There have been several threads on the topic of switching between solo/private groups/open. This thread is going to be the merge target for all other threads on the topic, no matter how 'unique' the thread creator may think their thread is. Creating a poll is not unique.
Posting in here has some specific rules. While the topic is up for debate, any baiting, insulting or swearing will result in a direct infraction, no warnings, no nice private messages. Baiting includes dead horse references, use of the words "easy mode" or "carebear", accusations of griefing, and picture spam.
And so to business.
Elite Dangerous is an online game that allows players to play in three potential 'modes':
- Online ALL group (called open play) where the player is in the same universe as all other players and can see and be seen by all others in open play
- Online PRIVATE GROUP play where the player is online in the same universe as all other players but will only ever see and be seen by others in the same private group
- Online SOLO play where the player is in the same universe as all other players, but will see no humans (essentially a private group of one).
Players can switch groups at will without penalty or change to their character's statistics.
All players have an effect on the background simulation regardless of mode they play in.
Feel free to debate below...