*** The Official Elite: Dangerous Thread ***

Crowze said:
I did confirm it in this thread many months ago, but I generally try to keep my head out of the firing line :).

I'm a fair way removed from the design process and not really in a good position to answer that, so take this with a big pinch of salt. Player requests are a factor for sure, but we also want the upcoming patches to be more cohesive and higher quality so more weight will be placed on which features compliment each other and what can be done right in the time available. I'd guess that any improvements to wings, for example, would come in with multi-crew as they both add to co-op play. There are exceptions - for example the community made it clear that they wanted more control over the crafting process so Engineer favours were bumped up the list, but that was helped by it being relatively simple to implement.
Click to expand...

Thanks for advising, that's interesting.
One other question then if I may. In your opinion, what is the best way for the design team to genuinely "hear" our concerns and priorities?
Should we keep raising tickets on stuff we think is still a naff (e.g. interdiction logic), post suggestions for stuff we'd like (better wing/multi-player), or is there a better way maybe not even using the FD forums?
 
Crowze said:
There's always a huge wishlist, but there's also many constraints on what can be done well in a reasonable time which affects what gets prioritised. Remember that we're not a large team and need to juggle season 2 content with season 3 and beyond, bugfixes, and the less noticeable stuff (from the player's point of view) like training new staff, improving dev tools and workflow, server maintenance and so on.

Personally, on the whole I'm enjoying 2.1 - I'm not entirely sold on loot and crafting as it feels a bit MMO-fetch-questy for my liking, but the AI improvements make combat much more challenging, missions and USS are much more streamlined, and I'm glad to see the smaller more agile ships viable again as they are so much fun to fly.

Wings is one of my favourite features and I agree there's so much more that could be done with it - improvements are on the cards, but I couldn't say what or when. I love the idea of Descent-style enclosed areas, but it's a hugely complex problem to solve which I suspect won't be viable for some time.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the feedback. I think one of the reasons players might feel frustrated is that engineers took a long time to come out, but didn't feel like a big update. Clearly the big changes that I actually think we're good (all of the non horizons updates) took a lot of time to implement, but to kick off the new season for horizons customers with something like engineers, and after a big delay, doesn't inspire confidence for the rest of the season.

Any insider info is always appreciated though ;)
 
Missions are a good way to:
- Make money
- Gain rank increases with powers
- On some, get materials for use with engineers

If you've not done any, the missions available are pretty low end. As you build a relationship with a faction, the missions offered will be of higher value and prestige. I spend most of my time on missions.
 
Thanks.

Building faction gives access to better missions I take it.
But is the faction limited to only that system?

I.e. You'd have to jump from system to system to build faction?
Which would take .... Quite a long time?
 
There's two key types of factions:
- Those that are affiliated to a major power (e.g. Imperials or Feds). Upgrade your rating with them, and it'll affect the missions with ALL similar groups, regardless of where you are in the bubble. That's why Fed outpost like Aditi work. You upgrade your Imp rating and it applies to factions even 300LY away.
- Independants. These might have spread across a few systems, but might also be in just a single system. Clearly, they're far less use to you

So when you're choosing which missions to run, the most obvious candidate are those tied to the super-powers.

Whilst FD have previously suggested that they'd like us to fly around a bit, the factions if anything encourage us to have a "base" of operations.
 
I dont know how people can play this game for long without becoming seriously bored, i think people just play it for the sake of it. I have not logged in since xmas last year and i wont be logging in for another 2 years if i ever login again.
 
One Vision said:
I dont know how people can play this game for long without becoming seriously bored, i think people just play it for the sake of it. I have not logged in since xmas last year and i wont be logging in for another 2 years if i ever login again.
Click to expand...

Well, different things float different people's boats... I know some folks who have left ED and now pay Farm Simulator :)
 
I think for me the game stopped being motivating when I got the Anaconda. It sort of felt that I had 'won'.

Having said that, my fave period was when I had just managed to scrape enough credits for my Cobra.

Really not convinced by the 'grind'. It feels like its all a bit samey. Beautiful game but no real 'story'. A bit like the Witcher 3 - it's the story that makes that game special.
 
One Vision said:
I dont know how people can play this game for long without becoming seriously bored, i think people just play it for the sake of it. I have not logged in since xmas last year and i wont be logging in for another 2 years if i ever login again.
Click to expand...

That's OK. Some people like blondes, some red-heads. There's no accounting for preferences.
Chances are that it works both ways though..
 
Thanks Mr.Sukebe.
So let me see if I understood you correctly.

Mr_Sukebe said:
There's two key types of factions:
- Those that are affiliated to a major power (e.g. Imperials or Feds). Upgrade your rating with them, and it'll affect the missions with ALL similar groups, regardless of where you are in the bubble. That's why Fed outpost like Aditi work. You upgrade your Imp rating and it applies to factions even 300LY away.
Click to expand...

So you are saying the local groups that appear on mission pages are all linked to the major powers.
But are you also saying that by completing missions for one group in one system, this could also level faction with another group in a different system (I assume sharing the same major power affiliation).



Mr_Sukebe said:
- Independants. These might have spread across a few systems, but might also be in just a single system. Clearly, they're far less use to you

So when you're choosing which missions to run, the most obvious candidate are those tied to the super-powers.
Click to expand...
Does it say against a mission the affiliation to the major power of the faction?

Mr_Sukebe said:
Whilst FD have previously suggested that they'd like us to fly around a bit, the factions if anything encourage us to have a "base" of operations.
Click to expand...

Could you elaborate on this please?

Thanks again bud.
 
Not quite there, but close. Here we go:
- Look in your right hand page on screen in the tab Status
- In there, you'll see the Superpowers details
- Scroll down and you'll see the System factions
- For each Faction, you'll see whether they are independant or aligned to a superpower
- Increase your Super-power rating and that directly affects your system faction influence
- Not all local factions are aligned to superpowers. Quite common for most to not be

Make sense?


On a more positive note. I made Elite rating in trading. Happy bunny.
Treated myself to a Fed Corvette, now that I have full access to Founders world.
 
Mr_Sukebe said:
Thanks for advising, that's interesting.
One other question then if I may. In your opinion, what is the best way for the design team to genuinely "hear" our concerns and priorities?
Should we keep raising tickets on stuff we think is still a naff (e.g. interdiction logic), post suggestions for stuff we'd like (better wing/multi-player), or is there a better way maybe not even using the FD forums?
Click to expand...
I'm not sure if support tickets make it as far as the design team unless it's for a specific issue that needs investigating by them. Your best options are the forums/reddit/etc. - chances are you'll take some flak from either side of the polarised minority but the design team do read them and will take note of any good suggestions.

Devrij said:
Thanks for the feedback. I think one of the reasons players might feel frustrated is that engineers took a long time to come out, but didn't feel like a big update. Clearly the big changes that I actually think we're good (all of the non horizons updates) took a lot of time to implement, but to kick off the new season for horizons customers with something like engineers, and after a big delay, doesn't inspire confidence for the rest of the season.

Any insider info is always appreciated though ;)
Click to expand...
It's taxing my memory a bit but I think that the pre-Horizons patches were a lot more focused on the main feature whereas much of Engineers is about the supporting features which aren't immediately obvious. There's also the quality to consider - not saying Engineers has been perfect but getting away from the 'release now, fix later' mindset is a wholly good thing especially now we've got multiple platforms to consider.
 
Mr_Sukebe said:
Not quite there, but close. Here we go:
- Look in your right hand page on screen in the tab Status
- In there, you'll see the Superpowers details
- Scroll down and you'll see the System factions
- For each Faction, you'll see whether they are independant or aligned to a superpower
- Increase your Super-power rating and that directly affects your system faction influence
- Not all local factions are aligned to superpowers. Quite common for most to not be

Make sense?


On a more positive note. I made Elite rating in trading. Happy bunny.
Treated myself to a Fed Corvette, now that I have full access to Founders world.
Click to expand...

Got it, thanks.
But those ones which are independent, basically you have to level locally I guess?
 
Cavallino said:
Got it, thanks.
But those ones which are independent, basically you have to level locally I guess?
Click to expand...

Yes. Some of the engineers require you to have a specific relationship with independent powers, which means building up that from nothing.



Just been applying some mods to my new Vette. So it now has 40% better jump range, and enhanced thrusters (clean), shields, shield boosters, power distributor, power plant and is about to get upgrades to the hull re-infs and multi-cannons. Unfortunately, can't apply L5 in all of them as some of the required materials are still really hard to find.
On a more amusing note, couldn't help but notice that I've been flying between engineers and have yet to be interdicted by anything, even once. Guess that they're a benefit to carrying around the big stick. Even the Conda who was making noises about taking my cargo clearly decided not to bother.
Have to say, it's a very relaxing ship to fly. Turn rate is a bit pants, doesn't get troubled much, and has a class 7 fuel scoop and a big fuel tank. So whilst it still needs to jump a lot, it can easily do it.
 
Last edited:
Ok... I just... ARRGHGHGHGHG.

I want to love this game so much. Times I feel like... yes that's it Im hooked...

Others Im like... sigh, just a grind.

And as one person mentioned I feel like Ive kind of "completed" the game since getting the Conda.

I did splash some money on a Vulture just now and when I jumped into it, was shocked at how much more manuevrable it was the conda.... but yet how much easier it is to get blown out of space against enemy condas with a few well placed shots...

I don't want to hate on this game at all. I really don't, and yet...

Perhaps I need a break from it :)
 
Cav>
Go try something different. I did a lot of trading recently to up my trade rating. Done that and have all the engineers unlocked that I want.
I'm now thinking of a minor refit to the Conda, and then to take it surveying. By that, I don't mean a 25k LY jump. Rather to find unexplored systems just outside the bubble and fully survey each system. I've only done one 5K LY run, so I'm conscious that I'm new at exploring, so I like the idea of being say 1K LY from home, which means I could make it back in say 25 jumps with my uprated conda. Clearly a good thing if I badly damage the ship during landings or similar.

Option B, join Mobius, wing up and go kick some butt in a CZ. That's something I'm also considering.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom