The new ranks (Mercenary & Exobiologist) - what are the benefits?

[Deleted member 182079]

I assume it's nothing more than higher payouts (given the paltry sums we receive at the moment, it better be...), decals and bragging rights, but maybe there is more?

I noticed that shiny green exploration skin for example - is it possible we get additional skins at some point when ranking up?

 

[Bigmaec]

It adds the benefit to my CQC rank not feeling inferior compared to my main three ranks.

 

[Amy Pendergast]

Related question: The new Elite I to Elite V - what are they for?
My answer: Keeping the carrot in front of the players face without ever getting the reward in the end.

No, seriously, atm they are just fluff and don't grant anything special.

 

[Deleted member 182079]

Related question: The new Elite I to Elite V - what are they for?
My answer: Keeping the carrot in front of the players face without ever getting the reward in the end.

No, seriously, atm they are just fluff and don't grant anything special.

Those Elite+ ranks don't exist for me - much in the same way as the Star Wars prequels or the Matrix sequels - it's just that green skin made me wonder if there's more to it than the usual progress bar chasing and slightly improved payouts.

 

[Ydiss]

You do get access to Founders with them (now).

I'm unsure "higher payouts" is a thing by the way, though I'm only Rookie because apparently killing hundreds of targets doesn't warrant an increase in rank much. Not that I use missions for cash. They're purely material generators and I'm ok with that. Can't imagine how anyone would live off the Odyssey economy though... Everything costs credits (happy for that) and the only way to get reasonable credits is via CZs.

 

[Amy Pendergast]

... apparently killing hundreds of targets doesn't warrant an increase in rank much.

That was what I was wondering about also. Seems all the scavengers you kill as a space electrician don't count too much against the mercenary rank?

 

[Deleted member 182079]

You do get access to Founders with them (now).

I'm unsure "higher payouts" is a thing by the way, though I'm only Rookie because apparently killing hundreds of targets doesn't warrant an increase in rank much. Not that I use missions for cash. They're purely material generators and I'm ok with that. Can't imagine how anyone would live off the Odyssey economy though... Everything costs credits (happy for that) and the only way to get reasonable credits is via CZs.

The payouts are a real head scratcher for me, particularly given I'm triple Elite already so there's quite the gulf between ship vs feet payouts (at Allied factions).

Would've made more sense to add some sort of multiplier to the payouts based on your main ranks but yeah... I always pick the mats reward and if there isn't one it's still an opportunity to scavenge mats at the mission destination.

 

[Deleted member 182079]

The mercenary rank as far as I can tell only increases in CZs, when you’re being a mercenary. And going by how easy it is to bumble through high intensity CZs it doesn’t even imply much skill.

I'm close to levelling up Merc rank, have been doing a number of CZs (though only low ones as those unlock Ferrari, not the higher tiers). I will check out those Med & High CZs to see how different they are, and also if they speed up ranking, not that I care much about them I have to say, unless they yield anything else as a reward.

I'm not particularly motivated to G5 my weapons given the grind involved, although I managed to nab a few pre-upgraded weapons and it feels G2/3 is already sufficient in terms of firepower... unless those higher tiers really require better equipment I will just ignore engineering because I don't want to fall into the grind trap.

 

[Ydiss]

The mercenary rank as far as I can tell only increases in CZs, when you’re being a mercenary. And going by how easy it is to bumble through high intensity CZs it doesn’t even imply much skill.

Scavengers count. Very, very slowly. I was almost Rookie after a CZ and went to an IM site to get some schematics. Killing the scavengers there pushed me into Rookie and I ranked up mid fight.

They've just messed up the values.

I'm close to levelling up Merc rank, have been doing a number of CZs (though only low ones as those unlock Ferrari, not the higher tiers). I will check out those Med & High CZs to see how different they are, and also if they speed up ranking, not that I care much about them I have to say, unless they yield anything else as a reward.

I'm not particularly motivated to G5 my weapons given the grind involved, although I managed to nab a few pre-upgraded weapons and it feels G2/3 is already sufficient in terms of firepower... unless those higher tiers really require better equipment I will just ignore engineering because I don't want to fall into the grind trap.

High intensity is the fastest method, definitely. But I think Fdev sort of forget to tune the experience values across the board.

But I said all this in Alpha and I don't think it's high priority.

 

[Deleted member 182079]

So the hardest to kill count the least? Makes sense.

Heh, I spent an unholy amount of time clearing a mission POI site of scavs, had to use my ship's shield for protection and probably just should've nuked the place from orbit instead... just to pick up a random item. Time vs reward is certainly way out of whack at the moment across the board, but what's new.

 

[Ydiss]

So the hardest to kill count the least? Makes sense.

Heh, yeh although high intensity targets are harder individually by a long, long margin. Of course we know that doesn't translate to actual difficulty.

I think Fdev got a little confused when they thought 6 scavengers rushing a single player in an open location (then another 6 midway through) was somehow relative to "Threat 2". I say confused. There's a more accurate word for it but I try to be nice.

 

[Amy Pendergast]

So the hardest to kill count the least? Makes sense.

I prefer dealing with most of the scavs from the save cockpit of my MKIV equipped with rocket launchers - reminds me a bit of Quake

 

[Deleted member 182079]

I prefer dealing with most of the scavs from the save cockpit of my MKIV equipped with rocket launchers - reminds me a bit of Quake

When flying my Vulture (fitted with twin Beams currently) I tend to tickle them until they die from laughter. Takes longer and requires more patience, but glad that I don't have to fit missiles to every single ship in my fleet (since I like to switch things around frequently).

 

[Amy Pendergast]

When flying my Vulture (fitted with twin Beams currently) I tend to tickle them until they die from laughter. Takes longer and requires more patience, but glad that I don't have to fit missiles to every single ship in my fleet (since I like to switch things around frequently).

I have a long list of ships all built for special roles, so I thought give the poor MKIV a spin this time and try it.

But tickling to death sounds really sadistic - I'll try that later

 

[Navigare Necesse Est]

Best example of the waste of potential

They had a good planet gen - it got replaced with cookie cutter copy and paste assets that repeat now trillions of times on all the planets.

Instead we get new ranks to grind out.

Kinda underlines the going of this game.

 

[Ydiss]

Best example of the waste of potential

They had a good planet gen - it got replaced with cookie cutter copy and paste assets that repeat now trillions of times on all the planets.

Instead we get new ranks to grind out.

Kinda underlines the going of this game.

Sorry, you've not judged this one well at all. Odyssey is nothing to do with grinding out ranks. You couldn't be further from the truth. I've spent exactly 10 minutes in alpha thinking about ranks. They're not important whatsoever and apparently have no bearing on the game besides what we already have in Horizons. Less, actually.

Odyssey has some grind (and one specific thing that's really, really bad grind) but it's nothing compared to Horizons overall. So if that's your gripe then you're definitely in the wrong place, mate. Odyssey does a lot of things way better than Horizons. Ranks aren't really a factor of that though.

Still, pretty much broken right now so there is that if you want to complain about something.

 

[Christopher Roberto]

but maybe there is more?

Supposedly negotiating higher pay from the missions you can get from NPCs instead of terminals takes mercenary rank into account. People tend to not realize that's even a system as it's so inconvenient to get missions from the NPCs.

 

[Deleted member 182079]

I have a long list of ships all built for special roles, so I thought give the poor MKIV a spin this time and try it.

But tickling to death sounds really sadistic - I'll try that later

I recently sold my Viper Mk4 as the cockpit shadows seemed broken, the HUD spills into non-glass sections of the cockpit, and the vanity cam defaults point into the wrong direction (though apparently they fixed the latter now, although it's still a problem with the Viper 3...). It's a great ship but I couldn't cope looking at all those bugs and glitches any longer...

 

[Navigare Necesse Est]

I like how you linked a complaint about the planet tech to the rank system. Shame it didn’t link to the OP.

Those ranks mean nothing to me. In contrast I can't just believe how they did away with their USP. And exploration was the last enjoyable thing left in ED unaffected by the power creep.

 

[Ydiss]

Supposedly negotiating higher pay from the missions you can get from NPCs instead of terminals takes mercenary rank into account. People tend to not realize that's even a system as it's so inconvenient to get missions from the NPCs.

I found the chances are all pretty high just by being allied to be honest. You're right though, I've tested this very little. It's just easier to get missions via the board. Now, if the NPCs somehow broadcast their material rewards visually... Might be up for using them more.