4Game

TLDR: FDEV is missing out on some huuuugggeee opportunities to make Elite Dangerous better than ever with minimum effort or cost, and should really do that! Read on for a sample mission and my own thoughts on the issue. What say you?

So like many people I see on this forum, I feel like there is a lot of potential in the EliteDangerous that is being missed. Little things that could take what is already a “pretty good” experience to something truly epic. Like many players I find Elite to be a wide but unfortunately shallow sandbox experience. I find myself wondering what the developers could do (aside from adding spaceship interiors which IMHO is not practical and doesn’t by itself add much to the game), that wouldn’t cost inordinate amounts of development effort for limited returns. It’s actually really frustrating in a way!

For example, I would love to see some new ruins or (even active civilizations) pop-up on some unexplored worlds (they wouldn’t even have to be new assets). Perhaps a new world type “inhabited world” with a primitive pre FTL/spacefaring civilzation that would grant a huge exploration bonus to its discoverer but would have extremely large penalties to the pilot who interfered with it. Or perhaps a “lost” colony out there where the inhabitants inadvertently cut themselves off from the bubble, but now a player is there wants to “reconnect.” Missions there could include acquiring and delivering commodities, relaying messages, establishing trade routes or other actions to help the colony rejoin the Bubble.

Or how about more dynamic mission design that instead of regurgitating the same old “go here, kill this, fetch that” could chain together a few different activities than can be completed in different ways to tell a small story.

Consider the following chained missions below as a sample of kind of activities and rewards I wouldn’t mind seeing implemented in game. I have also included my thoughts afterwards about why I don’t think it would be all that hard to implement, and I believe the payoff for both players and FDEV would be worthwhile. Hopefully you find it interesting.

Mission 1 “The Delivery”

Starting Parameters: Offered to friendly players in systems that are in expansion or boom states.

Starting Requirements For Horizons: 5t cargo space, SRV

For Odyssey: 10t cargo space (or 5t cargo space + 1 unoccupied cabin), SRV, Maverick Space Suit suggested

Offered Reward: 10 Million Credits

Objective: Deliver supplies (5t of x commodities) to research station on planet n (n = landable world within 150ly of mission starting point.

Player is directed to provide supplies to a research team that is building a station on the indicated planet. Player takes on supplies and goes to designated location. When the player arrives at the marked location, player will discover nothing there. The player is prompted to search the area for the missing contact. After a short period of searching, the player is prompted to contact the mission giver via their comms panel to inform the mission giver of the situation. The mission giver indicates that they too, have received indications that their research team has vanished and advise the player that they cannot properly pay the player the full amount for the mission because the mission remains technically incomplete. The mission giver then offers a lessor amount with the caveat that the player may keep the commodities they were meant to deliver. The player now has two options:

1. Accept the new arrangement

2. Insist “a deal is a deal”.

If the player takes option 1 and agrees to take the loss, the mission giver will conclude the mission giving the player a hidden award of a significant reputation boost and offer a new mission to the player to find the missing research team. (Go to Mission 2)

If the player insists on keeping the original deal, he will be informed that he must return the goods to the original location where he was given the mission if he wishes to be paid and takes a substantial reputation loss with the issuing faction. While returning to the original location player will be interdicted by a powerful group of pirates* that they must escape or destroy. If the player manages to evade or destroy the pirates and return the goods the mission will conclude “normally.”

*Special note: The player is NOT intended to survive to avoid players spamming the mission for an “easy” 10 million credits. Additionally, the faction reputation penalty (for not agreeing to the lessor payment) is also designed to prevent spamming by forcing the player rebuild faction rep in order to reattempt the mission.

If the player’s ship is destroyed by the pirates one of two outcomes is possible depending on game version. Horizon players are simply “killed” and enter the rebuy screen as normal with no further penalties and the mission is considered failed. Odyssey players however are not sent to the rebuy as normal but now find themselves in a prison cell at an unknow location where they are given a new mission to escape! (Go to Mission 4)

Mission 2 “The Search”

Starting Parameters and Requirements: Complete Mission 1 by accepting the new deal from the mission giver.

Objective: Look for the missing research team.

Once the player accepts the mission from the mission giver, they are provided with a ship’s manifest that provides vital information regarding the missing team, including names, the ship they were in (type) and their planned flight path (4-6 stops approximately 30ly apart). The player is prompted to scan (FSS) the systems along the flight path. In one of the systems the player will find a distress beacon along the orbital lines of a lightly atmosphered land-able world. Scanning the beacon will indicate that the research team was attacked by an enemy faction and forced to land on the nearby world and give the player 3-4 possible crash locations to investigate. Players may also DSS Scan the planet for more details which will revealother points of interest including several colonies on the planet (including one within 60km of the “correct” crash site*)

*Special note: This ‘special’ colony is hidden (in fact it only instances if the mission is active) and cannot be discovered by proximity although it will be revealed by use of DSS.

At this point Horizon players must simply examine (and loot) each site by SRV to locate the correct site, at which point they will automatically contact the mission giver and give them the bad news. The mission giver thanks them for their help, pays them the original 10 million offered and “takes it from here.” Unfortunately, due to the limitations of Horizonsthe player cannot complete missions 3 or 4. Horizon players can still approach the “hidden base” but will simply find a generic high security facility that can be scanned or looted.

Players from Odyssey are prompted to investigate the crash sites for clues. Some of the sites are just generic sites that can be looted as normal (if player has the Maverick Suit). However, at the correct site the player will find the appropriate crashed vessel and the bodies of some (but not all) of the team members which are ‘confirmed’ by use of the profile analyzer. SRV tracks lead away from the crash sitein the direction of the nearby colony (that has already been noted by more astute players who were able to DSS the planet; see above). Additionally, there is a random chance the site will also be occupied by a small force of lightly armed pirates (2-4 NPCs) for some low threat ground combat. If the player is “killed” by the pirates, the player will respawn in a prison cell (go to Mission 4). All other deaths during this mission result in normal a mission failure with no further penalties.

After scanning the bodies (and defeating pirates, if present), the player is prompted to contact the mission giver via comms and give them the bad news. At this point the mission giver will indicate the player has done enough, give a modest award and offer to “take it from here.” Players may either accept the award and “successfully” conclude the mission or offer to look for and hopefully rescue the remaining research team members (Go to mission 3).

Mission 3 “The Rescue”

Starting Parameters and Requirements:Odyssey, successfully complete Mission 2. Note: While players are free to “offer” to find and rescue the hostages in mission 2, it is not required to start Mission three. The player may conclude the previous mission and then simply proceed to the afore mentioned hidden colony by either following the SRV tracks or proceeding directly to the location (if known), or even stumble onto it by accident to start this mission. However, if a playerwho has not offered to attempt the rescue, leaves the instance for any reason prior triggering the mission, the colony will disappear and not re-instance even if the player returns to the location.

Objective: Enter the pirate base and rescue as manyResearch Team Members as possible (up to 10), mission reward is scaled to number of persons rescued

There are many paths open to the player who wishes to complete this mission.

The most obvious is for the player to follow the SRV tracks from Mission 2 on the ground to the location in question. In most cases this will be a covert entry into the station until a pirate NPC gets too close or scans the player once they have arrived at the base. However, there is a random chance that the player will encounter a roving patrol (air or ground with possible SRV support) prior to reaching the base or that a party has been sent out to the crash site (near 100% probability if pirates were already encountered in Mission 2). In this circumstance, the player will have 3:00 to defeat the enemy party to maintain stealth, otherwise the base will be on alert and/or reinforcements may be called by the enemy combatants.

Players who choose to take to the sky (use their ship) can also reach the base (provided players who did not take the mission don’t enter super-cruise for re-instancing reasons) and attempt to land. Players who initiate normal landing requests will be allowed to land without triggering the anti-air defense system or ready fighters (2 Eagles that will attempt to intercept the player in the air) but will still be greeted by a landing party! Players who fail to initiate protocol will be automatically attacked inside 5km. Good luck!

Once on base player using the normal Odyssey tools/methods (profile scanner, cutting tool, computer terminals, e-breach etc. will have to locate and free the hostages dispersed around the base (who can be armed if player has broken into weapon lockers first) and defeat the pirates (or attempt to run away while under fire). To escape the player can attempt to recall their ship, call for an Apex shuttle, or attempt to steal a pirate ship (hidden reward!) using an e-breach. It ishighly recommended player sabotage/disable air defense first! The pirate ship is randomly generated medium sized vessel with a mix of A,D, and C partially engineered modules and one empty size 2 passenger cabin parked on one of the landing pads! (this should be a pretty nasty fight to get to it) but worth it for the reward. The ship will automatically become the player’s as soon as he successfully exits the mission instance*

Special note: if player logs out (combat logs) while aboard the pirate ship prior to leaving the instance and becoming theirs to keep, they will automatically fail the mission and be sent to the rebuy screen on reentering the game. I don’t like cheaters.)

NPC hostages will automatically board the player’s ship with the player if there is either 5t of empty cargo space or an unoccupied passenger cabin. Otherwise, the player will need to board and make room (jettison cargo) for the NPCs to board (who will automatically make their way aboard once this is done, no need to disembark). There is no corresponding requirement for the Apex shuttle or pirate ship (the pirate ship will always have at least 1 small (size 2) cabin). Once aboard the hostages are treated as cargo/passengers for game play and will not exit the ship (so the player can find and escort a hostage to the ship before going after others)

Players who manage to successfully escape the base with hostages on board will be prompted to deliver the hostages to the nearest allied space port to complete the mission. Player receives a reward of 5 million for each rescued hostage (there are a total of up to 10 surviving research team members that can be rescued!)

Players who are killed at any time (in the air or on the ground) during this mission have a 1 in 3 chance of being taken alive, (go to Mission 4), otherwise they fail the mission normally and either respawn aboard their ship or at a normal respawn location depending on normal circumstances with no further penalties.

Mission 4 “The Escape” (Hidden mission)

Starting Parameters and Requirements: Player is killed or ship is destroyed in Missions 1,2, or 3!

Objective: Escape (preferably with the hostages)

The player wakes up in a prison cell… Of course, the player has been “stripped” of all of his possessions including his space suit. He will need all his wits and carful attention to detail if he wants to escape and complete the mission! The player will be prompted to escape. Fortunately, he has a cell mate who has managed to acquire an e-breach that can be used to circumvent the cell door, if the player is careful. Alternatively, the cell mate can be talked into subduing the guard, if the player can come up with a distraction (I wonder what’s behind this loose panel over here?). Maybe the player can cut the hydraulics to the cell door (hidden behind another panel, pried open using something found behind that loose panel perhaps? Really a lot of possibilities here, bottom line though is that the player and cell mate get out and subdue the guard. They will then need to search the area for other supplies and a space suit in order to even leave the habitation/prison module they are in*.

Special Note: A space suit (random grade and type) and gun can be stripped from the security guard, but another suit will need to be found if player wants to take the cell mate with him (rescue)!

The player will need to carefully search the module (and eventually) base to find the tools and weapons needed to rescue the hostages and escape. Space suites of varying grades can be found in the location (how about that? Opportunity to get upgraded gear without grinding for months!). Suits may also be gained by stripping them from pirates, provided they are undamaged (how do you kill a pirate without damaging a suit? Hmmmmm.). Opening weapon/equipment lockers allows player to acquire tools needed to escape and NPC hostagesto outfit themselves, and can now help with combat (at risk of losing rescued hostages of course).

Once things get going, this mission essentially becomes a repeat of mission 3 with all of the same parameters and rewards available (pirate ship, 5 million credit reward per hostage etc.) as the player will be able to recall their ship (if they were killed without their ship being destroyed) or contact Apex as soon as they acquire a space suit.

As with Mission 3 before, once the player reaches safety, they are prompted to go the nearest allied space port (w/shipyard) where they will not only be rewarded for each rescued hostage and paid an additional 5 million for their own rescue, but also find their original mission vessel safely docked at the station if their original ship was destroyed (or left somewhere)presumably rebought/recovered by the mission giver with no rebuy cost to the player).

Unlike in Mission 3, players who are killed at any time (in the air or on the ground) during this mission fail the mission normally (no infinite attempts to complete the mission!) and either respawn aboard their ship or at a normal respawn location (with rebuy if appropriate) depending on normal circumstances with no further penalties.

Thoughts: I am not a game developer, but it occurs to me that FDEV could the implement entire series of missions described above with virtually no effort or significant cost on their part. It requires little if any new assets to be created, except a very small bit of voice acting (ok, ok, maybe a “weapons locker” or the ability to take and equip a suit off a guard), and what does need to be created wouldn’t need any new models or animations, just some minor tweaks to the mission implementation code (assuming the code isn’t complete spaghetti! There is always that possibility!). And yet think of what missions like this would do to improve not only the gameplay but integrate the FPS features of Odyssey with the rest of the game as whole! Not only does this give us something new, with a little bit of depth, but it also give the player a different way forward that the same old mindless grind. Yes, a “free” G3 suit or pirate ship seems like a huge reward, but is it?

Truthfully, any competent player with patience and a bit of time to burn can successfully grind the money and materials for a decent medium sized ship in a few tedious hours, but to win it from a bunch of pirates with a combination of air and ground combat? That would be rewarding, and a player would have to be competent to successfully complete the above mission. In fact, I could argue that grinding is probably an easier (and boring) path! Likewise with the space suit, getting a G3 or above is mostly a matter of extraordinary luck, tedious grind or a combination of both.

So why shouldn’t we have missions or chains of missions like this? Come on FDEV, you have built this incredible framework for telling stories and great game play, a skeleton if you will, so why not put some meat on those bones? Trust me, it will pay for itself!

(P.S. I am actually looking for a job I can do from home! So, if you are from FDEV, I would happy to write missions for you! Message me!)

But what think you, fellow Elite Dangerous CMDRS, Is this viable and what missions would you like to see?

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