Well that seemed to get people talking...

[Scorch]

I'll try and answer a few things I have seen throughout here as best I can.

-Not sure where people are seeing that world/open PvP will somehow not be a MAJOR focus of this game. It will be, and its going to be so much better than just flying through some rings like in Jumpgate Classic. We are just saving the details of this system for a later date as I believe it is our single biggest feature.

-I still don't understand any of the arguments about instanced PvP. It is really not like WoW or Warhammer and its much more like the simulator from Jumpgate Classic. I just want to reward people for anything they do in the game. You want to mine, fine get XP, you want to instance PvP, fine get XP. The whole idea of the game is do what you love and the game will reward you. Just because you get rewards from instanced PvP does not mean that you will get anything faster or better than simply running missions, or competing over sectors in open PvP.

-We also want a richer PvE experience as well so we have done a ton of work to make AI more interesting and varied than anything Jumpgate Classic ever had. We have really cool stories for people who like that in game for people to play through and explore.

-We have made it so much better for people to be able to "control" the production of various items in the game. Where before players did this by going to a station and dumping items into space, now you can actually defend the manufacturing centers, you can force people to "pay or die" to let them use them, etc. All of this much more focused and PvP oriented than ever before. However, there are also PvE areas to do this as well, but its for different items.

-We are working on the details of this so called "hardcore" mode so that for players who want item loss on death, death from collision, the fear of being killed at any time, etc that you can have that, and you will be rewarded differently for going down that path so that everything you want will be there. The only difference is that you will not be able to just kill anyone you want at any time, ie griefing players who don't share your passion.

-If any of this does not work in Beta, we can always fall back on the easy answer of a PVP server that has basically the old game rules.

-There will be time to adjust much of the game in beta, if the game is not ready, we don't release, period.

[Qanael]

Originally Posted by Scorch

-Not sure where people are seeing that world/open PvP will somehow not be a MAJOR focus of this game. It will be, and its going to be so much better than just flying through some rings like in Jumpgate Classic. We are just saving the details of this system for a later date as I believe it is our single biggest feature.

THANK YOU. That's a good thing to hear.

Originally Posted by Scorch

-I still don't understand any of the arguments about instanced PvP. It is really not like WoW or Warhammer and its much more like the simulator from Jumpgate Classic. I just want to reward people for anything they do in the game. You want to mine, fine get XP, you want to instance PvP, fine get XP. The whole idea of the game is do what you love and the game will reward you. Just because you get rewards from instanced PvP does not mean that you will get anything faster or better than simply running missions, or competing over sectors in open PvP.

While I understand you want to make instanced PVP a fun part of the game, I think the major worry is that it will seriously detract from the numbers of players present in the open PVP, due to its higher accessibility.

Personally, I'm also a bit sore that everyone can do what they love and the game will reward them, but I can't advance my character through my favored playstyle (i.e. being the terror of the unreg trade lanes).

Originally Posted by Scorch

-We are working on the details of this so called "hardcore" mode so that for players who want item loss on death, death from collision, the fear of being killed at any time, etc that you can have that, and you will be rewarded differently for going down that path so that everything you want will be there. The only difference is that you will not be able to just kill anyone you want at any time, ie griefing players who don't share your passion.

Thank you again. One question, though, if you can answer it: any idea about how easy it will be to go back and forth between "hardcore" mode and non-hardcore? Will it be a simple "PVP flag", as in other games? Will it be a "once you go hardcore, you can never go back" system?

Originally Posted by Scorch

-There will be time to adjust much of the game in beta, if the game is not ready, we don't release, period.

That's really a big relief.

Thank you for posting. I think the community sorely needs more direct communication from the devs.

EDIT: added comment on instanced PVP.

[Tyndaleon]

All I'm going to say is pretty much what you can read that I've already posted in the "#1 problem" thread I started last night: If you guys would have communicated more often and interacted with everyone here about these things before, while you'd still have some folks who aren't and may never be happy, you wouldn't have had anywhere near the groundswell reaction yesterday's chat caused. Just food for thought.

That being said, thanks for taking the time to finally come over and clear the air a little. I can only speak for myself, but I for one appreciate it. Just seriously think you need to do more of it more often.

[Scorch]

Originally Posted by Qanael

THANK YOU. That's a good thing to hear.


Thank you again. One question, though, if you can answer it: any idea about how easy it will be to go back and forth between "hardcore" mode and non-hardcore? Will it be a simple "PVP flag", as in other games? Will it be a "once you're hardcore, you can never go back" system?

Well its really only a concept right now, but we are thinking that this is something you choose when you create your pilot and can never toggle this on or off.

[Balgoth]

My only problem is why do I need XP and items as rewards? My reward for PvP is that I will be a better pilot and more valuable to a squad. My reward for mining is getting raw materials to help my nations economy. Besides, if those are the things I really enjoy doing than isn't that reward enough without extra system bonuses?

Thanks.

[Tikigod]

Cheers Scorch.

This is Exactly the kind of post that has needed to be made by a official for a week or so now, as any unofficial comments saying the same were always met with 'worst case scenario' replys about how it was obvious things wouldn't happen.

Not sure it will stop certain concerns that stem more from desires for a specific 'Open-PvP' server that often gets mispresented by posters as 'Piracy' or 'Economy' concerns.
But definately glad to see a thread like this finally pop up.

[Scorch]

Originally Posted by Balgoth

My only problem is why do I need XP and items as rewards? My reward for PvP is that I will be a better pilot and more valuable to a squad. My reward for mining is getting raw materials to help my nations economy. Besides, if those are the things I really enjoy doing than isn't that reward enough without extra system bonuses?

Thanks.

Because we have level, and while level does not mean anything statistically you do need it to purchase various things in game and I don't want you to have to, for example, fly missions to gain xp if all you really want to do is PvP.

[Tyndaleon]

Originally Posted by Scorch

-I still don't understand any of the arguments about instanced PvP. It is really not like WoW or Warhammer and its much more like the simulator from Jumpgate Classic. I just want to reward people for anything they do in the game. You want to mine, fine get XP, you want to instance PvP, fine get XP. The whole idea of the game is do what you love and the game will reward you. Just because you get rewards from instanced PvP does not mean that you will get anything faster or better than simply running missions, or competing over sectors in open PvP..

Also, just wanted to throw my own 2 cents in on this. I for one don't have a problem with instanced PvP existing at all....I know some are completely against it, I'm not. I'm against the notion that any sort of ship gear rewards (not xp or badges) can be obtained by that activity...*unless* perhaps such gear is cosmetic in nature only. Why? Because, and I think this is everyone's fear whether they're totally against it or not, the concern is that performance-related gear rewards will drive people moreso *towards* said instances and *away from* world PvP simply because it's more convienient for them to obtain it that way. Right or wrong, that's the general problem folks have with it.

[Scorch]

Originally Posted by Tyndaleon

Also, just wanted to throw my own 2 cents in on this. I for one don't have a problem with instanced PvP existing at all....I know some are completely against it, I'm not. I'm against the notion that any sort of ship gear rewards (not xp or badges) can be obtained by that activity...*unless* perhaps such gear is cosmetic in nature only. Why? Because, and I think this is everyone's fear whether they're totally against it or not, the concern is that performance-related gear rewards will drive people moreso *towards* said instances and *away from* world PvP simply because it's more convienient for them to obtain it that way. Right or wrong, that's the general problem folks have with it.

But this is so easily fixed. If more people get items from this because they can get them faster, than we simply change the rate in which you can earn items this way. Plus they will be different items than you would earn in other ways. Again, why is it bad if I play the capitol ship simulator for 4 hours and get better stuff vs flying missions for 4 hours to get better stuff?

[Balgoth]

Originally Posted by Scorch

-I still don't understand any of the arguments about instanced PvP. It is really not like WoW or Warhammer and its much more like the simulator from Jumpgate Classic.

I guess the only real grievance about instanced PvP is its lack of realism. Safe zones as well. I think people were hoping for a solution that was a bit more innovative, because they really are just quick fixes to make everyone less angry but still not happy.