Two reasons why single player is more attractive than multi-player to me

[amigacooke]

Reason 1: I'm not responsible for other players enjoyment of the game. NPCs are an easy going crew, whether they win or lose they don't really seem to mind.

Reason 2: As my playing time is generally going to be off the cuff, I can play the game when I fancy without having to organise 'grouping' with other players and therefore being subject to the time schedule that others need to impose.

 

[natte hond]

Reason 1: I'm not responsible for other players enjoyment of the game. NPCs are an easy going crew, whether they win or lose they don't really seem to mind.

Reason 2: As my playing time is generally going to be off the cuff, I can play the game when I fancy without having to organise 'grouping' with other players and therefore being subject to the time schedule that others need to impose.

both are not valid points.
1 you never are unless your a griefer.
2 groupings doesn't necessarily means you play together.
there all sorts of forms.

 

[Antmax]

Biggest reason is that in the original elite you only lost everything on your last excursion if you died. With MP you lose everything and it only takes one malicious player with far superior wealth and firepower an instant to ruin your day. If your starting out, that means starting over again, and again, and again till you have enough to upgrade your ship and buy insurance.

Freebie sidewinder is ok, but right now even 5000cr takes some time to collect the traditional way. Once docking and landing pads are fixed (hopefully tuesday) it may not be quite so bad.

After a week I have a extra pulse laser and 5000 credits. So I can afford to get killed a couple of times. Even so, I basically save and exit if a player starts shooting at me.

I like coop, but prefer other games for PvP and came here for the original Elite and the assurances that PvP is going to be fairly limited in the game.

 

[Ramireza]

Even so, I basically save and exit if a player starts shooting at me.

Well, lets hope that this will be fixed too in the near future!

 

[Patrick_68000]

As long as the game (gamma or retail version) is not released, I think it's diffcult to have a realistic view on the choice of solo and multiplayers

 

[addthebadd]

Personally I play elite for pleasure not for competition so I love being able to meet real players in game but I find the PvP aspect frustrating. The NPC have a natural disadvantage of simple AI which makes them relatively easy picking, even for an average pilot like me. My frustration with PvP is that the time it takes for a ship to be killed can be incredibly short. I have a fully stocked Cobra and I can go from full shields and 100% hull to nothing in about 25 seconds, probably less. This makes most PvP more of an ambush and die sort of game rather than real PvP. The other obvious challenge is the large firepower differences between the ships. I do not want to loose the PvP aspect of the game but I think the way it works in the current Beta is not enjoyable for many players. One idea I thought of would be to more areas where players are on one side with additional NPC on their side against a 100% NPC opposition. There would still be PvP conflicts but players could choose whether to join them. Some conflicts could also have firepower requirements so that the ships weren't too unevenly matched, for those wanting an easier intoduction to PvP. The other thing I thought was that we are all in effect mercenaries and there could be a 'code of honour' where mercenaries do not attack other mercenaries, because tomorrow they may be fighting on the same side. Breaking the code could earn a bounty.

Just some thoughts, as has been said this is the beta, we need to discuss ideas so that Frontier can hear what we have to say.

 

[JughedJones]

Reason 1: I'm not responsible for other players enjoyment of the game. NPCs are an easy going crew, whether they win or lose they don't really seem to mind.

Reason 2: As my playing time is generally going to be off the cuff, I can play the game when I fancy without having to organise 'grouping' with other players and therefore being subject to the time schedule that others need to impose.

This really bums me out, on a lot of levels.

 

[Robert Maynard]

This really bums me out, on a lot of levels.

Why is that?

 

[JughedJones]

Why is that?

In his #1 notion, he talks about the NPCs as being lifeless easy targets that present no danger.

in his #2 notion, he seems to talk about only wanting to play with his friends in isolated groups.

both of those things bum me out.

 

[Robert Maynard]

In his #1 notion, he talks about the NPCs as being lifeless easy targets that present no danger.

in his #2 notion, he seems to talk about only wanting to play with his friends in isolated groups.

both of those things bum me out.

My take:

1) NPCs don't get upset when they are destroyed, neither do they teabag on winning.
2) He's not talking about playing in a group at all.

Why does how one player chooses to play the game affect your game at all?

 

[Shadowdancer]

To summarise the OP: "Two reasons why single player is more attractive than multi-player to me: EVE Online"

I won't be dawdling around much in multiplayer either.

 

[JughedJones]

My take:

1) NPCs don't get upset when they are destroyed, neither do they teabag on winning.
2) He's not talking about playing in a group at all.

Why does how one player chooses to play the game affect your game at all?

1) I don't know what you mean by 'teabagging.' In the States... it means a whole thing. I just want NPCs to be more difficult and not the target practice that they are now.

2) Perhaps you're right, but I saw it as another cat wanting to use their time only flying with friends. Maybe I was wrong, but I think Frontier is going to circumvent that idea.

To summarise the OP: "Two reasons why single player is more attractive than multi-player to me: EVE Online"

I won't be dawdling around much in multiplayer either.

Yuck... You see? This is the idea I'm bummed about.

We have 1200 square feet of space with no rules. People are assuming that the whole galaxy... with rules... is going to be the same.

 

[Globusdiablo]

...My frustration with PvP is that the time it takes for a ship to be killed can be incredibly short. I have a fully stocked Cobra and I can go from full shields and 100% hull to nothing in about 25 seconds, probably less. This makes most PvP more of an ambush and die sort of game rather than real PvP....

Agree.

Reason 1: I'm not responsible for other players enjoyment of the game. NPCs are an easy going crew, whether they win or lose they don't really seem to mind.

Reason 2: As my playing time is generally going to be off the cuff, I can play the game when I fancy without having to organise 'grouping' with other players and therefore being subject to the time schedule that others need to impose.

Valid points both.

I'm going to enjoy single player, without the erratic behaviour of humans...

 

[Robert Maynard]

1) I don't know what you mean by 'teabagging.' In the States... it means a whole thing. I just want NPCs to be more difficult and not the target practice that they are now.

2) Perhaps you're right, but I saw it as another cat wanting to use their time only flying with friends. Maybe I was wrong, but I think Frontier is going to circumvent that idea.

1) I expect that NPCs can be made as difficult as Frontier want them to be - they will need to be balanced when we are poured from the fishbowl into the ocean.

2) The private grouping system will allow players to do exactly that - why is that a problem?

 

[Shadowdancer]

In his #1 notion, he talks about the NPCs as being lifeless easy targets that present no danger.

No, he doesn't. The thing is that NPCs are a rational, controlled component of the overall game design. Other people are not, and will never be. Game experience may change during online play.

in his #2 notion, he seems to talk about only wanting to play with his friends in isolated groups.

Which is an advertised and perfectly valid way of playing the game.

TBH, I already miss savegame scumming. Why? Because my time is actually worth something, and losing days or maybe weeks of gametime just because I screwed up for a short moment just isn't attractive anymore. Risk management is an inherent factor in games like this, and avoiding other players makes it a lot more feasible.

 

[Darkmatter]

We have 1200 square feet of space with no rules. People are assuming that the whole galaxy... with rules... is going to be the same.

This is true, and already well known among us early adopters and Elite enthusiasts. But I can't help feeling that the current very cutthroat state of the game will be an image that will stick outside of our very self-selected group, ultimately hurting the popularity of the game later on.

 

[Iain M Norman]

Reason 1: I'm not responsible for other players enjoyment of the game. NPCs are an easy going crew, whether they win or lose they don't really seem to mind.

Reason 2: As my playing time is generally going to be off the cuff, I can play the game when I fancy without having to organise 'grouping' with other players and therefore being subject to the time schedule that others need to impose.

Both perfectly valid points. I disagree with them, but that's how you feel. Don't see why people feel the need to argue with you over it.

 

[Globusdiablo]

This is true, and already well known among us early adopters and Elite enthusiasts. But I can't help feeling that the current very cutthroat state of the game will be an image that will stick outside of our very self-selected group, ultimately hurting the popularity of the game later on.

This.

 

[noodle]

1) I don't know what you mean by 'teabagging.' In the States... it means a whole thing. I just want NPCs to be more difficult and not the target practice that they are now.

I thought it meant something totally different in the UK too. I'm pretty sure teabagging isn't allowed on the forums

This is true, and already well known among us early adopters and Elite enthusiasts. But I can't help feeling that the current very cutthroat state of the game will be an image that will stick outside of our very self-selected group, ultimately hurting the popularity of the game later on.

I think this is a problem. The image being created by the beta is very negative for a lot of people (doesn't matter whether you agree with them - the mud still sticks). Given that the beta is in no way representative of the final game, I think that problem needs addressing. I guess it all depends on how quickly FD open up the galaxy and allow people to spread out.

Personally, I'm not really inclined to spend much time in the beta, because the experience is too unpleasant at the moment. I fully expect that to change once the player population thins out across more star systems.

 

[Memnoch]

It's not just the cramped condition we currently enjoy. It's also the lack of repercussions for player actions. It's a goldmine of information for FD as they see no holds barred gameplay with anything being possible. But for those that just want to enjoy the game for a bit it can be a nightmare as they are thrust into situations they want nothing to do with.

All of this will change when there is more space to fly around in and with the introduction of penalties for the "naughty".