Tehg Rhind
Atlantic Innovations
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Posted - 2012.03.04 21:40:00 -
[1] - Quote
Meissa, I heard your debate/interview on LIE today. First off I just wanted to share my sympathy with you having to debate Riverini. No one should have to be exposed to that.
But aside from that, I wanted to make a comment about two things you said.
1) Increasing the number of copy slots in high sec to improve access to invention BPCs. There are three major problems with this. The first is that there are already relatively simple routes to get BPCs for invention even without a POS. You could buy them from a POS owner that grinds out BPCs on the side, or you could use the 15-18 day wait stations that exist in highsec and create copies with your alts (will make ~300 copies a month per character.)
The second issue is that you are equating station copy slots with POS copy slots, saying that they should be equally accessible. However you are ignoring the fact that POS copy slots require a significant monthly fuel cost to maintain. By putting station copy slots on an equivalent footing (in terms of speed) with POS slots you are invalidating POS copy slots as a profitable avenue, since they will be competing wth an alternative that has zero maintenance.
This is particularly problematic when you look at copying of higher value non-invention BPOs like Maelstroms or Capital Components etc etc. By opening up a higher volume of BPC flow from stations you will absolutely hammer the profitability of copying these in POS's, to the point that there will be no justifiable reason to do so from within POS's.
Basically the advantages you get from copying in POS's is offset by the increased maintenance cost of fueling the POS.
The third issue, and arguably the most problematic, is that while this would increase the flow of BPCs for invention you would still have a supply chokepoint in datacores. This change would skyrocket the price of datacores as more demand for them built up due to the excess supply of BPCs. Now, as someone who generates quite a lot of datdacores this would be pretty cool, but as an inventor I think that this would ultimately increase the costs of invented items substantially (as the BPC cost is relatively negligible in module items.)
2) I have always had concerns about any talk about increasing industry in Null Sec by making it inherently more profitable (say through improved invention chances.) I do believe it should be more accessible (more slots more slots more slots!), but doing things that create an inherent price advantage of operating in null sec will only serve to create Null Sec manufacturing cartels that will severely crush high sec manufacturing.
This is because there is negligible risk involved in manufacturing or inventing in null sec. You have jump freighters that will quickly and safely deliver the materials/products between the high/nullsec. The price of fuel will be negligible when compared to the price of items transfered (how many billions in modules or T2 BPCs can you deliver in a jump freighter.)
Basically there is no real barrier between the null sec manufacturing centers and the high sec markets beyond membership in the Alliances that have stations. So if there is a material bonus given to one set of manufacturers they will be able to price all of the other manufacturers out of the market completely. It's like Production Efficiency 5, you simply don't manufacture without it. This would set the stage for the major Null Sec alliances to completely dominate the high sec industrialists.
That said, on the latter, I do agree that Null Sec needs it's unique "bonus". I would argue that the two best things to do to sort this would be to remove Ice from High Sec and only allow it to be supplied from low/null sec (while adjusting POS and Capital fuel requirements to avoid a massive fuel spikes), and also to remove high end minerals (mega/zydrine) from drone goo entirely. This would make mining a viable option for null sec alliances in terms of profitability, and would allow the local production of ship hulls (one of the most difficult things to handle in Null Sec due to the volume).
Anyways, I enjoyed your interview. |