Galactic Starfighter....suggestions to give it wider appeal, short and long term

[LordArtemis]

The starfighter part of the game was like SWG's Jump to Lightspeed expansion, it would be 100% better. I just do not find this engaging. It needs story and missions, which means developers need to stop being lazy and program some NPC AIs. Give us a story to go along with it.

 

I am surprised to see this revived. The lack of PVE in the feature is a common complaint.

[LordArtemis]

I have been told that Bioware has publicly stated that they are disappointed with the performance of GSF in the game as far as appeal to the wider playerbase. Something to do with why there are no GSF updates coming for 3.0.

 

However, I can not seem to find this comment anywhere.

 

If anyone is aware of where this comment could be I would appreciate a link.

[Verain]

I have been told that Bioware has publicly stated

 

 

OH, oh, lemme try passive voice with weasel words too!

 

"It is thought in several circles that those who don't provide links to claimed sources are full of crap."

 

If we had that, there would at least be a thread discussing it. If you were "told", that means "by a person". Contact that person and ask THEM for a source, right?

 

 

Even if that were true (and it could well be), I doubt they would go on record with that kind of statement.

[LordArtemis]

OH, oh, lemme try passive voice with weasel words too!

 

"It is thought in several circles that those who don't provide links to claimed sources are full of crap."

 

If we had that, there would at least be a thread discussing it. If you were "told", that means "by a person". Contact that person and ask THEM for a source, right?

 

 

Even if that were true (and it could well be), I doubt they would go on record with that kind of statement.

 

Well, if I didn't post the question here how could I get my fill of your witty repartee Verain?

 

You are so clever after all....

[Mallorik]

I am surprised to see this revived. The lack of PVE in the feature is a common complaint.

 

I would play GSF if it had pve missions, even with the short bus follow the target with your cursor mouse controls.

 

I pvp'd like crazy when this game came out but without half way realistic flight controls it became really boring, some story driven pve might be enough to distract from them.

[Horacio]

23 pages so not sure what I can add at this point and I'm too lazy to read 23 pages so, likely redundant suggestions:

 

1.) Capital ship combat. PvP teams each have an opportunity to assault the other team's fleet and score points for destroying objectives while the other team works to defend their fleet. Kinda like Voidstar.

 

2.) Better rewards, more unique pilot like armor sets, Stronghold decor including your ship customized like you have it set up for GSF that fits a centerpiece hook. Posters and placards for all different ships. Achievement trophies. Maybe the ability to earn a new starship -- your main ship, like Mantis/Phantom/Fury....replace it with a new design but you'd have to be past your whole story line that takes place there.

 

3.) New maps and rule sets, just for some variety.

 

4.) Cross server queues. I know all the cons to this approach but the wait times are ugly.

 

5.) Increase the requisition bonus on the Intro mission. The learning curve is horrendous

 

6.) Single player training missions -- manuvering, target practice, resource managment. Earn some Req while doing it and have an idea of what to do going into PvP combat.

[Verain]

A lot of the thread was crying, but parts were good.

 

Your (2) would be great, but it's a lot of effort that seems unlikely. Still solid though.

 

(1) and (3) are both new modes- I don't think there's any doubt that such things would be a huge boon to the game.

 

(4) is the biggest thing that they could do, but it's also what they must do. The fact that they may not be working on this will ultimately limit GSF and greatly injure ground game pvp.

 

(5) is actually happening- the intro fleet token will grant 5k instead of 1k fleet req, allowing a free ship of whatever one you wanted.

 

(6) had to be spammed hard to just get the training we have, and that's not even with the ship you picked out. I doubt we'll get it, but obviously it would be great.

[LordArtemis]

23 pages so not sure what I can add at this point and I'm too lazy to read 23 pages so, likely redundant suggestions:

 

1.) Capital ship combat. PvP teams each have an opportunity to assault the other team's fleet and score points for destroying objectives while the other team works to defend their fleet. Kinda like Voidstar.

 

2.) Better rewards, more unique pilot like armor sets, Stronghold decor including your ship customized like you have it set up for GSF that fits a centerpiece hook. Posters and placards for all different ships. Achievement trophies. Maybe the ability to earn a new starship -- your main ship, like Mantis/Phantom/Fury....replace it with a new design but you'd have to be past your whole story line that takes place there.

 

3.) New maps and rule sets, just for some variety.

 

4.) Cross server queues. I know all the cons to this approach but the wait times are ugly.

 

5.) Increase the requisition bonus on the Intro mission. The learning curve is horrendous

 

6.) Single player training missions -- manuvering, target practice, resource managment. Earn some Req while doing it and have an idea of what to do going into PvP combat.

 

All good suggestions, especially 1 and 6 IMO....should have been more like BF2. That would have given it much wider appeal IMO.

Edited December 3, 2014 by LordArtemis

[LordArtemis]

A lot of the thread was crying, but parts were good.

 

Your (2) would be great, but it's a lot of effort that seems unlikely. Still solid though.

 

(1) and (3) are both new modes- I don't think there's any doubt that such things would be a huge boon to the game.

 

(4) is the biggest thing that they could do, but it's also what they must do. The fact that they may not be working on this will ultimately limit GSF and greatly injure ground game pvp.

 

(5) is actually happening- the intro fleet token will grant 5k instead of 1k fleet req, allowing a free ship of whatever one you wanted.

 

(6) had to be spammed hard to just get the training we have, and that's not even with the ship you picked out. I doubt we'll get it, but obviously it would be great.

 

Well, it looks like we agree in part on most of the contentions. I certainly agree that list is a good one.

Edited December 30, 2014 by LordArtemis

[Wythermyre]

Probably already said since there are 23 pages but;

1) A hanger addition to strongholds or a hanger stronghold.

2) 1 on 1 battles for new pilots to train in flying.

3) Guild ships for Capital Ship combat (I asked my GM if I could take the guild ship out for a spin .. he said "no"

4) Player designable paintjobs (not saying the devs paintjobs suck, but a larger comminty effort would yeild some amazing results.) Same thing for Guild ships.

5) Either add stealth or fix the "ships vanishing thing"

6) Have a "Pickup Teams" type system to allow Vet players to fight Vet players so new folks don't get discouraged so easily.

7) Insta-kill people who say Gunships are OP

8) More support type loadouts for Gunships. Yes, we have CC but I would like heal loads for railguns to heal friendlies. Energy transfer loads to boost friendlies. Shielding loads ... You get the idea.

9) New maps (like that hasn't said before)

10) In game voice chat for GSF groups and teams

11) Some type of player based ship design system using modular parts. (yes I know, Devs are too busy to do something like that) This would give us some incredibly individualized ships.

 

Keep in mind two things: None of these are complaints (well maybe number 7 a little). I love GSF but I want to see it grow and get even better. Secondly, it 30 mins past new years and I'm very drunk. Happy New Year to all me GSF homies! Looking forward to another great year of great fights with you all!

Edited January 1, 2015 by Wythermyre
grammer / spelling

[Archonitek]

Give new players enough ship req to fully master stock strike or scout before they start? At least this way they'll stop complaining about the gear disparity...

[Grue_Hunter]

I would like to see ground vehicle combat like what their doing with space, but their cool ground assault vehicles. I would play the hell out of a World of Tanks clone on this game and would sink money and time into building up to a top tier class of vehicle. an AT-ST in PvP would be epic.

 

I'm hoping they expand the space combat to add classes of ships and even if there is a grind to obtain new ships, etc I would jump at this.

 

Given the amount of activity (or more accurately, lack of activity) in GSF that I am seeing, I'd like to say good luck - but I don't think you will see this.

[LilSaihah]

X-server's been said so many times. For a reason! It'd be amazing.

 

Give new players enough ship req to fully master stock strike or scout before they start? At least this way they'll stop complaining about the gear disparity...

 

This would just change the argument from "gear is too powerful" to "gear on the Flashfire/Mangler is too powerful". Slightly more cogent, but not by much.

Edited January 2, 2015 by LilSaihah

[PavSalco]

Limit the amount of allowed gunships in a match to 3. The game is nearly unplayable against premades that stack gunships. Reps on the Progenitor are untouchable at times because of pro gunships.

[WiseStranger]

Limit the amount of allowed gunships in a match to 3. The game is nearly unplayable against premades that stack gunships. Reps on the Progenitor are untouchable at times because of pro gunships.

 

And how would you determine who can play a gunship (or any other "OP" ship type) and who can't?

Edited January 2, 2015 by WiseStranger

[Altheran]

Limit the amount of allowed gunships in a match to 3. The game is nearly unplayable against premades that stack gunships. Reps on the Progenitor are untouchable at times because of pro gunships.

 

Impossible. Just imagine that 4 people in the match only have gunships in their hangar... What do you do for the fourth guy ?

[psandak]

Impossible. Just imagine that 4 people in the match only have gunships in their hangar... What do you do for the fourth guy ?

 

I am NOT saying his idea is a good one, but there are ways to make it work.

 

#1 Make the hanger work so that a player cannot have only one type of ship (of the five slots only four can be one ship type)

 

#2 require the hanger have at least two ship types if one is a gunship (so that those who only have one ship and it is a gunship don't get screwed)

 

#3 First come first serve. You get in, you choose your ship type, the first three who pick a gunship get it, the rest cannot be a gunship (this would also reduce the ship changing pre-battle; if you choose gunship you better stick with it or someone else might get your gunship slot).

 

Again NOT saying his idea is valid, in fact I am against it. But your position that what he suggests is "impossible" is simply not true.

[PavSalco]

#3 First come first serve. You get in, you choose your ship type, the first three who pick a gunship get it, the rest cannot be a gunship (this would also reduce the ship changing pre-battle; if you choose gunship you better stick with it or someone else might get your gunship slot).

 

This is how I would see it. That kind of restriction is not something extraordinary. It was used in other games and it worked fine.

[SammyGStatus]

Nerf players - enforce the top players to fly inebriated. That way, they suck enough for us to turn the tides of war!

[LordArtemis]

I don't think that increasing the rewards is going to have the desired effect. I think that more changes need to be made. I have already spelled them out, but would repeat them here in brevity.....

 

- Add some kind of PVE training and joystick capability, cockpit mode.

- Reduce the power curve for upper level improvements to level the playing field OR bolster to the same level and allow equipment to provide an edge, not domination.

- Slow down the movement speed of the vessels, but make them more responsive to turning movement. Allow them better bursts of speed to escape damage however.

 

Just those changes alone would greatly improve the appeal of the feature overall IMO. However, in order for the feature to be a hit with the playerbase, the following would likely need to happen eventually....

 

Hangars that are treated like Strongholds....with all the Stronghold capabilities, and a few unique ones. They should be physical places you can view your ships up close, you should be able to decorate them and they should have utility that appeals to the wider playerbase. They would also provide access to your entire Legacy, just like Strongholds do.

 

The inclusion of capital ships and "on foot" combat using generic avatars, just like Battlefront 2.

 

The inclusion of our personal starships as "group vessels" that would provide the ability for a group of players to play as a team, with repair and turret options.

 

IMO that would make the feature MUCH more popular with the playerbase.

[NeuroniaSW]

Just from someone starting out, few of the things I would like to see:

 

1)Flat reward for beginning ships/players so you can get your early upgrades down, then scale down to normal rewards afterward;

2)Matching with similar skill levels, know it can be gamed so not ideal;

3)Some sort of Commendations (Basic or even Warzone) to GSF ship req conversion. DOesn't have to be even transfer by any means, but would allow sturidier ships at the outset.

 

(In reference to Item 1, do your first match get 1,000 ship requisitin win or lose so you can get one upgrade. Then get a little less next time on top of your earned req. Just to make progress a little more...reachable.)

[Fractalsponge]

In addition to the requisition bump that came with 3.0, I'd suggest the following:

 

1) Reduce the costs of buying ships

2) Make all base weapon components unlocked by default

3) Make crew member unlocks legacy based (if you have all companions on 4 classes, you get them all available)

4) Make a new reputation tier tied to gsf. It's too late to feed into KDY rep now, so have a new one. Give Legend tier access to a really sweet mount (like a full size battlescout or something equally outlandish).

5) Sell conversion items that take ship requisition from your total and turns it into a tradeable fleet requisition. This allows people to gear alts and friends' ships, and still fits the current revenue model.

6) Allow people to buy extra versions of ships to try new builds.

[Verain]

Bolster remains an impossible thing. Not only is there no such thing as gear, but there would be no meaning for gear any longer, as literally the entire game is instanced pvp.

 

I don't think gear is stopping people from playing. However, I'd be down for events that, for instance, temporarily boost all ships to have every upgrade available, along with the general concept of a "GSF event".

 

 

Also, at some point someone came in here and mentioned that we'd be seeing more people because of some ground game bug? That isn't related to GSF at all. There's some bug related to item levels and your CLASS SHIP GEAR (the bug is related to the fact that the class ship gear has item levels). GSF doesn't have any of that stuff, the ships are a separate universe internally.

[Archonitek]

Also, at some point someone came in here and mentioned that we'd be seeing more people because of some ground game bug? That isn't related to GSF at all. There's some bug related to item levels and your CLASS SHIP GEAR (the bug is related to the fact that the class ship gear has item levels). GSF doesn't have any of that stuff, the ships are a separate universe internally.

 

You use fleet comms to get purple equips for your class ship.

[Sorelus]

Capital ships

If anyone here knows Battlefield 1942 there was a map where both teams had to destroy the enemies Carrier. That would be appropriate for GSF as well.