PSA: Attn CMDRs!

[DrakeAurum]

Would you rather I had issued demands, then immediately fired upon and destroyed them? I often see traders complaining on this forum when pirates "don't give them the opportunity to comply." I make sure that I give ample opportunity. Do not mistake opportunity with "lording over them."

No, I'd rather that, if the other player's experience is really of any importance to you, you'd have stopped what you were doing once you realised he was really, genuinely (and not just in-character) disliking it.

Both players having fun is of importance to me (see: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/242299-Fun-and-Memories-at-the-CG-A-Pirate-s-Tale ). That being said, I fail to see how a pirate "pirating" (i.e.: making demands, chasing a mark, disabling a vessel, etc) can be seen as outrageous and out of line behavior, especially when I am engaging in piracy in exactly the manner it was designed and implemented by FD. I'm not sitting out side of stations in a suicide-winder, I am not pulling and destroying ships with no coms. I am giving the trader every possible opportunity to make a decision, and gradually make my way through the escalation of force.

Just because Frontier designed it that way, that doesn't mean it was automatically a good idea. They are not omnipotent arbiters of human behaviour.

When you pirate someone you force them to become your game content, and while some people will enjoy the challenge and respond well to it, others will not. Ultimately, if they say no, if they don't want to engage with your jolly role-play and participate in the encounter you have forced upon them, is it really so terrible to just turn around and leave? Is your role-play really more important than another person's enjoyment of the game?

 

[rrobes]

I don't give up cargo to anyone, but then again, the OP has a perfect right to pursue his profession in-game.

He may run into recalcitrant individuals who won't give in. The OP must then weigh his chances of success if he decides to press the issue upon refusal. Nothing wrong with any of that.

In fact, one of the issues of implementing a working C&P system is the difficulty of keeping piracy alive as a working "profession".

OP or any pirate, has the free will to engage/disengage or fight/flee. They initiate the encounter and have choices to make, as do his prey, "individual results may vary" certainly happens here.

All in all, even with "jolly fellow, well met" demeanor, it is still piracy/privateering and not well-received by many.

PS
If he's a privateer, does he possess a letter of marque from the Empress?

 

[_Fissure]

The game really needs lettres de marque and special cargo missions. For those who want to play pirates/privateers and those who have fun getting pirated or better trying not to get pirated. It should be very lucrative for both sides.
That would be really cool. Imperial privateers trying to pirate alliance convoys (or any combination of super powers).

It's bad that hatch breakers don't really work. I read that they got a buff in 2.2, but I guess it wasn't enough. Those things should rip cargo out of the hold and bring it to the pirate. Ignoring shields, reducing the need of seriously damage the "victim" or even kill the other CMDR.

There is a lot that FD could add and fix to make the piracy aspect interesting for everybody without it being reduced to simple "drop cargo or I kill you" space begging like it currently is.

I wish piracy had better in-game support has well. Some fantastic suggestions have been made on this forum regarding piracy support, including one amazing mock-up that dealt with making piracy demands directly through the HUD. Im not sure if Ill be able to find it, but I'll try.

No, I'd rather that, if the other player's experience is really of any importance to you, you'd have stopped what you were doing once you realised he was really, genuinely (and not just in-character) disliking it.


Just because Frontier designed it that way, that doesn't mean it was automatically a good idea. They are not omnipotent arbiters of human behaviour.

When you pirate someone you force them to become your game content, and while some people will enjoy the challenge and respond well to it, others will not. Ultimately, if they say no, if they don't want to engage with your jolly role-play and participate in the encounter you have forced upon them, is it really so terrible to just turn around and leave? Is your role-play really more important than another person's enjoyment of the game?

When players impact the BGS in a way that I do not enjoy, forcing out factions that I support and flipping PP systems to other powers, they are forcing me to play the game their way. I am "becoming their content," if you will. Why would they not stop once they realized that I did not want Faction A to be in power in System X? Is it really so terrible to just stop delivery goods to a CG if it is clear that I do not enjoy the Federation having several more Capital class ships?

Again, please do not try to make me out as some jerk that I am not. Some players are "conflict" averse, some are "conflict" driven. The two will butt heads from time to time in on open world game. That doesn't make one or the other a bad person.

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I don't give up cargo to anyone, but then again, the OP has a perfect right to pursue his profession in-game.

He may run into recalcitrant individuals who won't give in. The OP must then weigh his chances of success if he decides to press the issue upon refusal. Nothing wrong with any of that.

In fact, one of the issues of implementing a working C&P system is the difficulty of keeping piracy alive as a working "profession".

OP or any pirate, has the free will to engage/disengage or fight/flee. They initiate the encounter and have choices to make, as do his prey, "individual results may vary" certainly happens here.

All in all, even with "jolly fellow, well met" demeanor, it is still piracy/privateering and not well-received by many.

PS
If he's a privateer, does he possess a letter of marque from the Empress?

Unfortunately, with privateering lacking in-game structural support, I have to role-play No official letter of marque for me.

I could do up a pretty letter in word though.....

 

[WillFrog]

Personally I long for the day when I can go back to hating pirates. Right now, between the combat logging and the death squads that give them a bad name and contribute to the combat logging, I just feel sorry for any real pirate trying to make a living.

 

[DrakeAurum]

When players impact the BGS in a way that I do not enjoy, forcing out factions that I support and flipping PP systems to other powers, they are forcing me to play the game their way. I am "becoming their content," if you will. Why would they not stop once they realized that I did not want Faction A to be in power in System X? Is it really so terrible to just stop delivery goods to a CG if it is clear that I do not enjoy the Federation having several more Capital class ships?

A bunch of anonymous players supporting goals other than your own is a lot harder to take personally than one specific player actually shooting at you and giving you the choice between submitting to their will or seeing your ship destroyed, without you being able to do anything about it. I'm fairly sure you're aware of that, so maybe don't try to use such a spurious argument.

Again, please do not try to make me out as some jerk that I am not. Some players are "conflict" averse, some are "conflict" driven. The two will butt heads from time to time in on open world game. That doesn't make one or the other a bad person.

You're right. It doesn't.

Carrying on when they ask you to please stop is what makes you a bad person.

 

[lokvette]

I dont play in open but if I was to meet a proper POD pirate wouldn't have any trouble off loading a bit of cargo. Nice to know the game still has them.

 

[Dbrn47]

This is how I like to see Pirate interactions. The guy was wrong, even NPC AI act in this manner, they are even less forgiving. "Give me cargo" *5-10 seconds* *pew pew pew* *drops cargo* "More" *pew pew pew* I don't care about the cursing part, frankly if you stuck me up and I wasn't feeling like giving anything I'd tell you to pound sand too. Beside the point.

Anyway, folks calling him a griefer and some power tripping jerk, you're also wrong. This is space piracy, this is how most of us who have played many space games in the past envision it, this is what we're used to. The player had plenty of time and was treated very well. Pirate is a valid career choice in Elite, you can even take missions from NPC factions to steal cargo. Just because it's a player doing it to a player doesn't magically make it wrong. It's a dangerous career that doesn't pay very well, the fact that _Fissure is attempting to be a gentleman pirate is something that should be applauded. He could just pull you over and blow you up for laughs.

- - - Updated - - -

When you pirate someone you force them to become your game content, and while some people will enjoy the challenge and respond well to it, others will not. Ultimately, if they say no, if they don't want to engage with your jolly role-play and participate in the encounter you have forced upon them, is it really so terrible to just turn around and leave? Is your role-play really more important than another person's enjoyment of the game?

So then they should just go ahead and take all the Pirates out of the game and remove the Bounty Hunter career? Or is it that it's okay when it's NPCs but not a real player? Either way, you aren't thinking about this in the right manner. This was a fair encounter.

 

[DrakeAurum]

So then they should just go ahead and take all the Pirates out of the game and remove the Bounty Hunter career? Or is it that it's okay when it's NPCs but not a real player?

The second one. It makes all the difference.

 

[Dbrn47]

The second one. It makes all the difference.

Might as well remove the capability to shoot other commanders at all then. It can be Carebears in Space. Whatever, I play in solo anyway, I don't even know why I have an opinion on this. [zZzZz]

 

[Ozram]

Don't get all the hate. Piracy is one of the hardest professions in game and has a direct role play, in game reason for the interaction. It's also incredibly rare these days.

 

[Arnoldo]

I play in PG (was Mobius, now FleetCom) and have done for quite a while. I was driven out of Open by the ganking sessions at Lave / Leesti etc, went Solo then found PGs.

Should I decide to play in Open, it will be in the full knowledge that its a dangerous galaxy and that there are some that see me as their content with no concern or thought for my gameplay. I'll also be aware of others such as the OP who may have some consideration for roleplay and the GAME rather than just being an a**hat.

In the meantime, I'll continue to select Private Group and will be my own content maker...

OP, in the nicest possible way, I hope not to meet you

All, fly safe out there..

 

[Ozram]

I play in PG (was Mobius, now FleetCom) and have done for quite a while. I was driven out of Open by the ganking sessions at Lave / Leesti etc, went Solo then found PGs.

Should I decide to play in Open, it will be in the full knowledge that its a dangerous galaxy and that there are some that see me as their content with no concern or thought for my gameplay. I'll also be aware of others such as the OP who may have some consideration for roleplay and the GAME rather than just being an a**hat.

In the meantime, I'll continue to select Private Group and will be my own content maker...

OP, in the nicest possible way, I hope not to meet you

All, fly safe out there..

Yep, sounds reasonable for your playstyle. I would like to point out the huge, gaping difference between a pirate and a ganker though. The pirate is seeking cargo, the ganker is seeking to generate salt.

 

[Arnoldo]

Yep, sounds reasonable for your playstyle. I would like to point out the huge, gaping difference between a pirate and a ganker though. The pirate is seeking cargo, the ganker is seeking to generate salt.

100% agree with the distinction between pirate and ganker and believe OP is (well, appears to be) the former not the latter

 

[sndle9]

Yep, sounds reasonable for your playstyle. I would like to point out the huge, gaping difference between a pirate and a ganker though. The pirate is seeking cargo, the ganker is seeking to generate salt.

Agreed. A huge difference.

Still not keen on meeting proper pirates, but I'd never complain if I did even if I died through non-compliance (likely) as they are nothing like the ganking Richards that give Open a bad name.

 

[znôrt]

There is a lot that FD could add and fix to make the piracy aspect interesting for everybody without it being reduced to simple "drop cargo or I kill you" space begging like it currently is.

well, "drop cargo or i kill you" ... isn't that the very definition of piracy?

yeah, well, actual pirates used to kill you anyway.

i see lot of inane criticism of wanting this power trip, and lots of sensitiveness about hurting players feeling through gameplay. looks like someone's forgotten that this is just a game, and one that promises such experiences on its very cover. that's what role play is all about: being someone different than yourself for a short while. someone not willing to experience this, any side of it, or having moral problems with any aspect of it should just not play the game.

so yes, frontier could do a lot about piracy, but none of the crazy number of possibilities should involve reduce risk to zero. it would simply not be piracy. call it canister snatching. wooo hooo!

that's not the problem. the problem is combat logging + instancing + modes make the profession just pointless. if pirates could really enforce power on some area, there would be for sure a player response. wooot? multiplayer emerging gameplay! but neither can they, nor can any bounty hunter. it's just flying through space like in a big aquarium, calling yourself a bounty hunter or pirate, but with it not having any meaning.

danger is just not optional if you want to call your game dangerous.

 

[CMDR Zadian Lichtfrost]

well, "drop cargo or i kill you" ... isn't that the very definition of piracy?

yeah, well, actual pirates used to kill you anyway.
…

Get over it, "piracy" in this game is - until a lot of things get added and fixed - simple space begging. Since it's a game one player can't really threaten the other player, "drop cargo or I kill you" is nothing more than RP fluff.

And don't start with "actual pirates" - nobody in this game wants to play a real actual pirate.

You want to play a pirate in a game? Accept that you need the cooperation of other players. If the risk is to high or the gameplay not fun for the other players, good luck in finding players willing to play with you.

 

[_Fissure]

I play in PG (was Mobius, now FleetCom) and have done for quite a while. I was driven out of Open by the ganking sessions at Lave / Leesti etc, went Solo then found PGs.

Should I decide to play in Open, it will be in the full knowledge that its a dangerous galaxy and that there are some that see me as their content with no concern or thought for my gameplay. I'll also be aware of others such as the OP who may have some consideration for roleplay and the GAME rather than just being an a**hat.

In the meantime, I'll continue to select Private Group and will be my own content maker...

OP, in the nicest possible way, I hope not to meet you

All, fly safe out there..

You may still meet me, seeing as I also play in Möbius and Fleetcom from time to time

Liking PvP doesn't exclude me from liking PvE as well!

 

[Alex Brentnall]

Alright, usually I'm on the side of the PvE community as generally the "male chicken" wavers are on the PvP side. But seriously, some of the replies here are downright ridiculous.

I'm out of this thread and here is a parting gift. As the French man in the castle said: "I fart in your general direction", both PvP and PvE you can all take a hike in my book. Most of you are all so distinctly one sided to the extreme it's beggars belief.

I'm starting my own club with the Thargoids. I hope the overlords come soon to sow destruction everywhere and take out both of you as they care not for which mode you play. You can take this as official declaration I intend to side with them as soon as they finish reading their destroyers of the universe fan-club mail and say hello.


A quick sum up of what made me loose my rag for the (2nd?) time in over 7500 posts. This has been heavily edited after a swig of beer to avoid the mod-hammer that I'd have deserved:

1) Some people like to play the bad guy. Some want to be Jack Sparrow etc. Does it have to be for the power trip, or are you simply afraid of someone with a different viewpoint?
2) Things people do don't have to be profitable, we have fuel rats, racers, PvP tournaments, buckyballers. People willing to fly a 1 way trip to an otherwise unreachable star for crying out loud. Terrible arguement there.
3) If you are in open play you have to expect some interaction with players, would you rather it be lasers all the way or somebody roleplaying a pirate? What do you want when you hit that button? Only friendly interactions? There's a whole PG for that. Open is everything, there are no filters on what interaction you get.
4) Lording over them? All I see are rather succinct instructions in the screenshot. I expect it was probably pretty hectic with little time for "lording". This thread, trying to show he gave the target chances. Yes a little lording but not to the levels you folks seem to be implying.
5) Stirring up controversy, yup, the replies to the thread are the ones doing that not the OP.

_Fissure Please carry on as you are, if only to irritate these guys further. Post more stories, share some videos. If all "griefers" were like you the game would be in a magical place in my view as all PvP deaths would be the choice of the victim. Yeah, everyone think about that for a second. Also take another rep for being the better guy on this thread and not getting irritated like me.

To all: Don't bother replying to this looking for a response, I won't be reading. I'm so done with this thread and the people in it. You may reply to this post to continue your discussions or challenge some points but you'll have to do that without me (you'll all probably be glad to hear).

 

[Gunnet]

You do realise that refusing to give in to piracy and going down with your ship is just as valid a role playing as rolling over like a cowardly dog and giving in to the demands of pirate scum right? One of the peculiarities I see here all the time is the belief that role playing involves behaving exactly as the other player demands you behave to fit his demands of role play! No, role playing is to act exactly how your role played character would behave, and mine would never give in to piracy, death or glory!

That's exactly what I was saying. He could have done exactly what he did without upsetting anybody if he had only roleplayed it.

 

[_Fissure]

Alright, usually I'm on the side of the PvE community as generally the "male chicken" wavers are on the PvP side. But seriously, some of the replies here are downright ridiculous.

I'm out of this thread and here is a parting gift. As the French man in the castle said: "I fart in your general direction", both PvP and PvE you can all take a hike in my book. Most of you are all so distinctly one sided to the extreme it's beggars belief.

I'm starting my own club with the Thargoids. I hope the overlords come soon to sow destruction everywhere and take out both of you as they care not for which mode you play. You can take this as official declaration I intend to side with them as soon as they finish reading their destroyers of the universe fan-club mail and say hello.


A quick sum up of what made me loose my rag for the (2nd?) time in over 7500 posts. This has been heavily edited after a swig of beer to avoid the mod-hammer that I'd have deserved:

1) Some people like to play the bad guy. Some want to be Jack Sparrow etc. Does it have to be for the power trip, or are you simply afraid of someone with a different viewpoint?
2) Things people do don't have to be profitable, we have fuel rats, racers, PvP tournaments, buckyballers. People willing to fly a 1 way trip to an otherwise unreachable star for crying out loud. Terrible arguement there.
3) If you are in open play you have to expect some interaction with players, would you rather it be lasers all the way or somebody roleplaying a pirate? What do you want when you hit that button? Only friendly interactions? There's a whole PG for that. Open is everything, there are no filters on what interaction you get.
4) Lording over them? All I see are rather succinct instructions in the screenshot. I expect it was probably pretty hectic with little time for "lording". This thread, trying to show he gave the target chances. Yes a little lording but not to the levels you folks seem to be implying.
5) Stirring up controversy, yup, the replies to the thread are the ones doing that not the OP.

_Fissure Please carry on as you are, if only to irritate these guys further. Post more stories, share some videos. If all "griefers" were like you the game would be in a magical place in my view as all PvP deaths would be the choice of the victim. Yeah, everyone think about that for a second. Also take another rep for being the better guy on this thread and not getting irritated like me.

To all: Don't bother replying to this looking for a response, I won't be reading. I'm so done with this thread and the people in it. You may reply to this post to continue your discussions or challenge some points but you'll have to do that without me (you'll all probably be glad to hear).

I know you're not going to respond, but I just wanted you to know that I've apparently run out of +rep for you, so here is a picture of a thumbs up instead.