Hello,
I love the flight and planetary mechanics of Elite; flying feels great, as does driving an SRV.
What I still find greatly lacking, however, is purpose. It is not enough to say that this is a sandbox game, do whatever you want, when actions just don't have much consequence, and nothing really feels much like achievement. There is currently a ton of stuff in the game, but because it is so silo'd and fragmented, it is all working against itself. As such, the universe feels flat and dead.
As a simple resident in this universe, I agree that player-actions shouldn't be game-changing on their own, and with this Elite has it right. However, I think all actions should have noticeable consequences, and here is where the focus should be on the minor factions; let this be a game about WHO YOU CHOOSE TO WORK FOR TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE in this universe - with working for nobody or everybody also being a choice with consequences.
Has there been any consideration to increasing the importance of supporting a minor faction - to the degree of surrounding the gameplay around this? Then, what would happen if you tried to work for multiple minor factions - should they view you as only a mercenary and the best reputation you can get is Neutral? If I'm working for a Federation based minor faction, all minor factions that supports Alliance or Empire should be untrusting of me at best, and downright hostile at the worst. If your minor faction is Independent or Unfettered, then your association with them should drive the respective statement to everyone else. My reputation should follow with me; not vanish as soon as I leave the current system. Imagine the depth that can be opened up when an opposing minor faction tries to convince you to work with them instead. Imagine how missions would then have purpose, and can then be chained for real. You take a smuggling mission from your minor faction, which then chains into a profitable trade mission, which chains into a piracy mission against the opposing minor faction. Linked missions should be the norm. Elite doesn't need to have specific career paths, but even that can be implemented to focus down on mission options if you so choose, or leave it open for more randomness. Tell your minor faction you want to ONLY trade; great - They'll only occasionally require you to lend a hand fighting. Tell them you're up for anything, and they'll throw anything at you. There should be much more significance when an allied minor faction loses or gains control over a station or system; these friendships should be meaningful, with making enemies even more so. Why can we gain rank with both Empire and Federation; shouldn't a rise in rank with one mean a loss of standing with the other? Let all rank occur only through working extensively with the associated minor factions, and then make your rank retroactively apply to all related minor factions - so for example if you are a Baron with the Empire, then all Empire-supporting minor factions should view you more favorably because after all your are a Baron with a Major Power, and this carries weight. Powerplay obviously needs to be a part of this, but again gain relevance for your power through your minor faction. If a minor faction comes under the sway of an opposing Power, then this should have real noticeable consequences; and your minor faction would be getting you to weaken the Power's hold on the system in any number of ways- Powerplay can be done without even joining a Power, with things set up like this, it should be intrinsic.
I really believe that PURPOSE is all that this game needs, and it seems so doable with the current mechanics already out there.
I can't be the only one that thinks this way?
I love the flight and planetary mechanics of Elite; flying feels great, as does driving an SRV.
What I still find greatly lacking, however, is purpose. It is not enough to say that this is a sandbox game, do whatever you want, when actions just don't have much consequence, and nothing really feels much like achievement. There is currently a ton of stuff in the game, but because it is so silo'd and fragmented, it is all working against itself. As such, the universe feels flat and dead.
As a simple resident in this universe, I agree that player-actions shouldn't be game-changing on their own, and with this Elite has it right. However, I think all actions should have noticeable consequences, and here is where the focus should be on the minor factions; let this be a game about WHO YOU CHOOSE TO WORK FOR TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE in this universe - with working for nobody or everybody also being a choice with consequences.
Has there been any consideration to increasing the importance of supporting a minor faction - to the degree of surrounding the gameplay around this? Then, what would happen if you tried to work for multiple minor factions - should they view you as only a mercenary and the best reputation you can get is Neutral? If I'm working for a Federation based minor faction, all minor factions that supports Alliance or Empire should be untrusting of me at best, and downright hostile at the worst. If your minor faction is Independent or Unfettered, then your association with them should drive the respective statement to everyone else. My reputation should follow with me; not vanish as soon as I leave the current system. Imagine the depth that can be opened up when an opposing minor faction tries to convince you to work with them instead. Imagine how missions would then have purpose, and can then be chained for real. You take a smuggling mission from your minor faction, which then chains into a profitable trade mission, which chains into a piracy mission against the opposing minor faction. Linked missions should be the norm. Elite doesn't need to have specific career paths, but even that can be implemented to focus down on mission options if you so choose, or leave it open for more randomness. Tell your minor faction you want to ONLY trade; great - They'll only occasionally require you to lend a hand fighting. Tell them you're up for anything, and they'll throw anything at you. There should be much more significance when an allied minor faction loses or gains control over a station or system; these friendships should be meaningful, with making enemies even more so. Why can we gain rank with both Empire and Federation; shouldn't a rise in rank with one mean a loss of standing with the other? Let all rank occur only through working extensively with the associated minor factions, and then make your rank retroactively apply to all related minor factions - so for example if you are a Baron with the Empire, then all Empire-supporting minor factions should view you more favorably because after all your are a Baron with a Major Power, and this carries weight. Powerplay obviously needs to be a part of this, but again gain relevance for your power through your minor faction. If a minor faction comes under the sway of an opposing Power, then this should have real noticeable consequences; and your minor faction would be getting you to weaken the Power's hold on the system in any number of ways- Powerplay can be done without even joining a Power, with things set up like this, it should be intrinsic.
I really believe that PURPOSE is all that this game needs, and it seems so doable with the current mechanics already out there.
I can't be the only one that thinks this way?
