Manfred Rickenbocker
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Posted - 2007.11.09 07:54:00 -
[1]
 Originally by: Tarron Sarek
Apart from that, and that's actually my real concern, I think crews would create problems, because they would present yet another bonus to stack on top of module bonuses, rig bonuses, skill bonuses, leadership bonuses and implant bonuses.
That means more extreme extremes, even harder to balance than they are now, and an even bigger difference between new character and old character, probably resulting in complaints and eventually a new player boost.
What I would like to see is some thoughts about these possible problems. How do you prevent any of that from happening?
/signed
I believe I posted in a similar thread a long time ago. Crews pose a huge balance problem for players and CCP to fix. I do agree something needs to be done to add them though, since they are in the fiction and it just plain makes sense. When I posted prior, this was my take on things:
Basic: Crews supplement existing skills used by the player. Thats it.
How: Have a skill, such as "Crewing", that as you increase it allows you to add more crew to your ship. Crew would be filled similar to a meter 0 to 100% and crewing would increase the crew you can use by increments of 20% (make it 10% and have an Advanced Crewing skill?). Crew sizes would be logarithmic like everything else, so frigates have 5 crew, cruisers 50, BS 500, capitals 5000.
What: Crewing increases your EFFECTIVE ship skill. Each ship has bonuses related to how well you can use your ship, so at ship skill 3, your 5% to turrets becomes 15%. Make crews able to supplement this up to the max possible skill 20% per level (see why this for skill?). So, say your ship skill is 3 and you get that 15% to turrets and want that extra 10%? Add 40% of max crew.
Extra Crew: Obviously, at ship Lv 5 there is no reason to use crew. In fact, why have EXTRA crew at all? The only way to balance this with old players is to make crew DIE. Yes, thats right... as you take damage invariably crew members will bite the bullet and keel over. In this way you need to replenish crew, and more advanced players wont lose their props for getting that skill all the way to 5.
Extending Crews: Make crews cost money over time to maintain, like a crew bill from Concord or the DED. Make crews apply to other things, such as the turret skills themselves, or to repair skills, etc. Add skills to make crews more survivable in combat (Crew Life Support).
Thoughts? This obviously needs to be fleshed out a tad...
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