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Topic: Gamma: if TZs are the problem.

I listened to the Dev/Power Bloc recording.

The topic of reinforcement timers was brought up a couple of times-- I thought those were already implemented.

Regarding giving defenders a bit more chance, the old problem of time zone attacking and alarm clock defense was brought up again.

I will pose a very simple solution. It may be too simple or too restrictive, but it's an idea.

Decide on a reasonable window of time, out of a 24h day, that a corp/alliance must have people available to defend.  6h?  8h?

For argument, let's pick 8h, though I think 6h may be more sensible for players that have real world commitments.

OK, 8h.  When a Gamma Base is built, the builder picks an 8h block of time and locks it in.  For the other 16h, the base's "inherent natural defenses" make the base itself invulnerable to harm-- period, end of story.  Note that this does not cover any other structures-- just the base itself.

During the 8h preset time block (and defender would likely pick their own best TZ), the base itself is in "recharge mode", or whatever technobabble you like, and can be attacked.  Therefore, you need live bodies on to defend it, in addition to whatever static defenses you have.

Will this prevent a vastly superior force, or better-planned attack, from putting the base into reinforcement?  No.  But it will mean that the base builder, the group that has invested the resources, will know when it is vulnerabel to atttack.

It  will still be a very bad move to build on Gamma if you cannot bring enough people to the party.  But, at least, you pick when the party gets thrown.

If the block of time was 6h, that makes it tighter.

Of course, this means that attackers from different time zones would have to marshal forces at inconvenient times.

I suggest this based upon a number of points that I heard from the discussion.  If I missed the point, sorry.

2 Reply by Burial (edited by Burial 2012-07-06 16:33:38)

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Re: Gamma: if TZs are the problem.

Looks pretty solid idea. +1

3 Reply by Gremrod (edited by Gremrod 2012-07-06 16:41:20)

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Re: Gamma: if TZs are the problem.

Nemo wrote:

Of course, this means that attackers from different time zones would have to marshal forces at inconvenient times.

That is fine. I have always thought that the attacker should be the one doing the alarm-clock ops and not the defenders.

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Re: Gamma: if TZs are the problem.

ähm, can you tell me the difference to the current implemented "set time when building comes out of reinforcement mode after three days" ?

i mean, if you set your offset to your timezone, the attacking force has to come back exactly in that timeframe (forgot if it was 1 hour or 3 hours the attacking force has to bring down your buildings)

The arguments on the meeting have been that not enough buildings go into reinforcement mode. you will probably lose your complete powergrid, your defense and your facility booster everytime someone rolls over your base.

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Re: Gamma: if TZs are the problem.

Was proposed on the forums somewhere. Main negative thing is - that you can set up that window to uncomfortable TZ to your enemies forcing them losing their jobs or not sleeping or whatever else to be able to attack your base.

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Re: Gamma: if TZs are the problem.

Why are you suddenly trying to turn Gamma into Alpha Mk2? roll

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7 Reply by Nemo (edited by Nemo 2012-07-07 18:12:01)

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Re: Gamma: if TZs are the problem.

Syndic wrote:

Why are you suddenly trying to turn Gamma into Alpha Mk2? roll

That was not the intent.  If you listen to the Dev-Player conference, something like this is likely to generate MORE combat rather than less.  Right now, people just bring in a big force when nobody's on and blow up inert targets, which sounds a lot more like PvE than PvP, to me.

I blew up billions of POSes in EVE, too-- boring as all heck.

If you know when your base is vulnerable, you know when to have folks on.

Granted, it is inconvenient for the attacker, but if you have a better idea, please post it and if I think that it's good, I'll +1 it.  smile

Just saying "this would be Alpha Mk2, rolleyes" is not partiicularly helpful. smile  How can we make Gamma anything but a squat for megacorps and a "no-PvP due to TZ difference zone", sounded to me to be the point of the Dev-Player Rep talks.  The other point was that Gamma is hardly worth having for anything but colixum, at the moment.

As I said, if I missed their point, someone please enlighten me.  Preferably politely. tongue

8 Reply by Syndic (edited by Syndic 2012-07-08 00:54:35)

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Re: Gamma: if TZs are the problem.

And if you set your reinforcement timer to XZY time, you know your structures are coming out of reinforcement at XZY time in 3 days. Only thing you can lose initially is cheap and spammable peripherals.

But instead it's much better to set the one third of the day where your base is vunerable to the one timezone where both the US and EU guys have to alarmclock, and spend the other two thirds of the day pretending you're back on Beta with invunerable bases. roll

Gamma just needs 1 thing in its current iteration to be viable and self-sustaining apart from the trade-ores from other color-islands, and that's static spawns for plasma.

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9 Reply by Gremrod (edited by Gremrod 2012-07-08 01:53:37)

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Re: Gamma: if TZs are the problem.

Syndic wrote:

Gamma just needs 1 thing in its current iteration to be viable and self-sustaining apart from the trade-ores from other color-islands, and that's static spawns for plasma.

+1

Beyond adding reward to the gamma islands I don't see any reason to changing anything else at this point. If there are some changes I would like them to be some smaller changes or baby steps lets call them. Not knee-jerk reactions!

Small changes would be the 1mill nic cost on documents (really? You're really wanting to nic sink a management tool?). I know 1mil is nothing, but it is just silly.

The TF nic ocean. The more I read about what is being spent on terraforming is just crazy amounts of nic and the things I have seent that were created are not even close to being completed.

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10 Reply by Burial (edited by Burial 2012-07-08 07:47:23)

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Re: Gamma: if TZs are the problem.

Don't think its fair you can cut yourself off right now and reap the benefits of beta-like island while completely safe. It is even more so in the future if they happen to add so that everything you build goes to reinforced before being destroyed.

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Re: Gamma: if TZs are the problem.

Burial wrote:

Don't think its fair you can cut yourself off right now and reap the benefits of beta-like island while completely safe. It is even more so in the future if they happen to add so that everything you build goes to reinforced before being destroyed.

Sometimes I think you really need to try some of the features out before you start posting about them.  A corp puts all of its assests and invests large amounts of NIC to live there.  If you give the players terraformable islands, they are going to do just that, make it safe for their industry.  Let's be honest there is no amount of automated defense that can stop a group of individuals from getting onto Gamma. 

You have to fit for the situation...  If your going to attack a gamma area then bring a terraformer.  Sorry, life sucks.  I know.

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12 Reply by Burial (edited by Burial 2012-07-08 21:05:22)

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Re: Gamma: if TZs are the problem.

What I mean is that it's still miles safer than beta islands. smile

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Re: Gamma: if TZs are the problem.

Unless I undock a terraformer besides its just amusing ghosting you on gamma with signal detectors and waiting.

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