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le_souriceau

Alpha Tester
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Everything posted by le_souriceau

  1. Its also may be linked to state of NQ website/database connected (?!), not per se generosity in quest for population, Sesch pretty much confirmed, that it was busted and now under reconstruction (as for me -- with possibility of "side effects").
  2. This "larger problems" are quite hard to pinpoint fully in such complex system. People (and me sometimes included) say this is problem, and this, that can be better... and we have like 100 reasons why everything not works. Yet, if to name 1 worst "root cause" is, by my opinion, horrible DU resource system (generaly -- stupid mining). Everyone producing exactly same raw material -- ore. Then using themeselves or trading/giving to someone. This breaking point -- indeed most people not stupid and (if not forced by circumstance) try to use it themeselfs, because no matter how hystericly NQ slapping our hands (or even cutting them with 0.23), everyone deep inside understand that self-sufficiency is better (in THIS situation), if not on personal level, then on small group or organizational level for sure. Even all sort of so called industrialists, who preach, that everyone better just buy from them are quite hypocritical (because they indeed having all this industrial self-sufficiency they so... not advise to others). At any rate, in this unhealthy enviroment most actors fight to be... as economicly isolated, as possible (giving up only against overhelming odds). And here quite Marxist thing works -- economy is obvious basis and all other gameplay more of superstructure, this why most organizational initiatives failed, at best breaking on smaller groups (to level when people feel things with ore go fair). People so much hate to give their ore to other people (rarely given fair exchange, because there is nothing more valuable), that such systems collapse. In comical terms it can be discribed as some fantasy world, where only valuable thing is cheese. And people making cheese for other people to have salary... in less ammount of cheese. It also not helps, that absense of any meaninful danger makes making of this cheese solo totaly effective. Why you need boss? Eventualy all this chain of events leads to crucial deficiency: organizational gameplay deeply flawed (because economicly non interesting) and, despite some exeptions of survivor orgs, largely failed all over the board. In EVE economic interest is glue of organized activity -- here its more of contrary. Generaly, all game troubles stems from fact, that someone decided to go with totaly not diversived resources (stealing all diversity of links and connections betwen players operating on horizontal connections). This as domino effect now poisoning game on all levels (including PvP). I remember somewhere was good post of Olmeca about this, but can't find it. Sorry for long boring post, but I hope logic (if not perfect) more or less clear.
  3. Yep, initialy i was thinking they going this way, kinda "soft wiping" our money, assets value, ore (like making it more accessable and inflating numbers to make hoards less sweet)... but then, observing 0.23, gone into serious doubts. Because they need to do this ultra-obviously-agressivly to make any serious difference. Billion still billion. 200 k of every T5 in containers -- still 200 k of every T5, fleets of PvP-ready ships still will grind any newbies into dust for months without much reprisal (depends of PvP balance, but still). There is no mild way of "draining" so much of proverbial fat and, most importantly, desire to use it as intended (for advantage) -- people who most obsessed with this most slippery to pin down by clumsy NQ hands. Sure, they (if go "keep all" way) probably include elements of this, but I still doubt it will be serious gamechanger (balancechanger). So generaly it will be same "scenario 3". But may be you right and NQ pull some interesting balancing.
  4. Question of how NQ sturctured, operating and staffed is extreamly untransperent. Here is like transperent indy studio info looks like: https://anvilgamestudios.com/presskit/#credits You find nothing like this with NQ beyond their initial KS skeleton team listing 5 years ago, that likely seriously changed. It may be 100 empoyes, maybe 50, who knows, may be 10 of them making game and others mining bitcoins on your PCs : ) Also NQ have sub-divisions (France and Canada) likely not only for access to people, but also some creative bookkeeping/legal magic (as some of more investegative noveans suspect). https://www.dnb.com/business-directory/company-profiles.novaquark.e74c2b8664be9a2c7fc6e1ed616e276f.html https://www.dnb.com/business-directory/company-profiles.novaquark_inc.981afa95a964419e3a26467bf4a292c7.html So, in short, its impossible to figure anything out at this front without serious inside, only wild guesses.
  5. Well, people who want wipe NOW obviously do this out of hystery. Wipe on release was always possibility, despite NQ maneuvering around "only if we have no choice". But will they have this choice? Main trap is not even all blunders we experienced with economy, but new wave of players (who are increasingly critical for NQ survival, considering Beta demographic failure). Despite some vets hypocriticly crying: "but we need to prepare civilization for new guys", its obvious that new guys will prefer to have clean world with fresh equal start without all crap old fellas hoarded (especialy by dodgy means). NQ already acted very agressivly to protect new wave of players (justified or not -- another question) during Beta start -- ship shop, daily money, super-SZ, ore everywhere. It means generaly 3 scenarious: 1) They wipe to have more appeal from new players, loosing several hundreds most greedy/tired old ones. Cruel, but better in math. 2) They construct some sort of prefferential positioning for new players, giving them start on new system without us or something like that. Difficult to realize, and old players will go nuts in their ghetto, unable to immidiatly impose their sweet advantage. 3) They keep it like this, allowing to save old stuff and everyone will be in same world without any complicated starting conditions... but I doubt it go really well for complex of reasons.
  6. I sometimes feel bad that we so negative (to level, that CMs probably avoid this topics as RL police not patrol some more... difficult neighborhoods), sure rank and file devs too not having fun reading this (if they do). It will be to see NQ reversing this somehow, because ball mostly on their side. May be public test server helps to establish better connection.
  7. I think you little bit overcomplicate things and want to see "cancel culture" where is none. I'm not american or even european in sense to be too much bothered by this virtual sniveling. Reason I structured my message this way -- to show, that "establishment" (anti-wipe/anti-anything in changes that can cost them) having much more "big names" and ears access of NQ (complicated, but in primitive terms), relativly methodical agenda. They can act as quite coherent lobby force, if critical need arise to defend their interests (as likely happened during dodgly canceled Alioth regen). "Resistance", to keep it in funny terms, that for most part I feel to be part of too, are relativly disorganized, less numerous and overall much more marginal (in wider sense, I hope you not again see it as "canceling"), agendas are different. Sure we can throw some righteus dirt in this forums (largly abandoned), kick some most intolerable simps on official Discords, but thats it. Little of effect. Obvisously, there is a lot smart people who do hard critics, no denial of that. Anyway, I was felt like their/our current position deserves some kind irony. And I not see how this "labels" are insulting (again, with healthy bit of self-irony). Exept may be freaks, but its just reality -- that all this wipe talks attact brain-unstable people to do their best like, if you remember, 1st week Discord circus. Overall I can call myself all this names, was angry noob, now grumpy vet (not vettest vet, but still), sometimes vigilante, sometimes revolutionary, even sometimes freak. Its ok!
  8. Thing is, list to... compare affordability with "honest gameplay" is much longer. 1) Free end-game stuff from first seeding of wrecks (likely with help of leaked locations). 2) Initial T5 rush, granted, demanded some work, but overall dodgy (in balance terms) money. 3) Profit from all sorts of dupes/bug uses/who knows what at begining, while extent unclear (people are less talkative about this, obviously), yet lack of any prosecution and NQ clumsy attemt to do "amnesty" quite telling. 4) All sort of mass manipulating exploit-tricks, that allowed fat cats to transport immense loads almost for free. 5) Honeycomb moonshining, while less "criminal", product of bad game disign, NQ allowed for very long time (hundreds of billions were made). 6) ATV leaks prior 0.23, people made billions by speculative selling/buying with inside. 7) Accounts manipulations (separate topic). 9) Now this thing with schematics... 0) Also my personal observation (based on info I have on not_on_camera level), NQ ultra-hesitant to crack down on economical crime involving whole organizations (especialy bigger and established ones), because its very hard to distinguish guilty smartasses from honest low-rank peons (who in way used as "hostages" intentionaly). And, obviously, orgs, if cornered, can produce immense ammount of PR stink in relatiation. So they mostly not bothered, as long they do their thing within basic stealth mode. Important part, that all this developments are not freak isolated accidents in terms of consequences -- they have obvious cumulative effect with involvment of pretty much same people, who use money and resources from previous "dirty money" stage they participated to make more money abusing next weak spot in fabric of tech side and balance. And answer is -- never, if you play by the book. But, if you be in right place, time and... moral flexability to use next NQ muck up, some catch -up totaly possible! So stay tuned.
  9. I think its, contrary, quite logical and linear. Root cause of this approch, that this critical thing to keep at least some of player base reasonably loyal to NQ. As we seen during week one (when wipe question was arised), some "respectable leaders of big orgs" are openly (and quite hystericly) blackmailed NQ with mass, organized quiting of their flocks and even more cringly reactions, fearing to loose their dodgy aquired stuff. Another category of long-term favorites -- all sorts of landmark-style nerds (I'm saying it in good sense), but, to be honest, they care more about their containers contents and voxels, at best some new decorative element, then overall game (it can totaly burn for all they care). They obviously more meek in rioting, then our big stars, but if wiped, will give NQ hell for disturbing of their creative process for reasons mostly alien to them. I think its bet safe to assume, that JC obviously likes building aspect of game (to have something to show off) and still harbours dreams of EVE-like ecosystem with big orgs, so this kinda natural part of community to placate with no wipe. While pro-wipe party are much more rag-tag, with angry newbies, grumpy vets, vigilanties, revolutionairs and all sort freaks.
  10. Where is recruit a friend program, why its stucked for half of year, while game obviosuly failing demographicly?
  11. Well, actualy not. Naunet commented again on this yesterday. Quote: "I don't have any new information on the schematics messaging. As far as I'm aware, our decision on the handling is final. I apologize for any inconvenience."
  12. In next episode: NQ roll asteroids hugely unbalanced with some browbusting cringe, like they all consist of mega-nodes of T4-T5, our usual suspects grab billions worth of ore... in hours or days, then NQ nerf asteroids for everyone else, but allow to keep initial "harvest", because its not that impactful, and they sorry for inconvenience.
  13. DU is obviously pushed via early-acess things ultra-agressivly (to level of audacity rarely seen before): current alpha was tech demo, current beta start is early alpha and release likely be what normal people call... early beta. Its not even step behind, but more like 1,5. Technical they just too slow to progress. Politicaly reason I think, that JC too much holycowing on idea of "player-made content". Granted, some most addicted fanbois and voxel-lua nerds are perfectly busy and happy, but they are minority, while majority stuggling (who are not yet voted with feet) to keep long-term interest in game beyond initial 1-2-3 m of freshness affect.
  14. “We try to be very clear and to manage players' expectations every day on what Dual Universe will or will not feature. We're confident because our game was envisioned to be an MMO from the beginning. We didn't need to adapt on a production level to what we promised." -- JC SUCCESS STORY Another Man's Sky: Novaquark's vision for ambitious MMO Dual Universe August 22nd, 2017
  15. Most abyssmal part of this situation will live, transperent communucation -- wasted opportunity. While there is some (incurably) woodenheaded individuals, most of forum/discord dwelling critics (even of more... radical variety) are overall reasonable and not stupid people and, if approched somewhat, SOMEWHAT correctly, can be totaly useful, feedbacking and feedforwarding fans of game. They can even potentialy help NQ in some thing far beyond just discussions, if organzed, because we again --- talking about very mature playerbase with lost of IRL professionals in different spheres of life. By my experience -- everytime we seen CM at least attempted to communicate with proverbial masses, most of "agression" evaporated, being generated not by spite, but alienation and frustration. And in place constructive (or at leas -- reasonably friendly) talks appeared. Yet for most part all this opportunites are wasted, or reserved for select few in much more closed manner.
  16. I have my history of exesses with CMing critics (with things overdone in past), yet I honestly tempted again to annoy @NQ-Nyzaltar directly and ask him to explain what is general idea and concept of CM operations in this game. I simply don't understand some things. 1) If CMs only messengers in principle, why so many, 1 responsable guy can make just anouncments when devs ask. 2) If not, why so little live interaction with us? 3) Why CMs like here and next time they just disspear into... depths. First Naerais, then Naunet. 3.1) What they doing in this depths? 4) Why still this aura of secrecy (considering NDA is over and game is fully on public) -- we know almost nothing about development between rare streams, that are not even that good source of info. 4.1) Is this JC's vision to go for such low actual transperancy? I always have feeling that this... hides some macabre secret of NQ operations.
  17. Tonns of good points. About headline: I doubt marketing team have any meaningful say in important decisions. Yet, with all this I more and more suspect that NQ secretly planning wipe (at least as plan <B>), sort of all-in "fresh start". Because current one to large extent failed (sure, it in eye of observer, but for me its quite obvious). I see some particular signals. Per example, technicaly they can't fix website and refferal program for damn half of year. Or they do not want already? Because it makes sense to save this impulse for more active/positive moment of release, then waste it now, in aura of serious negativity. All sorts of leaks and economic blunders -- NQ dealing with them quite... unenthusiasticly, if at all, likely not waste energey on temporary problems (why to bother, if it all be wiped). Sure, our "feedback" not pleasant, sometimes seriously (like 0.23 outrage produced some backpedaling), yet overall their tactics seems to just waiting game, until everything calm down with people loosing stamina and interest to make trouble (some reminiscence with Alpha). Return to communication of "just messenger" style, despite growth of CMs numbers. What they all doing is mystery for me, but my tin foil theory: they pulled to some long-term projects, may be even outside game itself, that will be preparation for actual release in some mysterious form. Day-to-day communication with rioting peasants likely set to lowest priority (signature way of comms here).
  18. This is over-generalization. No one accuse all ATV members in leaking, using this info personaly for profit or god forbid, generating "bad advising" to NQ (because is obvious now, that NQ give little muck about ATV feedback or something). And this is very understable, that honest members of ATV pissed-off, when hearing such stuff. Its about instututional failure of ATV mostly. Yet, someone leaking (everytime before major update), on info level, that is roughtly available to ATV (or even bit more), forwarding info to players, who then spread it. And then it used for profit (often -- extensivly). Rumours go around pretty quickly, some people are just good at guessing or "reading" NQ blablabla in streams and devblogs, catching intent right. Still, there is legit leaks, sometimes 1-2 weaks before, that are 90% accurate against incoming patch notes/future reality. Majority of players can have some guesses at this point, but not clear picture to act (and this clarity gives exactly this hated unfair advantage). I'm talking not in theory, because personaly, spending much time in "DU underground" via my wannabe press activities, encountered later confirmed leaks (of different severity) before majority of players knew. There is also tantalizing posibility, that some NQ stuff involved (who have informal relations with players), but we better not go into this rabbit hole.
  19. While Aaron little bit exagerating, its actualy serious grain of truth there -- full implications will be FELT LATER. Right now ill-goten (or NQ-mistakes gotten), lets say "strategic reserves" hard to trully put in use -- mostly they gathering dust somewhere. Sure, more vulgar people bragging billion here or stack of 100 super-expensive items there, but its all irrelevant, stayin in some vanity fairs Discrod rooms and not felt by general public (that much). Yet, when serious PvP eventualy arrive and, what is most important, enter long-term, grinding (economic) phase, it will be quite... bam-bam, a suprise, that some factions magicly stockpiled x10, x20, x N better, them most of potential competition. And this will be having some snowballing effect too -- using this advantage, such people will grab more resources and attract more people with classical winning team advantage. Overall I think nearest asteroid thing can be "alpha-test" of such developments.
  20. Player numbers are my major concern for long time now, its obviously super-dangerous for MMO. For some reason NQ seems to be quite non-sensetive to this, crudly alienating a lot of people with 0.23 (and several smaller mishaps before and after) + not indtroducing long promised recruit a friend program (like 6 m now?), not making other visible steps, that can increase game atractivness for new people outside. They maybe done some Twitch investment with court CCs, but looks like little of people want to watch them.
  21. Not true. 1) Starting conditions of new world at Beta release were leaked. Not a big deal (on surface), but was used to some extent to grab best spots faster/figure out optimal rush strategy. I knew some details in advance. 2) 1st attempt to intdocude wrecks was (most likely) leaked, this why many most valuable things were found almost instantly. Yet, I have no solid proof on this one. 3) 2nd attempt to introduce wrecks (locations) was 100% leaked, this why NQ introduced silly "loot limit" to do at least some damage control without aborting whole event. I had leak about this in advance. 4) 0.23 patch principal info (90% accurate) was at least 10 days before in hands of many interested parties, who without delay started to use it for profit, bying things to sell after (I had this info too, via my "press channels", as all other). For some people such inside produced hundreds of millions of speculative money. This is only what humble me knows, likely its much more to this.
  22. There is no justice here. People exploiting, using bugs, using mistakes of NQ with markets, insider info from ATV (my favorite) -- everything you can imagine. I do not know or heard if anyone was ever punished for something like this. But I know how well people doing with their ill-gotten assets. Some are not even making this secret, bragging with stuff openly. In poetical way, you only punished if you for some reason play totaly honestly, "as intended" -- you less competetive and NQ can steal your hard-earned progress with something like 0.23. Or do wipe, when loss of control will be obvious.
  23. This why I think they so vengefully executed poor bastards from M15. Not because they done something so impossibly harmful for game (lot of 10000% more harmful economical "criminals", outright exploiters walking around free with ill-gotten billions), but because they kinda naked NQ problems in operating (in audit/rollback/repair sense) with data and all like this, put them in position of overall mockery.
  24. In way I feel, that this flawed "internal" thing actualy degraded CMs to "just messangers". Like Naunet at fist attempted to be our real CM in way (with some success, because people welcomed this short-lived change very warmly), but looks like somewhere during Christmas/New Year she was whiped back into silence, as "normal" NQ communication goes for years now. We have 5 CMs (or more?), but I have no slightest idea what they all doing (besided Pann, who likely workind with surviving half-dozen DU streamers or something). Sure, they may be doing something super-cool in secret, but...
  25. This also (probably) explains why they mostly gone silent and CMs left attempts to control situation here, on front-lines. They likely were "called-off" to not waste time on things that... will be irrelevant. If this true, NQ now can drop any remaining updates as dirty and unbalanced as they want before release. Then use our tormented feedback to fix it (to extent). Wipe. Then release, betting on attracting more new players for better, cleaner game. In this dark scenario, we generaly are used, burned and discarded for greater good.
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