Merdaneth
Amarr
PIE Inc.
   |
Posted - 2009.10.14 16:32:00 -
[1]
 Originally by: Arkady Sadik
Other nice-to-have but non-crucial things, roughly in order of simplicity to implement:
1) FW NPCs are supposed to be "distraction while capturing a complex". Make them be exactly that. All FW NPCs should be identical, stats-wise (but look differently). No ewar, same damage output. Decide for either ranged missile pwnage or turret ineffectiveness, and give the same to all of them. Fulfills their job of "distraction", but makes it very balanced between the factions.
2) More contestation feedback. Make it multiple levels of contestation, like "slightly contested", "well contested", "heavily contested", "close to falling", "vulnerable". Offenses and defenses are horribly boring because there is barely any positive feedback on what you do, besides the sphere size in the map.
3) Make it easier to occupy systems. If some militia attacks some area, they should be able to take those systems with some effort. But they also need to put in the effort to keep them later. Occupation should be fluid, reflecting the current ebb and flow of the war, and not a semi-static thing. Again, give direct positive feedback to concerted work.
4) Fix plex spawning. This might actually require a full re-thinking of the plex system. It's ridiculous that you can have space superiority in a system for a week and not get more than 2-3 complexes there. It means any concentrated effort to take a system easily falls victim to bad luck and random chance. How silly. It also gives rise to such stupid "tactics" as "don't plex in system X, only in other systems, and wait until there are 25 plexes in X, then take them all which makes it vulnerable". That people use it is great, it shows an understanding of the game mechanic. That the game mechanic makes this possible and even the easiest way to occupy is absolutely stupid.
1. Sure
2. Very much so. CCP should have this in the back of their mind each time they design some system. Feedback is *essential* in any game. The map is a very, very poor feedback tool. There is no need to keep people guessing.
3. Don't know about this. I would prefer not easier occupancy per se, but more significant events, not a thousand small tidbits that eventually amount to something. When a plex spawns, it should be a significant event for either side.
4. Current mechanics are quite silly. A war without focus? Friendlies uncloaking and defending plexes in systems that aren't even contested to avoid the now dreaded *shift a large amount of plexes and take them at once* tactic. It is also quite idiotic that you don't get any VP or standing from pre-emptive defense while it is a neccessary defensive tactic to prevent the build-up and take at once strategy.
And as RP-er I'm never going to scan down and 'pre-emptively defend' friendly plexes. Doing so it quite hard to justify it in RP terms.
____
The Illusion of Freedom | The Truth about Slavery |