It's been said many times before but for some people the difference between being killed by a player versus AI is that for some people they want stuff that happens in game to have an in game meaning - so when they are blown up by an NPC that is okay because that is the game that's blowing them up for an in game reason.
That is different to being killed by someone who just likes to blow stuff up just because they can regardless of whether it makes sense in game.
You miss two points, the first Steve covers above so I'm leaving that.
The second is, the AI holds no malice and takes no enjoyment - it is controlled by SJA and does not act upon its own free will.
We also bought the game knowing there would be AI ships attacking us as part of the game.
Arrogant half wits who only get enjoyment from upsetting others, wasn't advertised on the box - in fact the Devs specifically state we can choose who we play with out of the human player base.
If you want to be invited in to my game and enjoy my company - then you will have to behave in a certain way. After all, the Devs gave me the choice to let you in to my game just like you have the choice not to let me in to your game.
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Shadow ban is on another server isn't it?
Wasn't stated that those under shadow ban could not impact the BGS as theirs was static :S
If you have a bounty on your head and i want to claim it- That's because of in game reasons.
If you are a Trader with precious cargo and i am a pirate- I will attack you because of in game reasons.
If you ask for support and i am going to support you- That is because of in game reasons.
If i am in your territory and you do not want that- you will attack me, because of in game reasons.
Every action that i do in game is because of in game reasons.
Given that the shadowban mode exists and it would simply seem to be a setting of the matchmaking system (with a flag such that shadowbanned players do not affect the shared galaxy state), Ironman would similarly seem to be a relatively simple implementation.
What might be stopping Frontier at the moment is the likelihood that Ironman may well have much fewer players than the normal game mode, therefore making the galaxy seem even emptier.
What would be the reason to put a player in said shadowban, where he is being revoked his right to influence the galaxy? And please don't tell me that any actions i might take for in game reasons would be a reason to shadowban me. Because then i really can not play the way i supposedly can.
What can an individual do to loose his privilege to affect the galaxy, to be excluded, while every individual who decides to play in Solo/Group already refused this multiplayer environment, but still can affect it.
And Ironman might make the galaxy seem emptier? what does Solo/Group make the galaxy to seem? It is empty for everyone who plays Solo and empty for everyone who plays in group, plus a hand full of people that are invited. But the playerbase in Open has to be punished with the decisions others make. They complain that it is even empty in Open and that they have to live and accept the changes made in a singleplayer environment.
It is perfectly reasonable, in a game advertised as Single-Player (as well as Multi-Player), for players to choose to play Solo.
Where is the Multiplayer part when there is barely someone in Multiplayer. Just out of curiosity. Do numbers exist how many people in average played the game in Solo/Group compared to those who played exclusively in Open?
If this game would be like every other game with a single player and a multi player optional i wouldn't even care when Solo/Group outnumber Open players by a factor of 100. Because in the regular game with those modes the single player doesn't affect my multiplayer experience. He won't change the state of anything, he won't drain any trade routes, he won't change a controlling faction over something. If you want to make a change in a multi player environment you should do this in a multi player environment. Not in a semi "we share the same galaxy, so it is multi player" environment.
And please don't reject my argumentation simply with "because that's how Fdev has created it". Because that would be beyond any logical sense.