(11-30-2019, 10:03 PM)Silverlight Wrote: This is a lot of words / effort. I think you could do some really great stuff if you focused your motivation elsewhere
Hard to get motivated for me when the server pop is so low, and players can't really develop their factions or make moves to expand/consolidate territory. As far as I'm concerned, I can't imagine anything else that should take precedent over this issue. I'm absoutely positive that adding a battle system/RP system will allow this place to regain some credit and give us something to advertize as new again.
Regular Base Sieges of NPC bases (ships) to drive online activity
As an alternative to sieging POB's, which is rare these days for it to occur past Core 1 (which isn't really fun or challenging in most cases, just necessary to maintain a territorial precedent) is the idea is that scattering (or using the already scattered) NPC cruisers/battlecruisers/battleships as siegable targets has some obvious purposes. Not only that, but every potential battle could be used to create supply events to run arms/medical supplies or repair materials.
The general sentiment I gather around my proposed system is that, everyone seems to think their faction will suddenly be overwhelmed and wiped off the map. But that is not true! All of these things allow for only incrimental change.
Think of it this way, if they can make a trade lane or an NPC weapons platform (or storage depots) de-activateable with health bars (even wrecks have them), its likely doable with these objects. Just set the HP extremely high so it takes waves of attacks like with well defended POB's.
The real question is, why would we not want to try to stimulate activity? By this point players should be realizing that doing the same old thing is not going to help any more than what it already is. We need something different, and in this case, far overdue. Especially since it has never been tried often on the server. Every event similar was designed to only last a couple of hours at most. The Gallic war proved that when there was "something" going on, anything, people logged on in higher numbers. Even more enticing is the possiblity of player driven victories, instead of scripted ones. It is OK for a side to lose, or battles to be unbalanced, because when something is on the line, like territory or important bases, you'll fight for your preferred side anyways. That gets people out even when odds aren't perfect. And if you only fight when odds are perfect or even, you're missing the point. Space battles can easily change in balance with a few things to help underdogs (NEMP's). A good cause is also a chance to entice player involvement. We have players and factions and objects but aren't really doing much but fighting to fight.
There should be a gamble. I find that the general attitude among players has gotten rather...lazy! But if we let the lazy perspective take root, we only ever wind up shrinking options, and therefore, the server. We are set up so that most of the Freelancing here is done from offline, and it leaves the online population in need of regular activities to stir direct involvement. Some real risk (just needs a fair heads up) will definitely get people moving. We should be setting up wars and letting players do what they can as they can, use their freedom and abilities as they like/can to try to win. The shift away from that because some players wouldn't do so well, or don't want to have to try (but also hate low player count) has only been appeasing players that want to do less, and it purpetuates a cycle of shrinking.
I understand the common skepticism, but I will continue to hammer these points home periodically in this thread at the very least. Everyone wants solutions but never to have to do them or do anything more. Players, especially vets, should be ok with doing a bit more, and I'm fairly sure that a few minor adjustments, and allowing players to do the things we've not been able to the entire life of the server would be a big step in new direction. It is the current general attitude of 'why bother' that stunts us. Live a little folks! Take a gamble on something different. Set aside your personal feelings for the poster and consider the health of the server. I'm not saying its dead, in fact my point is that it still lives on, and with a little change could be more alive again. But I'm under the general impression that if there was more to do in game of a practical purposeful nature, more people would spend more time online than on the forum. The attitude against such things to me is literal insanity.
There's a lot of toxic, know it all, 'things are fine' attitudes here these days, and it holds us back! Immature toxic attitudes have killed this place over time, and it would be nice if it was reiterated often by staff to keep things generally mature. We could have lot of cool things here if it weren't for the fear of causing 'drama' by unfreezing the mod and allowing real competition. You know, like factions would be teams, and they'd actually compete in battles for stuff. Are we really afraid to do that here or is it that most of the player population belongs to so many factions, they'd be afraid to have to finally choose a side! (laughter)