Increase incentives to make people want to play in open which as you so rightly state is about player interaction. If your a solo player who enjoys solo, why go into open? There needs to be some reasons.
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Think about it from the open mode player's perspective. We want more people to play in open so that we ALL have more fun. A million people have stated that they don't find it "Fun" to have their cargo stolen or get interdicted by player pirates. They want to grind their way to whatever ship they are going to get and thats that. So why not offer them incentives to make open player experiences more fun? I personally don't care about the CG or background simulation I find it incredibly fun to play the role of a pirate and interdict people.
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That said, my statement of solo/group play should be left alone is referring to solo mode and private group mode which are in essence the same thing. Open play should be changed to try and attact more people to that game mode. That way it is more fun for everyone. So there isn't really a contradiction, increasing open play incentives means leaving solo/private group play alone.
The real point is the PLAYER EXPERIENCE. We need more of it, we need people to want to play in open mode. Right now there is simply no incentive for your average player without friends playing to jump into open play. Unless they like running from space pirates and making less money then they would in solo....but not many people like that do they.
Alright...you want incentives? Well, in order for ME to want to play in open, I'd need an invincible ship that can fly rings around more skilled players and weaponry that melts shields and hulls in no time flat. This way, I can blow THEM out of space and hurl fourth grade sexual orientation taunts at them while doing so. THAT's my incentive.
Edit:
Can you truly say with a straight face that "Yes, at this time, All three modes are fair and finely balanced when it comes to the Background Simulator, Local and regular Community goals, and eventually Power Play and other game mechanics that are based on Player/Group Input or contribution".
If those were properly balanced, then I'd have absolutely no reason to bring this up. Also Combat Logging. Shameful display.
Sure can. Because at the end of the day....player A choosing open and encountering nobody else while about their business gets the same rewards as if they'd chosen to play in group or solo.
The only factor is other people....which is your choice to handicap yourself with. Also, combat logging isn't the game's fault. By developer admission it's an EXPLOIT. That's straight up on the players abusing it, not the game.
it all boils down to the other players. You choose to put up with them and I don't. The game is balanced as it stands right now, because the rewards are the same across the board. Your choice of allowing competition for those rewards is your fault, not mine. Man up and accept the consequences of your choice.
Edit the Second:
To go back to the burger and fries analogy.....
Dad: Okay you three. What do you want?
Timmy: Burger and fries!
Billy: Fries!
Becky: Chicken nuggets and fries!
*Ordering and payment ensues. Food is gathered and transported to a table. Billy starts nabbing some of Timmy's fries after finishing his own, while Timmy is still eating a burger.*
Timmy: DAAAAaaaad!! Make Billy stop eating my fries!!
Dad: But you said on the way here that you didn't mind sharing. (Choosing open mode)
Timmy: Yeah, but I'm getting less food now!
*Meanwhile, Becky, who sat opposite the boys with their father is happily nomming away at her entire meal, undisturbed by her brothers.* (She chose solo mode. Smart girl!)
