Bases need more incentive? [Merged]

[Tieom]

Okay, so one of the big complaints is that there is no point to defending bases. I figure the easiest way to make people defend is to attach value to a base and instill a "We don't want to lose this to them" mentality. So, giving the bases USEFUL functions or empire advantages sounds good.
Here are my ideas:
First, the amount of each type of bases on each continent needs to be such that there is at least two of each type, except dropship. Since there at least 8 bases on every continent, this should not be too much of a problem. Each base provides a benefit if you own ONE of them on the continent, and another benefit if you own TWO of them on the continent.
Second, a base would only provide benefits if the generator in the base was ACTIVE, i.e. NOT BLOWN UP, and the base was under full control, not hacked or out of NTUs. So going around behind enemy lines and toasting generators would be a valid tactic. That might mean an increase in generator health, tho.

Tech plant
One owned: Allows MAXs to be bought at towers
Two owned: Current benefit (Reavers, tanks, etc)

AMP station
One owned: Dramatically reduces time required to transfer NTUs to/from ANTs, increases ANT NTU capacity, reduces NTU cost of purchasing vehicles/whatever.
Two owned: Halves NTU cost for autorepairing, increases Generator health.

Interlink Facility
One owned: Wall-turrets auto-fire on hostile (occupied by enemies) vehicles.
Two owned: Wall-turrets auto-fire on enemy MAXs, improves wall-turret accuracy/damage/rate of fire/range.

Biolab
One owned: Allows use of Medical Terminals in towers, reduces spawn times at bases.
Two owned: Medical terminals -> Adv. Med terminals (which heal armor too)

This would A) mean that fighting against a continent lock would be HARD since you have none of these benefits and they have them all; B) would reduce reaver/max spammage, at least a little bit; C) would (hopefully) provide defense incentive; D) would provide more strategy. "Knock out their interlink facility so those turrets stop mauling our MAXs," etc.

If someone would be so kind as to put this on the official forums, since I don't actually have the game yet I can't post there.

[EarlyDawn]

Dropship centers will eventually activate rearming and repair landing pads.

[kerosene31]

I like the idea a lot. It gives advantages to the realm taking more bases, without making them really more powerful by a big degree.

I assume you mean by allowing people to buy Maxs at towers, that we would take this away (you can do that now).

[Tieom]

Yes, the buying-of-MAXs-at-towers would be taken away under this system.
Edit: As would the usage of medical terminals in towers.

Also, yeah, it does encourage both attacking (Deny enemy benefits, increase your own benefits) and defending (keep benefits, deny enemy benefits). But because there is already a lot of incentive for attacking (XP) the incentive for defending would be bigger by comparison.
Edit: Another benefit would be that some of the shine would be taken off of towers. If you don't have the bases to support them, they'd be pretty useless.
Bases always have medical terminals and MAXs available, can get respawn time advantages, and have vehicles available (sometimes advanced ones). They also provide benefits, of course...

[simba]

like the idea very much

[ajohn505]

The ideas here rock... I'm sure they would be eventually balanced and rehashed slightly after playtest, but the basic ideas are great.

I still like the "bonus kill XP for killing enemies in a friendly SOI" scheme for boosting the desireability of defense as well.

[Masurao]

Man thats a good idea You should post this in the offical site so the DEVs can get a gander, since they don't watch PSU religiously like we do.

[Slice]

lol masurao, your gunman in your siggy really sux at shooting lol. But on topic, I like those ideas a lot! Someone tell the devs!

[Doppler]

I love all your ideas save the one about the max's at towers. my complaint with this is mostly a balance issue, a faction without max's assaulting a faction/squad with max's is most likely just kindof screwed. I dont play a max currently but I must concede that they fill a very important niche in the combat structure. However because the ideas is not flawed just needs a little tweaking.

It whould require some tweaking but suppose we introduced a portable generator. Basicly this very large item has a fixed amount of ntu's, is the size of an agile's backpack (almost forcing you to be in reinforced to carry them). Can only be purchased at the sanctuary/tech center, and finnaly can only be deployed by combat engineers. In essence what this allows a combat engineer to do is either give the towers or AMS's the ability to produce max's. I know it sounds a little powerfull but taken in the context of a finite energy supply it could provide balance while still giving the team the ability to fight and move. The other benefit to this whould be bringing the power back online of facilities where the gens are destroyed but you dont own the facility yet to repair. Just a thought.

Hard to impliment? yes
Intresting new tactical considerations? Definitly.

[DarkDragon00]

I dont like the idea about owning 2 of the same facil for bonus benifets. What about those continents that dont have more then one? They just need to fix the benifets up and make them better. Turrets DO NOT need help!!! Thats a NO-NO.

"U SHOT CHURCH U TEAM KILLING FUCKTARD!"

http://redvsblue.com

[Hamma]

Curious what everyones thought is on this subject. It was originally posted at the OF

http://boards.station.sony.com/ubb/p...ML/003957.html

The Current Base System Sucks
Right now, bases mean absolutely nothing and serve no function aside from being a place where battles take place. The battles are great and all, but it would be nice if there was another level to the game. I mean, Sony could replace all bases with piles of horse crap and people would still fight over them. It would achieve the exact same effect, and commanders would still be barking the same orders, �WE GOTTA HOTSPOT ON HORSE CRAP PILE OMEGA ON ISHUNDAR, LETS GET OVER THERE!�. Tis a sad day when a fortress serves it�s purpose no better than a pile of poo.

Sony needs to jack up the importance of bases so that players actually care about the territory they are fighting over. My suggestion is to jack up the rewards of holding a base and implementing a system that allows players to claim them. Before you decide, �Heard this before�, read on.


The Master Plan


--Take five or so of the more geographically interesting bases on a continent and turn them into �outfit bases� which may be controlled by an outfit. To achieve ownership of said base, the outfit must raise their flag over the base and hold it for three days (The outfit must have enough points so that it actually has a symbol for the flag). After these three days additional defense is attached to the base and outfit members may spawn there at any time. If an outfit wanted a base that was owned by the same empire as they, they could challenge the controlling outfit to a capture the flag match. The defending outfit would only be inclined to accept one challenge every week, but could accept more than one if they chose to.

--To each of the five outfit bases per continent, add one significant bonus that is given to the outfit that owns it. The bonuses would vary in importance and the more powerful rewards would be located in the more central continents. Some ideas for these bonuses: A mini-HART station, a vehicle speed/armor/firepower bonus, an infantry speed/armor/firepower bonus, a unique vehicle, a unique weapon, a respawn time reduction, galaxy production, improved radar, etc. This would cause outfits to strive to control the more powerful bases and encourage competition.


So what do you think? (Hint: REPLY)

Sporkfire's reply:

We are looking at ways to enhance the value of bases, part of which will include restoring facility benefits. I've also had some interesting conversations with designers about increasing the competitive attraction of bases, by adding some elements of fame, fortune and glory to a successful capture or defense. I can't specify and don't really know if this involves any "ownership" benefits, as you suggest, but we are looking at the issue.

What do you guys think?

[WildEagle]

I THINK THEY SHOULD CHANGE IT. ALL U HAVE TO DO IS WALK AROUND A FRIENDLY BASE, STUDY THEN GO TO ANOTHER AND CAP IT. IF THEY MAKE SO THAT NO BASE IS IDENTICAL TO ANOTHER THE GAME WOULD BE BETTER.

[BlakkyZ8]

A long time ago a point system was mentioned. When one empire held a base long enough points would be earned that could go towords the production of base deffences and/or base related improvements (could even be purely aesthetic). As points would be earned only ppl with CRs would get any share of the entire "pool" of points. People with higher CR would get a larger share. There was also something about the longer a certain base was held the higher the flow of points would be. This would add incentive to defend bases. Over time impenetrable fortresses would be made inducing huge battles (AGO anyone?) to overthrow the owners of such and such base. Wow catchy nicknames for the fortresses would begin to be passed around.

[WildEagle]

that way idea is better than mine.

[Nitsch]

As it is now, towers are much better at providing defensive value than a base. If i want to trench in a spot and defend.... I don't pick a base to do it, i pick a tower.

There really needs to be a more substantial defensive benefit of trying to defend a base.

In DAOC, the defender of a keep could hold off forces 3 to 5 times their size (which you can do with a tower). To defend a base in PS you actually need equal or greater numbers.

I think that wall turrets should be much more automated. There need to be fewer entrances into a base or have the current entrances much more difficult to breach.

Why does it take 10 minutes to take a base and 2 hours to route out the people in the neighboring tower? It should be the opposite.

Rewards for keeping bases would be icing on the cake (I still think defenders should get kill bonuses). Make bases places you run to for defense. In DAOC, I always felt a bit safer once i was able to make it inside a keep, I feel more paranoid in PS bases.