Requesting feedback regarding 'part time' players

[hunterm101]

Elite: Dangerous is an incredible game that has an unimaginable scale. The game has a nearly endless amount of possibilities for how you can play the game. There are so many ways for you to go about exploring the galaxy. This is both a good thing and a bad thing.

I am a full time manager on top of being a full time student. I put in about 100 hours per week between the two. This is a lot of work. In between the two, i enjoy sitting down to a nice session of elite.

Lately, though, I've started to desire some of the bigger ships, and the gameplay aspects they introduce. This brings me to my problem. The time required to accomplish sitting in the CMDR seat of these large vessels is enormous. As a 'part time' player, i was under the impression that this was simply something that was out of my reach (which is a poor mechanic, regardless, for a game that's not FTP.) Recently, though, there have been some possibilities that have come up that have promised expediting the process. Of course, as a 'part time' player, i jumped on this. As a person who can really only afford a couple hours per week in the game, who wouldn't?

Now, my problem lies in the fact that these possibilities are consistently being ripped away from us. Instead of promoting the development of their players, your company is intentionally putting up nearly insurmountable roadblocks to obtaining these goals. You take things away from us under the guise of it 'not being intended features'. You take, and say you're giving (in the case of the most recent patch, you've apparently fixed API problems, yet they still exist.)

So here's what i would like to know from a representative of the FDev team. What do you suggest i do to obtain the goal of sitting in a Cutter in an expedient manner, as many of us don't have nearly unlimited hours to pour into this game? This isn't a question I would like side-stepped, or answered in an indirect fashion. This is a question that i want answered directly.

Please realize, not all of your player base has the hours required to pour into the rank grind and credit grind required to sit in the CMDR seat of a Cutter.

 

[Whiterose]

Elite: Dangerous is an incredible game that has an unimaginable scale. The game has a nearly endless amount of possibilities for how you can play the game. There are so many ways for you to go about exploring the galaxy. This is both a good thing and a bad thing.

I am a full time manager on top of being a full time student. I put in about 100 hours per week between the two. This is a lot of work. In between the two, i enjoy sitting down to a nice session of elite.

Lately, though, I've started to desire some of the bigger ships, and the gameplay aspects they introduce. This brings me to my problem. The time required to accomplish sitting in the CMDR seat of these large vessels is enormous. As a 'part time' player, i was under the impression that this was simply something that was out of my reach (which is a poor mechanic, regardless, for a game that's not FTP.) Recently, though, there have been some possibilities that have come up that have promised expediting the process. Of course, as a 'part time' player, i jumped on this. As a person who can really only afford a couple hours per week in the game, who wouldn't?

Now, my problem lies in the fact that these possibilities are consistently being ripped away from us. Instead of promoting the development of their players, your company is intentionally putting up nearly insurmountable roadblocks to obtaining these goals. You take things away from us under the guise of it 'not being intended features'. You take, and say you're giving (in the case of the most recent patch, you've apparently fixed API problems, yet they still exist.)

So here's what i would like to know from a representative of the FDev team. What do you suggest i do to obtain the goal of sitting in a Cutter in an expedient manner, as many of us don't have nearly unlimited hours to pour into this game? This isn't a question I would like side-stepped, or answered in an indirect fashion. This is a question that i want answered directly.

Please realize, not all of your player base has the hours required to pour into the rank grind and credit grind required to sit in the CMDR seat of a Cutter.

The only way to eat an elephant is one piece at a time. If you don't start your goals you will never achieve them, no matter how far distant they seem.

 

[hunterm101]

The problem with that, is that this is a form of entertainment that i have paid for, not a separate reality that I live in.

 

[Whiterose]

The problem with that, is that this is a form of entertainment that i have paid for, not a separate reality that I live in.

I spent six months where I could only play one hour a week. Yet I still have a Cutter and Corvette because that was the path I chose and those were the goals I set myself. I still had fun, and if you think it is becoming a grind, then you stop doing it for a while and then restart. I never resented those that could spend hours per day playing, just got on with my own game in my own style. The game is the game as delivered, I worked around it.

 

[Zerocz]

It sounds like you're asking for the ability to just buy a cutter instantly, perhaps using real money.

I do not support this idea.

 

[thistle]

The problem with that, is that this is a form of entertainment that i have paid for, not a separate reality that I live in.

But aren't you getting entertainment which will take - and therefore last - a significant time? To me, it's like suggesting a Euro Truck Simulator player jumps from the start of his journey direct to the end. The journey IS the game, for me. The 'grind' to me is gameplay, and there's lots of it.

Which I'm thankful for.

 

[hunterm101]

So this still doesn't answer my question, though.

 

[Whiterose]

So this still doesn't answer my question, though.

It does. The game is as presented. If you don't like the game mechanics as is then you need to look elsewhere. It appears that you want your own personal game as with the rest of the forum.

 

[Viking84]

Think of it another way - if you could get a Cutter doing a few hours of play, then what would those with more time on their hands have to look forward to? Something bigger and better would be introduced, and then I guess you would be annoyed that this also wasn't available to you as a super-casual player?

As much as I don't mind these random gold-rush'es that pop, demanding that a game be accessible to you, in its entirety, regardless of the life choices you have made, seems absolutely insane to me. It would be like showing up to a game of dungeons and dragons and requiring everything to be reorganised so that you can finish it in 15 minutes because that is how long your lunch break is....

 

[Clarion-Z]

So this still doesn't answer my question, though.

that does sound like you just want the cutter without really playing the game.
I could reword the question: How do I get lvl 100 character within couple weeks in WoW with best gear while only playing an hour a day?

 

[hunterm101]

then what would those with more time on their hands have to look forward to?

Exploring the vast galaxy.

 

[Maxmilian Czhilli]

Elite: Dangerous is an incredible game that has an unimaginable scale. The game has a nearly endless amount of possibilities for how you can play the game. There are so many ways for you to go about exploring the galaxy. This is both a good thing and a bad thing.

I am a full time manager on top of being a full time student. I put in about 100 hours per week between the two. This is a lot of work. In between the two, i enjoy sitting down to a nice session of elite.

Lately, though, I've started to desire some of the bigger ships, and the gameplay aspects they introduce. This brings me to my problem. The time required to accomplish sitting in the CMDR seat of these large vessels is enormous. As a 'part time' player, i was under the impression that this was simply something that was out of my reach (which is a poor mechanic, regardless, for a game that's not FTP.) Recently, though, there have been some possibilities that have come up that have promised expediting the process. Of course, as a 'part time' player, i jumped on this. As a person who can really only afford a couple hours per week in the game, who wouldn't?

Now, my problem lies in the fact that these possibilities are consistently being ripped away from us. Instead of promoting the development of their players, your company is intentionally putting up nearly insurmountable roadblocks to obtaining these goals. You take things away from us under the guise of it 'not being intended features'. You take, and say you're giving (in the case of the most recent patch, you've apparently fixed API problems, yet they still exist.)

So here's what i would like to know from a representative of the FDev team. What do you suggest i do to obtain the goal of sitting in a Cutter in an expedient manner, as many of us don't have nearly unlimited hours to pour into this game? This isn't a question I would like side-stepped, or answered in an indirect fashion. This is a question that i want answered directly.

Please realize, not all of your player base has the hours required to pour into the rank grind and credit grind required to sit in the CMDR seat of a Cutter.

Here's the problem for the game designers: Some players are time rich and will put in the same number of hours playing ED as they world for a full time job. They also want stuff to aim for. If you can play for two hours a week and get a Cutter in six months they will have got their Cutter in one week. So so what do the developers do? Create bigger ships and even space stations to aim for? Many veteran players already campaign for these things. So if we now have a space station goal that a determined time rich player can spend six months to acquire it will be completely out of reach for you who can only get a measly Cutter in that time. And then players like you will come to the forum to complain that they don't have the time to grind the credits and rank to get a space station.

 

[Zerocz]

What do you suggest i do to obtain the goal of sitting in a Cutter in an expedient manner, as many of us don't have nearly unlimited hours to pour into this game? This isn't a question I would like side-stepped, or answered in an indirect fashion. This is a question that i want answered directly.

Earn it, snowflake. Like every one else.

But please realize that the game does not fundamentally change when you have one. There is no content you do not already have access to.

 

[Viking84]

Exploring the vast galaxy.

Cool, any other games you would like changed to suit you while you are at it? Fancy playing chess, but with half the pieces gone to speed up the process a bit? Lets get the world chess federation to change the rules for you. Maybe two holes of golf would be a nice way to finish a tournament? This is too daft, I vote troll...

 

[StiTch]

If you can play for two hours a week and get a Cutter in six months they will have got their Cutter in one week. So so what do the developers do? Create bigger ships and even space stations to aim for? Many veteran players already campaign for these things. So if we now have a space station goal that a determined time rich player can spend six months to acquire it will be completely out of reach for you who can only get a measly Cutter in that time. And then players like you will come to the forum to complain that they don't have the time to grind the credits and rank to get a space station.

Thankyou. Well put.

Real head scratcher when players demand that there isn't allowed to be content that isn't click n' win.

Achievements with real challenge? How dare you have achievements not every man and his three legged dog can earn!

Assets that require real effort to earn? How dare you have something I can't have dropped on my lap! I want!

So here's a question for OP: You have over 30 ships, and only three cost over 100 mill - so what do you expect me to do that will actually take my time and effort to earn, and feel like an achievement after?

FD's only flaw was allowing the get rich quick schemes to surface, propagating the kind of entitlement in which people forget not everything was MEANT to be earned overnight.

Either enjoy the journey to the iCutter, or go earn it in a night and burn out. Not my problem either way, and despite the sheer indignation on display, you can still get rich quickly. Whatever the big name of the day is in money making is largely irrelevant in any case; a half decent ship can still pull in millions an hour if not much more. Just...go work out how instead of demanding an iWin button, and then come tell me how little you changed by obtaining an iCutter other than having nothing left to aim for.

 

[Tadeus72]

The game is already balanced for part time players. You have a lot of mid-tier ships that are cheap to get, cheap to replace and can do most of the content in game without bigger problems. As this is an online game that already runns for 2 years and will probably run for many more there also needs to be a lot of harder to get stuff for ppl that have more time/already play for years. You wanting the top tier stuff with minium time investment is only your problem, the game already provides lots of stuff for gamers like you.

 

[ITZC0ATL]

The Cutter and Corvette exist to reward those who have put the required effort into the game. If you're unable to put in that effort, whilst completely understandble, then you unfortunately don't get to be part of that exclusive club. There are regular 'get rich quick' schemes in Elite for you to monopolise on, and even more means to earn big cash legitimately.

I managed to pull the cash for an Anaconda in about a week's grind, 2-3 hours per day, flying an Asp Explorer for optimal money-making. If you think ~10 to 15 hours of work for an end-game ship is too much, then you have bigger issues. The rank lock for the Vette and Cutter is pretty time-consuming and some would say unfortunate, but it all adds to the sense of accomplishment of having purchased such a ship.

Besides, they really don't make or break the game. As they say you can experience everything (pretty much) in a Cobra MkIII. If you had a Cutter handed to you, you wouldn't enjoy the game any more, but such a change would significantly lesson the sense of accomplishement for those who obtained it the hard way.

 

[hunterm101]

It seems everyone is misunderstanding the point here. I'm not looking for an 'instant win' button. I'm not looking for something where i can directly take on the players who have put in many more hours in the game than myself. Moreso, what I'm looking for is something like a difference between offline play and online play. Where there is a scalable difficulty for an 'offline mode' that doesn't affect competitive online play.

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

The problem with that, is that this is a form of entertainment that i have paid for, not a separate reality that I live in.

Form of entertainment does not mean you get exactly what you want. You get something that entertains you - or not.

 

[JetsonRING]

Elite: Dangerous is an incredible game that has an unimaginable scale. The game has a nearly endless amount of possibilities for how you can play the game. There are so many ways for you to go about exploring the galaxy. This is both a good thing and a bad thing.
I am a full time manager on top of being a full time student. I put in about 100 hours per week between the two. This is a lot of work. In between the two, i enjoy sitting down to a nice session of elite.
Lately, though, I've started to desire some of the bigger ships, and the gameplay aspects they introduce. This brings me to my problem. The time required to accomplish sitting in the CMDR seat of these large vessels is enormous. As a 'part time' player, i was under the impression that this was simply something that was out of my reach (which is a poor mechanic, regardless, for a game that's not FTP.) Recently, though, there have been some possibilities that have come up that have promised expediting the process. Of course, as a 'part time' player, i jumped on this. As a person who can really only afford a couple hours per week in the game, who wouldn't?
Now, my problem lies in the fact that these possibilities are consistently being ripped away from us. Instead of promoting the development of their players, your company is intentionally putting up nearly insurmountable roadblocks to obtaining these goals. You take things away from us under the guise of it 'not being intended features'. You take, and say you're giving (in the case of the most recent patch, you've apparently fixed API problems, yet they still exist.)
So here's what i would like to know from a representative of the FDev team. What do you suggest i do to obtain the goal of sitting in a Cutter in an expedient manner, as many of us don't have nearly unlimited hours to pour into this game? This isn't a question I would like side-stepped, or answered in an indirect fashion. This is a question that i want answered directly.
Please realize, not all of your player base has the hours required to pour into the rank grind and credit grind required to sit in the CMDR seat of a Cutter.

Fact is, to make it up the hill fast you need to keep an eye out for dev mistakes and take advantage of them when they pop up which they do with some regularity. Keep your eyes on the Reddit and the forums. Like the whole Rhea/LQ Hydrae thing over the weekend. Note that nobody has had their billion credits or earned ranks taken away. I recouped most of the cost of a Cutter. Found it on the ED Reddit. There have been two or three times over the past year when something like this has happened that I found, there were probably more that smart players kept quiet about.

That being said, the players obsessing over credits are on their way to a rage-quit once they realize it will actually take time and effort to get into the "big three" ships. It took me a year and some players took much, much longer. o7