I haven't posted here for a bit, but I was thinking about this again the other day and felt like updating/adding some thoughts.
Problem 1: Switching between Solo and Open
I have no problem with people being able to choose whether they want to play in Open or Solo, as both are valid ways to play the game. However, being able to switch between them at a whim when things don't exactly go your way is a problem. They need to at least have separate save files, and I wouldn't be against having to choose one or the other. Now I'm not saying that after you pick Solo or Open you should be stuck there forever. There should be an ability to transfer your save file from one to the other, say for a fee and a cooldown period (ex. server transfers in WoW) to avoid abuse (also, a consistent revenue stream for fdev). But to go in Open, have things go your way for a while (i.e. successful pirating, combat PvP, etc.), and then retreat to Solo once you are outclassed or someone comes to punish you is just unfair. It would be like going to rob someone for their money, then once the cops show up you are able to just teleport out of that situation to avoid ever suffering potential consequences. And you are able to do this as many times as you want.
Problem 2: Private groups vs. Open
I think this is one of the reasons Open seems so empty most of the time. Lots of people have their own private groups and play with each other, separate from the Open world. This is why the addition of guilds won't really do anything to help this problem, as guilds will just end up playing in their own private group most of the time. Stop separating the playerbase! If you want to play with other players, you play in Open, period. Instead of having a private group mode, how about players/guilds should be able to control their own systems within Open? Maybe have player-created permits that can be handed out at their discretion. How about adding the possibility of creating counterfeit permits to get illegal access in order to pirate the area? So many interesting possibilities and emergent gameplay potential here.
Problem 3: Huge inefficiency in Open
One of the biggest problems in Open is that it is pretty much always the worst mode to make money in. Want to bounty hunt? The scaling in RES is almost non-existent as the number of players increases, and everyone is fighting to get the bounty credits for each limited spawn. But in solo? Every wanted NPC pirate is yours to kill. No need to worry about another player stealing your kill, ever. Want to trade? In Open, you may be pirated, meaning you lose some of that precious money. In Open, you may not be able to dock right away, you may have to wait a few minutes for someone to leave. In Solo, no need to worry. As I said before: if you are looking to make the most CR/hour, you would have to be an idiot and/or unknowledgeable to grind in Open, which leads me to the next problem.
Problem 4: No middle class in Open
I usually only see two extremes of players in Open: the harmless sidewinder, and the kitted out python/clipper/conda. In other words, the inexperienced player who doesn't know any better, and the end-game player with a fully kitted out vessel looking for some action. Most of those in the middle who are experienced are grinding to their next ship in Solo for max CR/hour. Now I can't confirm this as I don't know the numbers. However, I know that if I personally want to make 4-5 million CR per hour consistently without worrying about being blown up in my D-grade ship, Solo is by far the best option. Add some damn incentives to play in Open, because as it stands right now there are so many downsides and limitations that it's just frustrating, especially if you are not fully kitted out.
Problem 1: Switching between Solo and Open
I have no problem with people being able to choose whether they want to play in Open or Solo, as both are valid ways to play the game. However, being able to switch between them at a whim when things don't exactly go your way is a problem. They need to at least have separate save files, and I wouldn't be against having to choose one or the other. Now I'm not saying that after you pick Solo or Open you should be stuck there forever. There should be an ability to transfer your save file from one to the other, say for a fee and a cooldown period (ex. server transfers in WoW) to avoid abuse (also, a consistent revenue stream for fdev). But to go in Open, have things go your way for a while (i.e. successful pirating, combat PvP, etc.), and then retreat to Solo once you are outclassed or someone comes to punish you is just unfair. It would be like going to rob someone for their money, then once the cops show up you are able to just teleport out of that situation to avoid ever suffering potential consequences. And you are able to do this as many times as you want.
Problem 2: Private groups vs. Open
I think this is one of the reasons Open seems so empty most of the time. Lots of people have their own private groups and play with each other, separate from the Open world. This is why the addition of guilds won't really do anything to help this problem, as guilds will just end up playing in their own private group most of the time. Stop separating the playerbase! If you want to play with other players, you play in Open, period. Instead of having a private group mode, how about players/guilds should be able to control their own systems within Open? Maybe have player-created permits that can be handed out at their discretion. How about adding the possibility of creating counterfeit permits to get illegal access in order to pirate the area? So many interesting possibilities and emergent gameplay potential here.
Problem 3: Huge inefficiency in Open
One of the biggest problems in Open is that it is pretty much always the worst mode to make money in. Want to bounty hunt? The scaling in RES is almost non-existent as the number of players increases, and everyone is fighting to get the bounty credits for each limited spawn. But in solo? Every wanted NPC pirate is yours to kill. No need to worry about another player stealing your kill, ever. Want to trade? In Open, you may be pirated, meaning you lose some of that precious money. In Open, you may not be able to dock right away, you may have to wait a few minutes for someone to leave. In Solo, no need to worry. As I said before: if you are looking to make the most CR/hour, you would have to be an idiot and/or unknowledgeable to grind in Open, which leads me to the next problem.
Problem 4: No middle class in Open
I usually only see two extremes of players in Open: the harmless sidewinder, and the kitted out python/clipper/conda. In other words, the inexperienced player who doesn't know any better, and the end-game player with a fully kitted out vessel looking for some action. Most of those in the middle who are experienced are grinding to their next ship in Solo for max CR/hour. Now I can't confirm this as I don't know the numbers. However, I know that if I personally want to make 4-5 million CR per hour consistently without worrying about being blown up in my D-grade ship, Solo is by far the best option. Add some damn incentives to play in Open, because as it stands right now there are so many downsides and limitations that it's just frustrating, especially if you are not fully kitted out.
