While this post was initially intended to be a feedback about the new sandbox activity of 4.3, I want to express my concern about all the recent locations and related gameplay added since 4.1 and how I think they are erasing the credibility of the universe and its former lore. Starting with Onyx Facilities (4.3) : First, the good : - Great interior atmosphere and ambiance - Nice looking exterior - Good use of vertical space in the Lobby and the both wings, combined with a immersive lighting work with rays and dust. - Use of the new radiation system to prevent access to certain key areas - Possibility of multiple missions types - Some story-telling, progression and purpose by completing the related investigation missions for the Regen Crisis story thing. Then, the bad : "The Onyx Facilities are a network of abandoned research sites scattered throughout the Stanton system, totaling nearly a hundred." - Currently, the same complex is copy-pasted hundred of times, it includes the exterior, lobby, research & engineering wings, plus the layout is I believe exactly the same for each. - Arbitrary scattering these complexes around Stanton System doesn't make any sense with the POI logic placement you showed us at CitCon. it gives the impression to play a randomly generated space game filled with POI everywhere (No Man's Sky) - Why would ASD choose barren/harsh locations to implement their facilities ? They are not a mining company and their goal is not to study the composition/environmental aspects of every moon - Why would ASD scatter multiple small facilities all around a moon instead of centralizing them ? Entry Points - The only entry point into the underground complex is trough two surface-level instanced XL hangars. Honestly, I hope it's just temporary, because from the exterior you can see roads, ramps, storage access doors, staircases, service doors on the rear side but all is purely cosmetic. It could have been a good opportunity for stealth approach using ground vehicles or on-foot. - Why only two XL hangars ? Why not multiple sized hangars and few landing pads for short stay like Distribution Centers ? It's not believable for a populated and living universe, unless the only intended way for the personnel to enter/exit the site is trough a shuttle system using transport ships (Valkyrie). - The only access to Engineering and Research wings are trough a single lobby connected to both hangars, while it's not a bad design by itself, It's a bottleneck and would have been a kill trap if armistice zone wasn't activated just for this area. - ATC authorization is required to land, however who operates it ? An hacked former ASD automatic system or the faction who took control of the complex ? For the latter it's doesn't make any sense since they shot you on sight when accessing a wing. Unless they trapped me in to steal my ship and my stuff. Mission design and PVE By far the most deceiving point for now. Remember P.I Wanted ? It wasn't a complex mission, but it was a quite good one : No invasive markers, no forced PVE/PVP, immersive narration, few possible outcomes whether or not you sent enough evidences... A mission that fitted with the SC vision of immersion and life in space, and of course it was removed and never reconsidered... ...and years later, after many "sandbox activities", for Onyx Facilities : - Again only aggressive NPC who shot on sight... Seriously ? Why every "exploration" missions nowadays involve the massacre of an entire community ? - Again you are forced to annihilate dozens of humans being to advance in the hallways unless a player did the job 10min before you - The first missions are for the simple-minded : Go there / follow the yellow marker / click on a button / rushing the exit... - Speaking of the exit : Who greenlighted this ? Who thought this could be a good idea ? Mission data downloaded on the mobiglass and sent the to the mission giver = Contract completed. that's it. Why penalizing death ? I get you want to punish deliberate suicide for exiting the location faster, but Death of a Spaceman will be here to counter this behavior one day so for now, please, remove this objective. Continuing with the other recent locations and sandbox activities : Distribution Centers (3.23) : Totally neglected since. - Were not used for the Global Event Resource Drive (4.2.1), what a missed opportunity. - Hubs are empty and still don't serve any purpose. - No news about their extended underground parts (Massive elevator, underground containers storage areas and more...) Align and Mine (4.1) : - I really don't get it, all these transmitting stations and infrastructures to repeatedly open a cave located in the same spot 5 meters under the surface on Daymar and Aberdeen to mine resources for Wikelo ? - A less complex drilling technique couldn't have been used instead since the begging ? - Plus why big corporations like Crusader/Hurston Security don't reclaim control instead of letting gangs get near ? It could potentially be a weapon of destruction again the outposts and installations located around these moons. Wikelo Emporium (4.1) : My biggest disappointment by far. - Just like Onyx Facilities, Wikelo Stations are copy/pasted 3 times around Stanton - The exterior and interior feel completely disconnected from each other - Introduction mission needs you to exterminate wildlife, what a surprise. - Wikelo's showroom is instanced, it could have been a meeting hub for players, located in one of the tower with a view on the asteroid and hangars, but no... - Wikelo not being physically present inside the showroom is absolutely insane, was it too demanding for Server Meshing to support a banu NPC ? - Only XL hangars feel ridiculously big for small and medium ships. Storm Breaker & ASD facilities (4.2) The comments section under the dedicated ISC episode sums it all. Moreover, It's really a shame that the only way to encounter and fight an Apex Valakkar is trough this Sandobx Activity and not like the way you showed us at CitCon2953 : The experience of immersion and space life simulation I pledge for is fading for some strange mix of No Man's Sky, Destiny and Call of Duty in space... I miss some old missions when I could almost relax and not take a full gear just to not die under a rain of beams and bullets : - Gundo Station missions (Pi Wanted, My Dad's Stuff...) - Handyman delivery - Investigation/Retrieving in a ship derelict somewhere in space. - Searching for missing person in a random cave. - Deliver small drugs packages for Wallace Klim