[Ikeprof]

Having lived in a squad that originally had beacon control as it's core philosophy and a foundation for RP, the topic is to a degree familiar.

One possibly undesirable aspect to some of my "benefit" listings is that they are "home faction" based - thereby impacting multi faction squads...may need work on that.

The first assumption of this document is that there will even BE beacons in Jumpgate Evolution. Beacons or some other contestable "item".

The problem with beacon control in Jumpgate Classic is other than some financial benefits (right?) there really is no compelling/driving reason to keep home beacons tuned true and neutral/foreign beacons tuned at all.

I would propose we change that.

This proposal needs to benefit as many playstyles as possible.

Basic concept:

Core Station for each faction is "home". Any and all benefits from having a beacon "chain" tuned are derived by the chain being connected to core station.

Each additional beacon added to the chain grants an additional benefit.

These benefits "benefit" the various playstyles as each beacon is added.

Some (not all) benefits ONLY apply to the sector(s) in which the beacon is tuned (consider possible adjacent sector benefits to enable the mechanics of some of the sample benefits).

Benefits would be largely informational/tactical, with a smattering of financial value.

Sample Benefits and Beacon Cost:
(keep in mind benefits only apply to sectors in which the beacon is tuned).
2 Beacons - Galactic Map display of Ore Yield Percentage (as in % of roids not blue) per base roid type
3 Beacons - Galactic Map display of flux count per sector and flux class
4 Beacons - Galactic Map display of "enemy" class ship types and quantities
5 Beacons - Galactic Map display of "enemy" class ship types and quantities with Pilot Identification
6 Beacons - Galactic Map display of "enemy" class ship types and quantities with Pilot Identification and velocity/vector information (maybe not meaningful)
7 Beacons - Detailed Ionic Current Mapping interfacing with ship guidance subsystems grants 10% bonus to max ship speed for tuned faction
8 Beacons - Decrease in raw commodity pricing by 5%
9 Beacons - Decreased response time for NPC Patrol Vessels responding to Factional Mayday/distress calls
10 Beacons - Additional Sensor Coverage grants conical "ping" echos to Artifact locating mechanisms
11 Beacons - Additional Sensor Coverage allows AI inferred display of enemy ship FF/Missle/Modx loadout on Target Indicator
etc

crap - forgot one semi major point - Obviously the beacon closest to core station become the most important. Cut those and all benefits are lost.

[Injustice]

The more game aspects that bring about change that affects the entire community the better. "Beacon Flippers" as a class role instead of something to pass the time or cut down on the tax rate is a good thing IMO.

[Karash]

Well thats a nice meaty post.

Tiered benefits would greatly enhance beacon 'pvp' between factions...but it IS primarily a faction oriented goal. I am not certain ND will be changing Jumpgate to a factional type of game design (imo they should).

The pilot setting the beacon should always get a personal reward of some sorts as well...regardless of faction. This could be credits, but my favorite would have to be added factional standing. That way pilots can work off their bad behavior (assuming the tag system is still in place), and access higher equipment. Again this is a Jumpgate Classic mindset.

If Jumpgate Evolution was set as a factional only squad vs squad type game, then the teired effects would be 'awesomo' for sure. They would be greatly welcomed regardless by the faction squad that play the game now.

[Dedsquirrl]

I dig the hell out of that idea Ike.

More info = good.

Beacon flipping sounds like a sweet way to earn it.

[alphabet]

Add a little more if I may..

Beacons flipped in opposing factions space with a direct link to that factions stations, means a percentage exp earned in that space by any faction ship, gets spread around to the controlling beacons players that are logged in.

Let the beacon wars commence!!

hehe

[Ikeprof]

Originally Posted by alphabet

Add a little more if I may..

Beacons flipped in opposing factions space with a direct link to that factions stations, means a percentage exp earned in that space by any faction ship, gets spread around to the controlling beacons players that are logged in.

Let the beacon wars commence!!

hehe

OMG


AHHAHAHHAHAHAHAH, wow

that would never go over too well...hilarious

[Nohbody]

Speaking from my factionalist squad experience, beacon wars suck.

Granted, for the most part that may be because I was flying Oct ships, and didn't regularly fly the fast ships...

(Though I laughed when purge's ammo dragon ganked GG's beacon ranger. In that engagement I was pretty much just holding purge's virtual coat. )

[Sephiroth]

I disagree that they should turn it into a factional type of game design Karash, but I have not problems making beacons mostly a factional thing (given that pirates and such can detune them if they want). I do believe though that multi-factional squads are a lot of fun and add more variety to the game.

[Wild_Bill]

I like Ike's idea. I would modify it that beacons don't "decay" over time. The only way they change is when they are flipped deliberately. No grey beacons in regulated space. Only grey beacons are in "unclaimed" or "unregulated" space. Heck, there might not even bebeacons in unclaimed or unregulated space. It never made any sense to me that there would be TRI beacons in space that was unregulated. Have a mission to set beacons in uncontroled/unregulated space. That could be the only way a civilian could deal with beacons, or perhaps make it a MT task only. I would go MT for that myself!

[Aphelion]

I propose to get rid of the BCU. Instead, require ships to sit inside the beacon for XX seconds. This way, you aren't down a crucial FF to flip, and people can actually defend the beacon since you can't just keep flying through it in a ranger. (although flyby's are part of the fun... but then the defenders have to have a BCU equipped too and... blah blah)