Senakawa Skor
Bureau of Reclamation
6
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Posted - 2015.06.20 00:05:35 -
[1] - Quote
Regarding new types of mining, such as datacores that are being discussed a lot, why not have a very different market mechanic?
Datacores thematically represent stored observations of the universe for research purposes. Why does it make sense that I can transfer my consciousness but not data in a datacore? Make datacores un-stealable. They become a resource that take up no volume and can be instantly transferred between any containers you own across New Eden (like ISK).
The emergent gameplay then comes from how the datacores are produced in the eve universe. A new types of observation structure when deployed in space in the right locations produces datacores for the owner over time, instantly transferred to the container of their choice anywhere in New Eden. These structures can be destroyed, but there are no loot drops. In the simplest interaction, the price of the datacores varies with the number of corresponding observation structures currently deployed, so I have an incentive to destroy the observation structures not owned by myself as that reduces supply for the datacores I produce.
To enhance this competitive mechanism a bit, there are a number of possible tweaks that could apply to the production rates of each structures. This would give something akin to system cost indices with all sorts of interesting knobs that could apply.
- Production reduced in systems/regions with lots of observation structures (encouraging destruction of neighboring observation structures)
- Production increased in systems/regions with lots of observation structures (encouraging destruction of regional production zones and mutual protection of your own).
- Certain types of datacores only being able to be produced in certain regions, allowing for groups to create monopolies over production of some datacore types.
- User can select higher production rates but it makes their observation structure more visible to probing and more vulnerable to attack.
- Datacore production is in long batches instead of short batches, meaning if you aren't able to protect your observation structure for at least X days, you'll get nothing at all. Similarly, make this configurable with long batches giving higher production. |