So a big giant wall-o-text incoming but I missed out on the discussion when @RexXxuS brought up the topic of creating an instanced PvP zone for gold gathering akin to PUBG or Fortnite.
I want to start with my overall opinion/critique of the concept. As a replacement for GG I was not fond of the idea at all, but as an addition to it I was a bit more receptive, though not at first. It wasn’t until I started reading many of the suggestions and critiques regarding the system that I started wondering if it was a viable thing. In the suggested form I see many issues as others have already pointed out:
Things I didn’t like:
- Inability to get back into the fight if you want to PvP
- Ability of players to just go in with cheap HVs and then just hot-log if combat is incoming and they still leave with stacks of gold ore
- Random drop locations preventing the ability to group up with allies
- No SVs
- Inability to leave planet(this isn’t a big one)
Things I liked:
- Indestructible environment
- Random drop locations for solo players
- Not able to spawn in BPs
- Meteorite spawns high in frequency
- More effective Meteorite mining
That’s my critique, but not the intent of this topic, I want to discuss ways I think could remedy the problem and see what others think including RexXxuS to see if this is something that we can make happen later. I got that he abandoned the idea in favor of giving attention to the Armageddon concept, but I personally am not that fond of a PvP/PvE sandwich that allows safe times for building up lag inducing BAs.
CONCEPT
Working off the same general concept that was presented by RexXxuS I wanted to make some modification suggestions to address some of the, what I would consider, major issues.
SPAWN
Instead of having everything completely random I feel there should be the addition of some fixed allowances for those that want to dive into PvP upon entering the playfield. Camping can be frowned upon but still allowed in this regard, BPs can no longer be spawned in period so it would take a solid effort and commitment to get in and get established.
- Have 4-5 Portals, for those wanting to PvP, in PvP zones: Each zone would be in different sectors that would ultimately be controlled by different “larger” factions.
- Have 4-5 fixed portals that take players to fixed locations on the map, this makes it easier for them to be camped, but would require a single faction to be extremely spaced out in order to do it. Coordination would be needed to control the entirety of the planet, especially with a bigger planet.
- The PvP portals allow the entrance with prebuilt HVs: To prevent SVs(and tiny CVs) from being able to enter you could set SV and CV cores to be deleted in the field.
- Have a dozen portals from PvE zones scattered around the different playfields
- PvE portals take you to a PvE space station where you have time to prepare before entering a portal that drops you in a drop pod to a random place on the planet, similar to the HWS start iirc.
PLAYFIELD
In order to prevent too much camping on the actual playfield there can be HWS structures that are indestructible with no turrets of any kind. The structures can be large facilities that have multiple exits spaced out in a method to allow those landing in to scout around for the weakest point in any existing enemy defenses. Once you roll out, however, that’s all the protection you get from the environment. You can engage right away with armored tanks or try and speed by with lightly armored and speedy vehicles.
- No BP spawns at all, SV and CV cores get despawned every X minutes/seconds and the PvP portals are also the only exit points large enough to accommodate vehicles.
- Logging off and back on takes you to the closest exit portal, thus allowing the solo players to have safe exits if they wish to avoid PvP for smaller gains.
- In a certain area around each of the entry/exit portals vehicles are despawned every X minutes/seconds applied individually to each player starting when they enter the area. Alternatively, it would be nice if it were possible to disable turrets while in that area but not sure if the code currently allows such an action.
- Inside the “secure” bases have enclosed rooms that solo/disconnected/dead players will spawn to and then they can exit through a one-way portal back into the fight or through an “exit” portal back to HWS space.
RESOURCES & TERRAIN
This is my personal ideal situation so others might severely disagree with my expressed views(I guess that can be applied to the overall concept as well). From what I know the things that contribute most to lag, that are avoidable, are lights and jagged terrain, so let’s remove both from the equation. Lights are already somewhat addressed with the Class system for vehicles so that leaves Terrain.
- Make all terrain indestructible
- Have a constant rain of Gold Meteorites with a fairly low(30 minutes???) despawn time to get around the “stuck in indestructible terrain” issue
- Scatter in some other Meteorite types for those that want to “live” on the planet.
HWS SPACE PORTALS
In the initial Spawn section I mention having PvP related portals inside PvP zones in multiple places around the HWS Space. Some people may say that this benefits bigger factions, this is true, but I want to address how this will more or less balance itself out in the long run.
- The portals need to be scattered long distances from each other on PvP planets on different ends of the galaxy
- A tax of some sort can be implemented for taking up permanent residence in said PvP zones
- The size of the portal needs to reflect the maximize desired size of HVs that HWS wants to be able to enter the planet already spawned in
With these simple guidelines it is not possible for one faction to control all entry points into the playfield, at best they can control the outside of one and inside for another. A decent amount of coordination from a minimum of 3 decent sized factions(in an alliance) would be required in order to control all entry points, and even then it would be hard for them to reinforce one another when only HVs are allowed on the playfield and in HWS space the portals are spread around by a decent amount.
COUNTERS TO CAMPERS
It will obviously happen, some factions will decide to form an alliance and try to control all entries and exits, the natural counter is always that the other factions will unite and work together in order to force them out, or at least force them out of one or two entry points. I want to name a few counters that I can think of fairly quickly. I personally don’t feel that having multiple large factions that aren’t allied controlling each of the entry/exit points is that big of a deal because if one is charging everyone that wants to enter an absurd tax then the players will just go elsewhere. I also don’t feel like smaller factions paying a “safety tax” to larger factions that are protecting them via fighting enemies while they mine is in bad taste personally. If I wanted to just PvE and get some Gold I wouldn’t have a problem giving a fair amount of what I mine to them for allowing me to do so in safety, it’s already what happens in larger alliances. Some fight, some mine, all benefit from the yields.
- BUILD AN ALLIANCE
- Make friends: The enemy of my enemy is my friend
- Go, Fight, Win
- RANDOM DROP INFILTRATION
- Using the random drop method you can send in some allies behind enemy lines to build up while your main force attacks one or more of the entry points
- Once a beachhead is established build up defenses and a method in which to “safely” craft HVs on planet
- Use sniping tactics to weaken enemy defenses
- Gain control of one portal(or more) in HWS Space
- Hit enemy from both inside the playfield and through the portal entrance
- DIVERSION
- Gain control of multiple HWS Space portals
- Hit one side hard with the majority of your forces
- Once defenders are drawn to defending send in smaller force through a different portal and take control of playfield side portal
