Saul Elsyn
State Protectorate
Caldari State
0
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Posted - 2012.07.18 22:15:00 -
[1] - Quote
Faction Warfare: Issues
System Upgrades and Defensive Plexing
Faction WarfareGÇÖs current system for System Upgrades is rather broken in a number of different ways. For one thing, the idea of Militia members paying LP to upgrade systems seems ratherGǪ strange when you step back and look at it. Essentially, arenGÇÖt we paying the faction weGÇÖre working for to secure and upgrade their own territories? WeGÇÖre essentially bribing them to decrease prices in the LP store resulting in a rather weird pulse mechanic to the use of LP and the securing of systems.
The problems with the current tier system and how it affects the market for factional equipment is something I could write several dozen articles on and still not fully explain, and thatGÇÖs not the point of this post either.
This is about system tier mechanics, not overall tier mechanics. The benefits to upgrading a system should be two foldGǪ for one thing upgrading a system should benefit the nation that upgrades it, and it should improve the economic viability of the system for neutral players in the no-manGÇÖs land between empires.
In short, upgrading a system represents securing it for the faction youGÇÖre flying for. In null-sec this means a number of different things from jump bridges being established, POS structures being put up, and ultimately cyno-jammers and stations being anchored.
Nothing happens in low-sec except increasing industrial output at stations and if enough systems are upgradedGǪ a kick up the overall tier so you can purchase more stuff from the LP store. I mean, what if there isn't a station in the system?
This goes hand in hand with another sad fact about faction warfare. There is very little to no benefit to defensive plexing.
Solving both things could be done relatively easilyGǪ
Instead of being based upon LP donations, the tier should be based on victory points. Defensive plexing awards victory points to the defender which are logged in the I-Hub much like how LP is now. Hostile plexing in the system removes victory points from the I-Hub. When a system runs out of victory points itGÇÖs I-Hub becomes vulnerable and can be taken by an attack by the hostile militia.
Defensive plexing upgrades a systemGǪ upgraded systems are easier to defend as they only become downgraded by hostile plexingGǪ we donGÇÖt futilely spend LP to surge a systemGÇÖs tier in order to cash out our LP and so forth.
Making upgrades more worthwhile could take a number of different routes. Take for example the mechanics of having a fleet booster in a system. Imagine if an upgrade to leveling a system was a factional boost from the systems command center or something similar of 5 to 10% boost to shields, armor, structure, what have you... There are tons of things that could be done from defensive NPC patrols at gates, asteroids, and stations to cyno-jammers and other things that have been seen in null-sec. |