Player-Controlled Factions (PCF) is your path to engaging in Elite Dangerous and your way to be connected to something. that is a monumental failure from Frontier's part in my opinion, so lets look at how to address it. the disconnect from the universe in this game is real, because the only way to currently find that connection and to dive into the RPG is to leave the game and find it elsewhere in order to bring it into the game yourself. Star Systems all have codenames, major factions are pretty genericly named, minor factions are so vast that finding ONE to work with specifically doesn't help you being recognised or connected with anything. I've personally found myself unable to connect with, well. One of the main aspects of successfully engaging in the RPG side is growing connections. While it is technically just a Space-flight simulator/shooter, it also has the ability to be an MMORPG too. If, like me, you've selected your AI based on their rewards only and have no actual connection to them in-game, this is quite an important fix in what Elite Dangerous represents. This change removes the aspect of having no connection to your selected AI representative. The only change to the Powerplay system is simple convert the Powerplay system into a Player-Controlled Faction system.

The main objective is still to promote PvP and relies on Territory control to do so.

(Note Automatic promotions should still be a feature for leaders that don't wish to override the current requirements for Merit earning and reward)

Merits can still be earned to help Leadership determine player suitability and viability for promotions.

The method in which systems must be prepared for expansion.

The method in which systems are fortified is mostly unchanged.

This suggestion doesn't include any amendments to

Not every aspect of Powerplay needs to change in order to bring about a more successful and engaging feature. I'm proposing a new Player-Owned Powerplay system.

The solution is simply a rework of the current Powerplay model, in that it combines the social aspect of Powerplay which currently lies outside the game and removes the absence of meaningful connection that players strive to find within the game. While I'm sure a lot of players and members of this community would run to defend the current system because its currently whats keeping them playing Elite Dangerous, I ask you to bare with me and see this through. Players have to invest their time and energy into finding out information scattered across numerous websites, Discords and TeamSpeak servers in order to get a glimpse of what's happening for their specific Power Faction they've chosen. Powerplay, in my opinion, is a failed system. I'll keep this brief because the rest of this suggestion is huge.

Elite dangerous powerplay factions