Kamundo

That's the biggest issue in DU.
 
Here's a joke for you - know why the game is called Dual Universe? Cause there are two universes, one that NQ thinks the game is and then one that the game actually is.
 
 
You can talk all day about planned features, planned player roles, and things that players could do in the game - but if you actually truly take an honest look at what the players really do in the game  - it's a distinctly different game.
 
If you talk about the mythical vision of building a society in space and all that - you get lost in the hopes and dreams. Do not make this mistake. Look at the game as it is today and how it works today, with the player options available today, and tell me that you still think that the patch tomorrow is the right patch at the right time.

1) remove ecu from in game item
2) embedded ecu in each dynamic core
3) no pilot as dynamic core still moving = ecu turn on and brake until somebody took control on control unit
4) no pilot because of destroyed core = ship freeze instantly, P2P roundtable between client in range and server; high latency client exclude from vote; for determined final position => no matters there's some players around, only pilot count ( if gravity> 0.1 , ship is just falling to the ground )
5) extend range of maneuver tool to factor 3 in regards of core size
 
6) end of drama

1) remove ecu from in game item
2) embedded ecu in each dynamic core
3) no pilot as dynamic core still moving = ecu turn on and brake until somebody took control on control unit
4) no pilot because of destroyed core = ship freeze instantly, P2P roundtable between client in range and server; high latency client exclude from vote; for determined final position => no matters there's some players around, only pilot count ( if gravity> 0.1 , ship is just falling to the ground )
5) extend range of maneuver tool to factor 3 in regards of core size
 
6) end of drama

Good games are easy to learn and difficult to master.
DU is the other way around.
 
The is no real progression:
- mining: it doesn't get more complex / difficult, it' just more of the same
- crafting: it doesn't get more complex / difficult, it' just more of the same (requiring more and more sub components or more time to craft isn't complexity)
- piloting: it's harder to fly/leave/enter on the starting planets (Alioth and Sanctuary) than on all of the other planets.
- building: you can just place elements, voxels are a cosmetic option: there is no structural physics for ships and buildings leading to no real challenge in design.
- building: Voxelmancy is a joke': it's like forcing people to draw circles and curves without giving them a compass and then be amazed of what they have achieved with just a pen and a ruler.
- exploration: there is nothing to explore. The playable universe is simply too small.
- character progression: Talents should be a progression/reward of what you do. You should get better at piloting by piloting. That 'passive learning' system is just 'pay2win" disguised. It's not engaging and it will hurt the game in the long term (It separates too much vets from newbies). It rewards a meta (the longer you sub to the game) not something you do in the game. There is no 'joy' and fulfillment to obtain the highest rank of  a talent (other than having to wait 14 days or more ...).
- repeatability and differentiation: a 'Space Engine L' is always exactly the same whoever made it. There is no differentiation between players, between elements, between raw materials. There is no RNG (warning: too much RNG is very bad but a little might help). There only one way to make one thing. Study the Starwars Galaxy crafting system, there is a lot to be inspired by it (variations in ore specs, experimentation in crafting, etc).
 
What can be done:
- Surrogate is a fresh and new concept for MMOs but it is way underused and too limited. You should be able to 'pilot' with a surrogate and do more, may be have different talents for different surrogates. Leveling surrogates could probably be more fun than leveling a single avatar. Selling/trading surrogates could be fun too and a very new concept in MMOs (some players hate leveling , some love it).
It could be a way to engage in PvP (and the only way imho). See Ender's Game book/movie. Add IA/scripting/autonomy to surrogates ?
- more planets, more systems. it's too small for a 'space' MMO.
- not a  fan of the 'tile' system. I don't see why I couldn't mine everywhere I want nor place a static construct everywhere I want. I don't see the gameplay value of tiles. I'd rather have a 'zone of influence' around big structures (like Guild Halls in SWG (again!)) so Orgs can have big cities without grief.
- forced pvp: not a fan at all. You'll never get a general consensus here. You'll have to choose what part of 'potential mmo players' would have to give up on or split your single shard into 2...study more MMO "player profiles" . NQ clearly lacks knowledge of MMOs game theory and demographics. Don't ignore the silent majority to please a vocal minority or early backers (the person who can spent hundreds of dollars on backing a game isn't necessary the good final target audience for a successful long lasting mmo game).