The big scary OPEN play mode

Erekos · Jan 31, 2015

Hello Im new to ED and was concerned about the PvP gankfest Id read about on the forums. I figured Id just stick with solo mode. I hate PvP games...its just not my thing.

Well after a few hours of solo I was curious and joined open play and...nothing?

I've played for 3 days now and I've been interdicted maybe 8 times in my little sidewinder. Every time was by an NPC. The first couple times they pulled me out of supercruise and I barely escaped by hyperjumping before i blew up. After that I figured out you could actually avoid interdiction by following the little blue circle when it happens. Since then I've escaped handily without even getting pulled out of super cruise.

Ive actually seen one other player only once. I was so excited I sent them a message that said "Hi" and got no response :/

So my point/question is...what is the fuss about the "ganking" that is rampant? Where does it take place? Mind you I dont WANT to get blown up but I will admit the interdiction attempts break up the monotony (im using my sidewinder to trade my way to a Cobra...I think I chose the dumbest way to play but Im almost there 330k in the bank!

Thanks and happy Elite-ing

Tarman · Jan 31, 2015

You're gonna hear crazytalk from both extremist groups on this issue. It happens, yes, but not to the extreme that is feared. Nothing that will destroy the universe.

Worst-case scenario currently is the Dumbfire Eagle, where a couple unresolved game issues converge to create a lame exploit that can pop you in-station. Usually happens in Lave, that's a hotspot for this kind of foolery, but it's hardly galaxy-wide. There is SO MUCH SPACE here that you can move for 20 minutes from some nasty region and be home and clear.

Agony_Aunt · Jan 31, 2015

There isn't as much ganking in reality as would appear from the forums.

However, it only takes one person to report such an incident (and it does happen from time to time) and bingo, we have another 100 page thread on the topic.

If you are having a good time in open, kudos! Just be prepared for when you are trying to trade rares from the Lave area to face dozens of heavily armed ships all hanging around the stations just waiting for fat traders to exit.

However, if you do end up getting ganked, and it puts you off playing in open, feel free to join the Mobius private group.

ComradeFresco · Jan 31, 2015

Lave and Diso are apparently the worst but what most people consider "griefing" is just being murdered at random - which while mean is not griefing.

in terms of general player interactions i myself have been blow up once and otherwise just made small chat with fellow bounty hunters.

Ghostickles · Jan 31, 2015

Loki_666 said:
There isn't as much ganking in reality as would appear from the forums.

However, it only takes one person to report such an incident (and it does happen from time to time) and bingo, we have another 100 page thread on the topic.

If you are having a good time in open, kudos! Just be prepared for when you are trying to trade rares from the Lave area to face dozens of heavily armed ships all hanging around the stations just waiting for fat traders to exit.

However, if you do end up getting ganked, and it puts you off playing in open, feel free to join the Mobius private group.

....and save Open for when you feel competitive.

deej · Jan 31, 2015

PB'er and I've been playing Open Play since the public release.
The amount of actual people I've seen in my travels so far would be around 20 or less.

nosleepdemon · Jan 31, 2015

This one time, at resource camp, I shoved a dumbfire up a Viper's nether regions.

scoda · Jan 31, 2015

Erekos said:
Hello Im new to ED and was concerned about the PvP gankfest Id read about on the forums. I figured Id just stick with solo mode. I hate PvP games...its just not my thing.

Well after a few hours of solo I was curious and joined open play and...nothing?

I've played for 3 days now and I've been interdicted maybe 8 times in my little sidewinder. Every time was by an NPC. The first couple times they pulled me out of supercruise and I barely escaped by hyperjumping before i blew up. After that I figured out you could actually avoid interdiction by following the little blue circle when it happens. Since then I've escaped handily without even getting pulled out of super cruise.

Ive actually seen one other player only once. I was so excited I sent them a message that said "Hi" and got no response :/

So my point/question is...what is the fuss about the "ganking" that is rampant? Where does it take place? Mind you I dont WANT to get blown up but I will admit the interdiction attempts break up the monotony (im using my sidewinder to trade my way to a Cobra...I think I chose the dumbest way to play but Im almost there 330k in the bank!

Thanks and happy Elite-ing

Welcome to Open!

I kinda switch between Open and Mobius.. Good people in both camps.. As you move to different areas in Open, especially good trade routes you meet up with a lot more CMDR's.. 99% will say g'day and have a chat.. That's been my experience.. When I flick over to Oculus its a bit harder to respond to people's greetings, but I will at least pop in a short macro one liner saying Hi back.. Making the change from Solo to Open/Mobius really brings ED to life... And I mainly trade..

cyd · Jan 31, 2015

There is certainly a social aspect of humanity ED has yet to figure out. Maybe in 3030

5thNovember · Jan 31, 2015

The whole griefing/murder thing is far and away the most sensationalized topic I've ever witnessed in gaming... and I use to be the community manager of what was at the time Australia's largest online gaming community (any veteran Aussie online MP gamers might remember me as 'Borg'), and have been playing online games since 1997. I've been playing in open for about a month, never had anyone try to murder or even pirate me. I spent several hours in Lave today (where I am finding a good amount of CMDRs) and still hasn't happened.

When it does, I will relish the moment. Not because I'm an unbeatable badass (a month is this game hardly qualifies me as that) but because I like a challenge. And I always make sure I have enough $ in the kitty for when I do get smashed. When and if it does happen it will be no big thing (I'm happy in my Cobra, don't have to pay much excess on insurance). I don't need a billion-dollar-anaconda flavoured beast-o-lovin - and if I had one of those, I imagine I wouldn't have too much problems fending off attacks anyway.

Really, pay no attention to the scare-mongering. It is just the vocal minority jumping up and down trying to get FD to bend to what they want. Never seen anything quite like it.

Zhang · Jan 31, 2015

Erekos said:
Hello Im new to ED and was concerned about the PvP gankfest Id read about on the forums.

...

All blown out of proportion.

As you have discovered, you'll hardly see another human commander unless you find yourself in a hot spot (war, trade, luxuries, rares, events), and even then the chances of getting interdicted is pretty rare.

Hyperlethal · Jan 31, 2015

PVP tends to occur in the most lucrative known areas. right now that's seeking luxuries that appear close to stations. large guilds flock to these areas like cattle to water and so follows the wolf packs. so the higher the reward then the higher the risk but it wont be as if you cant afford your rebuy if your working these routs. pirates tend to attack on occasions in organized fashions and the large guilds are very quick to respond.

once trading causes a faction to gain 100% influence the system becomes a warzone which is where PVP is supposed to come into play specifically inside conflict zones. unfortunately these offer next to no reward for players in terms of making money so a lot of PvPers turn to piracy (and by that i mean just kill traders and provoke their guilds) as they will need to use those same trade routs in order to make money themselves, or at least at the same rate those traders are earning which is sickeningly higher than doing anything else but lets not get into that right now this is just to paint you a picture of how the PVP works in the current gamestate

Shively · Jan 31, 2015

I got interdicted by a player once.

It was a Python, after my Clipper. I told him my cargo was empty and that I was running Assassination missions with it (the best gambit - the truth!), he fired on me anyways.

I split power to shields/engines, boosted away, and right into FSD.

Now I'm convinced that after a month playing, one interdiction escaped with 50% shields remaining, equates to an amount of risk that approaches 0.

also, from my singular experience, I'm likewise convinced that the Python is slow enough as-is and doesn't need nerfing. Granted, I was flying one of the fastest ships in the game.