Resource Collection and Self Interest

Soothsayer · 2011-07-15, 01:04 PM

With the new resource collection mechanics we know that resources harvested go towards the individual, outfit and empire.

I haven't heard about the ability to designate how much of any given resource goes to those three entities.

When I start, I'm going to want to get as much for myself as I can, since it was hinted that certain skills can be advanced through using certain resources. When I'm in an outfit, I want to be able to freely trade my personal resources to outfit mates, and I want that outfit to be able to distribute those resources based on performance/need.

Players and outfits should be able to set percentages, empires should probably always get a minimum amount but reward higher amounts.

Once I've got mine, I'd consider kicking a little more back to the empire... Ammo ain't free!

This loss of personal wealth should be recognized by the empire in the form of some sort of benefit that is internal to the empire.

Designating certain nights of the week (on an outfit basis) as high tax nights, whether the resources go to outfit or empire, would be a cool option. The mission system could be a resource transaction where territory can be capped on behalf of an outfit (of course working on behalf of the empire).

Resource collection pretty much implies economy and I want a robust system where the player determines his or her own contribution weighted by his or her own priorities.

MrVicchio · 2011-07-15, 02:15 PM

I think it will be automated that you get X amount for you, your outfit and the empire. Otherwise people would just set it to "Max Self/Outfit"

Tool · 2011-07-15, 02:23 PM

I think an important question is how cost is going to be calculated. Are upgrades/enhancements going to draw from all pools, a few or just one? Things like weapon upgrades, if they're going to be drawn soley from personal resources or multiple?

If all costs draw from all pools or perhaps an empire pool more than others, I feel that would be the better solution to encourage more empire coordination and effort to really push for territory rather than focus solely on kills. The effort for territory control in all aspects will lead to those kills.

As far as collection, I agree with the above post that unless costs are from multiple pools, many players would simply collect for themselves or their outfit.

Soothsayer · 2011-07-15, 02:34 PM

Originally Posted by MrVicchio

I think it will be automated that you get X amount for you, your outfit and the empire. Otherwise people would just set it to "Max Self/Outfit"

Is that a bad thing? Why wouldn't I do the thing which stood to benefit me if I didn't believe that spending those resources elsewhere would be of any net benefit?

What I'm saying is that if you made it a choice that had rewards either way, you could decide for yourself how much you were sending to the empire.

If vehicles require resources, I don't want to fund somebody gal bombing vpads for lulz. I'd rather put those resources into my own skill training or my own vehicles.

Additionally, if I am putting a higher percentage of resources into the empire, that should give me some enhancement within the structure of the empire.

PsychoXR-20 · 2011-07-15, 02:50 PM

I really hope that they are not trade-able. Once any type of currency becomes trade-able it will start to attract the "gold" farmers. Now sure, in order to get resources you have to play, but I am willing to have 1000 less players on the battlefield if it means no "gold" spam.

As for how they are distributed, My first impression was that it was automated, and I think that's the way it should be.

JanitOr KanOs · 2011-07-15, 02:52 PM

I see it kind of working like the Warhammer Online zone flip awards. If you are in the PvP area, defending a keep, you get ticks of renown and XP every few minutes(also a large bonus when you capture said keep.) If you manage to flip the entire zone to your side's control, everyone in the zone, PvP or PvE, gets a large bonus to their XP and renown. The people who were actually in the thick of it fighting got more due to the kills they made as well as the defensive/offensive XP/renown ticks.

In PS2, everyone in the empire might get resource ticks over time, more or less depending on how much territory your empire controls. However, if you were at the actual battle for that base or resource node or what have you, then you and everyone in that battle will get a nice bonus for capturing or defending your objective. Also everyone on the continent might get a nice bonus if your empire takes complete control.

I dunno, that's just how I imagine it going.

Soothsayer · 2011-07-15, 03:05 PM

Originally Posted by PsychoXR-20

Once any type of currency becomes trade-able it will start to attract the "gold" farmers.

Instead we let the gold farmers dictate how games are made?

Hang em out to dry, no sweetheart subscription deals for that place that is synonymous with gold farming. You know the one...

I think that people should get a choice as to how much they want to contribute to their empire. I also think that the reward for contributing lots to your empire should be balanced with the benefits you would receive by using those resources for yourself.

PsychoXR-20 · 2011-07-15, 03:14 PM

Originally Posted by Soothsayer

Instead we let the gold farmers dictate how games are made?

Hang em out to dry, no sweetheart subscription deals for that place that is synonymous with gold farming. You know the one...

I'd love to see a company with the balls to just come out and say that any ip in the general Asia area will not be able to access their game, but that will never happen.

Soothsayer · 2011-07-15, 03:19 PM

I was referring to cut rate subscription rates to boost global subscriber numbers.

EVE Online is making headway with ISK sellers, they have a team that does forensic accounting. By attacking both the supply and the demand they make the war on drugs look pathetic.

Bags · 2011-07-15, 03:39 PM

Originally Posted by Soothsayer

I was referring to cut rate subscription rates to boost global subscriber numbers.

EVE Online is making headway with ISK sellers, they have a team that does forensic accounting. By attacking both the supply and the demand they make the war on drugs look pathetic.

It's a lot easier to trace virtual black market inside your game... just saiyan.

Alduron · 2011-07-15, 03:53 PM

Has anyone seen anything saying ammo actually cost resources?

I'd hate to see a campaign canceled because the empire hasn't raised enough resources for bombs or tank shells...:-p

Soothsayer · 2011-07-15, 03:55 PM

Originally Posted by Alduron

Has anyone seen anything saying ammo actually cost resources?

I'd hate to see a campaign canceled because the empire hasn't raised enough resources for bombs or tank shells...:-p

Nah that was a joke... They have said that certain upgrades will require resources...

Some soldiers in the TR tried to unionize once... didn't work out so well for them...

Rarntogo · 2011-07-15, 04:12 PM

Global Agenda has or had a resource system for obtaining things used in outfit vs outfit battles. What a bunch of crap that was. Ya get recruited into an outfit and later realize that the outfit taxed you a percentage of your resources gained during battle. I saw outfits charging as high as 75%. These same resources are used for individual armor upgrades, accuracy buffs etc.. Not a bad system as far as sharing, trading, buying and selling etc... as a whole but the exploitation was lame to say the least. If you wanted to be in a top outfit you had to basically pay for it. I would hate to see something like that happen in PS.

Soothsayer · 2011-07-15, 04:32 PM

Excessive taxation can be avoided, you're free to join a different outfit.

The reason top GA agencies would need high taxes is because of the competitive nature of AvA and the occasionally rampant nepotism/favouritism.

Its a social unit which you can decide to stay with or leave.

I think that PS2's resource system will be even more integral to personal advancement and day to day decisions about whether you upgrade that prowler or not...

For that reason, I think its more important to have direct control over where you contribute your resources and the payoff that you get for doing so.

[EDIT: I would hope that SOE will include methods for using resources in such a way that they can potentially benefit all members of an outfit equally through the confirmed game mechanic of outfit specialization... Armour outfits will attract armour players, resources to be spent on improving armour functionality...]

Sifer2 · 2011-07-15, 06:37 PM

This whole topic kind of casts doubt for me about whether its a good idea of have personal resources at all honestly. Seems like its going to be hard to organize your army to work together if the outfits are off chasing the plot of land that is going to give them the materials they are low on an ignoring you.

I hope they think about it carefully. I know they seem to be taking influence from Eve here. But they do very easily run the risk of killing any real sense of faction an working together an instead creating armies of privateers that only work together when they stand to both earn something out of it.