Primary post in Dangerous Discussion forum regarding making ED more playable

[Wulfrune]

Hello fellow commanders,

My friend and I wish to share with you some thoughts regarding what we see as potential longevity of the game.

My friend commander Ceekay and I commander Wulfrune have been playing since the game released, we are not kids either Ceekay is in his 60s and I'm 59.

Elite dangerous is a game that attracts certain types of individuals,made up of PVPers, PVEers, explorers, traders and miners, all of us found a home in the game because of our love for space.

However, we can foresee a problem, and that is one of longevity. If you've been playing Elite for as long as we have you are probably exceptionally rich, and that there is no ship that is out of your financial reach.

You'll have substantial stocks of engineering materials and be able to upgrade your ship to the highest level within a few hours.

Therein lies the problem, for the majority of us we stay because we love the game and associated community.

Sadly the same cannot be said for everyone and you only have to look at your friends list to see the players are falling by the wayside. So it’s the genuine die-hards like you, Ceekay and myself that help keep this game going,

This issue is concerning as it's going to be a long time before we see the next real update to the game and no one truly knows what that update going to be.

So here’s a possible solution, I played World of Warcraft for over 10 years and this was due to the fact that there was always "something to do"in the game, this is where Elite differs, because let's face it we've all done it all, nothing is out of our reach, if we want it we just have to simply aim at it and it's ours.

In order to create lasting longevity for the game would it really hurt the devs to give us something to aim for.

It doesn't matter how many steps in the chain that it would take, but let's say we could make a substantial upgrade to add jump capability, even if this meant having to traverse one side of the Milky Way galaxy to the other in order to farm the mats or perhaps collect a Guardian artefact or similar.

People want reward, players need a purpose, players need a worthwhile goal in order to feel that they are achieving something, because as it stands at the moment we don't really achieve anything, if we want something, it ours easily.

For example; a new Hyperspace add-on that gives you a 20 extra light-years, but you have to go and jump through loads of hoops in order to be able to achieve it, they did the same in World of Warcraft and look at their subscription numbers; there are still millions of people playing the game simply because there's always something to do.

Think of the possibilities, weapons upgrades, armour upgrade, jump range capability upgrade and this could be achieved by the devs with a little imagination rather like the developers do in World of Warcraft.

Of course I can't speak for the rest of you I can only speak for Ceekay and myself but if I had to traverse the entire width of the Milky Way galaxy for a 20ly increase to my jump capability we’d do it, I think you might too.

o7 Cmdr's Ceekay & Wulfrune

 

[Rat Catcher]

WoW has a monthly 'subscription' from which the funds raised (and the desire to continue the income stream) finance further development... ED doesn't have the same model, thankfully, so we get our updates in small chunks.

As ED is, probably always will be, limited by its no subscription model, major content overhauls are not going to be the norm.

I agree that the new II model could have been further developed to provide better incentives to join but are just as likely to be hamstrung by lack of 'investment' because good content costs developer time, which has to be covered by incoming revenue.

I like the ideas you have put forward, wish that Frontier could show equal passion to developing the current content in the game to provide 'better' challenges, let's see what the future brings.

 

[CMDR Cosmic Spacehead]

Your idea already exists in the form of a guardian FSD booster. +10.5ly on top of the FSD engineering.

This module has made some more "static" ships more mobile, like the Corvette, which is good for the game, but the FSD booster alone will not stop people quitting.

 

[CMDR Cosmic Spacehead]

We already have Anacondas that can go 81 LY jump ranges and your asking to make them 100 LY? We can already get to Colonia on a 70 LY jump range from Sol in 107 Jumps. Let not forget Hyperjump synthesis and neutron boost.

I don't think people care to read two different topics.

Very much this.

Long range travel has been getting buffed since engineers.

It really doesn't take long to get anywhere anymore. Admittedly, it's not very exciting either, because FD removed the dangerous drop outs.
I miss being startled to death by dropping out between 3-4 very hot stars.

Supercruise on the other hand could do with some love.
Biggest QoL would just allow the FSS while moving, let us make the decision if something is hard to track.

Second biggest is auto resolve USS types (but not threat) in your forward arc, so you don't need to target, and slow down for a scan.

And finally, maybe a more friendly, optional way to make supercruise more engaging and faster, with a healthy risk/reward balance. No easy iWin/lazy mode, a proper gameplay mechanic. Simply because leaving a gravity well can feel like it takes an eternity. Deep space supercruise is actually fine, and super fast (but has no frame of reference to show this).

Copied reply here, because other discussion was closed while I was typing! Lol

 

[Krieger]

(Repost from duplicate thread that was closed.)

Just my 2cr.

What strikes me in discussions on ED longevity (i.e. gameplay) is that they often focus on 'credits per hour', ship and module performance (faster bigger, better) or mission availability and material drop rates (RNG). Frontier themselves do this too. But those are just technical parameters of in-game assets. However, it fits Frontier's ubiquitous genre: the park/fleet/zoo management game. The player is expected to tinker endlessly with the technical aspects of their in-game assets to make them better at a limited set of in-game activities.

I think the big void in ED is player-driven gameplay. There are no facilities in-game for players to create a story or quest for themselves or for others. Take the Distant Worlds expeditions for example. They were planned and run almost entirely using out-of-game facilities. Or take squadrons:. they offer no functionality to put your squadron to work on some big task and track progress on it.

There is a limit to tinkering with in-game assets. At some point it becomes grotesk (IMNHO Engineers comes close to that in some cases). In an open world game like ED the creativity of players should be tapped into to prevent the game from going in circles. Frontier should not think that they can keep everyone entertained by forever adding "stuff". They must find a way to let players entertain each other in a positive way.

Unfortunately I'm not a game designer, so I don't have a ton of ideas to share. But maybe other games can provide some ideas. Seeing the recent developments, maybe Eve Online? I don't mean copying Eve Online mechanics but maybe some ideas and concepts behind it can be translated to ED.

 

[Kissamies]

Yeah, like I said in that other thread, I believe somehow getting players to generate quests and motivation to do things for each other would be the most efficient way. In the last month I got into some BGS manipulation and that got me contacting and negotiating with other player groups, being more involved with that sort of stuff than I have been in a while. Having some in-game mechanics to facilitate and encourage that sort of thing would be good.

 

[Lestat]

It doesn't matter how many steps in the chain that it would take, but let's say we could make a substantial upgrade to add jump capability, even if this meant having to traverse one side of the Milky Way galaxy to the other in order to farm the mats or perhaps collect a Guardian artefact or similar.

People want reward, players need a purpose, players need a worthwhile goal in order to feel that they are achieving something, because as it stands at the moment we don't really achieve anything, if we want something, it ours easily.

For example; a new Hyperspace add-on that gives you a 20 extra light-years, but you have to go and jump through loads of hoops in order to be able to achieve it, they did the same in World of Warcraft and look at their subscription numbers; there are still millions of people playing the game simply because there's always something to do.

Think of the possibilities, weapons upgrades, armour upgrade, jump range capability upgrade and this could be achieved by the devs with a little imagination rather like the developers do in World of Warcraft.

Of course I can't speak for the rest of you I can only speak for Ceekay and myself but if I had to traverse the entire width of the Milky Way galaxy for a 20ly increase to my jump capability we’d do it, I think you might too.

o7 Cmdr's Ceekay & Wulfrune

Let me post my two last posts and another solution to your problem.

We already have Anacondas that can go 81 LY jump ranges and your asking to make them 100 LY? We can already get to Colonia on a 70 LY jump range from Sol in 107 Jumps. Let not forget Hyperjump synthesis and neutron boost.

Oh please watch the Video on my signature From AlexBrentnall. It was using Neutron Stars. I think AlexBrentnall made it to Beagle Point in record time What's your fastest time to beagle point?
"AlexBrentnall record time is 6 hours 35 minutes is my record, as I understand it that is the current fastest time."

Now a solution so you can play with your Friends. Buy another Account. One inside the bubble and one exploration. I have 3 so I can do Combat in one Trade in the Other and Exploration in the Third account.

 

[Wulfrune]

Let me post my two last posts and another solution to your problem.

I'm not interested in your opinion, because you're totally missing our point and I can't be bothered argue with you. Instead, I'll just add you to my ignore list in the hope that you'll go away and tout your ego boosting video elsewhere.

 

[ethelred]

For longevity and especially for end content players it's more dynamism that is needed.

We set our own tasks, buy we should feel like an often insignificant pilot in a much larger galaxy.

Thus empire, federation, alliance and independent systems should feel different, have different needs and challenges. System security and the politics of ourselves and the system should have an effect.

I'm independently aligned and take a mission to smuggle weapons into a nearby system at war.

As soon as I jump in, rather than hearing about how this liner is in the top 10% I'm hailed by patrol vessels telling me there's a war on and that I should heave to for my cargo to be scanned.

I give them the finger and evade their interdictions through skillful flying (in this universe, I know I have no chance Vs NPC interdictions)

I get into a friendly volume of space but get a message offering double pay to hand the weps over to a third party. I refuse because without my honour, what do I have?

I make it to the station but my contact (one of several factors at the station) isn't listed so I try one that seems to work for the right faction.

I elect to meet them for the handover, but they're actual agents for the other side of the war and they take a dim view of my cargo, and me.

They impound my ship and cargo, but to escape death, which is certain, I can pay half my credits and agree to fly a beat up hauler full of explosives to a third destination. Given no choice, I agree and launch intending to do no such thing and jump elsewhere as soon as possible.

But, there's a mission timer on the explosives....

That's the game I want to play, and would play for a looooong time.

 

[Lestat]

I'm not interested in your opinion, because you're totally missing our point and I can't be bothered argue with you. Instead, I'll just add you to my ignore list in the hope that you'll go away and tout your ego boosting video elsewhere.

Thing is you don't have to be interested in my Opinion but my Opinion counts just like yours. You missed my point the GALAXY IS HUGE it should stay that way. Making it smaller is a bad idea. Right now when you accept a mission you have to account for LY distance in the equation when you accept a mission. All you want is a short cut so you can get to A to B faster. We can already get to Beagle from Sol in less than 7 hours. Please note that 65,000 ly from Earth.

Right now we have Neutron Star and synthesis to speed up our travel times Up to 350 LY distance. There are risks or time consumed by Farming Minerals. Let not forget Engineering. Remember we started in ships like the Anaconda that had 40LY jump range. We can build our ships up to 81 LY. So that twice as far as it uses to be.

 

[dxm55]

The thing this game needs is actual content and an actual story.

And I'm not talking about some personal role-play thing which only happens in the head of one player. That kind of "make your own story" ... pls keep it in your head. I'm not interested in how you talk to your imaginary crew sitting in that empty seat next in your cockpit/bridge.

It needs stuff happening in game that correlates to Galnet.
If Thargoids are attacking the core system, then it needs to show. Not just CZs. But actual Thargoid contacts flying all about system space in SC or otherwise and interdicting NPCs and player. Thargies need to actually jump into station space and physically/visually attack stations in the presence of players and do damage, rather than have the station turn from pristine to damaged at the next server tic.

It also needs player agency to affect stuff happening in the game galaxy, beyond faction/system state changes.
Yes, perhaps we should not be allowed to destroy stations, because trolling. But maybe we should be able to do a little bit of damage to it and then shut down some services for a couple of hours while it self-repairs or something.


If the typical excuse use is, you're too small to affect the galaxy... well, I think it's just an excuse to hide limited game mechanics of you just being in a space theme park and going for the rides.