Activity needs to be focused into certain systems, so that players find players to interact with more easily. Travel times towards and between active areas should also be made shorter. This can be done without removing any systems or any other content by changing jump hole connections so they focus travel along certain "highways":
The figure on the left spreads activity equally (therefore making player interaction overall more unlikely), while making long travel distances longer and some short distances shorter.
The figure on the right focuses activity towards the systems that connect the most routes (thereby making player interactions overall more likely), while also making long travel distances faster and some short distances longer. The jump holes can also be moved within the systems to amplify the desired effects.
Therefore, the figure on the right is the model that should be followed when interactions are too infrequent like they are now.
CURRENT MAP
PROPOSED MAP
(Work in progress, please suggest changes)
The proposed map focuses activity onto certain routes and systems (highways and activity hubs), while intentionally draining others of activity by making them unattractive as travel-through locations (unlawful hide-outs, backwaters, and "remote" places.
What is changed?
The map:
-adds/restores jump holes to make travel along certain routes faster to make travel along and towards highways faster. (o41-theta, theta-delta, alpha-t37, coronado-t23, dauphine-iledefrance, Tuhoku-oMu, s15-delta )
-gives certain faction stronghold systems more direct links to activity hubs and highways. (Omega 49, 52, and 58)
-removes jump holes that allow traders to avoid "highways". (New Hampshire - Bremen link, Kepler-Cassini-Alberta, Colorado-Ontario, Texas-Kansas-Vespucci-Magellan, Nagano-T37, Tottori-T44, Edinburg-Orkney, s21-osigma, s59-s21)
-does not remove ANY content, does not undo ANY past lore (jump holes are intended to be unstable), and does not require ANY system changes apart from jump holes.
How is Lore affected?
Jump Holes were altered so changes dont affect lore (for example no Gaul popping up in the Omegas and Omicrons). If you find something that conflicts with lore, please point to and discuss concrete examples. Vanilla jumpholes were left unchanged (or restored to vanilla status) because they're the most embedded in lore.
Because jump holes are unstable by nature, changes are easily explained by large scale sub-space alterations caused by the hyper-gates the nomads are building, without necessity to undo any past lore.
Gate connections weren't changed because they require more dev work and affect lore more. Exceptions are two gate changes were made in Gallia, which would require some renaming of lanes and gates without the need to remove, add, or move lanes or gates.
How will this affect the Economy?
Although this may seem counter-intuitive at first, it's NOT necessary to re-balance any commodity prices before implementing the changed jumpholes into the game:
-If one route becomes too fast and lucrative and gets over-used, it grows activity and thereby interaction, and can always be changed AFTER that happens.
-If one route becomes impossible or less lucrative in the new map, it was probably a route that was good at avoiding all interactions. Removing some trade routes (especially the no-interaction ones) will concentrate their activity onto the more active ones, leading to more interactions.
I'm pointing this out because things need to be focused towards more interactions SOONER (like... the next update soon) rather than LATER (like changes needed in 2010 were implemented in 2013, and changes needed in 2013 were made in 2016).
What about more reaching jumps that actually affect the Story Line?
Some people proposed links between nomad worlds and more far away houses. I included (in purple) possible links, although I think they may affect lore and story-line too much at this moment. They could also lead to omicron Iota instead of Major.
If you see any problems with the proposed map give exact examples and propose exact solutions.
First and foremost, this is a hell of a nostalgia trip. Mainly due to seeing you reconnect Alaska and Minor, but there's others too.
Now, truthfully, yes, the Jump Hole system does need a rework in my opinion. The connections from certain systems to others makes sense in most cases, like the Liberty backdoors for example, but this tactic was also the main reason why we have a load of unused systems in the Lost Sector. The primary reason why there are so many connections are mainly so that we don't get useless systems, like the old guard ones, Yukon, Humboldt, Salisbury (best name btw), among others. The reworks you've made to the map also conflict with the lore, as the backdoor from Tau to Lorraine is written in, and would otherwise make the minefield in both systems absolutely useless. With no connection from Tau to Gallia, the ease of access from Alpha to the Gallic border worlds goes away, and that there only adds to the growing uselessness of Gallia.
There's a reason Gallia was given so many connections, like Tau-44 and Lyonnais to Rishiri, so that people didn't have to brave the Maltese homeland or the Tau-23 corridor to bring magnets to their favorite Kusari tentacle shop. Give it a revamp, but not a total overhaul.
Your re-imagining of the Omegas and Omicrons is also.. like.. I just.. why?
It's baffling how the mod isn't adapted to the lower server activity at all. It's not 2010 anymore. The travel distances are mostly the same or are even longer in some places. It's really discouraging having to fly for x minutes only to realise the people went off/to other systems etc. Many interactions simply don't happen because of long travel distances.
Want to get to Omega-3 from Omicron Gamma? Too bad, the path is now longer than it's ever been, because some people might make a bit more credits on their trade runs - that's what matters the most, right?
(01-24-2018, 01:36 AM)Giorgi Wrote: It's baffling how the mod isn't adapted to the lower server activity at all. It's not 2010 anymore. The travel distances are mostly the same or are even longer in some places. It's really discouraging having to fly for x minutes only to realise the people went off/to other systems etc. Many interactions simply don't happen because of long travel distances.
Want to get to Omega-3 from Omicron Gamma? Too bad, the path is now longer than it's ever been, because some people might make a bit more credits on their trade runs - that's what matters the most, right?
Because it requires a lot of effort. I really do think that should be challenged though. Travel distances are horrible these days.
Turning on the Xi Beta connection would transports makes a nice choke point for Smugglers coming from Hispania into Rheinland. I was very excited when I saw that, then they turned it off. So, turning it back on for transports could be a step in the right direction.
While your ideal map is nowhere close to mine, you've got the right idea: Traffic should be a bit more straightforward. However, I don't think too many connections should be shifted. Instead, why not make the preferred routes for interaction quicker to travel on than others? That might help with player interaction, as most of us take the easy path, but only occasionally use the back path.