Courier Missions - most boring and most profitable

[Dixiii]

Lets ask about a small fix first.

 

Current game mission running interface is not friendly related to cooperative mission running. If mission packs will be automatically claimed to user name and have names generated as: Large[or VeryLarge] to <mission end planet>, this will make cooperative gameplay easier.

 

Now lets evaluate current situation:

 

In whole, for now, the only way to gain Quanta in game is missions. Since auction trades and direct trades is only Quanta transfer between players. Courier missions are very boring gameplay activity. Most players trying to optimize it, by using dedicated freighter pilot, and loading a lot of mission packs into one ship, while only taking high profit long distance freights. Leave this activity as is, since it works for now. But, game activities, that bring Quanta in game, should be more interesting and diverse, be they active or more passive! 

 

The only alternative that we were promised some time ago are PvE missions. Important part – we are waiting for Missions on planet ground and in atmosphere, not many su away in space. You have nice looking planets, that probably took a lot of effort to design, but the is no game activity to travel around those planets on low altitude. Distant space missions will be same useless for majority of casual players, same as current distant asteroids and wrecks.

NQ already destroyed second game activity that was giving players Quanta and fun - selling T1 ore to market bots. This action drive at least half of game population away from the game. Restoring this will not break economics, it will just makes the game more playable to larger audience. To make it more fun, you can restore bots only on distant planets, or make ore prices range from Alioth dependent.

 

In whole NQ has very solid game base, made of planets, crafting, flying, ship design, combat. But they lack all fun and entertaining game activities, that attract actual major player base of casual and semi-casual players to the game. Playing DU, where there are about 100 or less crafters online, who craft everything for themselves is not fun. There are too few players.

 

I do not think that objections "it's a sandbox, leave DU as is" are valid. With proposed improvements, and added various activities DU will be same sandbox, but much more fun to play, and will attract larger audience. MMORPG with so few players like now, will not stay alive for a long time.

Edited January 31, 2023 by Dixiii

[blundertwink]

41 minutes ago, Dixiii said:

In whole NQ has very solid game base, made of planets, crafting, flying, ship design, combat. But they lack all fun and entertaining game activities, that attract actual major player base of casual and semi-casual players to the game. Playing DU, where there are about 100 or less crafters online, who craft everything for themselves is not fun. There are too few players.

 

I do not think that objections "it's a sandbox, leave DU as is" are valid. With proposed improvements, and added various activities DU will be same sandbox, but much more fun to play, and will attract larger audience. MMORPG with so few players like now, will not stay alive for a long time.

 

This is all true -- but unfortunately there's no evidence to suggest that NQ is developing DU as their main priority (and plenty of evidence to the contrary). 

It's been over 4 months since it released as a new subscription MMO with very few updates, no impactful marketing or growth, and very little communication.

 

Even their "roadmap" is vague, not especially impactful, and is apparently in no hurry to be deployed. The only statements from their CEO are about new projects, as has been his focus for a while per his own statements. 

 

Even if they deploy a big patch tomorrow...will it be enough to change anything? I don't see how it could be. 

 

"Release now, fix later" means the game has earned almost universal "meh" reviews -- and their Steam stats are so bad any promotions they opt into will not be seen by anyone (as evidenced by the 'base building' promo that just ended). 

 

This is really, really hard to come back from, even if NQ accepted and fixed the game's many faults (which they don't, really). 

 

I think NQ has basically given up on trying to turn this around, but they'd never say so because they can still milk whatever subs they have for as long as humanly possible...which is what they will do. 

[Dixiii]

A lot of players can be pessimistic now, as online numbers are quite low. NQ can sit almost idle and earn a little - subscription money from new players.

 

But think it's a wrong way for NQ, since base of the game - graphics, engine, already created base mechanics for a lot of things are good enough. DU just missing some easy to understand and not hard to add game activities, like mentioned before PvE in a safe space vs ships and turrets. Or even easier: randomly generated temporary market buy orders at high price, with some announce. For sample: "Aphelia corporation buying up to 100'000 of Basic L size engine on Theoma Market 3, price 500k per item, for next 24 hours". Will add some fun and action to the game for sure.

[le_souriceau]

On 2/1/2023 at 12:57 AM, Dixiii said:

Will add some fun and action to the game for sure.

 

Yep, you totally right about somewhat "easier and faster fun" or something like that. Its what we were telling NQ for years. I literaly remember posts that almost quotes in relation to yours in 2020 and some ideas even before. To no avail.

 

What blundertwink tried to explain somewhat eloquently, that, sadly, momentum of game so gone, thats its doubful that NQ keeps any, lets say, honest intention to spare resources on DU beyond most basic life support.