Modes The Solo vs Open vs Groups Thread - Mk III

[Mouse]

This is one of those points/ideas that comes up in this threadnaught. It's actually a good one. It doesn't seem to excite the more, erm, "bloodthirsty" crowd like other suggestions do. Good ideas here.

Many solo players and even some switchers have asked for sensible law and order presence and penalties (like plain murder, being able to dock while wanted, etc) and indicated that they would be a lot more receptive to open if this was implemented, including some player ability to bounty hunt, escort & etc. The tiered security response is also a good idea and would eminently be fair.

Most people playing in solo have always been playing solo. The ducking-in-and-out of solo is a player problem, not a mode problem.

You mean like,

"if someone has a bounty above a certain amount (say $5000) than he can't sell his ship, modules, or even re-arm/repair in a civilized sector. He can't dock in stations only outposts, and if his ship is too big.. he's in trouble. BUT.. if he can get to a station that is controlled by pirates then he can.. though the price would probably be higher than normal to get repaired. Maybe even have station personnel who can take care of their bounty for a hefty cut allowing him access back into civilized sectors.

I mean if someone wants to play as a pirate, lets make it at least partly realistic.

I don't understand being "hostile" to a system and the station allowing me to dock and fully repair, rearm and everything."

 

[relayer]

I remember seeing that they are good for weight loss, perhaps we need a Weight Loss mode, your guns only fire if you run 2 miles on a treadmill and you have to use a rowing machine to go to super cruise.

Weeelllll... actually, one of my virtual environments has just created a tie-in with computerized weight loss equipment. You can run on a treadmill at home, and your avatar runs through the virtual landscape. Pretty cool.

​

 

[Falcon_D]

I would really like for there to be an Open PvE mode, together with an Open PvP mode.

As others have pointed out, private groups are great, but to most people they are meant for like minded people or a group of friends.

When I first joined Elite, I thought the only way I was going to be able to PvE was to go into Solo. And that if I wanted to see other players I had to go into Open and play a playstyle I do not like. One of my posts on this forum was lucky enough to have been read by a Mobius commander and thus I was introduced to Mobius. If I hadn't been introduced to Mobius, I would have never known that a PvE community exists in this game. Now I don't even bother with the other 2 modes. My muscle memory has become such that once the main menu comes up my hands automatically select the right options to launch me into Mobius (I really wish the game would just load directly into Mobius, without having to keep selecting menu items in the main menu.)

An Open PvE mode showing up right in front of the players face when he/she is selecting a mode to play in would have been much better. If anything would probably help the game to increase its player base. An Open PvE mode where the game itself does not allow players to shoot or otherwise damage each other.

Have fun, fly safe.

 

[relayer]

You mean like...

The details should be thrashed out, sure. The point being that many players, open, "pirate" or solo who post here consider the question of penalties to not only be necessary but a kind of curious oversight on FD's part, and immersion is actually enhanced by a believable police/local Navy enforcing "hisec" and "medsec" areas and anarchy and "lowsec" being wild, wild west. It's a uniting cause, not a divisive one.

 

[why fi at all]

What's your problem with Mobius in Private Group or just the added danger in Open?
I can not vote due to it being a flawed selection.

flawed selection for sure.

i logged in a few hours ago and it's up at the top of the page, AND CLOSED with about a hundred votes.
so even with a good selection it is closed with only about forty sock puppets time to vote.

and not only that, it's invalid because the choice i would have voted for only had two votes. SO THERE!

by the way, two zeon four cores with hyper threading must mean very little client side lag with anything including star citizen.

 

[Raiko]

As a player who has never been the one who started a fight with another CMDR, I've always viewed the both the trade CGs and those two big clusters of rares-trading stations around Lave and 39 Tauri as places that FD have intentionally created bottlenecks in an otherwise completely open sandbox.

These bottlenecks allow all players to get together and have fun, trader, pirates, bounty-hunters, whatever...

I didn't have the play-time available this week to join in with the Hutton convoys, but those big convoys are yet another great thing that has happened in the game that would never have happened without open pvp. I'm really hoping that I'll have the time to join in with the next trade CG, either as a trader/blockade-runner or to try and improve my mediocre pvp skills by trying to protect the traders.

The biggest problem isn't the open pvp in my opinion, it's the netcode problems that stopped the escort patrols getting in the same instances as the 'bandits'.

Also the fact that a few of the bandits were running scripts to cheat, or blocking the medium pad for hours. Seriously, blocking the pad is just as low as running scripts or combat logging and anyone who did it should be ashamed of themselves. Raiding the queue of ships waiting to dock, that's great gameplay, but sitting blocking the pad so the other side can't possibly succeed? That's just cowardly.

I don't think it's fair to accuse the Code players of 'ruining' the CG or of trying to make it fail. By the time they showed up the CG had already succeeded. Maybe without the pvp the CG would have made it to Tier 5, maybe not, but that's good gameplay, and I really believe that the highest Tier of these CGs should be hard to achieve. So FD seem to have got the levels spot-on for the Hutton CG, unlike say the recent mining one.

I really wish I'd had the time available to join in at Hutton, it seems like it was another awesome and memorable gaming experience.

 

[ianw]

As a player who has never been the one who started a fight with another CMDR, I've always viewed the both the trade CGs and those two big clusters of rares-trading stations around Lave and 39 Tauri as places that FD have intentionally created bottlenecks in an otherwise completely open sandbox.

These bottlenecks allow all players to get together and have fun, trader, pirates, bounty-hunters, whatever...

I didn't have the play-time available this week to join in with the Hutton convoys, but those big convoys are yet another great thing that has happened in the game that would never have happened without open pvp. I'm really hoping that I'll have the time to join in with the next trade CG, either as a trader/blockade-runner or to try and improve my mediocre pvp skills by trying to protect the traders.

The biggest problem isn't the open pvp in my opinion, it's the netcode problems that stopped the escort patrols getting in the same instances as the 'bandits'.

Also the fact that a few of the bandits were running scripts to cheat, or blocking the medium pad for hours. Seriously, blocking the pad is just as low as running scripts or combat logging and anyone who did it should be ashamed of themselves. Raiding the queue of ships waiting to dock, that's great gameplay, but sitting blocking the pad so the other side can't possibly succeed? That's just cowardly.

I don't think it's fair to accuse the Code players of 'ruining' the CG or of trying to make it fail. By the time they showed up the CG had already succeeded. Maybe without the pvp the CG would have made it to Tier 5, maybe not, but that's good gameplay, and I really believe that the highest Tier of these CGs should be hard to achieve. So FD seem to have got the levels spot-on for the Hutton CG, unlike say the recent mining one.

I really wish I'd had the time available to join in at Hutton, it seems like it was another awesome and memorable gaming experience.

I agree with much of that but I don't think Hutton needed PVP to make it a success however being in open allowed people to get together - I gather the Mobius group had a lot of fun with it too.

The problem with pirates as far as I can see is they only really seem interested in one sided combat against non combat ships.

Even if the game properly supported wings going after the pirates that just doesn't seem to be what they want.

Which seems a shame.

 

[[VR] Mad Mike]

Also the fact that a few of the bandits were running scripts to cheat, or blocking the medium pad for hours. Seriously, blocking the pad is just as low as running scripts or combat logging and anyone who did it should be ashamed of themselves. Raiding the queue of ships waiting to dock, that's great gameplay, but sitting blocking the pad so the other side can't possibly succeed? That's just cowardly.

.

aye, i agree with this. Nowt wrong with PvP piracy (in open)... nowt wrong at all, but exploiting the game by tying up docking bays and ramming inside the NFZ (under 100 so to avoid fines) as well as out and out cheating is the scummy thing imo.

Any players in open who did not do this, but did try to interdict those running the gauntlet from the sun to the station in supercruise have my respect. The traders who ran this gauntlet in open even more so.

 

[Raiko]

I agree with much of that but I don't think Hutton needed PVP to make it a success however being in open allowed people to get together - I gather the Mobius group had a lot of fun with it too.

The problem with pirates as far as I can see is they only really seem interested in one sided combat against non combat ships.

Even if the game properly supported wings going after the pirates that just doesn't seem to be what they want.

Which seems a shame.

I agree with you 100% Ian. Some of the tricks being used by the 'pirates' - like blocking the pad - make me feel sad, and made me pause before submitting my previous post.

It's also pretty cowardly of any of them who docked at Hutton first, or using ways to destroy the trader without becoming wanted. Too many seem to want all the cards stacked in their favour.

And seriously, destoying the Hutton-cam ship? Why?

Many of these things can be fixed by FD tweaking the crime/punishment system further though, and I do think that more positive things came out of this CG than negative. Even though I was watching from afar, I was willing the convoys on.

 

[why fi at all]

I left out the part that people do this in open because it doesn't need to be said, doesn't change anything, and is subject to different factors than doing it in solo/private.

If, for some mind boggling reason, a person decides to merit grind for the sole purpose of getting rewards in open play then they can be opposed and any effect they would have had on PP (positive or negative) possibly negated - at least for that moment, until they either start grinding again (and possibly stopped again) or go into solo/private.

http://puu.sh/k5MXb/e1c6d287a7.jpg

The proof you so desire. I'll be happy to explain what this means if for some reason you can't discern it on your own.

i'm going to guess that's either a screen shot for the goal quest thingy, or for power play.


i'm just getting to the point i can usually escape interdiction and death. i just bought a diamondback explorer. [i think it's the explorer] the diamondback scout is the small one and the diamondback explorer is the big one, right?
anyway i have this big ship and the npc's have gleefully made sure i stay broke. those persistent little beast turds make me think of arnold in the terminator.

i may just sell it and go for a sidewinder and might have enough cash to equip it with "A" class modules and start anew with this character in a well equipped beginning ship.

but at least i have the cheater, coward, safe solo mode to grief the PVP'rs in. that thought always puts a tickle in my pickle.


has anyone else noticed that the crafting aspect of this game is a bit thin?

 

[[VR] Mad Mike]

i

has anyone else noticed that the crafting aspect of this game is a bit thin?

that is coming next year... and expanded on if you have season 2.

 

[why fi at all]

"Cody, get the check list out - We've had "easier", now "hide" is being thrown out here."

What is wrong with using these words lol? By hide I refer to people who play in open and the duck into solo to avoid combat. Totally legit way to play. Are FD against this?

"It meant they didn't want a PR disaster with people claiming mode switching was cheating "

I don;t think it is cheating. I am fine with people who want to go into solo.

"I'd love to play the game my way, but my mode is not in game yet"

Well, the game mode I wanted was in before I bought it.

"until then - I've been lied to by FD "

Okay then. that is your opinion. But it has nothing to do with me, I got what was on the tin.

you can always tell who the new guys are around these parts.

- - - Updated - - -

Hmm... not really up to scratch, those two! They really should try harder - if you're going to insult someone, at least do it with style!

Currently the best set: cowardly, cheating, filthy, casual, ignorant, risk-averse, mode-switching, misanthropic, Solo players!

You need to add militant in there!

and belligerent.

 

[[VR] Frank_G]

PvP occuring in open is totally fine, and you should expect it to happen sometimes.

On the other hand, I think the game would be vastly better if the penalties for killing a clean/non-ennemy player in high/med security systems
would bring harsh consequences on the offender, more so for repeated offenders. Consequences such as :

• increasing insurance premium, i.e. if the offender dies, has to pay a fine. For eg. an amount equal to killed player rebuy.
• credible escalating police response, with equivalent of the SWATs / Navy being sent after psychos / terrorists.
• NPC Bounty hunting parties, a bit like powerplay agents after defection.

On the other hand if you go into low security, don't expect harsh punishment for attackers, and if one goes into anarchy, well
then one is looking/asking for it

Think about it, right now, you can go to Sol or Archenar, murder 20-30 ships and be totally okay by moving to a nearby system. Seriously XD ?

I agree that PvP is totally ok, when killing other people would bring consequences.

At a certain bounty value, the player should become a faction wide wanted criminal. No insurance covers for ships, no docking at stations if being scanned and identified by local security... if the criminal is shot down he has to pay the bounty and the same amount to the authorities to be released. If there isnt enough money for that, stored ships are being sold... And if there still isnt enough money... Back to sidey with 1000 credits.

Currently being a criminal brings no risk. Being shot down in a fully loaded transport results in massive monetary loss. Handle criminals like criminals. That is the only thing that needs to be taken care of in my opinion.

 

[Jockey79]

Currently being a criminal brings no risk.

And yet, they name call anyone who does not play open mode, due to "less risk"

 

[[VR] Frank_G]

And yet, they name call anyone who does not play open mode, due to "less risk"

Maybe i said this wrong, i meant: currently being a criminal does not bring any risk to the criminal ingame character.

 

[Marra Morgan]

http://puu.sh/k5MXb/e1c6d287a7.jpg

The proof you so desire. I'll be happy to explain what this means if for some reason you can't discern it on your own.

I'm very familiar with the PowerPlay screens and I can't see how this proves anything other than that Aisling succeeded in this expansion.
There is no indication of how many points were made in Solo, Group or Open play. Probably because it's irrelevant and makes no difference.

If you wanted to oppose it, you need to have hunted down NPC's or Players carrying the Sealed Contracts and stolen them through force. At a push, I could claim this is harder to do in Solo and Group as your targets are limited to NPCs, but in reality Open players will also be gunning for the NPCs because players are too few and far between.

 

[Jockey79]

Maybe i said this wrong, i meant: currently being a criminal does not bring any risk to the criminal ingame character.

No, you said it right but missed my point.

Criminals have little to no risk, yet insult others on the grounds of "risk" - the very thing they don't have they use and an insult to others.
Just an amusing thought - that someone who only targets unarmed ships (or gangs up 4 on 1) who won't get punished as they out gun or out run the police can go about calling other people cowards.

 

[Mouse]

I agree that PvP is totally ok, when killing other people would bring consequences.

At a certain bounty value, the player should become a faction wide wanted criminal. No insurance covers for ships, no docking at stations if being scanned and identified by local security... if the criminal is shot down he has to pay the bounty and the same amount to the authorities to be released. If there isnt enough money for that, stored ships are being sold... And if there still isnt enough money... Back to sidey with 1000 credits.

Currently being a criminal brings no risk. Being shot down in a fully loaded transport results in massive monetary loss. Handle criminals like criminals. That is the only thing that needs to be taken care of in my opinion.

Few posts up I proposed a way to give criminals risk, you offered some similar ideas.. And yeah .. A transport fully loaded dies.. can put them back to the beginning.

 

[Marra Morgan]

I agree that PvP is totally ok, when killing other people would bring consequences.

At a certain bounty value, the player should become a faction wide wanted criminal. No insurance covers for ships, no docking at stations if being scanned and identified by local security... if the criminal is shot down he has to pay the bounty and the same amount to the authorities to be released. If there isnt enough money for that, stored ships are being sold... And if there still isnt enough money... Back to sidey with 1000 credits.

Currently being a criminal brings no risk. Being shot down in a fully loaded transport results in massive monetary loss. Handle criminals like criminals. That is the only thing that needs to be taken care of in my opinion.

As someone who roleplays a criminal, I fully agree with you

Bounties could be higher, yes. Being caught smuggling should result in bounty and not fine.

And personally I'd like to see more aggressive security forces. Once you become a faction-wide criminal, your notoriety should mean that security actively hunts you and doesn't mess about with scanning you - they interdict you and come in guns blazing! Stations would also be alerted to you, making docking with stations of that faction very difficult if not impossible.

Token on-topic statement: The above should apply in all modes

 

[Mouse]

As someone who roleplays a criminal, I fully agree with you

Bounties could be higher, yes. Being caught smuggling should result in bounty and not fine.

And personally I'd like to see more aggressive security forces. Once you become a faction-wide criminal, your notoriety should mean that security actively hunts you and doesn't mess about with scanning you - they interdict you and come in guns blazing! Stations would also be alerted to you, making docking with stations of that faction very difficult if not impossible.

Token on-topic statement: The above should apply in all modes

What are you views on this idea?

"if someone has a bounty above a certain amount (say $5000) than he can't sell his ship, modules, or even re-arm/repair in a civilized sector. He can't dock in stations only outposts, and if his ship is too big.. he's in trouble. BUT.. if he can get to a station that is controlled by pirates then he can.. though the price would probably be higher than normal to get repaired. Maybe even have station personnel who can take care of their bounty for a hefty cut allowing him access back into civilized sectors.

I mean if someone wants to play as a pirate, lets make it at least partly realistic.

I don't understand being "hostile" to a system and the station allowing me to dock and fully repair, rearm and everything."