A New System of Defense.

[Mydis]

I was thinking about this during school a few days ago and thought it would be a good idea.

Outfits claim bases as their own. They have meetings there, they socialize there, they rally there.

This would take some politics from the outfit leaders. Bases for outfits would have to be decided based upon size of outfit, location of base, etc. Larger, more powerfull outifts might be trusted with multiple bases, or maybe even a continent. Smaller, less powerfull outfits might have to share a base with another small or medium sized outfit if they need the mutual support.

Setting this up could be delt with in many ways. If an outfit wanted to do nothing but assult, or didnt want the weight of politics or responsibility, they simply would not be assigned a base. If an outfit wanted to spend more time attacking than defending, they might ally with another outfit, or be assigned a more out-of-the-way base. If an outfit wanted to do nothing but defend, they would be assigned a front-line base.

There would be alot of benefits with this:

1. Organization. Running all over the map is a waste of time.

2. An outfit that is defending a base that they consider 'thier base' will fight harder, and be much more determined to regain that base if lost.

3. As a result of 2., outfits will rightly gain reputations as dependable or undependable.

4. Communication. As a result of outfits having to negotiate who should defend what base, thier ties will be stregthened. They will know each other.

5. The importance of outfits is increased. New players will realize that outfits are playing an important role and arn't just groups of people who tell L337 stories to each other. When new players join outfits, they are learning the game faster. They are also playing as a team, thus becoming more usefull for their entire empire.

[Jakal]

This sounds like a good concept but it wouldn't work in the game. What happens when the number of outfits that want a base outnumber available bases. And what about new outfits? They're going to want there own base. Also the entire caln wont be on at all times to defend the base. And even if they were they have to sleep sometime. It would be cool but i dont think it could work

[Mydis]

"What happens when the number of outfits that want a base outnumber available bases."

If you run out of available bases, your empire must be doing pretty well because that would mean that you have taken over every base but the safety zones.

"And what about new outfits? They're going to want there own base."

They would have to share a base with another small outfit. If they dont like that it would have to be explained to them that the outfit needs to be able to defend a base by themselves if they want their own.

"Also the entire caln wont be on at all times to defend the base. And even if they were they have to sleep sometime."

This is how it is for all the empires. They have to deal with the same problem you do. This is where good communitcation between outifts comes in. If an outfit that only has 1/5 of it's members on at the time needs help, they can request backup from a near-by outfit.

[MaCh]

I like this idea, sorta like DAoC had with their guilds clam one if you can or go out and take an enemy outpost if theres not enough for all outfits to have. What would you need to claim a outpoist though? DAoC had beps and you could upgrade it so it was harder to take. So maybe they could allow you to upgrade the outpost with maybe making it harder to hack doors and such.

[Derfud]

I think that it may happen anyways, just not the way you might think. Probably outfits will meet at bases to organize an attack then get attacked themselves.

[colinisinhere]

fun

[Seer]

This would be problematic. Outfits might choose to 'adopt' a few bases as consistent objectives, but I don't think there should be any official recognition for that.

This is a first-generation MMOFPS, so Keep It Simple, Stupid.

[Mydis]

I descibed it more complex than it would be.

Here is a simpler version:

Outfit says "Hey, this base needs better protection and we need a meeting place. This is now our base." The leader of that outfit tells all the other outfits that his outfit is now protecting this base. If another outfit already claims that this is their base, they can either share (cooperativly or uncooperativly) or one of the two can move on. If that outfit cant handle defending that base the other outfits might decide to have another outfit help defend that base(cooperativly or uncooperativly).

[Seer]

I think bases will change hands far too often for that to happen exactly like you envision. Outfits will move around as well. I'm not sure how it will work out--they may have a front line gathering area or not, but either way it is likely to change from week to week.

[Zhor_Prime]

hey, don't forget towers, there's dozens of thoes too

[1024]

another one of those ideas taht sounds great on paper, but bad in life

[Matuse]

An outfit would have to be staggeringly enourmous, and span continents in order to maintain a consistant defense-level presence at whatever base they want to claim.

And, with all that, they'd still lose it a lot.

[EarlyDawn]

Why not make it their manually bound spawn base at all times (Unless captured) in addition to another, actual manual base spawn point, like a "home base" option. Maybe let the defenders set up their own set of turrets in the SOI too.

This should be thought about a lot more, but base/outfit relations are important to, maybe, a second expansion pack.

[Kriev-Xy]

although its a nice idea, i doubt that its gonna happen, especially that an outfit could call a continent their own.. now as for bases.. it would be nice that if an outfit captures a base..that the base could be named or having a logo load up of that outfit but once hacked again everything disappears. and you have to think about have an Outfit controlled base being defendless at 5am.

[Destroyeron]

It will probabaly happen anyways. A squad picks a main base as a regroup/spawn point. If an outfit holds onto a base for a long period of time and is often seen there, it may gain the nickname "so-and-so base".

Personally, I'd like to have my own room.

[Mydis]

Ok, one outfit controling a whole continent might be a bit unrealistic. I just listed it as a possibility.

Im not saying that there should be any regonition of the game it's self that officially makes a base owned by an outfit. This would be something developed, run, and recognized only by the players themselves.

Looking at it, Ill admit, it does sound a bit idealistic. I doubt that it would work as clean cut as I described it. The way I describe it is the way it would work in a perfect game.

That said, the underlining principles are still there: Outfits communicating for a better defence, not just random skirmishes and repeatedly walking into near-empty bases again and again in a never ending cycle of too much offence vs. no defence. Outifts taking it personal when their base is captured. The function of outfits being more meaningfull than just the guys you always squad with.

[Synergy]

i would love this idea and make it so they have to recapture their base within 48 hours or the outfit gets auto disbanned. Also the base would be bound to the outfit as a spawn point and have their symbol painted on the base walls. Only reason i like this idea so much is because i love having wars and this would provide a means of doing that with actual consequences for losing thus causing you to think twice before really starting crap with other clans. Also put another 24 hour timer before the clan be remade thus also clearing out the inactives and unloyal people. I know that this does seem extreme and only for the power gamers but i'm one so my view is a bit skewed ;) .
also bases could be shared if a couple of outfits really want to be protected.

[Synergy]

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lol what kinda random number is that

[balab]

don't think there's a need to add special feature such as this. an outfit can simply use a base as a meeting place. the bases are also probably big enough so few outfits can share. i don't see a need to put a flag up in the air and say "All your base are belong to us".

also, if there's no bonus associated w/ base ownerships, the hype would die down pretty fast. if there was bonus associated w/ ownerships, that would add a brand new variable to the balance issue.

what i forsee, more likely, is base/outpost protection assigned to major outfits. not as part of the game, but just as mutual understanding between outfits and alliances.

then again, all this is speculation :)

[BeerJedi]

Originally posted by Seer
so Keep It Simple, Stupid.

Reminds me of a Jimmy Buffett Song. Meanwhile, I am very curious to how Outfits will playout with bases. Yeah, a large outfit could claim a series of bases, but it will get jumbled a lot of your empire suddenly finds themselves on the wrong end of a very successful advance.

I've not had the opportunity to play the game or read up on every detail, but this is looking like a great game and i like discussions like this.

[Kyonye]

the idea would never work. no more is needed to be said.