le_souriceau

Join me in newspaper buisness, whe crack this conspiracy together... https://tenor.com/view/star-wars-join-me-come-here-darth-vader-you-need-ahand-gif-17174821

Yes, almost stolen my thought. Fanatical voxelmancers are minority, that was kinda overpresented in boring years of Alpha (because not much to do for everyone else). While I love these guys, they are not future of game in terms of population health and sustainabiliy. Healthy core of PvP players (even if small by industry standards, because game is seriously niche) mixed with decent renewable ammount of solo/small group PvE folk who fool around different ways (beyond voxelmancy) -- best hope of this game.

This is just reality of NQ moving relativly slow. 2020 window for anything new already closed. Now only quick fixes to incoming patch and thats its, Christmas time. Next big thing probably feb-march (I hope asteroids, because by that time "ore riots" will go up). Then -- april/may, "real" PvP patch, some new elements and energy. Summer NQ probably spend in horrible torment to at last produce some sort of atmo/territory PvP (as Blaze likes to say -- facing sins of their techincal debt) to have it for "release". "Release"? Depending on previous NQ progress -- late aug - october, november in case of critical problems. Futher delay unlikely -- money. + some minor things in between for builders, lua people and other stuff like this. Totaly my speculation, but based on observations how NQ works.

We typed our fingers to bones about this in endless "feedback" with alpha guys. Was ignored by NQ (if we exlclude mockery of "wrecks"). I honestly tempted to go to something that can be percieved as "devs bashing", but generaly current reality we play... tells better story for everyone to judge themeselves without me going rage mode.

Yep, we planned some as our Newspaper HQ, but with recent "kick in bearing balls" update it probably be much more complicated affair.

In way we now having extreamly IMMERSIVE civilization gameplay. Incompetent goverment robing the poor with taxes to "fix" own mistakes and to benefit the rich. How can civilization building pillar go closer to fascinating depths of realism. 10/10.

Numbers are relativly "humble", this why NQ obviously defensive-agressive such kind of questions. And will not show any numbers, its probably strictly classified internal info. Yet we have some inderect metrics. > sanct tile claims; > NQ Twich streams viewers (also Twich numbers shows external interest to game) > some other more dodgy/complicated things in game and out, that give you "feel" and info snippets about how dead or alive it is.

Well, I started to gather "historical" gallery (as promised), yet I'm in severe need of more screenshots from participants. So I appreciete any help in gathering them. Ideally with basic context -- faction, ship name, captain, situation (if something happening on screenshot). With new arriving screenshots I will be extending story. https://dupress.wixsite.com/newmeroviachronicle/post/end-of-world-pvp-event-gallery-wip

Nice action, even if (relativly predictably) one-sided because of number/hardware/experiece of BOO crews. It was fun to observe and report (from golden comforts of Eye of Decadence -- pure pleasure). Yet I think to extent BOO overkilled "balance" even futher, by bringing to field pretty unnessesary opportunistic allies, already being clear favorite in context of AC mostly skipped. I get political dimension, but in terms of "pure sport" perspecitve -- it somewhat reduced quality of action. And left me (to be honest) a bit conflicted. Who I salute most: small, indy or new to PvP forces, that dared to actualy fight (and often risked heavy damage and destruction in battle that had little chances to win). Ones like crew of EMP Nightfury, who gone blazing in forlorn hope charge against Eye of Decadence. Death before dishonour. True heroes.

Also I wanted to asked organizations to forward me combat screenshots/videos of event, I'll try to consolidate them into quick gallery-article in several days aftermath. It probably will be largest non-NDA documented battle in current DU history up to date -- something that in years become myth for to younger noveans and tear-generating nostalgia for veterans.

I think there is also reverse side of issue too. Yes, economy is pretty mucked. Lots of critical disign somewhere off. Yes, some players (minority) got fat advantage. And its obviously great to have nice clean wipe before "release". Yet... Game just taking TOO LONG. And because of this I think NQ kinda "wasted" all wipes they can realisticly squeeze from players. At the point of painful Beta arrival, by my observations (its subjective, obviously) there was serious exaustion already. People wanted AT LAST play with persistance. Personaly I can't imagine myself keeping interest for game if it was now another year-long "NQ-style test" (another big and NDA subject) -- I was on brink during summer. Honestly, bad persistance is maybe better then mummyfing during wait for "ideal future after wipe". Or at least feels so. Also I want to know 1 thing: -- How NQ sees long-term balancing "catching-up" mechanisms for new players joining, especialy in economy.

While it was never officialy announced, I believe that NQ at some point "borked" their web guy/team after severe failure to deliver (very observable one). And they probably still not replaced proprerly or new people struggle what to do with website/database mess that was left behind.

I may be say heresy, but wrecks was very bad idea in context of DU principal "world mechanics" and sandbox anatomy. I think they were mistake and disign trap. 1) Travel in DU is relativly long or relativly expensive (or even both). 2) World is immensly huge in terms of teсhnical space... but empty in terms almost sterile/repetive nature of locations. This means most people will be up to "exploring" not for pleasure to see some totaly empthy spheroid 35th time again (when nothing can happen with them, beyond PvP attack on route), but only and only for obvious "reward", generaly by grind-search. Reward part, to add insult to injury, almost impossible to balance. 1) Valuable "on average" = agressive farm, not valuable "on average" = ignore. 2) Easy to find = farm, hard to find = ignore. 3) Half mesueres like loot limit not help much. And, honestly, I think no matter what is done with them in future, they always remain some sort of 5th wheel. Much better option, by my opinion, was to play around some "alien artefacts" -- ruins generated undergound, caches, some may be found on orbit, other visible on radar, added by events, and they absolutly not need to follow any "logic" or scale of placement like wrecks. It may be like ultra-minor item or huge. Some can generate anomalies or even damage ships. Much more flexability and thrill of discovery. Sorry for salt : )

Several quick updates. 1) We now have official press ship. Its called Press NMC Nasreddin Hodja, looks like mutated black&white drill pistol (too ugly to show in polite society). Its just personal short-range shuttle -- unarmed XS, without cargo capacity or anything of real value, no warp drive too. Obviously, in practical scenario nothing will stop you from shooting into it, but at least consider not to. >>> And in reverse. Considering "re-naming" habits of pirates, it safe to assume, that real NMC crew will not be chasing haulers in PvP zone. So think about it criticaly. 2) NMC team (little bit enforced lately by engineering-capable minds) are about to start construction orbital media-center. Its looooooong-term prospect. Ideally we aim to produce interactive content, that will be interesting for some more social and active organizations. 3) We still recruiting. Obviously more experienced "journalist types" running their own things (cheers, colleagues!). Yet if someone feels himself like passionate amateur and want to roleplay pulp-magazine story type of reporter or practice writing skills via game meta-medium (for real life use later) in relaxed atmosphere -- its probably be good connection. I myself not exactly professional and quite crippled by language barrier, but I think still can offer some help for at least total beginners in this field. Don't be shy! Yet be advised: we staying indy and doing it totaly for fun -- in-game material benefits are suprisignly minor if any!

First -- great thanks for detailed answers! About 4). I perfectly understand difficulties -- I was doing same (on obviously more amateurish level) leading MC server event team. One powerful solution -- adding layers to event, aimed for different types of players. Let me explain on example of your last event. 1) Race part. Fun/competition for organized/pvp oriented people, some daring solo explorers. You can keep it completly same. Its ok. Yet once it over, serious chunk of players felt completly "late to the party" and, considering all valuable content was copied/shown in screenshots and videous -- without much of reason to even visit event location. So let's do 2 easy things (I think they pretty much within powers of your event team toolset): 2) Add despenser or two, so every player in game can get some memo item, like UEF flag or poster, or other "devs only" minor decorative asset. Leave it acceccable for week. It gives solo/late players "collector" reason to actualy visit wreck and get their little thing and be participant of grand story (even if humble one). 3) Then ask art team to make several very quick, utlra rough stetches of 2-3 "UEF ships". Lets assume its by lore -- personal sketch albom of second leutenent LaBarr, found on wreck. Publish it. Make it building contest -- ask players to build ships based on this sketches. Builders (who may never even be remotly interested in "race" part) will be delighted too and become involved in content. So now, with very little added trouble (I hope) we have generaly same, but more memorable event with much larger player base covered/busy/happy/not salty.

I wanted to talk not about any particular, concluded NQ-made events, but more about their overall direction and organization in future. Can we expect?.. 1) Prior anouncement (at least week before start, better - two). 2) Scheduling on week-end. 3) Inclusion of long-term events, where players can meaningfully participate in active stage in duration of several days or even week. 4) Inclusion of more solo/new players friendly events, where they doing more individual goals, not being clearly pitted against groups of veterans. What else do people want? Fire away, we now have CMs that like to read our ideas and feedback ?

Because there is probably none right now -- beyond some whiteboards and, I hope, ultra-early stage internal prototypes. Root of all our problems, generaly, that NQ spend so much time on making game tech stapples to actualy work (stuggle is still ungoing, with PvP desyncs and other painful issues), that they simply were left with very little time and resources for balance/features things we so hungry for. This why their interest in communication with us always... was kinda compomised: like there is no sense to listen people ordering you fancy pizza, when you have realisticly only 1$ frozen (4 years ago) one and microwave. Like they probably glad to make us happy, but they can't. At least right now. Its honestly aways conflict point for me. Intellectualy I understand (or guess) NQ realities and probably they doing OK in them, in terms of survival and slow growth. Even good in some cases. But passionate, player part of me, often is in pissed-off volatile trigger state.

I heavly suspect we'll see sub price increase at realease, if not $15, but something along lines of $10-12. Current $7 feels like "painkiller" compomise for state of the game new players must endure. Also, so far, NQ demonstrated this nasty, almost endemic habit to "sneak" everything on us -- in worst case, this will be announced very shortly before changes, with probably some marketing spin like -- BUY 1 YEAR SUB 25% CHEAPER NOW, LAST CHANCE.

Productive week! And less salt-generation (but still interesting conent today), especialy for people who thinking about pariticpating in more relaxed/friendly, but still competent style of PvP life. May be Mulligan and his atomic company is your guys. Check it out: https://dupress.wixsite.com/newmeroviachronicle/post/mulligan-atom

In real life production adds a lot of value, because very high costs to establish and, more importantly, upkeep (and not only on material side of things). In DU production cost generaly nothing, beyond some initial 1 time investment in machines (not that big) and time to set links (again, not something average person can't do, at least to basic level). So added value is miserably low, even negative, margin so far hinges on maxed skills difference and deliveries to more dead markets for larger cut. Generaly economy of DU is whole is failure at this point.

Well, its not what JC said, its me cruely imagining what he can say : ) It this case, by analogy with some previous things and how they were explained/justified. Yep, this is obviously critical, root issue, that only 1 activity generates basic value. We were on this topic endless times in Alpha to level of insanity. Proverbial cart is still there. This why in most MMO games (even not greatly balanced themeselves) people can engage at least in several types of grinds (idealy with different gameplay mechanics accents), then to exchange their "produce". So obvious thing.

This. This is honestly my worst fear of lately about potential NQ "disign attrocities". I greatly suspect them in desire to go easy way with auto-miners to "shut up" people with 0 effort afk ore (in place of much more difficult update path of manual mining and fixing economy overall). In worst case (if this road will be taken to fullest) we can see T1-T2 (even T3) solo operated autominers in SZ (with token energy balancing) under some pretense of JC vision "this is game not about mining, so here is your free ore everyday allowance". Bit of joke, but DU is kinda drifting to some sort of space bloated state/social security/regulations "socialism" : ) Not world of free enterpraise with invisible hand and stuff. Milton Friedman not happy in heavens about this.

To be honest, our latest piece a bit controversial. Yet, in journalism you have choices -- cover only pleasantries or follow story as it is, even if it probably not_that_sunny. https://dupress.wixsite.com/newmeroviachronicle/post/story-grand-theft-mailbox

Well, 3 reasons. 1) There is indeed compoment of pure psychology that people like to have everything + its rare and finite, pleasant to have it like treasure. 2) Later it will be much harder to get for average player (probably spawned only on in PvP zone) 3) Later, again, especialy T2-T5 elements anouncement, such ore will be very likely used more. You can argue that "later will be later, nothing to worry about now", but most people want to be in advantegous, not disadvantageous position in future (as far they can predict it).