Hey guys,
the last update to this big discussion here.
I am working currently on a complete rework of our HWS Config. Making for example each SV weapon “great again” and fixing some flaws in it after spending day and night with it now.
The only issue is that I’m working already on the 8.2 patch branch for that because 8.2 is quite a monster patch.
I doubt it will be released on friday so all the Config changes are coming as soon as 8.2 is released.
So what about our HWS Patch on Friday?
First I apologize to made some players run away. Not 100% my fault but maybe I should have written in more detail that my limit suggestions were NOT FIXED but open for discussion and overall spirit over time.
Lessons learned.
So friday will have two things in it:
- New Features
- New Limits
New Features
OCD Zone
We can create a zone where ever we want to allow you the OCD access. Of course is an OCD Zone in PvP the main intention behind it.
No Guilty Zone
While we had many ideas and suggestions about capping the egs:noguilty cost or other immersion ways, we couldn’t find a good and no-exploit version in short amount of time.
That is the reason we will implement a No Guilty Zone, where you can get rid of your guilty completely for free — if you can contest the POI where the zone is inside at least.
Guilty is and will be a big deal, not a death sentence but a decision you should make carefully.
Individual Touch WipeTime
A big requested feature finally there: we can set the WipeTime individually per playfield now. The global WipeTime is 15 days. But certain hotspot planets like the Starter or Origin planets they should not abused as “Holiday” planets. The 177 player count has showed us that a lot of structures were built and never get used anymore (player left the server), making it unfair to others to spawn new cores.
I’m looking for your feedback what would be good but I think on the lower PvE planets we go with 7 days and 7 days in orbits in general. Orbits must be smooth for playfield changes. Upper planets in the universe can keep 15 days for example.
But of course a Touch WipeTime of 1-3 days can also be used for hotspot PvP planets to get rid of alt-account farmers or inactive structures in general…
Supergate 2.0
We are feature complete for them I think. Jascha did some magic and we can now allow only certain Origins to use certain Supergates and 1:n relationships.
This even creates the big question mark if we should get rid of global warping in HWS 9?
If we think of the Freelancer Game you could enter new Sectors only with these Supergates.
But in movies they can warp any time… hm. What do you think?
The advantage though would be to prevent instant warp aways in PvP and create more dynamic overall.
New Limits
Not only the new features but also the fact that steam summer sale is over, “summer hole” is ongoing (player bored or in holidays) and the situation overall got more silent made me change the thought about the new limits for Friday at least.
So it will be a lot softer and waiting for the next season for more stricter version probably.
Global Limits
I didn’t get much feedback about them, hence I see they are still underestimated. I did rough calculations with the strict global limit system and basically everyone of you would have to remove quite some structures. That is “good” for performance but again, why now. With the individual Touch WipeTime feature we get rid of junk in a more personal note.
Hence nothing will change on Friday for now (but in the next season)
PvE Limits
These limits however are justified and didn’t get any bad review. Without the global limit enforcement you can just spread your stuff elsewhere instead
- All PvE planets except the RP reward Planets can have max. 1 private structure (of each type) and 2 faction structures
- The RP reward Planets (Mars X and Earth X) can have 2 private & 2 faction structures
- All PvE Orbits can have max. 1 private and 1 faction structure
- For all limits count Class 7 as max.
PvP Limits
A perfect example of the current community: some left HWS because the limits and classes are too lazy set and some leaving HWS because they can’t play their dream of Class 7 PvP Minecraft here, if we go with some stricter limits. What should we do 
Anyways, player who left, can be excited for the next season or the 8.2 patch. But players who invested time in the current season shouldn’t get put in the rain — so we do a rainbow approach 
Private
- Hotspot Planets: Only 1 private SV but 0 other type of structures
Hotspot Orbits: Max. 2 private structure of each type
Others: Max. 2 private structures of each type
private structures can’t be made that much softer. Either you USE YOUR structure or not. That is private. No need to have 10+ private structures wasting room and performance just as “insurance”.
But I increased it to 2 priv. structures in the hotspot orbits for reposition moves.
Alliance
- Hotspot Planets: max. 6 Alliance Bases | max. 15 Alliance CVs | max. 25 Alliance HVs
- Hotspot Orbits: max. 4 Alliance Bases | max. 15 Alliance CVs | max. 25 Alliance HVs
- Others: max. 10 Alliance Bases | max. 30 Alliance CVs | max. 50 Alliance HVs
The Alliance limit is a new one so I made all needed numbers softer. Let’s just see how it turns out until the next season. Especially with the 8.2 patch this numbers here may change up or down.
Faction
- Hotspot Planets: max. 3 Faction Bases | max. 3 Faction CVs | max. 5 Faction HVs | 10 Faction SVs
- Hotspot Orbits: max. 2 Faction Bases | max. 15 Faction CVs | max. 5 Faction HVs | 10 Faction SVs
- Others: max. 5 Faction Bases | max. 20 Faction CVs | max. 10 Faction HVs | 15 Faction SVs
Softer numbers again as first iteration. The main goal is to have more alliance structures possible.
Class Size
- Hotspot Planets: max. Class 1 of any type of structure except BAses. They will be set to Class 5.
- Hotspot Orbits: max. Class 7 of any type of structure
- Others: max. Class 7 of any type of structure
Increased BAse size from 3 to 5 and Orbit CVs again to Class 7 from 5. Not only because the soft transition but also because I have some intentions with the HWS Config to challenge even Class 7 CVs and make it skill based if they die in few minutes or hours in 8.2.
HOWEVER as a test we will set everything to Class 1 in Titan + Orbit. So if you want some test fights, try to find challengers there.
That’s it for Friday guys and good job reading till here 
For HWS 9 not only stricter limits (if needed) are coming but also smaller planets, rethink of Golden Globe, implementing cooler PvP planets, way cooler PvE planets and more.
I hope that until HWS 9 nothing bad happens anymore, I’m feeling already burned out.
Only Patch 8.2 will be interesting, very interesting and I hope you will like the new HWS Config!
It will be refreshing here and there 
Last but not least, please, no matter what your grudges are, emotions are, hate is or whatever: I am here to improve HWS for everyone, not only for veterans, not only for beginner, not only for donator or whoever. I want feedback from ALL of you.
At least this is my offer to you. If you take it or not and just leave, is of course your decision - but you will miss something for sure 
