[spork]

Well...testers are under an NDA and can't really say what they're testing. But we should assume from what he's posted that Istvan has pretty much total creative control over Jumpgate. So from that perspective, it is just 1 guy's dream. But as much as I've seen him posting in the Suggestions forum, I would find it hard to believe that he doesn't at least strongly consider the opinions of both regular players and testers.

Plus, since he had planned to release the patch at April's end, I'd think there was at least something there to test.

[Nohbody]

IIRC, the InSight's range is a little over d200. It started at d200, but at that range a target could hang out inside a jump sphere, and due to guns not working there, a Burglar pirate couldn't extract anything from the victim (well, revenge by blowing their ship away, but that'd require real guns, wheither their own or those of a wingmate).

[Algore]

From previous fookups I think it's safe to assume that things are not tested properly, or at lt least not tested under the proper conditions.
The problem with suggestions and ideas is that pretty much 80% of what is posted is utter crap. Of the other 20% I would strongly argue that 80% are not regular enough online players to have an up to date opinion, and as such their username although once justifiably having weight behind it, no longer in reality should be deemed to have that status.
That in a nutshell is my problem with the test team. FFS there are peeps in the test team that have not played in years. Hardly in a position to make an educated assessment of "new" features.
I can see the benefits of the new system with regards to more intergration with non-pvp'ers and pvp'ers, don't get me wrong. But for those few remaining "true" Jumpgaters that pvp "AND" trade, I see this system as the end of the road.
There seems to be a culture of second accounts on the US server(which lets face it is what it is, the whole idea of a WWS is bull). Is the next patch going to allow for 2 personas(accounts) per sign up?
Seems to me that the whole system is to appease the carebear element, in what essentially is a pvp game. Or used to be.

Regards
Al

[GrimGriz]

Originally Posted by Algore

Seems to me that the whole system is to appease the carebear element, in what essentially is a pvp game. Or used to be.

Regards
Al

Interesting. I'm curious how the changes:

• Removing insurance penalties for other faction civ-rips (a change already implemented as prep for the mil system)
• Making civs pay for their own insurance
• Giving full insurance (as i understand it without regards to IR) to non-civs
• Giving non-civs new mission sets and ways to make cash without having to go civ
• Eliminating the ability to switch to civ on a whim

could possibly be construed as designed to appease carebears. Personally, I see it as integrating pvp from meaningless to perhaps too much meaning, and turning what was essentially an RP-less fighting sim into the MMOG it's been billed as.

I am rather curious about what the test team does and does not do, and how much their opinions influence game changes, but having gone through both pvp and carebear phases it's hard for me to see how any of this is pro-carebear.

[Radi]

Remove any kind of tags!!!! Bring back the respect!!!!!

Thank you.

[Jump]

[spork]

The most severe PR penalties will be reserved for downing friendly-faction Civilians, though downing a Civilian under any circumstances will remain ill-advised and penalized accordingly.

Not sure why you think civ-ripping will be unpenalized. I seem to recall one of Istvan's replies in the Suggestions thread (JOSSH is down atm) making it even more clear that civ-ripping will be penalized more rather than less.

Ist said the insurance fee for civs will be quite small, and he seems to be aware that cargo run profit margines are also quite small which doesn't leave a lot of room for high insurance rates.

I don't think he's said anything one way or the other about whether IR will apply anylonger to either Civs or MT.

Suggestions and Ideas: yes it's mostly crap. I don't notice Istvan posting too much on the utter crap ones though.

Tags: lo, they shall be with you always.

As to the TP team's track record, before Ep2, there was no team and we got things from Josh like "the Raptor will sway pvp in favor of the Octs" as the faster/lighter/Alpaa Cuda was released, and Haven Rangers. Currently, I would say that ship balance is probably the best it has ever been in Jumpgate once they finally released the spitfire after Ep2 and before they stealth boosted the Defier which really has tilted things too far in favor of the pansey ships. Other than the mistake of matching the Peeler to Vantage and subsequant nerfing of the mortar class out of viability, I can't think of anthing too terrible the TPs have inflicted upon us.

Al, its funny you bring up 2nd accounts then complain about who's active and who's not active on the forums. You simply cannot judge people's activity level by which account they post on JOSSH under. 2nd accounts are the only thing keeping Jumpgate alive right now. I can see no other way to explain near 800 accounts never peaking above 100 online (or hardly even 50). So there's both no way and no desire (I assume) on ND's part to change that.

Also, if you think the server is US, well it is in name and econ system only and that's just because its located in the US and GM_K is awake during US hours. But the only real pvp fighting that happens anymore is during EU prime time. US pvp has been dead for what, a year?

You are probably correct about the new system being tough on those who both pvp a lot and still want to occasionally haul profit cargo (not that there is any decent profit to be made in cargo). However, the PR required to buy commods is 0. Hopefully things on the MT Procurement mission types will be of low PR requirements, or have their PR req. lowered.


I thought the insight's original range was stupidly small like 50 (I seem to recall having to practically bump into artys), then it was boosted to slightly longer range than the Jumpgate sphere. Anyway, my point was that using it was not a freebie like taking 6.2 seconds to down a Warden Sol HM in an ammo Dragon in unreg/sector claim is a total freebie. Or 8.75 sec if it runs a Mortar. Or 8.2 seconds if you're in a Quant HM. Or a whole 15 sec if you are in the best padded HM, a Mortar Vulture. I mean at least the weakest Tug gets 30 seconds of life, which is almost enough time for your squadmates to say "Where are you?" and click Launch before you die. In my book, even if it is victimizing the helpless, Burglar pirates = skill/risk/respect > POD muggers/berzerkers.