KingsGambit
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Posted - 2005.06.20 11:45:00 -
[1]
Having had a fair share of luck in the lottery and grief from R&D agents I suppose I can see both sides of the argument. The ultimate weakness of the lottery system is possibly also one if it's greatest strengths, but there are two main factors to it. The first is the random distribution of BPOs, and the second is that getting RPs is based on real-time and not play time.
Like SPs, RPs are gathered over time at a set amount depending on attributes in the case of SPs, and skills in the case of RPs. With the missions doubling RPs for a day, there is an incentive to a little work to double your RPs for the day, but this system doesn't give any significant benefits to power-gamers, which in other MMOs can truly dominate the casual or infrequent gamer. Eve has isk for those who put in more play time, but advancement by real-time is fair for casual and power gamers alike.
Getting back to the random distribution part, assuming that they system is a perfect, random one based purely on stats, which I think it is (following early teething troubles), then as with players who invest more SPs in a particular field and/or have been playing longer, will have a higher % chance of winning, whilst not precluding newer players from getting in on it as well. That is how it should be.
The rarity and nature of T2 prints though, does mean that some people however are much luckier than others. For those corps/players who were winners earlier on also will have a distinct advantage by having had more time to acquire wealth and/or more BPOs through subsequent wins or purchases with the wealth. But that is the same as RL, where we have giants like Microsoft, Coca-Cola and GM at the pinnacle of corporate business, and myriad other businesses with different specialisations whose profits come in slightly different ways. If an in-game corp has enough money to part a newer player from his BPO, in the long run, they have that much more power and profitability.
While there are a few problems with the T2 handout system (eg Small Shield Booster II compared with X-Large Shield Booster II, 280mm Howie II compared with 1400mm Howie II, Cap Recharger II, etc), and the fact that many T2 BPOs are no longer patentable, it is ultimately completely player driven, and that is what Eve is about. I wouldn't like to see T2 BPOs available for an exchange of LPs for example, though funnily enough, months ago I did propose they ought to be, but I think my opinion has matured somewhat when you consider how that sort of system really would affect the game in the bigger picture.
Limited run T2 BPCs is a good idea however, in exchange for a few k RPs. Without breaking the economy, it would give science heavy characters a source of income relative to the SP investment they put in, and that is quite fair, considering how that is applied to agent runners, miners, industrialists and pirates, whose earnings go up with SP invested in related skills. It would also encourage further skill training to be able to make use of varied BPC offers if they aren't sold for straight isk, and wouldn't have a major threat to established manufacturers and BPO holders. |