Outpost Input

[asaseth]

Ok fine:

1: I'd like to see less GVG infasis in the implementation
2: I'd like to see a more PVE bias, I'd envisioned the outposts as a base for staging large scale battles against the kitin...in the mold of the alien invasions in anarchy online.
3: I think SOR is unique in the way that people help each other and as a smaller community consider each other family...I'd the this GVG focus not to spoil that.

Please remember, this is not just Guild vs Guild, this is also clear the area of a type of animal, or clear the area of goo (the goo kinda infects the entire area, effectively taking the outpost), not to mention the tribes and bandits takeing an outpost, and you haveing to oust them.

Noh

[zukor]

Hmm...i thought we where supposed to be saving the planet from the Kitin and Goo...GVG aids this how again?

Sorry, but I think quasar11 hits the nail right on the head. This is a copy of my post in another thread:

"My question:

I was disappointed, frankly, to hear how outposts were being implimented. From the time I first read the advertisments for SoR when it was still in beta, I got the feeling I would be part of a grand war against the Kitin. I thought the outposts would be the "front line" in this war. Instead they seem a relatively meaningless PvP construct.

So my real question is: will there be a war against the Kitin, a greater cause in which all homin can take part? Or is this game mainly going to go in a PvP direction??"

The appeal to me of this game was to be part of a big adventure. I don't want to "hone my skills" bashing other players. It's surprising to me how the original point of the game, noted above by quasar11, seems to have fallen completely off the radar screen.

Doctor Z.

[madnak]

Please provide your top 3 items you would like to be implemented in outposts! Your feedback will make a difference now, not later. (They are listening)

Teleports to outpost. Outpost-related missions. Outpost customization!

[glipe]

Ok, I'll try to put an answer to both the original topic and you post zukor.

Zukor: Outposts are addition content! This is happy-making stuff! Now while certain elements appeal to sections of players (PvP) the outposts are not just for that! It's obvious that players are meant to develop these areas, make new buildings, provide supplies, enlist NPCs and defend their territory from invasion. Yes there will be PvP and GvG but only if another guild wants to take your territory. And after a while this will die down because people will have their own outposts to deal with. Think of a really powerful guild trying to keep up with the upkeep of an outpost in the PR? They're not going to be able to spare the resources to attack, take over and maintain one that has already been taken over by a peaceful but well supported guild on the surface. Politics will come into it a great deal. Sure, a high level guild might want to take over a low level guild's outpost but are they willing to deal with the repercussions from that low level guild's countrymen? There is so much here to be hopeful for! Relax those tensed muscles, you might need them if, when the outposts are actually implemented, they turn out to be pants.

3 things I'd like to see?

1) Missions to improve your outpost.
Search out the hawker in the PR who has the blueprints for a Matis Amber Processing Plant. This will double the amount of harvested materials pulled out of each source, but greatly decreases the availability of other materials in the area. Or some such, insert good idea or better balance such as more mats but more explosions, more mats but more pollution (goo to be cleaned away before you can harvest), etc.
2) Tribes who want to take back their outpost!
You took it from them, now they want it back! Small assaults by wandering tribes and organised small guild events where the locals have massed a small force in order to take "their" outpost back.
3) Raze the best outposts!
You own an outpost in the wilderness in a high level area. Did you really think the kitins wouldn't notice you building on land they have ravaged bare years ago? Be prepared to spend large amounts of money and mats on arranging a huge NPC force to take on the almost continuous sorties from the enemy. If an NPC is killed he takes a while to return. If all NPC's are killed, the kitins turn their attention to the buildings. With the outpost razed the guild will have to put together some serious cash to contract builders. The rewards for keeping one safe in the wilderness will obviously be a lot higher than the rewards for a safe little place in the centre of civilisation.

[zukor]

Ok, I'll try to put an answer to both the original topic and you post zukor.

Zukor: Outposts are addition content! This is happy-making stuff! Now while certain elements appeal to sections of players (PvP) the outposts are not just for that! It's obvious that players are meant to develop these areas, make new buildings, provide supplies, enlist NPCs and defend their territory from invasion. Yes there will be PvP and GvG but only if another guild wants to take your territory. And after a while this will die down because people will have their own outposts to deal with. Think of a really powerful guild trying to keep up with the upkeep of an outpost in the PR? They're not going to be able to spare the resources to attack, take over and maintain one that has already been taken over by a peaceful but well supported guild on the surface. Politics will come into it a great deal. Sure, a high level guild might want to take over a low level guild's outpost but are they willing to deal with the repercussions from that low level guild's countrymen? There is so much here to be hopeful for! Relax those tensed muscles, you might need them if, when the outposts are actually implemented, they turn out to be pants.

Glipe,

What you say well be the purpose of the outposts. Basically, that's what's already been said by Xavier and others. The problem is, as I posted, that's NOT what I'm looking for. It's not in keeping with what I thought was the central point of the game, reclaiming the planet from the Kitin in a large-scale war. It sounds like the outposts will be PvP, or GvG, or otherwise player-centered. They will not be a general refuge of hominkind versus the kitin.

I'm not sure what you mean about the outposts turning "out to be pants". Perhaps this is a mistranslation of an idiom from another language. In any event, if there isn't a dynamic story put into place soon, and I don't mean primarily player versus player politics, then I and my "tensed muscles" won't be around to find out. I've been playing mostly X2 lately, and signed up for EVE for 6 months. I've been playing SoR since beta ended, but just don't really enjoy it much anymore.

If I want PvP and politics and seiges and fights over outposts, Lineage2 has all of that, and I'm sure handles it much better than SoR will. I joined SoR looking for other things (as per their advertisements).

Doctor Z.

[jgi47ak]

It seems to me that aside from fighting the kitin and the goo, we are also trying to rebuild our civilizations. However, one major problem is how to keep it ballanced so that one powerful guild doesn't take over all of the outposts in the game.

Suggestion 1) Allow outposts to level up

If it is designed such that having many low level outposts is significantly less beneficial than having one good outpost, it's far less likely that some uber guild will take over them all. This could be done by having 4 tech trees: Combat, Craft, Harvest, Civilization. The way to level up an outpost's combat tech tree could be for your guild or any allied guilds to gain fight or magic xp within the outpost's sphere of influence (some meter radius from the outpost). You would need to level up your outpost's combat tech tree to gain access to more powerful guards or military buildings or some other benefits. This system of xp gain for your outpost would deter a high level guild from taking an outpost in a lower level area as it would be harder to level up it's combat tech tree. Because high level guilds are detered from taking outposts in low level areas, more moderate or low level guilds have a better chance to participate in the outpost aspect of the game and helping to rebuild their civilization.

Craft and harvest tech trees for the outpost could level up in a similar way. Any crafting or harvesting xp gained by members of your guild or any allied guilds while within the outpost's sphere of influence would give xp you the outpost's crafting or harvesting tech trees. Benefits for leveling up an outpost's crafting tech tree could be having access to more buildings to build in your outpost, improving the slashing protection of all heavy armor crafted there by 5%, the ability to change the color of crafted items, or other things like that. Benefits for leveling up an outpost's harvest tech tree could be improving the optimal quality avialable to harvest within the outpost's sphere of influence for the controling guild and allies, improving the source mode, reducing depleation rate, or other things like that.

The civilization tech tree for the outpost could be leveled up by doing missions, gaining personal and guild fame which could translate to some ammount of xp for the outpost. Benefits for leveling up an outpost's civilizatioin tech tree could be improving civilization fame, extending an outpost's sphere of influence, gaining access to hawkers, the ability to build a karavan or kami teleporter, or other things like that.

Suggestion 2) Allow outpost benefits to be shared by allies

GvG and PvP tends to result in players getting angry at each other. If outpost benefits can be shared by guild allies, outpost creation and maintenance can be done more co-operatively. I think this would fit the spirit of rebuilding your civilization better too.

Ivarion
The Silver Watch