The Majority of Players, Play Elite as a Single-Player Non-PvP Experience?

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Did you not catch the very similar result from the other channel? That focus much more on PvP! with similar results!


Or do you suggests that many non Elite players watched both channels and then decided to vote?
My point is that neither of us have any power to prove otherwise.

As a result, the poll should be taken with a grain of salt at best.
 
I play in open.
But other than power play events and some system power stuff. I've never done any community events. Or joined any communities.

But part of that has to deal with my short attention span.
I'll pay ED intensly for maybe 3 months, and then off until the mood strikes me again. Usually in around a year .

Joining communities just wouldn't work with how I play the game.

Though I do think it would be nice to see the community that plays this game as a social game as more of a driving force of the events in elite.
 
First up this isn't about solo vs open, so don't even go there. :D This is about how people play regardless of mode.

Here's an interesting stat. Naturally it's from YouTube, so comes with all the usual conditions (non scientific etc).

30k votes so far, representing a sizeable chunk of players.

View attachment 236200


Now, I'm known for being a solitarily exploration player - some of my video content is aimed at that. You would be excused then for assuming that my viewers are naturally similar. So, to balance out the audience, here's a question from Exigeous a very social player who is PvP focused.


View attachment 236201



And finally, another question from Exigeous about PvP.

View attachment 236202
This is as expected!

Even though I used to dabble in PvP, I'd still spend 95% of my game time alone.

These days I link up with people when I can, but with the galaxy being so big, there's no guarantee I'll have any friends online, and nearby, and willing to team up to do something either fun, or beneficial to all involved.
I don't do competitive PvP anymore. It's not fun, or worth the time investment.

The game also doesn't lean itself towards organic PvP very well.
PvP meta ships are vastly superior to the average multirole ship a regular CMDR would use, and with the fact most PvP players simply want to blow up other CMDRs, this makes the PvE CMDRs not willing to participate.

I mean, being pirated by a player was incredibly fun, but it's only ever happened once. Lol
 
My point is that neither of us have any power to prove otherwise.

As a result, the poll should be taken with a grain of salt at best.

And what did OP write in his post.............................

Naturally it's from YouTube, so comes with all the usual conditions (non scientific etc).

He never claimed this to be even accurate, he even got into that he might have attracted more players like him, due to his content, etc...

So are you just being menace here?
 
First up this isn't about solo vs open, so don't even go there. :D This is about how people play regardless of mode.

Here's an interesting stat. Naturally it's from YouTube, so comes with all the usual conditions (non scientific etc).

30k votes so far, representing a sizeable chunk of players.

View attachment 236200


Now, I'm known for being a solitarily exploration player - some of my video content is aimed at that. You would be excused then for assuming that my viewers are naturally similar. So, to balance out the audience, here's a question from Exigeous a very social player who is PvP focused.


View attachment 236201



And finally, another question from Exigeous about PvP.

View attachment 236202
id be interested to know how many of your viewers / players would like to see small seismic charges in the game (among other small hardpoints AX weapons and plasma etc)
 
A bit of honesty, exigous channel is not pvp oriented. It's guides and tutorials oriented.
So the people who answered those pools are explorers and new players. Surprising results.....
 
I play alone and spend most of my time in the void so I rarely meet anyone in-game. Never killed another commander. [PS]: I played Elite in '88. Your videos on Youtube (and the Covid 19 lockdown) pushed me into purchasing Elite last year. Thank you!
 
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A new poll seems to answer the question many here have asked.

Yes, it seems if there was more / better multiplayer content, then more people would play multiplayer.

Screenshot 2021-06-08 162212.png
 
After reading this thread, I realize that there are many fundamental differences between the majority of Commanders who have replied in this thread and the average PvPer.

1. Not all PvPers are gankers.

2. PvPers usually are Not Role Players. They are technicians who value skill in flying, especially fa off. To PvPers, this game is another form of CSGO, Overwatch, etc. but with the truly unique mechanic of Elite Dangerous' flight model. The flight model is really of great depth yet at the same time fun! It shines in fixed weaponry combat in dense asteroid fields and takes months if not years to master. I suspect many non PvP Commanders do not have the patience for fa off combat. :) Strangely, I find that skill is marginalized by the greater community because skill is associated with ganking. (Hence the term CareBear arose: https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Care Bear)

3.PvPers don't care about dying. Most of us have billions in rebuys because believe it or not, we spend a great deal of time killing each other. Many PvPers, because they are not role players, find it mystifying that people get so upset about dying in a video game. Most of the Elite Dangerous player base seem to readily accept being killed by NPCS, draconian orbital rules like pad loitering, toast racks, etc. However, upon clicking Open, some, not all, get enraged when shot at by a human. How dare that human not share the same set of belief systems as me in this pretend video game! Their rage is then directed at all PvPers. :(

4. There is a generational and cultural gap between PvPers and the majority of the player base. I am 55 and one of the oldest. Most PvPers are between 16-30. The best pilots are usually in that age group. When I first started interacting with the youngsters, I literally had to google every other word. PvP discord conversation usually consists of less than five words at a time. They speak in memes and cuss a lot. So yeah, I was kinda put off at first, but then I got used to it. It can be very amusing... at times.

o7
 
I reckon that something is missing to facilitate worthy PvP interactions.

Getting interdicted by an opponent and then having only a few moments to ready yourself for combat is off-putting for new players.

Having limited comms shortcuts during combat is a problem, apart from not being able should you get pwned by another player to place a bounty on their heads or have some other method of finding the same opponent for a re-match later on.

If a player murders another player without consent to a match there should be a galaxy-wide bounty system that applies as it does currently with NPC murdering so if you kill a "clean" npc or player in cold blood you would have a bounty on your head and maybe these bounties could scale somehow so that after murdering another player new bounties are added with increasing severity and increasing notoriety. Killing 50 passengers and then rushing to the nearest interstellar factor is one thing, but different rules should apply if you do something equally abhorrent to another commander, not just the regular bounty, but something that flags the player to other open-play commanders who are after some skilled PvP and a hefty bounty.

Another major benefit to PvP could be shortcuts to comms. The current 1-2-3-4 in-flight hud switches preclude reasonable in-combat comms because they are too fiddly to use in the heat of combat, shortcut keys for certain combat comments like hails, targeting, taunts as well as bounty placements after being killed would encourage players to pursue PVP engagements as it would be easier to communicate with the opponent. A match-making or consent system would also be welcome I reckon...
 
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I play in open but most of the time as a single player as I tend to prefer the freedom of doing what I want when I want.

I would likely play more in a group if there were easier / better ways for people to collaborate towards shared objectives.
 
After reading this thread, I realize that there are many fundamental differences between the majority of Commanders who have replied in this thread and the average PvPer.

1. Not all PvPers are gankers.

2. PvPers usually are Not Role Players. They are technicians who value skill in flying, especially fa off. To PvPers, this game is another form of CSGO, Overwatch, etc. but with the truly unique mechanic of Elite Dangerous' flight model. The flight model is really of great depth yet at the same time fun! It shines in fixed weaponry combat in dense asteroid fields and takes months if not years to master. I suspect many non PvP Commanders do not have the patience for fa off combat. :) Strangely, I find that skill is marginalized by the greater community because skill is associated with ganking. (Hence the term CareBear arose: https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Care Bear)

3.PvPers don't care about dying. Most of us have billions in rebuys because believe it or not, we spend a great deal of time killing each other. Many PvPers, because they are not role players, find it mystifying that people get so upset about dying in a video game. Most of the Elite Dangerous player base seem to readily accept being killed by NPCS, draconian orbital rules like pad loitering, toast racks, etc. However, upon clicking Open, some, not all, get enraged when shot at by a human. How dare that human not share the same set of belief systems as me in this pretend video game! Their rage is then directed at all PvPers. :(

4. There is a generational and cultural gap between PvPers and the majority of the player base. I am 55 and one of the oldest. Most PvPers are between 16-30. The best pilots are usually in that age group. When I first started interacting with the youngsters, I literally had to google every other word. PvP discord conversation usually consists of less than five words at a time. They speak in memes and cuss a lot. So yeah, I was kinda put off at first, but then I got used to it. It can be very amusing... at times.

o7
I think that's a good summary of the divide.

Just two comments which I think make it an even wider divide than you've described:-

1. Patience for FA-off? I don't even have patience for fixed weapons! In 3307 I think the computer should do the aiming for me. Therefore, I'll always be rubbish at combat, but I still enjoy Elite. :)

2. On getting enraged by being shot by a human: I think you haven't fully plumbed the effect of RPing. If I'm being "a real space pilot" and I get exploded by someone in a way that feels OOC, I haven't lost the game; I've been prevented from playing the game I wanted to play. I haven't just lost credits, I've lost RL leisure time (which is often in short supply). Personally I know this is always possible and I'm relaxed about it, but I think that's why some get cross.
 
I think its sad that most would prefer to play alone with such a big galaxy available. I do get it not everyone wants to interact etc but bustling busy starports is slowly becoming a thing in EDO. Was really nice to go to Jameson memorial and chat to someone random :)
 
I think that's a good summary of the divide.

Just two comments which I think make it an even wider divide than you've described:-

1. Patience for FA-off? I don't even have patience for fixed weapons! In 3307 I think the computer should do the aiming for me. Therefore, I'll always be rubbish at combat, but I still enjoy Elite. :)

2. On getting enraged by being shot by a human: I think you haven't fully plumbed the effect of RPing. If I'm being "a real space pilot" and I get exploded by someone in a way that feels OOC, I haven't lost the game; I've been prevented from playing the game I wanted to play. I haven't just lost credits, I've lost RL leisure time (which is often in short supply). Personally I know this is always possible and I'm relaxed about it, but I think that's why some get cross.

It took me a VERY LONG time to feel comfortable in FA Off and PAs. And I still suck in comparison to most 16 year olds and probably always will. The first time I tried FA off flying in the asteroid field of v886 Centauri 1, I ping-ponged off every rock and died. I just sat there and cried. But years later I am now comfortable. It's a seemingly futile exercise in overcoming one's perceived self-limitations. But yeah, I'm nuts.

Indeed, in 3307 everything should be max automated. Nevertheless, there is always a chance of computer failure, and even back-up systems may fail.

At first I also was enraged by ganking. It's like Bambi vs Godzilla. And I still really dislike seal and explorer clubbing. Yet, one does not have to play in Open. Many, many PvPers choose Solo when they absolutely wish solitude. I certainly do. I will never go to Shin, a community goal, or early engineer in Open unless I am prepared to scuffle.

When one has little time to play and is very goal oriented, yeah being sent to the rebuy screen is onerous. But hopefully one will only have to learn that lesson once. I almost wish Solo Mode was the default, then there would be less surprise or chagrin.

o7
 
For the last 2.5 years the game is unplayable alone. It becomes a tedious and cumbersome experience to me that I rush to avoid. Surprisingly just one wing mate changes that exponentially. I'm not sure why it does but it definitely makes a huge difference to me.
My best experiences involved some buddies and I attempting to kill Cyclops and Basilisk Interceptors in early 2018.
All we did was scream "Run Away! Run Away!" at each other over Discord voice comms. It was hilarious.
 
I play open about 90% of the time but I understand why CMDRs prefer Solo.

I think most of them just want a chill time playing ED and don't feel like dealing with G5 engineered FDLs blasting them to space dust for no apparent reason. I'm not saying every PvPer ganks or kills for no reason, but honestly... Most of the time I've been interdicted by another player they said nothing in comms and just started attacking without warning.

The only way to properly prepare for that, even if you simply want to run away before being obliterated, is to get into engineering and ship building. Although I feel like a lot of the reluctance to learn how can be chalked up to CMDR laziness or an unwillingness to change their min-maxed trade ship and throw a shield generator on it, engineering just isn't accessible enough to lure more players in.

So imo, the main problems are ignorance and accessiblity. Open isn't as dangerous as a lot of CMDRs think it is. I've fought NPCs that were tougher than a lot of CMDRs who tried killing me. At the same time, engineering is a very inaccessible feature. The mat farming is a big enough pain, but the unlock requirements on top of that just turn people away.

Remove or lessen the severity of unlocking engineers, and I bet those percentages jump up a few dozen digits.
 
If only chatting in ED would at least provide some basic comfort as chatting on the forums offers. Including some language crutches like dict.cc or DeepL. Chatting in ED would require too much Alt tabbing for me to be fun.
There are local groups in every major language available you know. Finding them is a bit tricky i have to admit.
 
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