Powerplay in Solo

[Aquaface]

Powerplay should be an Open only activity. Influencing Powerplay by fortifying systems or even opposing systems in solo is something that shouldn't be possible, no one can stop you! Powerplay is meant to be a struggle between factions/powers working against one another. Groups of players targeting specific systems with other groups intervening. That seems like the ideal vision, not a bunch of invisible pilots carrying pamphlets to various stations and calling it a day.

What really sucks, in my opinion, is having a group of people in open that are actively trying to push a specific system a certain way, but are unable to do so since there can be dozens of players in Solo, their own little universe, stopping players in open.

I can understand wanting to play in solo, but Powerplay itself shouldn't be influenceable in Solo, is all I am trying to say. I know this has been brought up before, but is there any specific reason why it is?

Edit: I was also thinking, if this idea of mine of Powerplay in Solo is REALLY that desired, perhaps we can keep Powerplay in Solo and simply halve the merits and influence that players actions have in solo? That way they can still have an effect, however to be as efficient as possible, you would need to enter into Open!

 

[Robert Maynard]

I know this has been brought up before, but is there any specific reason why it is?

It stems from the fact that the game has been sold to all players with a single galaxy state that we all affect, regardless of which of the three game modes we play in, and where interaction with other players is optional, as each player's choice of who to play among precedes and may over-ride any desire that other players may have to play with them - which means that in-the-same-instance PvP is entirely optional.

 

[Danieros]

The same argument can be made of BGS and CGs, yet all of them can be opposed assynchronously - everything has a positive way to be effected, and a negative one in a way that goes beyond game modes. Player interaction in ED is a fully optional feature. Because of that, no activity is open only, otherwise you have one game mode that is the "real" one, and the others are just tutorials or lessened experiences rather than choices. No longer would the game be fully supporting all of its modes.

ED's networking is also done with this in mind - with its P2P, split platform instancing, even in open you will not be matched with everyone on a system, even in the same platform. Think of it like game lobbies from other open world games like GTA - there are very noticeable limits on how many folks the server is willing to fit in the same instance.

 

[lemon407]

Oh boy! a new idea that has never once been suggested and discussed at length on the forms ever! i cant wait to hear how this goes.

 

[Northpin]

Now we need a CM4 thread, then a ADS one and not at last a I Was Ganked in Deciat one.

Powerplay should be an Open only activity. Influencing Powerplay by fortifying systems or even opposing systems in solo is something that shouldn't be possible, no one can stop you!

Why? No one needs to stop you. You only need to do more than your opposition. And if the opposition is trying to stop you instead of doing their part, they already lost.

In other words, to win in ED you need to fill buckets and there is not a single bucket that can be filled by killing another player

 

[Rubbernuke]

Well this is going to end well.

 

[Gwyther]

Maybe the BGS should be only for Open players too then.

 

[Arioch]

A post in thread 'The Solo vs Open vs Groups Thread - Mk III'
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/threads/the-solo-vs-open-vs-groups-thread-mk-iii.169599/post-2620492

 

[[PS4] Lorenzo Waringos]

These subjects should be in CLOSED only.

 

[aRJay]

Any discussion of restricting any activity to a group play mode is inappropriate while players on consoles have to pay more for group play than we do on PC.

 

[Rubbernuke]

A more realistic option is weighting merits in Open, and that solo and PGs influence is reduced since NPCs alone don't pose much of a challenge.

 

[Arioch]

Even if you were to play in Open 24 hrs per day - you would still not meet all the Powerplayers opposing you due to the esoteric matchmaking system of this peer-to-peer game.

The “invisible pilots” might be in Open as well, just not in your instance. Functionally identical situation to those playing on either of the two consoles, in Private Groups, or Solo

 

[Robert Maynard]

A more realistic option is weighting merits in Open, and that solo and PGs influence is reduced since NPCs alone don't pose much of a challenge.

Which has an unfortunate parallel to the "shadowban server" punishment whereby players punished for breaking Frontier's rules have their effect on the game reduced to zero - a simplistic weighting to Open only equates to a penalty to players in Solo and Private Groups who are not breaking any game rules, albeit not as severe as reducing their effect to zero.

 

[Rubbernuke]

Which has an unfortunate parallel to the "shadowban server" punishment whereby players punished for breaking Frontier's rules have their effect on the game reduced to zero - a simplistic weighting to Open only equates to a penalty to players in Solo and Private Groups who are not breaking any game rules, albeit not as severe as reducing their effect to zero.

Weighting is not zero influence though, just a reduction in line with NPC capability. Remember Open is you versus anyone you come across, while in solo its just you, and in PG its you + a defined group.

The only issue with weighting is that its not specific in its application, in that its applied universally and not when you are in danger. If you could quantify that you could then apply it across modes and properly scale things. But as they stand, fighting another player is not the same as fighting an RNG NPC. One uses random skills, weapons and tactics. The other uses none of that.

 

[Robert Maynard]

Weighting is not zero influence though, just a reduction in line with NPC capability. Remember Open is you versus anyone you come across, while in solo its just you, and in PG its you + a defined group.

Frontier have chose the NPC capability that players are expected to face - they have not chosen to specifically reward PvP (noting that previous collusion has reduced payouts for particular player interactions over time).

The only issue with weighting is that its not specific in its application, in that its applied universally and not when you are in danger. If you could quantify that you could then apply it across modes and properly scale things. But as they stand, fighting another player is not the same as fighting an RNG NPC. One uses random skills, weapons and tactics. The other uses none of that.

A mode weighting is ill targeted simply because it rewards the mere possibility of PvP rather than a guaranteed occurrence.

 

[Rubbernuke]

Frontier have chose the NPC capability that players are expected to face - they have not chosen to specifically reward PvP (noting that previous collusion has reduced payouts for particular player interactions over time).

They chose the level of NPC capability in 2015. Its 2021, with engineering shoved on top and six years of updates. The proposed reward comes from the disparity between 2015 era NPCs and 2021 level players.

A mode weighting is ill targeted simply because it rewards the mere possibility of PvP rather than a guaranteed occurrence.

Which is true, to an extent. But in Open you can face whoever instances with you, regardless of pledge. And you can't predict what they'll do, meaning you have to take into account the possibility of it happening and compromise a build for that eventuality.

 

[Robert Maynard]

They chose the level of NPC capability in 2015. Its 2021, with engineering shoved on top and six years of updates. The proposed reward comes from the disparity between 2015 era NPCs and 2021 level players.

Optional NPC interactions at higher levels of challenge have been introduced since 2015. Noting that the bugged change to NPCs in 2.1 was not well received and quickly reverted - which would seem to suggest that not all players are seeking the same level of challenge.

Which is true, to an extent. But in Open you can face whoever instances with you, regardless of pledge. And you can't predict what they'll do, meaning you have to take into account the possibility of it happening and compromise a build for that eventuality.

The possibility of anyone encountered being subsequently added to a player's block list exists too - which is as much a part of playing in Open as being able to shoot at anything one instances with.

 

[Ethaidan]

They chose the level of NPC capability in 2015. Its 2021, with engineering shoved on top and six years of updates. The proposed reward comes from the disparity between 2015 era NPCs and 2021 level players.

Yes. The PP NPCs are a joke. The baseline NPCs that we attack for undermining should be on par with Low CZ enemies (at least). The Agents who come after you after you have slaughtered dozens of Fed Couriers should be on par with CZ Special Ops (and come in wings). The Agents who come after you when you defect should be on par with ATR, and plague you for weeks/months whenever you are in a system controlled/exploited by the Power you defected from.

 

[Rubbernuke]

Optional NPC interactions at higher levels of challenge have been introduced since 2015. Noting that the bugged change to NPCs in 2.1 was not well received and quickly reverted - which would seem to suggest that not all players are seeking the same level of challenge.

Er....in Powerplay though? An opt in feature about rival powers? How is it on one hand OK to say "NPCs too hard" OMG REVERT and on the other say you can't offer a bonus for when players are in a mode that offers that level of challenge?

The possibility of anyone encountered being subsequently added to a player's block list exists too - which is as much a part of playing in Open as being able to shoot at anything one instances with.

Which is retrospective, and you;d have to do that for anyone and everyone you see- which is silly, and exposes how indiscriminate the block tool is.

 

[Robert Maynard]

Er....in Powerplay though? An opt in feature about rival powers? How is it on one hand OK to say "NPCs too hard" OMG REVERT and on the other say you can't offer a bonus for when players are in a mode that offers that level of challenge?

In the particular case of Powerplay, I've agreed (several times now) that the challenge posed by NPCs could be increased, while noting that, even if increased, it's unlikely to be raised to a level that would satisfy some players.

Which is retrospective, and you;d have to do that for anyone and everyone you see- which is silly, and exposes how indiscriminate the block tool is.

Introduce a mode bonus and the block feature may be used by those who want the bonus and don't like PvP.

There's no restriction on use of the block feature - it's left up to each player to decide when to use it.