Resource distribution and lack of meta game

[Sifer2]

I think its relevant discussion based on the information we have so far. The game is looking pretty light on the metagame. Which sucks considering that before the BFR's I felt it was a weak metagame that was the PS1's biggest flaw. And they have actually made it worse in the sequel by taking out the ability to fully take over continents. The resource system is their attempt to fill in that gap but its look very bland so far. People want to feel like their actions made a real difference in the game world. That's the core objective it needs to meet. Too many MMO's drop the ball by too quickly resetting stuff thus making whatever you did pointless.

I guess we can be hopeful though that they will probably enhance this some in Beta based on feedback. Since I remember in the original PS1 beta they didn't even have the lattice, and it was just constant ninja hacks everywhere.

[SwiftRanger]

Nobody knows what the final resource distribution per continent is gonna look like (evenly distributed, limited? Could all change in beta). Resources are part of the meta-game but how that meta-game will shape up for the rest isn't revealed yet (I hope there's more than just a resource war, at least down the line). The stuff John Smedley talks about in that early announcement Q&A (player-owned stuff, droppable towers, EVE/SWG influences) might already be dated and is also probably too far off (read: post-release features).

They've only showed the basics in-game and only lightly touched on other mechanics like missions or resources. All I can hope is that a meta-game is more clearly conveyed towards all players, in PS1 it was a mess imo (the map, the linked lines, it looked sloppy).

[EisenKreutzer]

Originally Posted by Sifer2

I think its relevant discussion based on the information we have so far. The game is looking pretty light on the metagame.

I was originally going to steer away from this thread, but this has me interested.

How can you say that? Or, rather, what evidence do you have that supports this view?

The game at present has no meta-game, because it has no players (apart from the developers and whomever is in the technical tests right now). A meta-game is the sum total of the tactics and strategies the playerbase of the game is using. It will be influenced in part by the resource system, but it will also be influenced directly by what vehicles people buy, what weapons and certs they choose to use, and how the zerg of groupless randoms behaves. It will most certainly change over time.

How can a game which is not even in beta yet be expected to have a meta-game?

Originally Posted by SwiftRanger

[..] All I can hope is that a meta-game is more clearly conveyed towards all players[..]

How can the meta-game be conveyed by the developers?

The meta-game emerges from atual play, it can't be dictated in any but the most rudimentary of ways (like nerfing specific guns or tactics) by the developers.

[Memeotis]

Originally Posted by DOUBLEXBAUGH

1. They have said a few times resources will be a little more scarce than what we have seen.

2. The maps of Indar we saw with resources had a type in every region, we have been told it wont be like that.

3. They have also said they can be used up in a region and will random spawn a new node somewere else on the map.

This is obviously one of those things you have to iron out in beta, but they will limit resources more. We don't need specific resources only coming form 1 cont, but we do need to limit them for there to be a way to deny an empire access to a certain type.

1. Yep, said that several times during the E3 presentation.

2. That's cool, but where did you hear that?

3. Source?

My idea continents having only one type of resource is to enable resource-denial, but if SOE can come up with a different way of doing that, I'm fine.

[Aurmanite]

You guys are talking about this without:

A) Having playing the game.
and
B) Understanding what 'metagame' really means.

Originally Posted by EisenKreutzer

I was originally going to steer away from this thread, but this has me interested.

How can you say that? Or, rather, what evidence do you have that supports this view?

The game at present has no meta-game, because it has no players (apart from the developers and whomever is in the technical tests right now).

A meta-game is the sum total of the tactics and strategies the playerbase of the game is using. It will be influenced in part by the resource system, but it will also be influenced directly by what vehicles people buy, what weapons and certs they choose to use, and how the zerg of groupless randoms behaves. It will most certainly change over time.


How can a game which is not even in beta yet be expected to have a meta-game?

^ /thread

[SwiftRanger]

Originally Posted by EisenKreutzer

How can the meta-game be conveyed by the developers?

The meta-game emerges from atual play, it can't be dictated in any but the most rudimentary of ways (like nerfing specific guns or tactics) by the developers.

You're right, my bad, what I meant has more to do with the endgame/strategy layer. Which I do think the OP was hinting at. Again, conveying that through whatever graphical interface the devs are planning on has to be clear to everyone.

[Tehroth]

Would be cool if there was a resource management metagame, everything in the bases had a purpose instead of being a giant building you need to defend to gain resources.

Also players should have much bigger roles within the communities. Sandbox content and features.

[Buggsy]

Bet you $10 this resource stuff will be removed from the game.

[ruskyandrei]

Originally Posted by Tehroth

Would be cool if there was a resource management metagame, everything in the bases had a purpose instead of being a giant building you need to defend to gain resources.

Also players should have much bigger roles within the communities. Sandbox content and features.

I'd like that.

Would be really nice if you could somehow pool resources and upgrade bases (and upgrades would probably be destroyed if the base was captured again).

[EisenKreutzer]

Originally Posted by Buggsy

Bet you $10 this resource stuff will be removed from the game.

Game on.

[Aurmanite]

Originally Posted by EisenKreutzer

Game on.

I want a piece of this action.

[Buggsy]

Originally Posted by EisenKreutzer

Game on.

lol, you going down.

Resources will either be removed, or nerfed to the point where it won't matter what hexes your empire holds. That's how it's going down.

[EisenKreutzer]

Originally Posted by Buggsy

lol, you going down.

Resources will either be removed, or nerfed to the point where it won't matter what hexes your empire holds. That's how it's going down.

Could you elaborate on why you think this is the case?

[Littleman]

Originally Posted by Buggsy

Bet you $10 this resource stuff will be removed from the game.

I'd sooner bet $10 the way resources are distributed across the maps will be adjusted as new continents become available.

When we're looking at, say, 10, some continents might focus more on polymers while others may focus on alloys or catalysts, and empires will be attempting to fight for the continents with resources they often need more so than the other empires.

Otherwise, I'm sure nodes will randomize with limits set in place to how long the resource lasts. This keeps the hex grids from becoming stagnant, so that resource acquisition/denial strategies are always changing. What might be a polymer rich zone might not be so polymer rich tomorrow. Bases will likely always contain Auraxium however.

[Aurmanite]

The bet is resources will be removed. You can't change the terms of the bet after it has been accepted because you realize you're gonna have to pay up.