I have noticed an issue/exploit in the Powerplay mechanics of the game. Players can use solo/private mode to undermine expansion and fortification efforts without the victim factions being able to retaliate. This leads to the attacking faction being able to camp nav beacons and combat zones and farm merits without any sort of real opposition. Please make it to where Powerplay actions can only be performed in open play as Powerplay is a multiplayer mechanic and should be treated as such.
Powerplay Powerplay Solo/Private Exploit Problem
- Thread starter EndangeredProdigy
- Start date
I think I do not realize how much the players can influence the powerplay, yet there is a limit since it is impossible to destroy a super power (certainly).
The factions victims of Solo can nevertheless defend against the factions in Open, is it really so disturbing ?
in fact I do not see the problem, except that the pnj solo are perhaps too weak.
The factions victims of Solo can nevertheless defend against the factions in Open, is it really so disturbing ?
in fact I do not see the problem, except that the pnj solo are perhaps too weak.
Robert Maynard
Volunteer Moderator
PowerPlay was consciously implemented for all players, in all game modes, over two and a half years ago. It offers opportunities for players so inclined to engage in consensual direct PvP, however does not require any participant to engage in direct PvP.
Agreed. This is not an exploit, it is working as intended as implemented by the devs.
Indirect PvP, you are more than capable of fighting back if you move enough tokens back your way.
Direct PvP isnt required or desired and is far less efficient for this type of conflict.
That's two times in a couple of days, one asking BGS to be limited to open only and now one for PP to be limited to Open only, it's not going to happen.
You do realise that you to can enter solo and influence PP with no-one able to stop you? If you do that and still find PP going against you (not sure how PP works never done It) it means there are more people on the other side and the same would have happened regardless if it was limited to Open.
Ah, yes, the overly simplistic definition of the problem in an attempt to generate more targets.
Things not considered in the summary:
1. Timezones - Unless you have 24 hour coverage of the specific system by your players, any player that is not in at the same frame as you is as "invisible" as someone in a different mode.
2. Instancing - You may just not see them as instancing is not guaranteed.
3. Trade - You can influence Power Play without combat.
4. Merits - If the only objective of your opponent is to "farm merits", they can simply go somewhere that you are not. Since Power Play is not a real time activity, you would have no indicator that they are there unless all you do is monitor the Power Play screen over time, which would effectively take you out of play anyway.
None of those elements involve mode, yet all of them would avoid your stated reasons for forcing people into Open.
Probably the most common argument used by PvP players to try to produce more "content" for them to shoot at.
It is a total fallacy, a complete non-argument, absolute nonsense - go away. [down]
I asked the same question about the bizarre passive-aggressive-PvP 'powerplay' system when I first started and I got the same smug answers you'll get here.
Basically, powerplay is a quick and easy way to farm 50 million credits... provided you already have a big ship and enough credits to rush through the merits. The added bonus for some is that they feel that they are somehow hurting people who enjoy PvP by controlling the games only PvP friendly narrative mechanism. Elite has a few spiteful minority groups which poisons it's community.
in any case it is true that the powerplay at all to be an exclusive thing for the pvp.
I add that I still find it strange to understand the powerplay as a war between Solo and Open is it not rather a war between superpower ? (something must escape me).
maybe do two independent powerplay .. the solo players influence the powerplay for solo .. and the players in Open their own Open powerplay universe.
but I think this last point has already been rejected by Frontier, the preference being to not distinguish between Open and Solo, personally, I do not care, it's just a development choice.
to balance apart strengthen the NPC powerplay i do not see other solutions without changing direction.
I add that I still find it strange to understand the powerplay as a war between Solo and Open is it not rather a war between superpower ? (something must escape me).
maybe do two independent powerplay .. the solo players influence the powerplay for solo .. and the players in Open their own Open powerplay universe.
but I think this last point has already been rejected by Frontier, the preference being to not distinguish between Open and Solo, personally, I do not care, it's just a development choice.
to balance apart strengthen the NPC powerplay i do not see other solutions without changing direction.
Last edited:
"same would have happened regardless if it was limited to Open." That's a fallacy. Take the Empire and the Federation for example. They both have mildly active PP PvP communities, and expansions have been won and lost because the opposition killed an enemy CMDR with merits on board. I've seen expansions with merit differences of only several thousand on both sides, and one side lost to the other because a few of their haulers/underminers got killed with merits. Limiting PP to Open is based on the idea that it would become the game's form of flagging for PvP.
Probably the most common argument used by PvP players to try to produce more "content" for them to shoot at.
It is a total fallacy, a complete non-argument, absolute nonsense - go away. [down]
God forbid that we want a consistent way to meaningfully interact with the game via PvP combat.
A mistake was consciously made in my honest opinion.
1.) Luckily most PP groups have diverse player bases from around the world.
2.) Yep. That sucks.
3.) Yep. That's true. You can also die and lose all your merits. Playing in PG or Solo makes death pretty much impossible. There are even groups that trade in PG, and then send PvPers to Open to catch their more honorable opponents.
4.) They can't go somewhere else if where you are is where they are trying to be. Power Play is very much a real time activity, as you have just described it...
I really wish people would stop portraying every single attempt at turning PP into the PvP mechanism that Sandro himself said it's supposed to be into griefers just wanting more people to shoot at.
Yesterday's Ostyat/Akuntsu battle was the most interesting thing to happen all cycle. PvP pilots on all sides duking it out to try and set up a win in a hauling race. Wings from both sides hauling as fast as they could while patrolling wings engaged the enemy wherever they could be found.
Asking without sarcasm: what's wrong with creating content for PvP players? Powerplay is an opt-in system, where the pay is okay at best and the modules are mostly mild upgrades/sidegrades. Nobody is forced to participate in Powerplay, complete newbies are actually prohibited from signing up (although the barrier to entry could stand to be a touch higher), and deciding not to participate doesn't mean a player misses out on much.
PvP players direly lack for content right now. CQC is a joyless wasteland, there's no duelling or meaningful PvP arenas/events, no in-game means of setting up anything like a tournament... the support for PvP is practically non-existent. Meanwhile, PvE content is a snoozefest for some; NPCs don't even come close to challenging a competent CMDR in a well-built ship.
Probably the most common argument used by PvP players to try to produce more "content" for them to shoot at.
It is a total fallacy, a complete non-argument, absolute nonsense - go away. [down]
Asking without sarcasm: what's wrong with creating content for PvP players? Powerplay is an opt-in system, where the pay is okay at best and the modules are mostly mild upgrades/sidegrades. Nobody is forced to participate in Powerplay, complete newbies are actually prohibited from signing up (although the barrier to entry could stand to be a touch higher), and deciding not to participate doesn't mean a player misses out on much.
PvP players direly lack for content right now. CQC is a joyless wasteland, there's no duelling or meaningful PvP arenas/events, no in-game means of setting up anything like a tournament... the support for PvP is practically non-existent. Meanwhile, PvE content is a snoozefest for some; NPCs don't even come close to challenging a competent CMDR in a well-built ship.
Robert Maynard
Volunteer Moderator
If the game was PvP focused then I would definitely agree, however it's not, so I don't.
Sandro himself calls PP the game's vetted PvP mechanic. Why can you PP in Solo and PG then haha?
Robert Maynard
Volunteer Moderator
I believe the words that Sandro used were something along the lines of "PowerPlay offers opportunities for consensual PvP". That does not mean that it is PvP dominated, just that like-minded players can choose to directly oppose each other.
The fact remains that PowerPlay was implemented in all three game modes, which means that it cannot require direct PvP.
"Powerplay is unique in that it explicitly *enforces* adversarial multiplayer by making Commanders choose sides. You are no longer fighting against the vagaries of the galaxy; you are competing directly with Commanders pledged to opposing powers.
In addition, Powerplay has rules to handle direct Commander-Commander confrontation. Indeed, this is the core conceit: the system encourages justifiable piracy and homicide for a higher purpose. It’s my belief that Powerplay will always be at its best when opposing Commanders interact directly, whether in an expansion conflict zone or through interdiction.
So it feels natural (to me) to look at ways to encourage Commanders to use Open Play."
- Sandro Sammarco
Robert Maynard
Volunteer Moderator
Encouragement != enforcement. The choice remains with each player as to which game mode they participate from.
.... also, Sandro's musings on an Open Play Bonus for PowerPlay (for the Power, not the player) were relatively short lived.
Last edited:
I wonder why that was to be honest. He sorta just dropped out of the whole conversation.
Checka, checka, check it out
They load the clip in, omnicolor
Said they pack the nine, they fire it at prime time