Saris Volto
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Posted - 2011.07.14 15:26:00 -
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I agree that noble exchange should be a strictly vanity item store. But they can still sell vanity items and implement them in a way that have real effects on TQ. I think one of the things ccp is looking into is to allow players to basically pimp their rides, giving access to color schemes (trims and base colors?), maybe even a spoiler on a megathron. It will not change the game play but allow players to customize their ships (more relevant than customizing their avatars for now). Other good vanity items are putting corp or/and alliance logos on their ships. I think this will definitely add a whole dimension to alliance and corp members interactions.
I think a good way to implement this sort of ship vanity items is to put a time limit, like buying insurance. Say for examples, for an equivalent amount of arum of rl $1, you can have access to 256 colors for all Amarr ships for 1 month or $10 for access to 512 colors for all race, ship types for 3 months or even $30 for permanent 1024 colours for all Caldari ships. Similarly, physical additions such as spoilers, extra engines , etc. (which do not affect the ship abilities!) can work along the same line. We might even start seeing corps members decking out in same color schemes. Perhaps we see roaming yellow, black and white little goonswarm bees or even fully red out red alliance ships. LOL.
This will provide a steady isk sink (god knows some idiot will be transporting billions worth of isk of vanities and get blown up) and a new market as people will wish to renew their color schemes, ship addition, logos, every now and then, within reasonable price of course. This also allow others to stop using it if they do not want to pay the price. It might even discourage "causal" spies as strong corps or alliances can demand that new players be deck out in certain schemes, thus adding a price tag for joining. Most corps and alliances probably will not require such hazing of new members but who knows?
A most significant problem that might arise is the server load. The coding and implementations will likely have large effects on server load on how these ship vanity shows up in overview. CCP will have to code it to have minimal impact on server load, even in blobs. Perhaps allowing a disable check box will be good for the clients.
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