Wyndle

The tools available to fine tune an interactive economy are finite. NQ had to add friction to production so that the market wouldn't be swamped early. The numbers around schematics are likely to be fine tuned after they've analyzed actual usage data. I would expect to see minor changes (hopefully time and cost reduction, possibly some increases to # runs per batch) to schematics 30-90 days post launch.

I get it and I'm not trying to tell anyone that they shouldn't feel upset over how it played out. The distrust and pain of the community is squarely on NQ's shoulders for how they've handled things. I have also been vocal on these forums with my perspective trying to help some understand that everything I was seeing screamed "Beta is Beta," and a ratcheting probability of a wipe for Release. NQ could have been more up-front to prevent some of the trouble. We don't know if there were any background obligations (i.e. investor NDA, contracts, etc.) that prevented them from being fully transparent or if it was just poor choices.

Tell that to Monsanto/Bayer. LOL

If memory serves, they said that they did not 'plan' to reset the server but left the option should it be needed. When they released the Demeter update they changed one of the primary techs that produces planets meaning they had no choice but to reset the planets to implement it. They reiterated that they didn't want to wipe then or later but they still had the disclaimer 'unless needed.' While JC may have used that type of language verbally the company never put it in writing and guess who is no longer in the CEO role? Starting over isn't for everyone, and some rage quit when they die with a full inventory in Minecraft before they set a bed. I get that this isn't exactly the same but it still illustrates a point.

Correct me if I am wrong, but prior packages are still getting most of what they were promised from Alpha and pre-Alpha. Pets and appearance cosmetic items do not appear to be involved, but Sanctuary is technically no longer needed (Haven) and the STU has become an exclusive (for now?) perk that was named in early rewards packs. Just how exclusive? Don't know yet. I agree with the assessment of the Pioneer packages being both a money grab and an accelerator that many accounts already qualify for, at least partially. Calling it a reward is a tone deaf technicality that caused some hurt feelings, but it isn't entirely accurate to say NQ is the bad guy on this. The beautiful thing about DU is that the community can take steps after the launch to make in-game items; with a little help from NQ to distribute to applicable accounts.

That's what it sounds like to me as well. I was looking for clarification for my key-alt who has a tile on Sanctuary but I suspect others will also want to know.

What is the cutoff requirement on this? Clearly the individual accounts who purchased founder/supporter packs get this but what about key accounts and subscribing beta accounts? Or is it limited only to those who actually placed a STU prior to wipe?

The fact that Sanctuary is limited makes me oddly happy. I wasn't even thinking about tile tax.

Funny, you mentioning redundant assets caused me to stumble into visualizing the current schematic system acting like sensor for your factory. If you're not in the factory checking on it then it shuts itself down. You can set the timer longer by feeding the schematic bank but you have to keep resetting that timer. By doing that it prevents inactive players from leaving the lights on. NQ has heavily referenced Eve Online, meaning SP are 'important' but kinda not so I don't see the SP bonus being a problem. The beaters (yay, another SAO reference!) already have multiple advantages even at zero SP. At the same time, even with the wipe having a dedicated base of experienced players with more SP will likely have more positive impact on the game than not.

I have no clue if they're still using the terms correctly but at one time I thought they were. I stepped away from the game and the forums for a while and I'm not sure how much of the scuttlebutt is personalities vs. legit issues. What I've seen of the new content so far hints at more being ready than they've let on. That combined with prior appropriate use of Alpha/Beta/Release terms tells me that the launch is either going to blow up (+) or explode (-), and I want a front row seat either way. I apologize if you thought I was disagreeing with you. I was just conversing on the topic; as much out of nerves as anything else. None of the factors I'm discussing change the fact that it is definitely about the cash. It saddens me that anyone has been treated less than civil and I hope that it wasn't anyone directly or indirectly associated with NQ. I hope you have a great day and fly dangerous.

I have been vocal on these forums for years applauding NQ for what I perceived as correct use of Alpha and Beta nomenclature compared to most studios. Not that I'm trying to use that as an argument, rather as supporting evidence for my own thought process. I am as nervous as everyone else and in fear that I've O.D'd on hopium. And for the record: I couldn't afford the subs. Paul's happy but Peter is about to be very upset.

It does worry me so I put my money where my mouth is. I was 87% sure they would wipe for launch before 0.23 and 99.99999% sure after - so that aspect doesn't affect me emotionally. The fact that they dragged it out this long tells me a lot about the remaining staff; more good than bad. But I don't think they are not ready. They've got more polishing to do but I have a feeling there are solid foundations ready to be put in place that we haven't seen yet.

I can't (nor would I attempt) to change your feelings on it but I can explain my own thoughts. NQ most likely has their hands tied with a make or break ultimatum. DU is overdue for every previous release target they've stated and has probably been bleeding funds the whole time. The first year of an officially released DU will be what decides its fate going forward. I've spent more time typing the word "potential" and its synonyms into this forum than I've spent playing other games over the past several years so I've already subbed 13 months on 3 accounts despite not paying a sub the whole Beta.

/donate 0.02 quanta to discussion

There's more numbers at play than what you've outlined. Sure, the percent value of each reward set has diminishing returns but you left out the potential monetary savings of pre-purchasing 12 months up-front. Then there's the subjective/emotional value of knowing you can access the game in the following month without additional expense.

I'd be surprised if it isn't a Robb Zombie Grind-Fest. Having watched NQ go through proper use of Alpha and Beta development cycles (at least while JC was here) I suspect that most people who have only seen the state of the game up to 0.23 will not recognize the game at release. For some that will be a good thing, for the rest... well, they left for reason(s) that may or may not be even bigger factors in gameplay.

If nothing else, using the Quest 2 as a virtual monitor resized to near life size first person perspective is amazing. My only complaint is that my joystick currently has a bad drift so I haven't been able to test that in game.

First and foremost I was asking if there were already tools available, even if they weren't specific to DU and/or don't work well. I agree that the likelihood that someone would target development of a niche within a niche of a niche is absurdly low statistically but it doesn't hurt to ask. Second, the thing about fan made anything is that it comes from the heart of a fan. It's those kinds of fans that generate word of mouth and build thriving communities within the niches of the niches. Or as a scruffy nerf herder once said, "Never tell me the odds."

One might think that enabling this seems as simple as allowing terrain type voxels to edge detect other voxel types and originate spatial coordinates from the intersect point. NQ has the technical collective brainpower to achieve this but the hardware requirements to achieve a playable game with such a feature enabled would mean bumping min spec to require resizable bar, and possibly more. They have already significantly narrowed their potential customer base with the AVX requirement. It was strictly coincidence that my last PC upgrade (prior to learning about AVX) was 7th gen Intel. Had I made one of many other hardware choices I would not have been capable of playing yet. Having put it in those terms it now occurs to me that should DU thrive it would only be a matter of time for features like this to come about.

I suspect we will keep a smaller form of safe zone, such as limited to Alioth and its moons. If my hunch is correct then Industry is already limited there due to ore distribution and auto-miner limitations. I don't think you can use that three word combination on either named title. Eve may be set in space with space travel elements but it is not even close to being a space game. I'd say it's closer in nature to an auto-clicker economy spreadsheet game with heavy reliance on PvP to keep the economy in motion. One could argue that SC isn't even a game yet, and we would have to define successful carefully for that word to be applied. A (traditional) stool cannot stand on one or two legs, it requires three. Eve has three legs on its stool, being PvE, economy, and PvP. One can play entirely PvE or PvP in Eve but both must interact with the economy. PvE in high sec only is possible but an incredibly boring grind for inferior loots. Once we see the release version of DU I suspect we will see similar gating of the low quality, boring grind to the safe zone and anything worth working for will require risk.

I went through all of the VR related forum posts and saw Vorpx mentioned. I've also seen a single individual put out mods for multiple existing PC games (new and old) to give them great UNofficial VR support. I know better than to ask about official support for VR at this stage. NQ has too many higher priority issues to give VR more attention than an acknowledgement on the forums. I have no illusion of running DU on the HMD directly though I have hope to run it on the Steam Deck but that's another subject. I mentioned the Quest 2 specifically because not all solutions will work for all PCVR configurations.

I know that NQ has not been able to put serious thought or effort into VR, nor would I expect it of them at this point. That isn't to say that there may not be other solutions. Is there anything that currently works(ish)? Bonus for Quest 2 specific results.

If NQ puts in some way to track such achievements past the wipe, even something as simple as an official CSV file with the important info then the players who are dedicated to building community can make the in-game voxel trophy to hand out later. I could even see it being a LUA based free pickup so only those who care will get them.

I watched streams since I was not yet fully mobile in-game when it was found. s I suspect we shall see it again in a big way. It could be the kind of resource that orgs would war over, or it could be put back in as a needed component of crafting something NQ wants to be very rare in-game.

I'm sure NQ has put a fair amount of effort to keep as many promises as they realistically can. The Beta disclaimer we've all agreed to, "subject to change," still applies. From my perspective the game will benefit in the long run from a wipe. The short term is going to be rough but it should be worthwhile.