Drusilla
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Posted - 2005.02.02 22:54:00 -
[1]
I like the new change in concept but I'd likse to express my concern about the issue: Two possible problems, both of which have been touched on. I'd like to be specific about them and add my voice.
1. mission completion time varies not based just on the particular mission and vigor with which the agent runner pursues that time bonus, but based other items.
A> Ship used. An Iteron 5 will complete a big hauling mission better than an Interon 1. A Raven will complete level 3 combat missions faster than a Maller. Having access to the right ship will make those with the right ships (oldbies) faster.
B> Ability to kludge the mission. Instant completion items like shuttle elivery where you can buy shuttles at the destination are one example. Shortening methods like the "multiple deliveries" one where, if you are smart, you can move only a small portion of the items to end up with all the stations having the right number of item without you needing to actually do all the full deliveries are another. They will shorten mission time over those who either cannot buy the items at the station of completion or who get deliveries of different item names where you cannot kludge it.
C> Distance Variables. There's an agent running station I used to use that contains 6 agents applicable to me (at the time). Two level 1s, 2s, and 3s. The constellation is a dead end with half the systems having no stations. The adjoining constellation likewise has about half the systems with no stations. The routes to take were always predictable and short and allowed you to run 6 missions simultaneously. Agent Runners not in such systems would never keep up with the pace of runners in a system like that.
2. Fast mission completers skew the completion time more than slow misison completers.
Let's say we have two agent runners in play. Runner 1 completes missions faster than agent 2. Maybe he has better ships. Maybe he is in a nice dead-end system. Maybe he has all the right stuff for sale at the destination systems. Maybe he has all three of these advantages.
Let's say it takes him 30 minutes to complete missions, but it takes player 2 60 minutes.
In two hours, player 1 will have completed FOUR missions in 30 minutes each in that time period. Player 2 will have completed only two missions in the same time period.
Therefore, player 1, because he is faster, is dragging the average downwards twice as fast as player 2 is dragging it upwards. You'd have to have two slow players losing out on the time bonus to even it out.
Because of those issues, the game will rapidly become one where only those who have the right ships, market, and location to complete missions super fast will be able to get the time bonus because the slower players will keep the average time just above their super fast rate. It won't be a 50-50 split. It'll be more like 33% making it with 67% failing to make it, or worse depending on just how badly the "instant completions" skew the curve.
Under the prior system, everyone had at least some chance of getting the time bonus. Under the new system, unless there is something happening I don't know about, most people will be utterly unable to get time bonuses once the averages start to balance out.
I don't think that is particularly fair to the agent runners of the game. Just my 2 ISK.
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