Modes The Solo vs Open vs Groups Thread [See new thread]

[Beetlebum]

It is only unfair if everyone doesn't have the same option. Since we all have the exact same options it is a level playing field.

Everyone has the option to cheat in poker. But that does not make cheating in poker a fair behavior. I don't say that people who switch as they like are cheaters, because the game is designed that way. But it does not feel right to me. I don't want to steal your guys something. I just would love an additional mode for gamers like me.

 

[Korvinus]

Didn't think i would be after seeing your other posts but +1 to that!

Yeah, I admit to being a git.

I really think balancing the punishments is the only way to go that will please everyone.

Again;

• Have much higher fines for murdering CLEAN players
  • Pirate murders trader. > Pirate get's 5k fine. > Trader loses potentially MILLIONS. > Trader grudgingly goes to solo.
• Have trade insurance for traders (this is rumored already I think..?)

This way, solo is not at a disadvantage, and Open play is more appealing for all types of players.

 

[TheNameIsJambo]

I feel that there should only be one or two modes - since offline isn't an option anymore:

Option 1: PvP only [unlikely, since not everyone likes competitive games].
Option 2: PvE w/ PvP flags [Yes, just like WoW]

I know this isn't flagged as an MMO anymore, but Wings will make 'Group' mode moot - Apart from Möbius; which would also become moot if we had a PvE server.

The PvP flag could be switched on/off as easily as your Landing Gear being deployed...

No?

 

[Calador]

I play open as a trader, my real life brother in law plays solo. I like how I play, he likes how he plays, we both enjoy the game and still enjoy the discussions.

Incidentally the reason PVP is getting worse is that as more and more traders move to solo the number of available PVP targets diminishes, the ones that remain get more and more attention causing them to leave also. If you did the "Foxes and Rabbits" science project at school (mainly looking at the over 40's now) this is simply a version of that model. For my part if the PVP environment continues to be increasingly unpleasant I will also move to solo mode until it settles down.

Thanks

Paul

 

[Faded Glory]

I have no issues with the game as it is. I play about 50/50 open and solo, including open in the dreaded Lave and Leesti systems. Saw lots of CMDRs, but only got interdicted by NPC's, which was absolutely fine. I don't find open to be a richer experience particularly, and most of my interactions with other CMDRs has been them slamming into me (accidentally) in and around starports where they are (presumably) using speed to try and get around being scanned.

I think the right to choose how you want to play the game is one of the core values, isn't it? Want to trade, explore, mine, pirate, bounty hunt? The choice is yours, and so should it be to play open, group or solo. I don't think many people choose to play as a victim in open, and that I imagine will always be a problem. Forcing someone to play open will never succeed, and I cannot imagine FD want to alienate any of their players/customers by doing that. The argument that players start out in solo, build a vast fortune then come into open in a scary Anaconda seems pretty far fetched, and probably also runs contrary to the PvP belief that you'll never have any skills if you only fight NPCs and not real CMDRs, so presumably they shouldn't be scared of those newbie open CMDRs in their Anacondas anyway, and should welcome them with deployed hardpoints.

 

[DoneWithFD]

Can someone explain this hiding in solo and making a bucketload of money game mechanic to me? Because I played solo, and my money did not come in bucketloads.

I too would like to know this secret. But it seems that it is known only to a select group who play open, and they're unwilling to share the secrets of an easily amassed fleet of fully armed Anacondas.

 

[Dabba]

Everyone has the option to cheat in poker. But that does not make cheating in poker a fair behavior. I don't say that people who switxh as they like are cheaters, because the game is designed that way. But it does not feel right to me. I don't want to steal your guys something. I just would love an additional mode for gamers like me.

That is a terrible analogy because by definition cheating is against the rules, and if you get caught you're going to get kicked out of the game or worse, so it really has nothing at all in common with Solo mode which is perfectly within the rule set. It doesnt feel right to me that people should be able to so easily kill clean status commanders with almost no repurcussion, but that is just the way the game is.

It sounds like you are asking for Ironman mode, and in that we are the same, I am also very much looking forward to Ironman mode.

 

[Beetlebum]

But there is very little risk of even meeting another player once you are out of the core systems,

If one uses the game mechanics to hide IN the universe, it is okay by me, because it is not meta and one has to 'do' something, finding a new home. There is a reason why switching to solo disqualifies from the race to elite competition.

 

[Joe Spivey]

I feel that there should only be one or two modes - since offline isn't an option anymore:

Option 1: PvP only [unlikely, since not everyone likes competitive games].
Option 2: PvE w/ PvP flags [Yes, just like WoW]

I know this isn't flagged as an MMO anymore, but Wings will make 'Group' mode moot - Apart from Möbius; which would also become moot if we had a PvE server.

The PvP flag could be switched on/off as easily as your Landing Gear being deployed...

No?

But you are proposing a solution to a problem that does not exist. The current system is working as designed.

 

[CMDR Bansidhe]

But there is very little risk of even meeting another player once you are out of the core systems, never mind someone who wants to PvP. So again, where is the risk?

Semantics. Even the small chance of meeting someone in open is still greater than zero chance to meet someone else in solo.

You are just avoiding the point here.

For a start your viewpoint requires players to jump through particular hoops to be safe from player interdiction - namely moving away from the core systems. Playing in solo does not require the same hoop-jumping. It is so easily demonstrable that the two modes are not equatable in terms of safety.

For them to be equatable what one applies to one must also apply to the other. This is simply not the case, regardless of how you try to twist things.

 

[Robert Maynard]

Everyone has the option to cheat in poker. But that does not make cheating in poker a fair behavior. I don't say that people who switxh as they like are cheaters, because the game is designed that way. But it does not feel right to me. I don't want to steal your guys something. I just would love an additional mode for gamers like me.

If you are not trying to compare players who use the group switching feature with cheating in poker, why include the poker reference at all...?

 

[Beetlebum]

That is a terrible analogy because by definition cheating is against the rules,

I thought I was clear about that. I don't mean it IS cheating, I said it FEELS to me like cheating and therefore I don't like that. Why shouldn't players like me get the experience we want? You wouldn't lose anything.

It sounds like you are asking for Ironman mode, and in that we are the same, I am also very much looking forward to Ironman mode.

I haven't heard about that before. I hope it is not TOO hardcore, so that you lose everything when you die like the hardcore mode in Diablo 3?

 

[Joe Spivey]

If one uses the game mechanics to hide IN the universe, it is okay by me, because it is not meta and one has to 'do' something, finding a new home. There is a reason why switching to solo disqualifies from the race to elite competition.

Now you are just creating a strawman argument. Please respond to the actual argument. I will reiterate it for you. 'What is the difference between saving up and buying a mega ship in Solo, and saving up and buying a mega ship in a remote part of Open? In neither case will you be disturbed by another player. And in neither case will you even know HOW the player paid for it.

 

[Beetlebum]

If you are not trying to compare players who use the group switching feature with cheating in poker, why include the poker reference at all...?

Because it feels a bit similar to me. Like 'legal cheating'. It undermines the point of playing for people who like it a bit more competitive and realistic.

 

[Dabba]

Because it feels a bit similar to me. Like 'legal cheating'. It undermines the point of playing for people who like it a bit more competitive and realistic.

I think a better analogy is that Open is poker, and Solo is solitaire. Neither is cheating, and solitaire won't prepare you for poker, but you can go play poker whenever you want.

I thought I was clear about that. I don't mean it IS cheating, I said it FEELS to me like cheating and therefore I don't like that. Why shouldn't players like me get the experience we want? You wouldn't lose anything.



I haven't heard about that before. I hope it is not TOO hardcore, so that you lose everything when you die like the hardcore mode in Diablo 3?

It is pretty hardcore, you should read the info in the DDA about it, it sounds amazing to me, and more importantly it will be its own locked mode where only other Ironman players will be. I can't wait.

 

[Beetlebum]

Now you are just creating a strawman argument. Please respond to the actual argument. I will reiterate it for you. 'What is the difference between saving up and buying a mega ship in Solo, and saving up and buying a mega ship in a remote part of Open? In neither case will you be disturbed by another player. And in neither case will you even know HOW the player paid for it.

You are totally missing my point. Please read again.

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I think a better analogy is that Open is poker, and Solo is solitaire. Neither is cheating, and solitaire won't prepare you for poker, but you can go play poker whenever you want.

The problem is, that solitaire players can bring their hand to the poker game. (Sorry, my English is not that brilliant. I hope it made any sense. ^^)

 

[Dabba]

The problem is, that solitaire players can bring their hand to the poker game. (Sorry, my English is not that brilliant. I hope it made any sense. ^^)

They can bring their deck of cards to the game, because both games play with the same deck, but its going to be a totally different game.

 

[ermtony]

I too would like to know this secret. But it seems that it is known only to a select group who play open, and they're unwilling to share the secrets of an easily amassed fleet of fully armed Anacondas.

Rats! And there was me hoping to learn the secret in this thread. I guess I'll just have to keep pootling around in my Adder. I have grown rather fond of it.

 

[Joe Spivey]

You are totally missing my point. Please read again.

This is the point you made that I am addressing. "Hiding in solo at the beginning and switching to open when you have your full fletched anaconda is too meta to me. " My response being that there is no difference between saving up and buying a mega ship in Solo, and saving up and buying a mega ship in a remote part of Open? In neither case will you be disturbed by another player. And in neither case will you even know HOW the player paid for it.

Please respond to this.

 

[cakefan]

It's fine as it is. Nothing "unfair" or whatever about it. Everyone can play the way they like, which is GOOD.
This argument WILL go on forever...

To the people feeling lonely in open, have you ever considered that maybe

1. Your router/firewall settings may need tweaking? (UPnP, port forwarding)
2. You could join one of many groups to have company?
3. Your perception of this game may differ from reality, and it is not the game that needs adjustment, but your perception of reality?

A heavily instanced, p2p networked game, which is traditionally a rather solitary experience may not be the best choice for people looking for the full MMO experience. Even if people are in the same system as you are, chances are they are not in the same instance and you never get to see each other.

Can we PLEASE stop this nonsense and get back to enjoying the game?