Powerplay Solo/Group and Powerplay

[Argos Avalance]

I know there are like 100 post about this, but I really think it worth 101.
I'm not here for whining about the solo/group mode (Ok, maybe a little); but to suggest some possible fixes.

The solo/group mode is killing PP: Is a fact; 90% the players (At least those who I talk with) agree with me. Makes 0 sense fight in a system where you are unable to defend yourself.
How can I defend my system from "invisible" enemies? How can I fight against the called Fifth-Column if i can't reach them? I'd love to just stay in a system and "patrol" it; so if I see an enemy CMDR I can stop him.

So, many people says all these "Close the solo mode!!"
I don't think this would be a good idea. The solo/group mode is really useful for some situations like PvE, newcomers who don't want to be chased by "pro-players", people who just want to enjoy the travel, people who just don't feel really sociable at that time...

We can't delete that mode, but I think it can be fixed. How? Easy: restricting PP to open mode. If you play solo you just can't carry fortifications/preparations, your undermining kills does not give you bonds, and the minor-factions influence counts just 50% (or 25% even) that an open mode.

I know it wouldn't be perfect; but just a little bit better.

Anyway is just my humble opinion.

PS: Sry for bad english.

 

[Hessfire]

Three modes equal per FD from day one.

Nothing more needs be said.

/thread

 

[Arkadi]

Three modes equal per FD from day one.

Nothing more needs be said.

/thread

With the littel exception of Sandro Sanmarco talking about the possibility of giving a boost to powreplay activities performed in open.

Have the link for reference: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/237773-Collusion-Piracy-and-More?p=3668180#post3668180

And yes I know it is highly unlikely that such a change will come any time soon if ever. But there is a tiny possiblity at least.

 

[Robert Maynard]

First it needs to be determined that there is a problem that requires fixing before any fixes need to be agreed on.

Frontier's intended player experience includes the fact that every player is given the opportunity to experience and affect the single shared galaxy state, regardless of game mode or platform (and, with the release on PS4, there will be three Open modes, i.e. players in Open on different platforms cannot directly interact).

Frontier have created a game where direct PvP is completely optional - and have not introduced any features that require it. Which is not surprising given that they have recently confirmed the oft speculated: Frontier are well aware that the majority of players do not get involved in PvP.

 

[Robert Maynard]

With the littel exception of Sandro Sanmarco talking about the possibility of giving a boost to powreplay activities performed in open.

Yup - Sandro threw that hand grenade over 10 months ago - and, when asked if the pin had been pulled, advised in a recent stream that it had not.

 

[Argos Avalance]

With the littel exception of Sandro Sanmarco talking about the possibility of giving a boost to powreplay activities performed in open.

Have the link for reference: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/237773-Collusion-Piracy-and-More?p=3668180#post3668180

Didn't read that. It would be so beautiful...

 

[SHEPR0N]

First it needs to be determined that there is a problem that requires fixing before any fixes need to be agreed on.

Sometimes it baffles me how quickly people jump in on discussions on this forum a soon as open/solo is mentioned even though they don't seem to care a great deal about PP in general. Is there some kind of notification for those threads?

Imo it has been determined a long time ago that there is a problem. Sandro didn't pull the grenade without reason back then:

At the moment, any way I slice it, I can't come to any conclusion other than Commanders in Open Play have a tougher time than those in Private Groups or Solo. So the playing field is basically uneven as it stands and in this case, maybe change could make things better.

If you want recent examples, right now there is a Grom expansion going on Hudson doesn't like. So we send people to oppose it. Our people met Grom's people (and some Imps supporting them), both sides had losses which results in loss of merits and insurance costs. Both groups could push the expansion progress or opposition completely undeterred at peak efficiency by just winging up in a private group of their chosing instead.

This is not limited to combat activities, if you are a PP hauler you might want to use a max tonnage shieldless build. Take this Alliance Cutter as an example. Now if you know what you are doing this will work against NPCs, but if a competent PVPer engages you you'll be probably ripped to pieces. Such builds may even work in open for a power that doesn't have enemies but I'd certainly not dare to take something like that to Nanomam.

A multiplier for open will probably never be implemented at this point (sadly) and there are other problems like bad instancing and no shared servers with the console versions. I do believe that more people playing PP in open would be a good thing for the mode in general (and if you want to argue with the low player numbers in PP, FDev did their part with making the mode unappealing to many in the first place and driving out many dedicated PPers by lack of innovation, long wait time for bug fixes or even introducing new and partially devastating PP bugs along the way).

 

[Robert Maynard]

Sometimes it baffles me how quickly people jump in on discussions on this forum a soon as open/solo is mentioned even though they don't seem to care a great deal about PP in general. Is there some kind of notification for those threads?

Imo it has been determined a long time ago that there is a problem. Sandro didn't pull the grenade without reason back then

They're not hard to spot, especially when titled "Solo/Group and Powerplay".

The basis of the game's design, in relation to player freedom, was set over four years ago with the inclusion of the three game modes, a single shared galaxy state and mode mobility.

Powerplay has been implemented in accordance with Frontier's approach to player freedom, i.e. all players can choose to play it in whichever game mode they so desire.

While some players want to be able to oppose all player actions with direct PvP, that's fairly obviously not possible given the game design. Players can, of course, directly oppose other players who choose to play in a game mode that permits that.

 

[TERMINATRIXXX]

Powerplay is boring and there is nothing in returns, no valuable reward...just a fight between numbers and not players.
People do it for those modules and leave the power to join another for the ultimate killer build.
Making progress is ways too complicated and again, for what? Who cares for what power a system belongs too? Doesnt make any difference if its Federation or Empire for me.

So, i do powerplay only for the fun of it, killing other people which marked as enemies to me, works great in open......shredding all those innocent players in their adders, haulers, cobras.

 

[Arkadi]

Powerplay is boring and there is nothing in returns, no valuable reward [snip] for me.

So, i do powerplay only for the fun of it, killing other people which marked as enemies to me, works great in open......shredding all those innocent players in their adders, haulers, cobras.

Although I agree mostly with you, I want to stress that there still are players around who see powerplay as one of the very few not so boring parts of the game. It is nice to hear your opininon but .. it is that, your preference in gamestyle. Other peoples perception might well be contrary to yours.

Myself I would dance around the table in joy if powerplay would be given some more love then already done. I am happy that devs fixed interdictions and introduced the "consoldidate" option for preparing to counter 5C at least somewhat - but I definitly agree to anyone who says that powerplay has still a long road to go until it becomes a fully enteraining and meaningful part of the game. But it still has a lot of potential in my eyes.

 

[TERMINATRIXXX]

Although I agree mostly with you, I want to stress that there still are players around who see powerplay as one of the very few not so boring parts of the game. It is nice to hear your opininon but .. it is that, your preference in gamestyle. Other peoples perception might well be contrary to yours.

Myself I would dance around the table in joy if powerplay would be given some more love then already done. I am happy that devs fixed interdictions and introduced the "consoldidate" option for preparing to counter 5C at least somewhat - but I definitly agree to anyone who says that powerplay has still a long road to go until it becomes a fully enteraining and meaningful part of the game. But it still has a lot of potential in my eyes.

Yea, thats the point, for now i see no reason to 'powerplay' except killing others.
It needs alot more love to become meaningful......
All what we (me and my friends) do is useless, there is no effect, no impact....it feels like we never did anything, only wasting time for nothing.
I know there are some people out there which take it more seriously.

 

[SHEPR0N]

I guess my determination of the problem was not compelling enough to actually comment on that.

Powerplay has been implemented in accordance with Frontier's approach to player freedom, i.e. all players can choose to play it in whichever game mode they so desire.

While some players want to be able to oppose all player actions with direct PvP, that's fairly obviously not possible given the game design. Players can, of course, directly oppose other players who choose to play in a game mode that permits that.

Freedom to choose shouldn't come with mode equality? Right now it's bodged by default, I don't think that was by FDev's intention but it's there anyway. If you are a player not focused on PvP you basically have these choices:

If you play solo you have zero risk from players but you won't be able to do some activities as efficient as if you were winged up or even just coordinating with other players.

If you play open you have all means of player interaction, however activities like PP or CGs can come with significant risk to set back your progress by hours because of PvP deaths or even just the need to fly builds safe to use in open.

If you play in a large enough PvE private group you have basically all the benefits of open play without taking any of the risks attached to it.

This is not the freedom to choose between equal options when one mode is as least as efficient as both others. I just don't see how the current situation is a good setup for any MMO, unfortunately changing things now will bring the pitchforks out in no time and no dev wants that. I'm not even sure this problem can even be properly balanced with all modes affecting the same galaxy and with three platforms that can't directly interact with each other.

 

[lokvette]

I've always seen PP as a huge missed opportunity by FD in this game. Instead of trying to please everybody with everything maybe something for some and another thing for others . We have a lot of post's from pvp players asking for something to fight for/over and then you get a system like PP that can be done by me at no risk in solo..always baffled me that one.

Not saying its what they all want, but I like the concept off PP as its about as close to signing up to something you can get to in this game even did some for a few months but lost interest in it as it was lacking something I cant quite put my finger on, it could have been like the military missions I remember back in Eve, but alas dare say that and a whole tone of stuff comes falling from the sky.

So yeah with the OP on this one PP, open only fight for the cause and all that...

 

[Xender]

I agree that PowerPlay is missed opportunity and undeveloped feature, because there is no real reason to participate in it other than Prismatic Shields ;D. What more, the Open/Solo concept it example of bad, unfair game design. I seen many time that some people are devoted to claim that it is core design concept of game, but each time I read this, there is no real opinion about this concept, only claims that this core of Elite...

Even if something was introduced as core mechanics of game it doesn't mean it is good solution and in my opinion Solo/Open concept is really bad for overall gameplay and any competitive gameplay.

 

[Martin Schou]

Given the amount of stuff that is broken in PowerPlay and never gets fixed, I'd rather FDev test out open vs solo/group on something that actually gets attention - test it on CGs and see how people will use it and react to open getting an advantage.

Since CGs also likely attract far more participants than PowerPlay, it's a far better environment for testing.

 

[Complaints Dept.]

I would make the argument that Powerplay is a separate meta-game within the greater game of Elite and is therefore not bound to having a solo/pg option. Participation in Powerplay is optional and doesn't affect anyone outside of it. Powerplayers choose to play and they must play together, either in open or in an official Powerplay Private Group. Anything else is unfair.

 

[Robert Maynard]

I would make the argument that Powerplay is a separate meta-game within the greater game of Elite and is therefore not bound to having a solo/pg option. Participation in Powerplay is optional and doesn't affect anyone outside of it. Powerplayers choose to play and they must play together, either in open or in an official Powerplay Private Group. Anything else is unfair.

There is no "must" - Frontier did not implement Powerplay (or the rest of the game for that matter) to require direct PvP in any way.

Frontier consciously implemented Powerplay to be available in all three game modes, just like all other permanent game content.

 

[Xender]

There is no "must" - Frontier did not implement Powerplay (or the rest of the game for that matter) to require direct PvP in any way.

Frontier consciously implemented Powerplay to be available in all three game modes, just like all other permanent game content.

It is clear that Frontier had some ideas at the beginning how should it work, but the question is: Was these ideas right? Look at current state of PowerPlay, after some time passed since launch. Won't you agree that PowerPlay require some rework and improvements?

 

[Complaints Dept.]

I'm making the argument that powerplay is separate and optional and imo the only way to play it fairly is to be in the same mode as other powerplayers.

 

[Robert Maynard]

It is clear that Frontier had some ideas at the beginning how should it work, but the question is: Was these ideas right? Look at current state of PowerPlay, after some time passed since launch. Won't you agree that PowerPlay require some rework and improvements?

Not if it introduces a requirement to PvP in a game that, in the words of the CEO / majority shareholder / man behind the game, was not sold as a PvP game.