Topic: Beta Islands or Beta Empires?
Beta is broken. Why? There is no reason to live there as the risk reward is to high compared to just making NIC on Alpha then using Beta to PVP or do some corporation operations that make enough profit to risk it.
This can’t continue as the drive to even posses this precious space has diminished to the point of elite players leaving the game. This is also because there is no real end game mechanics that make one want to hold these areas.
Goal:
Turn Beta Islands into, Beta Empires.
Current:
If you “posses” a Beta island, all you really have is a terminal that says “you own me”. No other benefits really exist unless you can get that area populated and then control some activities on the island. But if you leave, you leave nothing, no legacy, no mark on what you have accomplished. And why stay, nothing says….”This belongs to us, I dare you to come challenge that”.
Propose:
Let an alliance put their “face” on the Island. When someone jumps into that Beta, they know who holds it!
How?
1. Rewards for Beta activities. Create a point system for NPC kills, organic material harvested, ore extracted, and artifacts removed.
2. Points for kills vs. losses (killboard points) for the occupying alliance.
3. Reward logged in time outside of protected areas, ie time on the ground per pilot.
What are these points for?
Customize areas of YOUR Island (at least a bit)
1. When point levels are reached, an alliance can purchase building packages for their empire.
2. These buildings would come in a knock down package that would need to be hauled to the approved location and erected.
3. Have industrial Heavy mechs fitted with (new module) Assembly Modules, and as the haulers bring the items to the site, the assembly begins.
4. These structures should vary in size and assembly time, depending on then level of the item and the amount of workers on the project.
5. These items can not take damage.
6. The only way a structure can be halted from building or be “conquered” is by taking control of the island, disassembling the structure, then reassembling it for your alliance.
7. These available structures would be picked from an approved “catalog” as points and NIC are spent and the packages become available in the Beta island terminal, then construction can begin in the pre-determined locations that are made available for the structure chosen.
Why structures?
Structures would be erected for three reasons.
1. They would give modest bonuses to a given area
2. They are a symbol of strength that says….”yeah that’s right, we rule here!”
3. They would stand until the next “ruling empire” removes them, putting a lasting legacy on your land.
(Any of these reasons would be enough to fight for what you have accomplished)
Historically, we can look at ancient civilizations that have put their mark of achievement on land that they ruled. It is still impressive today to learn about these groups and see the work of their empire. This feel would be brought into this game. (It would also create a NIC pit for alliances to sink resources into, while others spend theirs to build a military with the aim to come get what they currently have….a NIC buffer/catch-up if you will)
What type of structures?
1. Some basic structures may be: (level 1 items)
a. A monogram banner on a pole that can be planted along a road or at an entrance port. This would show others the territory that they are now in.
b. Hologram insignia of the group cast into the sky above the terminal
c. Selected statues of bot and platforms that can be used to customize an area
2. Some more advanced structures may be: (level 2 items) All of these with the monogram of the alliance prominently displayed, and race color schemes chosen.
a. Industrial tower. This tower is visible for some distance and could give a modest 2% extraction bonus to an area of like 1000K from the structure.
b. Ewar defense tower. This tower could give a 3% reduction in enemy ewar strength within 1500K of the structure
c. Sensor tower. This tower could give a 2% visibility buff to any alliance pilot within 2000K of the structure.
3. Some advanced structures may be: (level 3 items) All of these with the monogram of the alliance prominently displayed, and race color schemes chosen.
a. Movement detector. NO THIS IS NOT A LOCAL WINDOW. This unit may just register energy spikes at a port. Not specific in any amount, mass, time, or direction, but just let you know that someone may be in the neighborhood. (I would like to see this item have a time delay for obvious reasons…perhaps report any energy spikes every 10 min.)
b. Trade Hub. I would like to see a way for Alpha pilots to go to beta and interact with the Beta Empires. This module would be deployed at an Alpha entry and be small but would not allow PVP insides a boarder of 1500K. Buy and sell orders could be placed at this hub so Alpha and Beta pilots can come to this location for trade. Because the PVP activity would have to be absent from this area, a non-aggression short road would have to exist. If the trader wanders off the path…then he is now in a high risk situation.
4. Epic structures. (level 4 items) Think wonders of the world here.
These items would have to be very expensive to say the least but large in scale, visibility and customized to exude the culture of the empire.
Perhaps designs could be submitted, revised, redirected, voted on, and eventually approved by the Devs. As this item should take a good year to accomplish by an acclaimed organization, there should be time to go through this process well in advance of having the resources available to purchase and erect such a structure.
If we are to fight for Beta land, then I believe it has to possible to shape it in a way that shows ownership. To have such large goals would encourage many to be focused and work toward such a common alliance goal, keeping Beta owners on Beta Islands. Then to defend a Beta island would not be to keep control of some invisible Epri mine, or keep others from some dying nor farm, but it would be to protect your culture, to protect your home, to protect your empire!
Tl/dr:
Create bonus for beta activities that can be turned in with NIC to acquire custom structures. These structures would give your Beta Island your signature and make it worth fighting for.
Buff Towers sounds good, and building system is fine too. However, what if they will be destructable by mobs if not players? So there will be a reason to protect them too, not only usual outpost intrusion protection. Also, I think,such buildings may need increased landmass and/or terraforming things.
