Kendra Chang
State War Academy
Caldari State
4
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Posted - 2012.12.29 09:35:00 -
[1] - Quote
I am in agreement that NPC Corps add little long term value to the game from both a new player perspective and a veteran player. I do believe the "Safety" (as safe as EVE gets) mechanic has purpose and value, but it should diminish over time - allowing those who have suffered a substantial loss to quit the Player-Corp and flee to the "Safety" of the NPC corp -but this should be a short term fix, not a permanent solution.
However, before CCP starts messing further with the NPC Corps mechanic, some serious love is needed for Player-run Corp mechanics in terms of management, wages, stock, all of that good stuff and I'm sure we can find more tweaks to make running a successful Player-Corp more like fun and less like using a cheese grater for genital cleaning (aka our regular day jobs).
e.g:
- Auto-Payment for Mining/Salvage that doesn't doesnt require me to log in three times a day just to tweak prices.
- Daily, Weekly and Monthly Incentives and contests with either cash, plex, or item rewards for productivity and willingness to advance the corporate goals. Including: Asteroid type mined, Salvage type found, War Dec targets destroyed / engaged/ damaged, Faction standing increases... etc. etc.
- A Stock option program that rewards participation in events that result in long term corporate health. (i.e. a previous employee could own Stock in multiple corporations that they have worked for, an helped build... that eventually could go a long way to paying off a monthly sub for an alt. While we're at it - A stock program that is far more meaningful and much less likely to be abused than the current one.
Finally, a cost structure that needs a monthly expenditure that gets (hopefully) offset by the corps members contribution to making the corp successful.
Then for the NPC side
Part of the revamp could be a tiered risk vs reward NPC corps structure.
Tier 1. The newbie NPC Corp we all get stuck in when we first join. Start off for the first 2 or 3 weeks in a 10% Tax corp while you learn the ropes. That tax rate should also come from market sales, not just bounties and missions.
After the starter period, you get to choose which NPC Corp you move to. One with the same low 10% Tax rate but requires you to get involved in Factional Warfare - either as a target - Like working for a corp that advances your faction - perhaps requiring you to mine a certain amount each month for Minedrill, or as an active fighter defending with...say... Home Guard for the Caldari side.
Alternatively you could join a "safe" one with a 15-18% tax rate that allows you to play the same game we have now, just without the few perks of being in a Player run Corp. Again - a tax rate that also effects market transactions. (for example - at 1.5% if the tax rate is 15%) but gives you the safety of not having to worry about PvP.
Having said that, I'd love the option of picking which NPC Corp I want to hang out in for a while... not forced into.
There are lots of ways that "encouraging" players to interract with other players will improve not only the experience but the retention of players, but also you can encourage without forcing if you create better tools for the sandbox.
We should be looking much more towards creating a match-making social environment, as opposed to a multiplayer game where you play as a single player, just tolerating other players.
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