Solo mode only pause function

[Arioch]

In replying to the thread https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=165595 I've realised why I don't play as much as I'd like - I know I'm going to be interrupted during my gaming session, probably only for very short periods and this game cannot be paused.

My request applies to Solo mode only.
I'm not asking for a pause in any mission timers, BGS, rep decay, anything like that.
I'm not asking for a pause that will last indefinitely.
I would like to request a short term pause function to freeze the action in the Solo player's instance, something in the region of 5 to 10 minutes, after which if the player does not un-pause the game it will drop back to the Main Menu.
Currently a Solo instance can be paused up to 67 seconds or so before the game thinks there's a crash problem (demonstrated by taking 4k screenshots and having them save to a slow USB drive). If the pause is less than this time span then everything continues from where it was paused. I've tested this in various situations, including around a station (the docking timer also paused), in SuperCruise and in combat.
A temporary pause would allow me to attend to family issues and still be able to enjoy Solo mode. The current option of dropping out of the game to the main menu is less than ideal as it means interrupting whatever I'm doing (I've had to quit out minutes into a dogfight before now) and sometimes I need to be able to stop playing instantly.
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Edit: it has been pointed out that pausing the game and allowing it to time-out and drop to the main menu while in combat is functionally similar to 'combat logging' therefore I'm adding this slight modification: on completion of the 5 to 10 minute period, if the player is in combat, the game should unpause, conduct the 15 second timer as per other modes, then drop down to the Main Menu.

 

[kurush]

There is no reason for them not to add it other than pretending that there is a huge universe simulation happening server side (which isnt so ). But because of this smoke and mirror, this change is unlikely to happen. After all, it would give you a huge incentive to play solo at your own time and nobody at FDev wants that.

 

[Arioch]

I've done a few little tests to see when a Solo instance "calls home" to the BGS, by disconnecting from the internet mid-game and seeing what causes a drop back to the main menu. Interestingly, in an empty Solo instance doing nothing at all, with no NPCs, I get dumped to the menu 2 minutes after disconnection.
I haven't tried this in conjunction with a 4k screenshot pause, so that can be today's test.

 

[newman1702]

Every time you jump to or from supercruise, or to a different system, the game communicates with the servers. Ditto for retrieving scanning results, if I'm not mistaken (opinion based on the fact that scanning times can vary, and are sometimes longer when servers feel slower as well). Lots of actions cause communication with servers, so I'm not surprised your experiment didn't last long.. I also wouldn't be surprised if the connection is tested periodically even if you're not doing anything, which would explain why you got booted.

The solo mode isn't offline. It's online with other players hidden to and from you. Which also makes a pause function unlikely, though I'm sure many solo players would welcome it. They honestly dropped the ball when they got rid of offline mode, justifying it by this "limiting the gameplay" or some such nonsense.

 

[Arioch]

In the thread referenced in the OP I conducted tests to see when the game communicated with the BGS, which turned out to be quite often. Even sat in an empty instance, doing nothing, the game still does an info squirt every 2 minutes or so.
I've paused the game up to 10 minutes (both connected and disconnected from the internet) and while the instance unpauses and the NPC's, station etc continue as normal, because the instance has missed these 2 minute ticks it becomes impossible to dock or enter SuperCruise. The game just goes to the lost server communication window.
Pausing for 2 minutes though, not a problem.

 

[SentineI]

Yes please!

There are no technical reason NOT to add a Solo pause function (which times-out & exits to the game menu after say 5-10 minutes).

Benefits to Solo players:
* It would be a fantastic time-saver for people who are frequently interrupted, as it would save having to wait (sometimes a lot of) time for the game to create a new instance when the player is able to play again.
* It would save time having to jump into SuperCruise again (assuming they were already in SC).
* It would save MANY MINUTES waiting for ships to appear again in SuperCruise or Res Extraction or Combat Zone (i.e. re-populate the instance).
* It would save loosing progress in a battle with NPC, which could be many minutes (and lots of munitions spent).

Sadly I am doubtful that FD will implement this, as they seem to ignore the problems of casual players who can't play ED non-stop for hours on end every day.

 

[Psycho Romeo]

https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=139866
My answer: This is absurd. You are not playing single player. You are part of the same LIVE universe.

It's unfair that players in solo can pause the game but players in open cannot.
I see no reason for the game to be different in any way within the modes, with the exception how players interact with each other's instances.

The game world ticks on, with or without you. This is as true for the BGS as it is for your particular instance.
The capability to implement something is not a good reason to implement it.
I'm not going to start a MOBA match if I feel there is an unavoidable interruption happening soon. If one pops up anyway then I have to decide what's more important at the time: the interruption or the game.
I'm not going to leave ED open if I feel there is an unavoidable interruption happening soon. If one pops up anyway, then I have to decide what's more important: the interruption or my instance.

 

[dementia]

They honestly dropped the ball when they got rid of offline mode, justifying it by this "limiting the gameplay" or some such nonsense.

I too was disappointed that offline mode was dropped but can you imagine the local drive storage requirements if they wanted to model the full galaxy of 400 billion star systems plus all the meta data associated with it? We're talking TB of space needed. Who would go for that?

You could then say well ok cut the universe down to say 1000ly worth of systems but then this throws up 2 other problems... 1. Who chooses the 1000ly bubble?. 2. Would people be happy with such a small 'galaxy'?

It should be noted that even 1000ly would be a massive amount of data but would probably fit onto a couple of blu-rays.

 

[Arioch]

The game world ticks on, with or without you. This is as true for the BGS as it is for your particular instance.
The capability to implement something is not a good reason to implement it.
I'm not going to start a MOBA match if I feel there is an unavoidable interruption happening soon. If one pops up anyway then I have to decide what's more important at the time: the interruption or the game.
I'm not going to leave ED open if I feel there is an unavoidable interruption happening soon. If one pops up anyway, then I have to decide what's more important: the interruption or my instance.

Well bully for you. Please tell me again how having a pause function in Solo mode only will affect your game if you only play Open? Bearing in mind that I can already pause my Solo instance up to 2 minutes 7 seconds at a time without any problems and I've not requested any pausing of the BGS, mission timers, rep decay etc.

I too was disappointed that offline mode was dropped but can you imagine the local drive storage requirements if they wanted to model the full galaxy of 400 billion star systems plus all the meta data associated with it? We're talking TB of space needed. Who would go for that?

You could then say well ok cut the universe down to say 1000ly worth of systems but then this throws up 2 other problems... 1. Who chooses the 1000ly bubble?. 2. Would people be happy with such a small 'galaxy'?

It should be noted that even 1000ly would be a massive amount of data but would probably fit onto a couple of blu-rays.

The wonderful thing about procedural generation is that you don't need all that storage - Frontier: Elite 2 fit an entire galaxy on a single 3.5" floppy disk (admittedly it was only around 513,982,470 star systems, but it did have planetary landings included ). The game only has to generate the systems as they're visited, using the proc-gen seed.

 

[Psycho Romeo]

Well bully for you. Please tell me again how having a pause function in Solo mode only will affect your game if you only play Open? Bearing in mind that I can already pause my Solo instance up to 2 minutes 7 seconds at a time without any problems and I've not requested any pausing of the BGS, mission timers, rep decay etc.

The capability to implement something is not a good reason to implement it. Just because it doesn't affect me in any way doesn't mean it's good for you, or more importantly, for the game.

 

[Arioch]

The capability to implement something is not a good reason to implement it. Just because it doesn't affect me in any way doesn't mean it's good for you, or more importantly, for the game.

Trust me, it'd be good for me As for how if affects the "good of the game"... well, that's a bit intangible, but providing a feature that is functionally almost identical to something already in the game surely isn't going to be driving disgruntled players away?
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In Solo mode the game only communicates with the BGS when something happens, or for the intermittent server check. If nothing is occurring in the instance then nothing is being reported. So,
i) A Solo instance with no action taking place.
ii) A Solo instance that has been paused, which is functionally exactly the same as i)
iii) A Solo instance where the player is taking a 4k screenshot, which is functionally exactly the same as i) and ii)
iv) A Solo instance that isn't there any more because I've logged off so I can go and have a cuppa. Or a wee.
So, please tell me in which example I would've affected the "good of the game"?

 

[Psycho Romeo]

Trust me, it'd be good for me As for how if affects the "good of the game"... well, that's a bit intangible, but providing a feature that is functionally almost identical to something already in the game surely isn't going to be driving disgruntled players away?
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In Solo mode the game only communicates with the BGS when something happens, or for the intermittent server check. If nothing is occurring in the instance then nothing is being reported. So,
i) A Solo instance with no action taking place.
ii) A Solo instance that has been paused, which is functionally exactly the same as i)
iii) A Solo instance where the player is taking a 4k screenshot, which is functionally exactly the same as i) and ii)
iv) A Solo instance that isn't there any more because I've logged off so I can go and have a cuppa. Or a wee.
So, please tell me in which example I would've affected the "good of the game"?

You say you can pause the game for two minutes by taking a high res screen shot. Does this mean it should be implemented as a legitimate game mechanic?
I may instantly quit the game regardless of the danger around me by pulling the Ethernet cable. Does this mean it should be implemented as a legitimate game mechanic?
This is an example of why 'just because it's already possible' doesn't mean 'it should be legitimate'. Like the poster below, I feel this could be considered an exploit.
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You may think that being able to pause is good for you. It may very well be good for you. If games gave us everything that would be good for us, it would hardly be a game. Somewhere down the line, some developer said 'This is the experience I want to create'. This specific experience does not include a pause feature.
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I don't think it should. I don't think there should be any difference between open and solo as far as what the player can and cannot do.

 

[ZoltanSnarf]

...providing a feature that is functionally almost identical to something already in the game surely isn't going to be driving disgruntled players away?

...

So, please tell me in which example I would've affected the "good of the game"?

No, but its yet another feature added to solo thats not in open.

FDev wants solo and open to be as close to the same as possible.

Also this is not something that is already in the game. You are clearly using 4k screen shots as an exploit. You are also able to die if you use it in combat and don't return in 2 minutes 7 seconds.

Thanks for the suggestion but no thanks. No thank you very much.

 

[Arioch]

No, but its yet another feature added to solo thats not in open.

What, like Wings? Oh, hold on...nope, you'll have to help me out here. What are these "yet another features"? External view cam & 4k screenshots, perhaps?

Also this is not something that is already in the game. You are clearly using 4k screen shots as an exploit. You are also able to die if you use it in combat and don't return in 2 minutes 7 seconds.

Perhaps you missed the part in my previous posts where I said I could quite happily pause an instance up to 10 minutes (at which point I got bored) and everything continues quite happily? Just when something happens that needs to update the BGS I get booted to the server disconnect screen? And yes, 4k screenshots are something already in the game. Frontier put it there.
Also, please tell me how this "exploit" is giving me an advantage?
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Mr Romeo, I've read over your post several times and cannot find an argument against my request beyond "I don't think it should". My question to you is also: how is this "exploit" giving me an advantage?
Also, "I don't think there should be any difference between open and solo as far as what the player can and cannot do", so, get rid of Wings then?

 

[Psycho Romeo]

Mr Romeo, I've read over your post several times and cannot find an argument against my request beyond "I don't think it should". My question to you is also: how is this "exploit" giving me an advantage?
Also, "I don't think there should be any difference between open and solo as far as what the player can and cannot do", so, get rid of Wings then?

You can wing up in solo, but by doing so you've reclassified your game mode from solo to group. Solo is functionally identical to group mode, however it's a group of one.

 

[Arioch]

You can wing up in solo, but by doing so you've reclassified your game mode from solo to group. Solo is functionally identical to group mode, however it's a group of one.

So you can't Wing up in Solo, only in Group and Open. Understood.

Any answer on how the "exploit" will give me an advantage?

 

[Psycho Romeo]

So you can't Wing up in Solo, only in Group and Open. Understood.

Any answer on how the "exploit" will give me an advantage?

Sorry, ran short on time with the last post. Solo is the name of a group of one. Solo is group mode with a single player, and a shortcut button at the title. To say you can't wing while playing in a group of one is like saying you can't wing in the forums. It's not that you aren't allowed to do it, it's that by the definition of 'wing', those two things don't exist together.

The advantage of the pause button is that you can step away from the action to do something else that requires your full attention. Seems harmless, I agree, but again, that's not a valid reason for implementation.

 

[Arioch]

I don't think it should. I don't think there should be any difference between open and solo as far as what the player can and cannot do.

You can wing up in solo, but by doing so you've reclassified your game mode from solo to group. Solo is functionally identical to group mode, however it's a group of one.

Solo is the name of a group of one. Solo is group mode with a single player, and a shortcut button at the title. To say you can't wing while playing in a group of one is like saying you can't wing in the forums. It's not that you aren't allowed to do it, it's that by the definition of 'wing', those two things don't exist together.

That's some pretty interesting verbal gymnastics you've got going on there. Are you still sticking to your first statement?

The advantage of the pause button is that you can step away from the action to do something else that requires your full attention. Seems harmless, I agree, but again, that's not a valid reason for implementation.

So it's not an "exploit", it's...what, a function that lets me enjoy the game more? A slight extension to an already existing function within the game? It's not going to affect the BGS, and by extension any other player's game, so what are your reasons for opposing it again?

 

[Psycho Romeo]

That's some pretty interesting verbal gymnastics you've got going on there. Are you still sticking to your first statement?

I'm sorry but things get difficult when you are trying to ask me to explain to you how to sit and stand at the same time. Can we just leave it at 'that's not how it works'?
I will make an effort to stiffen my vocabulary. I do not think there should be any difference between solo/group mode and open play. As I understand, there's not. You can wing in both.

So it's not an "exploit", it's...what, a function that lets me enjoy the game more? A slight extension to an already existing function within the game? It's not going to affect the BGS, and by extension any other player's game, so what are your reasons for opposing it again?

Let's get something straight: There is no pause functionality in game. This is like saying that lag is teleport drive functionality. Taking a screenshot is not pause functionality. Having latency issues is not teleport functionality. In a similar vein, just because something would make you enjoy it more doesn't mean it's a good idea. This is a game design fallacy for lack of better term.

Pause doesn't need to affect the BGS, it doesn't need to affect any other player's game. These are not reasons for supporting it.
My reason for opposing it is the same as it ever was in this thread and the many others that preceded it. I don't think this functionality should be in game because I don't think solo/group mode and open play should be functionally different with the exception of instance matchmaking.

How about this: I have a minor bounty. I'm getting swamped by authority. I hit the pause, come back seven days later, and I no longer have a bounty? I warp out and authority vessels leave me in peace.

 

[Arioch]

I'm sorry but things get difficult when you are trying to ask me to explain to you how to sit and stand at the same time. Can we just leave it at 'that's not how it works'?
I will make an effort to stiffen my vocabulary. I do not think there should be any difference between solo/group mode and open play. As I understand, there's not. You can wing in both.

Okay. You're saying that Wings is fine because Solo is the same as Group because Solo is just a Group of one. Interesting rationale...ludicrous, but interesting. Check your main menu, there are three modes.

Let's get something straight: There is no pause functionality in game...just because something would make you enjoy it more doesn't mean it's a good idea.

I disagree on both points. I am now regularly using the 4k screenshot to allow me give my undivided attention to my family as they require it, it just means I have a screenshot folder of around 200mb at the end of an average play session. Gives you an idea of how often I can get interrupted.

Pause doesn't need to affect the BGS, it doesn't need to affect any other player's game. These are not reasons for supporting it.
My reason for opposing it is the same as it ever was in this thread and the many others that preceded it. I don't think this functionality should be in game because I don't think solo/group mode and open play should be functionally different with the exception of instance matchmaking.

Many other threads? I'm afraid I've only seen the one other regarding pausing Solo. As for having all the three modes (and there are three, check your game menu) exactly the same, best get campaigning to remove 4k screenshots and the debug camera from Solo then. Oh, and don't forget Wings

How about this: I have a minor bounty. I'm getting swamped by authority. I hit the pause, come back seven days later, and I no longer have a bounty? I warp out and authority vessels leave me in peace.

I take it you read the part of my suggestion in the OP where I say the temporary pause would last in the region of 5 to 10 minutes before dropping back to the main menu? Also, would you actually leave your computer running with a game active for a week to avoid some combat? I thought you said you could just yank your Ethernet cable?