more importance to the power.
· The time gating on fortification units is stupid, degrading for the developers and players, and ultimately moronic (what is this? A mobile game?!). This should be done away with. Make fortification garrison be a cumulative sum instead of time gate e.g. at rank 5, in half an hour I have 50 fortification units waiting for me, in 1 hour I have 100, in one hour and a half I have 150 and so on), allow us to fastfoward as many units we wish and make collecting the fortifications faster as it is buying commodities.
· The way merit decay works now makes me feel like I worked for nothing when I gave my time exclusively to the power for more than 3 weeks. Who thought it would be funny to work week after week when there's only 3 types of activities you can engage in PP? Do you really want to make PowerPlay not fun? I propose you institute the Favor currency ASAP, make it the PP currency and have rank by merits working as if it's a community goal (like it was proposed before).
· The payment shouldn't be weekly and should rather be more payment for each merit delivered, say 10k credits per merit. I know you say PP ins't about money, but, in the real world politics, supporting a major political party the way we do pays A LOT more so make it coherent with the real world.
· The lack of activities is what really makes me not engage in PP to earn merits anymore and I'm glad you have been working on it.
· I really wish PP would be more a part of the BGS, more organically into the game instead of a separate menu only, maybe adding power related minor factions could make it better coupled with the "Ethos vs Government Type" point they proposed.
I'm still currently pledged to Arissa because of my player group, but as it is now I don't feel like helping my power more than some PvP with my buddies.
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Zac/Sandro, I'd like to give a loud and resounding "Hell YES!" to the entire list of suggestions, which is positive feedback but perhaps not terribly useful, so I'm also going to list those ideas in order of priority (for me, anyway):
1. Up/Down Vote - this one is basically essential at this stage. As many, many commanders have pointed out, not every player visits this forum or the Reddits or other sites where major strategic decisions are discussed and decided, and this works against any given power. Even a simple in-game mechanic for communicating, starting with the up/down vote, would make a big difference.
2. More Powerful Ethos - I personally would love to see it added to the game for the simple reason that it makes a lot of sense and offers more variety in terms of Powerplay gameplay. Having almost retired from PP I find the idea of returning to system flipping very attractive, as I know others do as well, so it would benefit everybody - more gameplay variety and it allows unpledged commanders to still support a power.
3. PowerPlay Flag - very desirable but potentially very exploitable - would need strict conditions, perhaps a price or in-game time limit. I often get bored of PP and want to go trading or just flying around, but my constant allegiance flag makes this difficult and combined with PP in its current form is pushing me to leave my power, which I really don't want to do if I can avoid it. The suggested conditions - control system only, cooldown/warmup period - would be an excellent start. Also have the flag automatically set upon loading up with PP commodities or attacking a legitimate PP-only enemy.
4. Missions, Variety & Rewards - can opposing/defending territory please be rewarded with merits? Undermining is the highest risk activity in PP and therefore should have the highest reward, but it makes no sense that somebody who actively defends their power's territory gets nothing, and that PP CZs yield such pitiful rewards. A total merit overhaul, ideally with new activities for variety (one or more very high risk/high reward activities would be desirable) would be ideal. Long term I would actually rate this as one of the most important changes/additions to Powerplay, but in the short term the three points above are of greater signficance.
5. Favour - sounds great, and would allow casual players to take part at higher levels without outright alienating those who put in all the time to get there and stay there. Reverting to old merit system... not so sure about this, but some balancing mechanic would be needed.
6. Freedom Fighters - Good concept, fits well and opens up gameplay.
Additional suggestions based on my own thoughts and the ideas of other commanders:
1. Diplomacy mechanic - there are a number of threads about this. On several occasions powers have tried to strike deals, sign non-aggression pacts and so on but again, because this cannot be communicated to the bulk of the pledged player base, except perhaps by a Galnet story that may or may not be published and could get lost among other reports, we need a mechanism to vote on how our power interacts with other powers - hostile, unfriendly, neutral, friendly, allied.
2. Actual Powerplay flag - as in, can I get a decal to paint on my ship declaring my allegiance to Mahon?
1. Up/Down Vote - this one is basically essential at this stage. As many, many commanders have pointed out, not every player visits this forum or the Reddits or other sites where major strategic decisions are discussed and decided, and this works against any given power. Even a simple in-game mechanic for communicating, starting with the up/down vote, would make a big difference.
2. More Powerful Ethos - I personally would love to see it added to the game for the simple reason that it makes a lot of sense and offers more variety in terms of Powerplay gameplay. Having almost retired from PP I find the idea of returning to system flipping very attractive, as I know others do as well, so it would benefit everybody - more gameplay variety and it allows unpledged commanders to still support a power.
3. PowerPlay Flag - very desirable but potentially very exploitable - would need strict conditions, perhaps a price or in-game time limit. I often get bored of PP and want to go trading or just flying around, but my constant allegiance flag makes this difficult and combined with PP in its current form is pushing me to leave my power, which I really don't want to do if I can avoid it. The suggested conditions - control system only, cooldown/warmup period - would be an excellent start. Also have the flag automatically set upon loading up with PP commodities or attacking a legitimate PP-only enemy.
4. Missions, Variety & Rewards - can opposing/defending territory please be rewarded with merits? Undermining is the highest risk activity in PP and therefore should have the highest reward, but it makes no sense that somebody who actively defends their power's territory gets nothing, and that PP CZs yield such pitiful rewards. A total merit overhaul, ideally with new activities for variety (one or more very high risk/high reward activities would be desirable) would be ideal. Long term I would actually rate this as one of the most important changes/additions to Powerplay, but in the short term the three points above are of greater signficance.
5. Favour - sounds great, and would allow casual players to take part at higher levels without outright alienating those who put in all the time to get there and stay there. Reverting to old merit system... not so sure about this, but some balancing mechanic would be needed.
6. Freedom Fighters - Good concept, fits well and opens up gameplay.
Additional suggestions based on my own thoughts and the ideas of other commanders:
1. Diplomacy mechanic - there are a number of threads about this. On several occasions powers have tried to strike deals, sign non-aggression pacts and so on but again, because this cannot be communicated to the bulk of the pledged player base, except perhaps by a Galnet story that may or may not be published and could get lost among other reports, we need a mechanism to vote on how our power interacts with other powers - hostile, unfriendly, neutral, friendly, allied.
2. Actual Powerplay flag - as in, can I get a decal to paint on my ship declaring my allegiance to Mahon?
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Yes, you've added character to the Powers as represented in the fluff. And pretty much none of that is represented in the gameplay itself. Mechanically speaking they're exactly the same. It's a waste of fluff if when you actually engage with them as storyline entities the whole system feels fake as they don't play like what's on the box cover. This is a fundamental issue with Powerplay as a concept, quite apart from its inner workings as a strategic game; and why you get constant comments about its bolt-on Space Risk nature.
Your storytelling is not meshed with the gameplay you're introducing around it, and in the case of Like Plays As Like, actually undermining your storytelling. It's simply not interesting or easily immersive for business entities and pirate kings and responsible government leaders to have the exact same "kill everyone and run propaganda" gameplay. Space Risk it may be, but Crusader Kings II or Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri should have been more of your inspiration if you wanted interesting political dynamics that would provide approachable gameplay elements for many different playstyles. Playing different leaders in those games actually makes a big difference in your gameplay approaches.
Perhaps attacking a PP enemy should not only turn the flag on, but also count as a crime, since what you have in this circumstance is a surprise attack. You've fired the cannons before raising the Jolly Roger.
Exactly. You pledge to a power - you have to accept the consequences of that action, likewise you become a freedom fighter, you're going to have to accept being hunted. Elite's designers seem to keep wanting to go down complex routes (bounties, legacy bounties, fines, legacy fines, flags, transponders, merits, honour etc.) and ending up tying themselves in complex knots to try and cater for everyone, which really could be sorted out by allowing multiple character slots.
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Start doing military missions for the Feds? OK that closes off any chance of military missions with the Alliance and Empire, without defecting. If you defect you immediately lose rank and reputation with the major power block you defect from.
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Pledge to a power? Other powers in the same super-power block will tolerate you unless you are caught taking covert/over action. Other powers in other superpower blocks hate you.
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Don't pledge to any power or faction? Be prepared to be interdicted and scanned quite a lot by curious power and faction members making sure you are truly non-aligned.
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All this extra hassle and 'closing off space' mitigated by multiple character slots. Now whether the back-end could handle multiple slots... well... that's another issue I suppose.
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Oh and get missions for powers into the bulletin board, please. And get Tier 2 AI in please, please, please.
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And please can we have more non-power, event driven news in GalNet, beyond simple 'roundup' lists.
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To use a well-known phrase... Okay, I'll bite!
Here are my suggestions...
Integrate "Power" Stuff With Minor Faction Allegiances
Like this...
[url]http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx310/CaptainKremmenED/Suggestion%20Box/Powers%201_zpsf9esc9cv.jpg[/URL]
That alone opens up a LOAD of "integration-friendly" possibilities...
BBS Missions
Once some Minor Factions are given Power-based allegiance (as an extension of Major Faction allegiance), the impact of some Bulletin Board missions will be implicitly Power-related. Powers will benefit/suffer from mission activity if the "sponsoring" and/or "target" Minor Factions are allied to a Power figure.
We already have missions that are unavailable because "this faction does not trust you enough". Extend that to include the Minor Faction's Allegiance, compared against the pilot's pledged status...
- Use the interplay between Minor Faction Reputation and pilots' Power "Pledged" Allegiance to determine which missions are available.
- Power "sensitive" missions (ie. ones that could impact system control on the Power landscape) would only be available to appropriately pledged pilots.
- Use pledged pilot Levels in their Power progress to unlock the more interesting missions.
So, for high-level pledged pilots in relevant locations (ie. where their Power is active), all available mission types become "Power" missions. This means greater variety. And going forward, every single mission "variety" enhancement will be leveraged straight into PowerPlay.
For pilots, Minor Faction Reputation gains/losses could be aligned with Power Stuff in interesting ways. Currently, the Major Faction reputation rises and falls in line with Minor Faction reputation. Consider the possibilities of extending this to something like the "Favour" concept (or even just calling in "Power Reputation", and keeping all those ducks in a row).
It also has the neat benefit for selling exploration data. When sold to UC at stations owned by "Power-allied" Minor Factions, Power-related benefits could flow.
Given all the above, pilots could then play as they wish, while still being engaged with Power Stuff. 100% of existing in-game mechanics would have Power carry-over.
Impact of Minor Faction Rework on Global Power Mechanics
The above Minor Faction integration invites a re-imagining of the weirder Power concepts like Exploitation, Command Capital, etc.
If a system's Controlling Minor Faction is allied with the nearby Power (ie. controlling system close by), some concept other than "exploited" can be used. Perhaps such systems are more like "coalitions", or "bloc systems", or "aligned". If the Controlling Minor faction is not allied with the nearby Power, stick with "exploited".
Command Capital value could change based on the Controlling Minor Faction's level of influence (and its alliance). Systems could then gain and lose profitability based on their Minor Faction situation - famine, war, boom, flipping, etc.
Pilots would collectively have a vested interest in "building up" individual system health and well-being, to keep the Command Capital flowing. Keeping the population on-side with the favoured Controlling Minor Faction would be key to a stable power structure and support base.
Review Power Pledge Costs, Benefits and FUN FACTOR
The benefits of being pledged to a Power are pretty dodgy. The quirky bonus equipment is AT BEST "not better" than regular stuff, and more often worse.
The negative impacts of being pledged are many, and can be a real turn-off. Loss of freedom to roam without a target painted on your head. Distorted play, like being made to wait 30 minutes for another "parcel of stuff" to be handed out (people logging in via laptop at work, camping stations, collecting goods to ship in the evening). No progressive credit earning. No time to enjoy Power-conferred bonuses like bounty/exploration multipliers, due to the "either/or" approach to Power vs. non-Power actions. The way the merit decay makes pilots feel inside. The limited mission styles and unbalanced merit earnings. The list goes on.
This needs a fundamental reappraisal!
You need to ask some serious questions for PowerPlay to answer.
- What is FUN about PowerPlay? If it's not really good fun, why do it?
- What is CHALLENGING about PowerPlay? If it's not an intellectual, organisational and/or skill-based challenge, why do it?
- What is BORING about PowerPlay? If it is boring, get rid of it!
- What is ANNOYING about PowerPlay? If something is annoying, was it supposed to be "fun" or "challenging", but is being let down by the mechanics involved? If so, fix the mechanics making it annoying.
- What DRAWS YOU IN to the "living galaxy" when involved in PowerPlay?
- What BREAKS IMMERSION and smashes the concept of a "living galaxy" when involved in PowerPlay?
- What feels like ADVANCEMENT when flying around doing things in PowerPlay?
- What feels POINTLESS when flying around doing things in PowerPlay?
Example...
Being interdicted by "rival power" hit squads in your own Power HQ.
Sounds like fun - a bit of risk, a bit of pew-pew. But...
- If the attacking ships are idiot-level NPCs, it's no challenge - so BORING.
- If it happens too frequently, it becomes ANNOYING. It is also IMMERSION-BREAKING, as there is no sense in rival power hit squads roaming free in your HQ system.
- If you are given a reward for successfully eliminating a rival power hit squad, great - you can at least gain some ADVANCEMENT. But to gain no benefit whatsoever makes the exercise POINTLESS.
The same analysis should be run through for:
- Each available mission type.
- Each way of earning "merits".
- Reason for expanding your Power.
- Each Power-specific magic weapon/module.
- Each facet of "non-Power" style Elite play, from the perspective of a pledged pilot. Is Trading still FUN? Does Exploration benefit Powers, or is it pointless? Does being pledged to an exploration-focused Power actually help ADVANCE your exploration gameplay, or render it POINTLESS?
etc.
Leverage Existing Game Mechanics for Additional Power Benefits
Look to use what you already have, to give PowerPlay some actual sparkle, and some point. For example,
Rapid Response Squadrons
The higher your "level" as a pledged pilot, the more likely it is that a Power Rapid Response Wing will be deployed to assist you if you are attacked. Just use the same sort of spawn mechanic as the "system authority" response, but with Power-aligned NPC ships. Have them turn up faster if you are close to your HQ or Control systems. That way, if you are attacked by those silly "rival Power hit squads" in your own HQ, a squadron of angry Eagles appears to shoot them up.
Suddenly, there is a real-world benefit to being a pledged Pilot - your own wing of defenders, appearing on demand.
Redeem Bounty Vouchers and Combat Bonds Anywhere in Power Space
In the same way that you can currently land on any station to cash in a Bounty Voucher or Combat Bond for an in-system Minor Faction, make it possible to cash them in for any Minor Faction in Power-controlled space, if you dock at a station in that Power region.
Another instant benefit to being a pledged pilot - no need to travel to every darn system controlled by your Power. Convenient cashing in of a broad range of vouchers, facilitated by your friendly neighbourhood Power.
Make Sure Stuff Actually Works Properly and Consistently
Please shore up the Background Sim. Run extra internal simulations, add some extra back-end debugging, publish what is supposed to happen and when (so the players can actually differentiate "correct" and "incorrect" behaviour), etc. Us players have been tearing their hair out right from 1.0, through to 1.2, and then still more crazy stuff hit the BGS when 1.3 arrived. This demoralises, frustrates and discourages the very groups you need to engage.
Please improve stuff like relevance of ship spawning, NPC AI, etc. It doesn't make sense for roaming hit squads to be blithering idiots who cannot shoot straight. It doesn't make sense that they fly around unopposed in enemy power regions (Hint: We all know NPCs don't actually interdict other NPCs, but at least spawn ships in such a way as to pretend they do).
Please address the CRAZY EDGE CONDITION mess that PowerPlay introduces. It really shows its rough edges right now, and makes it look exactly like a layer slapped on top of an existing game world. For example,
- Empire Internal Security not stepping in to help a a CLEAN Imperial Earl being attacked by CLEAN ships in a system that has a "Controlling Minor Faction" allied to the Empire. Supposedly because a Federation-aligned Power figure is somehow "in charge".
- Said Imperial Earl becoming WANTED for defending himself.
Indeed, please consider ensuring Rule Of Law is restored across Elite space. If there is jurisdictional authority, there is NO justification for allowing a ship to attack a CLEAN ship without itself becoming WANTED. It shouldn't matter who is "pulling the strings"; An unlawful attack is an unlawful attack. If a manipulative Power wants to press buttons and have someone killed, get them to issue a bounty on a pilot that has done them wrong. Work WITH the legal system... don't compromise/discard it for the sake of Power Pew-Pew.
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Summary - Final Words
If PowerPlay worked like this, above, I'd actually be interested in playing it. It would be integrated with the "proper" Elite Dangerous, would be as fun and involving as the "proper" Elite Dangerous, and would be inclusive of existing gameplay activities... which could occur under the "PowerPlay" umbrella.
Unfortunately, as it stands today, PowerPlay gets an emphatic "hell, no" from me. It comes across as a minimally integrated add-on layer that could have been slapped on top of practically any multiplayer game with a map. World of Tanks, Elder Scrolls, Star Wars, heck - it could be plonked on Minecraft. But it would transform none of them, benefit none of them, and be a disappointing add-on... because it's not Right.
I'm sorry to be so blunt here, but PowerPlay strikes me as being a "separate" layer so as not to break anything else already in and running. These are the kinds of compromises that happen when live-running products are enhanced and extended... without significant resources being available to do the kind of job that would have been done if tackled prior to release. With the approach, "For God's sake, don't change the existing stuff!", you're left with a system that is, as Michael Brookes described it, "deliberately kept separate". Yes, it's pretty clear that it's been kept separate, let me tell you!
But it wasn't kept separate, I fear, in order to enhance the gameplay experience. The gameplay experience, in all honesty, is not good. It was kept separate because that limited the risks behind the PowerPlay code changes.
That design and delivery approach was reasonably successful at not breaking everything else, I guess. To me, though, it was NOT successful at delivering a compelling new way of enjoying Elite Dangerous.
It's all well and good to say, "You don't have to like it, and don't have to play it", but you should really WANT players to like it, and WANT them to be keen to play it! Months of effort went into this stuff, instead of being put into other things on the to-do list. True, PowerPlay didn't destroy the integrity of the existing game code, but in my book, it didn't deliver compelling, rich and fun gameplay experiences - which is surely the key objective here...?
To fix PowerPlay, I really think you need to take a good, hard look at the decision making behind the allowed scope of changes. Because just tinkering with add-on bits (Favour) and magic numbers (expansion formulae) won't resurrect PowerPlay.
I reckon you need to commit to a full and proper rework and BGS integration of PowerPlay... with all that it entails in terms of software risk, extra testing, community involvement and rollout complexity.
Don't go all Secret Squirrel on us again, please. Don't just "tinker" with PowerPlay around the edges. Discuss the issues with your playerbase, then dive in with confidence and build it properly. Throw away all the not-fun/frustrating/boring stuff (most of it, in my opinion), and integrate it. Not as a "separate" slap-on layer, but as a core set of mechanics alongside everything else.
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That's my list of stuff... thanks for asking for feedback.
Good luck!
Worth quoting in its entirety. This is a game I'd really like to play.
Thanks again Sandro,
How about a task to gather information on specific (or unspecific) sectors. PP could specify interest in particular resources such as Helium Gas Giants, or Water Giants.
That's all I've got for you off the top of my head, I'll give that some thought and come back to you.
Hi Sandro, having slept on it I think I have a solution for explorers...
The ability to suspend the weekly degradation when heading into the black.
During this period you cannot earn power by completing missions.
You may choose to renew degradation at any point but there is a cool off period of one week where power again cannot be earned.
This enables explorers to renew the degradation when they are a week from home enabling them to have the ability to earn power credits upon their return.
Also a suggestion for the Flag.
I would like to see each power allied to 1 or two other powers, and have 1 or two opposing powers. You would only be attacked by entering opposing areas and would be free to travel the rest of the bubble.
Players get to vote each week for their allies and enemies with the votes equating to points.
You choose your primary and secondary ally/enemy.
Primary ally/enemy for rank 1 = 2 points secondary (4 for rank 2, 6 for rank 3, 8 for rank 4, 10 for rank 5)
Secondary ally/enemy for rank 1 = 1 point (2 for rank 2, 3 for rank 3, 4 for rank 4, 5 for rank 5)
These degrade over time.
Therefore you wouldn't immediately be able to declare an ally as an enemy or an enemy as an ally. Relationships would repair or fail over this period should the players change their voting.
The preferred allies/enemies as chosen by the players will influence the reaction to players in those allies/enemy zones.
I hope that makes sense.