Why is FD underminding fortification?

[Windscreen Smudge]

Fact: Strong defenses don't make for fun gameplay. Players will just grind the defense and protect their assets indefinitely. When mini-games like PowerPlay go stagnant because defenses are too strong, and everyone just turtles up, nobody is having fun and everyone leaves.
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Undermining PP fortification is to keep the gameplay dynamic instead of static, and ensure it remains entertaining for much longer. In other words, it's a balance pass. Roll with it.

 

[JosiahD]

Solo Mode completely ruins the entire point of this.

Ive only ever seen a single enemy commander hauling contracts for the evil old lady, I forced him to dump his cargo which he did, then I destroyed him anyhow.
Solo Mode and Open should be seperate instances....Allowing someone to play safely and get the same perks as someone taking the risks in open play is stupid.

Umm.......no. Completely disagree. And it ain't changing (in Frontier's own words), and a good thing too. Tired of seeing this tripe trotted out all the time when people knew full well about the mode equality from the start if they researched the game properly before buying in. Don't like it? Continue to fail to understand why it is the way it is? Well I assume you know what you can do.......

 

[AveMe]

(before this thread will be moved to open vs solo vs private black hole or just closed)
I paid for MMO.
It isn't MMO. It's PvE game with offline mode where everything is better...
FD don't care about this. Maybe when open will be completely dead...
PP should be possible only in open. Same for community goals.

 

[Ziljan]

Umm.......no. Completely disagree. And it ain't changing (in Frontier's own words), and a good thing too. Tired of seeing this tripe trotted out all the time when people knew full well about the mode equality from the start if they researched the game properly before buying in. Don't like it? Continue to fail to understand why it is the way it is? Well I assume you know what you can do.......

I dont understsnd why anyone would would want to play PP in solo? It's like trying have remote control sex through a solid brick wall. Sure it's safe, but where is the fun?

 

[AveMe]

I dont understsnd why anyone would would want to play PP in solo? It's like trying have remote control sex through a solid brick wall. Sure it's safe, but where is the fun?

Because they just want weapons/50 milions/+100% to something. They transporting stuff to closer system or undermining to 10 000 000%

 

[Captain Hammer]

So powers can't get as much CC as before

 

[Ziljan]

Because they just want weapons/50 milions/+100% to something. They transporting stuff to closer system or undermining to 10 000 000%

The weapons are garbage, and there are easier ways to get 50 Million. The time spent to gain the faction bonuses (ie earning less money than normal play) effectively reduces the bonuses to zero extra cash earned per time played. Except for exploration... that bonus is balls out crazy good. But the amount of exploration required to make it worth while is also quite crazy.

 

[GluttonyFang]

Fold

Great thread, well written.

But I'm afraid I must remind you that this will quickly turn into an Open vs. Solo debate and where FD tosses a sign at us that says:

"All modes are equal and valid ways to play Elite Dangerous, we don't care if it doesn't make any practical sense nor that it does not fit into the features we are introducing. We already have your money, so shut up and deal with it until we feel generous one day, or screw you over even more just because we feel like it. And oh, you better buy the expansions we are introducing. What do you mean we don't care about our customers? Just buy it!"

 

[Ziljan]

Great thread, well written.

But I'm afraid I must remind you that this will quickly turn into an Open vs. Solo debate and where FD tosses a sign at us that says:

"All modes are equal and valid ways to play Elite Dangerous, we don't care if it doesn't make any practical sense nor that it does not fit into the features we are introducing. We already have your money, so shut up and deal with it until we feel generous one day, or screw you over even more just because we feel like it. And oh, you better buy the expansions we are introducing. What do you mean we don't care about our customers? Just buy it!"

I didn't used to believe that Open and Solo could ever be balanced in a shared background sim, but if you read my ideas carefully, you will see that my buffer/permit solution actually makes "separate but equal" more than just an empty promise. My solution makes it so you can have pilots in Solo who are playing PvE but are still contending with increased or reduced defenses based on PvP activity. This means that that you would be able to defend against Solo underminers by taking military action in PvP Open. And the fidelity of your protected systems would actually mean something to all players regardless of Solo/Open status.

 

[Dark Ted]

Because they just want weapons/50 milions/+100% to something. They transporting stuff to closer system or undermining to 10 000 000%

Guilty as charged. I mainly play in solo, and do a little PP to keep rank 2 for the bounty% uplift. Just makes commercial sense to take what you can.

I think would be far better to have PP contact menu not available in solo/group mode, so only those in open get the rewards.

 

[LawHunter]

We should also get merits for counterundermining (killing "enemy" at home control systems)!

Second this. I was surprised that this wasn't the case to begin with.