Adding "carrots" to PS:N

[DviddLeff]

The empire unlock would be for new weapons, vehicles and equipment that fills a new role.

So when the Phantasm was introduced as an example, say the TR achieve the required research hours first then they have the Phantasm exclusively until the other empires reach the required number of research hours themselves.

Basically it encourages people to play the game and take ground strategically, without requiring bullshit balance breaking character progression.

[Redshift]

Originally Posted by DviddLeff

The empire unlock would be for new weapons, vehicles and equipment that fills a new role.

So when the Phantasm was introduced as an example, say the TR achieve the required research hours first then they have the Phantasm exclusively until the other empires reach the required number of research hours themselves.

Basically it encourages people to play the game and take ground strategically, without requiring bullshit balance breaking character progression.

Wouldn't that make for some massive 4th empire movement?

[Canaris]

Originally Posted by SRxRedshift

Wouldn't that make for some massive 4th empire movement?

Redshift makes an excellent point, we all know this does happen, like with the Lasher of Unlimited Power

[Mightymouser]

Originally Posted by SRxRedshift

Wouldn't that make for some massive 4th empire movement?

One empire per server more or less solves this problem; as very few people will re-roll a new toon and delete a leveled character, just to get a temporary advantage. However, any advantage one empire gets needs to be subtle enough so that the other empires don't simply log off (al-la the 'Run for the Guns' event). Of course anytime one empire gets some advantage (however small) over other empires, be ready for a ton of bitching on the forums and in game...

[Senyu]

Would this tech be permenent, content patch, or a loop?

In a loop theirs say for example, 3 tiers. After all empires reach the 3rd tier which would take quite a bit of time, the 3rd tier is open for duration, say week to a month? Then the cycle resets and everyone is brought back to the begging tier and starts over again.

Now would players accept this? Looping after a great deal of time has passed to restart the cycle for higher tech. And of course content being implemented would be added. Say a deadline of something new everytime the cycle resets.

[Mightymouser]

Originally Posted by Senyu

Now would players accept this? Looping after a great deal of time has passed to restart the cycle for higher tech. And of course content being implemented would be added. Say a deadline of something new everytime the cycle resets.

I would doubt it; Most will bitch to hell and back when they want to use XYZ and they can't. Especially if another empire can. There will be many, many, threads of the motif: "DEVS FAVOR THE TR; TEHIR OVERPOWARD AND ALWAYS HAS PHANTASMS"

[BorisBlade]

Yeah you have to be careful about givin rewards to winning empires that make em stronger. This in turn makes em win more and get even stronger and it feeds itself in a bad loop. This same terrible idea was in MAG and made it complete fail to play. This may have changed since its first month or so but atleast at launch it was terrible as it just caused everone to want to be on that one side as they raced away from everyone else. Wins=better gear=more wins=even better gear=even more wins. While the losing side was lose-no gear upgrade-lose worse- no gear upgrade-lose even worse-ragequit.

So bonuses for winning or for other carrots must be handled intelligently.

[Senyu]

Originally Posted by BorisBlade

So bonuses for winning or for other carrots must be handled intelligently.

Agreed. Could some penatly be added for the faction with the winning tech or perhaps some sort of bonus of the others who do not have it?

Need to figure a way to add long term goals and progression (seems tech progression is favored) while not upseting the balance of power with factions and empire populations.

Any ideas?


The only one I can imagine being more balanced right now is content patch. Whenever new tech is coming into a patch, they must be unlocked. All Empires will eventually unlock their respective tech but the first who does gets to reap the benifits.

[TRex]

Originally Posted by SRxRedshift

Wouldn't that make for some massive 4th empire movement?

Yes it would . You only have to look at cr5 chat to see the scale of ineptitude on each side.

Imagine your an organised small outfit , trying to open up a new continent , and you are constantly being met with derision because the zerg outfits just want to farm around the same place all night. It's organised chaos . Now imagine the cr5 chat if the whole empire depended on working together or you risked being farmed by the winning empire for the next week.

The general population of any empire has great variance from the solo uber killer to the random grunt 'spam outfit' member . Getting them all to cooperate for the greater good is nigh on impossible : many people are selfish , and only want to play and kill with their mcg/jh or whatever and have fun. Thats not deriding them , they pay for their sub . The rest of the 'empire' might suck to nth degree , have almost 0 points towards this magical 'unlock' when you log on at 8pm . Yet they still manage to run around and kill almost anyone in their path when they start to play.

Thats why I think carrots should be character and outfit specific : this at least gives you more of a tendancy to want to play that character and help your outfit . This is something you can control. 4th empire goes against this , it dilutes your character on one faction . Especially if there's an element of decay or punishment for swapping empires that makes you lose points from other empires as soon as you change. Or just make it 1 empire per server .