Played a lot of hours on Elite Dangerous and generally getting more content with each patch so that is all good. Occasionally the game will just make you stop and look at an amazing view which if very impressive.
1.2 is a heavy improvement for resource sites and the strong sites but to really transcend into "ultimate space sim" territory frontier need to get a dev and production manager working day and night on more scripted missions like the classic "X-wing fighter" game - both for bulletin boards and USS sites of all types.
For example, you arrive at a USS site and it there is a large space platform (with working gun ports) saying they need help from an inbound fleet of enemy types - or a large cargo craft that needs to reach a platform far off in the distance. Then procedureal generate away. Master level player and their wing in the USS site? - see how they handle Anaconda's with random or scripted arrival times. Bring in a capital ship (as a foe or friend) and wow the player at often. I can make 6 or 7 million an hour trading (but its painfully boring now) so frontier should keep the rewards for combat missions high - or again make them procedurally higher if the player is skilled.
Compare that to the current USS "oh look its a wedding or funeral barge.......Lets leave...."
Strong sites are better but still far inferior to some scripting - as its just 3 angry ships and nothing changes over time during the engagement.
It seems likely in that "other space game" you may be able to walk into a bar and get say an escort mission from a player or NPC (amongst other methods) but something nobody has really got right (including EVE) is allow the players to causally form wings easily in local (and specify what the wing will be doing and skill level required to join - make them invulnerable to each others fire if you have to) as then we would all team up and do impossible USS sites and have a lot of fun.
Couple of other more minor fixes I would put in as well:
- My fondest memories of Elite in 1980's (alongside the sadly rare missions) were Reidquat and blasting my way in and heading to the station when my cargo was full of valuables - so make NPCs drop good quality cargo all the time and make it not "stolen" if your victims were wanted pirates (or not stolen at all in Anarchy). Its not good to punish the player against collecting loot in any way.
- Make the USS site arrival zones much bigger - as they are very boring to get into.
- the Camera is clunky to use. Drop the warning message, remember the last set view and let us fly the ship when in camera mode - as far more impressive if you can fly the ship to get great views. That was always nice in X3 to look at the ship externally with that.
And some hints:
- Use 75% throttle on a bound key as its much faster to arrive places - when you finally decelerate to 1000km/s speed you can always go full throttle and safely arrive as well.
- USS sites approaches - get near a nice planet or (a bit away from) a Sun and go to zero throttle in Supercruise. They appear the same as usual around you and you can drop immediately (and have a great backdrop if you get a fight).
1.2 is a heavy improvement for resource sites and the strong sites but to really transcend into "ultimate space sim" territory frontier need to get a dev and production manager working day and night on more scripted missions like the classic "X-wing fighter" game - both for bulletin boards and USS sites of all types.
For example, you arrive at a USS site and it there is a large space platform (with working gun ports) saying they need help from an inbound fleet of enemy types - or a large cargo craft that needs to reach a platform far off in the distance. Then procedureal generate away. Master level player and their wing in the USS site? - see how they handle Anaconda's with random or scripted arrival times. Bring in a capital ship (as a foe or friend) and wow the player at often. I can make 6 or 7 million an hour trading (but its painfully boring now) so frontier should keep the rewards for combat missions high - or again make them procedurally higher if the player is skilled.
Compare that to the current USS "oh look its a wedding or funeral barge.......Lets leave...."
Strong sites are better but still far inferior to some scripting - as its just 3 angry ships and nothing changes over time during the engagement.
It seems likely in that "other space game" you may be able to walk into a bar and get say an escort mission from a player or NPC (amongst other methods) but something nobody has really got right (including EVE) is allow the players to causally form wings easily in local (and specify what the wing will be doing and skill level required to join - make them invulnerable to each others fire if you have to) as then we would all team up and do impossible USS sites and have a lot of fun.
Couple of other more minor fixes I would put in as well:
- My fondest memories of Elite in 1980's (alongside the sadly rare missions) were Reidquat and blasting my way in and heading to the station when my cargo was full of valuables - so make NPCs drop good quality cargo all the time and make it not "stolen" if your victims were wanted pirates (or not stolen at all in Anarchy). Its not good to punish the player against collecting loot in any way.
- Make the USS site arrival zones much bigger - as they are very boring to get into.
- the Camera is clunky to use. Drop the warning message, remember the last set view and let us fly the ship when in camera mode - as far more impressive if you can fly the ship to get great views. That was always nice in X3 to look at the ship externally with that.
And some hints:
- Use 75% throttle on a bound key as its much faster to arrive places - when you finally decelerate to 1000km/s speed you can always go full throttle and safely arrive as well.
- USS sites approaches - get near a nice planet or (a bit away from) a Sun and go to zero throttle in Supercruise. They appear the same as usual around you and you can drop immediately (and have a great backdrop if you get a fight).