Peak Elite - Need A New Model of Play

[Fandomlife]

So, I seem to be hitting 'Peak Elite'. I've traded my way up through Sidewinder, Hauler, Type-6, Type-7. Along the way I've purchased a Diamonback Explorer and Scout (my first combat experiments) and now I have those vessels and a Python. I've enjoyed the trading but I've done the rares and the commodity trades. I've been on a 4000 ly exploration trip using the Diamondback Explorer.

True, I've not done the combat thing in a big way and I could be better at it, but I find that a bit boring doing alone.

Basically, I've enjoyed the game because of the exploratory learning and a lot of things I've done have sort of ended on that front. So I need to shake up my model of play in the game.

What I thought might be interesting is some sort of group play, but I'm not sure it exists. For example, I could imagine groups of players flying together in wings doing the powerplay stuff. Traders being protected? In turn others trying to stop them, etc? Does this model of play even exist!????

[Skipp]

It does exist but unfortunately I haven't found many people that endorse it very much - Especially in open play where people wing up only so they can kill random poor players faster by ramming their ships.

For example - RES hunts in a wing only means you'll be getting less bounty because the credits are split. If you're flying a decent fighter ship there is NOTHING that you can't take down. Even a decent Vulture can easily take out clippers, dropships and pythons that spawn in high RES-es.

Trading - haven't done much of that but I think they changed the bonds you usually got for defending someone. And let's be honest - how often does a trader in Mobius get attacked? I've been hauling some stuff this week and i got interdicted once by a "expert" eagle. I was flying an anaconda.

So yea, I see your point and I really wish FD implements some sort of planned, constructive group play because there really is no reason whatsoever to group up now except for hanging out with friends and some extra fun. If you're in for the credits - you'll just be losing on winging up. I reeeeally hope they change that soon.

[JohnLuke]

I agree with Skipp that being in a wing reduces the "credit per kill" payout when hunting. 2 pilots=1/2 of the bounty, 3 pilots=1/3 of the bounty per kill. But... with 2-3-4 pilots, you can take out ships **VERY** fast. As long as each wingman hits the targeted ship once, each wingman gets his share of the bounty. If you are in an RES with fast spawns, it can work out quite well. I will say though from a profit potential perspective, going solo has always gained me more credits per hour than being in a wing.

Wing trading will gain you a bonus of 5% of what your wingmates profit is on each leg of the trade route. Not much, right? Trading in a wing for me is considerably less profitable than going solo, because you are always.... at some point.... waiting for your wingman. A 15 minute trade loop can easily take 20-25 minutes in winged trade. Not my cup of tea.

Now, if you are *not* playing purely to gain credits.... and want to have some fun.... playing in a wing can be a fantastic good time!

I have a blast shooting wanted pirates in a RES with a wingmate. The camaraderie can't be beat and just having another 'live human' there with you puts a whole new spin on things.

Another thing to consider is that being in a wing while doing some PP activities is very beneficial. If you are undermining, you both get 15 merits per target that you both attack (same number of merits as if you attacked solo). If you are working a crime sweep, you both get 1 merit per kill.... again, the same as if you were going it solo. You and your wingmates can rack up a good number of merits for PP while having fun doing it in a group!

[AndyB]

we need wing missions that cannot be completed solo, that would make wings much more fun.

[FCB1891]

Completely agree with JohnLuke and AndyB - Winging up isn't always the most efficient way of playing, however, in-game interaction between players, is one of the main reasons why I play online. It's just more "fun" that way.

There are still some opportunities to improve the game's play-in-a-group dynamics; special missions could be created that require several players (using a variety of ships, specific specs,...) if you want to succesfully complete them. Rewards should obviously scale up along with the difficulty level. Special rewards (outfitting, titles,...) could be added as well.

[Roger Wilco Jr]

Once everybody reaches Triple-Elite there should be all kinds of people looking to have fun rather than grind. It's almost a shame that they have the ranking system, but it's part of the original game and it wouldn't really be Elite w/o it.

I don't really care about the credits in a RES, and it seems to me that winging up does not slow combat rank progression, but I could be wrong.

[Flip]

we need wing missions that cannot be completed solo, that would make wings much more fun.

We do have them: Strong Signal Sources.

[Flip]

it seems to me that winging up does not slow combat rank progression, but I could be wrong.

It does. Big time!

[AndyB]

we need wing missions that cannot be completed solo, that would make wings much more fun.

We do have them: Strong Signal Sources.

na, its not often that i need to leave a SSS before killing every wanted target in it, they are still a solo activity in my book. all you need to do is take out the smaller ships first to stop them attacking you as a swarm. the only time i've had to get out of there was when the SSS was full of anaconda's and it doesn't happen often.

[Skipp]

What we need to do is get a cheap ship and fit it any way we like. And when I say cheap - I mean nothing above the Viper. THEN we wing up, and THEN we drop into a High RES. I'm sure that would guarantee tons of fun

Because, even pythons take like 20sec to kill while I'm in my Python. Most of the time, my wingman can't even get to me and my target is dead. Having cheap-o ships will make us put much more effort in pewing stuff, and all wingmen will have enough time to hit the target.

So... who's up for it?

I'm just itching to try a "combat" Adder