it’s about time to start the HWS 9 teaser cycle… so what can you expect from HWS 9?
Rework of Features and Gameplay
I will make it short and clear: HWS 9 is one of many iterations to leave the past behind and start “new” in certain ways.
But not new without all the input we got from you. In its core it will still feel like HWS but just more refined and with bigger intentions in mind for the future.
Many features we created 2+ years ago were without all the feedback and without knowing, what we know now.
So while I respect some nostalgic opinions about changes I made, in the end we created a quite different game than Empyrion at HWS. We see it as our responsibility to try to develop that “HWS game” further, together with your input. And that means of course, that some things will change.
I hope you are prepared! 
Note 1: Some things are not implemented yet! Even if I needed 3+ weeks to think about the changes below, I still request your feedback. Maybe I missed something. But I really request smart feedback!
Note 2: Many calculations I did were based on the new Universe gameplay in mind. Please don’t compare coming changes too much with the current setup!
Elemental Bank rework
The Elemental Bank is our oldest feature on HWS! It started more or less blindly with 1+ % interest and millions as a “norm”. Back in the days I had overall not really a clue how much Gold you can gather per day - with and without Golden Globe. So it stayed more or less and the prices were reflecting that.
With HWS 9 my main goal is to reward loyal and active players even more. But not necessary with a passive interest wealth. I want to utilize your Teamwork and make use of many HWS features to play with, not only living by interest and ignore many other aspects of Empyrion and HWS.
EB Changelog | Version 2
All fees etc. are meant if you are not in the Bank / Trading Zone
Level 1
Keep 2,5m credits after a full wipe => Free as default
Interest: 10%
Max Interest: 250 000 credits
Send money: 10% fee
Payin/Payout: 10% fee
Usability: visit the Bank zone
eb:cointocr: 10% fee
eb:ingottocr: 20% fee not in zone / 10% in zone
Marketplace Credits: 10% fee (if you buy items from HWS Marketplace not in the trading zone)
Marketplace RP: 1RP per 10 item (if you buy items from HWS Marketplace not in the trading zone)
Level 2
Keep 5m => cost 1,7m + 25 RP
Interest: 9%
Max Interest: 350 000
Send money: 9% fee
Payin/Payout: 9% fee
Usability: visit the Bank zone
eb:cointocr: 9% fee
eb:ingottocr: 19% fee not in zone / 9% in zone
Marketplace Credits: 9% fee
Marketplace RP: 1RP per 20 item
Level 3
Keep 10m => cost 2,5m + 50 RP
Interest: 8%
Max Interest: 500 000
Send money: 8% fee
Payin/Payout: 8% fee
Usability: visit the Bank zone
eb:cointocr: 8% fee
eb:ingottocr: 18% fee not in zone / 8% in zone
Marketplace Credits: 8% fee
Marketplace RP: 1RP per 30 item
Level 4
Keep 25m => cost 5m + 75 RP
Interest: 7%
Max Interest: 1 000 000
Send money: 7% fee
Payin/Payout: 7% fee
Usability: visit the Bank zone
eb:cointocr: 7% fee
eb:ingottocr: 17% fee not in zone / 7% in zone
Marketplace Credits: 7% fee
Marketplace RP: 1RP per 40 item
Level 5
Keep 50m => cost 13m + 100 RP
Interest: 6%
Max Interest: 1 500 000
Send money: 6% fee
Payin/Payout: 6% fee
Usability: global (eb:interest)
eb:cointocr: 6% fee
eb:ingottocr: 16% fee not in zone / 6% in zone
Marketplace Credits: 6% fee
Marketplace RP: 1RP per 50 item
Level 6
Keep 70m => cost 25m + 150 RP
Interest: 5%
Max Interest: 2 000 000
Send money: 5% fee
Payin/Payout: 5% fee
Usability: global (eb:interest)
eb:cointocr: 5% fee
eb:ingottocr: 15% fee not in zone / 5% in zone
Marketplace Credits: 5% fee
Marketplace RP: 1RP per 60 item
Level 7
Keep 100m => cost 35m + 200 RP
Interest: 4%
Max Interest: 2 500 0000
Send money: 4% fee
Payin/Payout: 4% fee
Usability: global (eb:interest)
eb:cointocr: 4% fee
eb:ingottocr: 14% fee not in zone / 4% in zone
Marketplace Credits: 4% fee
Marketplace RP: 1RP per 70 item
Level 8
Keep 200m => cost 50m + 250 RP
Interest: 3%
Max Interest: 3 200 000
Send money: 3% fee
Payin/Payout: 3% fee
Usability: global (eb:interest)
eb:cointocr: 3% fee
eb:ingottocr: 13% fee not in zone / 3% in zone
Marketplace Credits: 3% fee
Marketplace RP: 1RP per 80 item
Level 9
Keep 500m => cost 100m + 300 RP
Interest: 2%
Max Interest: 4 000 000
Send money: 2% fee
Payin/Payout: 2% fee
Usability: global (eb:interest)
eb:cointocr: 2% fee
eb:ingottocr: 12% fee not in zone / 2% in zone
Marketplace Credits: 2% fee
Marketplace RP: 1RP per 90 item
Level 10
Keep 1B => cost 250m + 500 RP
Interest: 1%
Max Interest: 5 000 000
Send money: free
Payin/Payout: free
Usability: global (eb:interest)
eb:cointocr: free
eb:ingottocr: 10% fee not in zone / 1% in zone
Marketplace Credits: 1% fee
Marketplace RP: 1RP per 100 item
Explanation
We have basically 3 major changes coming.
-
EB can be leveled up to level 10. Along the upgrades you see a consistency from the OCD
=> After EB Level 5 you can’t get it with Support Packages anymore. You have to play to achieve EB lvl 6-10. -
With each level you have now a new logic behind “Keep Credits after full wipe”. Some “Keep credits” options are not only reflected as Supporter Packages but always laid out in a way, that you could buy the next level if you kept the money from previous season. The incentive for the EB level must be thought out well though.
-
The interest and other benefits per level are highly adjusted. One reason is the consistency about 5 or 10% fee, the other about a much lower interest amount.
As I said, 2,5 million credits per day and per server (5 million if you do CSW) for doing nothing than logging it, was an old fundament of the EB, which was always the first thing on my list to change in the future.
Looking at the Commodity Trading for example you see a much better way in generating a lot of money and active (fun) gameplay.
I am aware that the upgrade prices are maybe bit high in the first iteration but I rather want to downscale them, than upscale. Especially with the main goals in mind: reward the active and loyal players.
Or different speaking: with HWS you will get such a big late game content now, that you maybe wish the 3 month season were longer 
(my plan at least)
Once you can make full use of the HWS Ingots you can see the EB Levels as “milestones” you want to keep with the “Keep EB Level” Package.
Note: Prices of HWS Garage ships etc. will be adjusted as well along the way
Note: Your bought Keep Credit Support Packages will stack with the EB Level Keep Credit amount.
Faction Bank
As some recognized already, we implemented a big and old request from you!
How does it work?
First of all it is handled via the ingame permission system.
So once again make sure who you trust and elevate to an admin of your faction!
Only Admins and Founder can pay credits out of the bank. Members can only pay in.
The last important note is basically that the faction bank keeps the credit only during the season!
Everything you have in the Faction Bank at the end of the season will be lost! Make sure to pay it out before.
As writte above: make use of good Teamwork to achieve the high EB upgrade levels!
We might implement later Faction Bank levels but for now that is the first iteration.
Please test this new features and let us know your feedback!
HWS Supergates
Some discovered our “silent” patch about Supergates already:
Enemy Detection
If a player (Pilot) is near you (3000 meter), you can’t use the Supergate command sg:warp:XY anymore.
A lot of people legit complained in the HWS Survey and elsewhere that PvP is not enjoyable, if they destroyed the Warp Drive tank and the enemy still could escape. We want to address this with this new addition.
Another issue coming from HWS 7.X.X were that Bases could be spawned near the Supergate to create some “surprises”.
All good but my intention has a different focus about Supergates. That is why all Supergates in HWS 9 will have “Anti-Base” Defense systems around - just in case.
=> But also for PvE to prevent camp-laggers!
Ships don’t get shot - only bases! Do not build near Supergates!
But to teaser the next part (HWS 9 Universe) as well:
There will be 2 Supergates in each orbit. One will allow CV + SV + HV warps but one new more hidden one, will only allow SVs! Everything else will be shot down to pieces.
This sneaky travel system can and maybe should be used if you want to trade very rare Commodities in HWS 9!
Stay tuned for more insights about a slightly reworked HWS 9 Universe, OCD rework and a complete new gameplay about Trading and Origins!
, i’ll wait and see until i report upon the elemental bank, getting the balance perfect will always be a difficult challenge to achieve.