[daslog]

Tell me what you think!! (please be constructive)


Business Problem

The existing Player vs. Player (PvP) system of Jumpgate has several shortcomings that are detrimental to the quality of the game, which is affecting customer retention. In particular:

1) Players that do not want to engage in PvP are often killed (Civ-ripped) against their will. This has resulted in many dissatisfied customers who cancelled their subscriptions.
2) Customers that want to engage in PvP have expressed a desire for a PvP experience that has an impact on the gaming world.


Business Objectives

1) Create game mechanics that appeal to customers that do not want to engage in PvP
2) Establish a PvP experience that allows players to have an impact on the Jumpgate Universe.
3) Encourage players that do not PvP to gradually move into the PvP portion of Jumpgate.

Project Scope

1) All Steps listed in Business Objectives

This does not include the following:
1) Changes to Ship Design
2) Modification to the Combat engine

General Requirements

1) Creation of a new type of space sector to be known as “Semi-regulated Space.”
2) Removal of the PvP switch (known as Tags) and replacing it with Zone Based PvP.
3) Establishment of “Safe Zones” in factional space where no PvP can take place.
4) Changing Player owned stations “POS” so they can only be placed in unregulated space.
5) An Increase to the profitability of trade missions to unregulated space.
6) The ability of squads to “own” sectors of unregulated space.

Detailed Requirements

1) Semi-Regulated space

Semi-regulated space is to provide an area where some PvP is allowed in a limited way to introduce players to PvP with no penalty.

Semi-Regulated space is a part of space that where PvP is allowed. In order to pass between the different faction’s sectors (i.e. from Sol space to Quantar space) players must move through at least 2 sectors of Semi-regulated space. Pirating in Semi-regulated space is possible, but the area will be patrolled by AI controlled TRI ships. Players killed in Semi-regulated space will be reimbursed for 100% of their insurance value.

2) Removal of the PvP Switch (Tags)

The PvP switch will no longer be needed. PvP will be based on the Zones the players occupy. Players that wish to PvP will do so in the Semi-regulated and unregulated zones. Players that do not wish to PvP will do so in the Factional Zones.

3) Safe Zones

Factional areas will be modified to not allow PvP to occur. Players that do not wish to PvP will be free to move within factional space without issue.

4) Changes to Player Owned Stations.

POSs will be used to create an incentive to for players to PvP. This will be accomplished by not allowing any POS to be placed in factional space. The ONLY place that a POS can be places in will be unregulated space. This will create a strong incentive for players that have reached the “end-game” of Jumpgate to engage in PvP.

5) Increase to the profitability of Unregulated missions.

Missions to Stations in unregulated space will have their profitability increased by 50%. This will create another incentive for players to enter unregulated space and engage in PvP.

6) Squad “ownership” of unregulated space.

Beacons in unregulated space will be changed. Instead of a Beacon being “flipped” and owned by a Faction, unregulated beacons will be owned by the squad that “flips” them. Squads will receive a bonus for owning beacons in the form of increased production at their POS.

[Jonboy]

Hi Daslog,

The Military Tag system is in-place to encourage and enable consensual PvP and discourage non-consensual PvP.

I've never used it, so I can't really argue for its pros and cons. I know Liet complained that it hurt the honest griefer.

The military system is supposed to affect the game-world, with disable-able buildings, etc.

[daslog]

Originally Posted by Jonboy

Hi Daslog,

The Military Tag system is in-place to encourage and enable consensual PvP and discourage non-consensual PvP.

I've never used it, so I can't really argue for its pros and cons. I know Liet complained that it hurt the honest griefer.

The military system is supposed to affect the game-world, with disable-able buildings, etc.

Hi Jonboy!!

What I'm proposing here is getting rid of the tag system and replaceing it with incentives to to use unreg space. The folks that don't want to PvP can stay in safe space, while everyone else gets to PvP.

I think civ-ripping does have it's place, but only in unreg. I want to encourge Haulers to take the chance of going to unreg in order the make bigger profits. I'm hopeful that over time, those that just choose to stay safe will gradually get their feet wet and try PvP.

[Jonboy]

I've always been a fan of higher risk = higher reward. There used to be missions/cash runs from aman to GBS. which would have been what you seem to be suggesting. The risk, tho, was dependent on who was playing at the time, of course.

The MT tags are supposed to make money-making viable while fighting.

Yeah. the tag system... sigh. I've wanted it gone before. WoW separates PvPers from PvEers by server, as well as by zone - separation by server basically creates 2 different games for 2 different types of player. I think at less than lvl 10 you should be unable to be killed by PvP in factional zones, so server transfers wouldn't be much of an issue - except for cash.

With a large enough player-base, you are probably better off separating by server, then removing the tag system on PvP servers. Jumpgate:TRI has the advantage over WoW in that experience at PvE doesn't help you with PvP.

Even if you remove the tag system, military missions could help PvPers to earn cash.

[TexMurphy]

Hey tards... long time no see..

Millitary tag system should IMHO be viewed as a choise of profession and I think (also not used it) its implemented in a way where you sign on as millitary for a certain time or ammount of missions.

Having factional millitary does make sence and a RvR based conflict game is nice. But for that to work there has to be conquearable territories. Preferably all sectors should be conquearble and all types of ships/pilots should be needed.

Having different rules of engagement for Millitary and Civilian pilots arent that strange. Imho any Civilian pilot that engages in combat or "illegal activity" should become marked Pirate and free game for Millitary pilots. That millitary pilots arnt allowed to shoot civilians isnt that strange either.

Tex

[daslog]

If nothing else, what do people think about only allowing POSs to be placed in Unreg? That would shake the game up quite a bit and unreg would become a lot more interesting.

[Injustice]

In other words, whether it's in PvE or PvP, you're still a horrible warlock.

[xerout]

I know some other games do it but I think it would be a mistake to create different servers for different gaming styles (PvP or no PvP). One of the things that kept me playing Jumpgate was the inherent danger of being killed after launching. I enjoyed the slim possibility that I could be killed even doing a cargo mission in regulated space. I agree that griefers should be hit hard....much harder than they currently are (or were when I was playing). Maybe a weapons lock feature after earning a certain number of grief points and the only way to reduce grief is to actually work it off by doing a ton of mind numbing missions...all with the pleasure of a bounty on your head (I think that has already been done). I think the whole grief complaint has been greatly overblown....most of the non-PvPers I knew in the game rarely had a problem with it. I'm not saying individuals didn't suffer but overall I think the problem was much smaller than it has been made out to be over the years

Xerout

[Karash]

The more I think about it, we just need a Carebear server and a Hardcore server. But that would obviously not go down well with the community.

Edit: I know Eve Online has over 160k subs now on a single server, and you can get killed anywhere at anytime in the game...including "safe space". There are real death penalties in Eve, and to be honest, its a great environment.

[daslog]

Originally Posted by Karash

The more I think about it, we just need a Carebear server and a Hardcore server. But that would obviously not go down well with the community.

Edit: I know Eve Online has over 160k subs now on a single server, and you can get killed anywhere at anytime in the game...including "safe space". There are real death penalties in Eve, and to be honest, its a great environment.

0,0 space is EXTREMELY safe in Eve. A lot of what I wrote here was insipired by Eve.

EDIT: Also, I doubt there will be enough players to support 2 servers.

[TexMurphy]

Problem with civ ripping the way it used to work was that it was too easy.

I hate pvp enabling and disabling flags or areas but what I do like is more guarded and less guarded areas.

There wasnt ever enough factionalist squads to make faction space safe. As soon as the factionalist squads got tied up fighting each other in sector X all the other sectors where free too civ in and easy to escape.

In an ideal world there would be factionalist PvP squads patrolling faction space and keeping it safe. But to be honest that aint really fun as a main occoupation.

NPCs should do what the players could do but dont fancy doing.

If NPCs patrolled regulated space and especially areas that are rich on resources (mining or stations) then it would be much harder to attack "innocent" pilots.

I know there is the "honest griefer" and the "griefing civilian" but still avg joe needs to be safer in Jumpgate and there are only 4 ways to accomplish that.... a) pvp chip, b) totally safe zones where PC ships cant get damaged by PC ships, c) PCs patrolling and keeping space safe and d) NPC patrolls.

a and b are imho horrible and dont make sence at all in the context of Jumpgate.

c doesnt work we have proven that our selfs

d not tried but could work, works quite well in other games.

Tex

[Karash]

AI 'PVP' patrols for the home sectors could be something we can toy with. Ship patrols of 4 or 5 ships that fly sector to sector on a generated random path from point A back to point A. Sure, they wont be able to help all the time, but if someone is ripped they could respond and harass/shoot down the offending player.

The problem is obviously elite vets that would scoff at the AI. Needs mutliple layers of design here probably connected into other parts of the game to pull off successfully.