[Tritian]

Originally Posted by Scorch

-We believe we are going to have to shard the game due to the number of players. This being said we fully plan on PvP and PvE servers. PvP being similar to Jumpgate Classic (likely even less regulation than Jumpgate Classic really wild west type of environment) and PvE only allowing PvP in certain places of the game. I don't understand why every server has to play by certain rules or the game is bad at all, this seems like a good solution to me.

-Both servers will have meainingful PvP in unregulated space. We have lots of plans for lots of features that will only exist in unregulated space. Far beyond just flipping beacons or mining ore. Arena's or sim type events are something that would also be on both servers, but this is not what we mean by meaningful PvP.

OK, I've given this some thought, and I think i'm warming up to this idea. And here is why:

Will we ever have this opportunity again? Where we can play Jumpgate without the limitations of harsh rules to protect the ultra-carebears? At the best, all we can hope for is a compromise which would undoubtedly include atleast some RP-limiting rules.

So I say, go for it! I think it can work, providing we are careful.

What I mean by that is, we need to flesh out some systems to allow us to police ourselves. We need the tools to protect our haulers and miners, and that is what this thread is about. Developing the non-envasive systems we will need to protect ourselves and our squad mates.

We will need:
1) A reasonable bounty system
2) An intuitive and effective escorting system
3) A squadmate defense/help awareness system
4) Possible mercenary system?
5) Possible factional police system?
6) Possible pirate system?

As I see it, a system will consist of two things:

1) Interface elements to show status of and/or manipulate aspects of the system.
2) Things that happen automatically without specific action by the player.

So as an example:

ESCORTING SYSTEM

Interface Elements:

1. Job board
   1. Players can ask for/apply to be escorts.
   2. Pilots can flag themselves as being available for escort duty, their location will be available to people looking for escorts.
   3. People looking for escorts can see where people flagged as available for escort duty currently are located, and choose the person closest.
2. HUD Elements
   1. Special targetting/arrows pointing towards your escortie/escorter.
   2. Persistant radar data for escortie/escorter such as Shield/Armor/AB/FF/MS
   3. Indicators when targetting people that they are available for escort duty.
   4. In-flight Accept/Decline escort mission system
3. Input Controls
   1. Bindable key for 'Target Escorter/Escortie'
   2. Bindable key for 'Target My Targets Last Aggressor'

Behind the Scenes

1. Failing escort duty must have some consequence, possibly XP or Credit loss?
2. Factional PR benefits upon successful completion of mission?
3. The escortie can choose wether they want to pay the escorter w/ credits or experience.
4. Automatic transfer of funds or xp upon successful completion of escort mission
5. Full insurance for escorter/escortie

[GrimGriz]

Nice day dreaming, but I don't really care for escorting AI. We'll probably just have a gentleman's agreement not to rip the gear producers, and the griefers won't enjoy targeting AI so there won't be much to worry about.

Furthermore, with what was it...5 coders on the project...I highly doubt what is likely to be the less played shard is going to get special features coded for it. Both/All of the shards will be running the exact same stuff, and none of this stuff will really be needed on a safe zone shard, so it'll be back burner I would expect. That's just my best guess though

However, we MIGHT be able to convince them to remove the tag system on the pvp servers. If you get rid of the illusion of safety the civ/hg/bounty system brings, people will work out all the escorting stuff on their own.

[Tritian]

i was not talking about AI at all.

[GrimGriz]

Originally Posted by Tritian

i was not talking about AI at all.

Yes, but you're in denial

[ELPIRATA]

My biggest question about the WWWest style would be about how un-protected we (the carebears) will be. I have no doubt that in the moment that this goes live/test we're already a high priced commodity for all factional PvPers and if numbers are going to be a lot better I have no doubt that player protection will be available.

If we can test different systems than on the PvE server I'd push again for the no-tag solution and see if we can't really put it to work by ourselves (with a lil bit of help coming from AI).

ELP

[Radi]

Originally Posted by GrimGriz

Nice day dreaming, but I don't really care for escorting AI. We'll probably just have a gentleman's agreement not to rip the gear producers, and the griefers won't enjoy targeting AI so there won't be much to worry about.

Furthermore, with what was it...5 coders on the project...I highly doubt what is likely to be the less played shard is going to get special features coded for it. Both/All of the shards will be running the exact same stuff, and none of this stuff will really be needed on a safe zone shard, so it'll be back burner I would expect. That's just my best guess though

However, we MIGHT be able to convince them to remove the tag system on the pvp servers. If you get rid of the illusion of safety the civ/hg/bounty system brings, people will work out all the escorting stuff on their own.

Do you really believe that everyone will agree to this "agreement"?

My biggest concern about Wild-west style is that it will basicly atract every bad character that might play this game. And with multiple accounts, that might be an issue.

[Jump]

You guys are leaving human nature out of the equation.

[GrimGriz]

Originally Posted by Radi

Do you really believe that everyone will agree to this "agreement"?

My biggest concern about Wild-west style is that it will basicly atract every bad character that might play this game. And with multiple accounts, that might be an issue.

Not any moreso than people agree to not shoot tows in Jumpgate Classic.

[dailatron]

Originally Posted by GrimGriz

Not any moreso than people agree to not shoot tows in Jumpgate Classic.

Sorry Grim but you are living in denial land. Remember why you stopped playing ?.

Agreements dont work with "bad characters that might play this game."

[Bri]

My own idea was more of a 'classic' server (named, of course, Emma). Essentially here would be the changes:

Required changes:
-One pilot per account on this shard.
-A bounty system in place in regulated space.
-The ability to explode on impact.

Possible changes:
-Tagless? (Prevent people from switching back and forth and the like.)
-Fewer but more heavily shielded and armored AI miners and haulers? (Equipment should not be given to us on a golden platter... we need to encourage our miners and truckers to do the jobs they love.)
-AI Station sector patrols? (The factions will do thier best to defend thier home sectors... that is where thier home planets are after all.)
-Travelling AI factional police patrols? (While they can't cover every sector 100% of the time beyond those that they call home, they do patrol for those that have been known to break the laws of thier faction.)

Final requirement:
-Emma must be back in her original place of glory, directly between the gates, and be larger than ever before. Upon inspecting Emma closer up, one should notice that the extra size of Emma has come from tons of debris caused by the ships that have crashed into her. On the classic server, there should be no warning that she is there, lurking... on the others, perhaps some satelites blinking lights and warning people of the danger.

Chances are I'll think up a few more little things, but I'll start it out with this. Additional suggestions welcome as well.

[Istanbul]

I don't feel as a 99% of the time civ, that the civ tag makes me safe from death. I do feel that with the tag system there is a deterrent to people randomly ripping me, besides me or my squad mates simply killing them back. That said, the current implentation in Jumpgate needs some serious changes if they use a system like it in Jumpgate Evolution. First off, we need the ability to fight for another faction without donning pirate tags (which was planned, but fell by the wayside with the big project). Second, we need a more temporary method to allow people to join in faction defense and when it's over be done.

I would suggest that we continue to have Military pilots, and actually extend the tour of duty to something like 20 missions, as well as have a popup when their tour is over asking if they'd like to extend their tour. Then have additional medals for lengths of tours and such things. Perhaps this could also be made a variable range, where a pilot signs up for a tour of anywhere from 10-30 missions, to give them a bit more range of choice. As the second part of this suggestion, I feel that the addition of a 'National Guard' type tag, where a person could sign up for a time period of 1-3 hours, when their faction is under attack, or engaging in a major offensive, they can add their temporary support. With this method, a person could quickly grab the tags, and it wouldn't be a super long term commitment to them, but with the hours also prevents 'tag hopping'. Also, as part of the military, I'd like to see some kind of additional rank system, seperate from 'leveling'. That way, if someone does a ton of mil stuff, but are only say, lvl 36, they would have military seniority, and more military tools available to them than someone who rarely assists their military but has done civilian things to optimus.