This just has to be said...

[Captain Jack Shadow 488]

From another conversation....Raiding bases, ships, etc...that belong to players who are offline, is NOT PvP.  It's PvE.  But in this case, the level designer is another player, not a professional level designer at the game studio.  So, in my experience, a good single player game played on the higher difficulty settings, presents far more challenge.  Defeating turrets in ARK was boring.  Just a process that everyone knew.  While some players were better "level designers," the fact remains that it was predictable.  Unlike in a single player level you haven't played before, the AI in a game like ARK, and likely this game also, is known and predictable, and so the methods to defeat it are completely known.  Use Stegos to soak turrets, because you know what the max ammo is.  Or, grab your Flak, beer, shields, and C4.  Known procedures that if followed, make the AI nothing more than a delay of the inevitable.   I know some will be offended over this, but you know it's true.  And, you know that ORP would end the predictably easy raids.  New player protection would also enhance PvP, because you know as well as I do, that a new Company with players in cloth and boys, is no match for your metal armor, guns, swords, cannons, etc...which equals pointless...no challenge.  But I digress...

[Captain Jack Shadow 488]

LOL, seems I touched a nerve.  But, no replies because you know it's true.

 

[[616]RexFortis 48]

Well, some people (or groups) are nearly invincible when they're online, so I think it helps to balance things to be able to attack their lands if they're offline.

[Captain Jack Shadow 488]

What would be better is to have servers that limit Company size, and limit the impact of large tribes.  I have already suggested a reputation system that would limit the impact of a large company, and in fact, discourage large companies, as much as the game mechanics already discourage solo play.  Obviously, this is something that would need to be think-tanked, but it is worth doing.  Meta gamers ruin games, and I personally believe that sometimes, developers need to tell these large Groups, just because the mechanics allow something, doesn't mean we do.  Do not do this or we will punish you for doing so.   This might, for instance be...do not split up your large company, and act as one company.  They actually know when you do this.

That was the problem with the 6 man servers.  The problem was that they did not lock players out of one or the other.  You could take you character to the 6 man, and then back to the new ones.  Your ACCOUNT should have been locked into one or the other, whining about be damned.

Just like it was a cop-out for them to not address the pillar spam on PvE servers, and I suspect these guys...Grapeshot...will make that same mistake.  The flags are largely a PvP mechanic, but it needs to be adjusted for PvE.  Limit each Company to 2 or 3 flags.  Maybe do it like this.  2 flags labeled as home flags, which allow you to have a base inland, and a port.  Then allow one expeditionary flag per other island, and these CAN be destroyed by other players, and there is nothing you can do about it.  Those expeditionary flags are just for tax collecting.  If not destroyed by other players, have them randomly decay.  Make a very random timer.  It could literally decay 10 minutes after you place it, or last a week.  As it stands, one player could literally take over the whole map, and that's just being lazy on the Dev's part.  PvE players pay their money for the game, so the mechanics should not be treated as an afterthought.

Another thing they can do is force the Mega Companies onto one server.  They want epic...give them epic.  As they add servers, do this, and manage it, and add servers for large Companies, and medium companies, and yes, even one for the 6 man companies.  Do not allow accounts to play on more than one.  Accounts...not characters.

[[616]RexFortis 48]

Will never happen.  The game devs are in bed with many of the Top 10 companies - BIG TIME!

[Domino 48]

43 minutes ago, [616]RexFortis said:

Will never happen.  The game devs are in bed with many of the Top 10 companies - BIG TIME!

I'm guessing it likely wouldn't happen, but not because they are in bed or favoring anyone.  That's just plain childish.  Rather, it's likely not how they envision their game.

[[616]RexFortis 48]

1 minute ago, Domino said:

I'm guessing it likely wouldn't happen, but not because they are in bed or favoring anyone.  That's just plain childish. 

You must be young.  You've got a lot to learn about the world, but don't worry - you'll get there.

[Domino 48]

11 minutes ago, [616]RexFortis said:

You must be young.  You've got a lot to learn about the world, but don't worry - you'll get there.

Sorry I thought people came here for an adult conversation, not just trolling.

[Captain Jack Shadow 488]

21 minutes ago, Domino said:

I'm guessing it likely wouldn't happen, but not because they are in bed or favoring anyone.  That's just plain childish.  Rather, it's likely not how they envision their game.

Well, as I have pointed out in several posts, they don't seem to have a good vision.

First, let's start with an economy.  If you want an economy, the game has to have many throttles in place to control PvP.  You can't have ships constantly going down if you want an economy.  People are here to sail those ships to distant islands.  If this is too hard to accomplish...if they are bullied by the largest orgs, the largest orgs will be the only people playing in a year.  People WILL NOT grind and grind for a ship, only to lose that ship easily.  If they routinely lose their ships, they will stop caring about those ships.  That will be death for this game.  You don't need to be a rocket scientist to understand that.

This is actually why so many people have spent significant money to back Star Citizen.  They seem to be the only company that understand the needs required for a robust economy, and PvP, and how there has to be repercussions that increase exponentially for PvP, and that not all PvP is equal, and thus the repercussions shouldn't be equal.

I would like to see this game develop a similar mindset.

[Domino 48]

3 hours ago, Captain Jack Shadow said:

Well, as I have pointed out in several posts, they don't seem to have a good vision.

Sorry, not sure I understand.  If you don't like their vision, why are you here?  Why join one game and tell them to start being like another?  When you feel like playing Monopoly, do you start emailing the owners of Settlers of Catan and tell them to change the rules?  No, you go play Monopoly.