How to pay for large units?

[SirDart]

Here is an interesting proposal for how to spread the resource 'cost' for vehicles between the players and outfit. Integrate it into the Mission system...

If we make missions that can be created BY the outfit FOR the outfit, they should be able to set a level of 'subsidy' to have their own players spawn that vehicle. The player who volunteers/enlisted and accepts the mission can spawn the vehicle and pay less or nothing for the vehicle, and the outfit will pay the subsidy.

I know it sounds complicated, but if the mission system is in place, there is no reason that the subsidy cannot be set to a default level, so an outfit commander merely needs to create the mission to give a 'perk' to purchase a vehicle, and really won't be interfering with game play.

Besides, even people outside the game (PS2 App) could generate the missions within the outfit while not having to be "in-game".

[Pepsi]

Just make the pilot pay for it. If you spread the cost among multiple players, then it is likely the cost will be too expensive for one person to pay even with max resources. If you dump the responsibility entirely on the pilot then the devs are obligated to reduce the costs so one person can reasonably afford the large craft.

[Baneblade]

Jebus Vanu Kriest people!

It doesn't need to be a tax, we already have the perfect system in PS1. A percentage of each member's resource gains (BEP/CEP) is duplicated and placed into the Outfit Bank (outfit points). No tax, just bonus earns for the outfit.

[Zekeen]

Make the pilot pay all, make it cost a bunch, give us pilots a reason to be respected, we'll fork over the fee, don't you worry.

[Pepsi]

Originally Posted by Zekeen

Make the pilot pay all, make it cost a bunch, give us pilots a reason to be respected, we'll fork over the fee, don't you worry.

Yeah, we already sacrifice our K/D and the glory of the battle. This doesn't really matter much.

Protip: If you're worrying about people not wanting to be a Gal pilot because the costs might turn them away, they aren't the kind of support pilot you want to trust your virtual life with.

[Unforgiven]

if vehicle cost is this big of a deal for you, than take good care of your vehicle, obviously you want it to more than pay for itself.

luckily there is a simple fix for this....DONT BE STUPID! use your vehicle wisely and dont be careless, it will do just fine, i promise.

[Mechzz]

Originally Posted by Unforgiven

if vehicle cost is this big of a deal for you, than take good care of your vehicle, obviously you want it to more than pay for itself.

luckily there is a simple fix for this....DONT BE STUPID! use your vehicle wisely and dont be careless, it will do just fine, i promise.

Hmm. Sounds like there may be an opening for an insurance salesman on Auraxis.

*I'll cover your Gal for accidental loss within 40 seconds of spawning for, oh, 5 auraxium*

Who would get the concession? Geiko? Confused.com?

Oh, back on topic, I forgot that as an outfit member a % of my XP went to them. Agree there's no need for any tax if we keep that system, phew!

[Landtank]

There should be absolutely NO cost sharing, and no outfit bank, and no getting resources for playing support.

If you choose to be a Gal pilot, you get experience from using it effectively. Same as every other vehicle. If you don't use it correctly, you lose resources. It keeps the game from having extremely strong vehicles spammed for one, and ensures that only people who know what they are doing use them.

I'm a Galaxy pilot, and not for the glory, that's for sure. I do it for the results.

[Sifer2]

My first instinct is to just let the driver pay the full cost. But make the role rewarding enough that people still want to do it. Like xp every time someone resupplies their ammo from it in the field. Sounds easily exploitable though even as I type that.

If its a tax it should probably be done through the terminal itself. So the squad just communicates an all pitches in to spawn it. That way you don't need to make the broke newbie pay anything.

[Hmr85]

I am of the opinion that if you want the unit you pay for it. If you don't like that then don't worry. There will be plenty of people out there who will be willing pull things such as Galaxy's and so on. Until we know the exact amount the units are going to cost and the rate at which we accumulate resources this topic is mute imo.

[Sirisian]

Originally Posted by Landtank

There should be absolutely NO cost sharing, and no outfit bank, and no getting resources for playing support.

If you choose to be a Gal pilot, you get experience from using it effectively. Same as every other vehicle. If you don't use it correctly, you lose resources. It keeps the game from having extremely strong vehicles spammed for one, and ensures that only people who know what they are doing use them.

I'm a Galaxy pilot, and not for the glory, that's for sure. I do it for the results.

Did you read my idea linked on the previous page? Reiterated it allows a player to walk up to a terminal and choose to customize a vehicle for their squad or another player. After they hit purchase they are put into a queue. When the other player walks up to the terminal they will be presented with the same screen but on the right side they can choose to chip in on the vehicle of the other player and will spawn with the other player. This can be locked to outfit, squad, friends, or open to the public. A player cannot be kicked from the vehicle and if they get out, they have the ability to kick anyone out of the vehicle because they are a part owner.

So if a stock vehicle is 200 resources and someone upgrades their galaxy with 3 awesome AA guns and extra flares for 300 resources extra the pilot might not be anywhere close to that resource. So they can choose to use the Vehicle Terminal Negotiation System (VTNS) to quickly apply funds for each seat in the vehicle if a player want to use that seat. (These can be saved if a squad has a favorite loadout).

This is the most effective way possible to manage cost systems and to get rid of freeloaders. If someone wants to gun my liberator they can chip in for that awesome cannon I upgraded and select their seat and pay the cost. A big part of this is community and trust and outfits. You can probably trust someone not to crash if they payed 200 resources for a vehicle and you only chipped in 100 probably.

[NCLynx]

Have it so outfit members can donate their resources to the outfit and an outfit can hold X amount of each resource. Anyone above Y rank can choose to use outfit resources to pull a vehicle instead of their own resources.

[Troscus]

I think you should just be able to trade resources. Between friends:

Gal driver: "Oh, man I don't have enough of blehbleblah to pay for the galaxy."

LA friend: "It's cool, I got a ton I'm not using, have some."

GD: "Sweet, I'll pay you back later."

Not friends, stranger:

Gal Driver : (Same as above)

Stranger: "Whatever, have some and get me there."

It works out fine.

[Turdicus]

Originally Posted by Sirisian

Complicated stuff

There isn't a need to water down the value of an expensive item or vehicle by introducing unnecessary mechanics that would only serve to confuse and slow down gameplay. Galaxies and Sunderers will (very likely) give xp for every person it transports, for everyone who gets a kill with the turrets, and, for the galaxy, for everyone who spawns on it and resupplies with it. That is plenty of incentive to spawn a transport.

No matter whats on your galaxy the real determination of whether that vehicle lives or dies lies in the pilots decisions. If you have a sundy or a gal setup to be a combat oriented vehicle, then its most likely you will have trusted friends or outfit members gun that vehicle for you anyway, and they won't be the feared freeloader type. If your vehicle is a transport, the guns on the side might keep you alive for a teensy bit longer, but really its the driving that will bring the vehicle to safety. XP is gained for resources spent, and it is up to the driver to make the best use of those resources. Therefore the driver should be the one paying. Nothing complicated about it

[Sirisian]

Originally Posted by Turdicus

There isn't a need to water down the value of an expensive item or vehicle by introducing unnecessary mechanics that would only serve to confuse and slow down gameplay.

It's actually a rather trivial UI system, so if it seems complex it might be because of how I'm explaining it. You could still purchase the vehicle yourself, but it allows vehicles to be better equipped with multiple players. For instance, with tanks. (It really does help if it includes my other idea. Allowing a vehicle to go beyond 20% power threshold with upgrades or the costs doesn't make sense if you can pull another vehicle for the same benefit).
(Right click -> view image) Basic concept I just created. I find it intuitive, but I'm sure it can be made even more obvious with pictures of the type of resource next to the cost. I just didn't copy and past the icon. The person purchasing the vehicle just increments the other spots if they want to and hits queue. (Like I said they could save it with a loadout if they wanted to or have it remember). To join a vehicle (pretend your squadmate just put one up) you just hit join. Simple. I think.