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Intergalactic Fight Club
Gentlemen's.Club
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Posted - 2014.09.29 02:00:00 -
[1] - Quote
When I first heard about the concerted effort to try to shift nul sov to a more occupancy based model, I penciled out some thoughts. With my current schedule (IRL and game job), I haven't had a ton of time to work this into a full scale proposal, but I thought I would go ahead and post some thoughts in raw form.
Basically I think the most practical way for developers to apply these types of changes, is to utilize and mirror existing game mechanics and code. I am by no means a programmer, but this seems a logical conclusion, so I think it is best to try to consider what existing game features could be used and/or copied to accomplish the desired results.
So here are some features I think could work well:
Occupancy Index: A mathematical equation that factors PVE activity (npc kills, ore mined, etc.), industrial (manufacturing, refining, possibly rented offices, etc..), and PVP activity within a system (i.e. a measure of home defense, possibly weighted heavily). The Occupancy Index is directly tied to a system defense modifier that would have the following possible affects:
Variable EH of sovereignty Structures: A low OI might result in a negative EH modifier, where a high OI might result in a positive EH modifier. Pretty straight forward, but an un-utilized system may be a very easy thing to grind through, vs. a very heavily utilized system.
Variable, Variables On Timers: Example, a station or IHUB timer set to X time already has a variable + or - hours from selected time. A very low OI might result in a much wider variable to the + or - hours (i.e. making it FAR more difficult to control exit timers). It might be possible to have a high enough OI to result in a + or - 1 or 2 hours, where a very low OI might result in a station or IHUB timer to come out + or - 8 hours from set time. IMO, this is one of the MOST important defensive features. Timer control and the inherent offset time zones of most opposing forces is one of the key factors. Not maintaining a high enough OI in ALL of your systems, presents a tactical vulnerability for an invading force to capture a foothold and expand.
Variable Sov Bills: Low OI could result in surcharge to sov bills, and very high OI could result in a discount. IMO, something like this should make it cost prohibitive to hold vast swathes of unoccupied space.
Additional Benefits of high OI: Things like fuel bonuses for home towers, possible expanded online time for SBU's (another defensvie features), etc... Possibly even a combat bonus for high OI (i.e. truly occupied space is easier to defend with bonus to tank, damage, etc...), etc...
Cap on Low OI systems: To avoid entities from holding vast quantities of un-utilized space, it may be possible to put a cap on how many OI zero systems an entity can hold (possibly as a percentage of member count, or something).
Adjacent System OI Bleed Over: Some form of "bleed over" of OI to adjacent systems. So basically a high OI in system X, would provide a small boost to adjacent systems, to provide significant tactical advantage to holding interconnected space, and to make expansion more logical (i.e. creating borders between smaller entities, and increasing the importance of maintaining alliance with tactically positioned allies).
OI Jump Fuel Consumption Bonus: Possibly a reduction in capital jump fuel required to jump between two systems with high OI held by the same entity (i.e. another benefit of occupancy). This could provide a large tactical advantage to holding Medium to Large sized pockets of thoroughly utilized space.
Well, those are some raw thoughts on the HOW. As to WHAT, I thoroughly support the above statement.
I wish I had more time to develop a more complete proposal, and/or participate in things like this, but the above seems relatively practical utilizing current (or presumably easily inserted) game mechanics, and IMO in some form (possibly using some or all of the above) would produce the desired result. Most importantly the above changes allows for some incremental integration of features, giving room to make ongoing "tweaks" to the equations and weighting of OI factors and results over time (an important feature for a major modification to our wonderful sandbox).
That's my .02. Fly Safe |