What I would really enjoy doing is combining and configuring robots - notice that I did not say building as I would not like it to be an indy only thing but something that literally anyone could do. Something that would not take much in terms of extensions but just pure player skill and knowledge of the robot combining/reconfiguration/whatever to name it.

I really liked the one blog post(?) that showed one robot that had a combination of other robots part in it. The system would be good if it were more then just mere drag-and-drop system, similar to how equipping a robot right now works. The system(robot) should have many different variables that react to each other in both good and bad ways, require different extensions and so on. Basically something that would allow one to build extremely big variety of bots and where I could feel that imagination is the only limit. Also every fit I do should not be as good as the other, there should be some fits that just dont go well together due to conflicts in parts or just generally bad strategies and some that go very well together - I want to feel that I could be the discoverer of something great.

I am not talking about just combining few parts here and there but I am talking about having a whole bunch of modules inside the robot, like core, electronic systems, CPU, (insert anything that pops into your mnd and fits) that can be switched and maybe even configured and edited. They would be somewhat similar to the modules we have right now.

- Has to be complex.
- Should take a while to learn and even longer to master.
- Should break the rock-paper-scissor we have right now(which is acceptible imo considering the bots would have different bits from different races).

Of course it is just one idea but if enought people put their brains to work, Im sure some gems could be picked. Its late here so I just wrote briefly on the topic, will edit the post tomorrow.

// I like most of Argas ideas too. Having a variety of things like that to do would basically mean indefinet endgame content.

Anni, please don't make this an "everything I ever wanted to see fixed in the game"-thread

The question was about long-term goals, but maybe that's not the proper question anyway. Why do you want to be part of an empire? Most likely to gain wealth and fame. Why do you want to build better robots? To be more effective in gaining further wealth or fame. I think pretty much everything boils down to that, so in the end those two are and will always be the real long-term goals. Thus the real question is probably "How can we make getting wealthy and/or famous more interesting?" and "What motivations will you have when you are already wealthy and famous?".

A lot of games solve the latter issue by introducing new equipment on a regular basis, which are just a little bit better than the previous ones; a sort of "loot inflation" process. Since the desire for collecting new shiny loot is probably one of the most common driving forces for players, this can indeed provide endless goals and motivation. However in an open world such as ours this would also create a balancing nightmare, a constantly growing gap between veterans and newbies.

The former question is usually solved by making you forget about the fact that what you are currently doing is gaining wealth and fame. This is what themepark MMOs are doing - as long as the story lasts, you're good. Maybe have some achievements to keep you busy if you finish all the missions, and raids with ridiculously rare loot, but other than those you're usually back to the waiting period for the next expansion where you can do new missions.

As I see it, the real options for us are really rare or even unique items/robots/resources, and being better in doing something than most of the others, AND letting them know about it. How we implement these in the game is of course the more interesting question - instanced and semi-instanced "community" raids, achievements, leaderboards and so on; our drawing board is full with such things

They would be regular automated events, sort of PvE intrusions on specifically designed islands.

Wow, looks like I need to type faster (or spellcheck faster)

Adding more stuff to the Syndicate Shop and (maybe) make them relation dependent will add another profession into the game.

Getting rich and having pimped gear are goals itself too. Especially when you have some really rare modules in the game (t4+ are really rare atm).

I really don't like the idea of instanced stuff, even semi-instanced.

You'll always need to work on new ideas for PvE if you want to keep pve-oriented players.

Like borderlands? That might be interesting, depends how it would be made.

"you're not in an MMO to make friends, you're there to make enemies "

Ignoring the mechanics of how it's acutally achieved, and basically agreeing with what your saying, I want to make a 'mark' on any game I play. In an arcade game, it was about spending hours and hundreds of quarters to get my initials on the top of the list.

What draws me to perp is the "persistance" and the idea that if you mention "Arga" to someone, they'll likey to know me (as a forum-whore, but wth, fame is fame).

Building walls was the first 'taste' of being able to make my mark on the game, Jas even literally wrote his name in the sand.

Gamma, raising Islands, building bots... these are all tools I see that will allow me to personalize the game.

When I become part of a corporation, their achiements are also mine. So while my goal "in-game" may be fame too, it's not necesarily personal fame; or maybe with eHarm it will be infamy...

In any case, yes. Give me tools to reshape the world and the world will provide its own challenges to stop me.

Or just name an Island after me... hey, 3k posts have to be worth something.

Just an idea, partially ripped off DEV Zoom, problably.

How about the scoreboard motivation someone else mentioned? It sure should be possible to add those to cetrain classes of activities. One for PVP killing, one for NPC killing, one best syndicate agent (mission/event) related?

Every time some record is broken, have some sort of notification everyone knows. Likewise for NPC versus players, such as hardest HIT recorded, make them come alive a bit in this sense.

I am sure people will find gaping holes in what i just written, but try to plug those holes in your mind and picture if the outcome would be worth something to have please .

As for living on Nia in general, I never have the feeling I am in something that is a war zone. No aggressive NPCs anywhere, and warring NPC factions completely ignore each other when they do meet. Anything that can change this feel of the game would be a huge boost!

Simply no. What fun is in gaining wealth or fame if nobody knows about it. Wealth or fame is a means to an end. The goal is to be different, to be outstanding. Nobody wants to be an unvisible, uniform part of the masses.
Give the players the opportunity to be different, some want to be the nr. one in the killboard, other want to be the ceo of the largest empire, other want to be the master crafter...
But not everyone wants to invest its whole spare time to this goal, they need options to.
Look at Diablo, a very simple game with a fan base that persists now for more than fifteen years.
For Perp you could for example:
* create item sets (combining several items of this set will give some kind of bonus).
* give us an option to modifix existing items, i.e. let me enhance a t4 laser weapon by a mod that increases its optimal range, or something that reduces accu consumption, or something that decreases hit dispersion...
* give us pure cosmetic options to enhance the appearance of a bot (coloring, lights, antennas, ...)

Another point is: The content is always limited, but you could enhance the replayability.
Instead of creating new content that is faster consumed than created, make the replay of existing content more enjoyable.

welcome to the forums?

True Pros make a Podcast to influence the Devs minds, 
The rest of you guys are Hacks

PS. I got my Highways & stopped playing b4 they came in & have never used them! ...... Irony much ?

The issue with the unique craftable items is that at one point, all the names will be discovered and then thats it for the experience. I like the idea but it needs to be very thought out.

PVP players have Perp-kill, albeit a 3rd party site, to track and fluff epeen.

Having achievements and recognition for non-combat activities would motivate more activity and increase PVE/Indy player retention.

The negative side, the total lack of recognition and tracking doesn't give non-combat any credit for the role they play in supporting PVP.

This leads to PVP players, that do indy on the side to support themselves, instead of having a vibrant and appreciated industrial population.

I would like to see one big world with 10,000 - 100,000 players online at the same time-->its not impossible!

I can see 2 or 3 big powerblocks on opposite sides with nice amount of players and teritory! Alliance will have on gamma islands lot of stations,and it will be impossible to take them if u dont have agreement with one powerblock to defeat 3rd one!
ATM i maybee change my mind for gamma islands,because if u rush to fix bug and put in game missions and stuff for smaller corps then u will have maybee lot of new players BUT you will not have enough islands for cover that! You have now 25 players on island and that is pretty high number...

Back to story,
You will have lot of players who will do missions/searhing CT/mining etc on alpha islands and they will fill out the market with lot of ores/modules/minerals/KERNELS etc...
And with that money they will buy OFFICER gear for officer bots! They will buy also sparks but with better 10-30% bonus... Also NPCs will do invasion on island.. one per week they will invade island and they will be there untill all instance are finished! Also when they will be there they will do big restrictions to island (speed/locking time/rance/resists etc...)! You will need strog fleets for beat them...
For missions you will have instance,you will leave station and you will be able to transport/spawn on "spot" and you will do mission by objectives!
Their gamplay will be like that,NO PVP!

Mining players will be able to mining on alpha islands but it will be pain in thhe ***,because lot of players will be there so you will not be able to make lot of nik, BUT our PESTA devs solve that also,as always do!

With special probe ship you are searching "hidden islands",when u find enterence you can deply on some spot your own mini-station with factory! It will be indestructible for some period (month),and after that is vulnerable!
Mini station is too expencive and the catch is next: if u are in that hidden island,you can hard pay off station in that period of her idestructible time,so after that she will pay off,but best mercenaries in game m2s will come and kill you if someone decides that he want live on your place!
So you need also good team to hold that over month! Its place with lot of mining fields and hidden Npcs!
Read lot of NIC!

Industrial players will be producing ships,ammo and stuff like that for market!
Thay will build up their "tech" tree and hopefully they will get invite from powerblock to join!
Industrial players will be awesome because they will have ships for jump over islands and lot of sips who can deploy ships for mining field(compressing ore or reprocess=less space in cargo)

You will have lot of industrial/mining corps who will produce in hidden land big things for powerblocks!
M2s will protect them because they will be paid for that!

In that time in game will me capital mach who can deploy on field and 10 players can control him...
Its ust part of it what is in my sick head,now i must go home from work...

Also, it will be good to tell how you see game in 10 years!

Eve was tell players for walk in station before 5 years..
So tease me...

After only playing for a few days there is a decent amount I like about the game. I think Annihilator said it best though, IMMERSION. That is what I am not feelign when I log in. I am another 5 or so year Eve player. I liked a lot about that game, oviously, but a hanfull of things turned me off and eventually pushed me away. I was, however, immersed when I logged in. Reading through all the posts in this thread I have been trying to put my finger on what it was, but I am not quite getting it.

I do feel that , from my very limited exposure to the game, goals might be one way to get a grip on my immersion dilema. I know that when I log on, I am be-bopping about in a cool looking robot. I like the idea of it, I like the genre. But after all the years, I think I need more work done on the Devs' part on selling me why i am grinding out money. If I am going to spend money on something, give me a nudge at lest. I think after reading through a lot of the responses, I know I do not want a theme-park game. I like the sandbox idea. But it is a huge turnof when I read people that say, "It is up to you, be creative the game is what you make it." I want to log in after a long day of work, and some good healthy time with my kids and escape for a while, blow up someone in a cool looking robot, or be blown up, but I want some better background reasons why I am doing it. AmI fighting for a faction? Is there a force of good or evil and I am fighting for one of them ? Is it simply business and I am fighting for my corp to help hold or gain territory? Not sure, sell me on it.

I have about 9 days left or so. I do look forward to exploring more. I am without a game right now so I am hoping for something to catch my attention enough that my wife yells at me. This game is itching at me, and I hope whatever it is I am looking for is here in the game and I just have not seen it yet.

My compliments to the Devs on what I have seen so far though.