Saikoyu
Amarr Rho Dynamics
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Posted - 2011.08.03 21:53:00 -
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First, I will say that I have never lived in 0.0 space, just read about it, treat that as you will.
Second, I do hope you still listen to this.
In reading though the dev blog and the comments to it, I think I see some of what is going on here, and why 0.0 space in its current form has not been good enough. CCP has said that there should be something for everyone to do, no matter how big or small their organization is. However, in practice only blobs and massive alliances seem to count. CCP has said that there should never be a reason to leave null sec, but in practice, many have left due to mechanics reasons (not enough isk, better in high sce, etc).
I believe that this is because 0.0 was meant to be a place for players to create empires of their own. In reality, CCP has created the American wild west, or other similar situations in history. Like the wild west, the only law in 0.0 space is the law of the gun, he who has the most guns wins. This encourages blobs, lag, etc. However, looking to history, we have the solution, civilization. Eventually towns in the wild west became cities, rule of law was enforced, and while conflict still existed, it was handled differently. The metaphor breaks down at the end as cities in the American Mid-West don't wage war on each other, but it still works fairly well. It needs to be possible to civilize 0.0 space so that it does not matter who has the most guns, but who can use them effectively. Please note I am not advocating the end to fighting, just the end to blobs.
Look at it this way, one needs to make 0.0 space like mini-high sec to the claiming alliance. That way, they can close the doors whenever they want. Cryojammers up so that no one can drop cap ships on them. Gate guns at every gate, at the very least, warnings when "enemies of the state" come in through the gates, maybe even NPC battleships of their own at those gates. Make it so that a straight forward blob attack might succeed, but would be so costly that no one in their right mind would try it. This is step one.
Step two, the counter. At the same time, make it so that smaller ships in limited numbers could enter the system easily. Give them some small targets, like the cryojammer, gate guns control center, etc, all easy hit and run targets if no one is there to defend them. Maybe give them a 24 hour clock to die, so that if no one replaces them for the alliance, 24 hours later that system goes off line. Maybe this becomes the new job for Black Ops gangs.
Step three, negations. On the other hand, the alliance that controls the system may open it up for development, allowing other alliances to enter and leave freely, to set up POS stations, create market hubs, all for a piece of the action. Maybe even allow the controlling alliance to create the equivalent of lvl 4 missions in their space for some fee to an NPC corp.
Step four, the grass is always greener. Not all space is equal, nor should it be. But it has to be more than sanctums and moon goo, which is all there currently is. Maybe some systems will offer you deals from NPC corporations if you let them put up a station there. Maybe some systems will offer 'roids that will never all be mined. Some systems are choke points and their very position is an advantage. No matter what system or systems you have, there should always be one more that offers something new. Say, every system in max jump range should be different.
In the end, this achieves most of what the dev blog seems to be saying. There is something for everyone, no matter how big or small you are, you should always be able to claim space. That space becomes something you want to keep and protect, but there is always the call of another better system in some way. You can fight, or talk, but the blob will never be the winning key. And it allows any player to be the ruler of all they survey, and that should be the core fantasy if it is not already.
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