Use your Potenzial

[Regazzoni]

Hello Everybody,

Just recently I came back to the game after a year or so. I decided to start a new career and very much enjoyed,
how now you get introduced into the game step by step. Its all much more alive with lots of cool improvements that
makes ED more of an immersive game than it was when i left.

To me ED is a spacesim and i hope it will stay in that genre and not become some sort of live simulation that tries to
be everything except that, if you know what i mean (hope the competition will neither). >.>

What i find to be a huge quality in ED is the different functions and features ships have.
I look a the spaceships somehow as a hub of gameplay from where different play styles branch out based on these functions.
A mundane example: I mapped a key for the exterior light and realized that they’re barely get used in game.

My Idea is that one could design whole locations an therefore missions where you have to fly visually and use your searchlights
in dark atmospheric environments. (Think of classic Science fiction movies where you have scenes like that)

Mission types for example could be rescue missions (comparable to heli rescues in the mountains).
Or a new profession as a salvager, recycling abandoned ships and mega structures (destroyed by targoids?).
More interesting than mining or it could be related.
Flying thru large cave systems or hollow asteroids (Star Wars), wich could lead to a number of outcomes.
For example finding a huge subterranean water reservoir, or finding the villains hideout wich could lead to a highspeed chase,
or simply find your self in a labyrinth where your goal would be to escape.
Caves would not be procedural but more like the cities and stations we have already.

Same goes for silent running.
It is another great gameplay element that is underused. How about missions where you have to sneak through a blockade,
while having refugees on board.
A cat-an-mouse game where extended „radar“ operation could be a thing is recon. Find targets and pin them. Invest more time
at the cost of being detected an find out more critical detail about the enemy.

The last thing that came into my mind, are more specialized ships or modules that are build for specific tasks.
Maybe these would be smaller ships like interceptors or radar vessels that could be baught relatively cheap for spontaneous missions.

I love the Art style of ED. Although Star Citizen has more complex/advanced tech, somehow Elite dangerous is much more ambient
(has more soul). It reminds me of classic science fiction like alien, space odyssey 2001 and art works of the 70’s an 80’s
(album covers… the older ones know what I mean), wich is a good thing. Be even more brave with your art style. It sets you apart from
competition. Live that Retro feel. Its has Style!

After all this game is a child of the 80’s.

The reason i bring this up is, that ED has a very solid base and it could build upon that relatively easy, without having to develop expensive
earth planet tech just now. Or much more content. Just refine and expand the things that are already in the game so it get's even more diverse.

Wall of text there. Hope somebody reads and enjoy’s it anyway.
And sorry for bad English. ^^

 

[Regazzoni]

As i see it, there are different groups of players with different tastes in every bigger game and especially online games.
These games or usually open endet wich is a difficulty in it self. (end game discussion)
Every developer preferably want’s to keep all of these groups interested in their product so they stay and spend time and money.

As for me, i am just like you. I play and enjoy the game für it's sim and immersion aspect and to have a chance to prove my motor abilities reaction time, multitasking and spacial awareness. Rolle-Playing a pilot for two hours or so. I like classic RPG's. I love me a good aaa game and i also play real simulators like IRacing, rFactor or DCS World for example.

So my ideal version of elite would contain basically these elements and it already does to a certain point.

However, what i don't like are games where grinding makes up half of the game.

Playing the game should be awarding in itself.
For example: You don't play Mario World, constantly thinking for yourself; "man, this level sucks. I can't wait for the next one. O man, this level sucks to. When do i get to the end boss finally." You play it for the fun of it. And out of that comes the ambition to progress and beat the game. That is good game design for me.
I am the playful type of guy, but when i play ED with this attitude currently, i feel like a dummy that's getting nowhere and see next to nothing. Just like in eve online.

But i also see that some people love the feel of making a lot of money in the shortest possible time and like to optimize this process. After all this game always evolved around making lot's of money to finally buy the biggest ship.

What about a player like me who actually doesn't really care about the biggest ship, because of all the ships i flew i find the sidewinder and the eagle to be the most enjoyable with the cobra already feeling to big and sluggish. I'm interested in exploration tho, where a bigger ship of course is needed. And i don't mind working for that ship and actually like the sense of achivement when i finally get there. It also will be the start of something new. After all i play an enterpreneur in this game an that's perfecty fine for me.

After all that said, i hope ED finds a way to refine the various paths to make them different at their very core. So in the end, in game, a player that is a good trader isn't necessarily good fighter or explorer, because it would simply require different skills and preferences.

That's how they could satisfy many different customers an their tastes imo.