What are your main issues with CPU Extenders at the moment?

My thoughts on the game balance issues around obtaining CPU extenders:

THE MILITARY ROUTE

For me T2 is the critical tier to "get right".

As T2 vessels are the ones which you have to assault the POI's that hold the rare and ultra rare containers, to get the T3 components.

These POI's with rare and ultra rare are also not the very low level/super easy POI to assault.

You will probably have to assault multiple in your T2 vessels.

Hence T2 levels needs to be carefully balanced to the POI with T3 components.

I am not sure the T2 vessel is sufficiently powerful yet. Especially viewed against the current low drop rate of T3 components in POI, to make progression by the military route a reasonable difficulty curve.

THE TRADE ROUTE

Progression via the trade route to get components is a grind fest of building and selling to NPC traders, but it is doable but a bit "cheesy". This route to could do with some work to make it a more fleshed out game experience. Adding several trading PDA missions that earn a good financial return for completion would be a great start and strenghen trade as an alternative progression path.

 

yeah, as with what i said earlier, right now t3/4 are just necessary for making a half decent ship, so it leaves little room for any interesting gameplay
instead of t3/4 being extra for people who put in more effort theyre currently just extra grinding that must be done to spawn any decent ship

 

As much as I fight with the idea of bringing this up, if we must use this metric could it be possible to change the core itself for each tier rather than introducing more ship disabling blocks into the mix? Seems there could just be 4 different cores or perhaps one that can be upgraded via the multitool like most other devices. Make the upgrade costs be high but not ridiculous. Just a thought...

 

I voted to have it all craftable.

My reasoning is as follows.

I don't see why i need to farm around to find chips to run my ship, when i can build a warp drive and shield and weapons by hand, but these new components can only be found not crafted if it were really for ship specialisation then how can we specialise our ships if we cant build the things, this should all be stuff to be built by the player...

the feature CPU should only involve specialisation of ships and should not revolve around searching for components that miraculously cannot be built.

CPU, allows for specialisation of vessels, fine, but it was a bad move to put the components in POI, we should be able to just craft this stuff from the outset.

The problems surrounding CPU and poi looting, were clearly not considered, when regarding a large server with many players, limited poi and limited respawn times of those poi.
After a season wipe we will have 177 players all looking for components on the first day.

At HWS rex will make other ways for players to get their cpu components by adding such bridges and matrixes in daily loot, but really, really really really, its just stupid for him to have to do that, I would rather all components be craftable regarding CPU, it makes so much more sense and as cpu is a rather crippling feature anyway for most players, its a shame to cripple them even more by forcing them to search for components.
Give us a break you already scrubbed our workshops.

I have stood by the CPU feature so far, for the most part, I will go along with it, I know how to use it, already converted a few builds, no big deal.
However I must draw a line of logic and the non craftable components have crossed that line.

edit:
I can craft amazing technological marvels like like shield generators, gravity generators, weapons, warp drives ! I can even make 3 types of ore from nothing but crushed stone ! but i cant make a optic bridge or a matrix? for the purpose of increasing the ships computing capacity ? It makes no logical sense to me.
Finding rarer ore like gold to craft the highest tiers makes more sense.

 

My 2cts:

In the Principe I am not at all against CPU and what it is aiming for. My Vote was 1/4. To low in terms of loot AND should be craftable - which would work perfectly together IMO.

What I don't understand is the desire to craft ALL with only what Deposits provide.
I played and still play several MMO's. ALL of them have the method incorporated that, if you like to achieve highest levels of quality items, you have to go out there and fight the most difficult Tasks/Enemies!
Games such as SWG, WoW, SWTOR, TESO have that system and work pretty well and stimulate Players to try to get the stuff.
For those who are not that lucky to be in a nice guild to help you obtaining the stuff there is also the possibility to BUY it from some sort of exchange or a faction Vendor. I wasn't a lucky one but I was always a Master-Crafter in each of those games.

Here in EGS it seems to be quite unthinkable to even try to buy the needed items or go out and look /fight for loot.
Thank You @Vermillion to bring up the low loot rate.

 

I have been thinking a bit more on these progression paths to high level cpu extenders and think in addition the The Military and Trade paths there could also be:

THE ADVENTURE/QUEST ROUTE

Again using PDA missions, you could undertake a robbery or assasination mission for the Pirate faction for cpu component rewards.

Finding and exploring an ancient Alien faction, deep space anomaly, where you can find components.

"Winning" extenders from being first past the post in an SV race "instance"

Basically ways to acquire hi teir components, which are not focused around the main NPC factions.

 

I agree the game could do with things to make the gameplay more progressive, but CPU certainly is not it.

I just think that CPU is the last thing that should be made a rare find, more likely warp drives shield and gravity gen technology should be the harder stuff to build, put all these in hard to reach places...
Instead of making us travel all over the galaxy looking for simple nuts and bolts to put together a better cpu lol its a joke does nobody see how stupid and illogical this concept is ? when we can build warp and grav tech by hand..

Dont get me wrong either, im not about wanting to make the complete t4 ship at start, i want to go farm rare ores to make the stuff i need, in risky places making it a worthwhile challenge like it always has been....
I want to level up to earn the right to build any and all possible technology available for my ship, which is one of the games solid foundations.
And to the some players here commenting with " this is just because you want to build everything at the start right away" how remarkably short sighted and inaccurate.

Would have been better to give us a 1000 level up system and make the better tech harder to get that way, make levelling up a true task, not a 30 minute thing which some people probably still do.

Eleon should not be afraid to add player levels in the game, i think it still sits at 25 today because some players are like"but i dont have that sort of free time to get 1000 levels" well tough, I dont have the free time to rebuild my workshop for cpu but life is life eh we take it on the chin and move on...

I think the biggest problem and also the biggest key to the success of this feature and game as far as progression and making the game play last, is the players level system.
Right now this level system is pointless with only 25 levels and dominated in under 30 minutes probably by the pros here.

It is a waste of code as it is right now and sits there performing no useful function until it has been given a proper amount of levels.
I feel no sense of achievement when i level because i know i can level 1-25 in a very very short time. The tech never seems out of reach for me, and so it does not feel special when i reach it.

Players should have to level up high to make the highest tier cpu.... i dont see the need to make them run all over the galaxy in a frantic race to find nuts and bolts for a cpu...

Seems at the moment eleon is opting to ignore the obvious solution to player progression in the form of a real amount of levels, in favor of making cpu components the rare items to find and not build.
It just makes no sense to me whatsoever, it seems messy and confusing and simply does not fit with the current logic of the game which is to level up to build what you need and seems totally unnecessary.

I dont mind the cpu system, but i want to build it like any other object, its nothing magical that should need searching for, they are not rare artefacts that cannot be built.
We can build cpu here on earth already lol we dont have warp drives shields etc etc etc
You want me to believe in a mystical empryion future universe that i can create warp grav shield and energy weps but not a cpu ? ^-^

Let that sink in a bit.

 

now, 2 weeks, purged every pvp planet from zyrax and alien presence ... loot resume .... 2 small bridge, 2 small matrix, 1 mkarge matrix .... and i'm full of epic weapons ...

the drop rate is really crap ....

theses objects must be craftable... its a pain to loot them and everyone is not friendly with polaris or have millions gold to buy it ...

i mean, cpu tier is a comon things in the player progress, not a special thing that need epic loot ... so there is no reason for them to have a crap drop rate ..

 

This is rather like a desired feature rather than CPU feedback but it goes with one of the voting points.
For now the CPU values fit into my constructions and as I progress in character levels I modify my constructions (playing in SP), needing to go from T1 to T2 and then to T3 and T4 (the obvious).
The problem as many mark is that there is a low rate of fall of the components and they are not fabricable.
I would love to be able to get a component and introduce it into the deconstructor, which will take what it takes (it could speed up the process by entering more identical components) and once the time has elapsed, enter the constructor as a fabricable component.
I want to know what other players think.

Esto mas bien es como una característica deseada mas que opinión de CPU pero va con uno de los puntos de voto.
Por ahora los valores de CPU encajan en mis construcciones y a medida que avanzo en niveles del personaje voy modificando mis construcciones (jugando en SP) necesitando subir de T1 a T2 y luego a T3 y T4 (lo obvio).
El problema como marcan muchos es que hay una baja tasa de caída de los componentes y no son fabricables.
Me encantaría poder conseguir un componente e introducirlo en el deconstructor, que este se tarde lo que tenga que tardar (podría acelerar el proceso ingresando mas componentes idénticos) y una vez pasado el tiempo, que ingrese al constructor como componente fabricable.
Quiero saber que piensan los demás jugadores.

 

The extenders are ugly cubes, and forcing several of them for higher tiers (instead of one upgradable device, for example) means several ugly cubes to hide in a dark closet.

 

What are your main issues with CPU Extenders at the moment?

• The fact that it takes multiple to extend the higher tiers, and losing one completely cripples a ship - there is no granularity, extra CPU devices do not provide added benefits. More than two T3 / four T4 are a waste, and less is dead weight.
• The fact that T3 / T4 ships are being gated behind rare CPU components as a progression mechanic, forcing CPU to perform a function it is not designed or suitable for. "Specialization," my ass.
• The fact that the devs have turned a blind eye to the flaws in this system from the very beginning, ignored continual feedback on how to fix it properly, and think this list is somehow representative of the "major issues" with CPU Extenders.

@Hummel-o-War I expect this post will probably get erased, but it has to be said. The "main issues" with Extenders have very little to do with the Optronics components - their drop rates, their merchant prices, or crafting recipe is a symptom of the problem, not its source. You can tweak all of these, and it still won't solve the "main issues" with CPU Extenders. If you're gonna post the poll, at least list some relevant options.

EDIT:
At the very least, add an "other" option to that list, because none of the existing choices qualify and it sure as hell ain't "perfectly fine as-is."

 

Scarcity is directly in opposition to promoting specialisation. If can only make 1(one) larger ship, it better be able to do as much as you need it do.
Fragility does not promote specialisation. Fragility combined with scarcity promotes hoarding/use in safe environments only.

High power consumption does nothing to promote specialisation.​

 

as report before

Extender are: ugly and take space.........
need have more than one.......
if one broke you lose all the added bonus all in one......

suggestion:

reduce the space on just one cube for convenience on design.
introduce a percentage of cpu lost for extender lost...

and i add also to put at energy usage who is balanced for cpu added.....( or used ).
If you don`t use all the cpu you are still using same ammount of energy just because the extender is on place.,,,,

 

After playing to the point where I was needing T3 stuff, every item on that list seems to be an issue.

The drop rate is way too low, the price is too expensive, there are too few vendors selling the item, and it's really frustrating how there is really no other way to acquire them other than those vendors (the drop rate is way too low to consider raiding a source, you'll have much better luck selling the stuff you get from a POI in order to get funds for buying one).

The idea is not bad. It forces you to play the game with a goal in mind (get enough reputation, raid POIs) but right now it is too restrictive and feels too much like a grind since you need so many of them. It also makes some playstyles no longer viable. Correct me if I'm mistaken, but it looks like there is really no option to progress in the game if you are not friendly to Polaris.

In addition, as a new player there is zero information in game about the mechanic. If it wasn't for this forum, I would have never known about those particular vendors and would have thought the game is broken or doesn't have any content pass the T2 tier. You REALLY need to add some early missions which give you the stuff or at least directs you towards said Polaris vendors if that's the intended way (you'd argue that new players are not likely to check the CPU option, but to me it seemed like an extra difficulty thing and I usually play games in hard mode, and to be honest just like the m/v option it makes the game better but needs some adjustments).

 

I gotta ask...
When was the last time you looked at, used or saw any aspect of the CPU system?
I'm guessing a month or two.

Why? Because the CPU model was changed shortly after hitting experimental. They aren't ugly purple circuit blocks anymore, they look like computer servers.
Similarly, the Energy usage was put WAY down. A T2 SV CPU extender uses the same amount of power as a fridge. A CV T4 extender, the most expensive one uses the same amount of power as a Gravity Generator. Or 1/500th the output of a T1 generator.
The T4 SV extenders are also equal mass to an RCS and all the lower tier ones only get lighter.

 

It's really funny.
Those who play with CPU restrictions are subject to a double sanction. Harder way to build a ship AND and unavailable resources.

We have already told to devs that a non-craftable resource is a bad idea because beginners won't understand. But they are also made them rare and hidden in dangerous places ...

Worshop builders are also screwed. We do CPU compliant builds in a game where CPU restrictions are not activated by default.
So CPU compliant builds can't even be used ! Why will players use them if it's a double trouble ?

 

you are talking about something who i never see.....so the fact who before was worst means now is ok?
on the same line woman or disable people have consistent more right and help than before....that make the situation right today?

If for you the extender are right is ok, i have no problem with that. I`m just trowning my 5 cent on the pool and maybe at the end of the day someting can change a bit for better. If not i have any way express my opinion.

 

There's a difference between feedback of an opinion on how something is now and how something was 2 months ago.
Things changed for the better a long time ago. Every negative aspect you highlighted was removed, but you're clinging to how they were and judging the current system on how it used to be.

"I hate these cows" says the man in a restaurant enjoying a steak.

 

Psst, Verm, pretty certain he's talking about current version... >_>

"You're talking about a version I didn't see. The fact that it was worse before means it's OK now?"

"Ugly" is kinda subject to debate - certainly the "server database" look is better than whatever purple/green placeholder garbage they used initially, but I'm sure there's still folks who find it ugly. Certainly doesn't mesh with the other game visuals, I'll say that much. And wasn't it you who raised issues with the weird yellow circle in the middle?
+We already know the issues regarding extenders' all-or-nothing approach.

T3 and T4 extenders are 1x1x2, so, still kind of a valid complaint.

Pretty sure this isn't a complaint about their energy usage being too high, but about the fact that they consume the "same amount of energy" regardless of what percentage of CPU you're currently consuming. A T2 that's only barely over T1 capacity, and a T2 that's right near capacity are both drawing the same power.

I dunno, I could be reading the guy wrong, but it seems to me the complaints are all still fairly relevant in the existing version. And personally, I find it funny that yet again these are complaints that don't pertain to Optronics' drop rates or obtainability - if that's really the only part of this mess the devs insist on focusing on, it doesn't bode well for future improvements.