I completely agree that some space being better than other space is good game design.
But the game doesn't need 180k tech to have conflict. Tech is now only 5x the value of the second best moon instead of 11x. The profit there isn't disappearing, it's moving to other activities that people can get involved in.
Arguing that we need 100k+ tech so the moons will drive conflict is like saying we need remote AOE doomsdays so that CSAAs will drive conflict. Sometimes game balance is just game balance.

I took a moment to review the actual math behind plat tech alchemy, and I'm posting my findings below.

:siren: MATH TIME :siren:

The prevalence of cobalt and platinum dictates that, over time, plat tech alchemy will go to fuel cost. CCP Fozzie said as much in the devblog announcing the change.

Here is a pos block worksheet, where I've artificially set the price of isotopes to 600 isk per unit. All other pos block ingredients (primarily planetary interaction items) are not expected to move significantly due to this patch, so I'm using current prices (pulled from eve-central) for them.

I must stress that the isotope isk per unit figure is very conservative -- with the advent of 80k EHP skiffs and 27k EHP hulks, mining ice in high sec is completely safe and will be inundated by bots inside of a month. If ice falls to 400 or 500 isk per unit, it will not surprise me in the least. 600 isk was chosen due to being the average price for isotopes before the GSF Gallente Ice Interdiction.

Worksheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AukS-t3ALI3ZdFVQWWtyYjl2R2NlYzFlQlRWMFJCUmc#gid=1 (Ignore the block cost column, it's just pulling the current pos block cost from eve-c. Column B is the important part.)

A fuel block costs 11,824 isk based on that sheet. A non-faction, medium pos doing a single PT alchemy reaction in sov space will consume 15 fuel blocks per hour, 10 platinum per hour, and 100 cobalt per hour. There is enough cobalt in eve to safely discard the cost of the cobalt, as attempting to ship it in any reasonable quantity incurs more fuel cost than is profitable to export. Platinum is currently 3,505.81 isk in Jita, but we'll increase the price of platinum by 20% to account for a sixth use of platinum being added to the game, to 4,206.97 isk.

Costs:
* 15 fuel blocks: 177,360 isk
* 100 cobalt: free
* 10 platinum: 42,069.70 isk

Subtotal: 219,429.70 isk
Divide by 20 to get 10,971.49 isk per unit of plat tech

---

Now, working backwards, we consider technetium. The same medium tower in sov space doing a non-alchemy plat tech reaction.

The breakeven point for plat tech is 10,971 isk per unit. The simple reaction produces 200 plat tech per hour, so total isk grossed is 2,194,297 isk per hour.

Costs:
* 15 fuel blocks: 177,360 isk
* 100 platinum: 420,697 isk
* 100 technetium: 100X

Subtotal: 598,057 + 100X

With some simple algebra,

598,057 + 100X = 2,194,297
100X = 1,596,240
X = 15,962.40 isk per unit of technetium

---

So yeah, right now neodymium is 22,000 isk per unit, and it's likely to rise some after patch

and this is a CONSERVATIVE number based on an arguably optimistic value of 600 isk / unit on topes

Way to move your goal posts, now it needs to be a credible threat?


No other group in eve has the organizational skills that the CFC has, so there is no such thing as a credible threat to a group that can mobilize 3 full fleets of people at the drop of a hat. Whats next, nerf the size of alliance and the length of your standings list?

That wasn't selective quoting, that was addressing the points, people said nobody attacks the tech, or even takes the tech, which is an outright lie, the moons are under a fairly constant attack from one group or another.

You should come out and say what you really want, which is a nerf to the organizational skills of the OTEC group, because thats what you keep losing to.

Yes I agree let's rebalance the game everytime someone does something that inconveniences you. OH WAIT that's what CCP has been busy doing.

...

Also, there's no H in OTEC. The more you know!