Empire Switching Penality Proposal

teratravp · 2004-03-18, 06:09 PM

I'm still on my trial and can't use the official messageboards yet, but when I register I'll put this there. Right now I'll try for some feedback here.

Empire Switching Penalty

In the game of PS, on each server you use, one character must be defined as your Primary Character. This character's empire is the one you are assumed to be playing for. Theoritcally since this is a war game you should only be playing for 1 empire at a time. However you are able to create different empire characters on different servers with no adjustment penalities, just not multiple empire characters on the same server without a penalty for the non primary empires.

The new adjustment will be that when you play a character that is a different empire then your primary empire you suffer a Switch Penalty - Health and Shields both diminished 50% to start, down to 0% over 7 days at which time that character will become your primary character and that empire your empire for that server.

Your primary character is determined PER server, therefore you can have different empire characters on different servers with no penalty. The purpose of this penalty is to discourage balance overturns and rushes that debilitate the game.

follow?

HawkEye · 2004-03-18, 06:16 PM

emipre changing shit is fine as is. the 12 hour timer is enough.

Krinsath · 2004-03-18, 06:16 PM

Don't think that really resolves anything. Just makes things annoying for people who have multiple characters that they enjoy.

This is a result of the server merge. I had 2 major characters thrown into the same server, but different empires. Why should I be punished because the Devs can't fix bugs fast enough to keep a stable playerbase?

The current system is about as good a solution as any since there is only 2 good servers for most people (or 1 for the Wernerites).

The bandwagoners won't be stopped by this system, it's just a harassment for those who enjoy the different dynamics of the three empires.

It's a war game, yes...but this system would make PS very stale and cost more players.

321 · 2004-03-18, 06:19 PM

I think 12 hours is enough.

ORANGE · 2004-03-18, 06:23 PM

I'm not happy with empire switching but can't think of a way to make it better so I will shut my mouth

EDIT: There are a couple of ways around the 12 hour rule that I have heard of from friends at school

Indecisive · 2004-03-18, 06:43 PM

I wouldnt bother messing with it.

HawkEye · 2004-03-18, 08:19 PM

i think that penalty would suck for the peeps who spend an even amount of time with multiple chars in different empires on same server. and for peeps like me who have been one empire for a long time and want to have fun or try sum thing new on a different empire. ive been nc since beta and ive never changed empires. sumtimes i get bored with my Br20/cr5 char and play tr for fun not because the NC are sucking or an empire buff or nerf happens.

I hope that made sense.

oddfish · 2004-03-18, 08:25 PM

it did, Hawkeye, trust me.

and i agree that the twelve hours is enough, though i think eight would be enough as well..

Lithpope · 2004-03-18, 08:38 PM

We did not have the 4th empire problems before the server merges to the degree we have them now. There are still 3 servers (thus the opprotunity to play each empire) and servers should be single empire again. Solution: The persons chooses an empire per server and all characters of another empire on the account keep their BR and CR are decerted in everything and swapped to the primary empire. The person does not lose the character or time spent, just the empire.

Cyrus- · 2004-03-18, 08:58 PM

The problem with the 12 hour timer is that you're not constantly on. Let's put you in this situation. It's 9:00 at night and you're empire is getting wtf owned... so you decide to switch to the winning empire. You play it for the remaining 3 hours of your time and sleep through the other 9. What kind of penalty is that? You're all set to play either one the next day again. They need to make it so it's 6 to 9 hours of ingame time on one empire before you can switch back.

Krinsath · 2004-03-18, 09:00 PM

And for those who have problems getting a decent ping to the west coast....having them go to EUROPE strkes you as a sensible idea? You think the lag is bad now, wait untli the damned limeys show up on Markov with their 2500ms pings and lag the entire server. BAD idea.

Krinsath · 2004-03-18, 09:06 PM

Originally Posted by Cyrus-

The problem with the 12 hour timer is that you're not constantly on. Let's put you in this situation. It's 9:00 at night and you're empire is getting wtf owned... so you decide to switch to the winning empire. You play it for the remaining 3 hours of your time and sleep through the other 9. What kind of penalty is that? You're all set to play either one the next day again. They need to make it so it's 6 to 9 hours of ingame time on one empire before you can switch back.

The mechanism you describe is exactly the point. I play my NC character Wednesday night, I thien go to sleep, go to work the next day and then come home and eat dinner and fiddle with some stuff and then decide to play PS. Now I can't use my TR character for at least 6 hours? That's ridiculous. You'll then have tons of people who just stay logged in while they're away and completely bypass the system anyway. Again, BAD idea.

Cyrus- · 2004-03-18, 09:13 PM

I'd love to see how many computers can run planetside without disconnecting or crashing after a long period of time like that. Even if they stay logged on.. most people would do so at night.. a few hours before they reset the servers and everyone disconnects. And people certainly can't do it if they still want to do other things on said computer as planetside sucks up every bit of ram you might have had.

Edit: Or they could just code in something that makes you go ld if you havn't logged any keystrokes for half an hour or so.

Krinsath · 2004-03-18, 09:15 PM

It's a poorly thought out idea that penalizes people who can't devote tons of time to PS. They pay just as much money as you do. If the Devs feel empire switching is a huge imbalance, they will fix it. Until then, please stop tinkering with a system that works fine.

Cyrus- · 2004-03-18, 09:18 PM

And the fact that the people who do not play a lot and can randomly switch to the winning side penalizes the people who do play a lot. People who play a lot tend to stick with one empire over another and ALSO enjoy being on the winning side. You think suddenly losing 5 to 10% of the population to the side that's already beating you with thier over-grown dongles isn't a detriment to those who stick with one side?

What am I saying.. you're in three different outfits on two different empires.. I'm talking to someone who obviously doesn't believe in playing with the same group of guys consistently. How do you think the people in the enforcers who stick with tr feel when you go play nc because they're losing? Or visa versa for that NC outfit of yours.