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

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One point that as far as I can see has never been mentioned.

FD have never actually said why the race to Elite and other competions are in open only. The general assumption here is that it's because they acknowledge that open is the more difficult play mode.

However I think it's also highly possible it's really because they have more ability to monitor possible cheating in open mode. Solo mode is designed for minimal bandwidth. Open can use a lot more bandwidth and there is probably a lot more telemetry.

An excellent hypothesis +1

(Btw, I think I was the one who asked why there were few complaints about Race to Elite competition -- I am very curious about this)
 
If that's what you think you bought you didn't research your purchase :)

Oh but I did, a year ago, I did a lot of research, I used google & youtube, I am an internet guru, a master of the dark arts (not so much but google & youtube are great), I had to buy a new PC to play the game, I did my research before I spent what to me is a lot of money (PC, PB1, HOTAS, EDtracker) ~ £800.

To me that's a lot of money, I know how much time I spent looking at ED & SC, how much I could spend on a new PC, my pc spec was, needs to run ED & SC.

I spent weeks researching this game before I bought it, please don't confuse me with someone who watched a trailer, bought the game and expects everything to be the same as the trailer that says "not real game footage".

How long did you spend looking into the game before you bought it?, what are you unhappy about now, what did YOU miss, how do you think it can be fixed, oh yeah & why do you think you have the right to change a game I bought almost a year ago because you just decided you don't like part of it?, I still don't get that bit, I have said to many people who want me to play the game I bought & paid for the way they think I should play it, PM me, paypal me £800 and I will, still not had a single offer.
 
Oh but I did, a year ago, I did a lot of research, I used google & youtube, I am an internet guru, a master of the dark arts (not so much but google & youtube are great), I had to buy a new PC to play the game, I did my research before I spent what to me is a lot of money (PC, PB1, HOTAS, EDtracker) ~ £800.

To me that's a lot of money, I know how much time I spent looking at ED & SC, how much I could spend on a new PC, my pc spec was, needs to run ED & SC.

I spent weeks researching this game before I bought it, please don't confuse me with someone who watched a trailer, bought the game and expects everything to be the same as the trailer that says "not real game footage".

How long did you spend looking into the game before you bought it?, what are you unhappy about now, what did YOU miss, how do you think it can be fixed, oh yeah & why do you think you have the right to change a game I bought almost a year ago because you just decided you don't like part of it?, I still don't get that bit, I have said to many people who want me to play the game I bought & paid for the way they think I should play it, PM me, paypal me £800 and I will, still not had a single offer.

I figure your research is just very poor......it has been long known that this game will keep evolving over the years........you seem to be bleating because it has been changing......well.....er.........there you go.... :)
 
Oh but I did, a year ago, I did a lot of research, I used google & youtube, I am an internet guru, a master of the dark arts (not so much but google & youtube are great), I had to buy a new PC to play the game, I did my research before I spent what to me is a lot of money (PC, PB1, HOTAS, EDtracker) ~ £800.

To me that's a lot of money, I know how much time I spent looking at ED & SC, how much I could spend on a new PC, my pc spec was, needs to run ED & SC.

I spent weeks researching this game before I bought it, please don't confuse me with someone who watched a trailer, bought the game and expects everything to be the same as the trailer that says "not real game footage".

How long did you spend looking into the game before you bought it?, what are you unhappy about now, what did YOU miss, how do you think it can be fixed, oh yeah & why do you think you have the right to change a game I bought almost a year ago because you just decided you don't like part of it?, I still don't get that bit, I have said to many people who want me to play the game I bought & paid for the way they think I should play it, PM me, paypal me £800 and I will, still not had a single offer.

lol have you even read any of my posts on the subject? I was in at private beta, I was following the game since kickstarter and have spent just as much money as you on it. That's not even pertinent to the subject anyway, that argument is the equivalent of "my dad earns more than your dad" and most people left that one in the playground.

I'm happy with mode switching as it is now and the only thing I take issue with is switching during the community goals but that point is moot as they're still testing how they work and they're subject to change like most of the game.

If you read my last couple of posts including the linked dev post from 2013 describing the way the "modes/flags" are set up we wouldn't be having this discussion.

My main point is there is one mode to ED and two options to opt out of player interactions. People keep parroting the "you chose to play open" stance when in fact it's a choice to opt out of player interactions by setting the solo or group flags, that's how the matchmaking works with this game.

If you look at my posts on the open pve thread I'm for advocating the implementation of an "open pve" flag but I'm skeptic as to whether it will happen anytime soon. This is due to the small number of players in mobius for example (1.5% of the player base) and the fact that as fd haven't managed to get friendly fire working correctly since beta it's probable that they've tried to implement open pve in the past but due to technical problems they haven't.

I'm for higher penalties for murder in the game and the need for consequences for actions, I pretty much agree with 90% of what you stand for including the ability for people to play their own way. I even think they shouldn't have released the wings update without the basic ability to allow players to recruit npc wings. The only thing I don't agree with is people thinking that because the old elites were pve (well they were offline so obviously they were . . .) that this incarnation of the franchise is pve with optional pvp.

From day one they wanted to make an online version of elite and they actively market it as a cut throat galaxy. FD are kind enough to give players the option to opt out of seeing other players and still enjoy and influence the universe as much as everyone else regardless of play style.

Believe what you want but from the way the game is setup and the way the mechanics work open is the main mode and opting out to group or solo is optional not the other way around. This doesn't even invalidate solo and group in anyway either, they're still both valid styles of play just not Fd's main focus.
 
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I figure your research is just very poor......it has been long known that this game will keep evolving over the years........you seem to be bleating because it has been changing......well.....er.........there you go.... :)

No my research was just fine, for my £100 I also bought the DLC on that basis, all major expansions, paid for in advance, with the knowledge I might not see it until 2015/2016 (they said 2015 but I realise it might not happen, I have been here a while, I am a realist and I will not push for content that I have paid for already (DLC) above content that will enrich the game for everyone, that should take priority.

This game will evolve, hopefully in line with the DDA though (you know the way they intended it to be from day 1, but there's still a lot missing)

I did my research and plenty of it, enough to decide I didn't want to spend £20 on SC at the same time.

"Bleating" I consider it helping to educate some newer members to the game why some things are as they are, just like the Alpha players did for me *& other betas when I was new & did not understand how the game worked, but whatever way you look at it FD did say they would make the "game we want to play" as they put it.

Whilst I applaud your dramatic conversion from "FD can check my account, I never even logged into open by mistake" to a full on open player, due to the love you now feel from those same open players, I think it will take a little more to convince me to do the same (that's crazy, it sounds I am making a choice about how I play the game I bought, just like you did!, geez close this thread before someone uses the word "fair" in the correct context)
 
Some people are confusing 'design architecture' with intent. Just because it's easier to create the maximum level of access, and then block levels as desired, doesn't mean the All version is the default, or optimum use. It was designed to have all of the options available at will. The process doesn't care why.
 
I'm noticing a trend here saying that the "one galaxy for all" is a good design choice. I'm having trouble with the premise of "one galaxy". Are we really in one galaxy just because some of our actions reflect in it? I say some because if two players play in solo they could enter or leave the same station in the same time w/o hinder each other. Are those two in the same galaxy? Seems to me that FDevs arbitrarily selected what actions reflect in the galaxy while other actions have no effect.
I consider the one galaxy mantra the weak spot of the game.

And don't fool yourself even in solo you are PvP-ing when you are influencing a market or a faction or a CG. PvP without consequences in a game that claims that every action have consequences some of them very harsh. I have no problem with that, to be honest, but we have to notice the inconsistency here.

I've played mostly solo since release and I'm up to a Python now. I've tried everything and I'm not really interested to keep playing just for the next big ship so the only thing I can think of is to start playing in open but I'm aware that it will be harsh and frustrating under the current rules. I know you don't care but last night I just re-installed HOMM3 because I couldn't make myself go in open (yeah I'm a -cat I know) and was bored of solo. That doesn't mean that I didn't enjoyed ED a lot. I did and would recommend it as a good value purchase to anyone that asks ;).
 
I'm noticing a trend here saying that the "one galaxy for all" is a good design choice. I'm having trouble with the premise of "one galaxy". Are we really in one galaxy just because some of our actions reflect in it? I say some because if two players play in solo they could enter or leave the same station in the same time w/o hinder each other. Are those two in the same galaxy? Seems to me that FDevs arbitrarily selected what actions reflect in the galaxy while other actions have no effect.
I consider the one galaxy mantra the weak spot of the game.

And don't fool yourself even in solo you are PvP-ing when you are influencing a market or a faction or a CG. PvP without consequences in a game that claims that every action have consequences some of them very harsh. I have no problem with that, to be honest, but we have to notice the inconsistency here.

I've played mostly solo since release and I'm up to a Python now. I've tried everything and I'm not really interested to keep playing just for the next big ship so the only thing I can think of is to start playing in open but I'm aware that it will be harsh and frustrating under the current rules. I know you don't care but last night I just re-installed HOMM3 because I couldn't make myself go in open (yeah I'm a -cat I know) and was bored of solo. That doesn't mean that I didn't enjoyed ED a lot. I did and would recommend it as a good value purchase to anyone that asks ;).

Sounds like you might be interested in Open PvE ;)

Or, the closest we have now: Mobius
go to private groups, search 'mobius', and request to join 6000 likeminded players
 
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I think all that really needs to be changed is that more progress is applied to the Community Goals and Background Simulation in Open play. That way the in game rewards for players is the same no matter the mode you prefer but at least if people want to play in the more dangerous mode their efforts towards the goals and influence changes are rewarded. Killing players on the opposing side of conflict zones could also count for more behind the scenes.


Currently in Solo/Group the goals get done faster. If they made Open have a modifier to the background progress that was 10x higher, just for example, then every ton you hand in, and every npc killed would be the same as 10 killed/tons in Solo/Group. They can figure out a number that balances it but Im willing to bet that Solo/Group is at least 10x more efficient.
 
I think all that really needs to be changed is that more progress is applied to the Community Goals and Background Simulation in Open play. That way the in game rewards for players is the same no matter the mode you prefer but at least if people want to play in the more dangerous mode their efforts towards the goals and influence changes are rewarded. Killing players on the opposing side of conflict zones could also count for more behind the scenes.


Currently in Solo/Group the goals get done faster. If they made Open have a modifier to the background progress that was 10x higher, just for example, then every ton you hand in, and every npc killed would be the same as 10 killed/tons in Solo/Group. They can figure out a number that balances it but Im willing to bet that Solo/Group is at least 10x more efficient.

Like I said earlier: do that and you will have a lot of players looking at how to trick the matchmaking system into never pairing them with anyone even when playing open. After all, being paired with someone that has a high ping to you will make both your and his game lag like hell, something the matchmaking is designed to prevent, which in turn allows it to be easily manipulated.

Giving bonuses to those that choose open in the menu isn't just disrespectful to the players that prefer solo, it's unlikely to work because it can be easily circumvented.
 
lol have you even read any of my posts on the subject? I was in at private beta, I was following the game since kickstarter and have spent just as much money as you on it. That's not even pertinent to the subject anyway, that argument is the equivalent of "my dad earns more than your dad" and most people left that one in the playground.

I'm happy with mode switching as it is now and the only thing I take issue with is switching during the community goals but that point is moot as they're still testing how they work and they're subject to change like most of the game.

If you read my last couple of posts including the linked dev post from 2013 describing the way the "modes/flags" are set up we wouldn't be having this discussion.

My main point is there is one mode to ED and two options to opt out of player interactions. People keep parroting the "you chose to play open" stance when in fact it's a choice to opt out of player interactions by setting the solo or group flags, that's how the matchmaking works with this game.

If you look at my posts on the open pve thread I'm for advocating the implementation of an "open pve" flag but I'm skeptic as to whether it will happen anytime soon. This is due to the small number of players in mobius for example (1.5% of the player base) and the fact that as fd haven't managed to get friendly fire working correctly since beta it's probable that they've tried to implement open pve in the past but due to technical problems they haven't.

I'm for higher penalties for murder in the game and the need for consequences for actions, I pretty much agree with 90% of what you stand for including the ability for people to play their own way. I even think they shouldn't have released the wings update without the basic ability to allow players to recruit npc wings. The only thing I don't agree with is people thinking that because the old elites were pve (well they were offline so obviously they were . . .) that this incarnation of the franchise is pve with optional pvp.

From day one they wanted to make an online version of elite and they actively market it as a cut throat galaxy. FD are kind enough to give players the option to opt out of seeing other players and still enjoy and influence the universe as much as everyone else regardless of play style.

Believe what you want but from the way the game is setup and the way the mechanics work open is the main mode and opting out to group or solo is optional not the other way around. This doesn't even invalidate solo and group in anyway either, they're still both valid styles of play just not Fd's main focus.

Yes I have read quite a lot of your posts and agree with you on a fair few things.

The only reason I mentioned the price was its not an amount I would spend without doing some research first.

I have just come from the reading the open pve thread, and if FD could implement an open pve group where only the people in that group can interact (not pve / pvp mix in same group that can't attack each other) then I don't think its a bad idea.

I am personally ok they released wings without being able to hire AI yet, even though recently I have spent more time in solo, if I want to play in a wing I can play in a group or open, we know its on the way.
 
Today i testet the Open Mode with a Little Ship (Hauler) with 1 Cargo of Robotics (T-800 :p). Normal i Play in Mobius Group.

So, my First Contact:

> Interdicted me
> Sayed "Hi" to him - No Answer
> Second Ship dropped in
> Sayed "Uh a Friend, Hi to you" - No Answer
> Sayed "Want Cargo?" - No Answer
> First One Rammed me - Shields Down - 60% Hull
> Try so Ask "Bo Cargo? So Why y......"
> Second Rammed me
> Dead

So yes its Good we have Open - Private - Solo Mode.

- Solo Mode = Don`t know a bit Boring
- Private = Community Activity, Chat Active (9/10 Answer), Friendly, Helping each other.
- Open = No Chat (Tryed to Chat to other CMDR`s only 1 of 20 Answer), Psychopatic Rammer/killer, Laggs (Jumping Ships, Jumping Position etc...)

So yes my First Test is my Last Test in Open. Stay in private :)
 
Today i testet the Open Mode with a Little Ship (Hauler) with 1 Cargo of Robotics (T-800 :p). Normal i Play in Mobius Group.

So, my First Contact:

> Interdicted me
> Sayed "Hi" to him - No Answer
> Second Ship dropped in
> Sayed "Uh a Friend, Hi to you" - No Answer
> Sayed "Want Cargo?" - No Answer
> First One Rammed me - Shields Down - 60% Hull
> Try so Ask "Bo Cargo? So Why y......"
> Second Rammed me
> Dead

So yes its Good we have Open - Private - Solo Mode.

- Solo Mode = Don`t know a bit Boring
- Private = Community Activity, Chat Active (9/10 Answer), Friendly, Helping each other.
- Open = No Chat (Tryed to Chat to other CMDR`s only 1 of 20 Answer), Psychopatic Rammer/killer, Laggs (Jumping Ships, Jumping Position etc...)

So yes my First Test is my Last Test in Open. Stay in private :)

Funny. Planned on doing things like this if solo/group ever get cancelled/balanced too much.
Must think of something else... i'm not needed to give open a bad name :(
 
Here's my experiment :

Played for 450 hours since release in open (350 hours before that in beta).
Traded up to anaconda in open.
Shot at by random player twice (both times jumped away unscathed, no communication from player).
Pirated once (dropped cargo had a chat and went on my way).
Killed by players twice in conflict zones (fair game).

Made about 20 friends who I chat to flying around the galaxy.

Not everyone has a bad experience. I still advocate an official open pve mode as discussed in the open pve thread. I'll still play 100% in open myself.
 
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Today i testet the Open Mode with a Little Ship (Hauler) with 1 Cargo of Robotics (T-800 :p). Normal i Play in Mobius Group.

So, my First Contact:

> Interdicted me
> Sayed "Hi" to him - No Answer
> Second Ship dropped in
> Sayed "Uh a Friend, Hi to you" - No Answer
> Sayed "Want Cargo?" - No Answer
> First One Rammed me - Shields Down - 60% Hull
> Try so Ask "Bo Cargo? So Why y......"
> Second Rammed me
> Dead

So yes its Good we have Open - Private - Solo Mode.

- Solo Mode = Don`t know a bit Boring
- Private = Community Activity, Chat Active (9/10 Answer), Friendly, Helping each other.
- Open = No Chat (Tryed to Chat to other CMDR`s only 1 of 20 Answer), Psychopatic Rammer/killer, Laggs (Jumping Ships, Jumping Position etc...)

So yes my First Test is my Last Test in Open. Stay in private :)
That's why I play in solo mode only. I just don't find it fun being killed by another player. Especially when trying to be a space trader. People in open can play however they want and I will play however I want in solo. Plus, I never really liked playing with other people anyway. I'm a solitary gamer that prefers my own company over the company of others.
 
The problem is the pirates' impunity. If the game dealt correctly with pirates, gankers and griefers, private groups like Mobius' wouldn't be needed at all.

- Make the security level of systems meaningful and effective. So wanted peoples would be relatively safe in anarchy systems, but would definitely risk their lives in high security systems.
- Make the bounty values meaningful, so if you have a 400 cr bounty on your head, system security will interdict you and will let you go with a warning, but if you have a 100K cr bounty, they'll hunt you down and kill you.
- Make it so that pirates cannot pay their bounties to the faction that want them. So if they are wanted in the Federation, they'd have to go to an Empire or Independent system to pay their bounties off.
- Make it impossible for them to even dock at a station where they are wanted ("request denied, system security deploying").
- And make it dangerous for them to even travel through systems where they are wanted.

This would only be realism. Some guy parking near a starport and shooting or ramming with impunity the ships that exit wouldn't be possible in real life (except maybe in some anarchy systems) and is completely immersion breaking. Make the game's reaction to that kind of guys realistic and I'll be in Open all the time!
 
The problem is the pirates' impunity. If the game dealt correctly with pirates, gankers and griefers, private groups like Mobius' wouldn't be needed at all.

- Make the security level of systems meaningful and effective. So wanted peoples would be relatively safe in anarchy systems, but would definitely risk their lives in high security systems.
- Make the bounty values meaningful, so if you have a 400 cr bounty on your head, system security will interdict you and will let you go with a warning, but if you have a 100K cr bounty, they'll hunt you down and kill you.
- Make it so that pirates cannot pay their bounties to the faction that want them. So if they are wanted in the Federation, they'd have to go to an Empire or Independent system to pay their bounties off.
- Make it impossible for them to even dock at a station where they are wanted ("request denied, system security deploying").
- And make it dangerous for them to even travel through systems where they are wanted.

This would only be realism. Some guy parking near a starport and shooting or ramming with impunity the ships that exit wouldn't be possible in real life (except maybe in some anarchy systems) and is completely immersion breaking. Make the game's reaction to that kind of guys realistic and I'll be in Open all the time!

This! So many times this!

There are some good examples of piracy on the open server making it to these forums. Pirates who request an amount of cargo, get that cargo and then clear off without being and blowing the player up. There should be a way for the player to report the theft to the local authorities, but this should be a minor penalty compared to an attack.

Destroying another player (who isn't already wanted) should be dealt with by local and faction security in the way described by Flip.
 
The problem is the pirates' impunity. If the game dealt correctly with pirates, gankers and griefers, private groups like Mobius' wouldn't be needed at all.

- Make the security level of systems meaningful and effective. So wanted peoples would be relatively safe in anarchy systems, but would definitely risk their lives in high security systems.
- Make the bounty values meaningful, so if you have a 400 cr bounty on your head, system security will interdict you and will let you go with a warning, but if you have a 100K cr bounty, they'll hunt you down and kill you.
- Make it so that pirates cannot pay their bounties to the faction that want them. So if they are wanted in the Federation, they'd have to go to an Empire or Independent system to pay their bounties off.
- Make it impossible for them to even dock at a station where they are wanted ("request denied, system security deploying").
- And make it dangerous for them to even travel through systems where they are wanted.

This would only be realism. Some guy parking near a starport and shooting or ramming with impunity the ships that exit wouldn't be possible in real life (except maybe in some anarchy systems) and is completely immersion breaking. Make the game's reaction to that kind of guys realistic and I'll be in Open all the time!

I agree with this on all points. Right now system security is so laughable and NPC AI so inept, that players are advised to treat EVERY system as lawless anarchy. Trust no one, and always be on the lookout.

Which is a shame as it removes a lot of diversity from the game world.
 
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