Elite recently implemented the PowerPlay feature which allows players a means of enacting change within the galaxy. One of the controversies surrounding the new mechanics is that players can contribute to PowerPlay while in offline mode, allowing them to influence things without any real risk or other players having a way to stop them. Do you anticipate similar problems arising in SC with the PvP slider?asked by Beer4TheBeerGod

We're hoping not. So any of the actions that you're taking in the persistent universe are... it's going to be something you were there to have to trigger off at some point. So, it's not like there would be any sort of passive offline gameplay. But there could definitely be something where hey you've brought some good materials to a fabrication site, they may be pumping out some better components for a little bit of time. And that... those could still be for sale while you're offline. But it's something that you triggered, that you helped cause in the universe. And that should really affect everyone regardless of PvE or PvP. Because, just because you have your slider set one way or another, it doesn't mean you can't get attacked. There can be PvE pirates, there can be PvP UEE cops.

Yeah, it's not just about the PvP, the PvE conflict either. Because PvP actions and things that... anything that influences the persistent universe to a greater degree than shooting a guy is going to require some level of interaction with NPCs. Either as to the farthest extreme, simply as witnesses, where the NPCs are being affected by all of your decisions. And as such whether a player is there or not, the NPCs will continue to be affected by those decisions when you come into effect your change. So any change in state to the environment is going to be propagated across. Additionally if you're going to be doing anything like a blockade or something you're gonna want to be teaming up with the local NPCs. Because that's... if I come to this factory to drop off my stuff a blockade is going to require that that factory be run by NPCs with your interests in mind rather than mine. That's how generally I would expect things to play out. And if.. you were able to discover a way to.. effect the persistent universe without really putting yourself in risk of player interference, that's why the PvP slider doesn't go to zero.

Yeah.

We're able to give different levels of weight to different players depending on.. how much we think that their influence should be making them available as parts. The slider is an issue of player intent, it doesn't guarantee a particular kind of experience.

Yeah. I mean you could get nothing but NPCs on the full PvP slider and you can still get jumped by other players on the full PvE slide too. It's just where you are, what you're doing, what you've caused to happen. And that's really gonna have as much backend effect as what the individual player sets their slider to.