Well - no-one ever posts here - but Im bored.

The IC has mainly been formed to give AI a bit of a fight, but I intend for us to be a fairly agressive alliance.

We will be looking for high seg targets along the way - but Im also looking to recruit players who show they have tenacity and are willing to spend the time building segs - so if you have a decent segs total, you might get an attack, or maybe a membership offer.

I still need at least one or two more players who have what it takes to get to the high ground - that being in excess of 10 million segments.

Im not sure I understand this one - are you suggesting you just put your mothership out like a System Fleet, with no defences - and wait for someone to rape you for segs?

Maybe I dont understand - but if it gets implemented, please tell me where your undefended segs are parked kkthnx?

Emi -

I dont understand this;

- Warp evade settings: "Always try" set to default, "Don't try if friendly station"

Could you explain that in a bit more detail please, and also explain its significance with regard to self nebbing.

For SOWARS diminishing returns from repeated nebula is very clearly the best solution so far proposed.


For SOMAIN - perhaps you could use Emi's idea (total credit losses), but reduce the amount needed to enter neb to 5% or 10% - that means you can still defend with cheap ships like Pships or swarmers, but would need to spend a bit more on them probably.

5% of your total worth to enter neb is a high price - 10% or more would probably make it unviable as a defensive strategy.

Ya FTP - understood - I think it might need a different approach for each server - on WARS you cant just wily nily land attacks - so its extremely unlikely that diminishing returns will kick in unless neb is abused.

For SOMAIN - I dont know the answer - credit cost might be a valid fix there .. please dont do that to WARS server though.

FTP:  I was looking for an alternative to big segs losses - also, killing off segs isnt that damaging to some players - but attacks on their cash would be ... hmm trying to think of someone who might fit that category .. hmm .. can YOU think of anyone?  /wink

I dont know why warp stabilizers has anything to do with anyhow - its like a regular attack, you will destroy ships and send them into neb - end of story.

- Make counter-attacks less damaging, every failed counter decreases 6 hours from remaining counter time

Awesome - this is gold - I still think its a bit overpowered - but at least its a move in the right direction, the attacker gets something of a sporting chance now.


- Ability to salvage destroyed fleets in PvP combat and get items that have resources in them

I hope this is the first small step of a series in this direction.  How about XP, CP and some cash cash $$

OK - glad I caught this thread.

Emi  - we went through this with a bunch of guys on the forums already.

I actually suggested neb based on credit cost, Tz immediately pointed out that you would no longer be able to use PShips on MAIN or attack swarmers on WARS to defend - both integral to the game now - and both reduce the costs of combat and entering neb.

So - Im totally opposed to basing it off credit costs.

Diminishing returns for neb was the best suggestion for SOWARS - there is a thread posted on it.  I think it would work fine on MAIN as well - however on SOMAIN it might be neccessary to make some additional changes.


Im not 100% sure what you mean by this;

- Warp evade settings: "Always try" set to default, "Don't try if friendly station"

I think you mean, ignore the "Always try to Warp" instruction if you're on your own base?  I dont like that - I would like to try to warp regardless if Im on my base or not, no exceptions.

Dont quite understand your response FTP, could you elaborate?

Basil

Your rankings position is a choice, if someone ranked much lower than you lands successful attacks on you, then you really need to consider if your able to defend the rankings position you have chosen. 

Almost anyone can raise enough fleetpower to get to #1 spot - the trick is, can you defend that position?

Edited - Bump

I left AI and started a new alliance, The IC - I did this to try and improve the PvP environment on SOWARS - particularly in the top 20 rankings.

After some experimenting and dueling - Ive discovered that the game mechanics are at odds with the stated purpose of the SOWARS server. 

Theres certainly some things that could be done to improve things, and those Ive posted on another topic "PvP incentives"

##################################################################################################

However, there is a mechanic at the moment that completely destroys the competitive nature of the PvP environment, and no reasonable or viable PvP can be pursued while it exists.

##################################################################################################

The number one problem currently with Pvp is the Counter Attack system. 

When attacking an opponent, you get one shot - if they warp - you fail, so management of fleetpower is critical - it can be very difficult to land a successful attack, some players will need to reduce fleetpower considerably to even have a remote chance of landing an attack.

On the other hand - a Counter Attack requires nothing except turns and a large budget.

It doesnt matter how many times your target warps - you can keep chasing and attacking.  Your chance of success is only dependent on your budget and turns available - if you can afford 20 billion attack swarmers in fleets 1 through 10 - then you just chase your opponent until your 5% comes up - then you win. 

Im not sure theres any point to PvP while the counter system remains as it is - and if theres no point in PvP - then theres no point playing this server or game at all.

The solutions I can think of are;

1. Put Counters on the same footing as attacks.  One attempt, if your opponent warps - you fail.

2. Have a limited number of attempts for a counter - say 5 for example, if your target warps 5 times - then your counter is expended.

3. Change the maximum warp percentage to 99% or even 100% - this will force the Counter Attacking player to consider fleetpower.

I prefer option 1 - why should a Counter Attack be stronger than an attack?  It already ignores base bonuses - thats strong enough.

PvP combat is all but dead on WARS server - I switched away from my old alliance (and very good friends) and started a new one to try and breathe some life into PvP on the server.  I have been experimenting with new fleets and styles, and engaging in combat.

After some time Ive discovered that PvP is just not viable, theres no reason to engage in PvP except that you enjoy it - but in the end, even if you win - your losing ground.

Combat is expensive in all kinds of ways, credits, turns and also investment in tech that is only useful in PvP combat.  Increasing rewards for successful PvP combat is not a *nice to have* it is essential for the WARS server.


Some of these ideas I posted previously, some are new, Ive sorted them into good idea's (winners) and probably not good ideas (duds) ;


Winners

XP and CP gain from successful attacks.

Remove destroyed segs, winning is enough - no need to crush your opponent to itty bitty pieces.

INTEL INSURANCE - covers 25% of your losses if a successful attack is made within 24 hrs of buying the INTEL.

Salvage (looks like Emi is doing this one yay) - Salvage some items, cash or resources after a successful attack.

Bounties.  INTEL contracts can include a bounty.  On a successful attack, the attacker gets a cash reward, say 1,000 credits per segment of the defender, thats 1 trillion for a defender with 1 million segs - maybe to prevent cheating the bounty is only payable if the maximum segs are lost by the target.

Duds

Redundant - Have COUNTER ATTACK insurance.  Duration is 24 hrs, cost is 2.5% of your total fleet cost.  Any segments that are destroyed from a counter attack are refunded - captured segments are not.

Dud - Introduce a new style of attack, call it "Lightening Raid" or something - add in some appropriate combat modifiers.  EDIT# After monitoring responses, a good suggestion is no segs, this is simply a cash raid 20% cash from stash and on hand is captured.


Anyhow - some ideas - if you want to add some more - go for it.

Sorry MeGuaRen - I missed what you were saying I think.

Your idea seems a variation of the "Neb based off cost" idea, with a variable length neb - its actually got merit.  Still - some losses in combat can be small - but it leaves you without adequate defences .. so this would be very tricky to get right I think.

THis doesnt sound like Im immediately accusing anyone - and I only posted one name.  Still - I have to respond - if Im scouted by a low account, then attacked by a stronger account within 10 minutes - that is suspicious, and Ill respond immediatly.

When I first started I used to use an alt to scout - I didnt know it was against TOS - I didnt even know what the TOS was - now I do, and I understand its an unfair advantage to use a low powered account for those purposes.